Friday 9 March 2018

Get a Grip!

Okay... I've loaded some photos but now what? I thought I'd write a blog post as it has been a few days but to be honest my mind is all over the place and I'm not sure what I'm writing about. Life feels like a challenge. To be fair it is calmer over the past few days when compared to the distress, self harming and night spent in A & E but we are still on a knife edge. We are getting help but the next appointment is on May 1st... that's nearly eight weeks away! When I called to ask why I was told that is just the way it is. Meanwhile the crisis helpline or emergency services are our options when things get tough. Sorry, I don't mean to offload but sometimes it feels too much to deal with.


I know I'm stressed because I drove through red lights in the middle of Cambridge yesterday. Someone hooted and everyone politely slowed down... it was Cambridge after all... so no harm was done. And I find myself randomly crying... although maybe crying at Pavarotti singing Nessun Dorma isn't so random. It is quite emotional after all. So when people ask, I say things are better and yes, we're okay and meanwhile I try to carry on as normal. I'm taking part in an Instagram challenge called "March Meet The Maker" which is fun and I've learned all about Flatlays (photo above). Who even knew that taking photos of randomly arranged objects from above was even a thing... not me obviously!


I've been making things and listing them in my Etsy shop. Bags and tea cosies, although I'm not convinced anyone except me uses a tea cosy anymore. And then this week I read that Etsy in the US actually list weapon accessories such as gun speed loaders... I kid you not. I innocently thought Etsy was all about hand crafted and hand made, so now I plan to close my shop because I don't want anything to do with an organisation that sells weapon accessories. Does anyone else have experience of Folksy or possibly having their own website shop? Although my long neglected website has been a victim of malware and is now temporarily closed... or is about to be closed. My email has also been having problems which may or may not be related, so trying to do anything technical with my website isn't going to be straightforward.


But as well as making stuff, I've been teaching and going out with friends (I'm lucky to have some lovely friends) and at home I'm reading or knitting and drinking tea. So I'm trying to maintain some semblance of normity


That was bit random and heavy for a Friday night wasn't it? I blame the Prosecco... I'm okay really...  as long as you don't start playing Pavarotti!

32 comments:

  1. So pleased you can be honest Gina. I often think that blogs make everything look so nicey nicey... but behind the scenes there is some serious emotional turmoil really going on. Glad you have lovely friends and i'm a great believer in it's the quality of friends and not the huge quantity. It really is lovely to be able to share life's peaks and troughs together and laugh, cry, moan, hug and of course eat cake and drink Prosecco! As far as a piece of sobbing music i'm fairly partial to Eva Cassidy and "Somewhere over the Rainbow"and yes driving whilst sobbing mascara'y tears is not to be recommended! Glad you are sewing I think it's hugely therapeutic. Wishing you blissful slumbers, the strength to deal with all that is thrown at you and a gorgeous Mothers Day on Sunday ... because after all you are gorgeous. So admire your verve and tenacity. Liz x

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  2. Awe bless you Gina, I'd give you a hug if I could but I'll send you a virtual one instead! I really hope things can improve but I know there is no quick fix and in the meantime I hope you get the help you need and so rightly deserve.
    Actually I didn't know that about Etsy, that is very disappointing!
    V x

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  3. Well that’s done it for me on Etsy too.
    Take care Gina. I only wish I could do something, or even say something, that would help.

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  4. Oh Gina, it always amazes me that behind my lovely blog writers things go on as if all is well when in reality it isn't. Here is a virtual hug, keep reading, a good escape for a while. Knitting and sewing, walking the dog, but hopefully no more red lights. We don't always have to be calm and brave, we need to let it all out occasionally. Xx

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  5. Gina, I'd be crying too, so I'm glad you have some good friends to meet up with to help cope. Mental health issues are so difficult to understand and deal with. As far as tea cosies go II don't know who uses them, but I love your little crocheted pin cushion. Take care.

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    1. Thank you Lynn. I wish I could take credit for the pin cushion but it was made by a lady called Emma Lamb

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  6. You're having a hard time, Gina. I'm so sorry. We've been through similar in the past - I've certainly driven through red lights, but someone somewhere must have been looking after me as I didn't cause or come to harm.
    Husband said this morning that he'd like to go back and start this year again as it's been nothing but hassle. Hopefully, things will calm down for all of us soon. Very best wishes, you are in my thoughts.

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  7. It’s so good to offload particularly when life is frustrating. What can I say Gina to improve things? Hopefully when the appointment comes around it will be productive. Meanwhile keep doing calming activities and avoid red lights at all costs. As for Etsy, I’m shocked :(. Hopefully a better weekend ahead. I’m thinking of you all. B x

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  8. Sorry that you and our family are having such a hard time. Things will get better, you can only deal with what us in front of you and accept help from those around you. Look after yourself and keep making.

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  9. I can only try to imagine what you are going through and admire your determination to keep life as normal as possible. It is good that you can let off steam a bit - and that you have good friends around you.
    Don't forget to look after yourself. Thinking of you.xx

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  10. I am so sorry to hear that the card game of life has dealt really difficult cards. I am thinking of you and also your family, hoping that the time until May passes quickly and with no further emergency hospital visits. I am glad you have good friends for support.

    As for Etsy, I am shocked, I had no idea. I am going to write to Mr or Mrs Etsy (if I can find a contact) to express my concerns and dismay. I have not used Folksy but the site looks nice.

    Lots of love xx

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    1. P.S. I have just sent an email to Etsy support, with the link you give copied and have asked that this and similar item listings are investigated and removed.

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  11. Sorry to read of your family difficulties Gina. I was completely horrified by learning about the gun accessories being promoted on Etsy. There is a petition - small at the moment, but hopefully will grow and make a difference.
    https://petitions.moveon.org/sign/tell-etsy-to-stop-showcasing

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  12. Oh Gina. I'm so sorry life is s*** just now, but I'm glad you feel you can be honest about it all. Sometimes it doesn't help to keep pretending that things are OK if they're not. Let me know if you feel like a catch up sometime soon. Love to you all. xx

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  13. Oh Gina, big hugs from here. You are alright to have a cry at anything you want. you are alright to feel overcome at computery things. It is allowed. It is obviously needed. and it is ok not to be ok when life is definitely not ok.
    I am so glad you have friends to go out with, I am sure you are getting some love from them.
    I will keep you in my prayers. I find it works for coping. and prayers for your son as well. Love and Hugs.

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  14. I hope things are better for you soon, take care of yourself. I did better on Folksy than Etsy but I no longer use my shop it sort of fizzled to very few views. I didn't know that about Etsy either, that is outrageous! x

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  15. I am so very pleased that you have your friends around to support you, it is a very difficult time for you. And well done for talking about it! xx

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  16. Oh Gina! That is just rubbish. It is about time they sorted out the issues over mental health and start treating it more seriously. They keep promising, but never seem to deliver - apparently. Hugs from me.

    As for selling, we can on our site but obviously we are not promoting it enough. People have paid for our alpaca adoptions and our Latvian Alpaca Adventure via the site but we haven't sold any craft items yet. Although it is easy to do and uses Paypal (or bank transfer). It is a company called Mozello who run it and they are a Latvian company, but you don't have to live in Latvia to use it. It's easy to set up and they are quick to reply if there are issues. This is our website griezitesalpakas.lv

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  17. Oh my gosh Gina, you have certainly had a hard time lately and thank goodness you can unload on your blog. I really hope your son is able to get the help he needs in the next few weeks.
    You will notice that I am actually replying in the comments on your blog! I have swapped to a different magnifying software and it seems to be much better. We have had our own dramas here as well so I have not been on blogger or Facebook very much lately. I did love your snowman however.
    Lots of love, thinking of you all.

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  18. I am sorry for all you are going through Gina. I know what you are going through having been through it myself. It is ongoing. For me it has been 18 years now since my daughter had her first hospitalization leaving me to care for her son all this time. It has been anything but easy and I wish you all the best in this time of turmoil.

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    1. Thank you for your kind thoughts Roberta. I know from reading your blog life hasn't always been easy caring for your grandson. Sending good wishes back x

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  19. So sorry Gina to hear of your continuing problems. Thinking of you. May is such a long time to have to wait for any sort of support. I hope things start to improve for your son before too long. xx
    P.S. I had no idea Etsy sold that sort of thing - like you I thought it was for handmade crafts.

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  20. Somehow I missed this post until now. I'm so sorry things are so difficult at the moment, you are in my thoughts, and I hope that things improve, although I know there are no quick fixes. I'm so glad you have lovely friends, no doubt they are a great comfort and there to talk to in times of need. About Etsy, I'm horrified, that's really shocking. Not the image they try to portray. Like Christine I shall be writing a stiff letter. Sending you a cyber hug, CJ xx

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    1. Have also just emailed Etsy and told them I won't be buying from them again as long as they allow the sale of weapons-related items. Ironically today they were promoting gifts for Mother's Day. I pointed out that plenty of mothers have lost children to gun violence. Let's hope they listen and ban weapons-related items. CJ xx

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  21. Sorry you're having such a rubbish time of it at the moment Gina. I do hope things get resolved for you and your family.

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