December 2023, Christmas in Shrewsbury.

Hello my lovelies, and Happy New Year! Well, not really, but with this post I am officially all caught up with 2023, so I think it's worth saying again, haha!

Sky giving mixed signals over Glashedy.

Rainbow over Pollan Bay.

Here are just a few photos from the last two weeks in December. As I mentioned before, my last few Christmases haven't been the best, because I was either in solitary confinement, or spent most of my time in immense pain waiting for surgery. So, I was more determined than ever to make 2023 a fabulous Christmas, and thanks to all my wonderful family and friends, my wish came true! I flew back to England, stayed with Gareth, and got to see so many other people while I was there. I got to catch up with friends I hadn't seen in decades, go to my niece's Christmas concert, take part in a festive pub quiz, spend Christmas Day with my family, and Boxing Day with Gareth's family, all while sporting my best Christmas jumpers, rocking out to cheesy Christmas music, and drinking non-alcoholic mulled wine. It felt so good to really spend quality time with loved ones, and not feel rushed, or be unwell, and I was truly grateful for all of it.

Off on my Christmas Holidays!

Rainbow at Derry Airport, seen from the plane.

Shrewsbury Christmas Lights.

Shrewsbury Christmas Lights.

Having said that, by the end of the trip, I was VERY much looking forward to flying home to Ireland. I was a little concerned by the intensity of my desire to leave, if I'm honest. And because I have a tendency to overthink, I started second guessing things, and worrying myself. It didn't feel right that I should feel so happy to be leaving Gareth and heading home, and I wanted to get to the bottom of that. It took me a couple of days, and some deep thoughts and meditation, but the answer seemed so obvious once I got there. The truth is, when I lived in America and came back to England on trips, I felt miserable going back to the States, for multiple reasons. America was never home for me, and while I lived there almost 18 years, I was always homesick. Plus, I was working stressful jobs, with too many hours and not enough pay. My health issues were so much worse when I lived there, not surprising with the extra stress, and it cost me SO MUCH MONEY to just be passed around from doctor to doctor, most of whom clearly did not have my best interests at heart. Obviously I had to put down some roots, and I made some wonderful friends there, but I was living in big, noisy cities with high crime rates, and that added to the mental load. I just didn't have much to look forward to when I returned to America after a trip back to England.

Christmas Eve Celebrations.

Christmas Eve Jolabokaflod.

Christmas Day with my Beautiful Sister.

Guinness Zero waiting for family.

Now, however, I am finally living my dream life. I am living in the area where I have always wanted to live, and I am surrounded by beautiful scenery which inspires me every day. I LOVE the peace and solitude here. I love the wide open skies and the rugged beauty of the Wild Atlantic Way. I love my house and everything in it, and I have the space, both physically and mentally, to create and pursue my dreams. And the truth is, as much as I love going back to Shrewsbury and seeing family and friends, I really miss my house and my views here. And this is a GOOD thing! It is a good thing to be happy where you live, I just never knew what that felt like before! Even when I grew up in Shrewsbury, I felt stifled, I always had the urge to travel, and I never lived alone, so I never had the solitude my soul craved. This surprises a lot of people, but I am very much an introvert. I can be "on" when I'm in social situations, and I love spending quality time with people, but I need to be on my own afterwards to let my batteries recharge. Now that I live in such a remote area, I finally have the peace and quiet I have always craved, and after spending two weeks  of non-stop socialising over Christmas, I was more than ready to get back home and recharge.

I am very grateful that I was able to communicate all of this to Gareth and he wasn't offended. He understands me, supports my dreams, and wants me to be happy. It's a wonderful feeling! The plan in the future is for him to move to Ireland with me. After spending so many years living alone, this will definitely be an adjustment for both of us! Luckily, we are able to have completely open and honest communication with each other, and he does not feel offended if I need to say something like, "Hey, I love you, but I need some alone time." And since we are able to talk about all of this now, it will only be that much easier to adjust in the future. I'm looking forward to the day he moves here, but in the meantime, I love the life that we have now!