Cheese 'Baby' and Poo Toes! 💩
Issue #2 of the Great Little Newsletter is here! 🎉 A day late, but who even notices anyway?
Great Little Newsletter – Issue #2 – February 2025
News From My Life
Dear Readers,
For a long month, January was pretty uneventful really. I went viral (not in a good way) and had one cold after the next (it seemed like). But, within that time some good stuff happened too I guess. You might find this next bit boring, but I want to remain authentic and real, so I’m literally going to tell what’s been happening in my life for last few weeks. It won’t take long!
I stopped eating cheese… because… well, this!
I’ve been lactose intolerant for as long as I can remember and cheese (if I eat a lot of it, which I usually do, because YUM) makes me look like I’m about 6 months pregnant! Yes, I have been mistaken for being pregnant on more than one occasion. 😳
Although one might think that would be reason enough, it’s also because it’s an inflammatory food and therefore can exacerbate my arthritis – Yay! 🙄 So, goodbye cheese 😭 Well, mostly… I had some last week.. oh, wait and on Wednesday. Hmmmm.
Anyway… I mostly used January as a month to hibernate and let my thoughts and aspirations for the year ahead marinade in a sort of calm-but-also-guilt-laden sauce. I joined some lovely online workshops and ‘gatherings’, organised by some of the fabulous ladies here on Substack.
There was also another Meet-Up in Hammersmith, London. Organised by the extremely friendly and welcoming
, where I got brave and read my children’s book that I wrote last year to the group. Which, to my absolute delight was very well received! Now to find a publisher… I’m on it!The online stuff also included
’s fabulous “Big Online Share”, which was a hugely inspiring and joyful gathering of people filling out (and sharing) bits of our “Goodbye 2024, Hello 2025” journals – which I’ve yet to finish actually – Ooops! 🤦🏽♀️I’ve also been immersing myself in lots of really nurturing stuff and attended a couple of
’s gorgeous workshops – which include “Yoga Nidra” – One session of which induced floods of tears out of nowhere, I mean I must have needed to cry… but what I wasn’t expecting was that the crying would last for TWO days! Yup… TWO whole days of a crying, snivelling wreck! I was a mess! 😭Poo Nails 💩
When I finally got my shit together, I went to get a pedicure (because why not) and I floated out of that salon feeling refreshed and happy… only to swiftly have the kids tip me right off my happy stool as soon as I got home. They looked at my feet and said, “Why did you get them done in poo brown colour?” Thanks kids! 😒Have they got a point? If you don’t like feet, look away now…
New Desk Space - A Definite Highlight
After moaning about not having a fixed place in the house to write, get creative, leave supplies out, etc… and having to stop/start and move from room to room… Mark very generously decided that it was time that I adopted his desk (set up in the corner of our bedroom) as he usually only works from home two days a week, which he can do from the kitchen table.
I was initially very moved by his very kind offer and after briefly crying (again, I know), I was like... “Great, move aside sucker!”, as supplies slowly started to appear out of the woodwork – that I may or may not have been squirrelling away in hope - to adorn my new workspace sanctuary. Hurraaaaa! At last! 🥳
My Writing Life
Well, things are hotting right up in that department and I’m trying to immerse myself in all things publishing to learn everything I can about writing book proposals, finding an agent, the process with kid’s books and also memoire, etc… which is all going really well. It is A LOT of work though, and there is so much information to absorb. Thanks to a lot of wonderful people here on Substack I have managed to compile quite a list of websites, directories and other very useful resources. For anyone who is interested, I’ll be sharing what I’ve found in my new “Member’s Hub” later on this month, so look out for that. 👍
🪷Member’s Hub🪷
In-case you missed it, I sent a post out earlier in the week announcing all the details of my new paid membership and you can find everything you need in there. There is also a fabulous “early adopter’s” discount of 40% off until 1st March, so don’t miss out on this great deal while it lasts!
🎙️Great Little Podcast🎙️
Within the above post you will also find details of my upcoming Podcast, and a reminder about the “Warm-Up Episode”, where I’ll be speaking to my fabulous Substack friend
from “Flucking Flourishing”. This light-hearted chat will be released tomorrow, woohooo! 🎉🎨That’s a bit Sketchy🎨
This is the section of the newsletter where I share anything creative I’ve been doing. This month I have just one little sketch to share with you (which you may have already seen on ‘notes’ – due to the lovely
encouraging me to be brave and get it out there. Thank you Ruth! 🥰
And Finally
I’m actually heading off on a short little trip away to the far Northern Hemisphere next week. Me and my 9yr old are off to Lapland!! I’m beyond excited (as is she) to go to such an amazing place and actually see some ‘proper’ snow! I’m also praying that we will get some clear skies and be lucky enough to experience the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights). Although, we won’t be staying outside for too long in temperatures of -20ºC!! 🥶
I’ve been lucky enough to have been to Lapland once before and I did see the Northern Lights on two of the nights I was there – Simply stunning! Just to make you green with envy… Look where we’ll be staying! (Please don’t hate me!) 😉
That’s a Wrap!
Right, that’s it from this month’s newsletter. I hope you’ve enjoyed reading it as much as I’ve enjoyed creating it and thank you so much for being here! I’ve been absolutely blown away by all the cheerleading and support, from so many of you on this wonderful platform, and by how many of my fellow ‘Sub-stackers’ have said YES to being on my Podcast! Thank you all so much 🙏🧡
In case you missed anything…
Here are some of the things I’ve published since the last Newsletter went out, so if you missed them you can catch up here…
Have a fabulous weekend! 🥰
Wishing you all the luck, but you're working really hard and that makes your own luck. Just rest when you need too x
Ahhh lovely, I am so glad you received the medicine that you needed, I do find that when we slow down sometimes it like all the emotions we haven't had a chance to process come and catch up with us. In the most loving of ways. I hope that you felt lighter and that you are being gentle with yourself. xxx