So much for that |

My last blog post, way back in February, was written with a giddy mix of hope, relief and a tickle of excitement as I contemplated the almost tangible probability of my release from the doldrums that had suffocated my creative inclinations.

So much for that.

The first cases of Covid-19 in the UK were being reported that week, and I was keen to find a distraction from my mounting anxiety. Serendipity had aligned the stars to give me a much-needed boost of happy news along with a rekindled inspiration to write … and I blogged for the first time in months.

And then lock-down happened, and a sweet friend died, and I began working from home, and my anxiety increased with every daily update, and I stopped writing. Again. I began to find it difficult to engage with friends, even those with whom I’ve had a long-distance friendship for decades. Self-isolation combined with “the doldrums” – a dangerous mix, especially for an introvert – has turned me into a hermit.

It had taken me almost a year to admit to myself that “the doldrums” actually meant depression, but in February I had started to believe that the mild anti-depressants I’d been taking for some months were beginning to work. I still take them, even though I feel I’ve hit a plateau in that I’m not aware of any improvement in recent months. Frankly, given what’s happening on a global level, that’s not surprising. It is what it is, and I’m just going to park that there.

My reason for updating now is this: I’m putting this blog on hold for the foreseeable future. It will remain here as an archive until I’m ready to write again. I struggle to update Facebook, Instagram and Twitter on more than a sporadic basis, so I’ve decided to focus on one or two social media outlets rather than five (Pinterest is also on hold for now).

If you’d like to join me on any of those other social media platforms, please follow the links below.