Hello again my loves, how are you all doing? It has been a while since I've posted, obviously. All my good intentions failed, as I've been struggling with my mental and physical health again/still. But these photos span the time from the 10th of November to the 5th of December 2025, so theoretically I'm still catching up with myself.
During that time I mostly only left the house to go to appointments or run errands, so I don't have a lot of interesting photos to share. I did make it down to the shore for a walk one wild and windy afternoon though, so I do have a collection of photos and videos from that day. Being greeted by a bright rainbow next to Glashedy was a real treat!
On the 15th November I was selling at the Clonmany Christmas Craft Fair at the Clonmany Community Centre again. I have gotten a lot of good feedback from my newer "Peace of Pollan" brand pieces, and it feels good to be using things that I found on the beach, and to be doing my part to help keep our beautiful Inishowen cleaner.
I had some tests done earlier in the month, and was back at the Doctor to discuss the results by the end of November. And, I was officially diagnosed with Lupus here in Ireland. It was already suspected, from over a decade ago, when I was still in America, but due to further tests being "inconclusive", the official diagnosis at the time was UCTD, an "Undifferentiated Connective Tissue Disease". Now, the tests are conclusive, which was both validating and disturbing. It's good to have conclusive proof of something that was suspected for so long, but to know that I should have had this diagnosis a long time ago, and perhaps some help for my issues, is disheartening. So many people dismiss my health issues, since I "look fine"... and it's just another struggle to have to deal with, for anyone with an invisible illness.
Knowing that as I age, my health issues will only get worse, is not a good feeling. I had an aunt who died from complications from Lupus, and she was only in her 50s, which is a sobering thought. Between the Lupus, Fibromyalgia, PCOS, Arthritis, and Lymphocytic Colitis, I am in pain all day, every day. The fatigue that I experience is overwhelming, and impossible to explain to anyone who has no experience of these things. On top of all of this, I am now perimenopausal, and the hormone fluctuations make everything worse. So, my physical health has been poor, and my mental health has been no better. Trying to come to terms with all these diagnoses, knowing that my life will never be the same, is difficult. I mourn for everything I was once able to do, and the active life I used to lead.
All in all, 2025 was an extremely difficult year for me. If I didn't live where I do, and have these views, I don't think I would have survived. I may be able to go out and do things far less often, but at least I can sit and enjoy the views from my windows.
Oh, and yes, I put my Christmas Tree up in mid November. After the year I had, I felt I needed some sparkle in my life!
