Goodbye 2021

As the year comes to a close, I thought I would reflect a little. 2021 hasn't been all bad, (thanks to journaling my 3 positives a day) although it does feel like it amalgamated with 2020 a bit. I am so done with Covid! I really hope we do see the back of it in 2022! 

Mistletoe At The Manor has remained in the top 500 in the UK Amazon charts for a month! I can't believe this. It's been No 1 in Inspirational Religious Fiction (only because it's set at Christmas lol!) and as I type this, it's No 2 in British and Irish Humour and Satire Fiction - which is a little more my category! This is a great way to end the year with my writing career. 

I do have edits for my third novel (due summer 2022) which I will look at next week. But I have really taken the last two weeks off. It's been hard to concentrate with the kids home and getting ready for Christmas, from cake decorating, mince pie making and present wrapping! 

One of my best friends bought me a Jane Austen puzzle for Christmas, and I have spent time finishing this. Something I'm not very good at doing is taking time to do nothing - without feeling guilty about it. Christmas feels like the only time I can justify stopping everything and doing a puzzle. So I did! 

With my UW business, it came to a halt with not many people wanting to take a look at their bills with Christmas approaching - completely understandable! But in 2022, I really want to help more people save money on their bills. There are more price increases coming, and the cost of living is just going up and up. With this in mind, I'd also love to help people make some extra cash like I do. £250-500 extra a month to most people will make a huge difference to their everyday lives. I know it does with me. 2022 we have a holiday in Corfu to look forward to, and I wouldn't have been able to book this without my UW business income. 

But UW hasn't just given me a financial benefit. It has taken me on a path of personal development no other organisation I've worked with has even thought to give me. I want to grow and develop and be a better version of myself in 2022. And I hope that will make me a better person to support the people closest to me. 

Also, if I want to get another book out there, I need to start writing properly again, so I'm setting myself a word target for each week of 2000 words. 

I'm not really one for New Year Resolutions, and if anything, I've learnt it's best to set goals. Do you set goals? If so, what are they? 

Another of my goals is to find a part-time job as I really need to get out of the Post Office!

On that note, Happy New Year, everyone. I hope 2022 brings you happiness and health, because these two things are what makes real wealth. 

Xxxx 

My Latest Newsletter Is Out!

 My latest newsletter is out! Have you subscribed? 

Well here it is if you'd like to read it! 

Let me take this opportunity to wish you all a very merry Christmas, and a happy New Year! 

Keep reading, and writing. Much love, Teresa x 

Happy 17th Birthday, Ben!

Oh, Lordy! Where does the time go? I'm pretty sure the years speed up as soon as you have kids! 

I can still picture my son as he was laid on my tummy after I'd given birth to him for that early bonding. Labour had been a tiny bit traumatic. But being a new mother, I was shocked that he had his eyes open. Bright, blue eyes stared at me (not that he could probably see me much.) 

And now I have this 17-year-old! (I know, I don't look old enough to own a 17-year-old!)

He will always be a blessing. After suffering an ectopic pregnancy at the age of 29, and losing a fallopian tube, I really didn't think I would get pregnant again. I was in a very dark place for a while. So when Ben was born I considered myself incredibly lucky. 

I remember (he won't as he was barely a day old) that I did tell him when we were on our own, I would do my best as a mother, and that whatever life threw at us, we'd handle it. (I was incredibly nervous as a new mother and knowing my patience wasn't the best, I was worried I'd be terrible at parenting.)

Ben has continued at the pace that he entered the Earth, by taking his sweet-arsed time with things - which can be frustrating! He's a little away with the fairies and dis-organised, (compared to Kieran!) and then he can surprise you by being super organised with some random thing!

But he does help with the dinner, and odd jobs around the house, and he's achieved excellent exam results, which means he's able to study towards becoming a civil engineer. I just wish he'd remember to turn off the lights as he leaves a room and tidy his bedroom. Oh, and remember to shut cupboard doors! 

He does have a great sense of humour, and doesn't suffer fools lightly. His laidback, chilled persona, and the fact he's not too worried about what other people think, should help with not taking things too seriously, and not get too stressed in life, as well as not suffering with peer pressure. He has always been sensible, and used to get quite annoyed as a child when rules weren't stuck to! 

Happy 17th, Ben! Love you more than you can imagine, Mum x x x 

This will always be one of my favourite photos!