More change, and a long absence to perhaps make mention of...
So my 42 challenges before 42 morphed many times... there were greater forces at play but I never formally acknowledged the end. Did I just forget, or let it fade out? Nope, and it turns out that I did way more than 42. Some did get canned because priorities change and time is just too precious to spend not in pursuit of your truest goals. We also decided to orchestrate another international move and throw in big doses of solo parenting, but here I am aged 43 living again in another timezone topping, tailing and quickly describing some other bits and bobs:
Did a Year of Yoga, some revelations (to follow) started brilliant with Nashy, and then elongated with Cherry when I started a school group, witnessed glorious growth from so many members.
I drove into the end of a rainbow and became at one with the whole of the colour spectrum
Finally started Alexander Technique and so much more with the beautiful Sara
Decided to like mushrooms and be a full fanatic by the time I'm 50. Excellent int from Owen, and other learning from Merlin and my fungirls.
Did the Dartmoor Classic thanks Kristen, the reverse Bantham Swoosh solo but with LFJ support
Nick accepted more of my weird cycling routes with dawn starts but with a much slower me
Joyfully swapped Terry tesbo for Jazzy.
Ran my fermentation workshop and hosted another zwish.
Cycled the Hebridean Way, thru camped with the fam, thanks Lucy and Cinz for bookending.
Signed up for Breathwork through FWC and did an amazing retreat with The Breath Connection and the gorgeous Sam, Miranda, Trish, Soph and other retreateees in Mona
Bought a Barrel and used it (or the sea) every day from July to Dec (last dip was -3 air temp) usually singing the alphabet backwards and the miracle mantra
Discovered 5 new beaches thanks to Livvy, a viking and the abode of the Blue Hydrangea
Learnt to love rowing Crabbers - who knew, and hat-tricked with JT
Love pepparkaka, thanks Mairead and Kel
Moved to Hospitalitarianism... and now a little beyond.
Started therapy, and paused it when I realised it wasn't best serving me.
Designed my own 'religion', apparently it kind of already exists according to my beloved RS teaching friends Clarey and Izzi.
I palo santo my chakras... ha ha, thanks EJ
I keep my mind open, Ray, Maddy and the AwC crew
Fully honour my grandmother moon, celebrating her phases with Carolyn, a likeminded love.
Embraced new friendships and healed some injured ones.
Moved from 5 roles (and almost a nervous breakdown) to just one, currently processing the rapid deceleration and missing my colleagues and fabulous 11s and 13s very much.
Started drinking my coffee black... Cheers Rachel!
Oh the volte face... well is it really a U turn? I am tweaking my diet again to be ingredients that are as unprocessed as possible. There is much misinformation and green washing, I still am mainly plant based but the occasional animal product will appear if it was well cared for, pasture raised, locally sourced. I was always open to own foraged mussels from ped'n'vounder and such like, but being a 'hospitalitarian' is accepting kind hospitality, like a cream tea with Rachel, cheese with Hannah or Vicki, butter with Kate or Lisa, a burger at Katy's, a speck of tartiflette in the mountains. My 4 years without meat, three years without fish, 18 months without dairy and year without alcohol have enlightened me to how much glorious food/experiences there are in those brackets and I would happily spend weeks being a vegan teetotaller again. So am I a flip flopper, or someone who experiments, evaluates and evolves? and as for U-turns, like the USA the UAE loves a Uey... check out my IG post on intersections.
There are not enough words or phrases to thank Bear, Whizzies, Rozzle and Oblong without whose help not much gets done, or the little humans that shape my everyday in ways I could never have anticipated. Some names should appear many times but brevity is necessary, others are unnamed to protect them as they are famous (just joking - but if you know that I love you you'll know and not need a name on a page, but if you ever need to check just message me and my reply will leave you in no doubt).