I’ve not had a shower/wash since Friday night. Thankfully with my headphones on it wasn’t that obvious with my hair with a background on Teams; also people can’t smell you over Teams. I have an in person thing tomorrow so I’ll have to have a shower.

I had a nap this pm as I couldn’t even cope with the sound of traffic going past outside with windows closed. The pain and noise sensitivity are better& with it my mood. My brain fog less so. I was looking for a bottle of sparkling water i had lost our tiny kitchen. Turns out I had put it on floor.

I just asked Stella if she would make me a birthday cake this year - it’s still 2 months away. She says yes if she can make it with soil she’s dug from the garden.

It’s only Monday and I feel overwhelmed already. This is probs a migraine, because my noise & light intolerance is much worse. No TV for me. Just closed the blinds. But if I sleep during the day I’ll have worse night time sleep. I’m hardly getting any deep sleep as is with anxiety & my mild cough.

I also have a persistent intense pain in my neck and head despite pain killers & heat packs and it’s making me very grumpy too. Too much grumpiness for a Monday. Stella isn’t helping. She should be asleep but Felix has fond outside and it’s apparently too distracting & she keeps asking to go out.

Still no pool for me today. I’m trying to be sensible with my pacing. But not being able to go back to my routine is making me grumpy.

The trainer came today for a half hour training walk. Hopefully in a few months Stella will feel a lot more confident walking. She’s asleep on my lap now

This cold better be gone from tomorrow, as my first normal week of January is about to start again and it would be really helpful for me to get back into my routines. I did manage to get through today without a nap but I still had to rest almost the whole day.

We still haven’t finished all of the biscuits and chocolates we got given slash had bought for Christmas. It’s not for lack of trying

I’ve got to do knitting increases for the sleeves and I’ve not done that in years. I know there are you tube tutorials but I often find it difficult to follow them, so I’m a bit nervous.

Stella had a bath and is now in a blanket nest.

I’ve got a cold sore again. Not really a surprise. I’m feeling ok ish cold wise today, but still trying to get more rest in. How’s everyone on this Sunday morning?

Had a long nap and we had a dominos pizza for dinner with some cinnamon chocolate dough balls for dessert. They don’t taste much of cinnamon though but still nice. Have leftovers for tomorrow lunch time.

I’m so exhausted from taking Stella out at lunch time today. It would be only half as bad if it was just a short walk but it’s all the stopping & coaxing & being fake excited. It’s a lot of mental spoons on top of the physical. So that’s most of my energy budget gone for the whole day. /1

B brought me a kinder cookie slice back from town from my favourite cafe. Yay.

Stella says I’m bored. You suck, mummy, when you have a cold and daddy is out.

I made progress on the front of the jumper. At the moment the front seems wider than the back. But I’m wondering if this is because while I’m knitting the weight of the yarn stretches the material. And the back has shrunk back a bit after “resting”. I got blocking boards for Xmas so that should help

I feel a bit better today so far than the last two days. Hopefully it will be gone by Monday.

I survived my first day back at work in 2026 despite being full of cold. Now I have 3 days off my again. Yay. I went up to bed 2hrs ago and hopefully my cold symptoms will let me sleep shortly.

I finished work and lying I’m on the sofa downstairs. Stella is on top of me trying to get at the used tissue I’ve hidden from her.

More than half way through the work day. Thank goodness for cold and flu tablets.

I’m also waiting for a phone call this morning from the GP about my blurred vision.

I’m back at work and I have a for me a mild temperature at 37.3. My normal is around 36.4 in the mornings. I keep getting hot flushes. It’s like being back in full perimenopause swing.

I’ll post some positives. #3GoodThings 1. We watched the first episode of night manager season 2 tonight 2. Im in spare room because of my cold and Luna is snuggled up to me and all 3 cats are hanging out. 3. I ate my last Lindt Santa today and it was delicious. I got 3 Lindt santas this Xmas.

My upper back, neck and shoulders hurt plus I gave a headache because I’m lying in bed too long and not moving a lot at all. This is on top of the additional limb pain from the cold on top of my normal pain levels. I’m a bit grumpy with my stupid body & life.

Back to work tomorrow after over 2 weeks off. Sadly I don’t feel very refreshed since I found out about the pip review having to be completed on Monday and having a cold most of the week. Not ideal. But at least I’ll have 3 days off again after tomorrow and it’s a wfh day.

I had a nap in bed in the end and took Stella with me. I still don’t feel brilliant.

I’m trying to have a little sleep on the sofa as I’m too tired to knit following more complex instructions or to watch telly. I’m not usually great at falling asleep on the couch. Stella is on top of me though so obviously I cannot move.

I hate having a cold. It’s my third this autumn/winter. And usually I only get 1 a year. I’m run down from all the work stress in the last 18 months or so & the extra spoons having a hyperactive puppy keeping me from resting as much take. I’m sure the PIP thing hasn’t helped. No pool today.

Thanks for coming along to #MadSkyChat It’s good to hear about chutes of all sorts tonight. Stay warm and look after all yourselves See you next Wednesday at 8pm GMT.

Hi everyone. It’s time for , #MadSkyChat now for an hour All mad and/or Neurodivergent people welcome. Just use the hashtag in every response to join in. I hope you are all surviving the first week of 2026. I’m not having the best first week myself. I’m glad I’m not working until Friday.

Here’s your reminder that it’s #MadSkyChat soon at 8pm GMT.

Hi everyone. It’s Wednesday, #MadSkyChat day. We chat tonight at 8pm GMT for an hour. All mad and/or Neurodivergent people welcome. Just use the hashtag in every response to join in.

Could I move back in with my parents and be a child again without adult responsibilities?

Dog trainer was here. She definitely did think Stella is a bit nervous and will send us some notes on how to try make her feel more safe in the long run on walks. But it sounds like a longer process. She also had some helpful ideas re barking at cats. Now time for a nap.

Felix is using Rosie as a foot warmer. Next time they pretend they aren’t friends I won’t believe them.

I feel more achy in my limbs than I usually do. They feel heavy. This is definitely a cold type thing. It better be mild and get lost quickly, because I don’t have time or energy for this. At least Stella comforts me when I sneeze instead of growl at me which is what Luna does 🤣

I might be coming down with a cold. I’ve had a sore throat all day yesterday and it’s still there today plus maybe the vaguest hint of the sniffles. No pool today as the dog trainer is coming at lunch time today and that’s enough. If I’m up to it I’ll go to the pool tomorrow.

I do feel a sense of relief for now having taken this Thursday off. I’m in a bad place anxiety wise and the commute is very hard as is from a sensory perspective. Hopefully it will feel more manageable again next week.

B sometimes struggles when he uses an expression I don’t understand. I don’t mean I don’t understand it literally but sometimes he is vague or uses metaphor I’ve never heard before. He doesn’t get why I don’t get it. Today he said it was meant to be a warm house. And I was like what’s a warm house.

I’m going to have a nap and some more painkillers. I was going to return to work Thursday but it’s an office day do I might ask to take if off as leave so I have a bit more time to recover from yesterday.

I’ve still got neck pain and a tension headache and a tight chest from anxiety but at least I had some fresh air and a cookie cup. Back to sofa rest with Stella who is now using her snuffle ball as a pillow.

GP asked me to book an appointment. Next appointment available 27th January 😢

This is her you never let me do anything fun side eye.

Stella is being a “nutter” and I’m too grumpy and headachy for it. Anyone want a dog that keeps digging in the sofa?

The autism charity I’m a member of will get someone to help me with the form. They have a dedicated support person for that. So that’s something.

I’ve completed an e consult with GP about how I’m struggling. Not much they can do.

I’m sitting on the sofa getting Stella cuddles worrying about how I’ll cope with work this year, the pip and our home stuff. There’s already so much stuff that doesn’t get done around the house & garden & I don’t have the energy or money to engage someone else to do them or try to motivate B. /1

I’m glad I’ve another day off tomorrow and that Stella is cuddling me right now. B is also making dinner tonight.

We got an extension until later in Feb and the DWP said it was a mistake in my PIP award letter. It shouldn’t have said ongoing award but time limited to 2 years. Ffs. I will try not to post any more on this for today. At the moment I barely feel I can cope with my life as it is without this on top.