Wheel

One of my fondest childhood memories is from when I was about six or seven.  I was in Mrs Peters’ class at school; a teacher who was warm, fun, exciting, loving – everything Mum lacked at that time. I loved Mrs Peters with a passion. I loved her wild, wavy red hair, and most of…

Sorry

This morning, while drying myself after my shower, I managed to pull a muscle in my back. It was painful and limiting my movements, so after dropping Annie to school, I nipped into Tom’s to ask him to knead it out a bit. It worked, and my back felt much better afterwards. Really what I…

Half

If ever I needed an answer to my many questions, it is now. If ever there is such a thing as Divine Timing, it is in this moment. My dilemma with Phil. My challenging year. My stresses and my ever-changing mind. Last night on Facebook, Theo popped up. It’s not the first time this has…

Monopolised

Tom joined us for a barbecue today. Later, my dad popped round for a visit. Dad didn’t ask where the kids were – in their rooms – and he didn’t even attempt to say hello to them when they came downstairs shortly afterwards. Tom offered him food from the barbecue and then sat with us…

Deep

When I have a counselling session that goes quite deep, it can leave me feeling a little bit like I’m in shock for a day or two afterwards. It leaves me drained and exhausted.

Losing

Dreaming Tom has a large spider on his hand; he is putting it near my face. I scream, “Don’t show me, don’t show me.” Responding I woke in a panic. Breathless and absolutely petrified, I retreated under my quilt to try to hide from the dream. Spiders represent my biggest fear, so to me, this…

Coaching

After a year of deliberation and just not really knowing what I should do with my life or even what I want to do, I’m so glad that I’ve finally decided to train as a life coach. I want a career that enables me to: I’ve spent the last couple of weeks looking into courses….

Held

I met up with Phil last night, totally spontaneously. I was at home and child-free. I was drinking wine when I decided to get a taxi and go see him.

Told

I told Phil about Tom. I spent the entire morning getting it all out in an email so Phil knows some of what went on, what he has to deal with and how it still affects me. I’ve been having some major fears coming up. What if I’m wrong about Phil and he turns out…

Trickle

Dreaming I am driving the car; Annie and Tom are in the car with me. In front of me is an old man driving his car; he is unable to concentrate on what he is doing. Really, he shouldn’t be driving, as he is unsafe on the road. He keeps going into the wrong lane, and I’m worried he will cause an accident. There are a few near misses, and I pull back to stay safe in case the worst happens. Suddenly, the old man does something that means…

Anxious

This year has been challenging so far, to say the least. The year began with depression swallowing me whole. I can’t recall how I got through the first few months, but somehow things are starting to look a little brighter, so much so that tomorrow I am booked to get on a plane to spend the…

Weight

I received a letter this morning informing me that the government’s recently announced changes are starting to take effect, which means that a benefit I receive for the children will be cut by £10 per week. This means I now need to find an extra £40 per month. I’m almost sure that if I were…

Tangled

A few weeks ago, when I was right in the midst of terror and crisis, I got back in touch with my old psychotherapist, whom I first started seeing when I needed the support to be able to leave Tom. I’ve had a few sessions with him recently, but after today’s session, I realised something….

Notes

It’s been two weeks since Maxine died. My devastation is beyond anything I’ve felt before. It has shaken me to my absolute core. I seem to be spending too much time in bed – feeling scared, more than anything else. Maxine was a light that shone so brightly. She lit up the room when she walked…

Play

Tom asked to have Annie at his house for a few hours this afternoon. I didn’t want her to go, but he insisted. I suggested he come to mine, but he said he wanted her there. I took her, and I tried to stay, but he wanted me to go. Annie said she wanted to…

Cocoon

When I was a little girl, I used to escape from my painful childhood by retreating to my bedroom and cocooning myself inside a nest of pink blankets and pillows. I felt safe in a space that never really was. Today, I dragged myself into town to walk around the shops; as I did, I…

Involved

It was our first Christmas in our new home yesterday. Tom came to stay on Christmas Eve to spend Christmas with the children. He’s still here.  At least when he’s here, I know he’s safe. I never spoke to him about us getting back together, but I have made sure he’s been much more involved…

Proposal

I broached the subject of sex with Craig. The combination of his flirting and taking those photos a few days ago has really got me thinking. I’ve been deprived of a sexual, intimate relationship for so long, and it’s always been something really important to me, so now that I’m single, why deprive myself any…

Intruder

Dreaming I am walking down a street towards home; it is nighttime and dark. As I approach my house (an unfamiliar house), I see three men by the wall overlooking the front garden. They are drunk and are urinating over the wall onto my grass. I don’t want them to notice me, so I slip down an alley at the side of the house. As I reach the back garden, I can see my French doors wide open. I realise I have been broken into…

Safe

Most probably it’s the two glasses of wine I’ve had, combined with getting a kitten, but tonight I feel warm and fuzzy inside. I spent the day with Tom. He came over mid-morning, fixed the trampoline for the children to use, stayed to play with Annie, joined us for lunch and came with me to…

Oppression

Dreaming I am in the dining area of the kitchen of the house at Church Lane. Dad is sitting at the dining table, and Mum is in the kitchen area. The room is unbearably hot, with steam swarming around the room making it difficult to see clearly. I can see enough to see that the house hasn’t changed at all over the last twenty years. Unable to stand the heat any longer, I open the window, releasing a torrent of steam. I watch relief wash over Mum, and then…

Instinct

Dreaming I’m in bed when instinct tells me to get up and go downstairs. As I go down, I see two men leave through my front door; they are burglars. I’m not sure if they’ve taken anything or not, as I disturbed them. I go to the front door and shout out to them to…

Emanating

Dreaming I am queuing in a shop waiting to pay. The female shop assistant realises that a man is stealing wine; he is just around the corner of the shop and not visible from where I am standing. Another female shop assistant is standing near him and can see what he is doing. She tells…

Courage

I spent all week unsure whether to go back to the domestic abuse group or not. I didn’t want to go and spend the whole time in tears again, partly because I’m not good with being emotional in front of people and partly because I feel it stops the group doing what they’ve come for;…

Ignite

Dreaming I pull into a car park and park my car. I am at a hospital; there are alarms going off and firemen everywhere. The hospital is on fire. I can’t see any flames, but I can see smoke. To my right, a Japanese man gets out of his car and takes four photographs of…