May 04 2023
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May MADness

First of all, how is it May already? Secondly, how have I got 24,57 events and appointments to remember? Thirdly, how am I already skint on 4th day of this jam-packed month?

Welcome back, dear readers! I won’t bother rolling off the usual apologies for not writing regularly. Life is nuts. I started a new job not long after my last post in October. I blinked a couple of times, tapped the heels of my red shiny shoes together and somehow it’s May 2023.

For those that don’t already know, I live in Liverpool and the eyes of the world (at least the euro pop music loving ones) are back on this ridiculous city once again. Eurovision 2023 has officially taken over the city centre and the competition doesn’t actually begin until next week. You can’t get a hotel room for love nor kidney, the pop up t-shirt sellers are making a mint and everyone is dressing up to the nines for every minor occasion. It’s brilliant and I love it.

It’s a HUGE month for us as a family as my youngest daughter sits her SATS tests at school before heading off on her first ever residential trip. My son takes on the national MTC test (he loves maths, he’s confident) and my eldest daughter gears up for A level mocks – bring on Othello – AGAIN!

We’re heading back to Ireland and Scotland in separate trips this month. This means lots of laundry, early morning flights to fit around work and ALL the car snacks! The best bit.

It’s polling day today and I’ve never felt more indecisive in all my adult life. What a shit storm the political landscape is. I don’t profess to particularly well educated in politics but I’ll give you a short paragraph on my take, if you’ve got a sec. Politics has traded policy for celebrity. The displays of ego/peacocking are more suited to Love Island than Number 10 and it’s a disgrace.

My local councillors have littered our porch with political leaflets in the last week. The. Last. Week. Never seen them in person in the 9 years I have lived in this house. Saw them on the news when a child was murdered, waxing lyrical about community strength and ‘looking after our own.’ Tories wouldn’t dare show their faces around this way, but Labour peddling managed photoshoots and about as much charisma as a carrot screams ‘desperate’. A car just drove past. Someone with a megaphone shouting out the window about remembering your voter ID and to ‘vote for such and such’ while dodging the cavernous potholes and little kids doing wheelies up the middle of the road.

I’ve no time for the coronation. It seems tone deaf at a time when the country is on its knees. I don’t believe that what we need is a ‘bit of national pride and a celebration.’ We need sustainable funding for those experiencing extreme poverty in our own communities. Not some prat riding around in the golden carriage who’s socks are more expensive than a weekly shop.

But anyway, back to Eurovision! We managed to bag tickets for two shows and we’ve been planning our outfits since mid April. I spoke at the ‘Euroversion’ Ignite event last night which was huge fun, although my presentation always goes to shit on the night. Good practice for public speaking even if you are swathed in an Australia flag and can’t remember any of your notes. Thanks to everyone who kindly clapped/laughed!

So yeah, bit of a busy one lined up. All this on top of working full time of course. I’m off to mow the lawn before the rain comes!

What are you up to this month?

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Oct 12 2022
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Energy And How To Save it

Winter is fast approaching and with it, a sense of dread as people across the UK choose between warmth or food.

I don’t need to rehash the dire state of affairs across the UK right now. It’s exactly that, dire. 12 years of Conservative rule and we’re reading stories about ‘warm banks’, people turning down food they can’t afford to cook, and politicians who tell us the answer is to ‘get a better job’ while childcare costs, energy prices and mortgage rates are on the up.

Just yesterday a report on XS Manchester news stated that consumer habits are changing ahead of the Christmas shopping rush. We’re buying more air fryers and blankets than we are TVs and computers. My local food bank is teaching people how to make draft excluders and how to double-line curtains to keep the draught out.

Photo by Burak The Weekender on Pexels.com

During a conversation in the newsroom yesterday a couple of my colleagues were discussing their Kw usage per hour and how to manage their teenagers’ constant attachment to tech and more importantly plugs! Listening in (we all do it, don’t judge me) I realised there’s so much information out there that could really help people make a difference to their home comfort and outgoing bills.

It’s been hard to avoid energy savings, energy usage, and energy prices over the last 6 months, and while my gas and electricity bills have most definitely risen, I’m taking the opportunity to get energy-savvy, and I’m taking you along with me. Sharing is caring and it’s more important than ever.

I’ll be working with Energy Saving Club in the coming weeks to produce a series of blogs and handy guides on everything from how to read and decipher your energy bills, to meter readings, the best deals on fixed-rate energy, how to insulate your home and take advantage of government grants and schemes to lower your bills as much as possible. Working with industry professionals to create guides that are jargon-free and easy to implement at home or at work.

I’ll be posting a link to subscribe to the e-newsletters shortly. In the meantime, check out www.energysavingclub.co.uk for more info.

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Oct 12 2022
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FOSP Halloween Village – coming soon

Something wicked this way comes, and when I say wicked I mean seriously fun!

It’s that time of year again! Spooky decorations are going up, the shops are full of costumes and face paints and multi bags of sweets and if you’re anything like me, you’re eyeing up all that cardboard and wondering what creative solution you can come up with.

FOSP (Friends of Springfield Park) is a volunteer group that, unsurprisingly, looks after Springfield Park in Knotty Ash, Liverpool. The park is something of a changeling itself, following the completion of Alder Hey Children’s Hospital a number of years ago, the park space was due to undergo a wonderful transformation before being officially handed back to the community. Well, we’re still waiting. But that doesn’t stop the FOSP gang from providing opportunities for kids to thrive.

Among hundreds of other things, FOSP has built and filled flowerbeds, had accessible benches installed, brought in a permanent ping pong table, planted and grown vegetables, held countless half-term and summer camps and fed more children during truly testing times, for free, than any other volunteer group I know. They’re superheroes. Real-life superheroes.

This October I get the opportunity to mash up two of my favourite things. Supporting FOSP and Halloween. I’ve been commissioned to design, create and run a Halloween Village for 30 children, ages 3 – 10 on Halloween weekend.

The flyer is officially done and booking is officially open. I haven’t seen my kitchen in a fortnight due to all the cardboard, wood, paint, glue and fabric I’ve amassed to start making props and games for the kids to enjoy. Once again the phenomenal, Bay Tree Catering School jumped at the chance to get involved and make pizzas with the kids, while Caroline Moore dons her broomstick to fly in for story time in the ‘witches’ circle. It’ll be a riot, oh and it’s totally free.

Everything I’m making is recyclable. Nothing has been bought brand new. Bootle car boot sale, eBay, friends and neighbours have come up trumps with all the materials we need to entertain the kids for a few hours and help them make some lasting memories.

It goes without saying that my enthusiasm for creative work is never anything less than 100%. Knowing all the work is purely so that kids can have fun and be kids, is the best motivation.

Thank you to Donna and all the team at FOSP who work tirelessly on behalf of our community to make things better for us all.

You can book your place to visit the Halloween Village, now. Details are on the flyer, booking is essential. Hopefully, see you there, don’t forget your broomstick!

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Oct 12 2022
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Back On The Books

It’s official, I’m back on the Self Assessment books and working freelance with a whole host of new clients.

It’s been a pretty difficult year with all the health stuff going on. My HHT pretty much ruined a lot of 2022, a year that was welcomed with so much hope after two years of lockdowns, illness and grief. HHT was waiting in the wings though and so work has been more stress, less growth for a long time.

My last operation took place in mid-August and when the result was a mere four days of relief, I realised something had to change. Managing debilitating symptoms, hospital appointments and your own mental health, plus that of your two daughters AND a full-time job can be hard going. Acknowledging that the HHT isn’t going away, it was work that had to morph.

So here I am. Back On The Books – self-employed and working with a myriad of clients in just a couple of weeks. I’m teaching, I’m creating content and I’m expanding my creative portfolio on an almost full-time basis, but with enough freedom to manage my own hours, and what a difference that makes.

Photo by fauxels on Pexels.com

Post-Covid (although are we really? Hospitals around the country are reporting a rise in cases with the season change so it’s difficult to know), there are a lot of self-employed/freelance opportunities as businesses get to grips with the new hybrid. Should we all be back in the workplace, will WFM be the norm? All I know is that hybrid has opened up doors to work in far corners of the country that otherwise would’ve been inaccessible.

My self-employment is a real mixed bag. I’m teaching, I’m content producing, I’m bid and award nomination writing, I’m managing social media and providing marketing, comms and PR consultancy – all the while creating a Halloween Village in partnership with a local not-for-profit organisation that puts the biggest smiles on kids’ faces!

Here’s to old clients, new clients, creative and corporate challenges and whatever else may be around the corner.

I’d love to work with and support you with your next challenge. Please feel free to drop me a line – katereillyjames@gmail.com and let’s see what we can do!

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Sep 05 2022
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Between The Pages

I set myself a challenge to read 100 books in 2022. Here’s how I’m getting on.

I love to read. It’s such an indulgence for me. Born from reading Danielle Steele’s in the 1990’s I quickly latched onto crime thrillers and since my teenage years have regularly shared and swapped books with my folks.

Talk to me about Rebus, Siobhan Clarke, Roy Grace, and Alan Banks. I’ve read everything Peter James, Peter Robinson, and Ian Rankin have written. I adore a 500-page-turner from Mo Hayder, Tami Hoag, Val McDermid, Harlan Coben, Karin Slaughter, Lee Child, and James Patterson.

Then of course there’s the OG. Agatha Christie whose masterpieces come back around with as much gusto as the first time. ‘They Came To Baghdad’ is my all-time favourite.

The most thrilling and memorable book I’ve ever read is by Mo Hayder. ‘Tokyo’ is a phenomenal novel packed with suspense. The only book to ever make me jump and have to walk away for a while, it’s the perfect balance of intriguing and horrifying. The world lost a truly incredible author when Mo Hayder died in 2021, aged just 59. If you’re looking for a book to knock your socks off, get Tokyo.

I’ve made a decent-sized dent in my 100 book challenge however, I am rapidly running out of time. I’ve read a good mix of crime thrillers, emotionally charged, real-life accounts of life during covid, best-sellers, non-fiction, and a sensational title from Sam Knight and I’ve got a fair way to go yet!

If you’re looking for some inspiration, here’s a full rundown of the books I’ve read so far in 2022 and my review. I’ll be updating the blog with each new title and if you’d like to share a recommendation, please do drop me a line, here.

Books I’ve read in 2022

John Connolly – The Woman In The Woods

How To Kill Your Family – Bella Mackie

The Good Daughter – Karin Slaughter

17th Suspect – James Patterson

Kill Joy – Holly Jackson

Go Luck Yourself – Andy Narin

Fuck Being Humble – Stefanie Sword-Williams

Windswept & Interesting – Billy Connolly

We Are Never Meeting in Real Life – Samantha Irby

Shirley Jackson – Dark Tales

Thirty-three Poems – Ben North

Life With No Breaks – Nick Spalding

In A House of Lifes – Ian Rankin

The Dry – Jane Harper

206 Bones – Kathy Reichs

The Butterfly Lion – Michael Morpurgo

The Club on the Edge of Town – Alan Lane

Magpie – Elizabeth Day

Shoe Dog – Phil Knight

The Premonitions Bureau – Sam Knight

Where The Crawdads Sing – Delia Owens

Headhunters – Jo Nesbo

Gone – Mo Hayder

Sep 05 2022
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Podcasts & Facemasks

An attempt at improving my book tally in 2022 has grown into something unexpected.

I love to read. It’s a real pleasure and as a busy mum of three, it’s a treat to get through a chapter without being asked to “watch this funny TikTok” or “watch this move on Kirby” or “mum, where are the black Converse?” That said, all three of my kids also love to read so at least there’s a positive to the constant interruptions. See it, do it!

I set myself a challenge in 2022 to read 100 books before the end of the year. Recommend a book for me, here. I’ve attempted this before and while I’m doing better than in 2020, my tally sits at 23 with less than four months to go. Pretty lame, but at the same time, I’ve finally, YEARS behind the trend, discovered podcasts!

The perfect Sunday for me involves having all the school uniforms washed and ironed, the house tidy, the washing basket empty, a roast in the oven (while I can still afford the gas), and 30 minutes to myself to put on a sheet mask and listen to an episode in solitude.

Like 90% of my book choices, the podcasts I’m obsessed with are crime thrillers and true stories.

The most recent podcast I’m listening to is The Teacher’s Pet from The Australian. This podcast spans 4 years of investigations into the disappearance of Lynette Dawson from the northern beaches area of Sydney in 1982.

Hosted by journalist, Hedley Thomas, the 16-part series uncovers incredible witness testimony and just this week, led to Lyn’s husband, Chris Dawson, now 74, going on trial for her murder. I won’t spoil the verdict as I’m 100% encouraging anyone interested in the crime genre to give it a listen. You can find out more here.

Previously I’ve listened to In the Dark from APM Reports. Across 2 seasons this investigative journalism podcast, hosted by Madeleine Baran details the disappearance of Jacob Wetterling. Find out more here.

Away from the scary real-world stuff, I’ve really enjoyed the Word of Mouth podcast from BBC Radion 4. Hosted by Michael Rosen, the host, and special guest (there are 142 episodes and different guests in total) dive into the English language and unearth all manner of secrets, meanings, and funny anecdotes. One to stick on and instantly learn something new. Find out more here.

French & Saunders – a favourite double act from the 90s and beyond for me, are now into their 3rd series of the ‘Titting About’ podcast, and honestly, listening to it as a home worker makes me feel like I’m having a laugh in the office. There is nothing they won’t discuss and I have to recommend the health episode – purely because it made my 8-year-old son run out of the room in horror – constipation will do that to you! Listen here.

Finally, I have loved dipping into A Bit Of Optimism by Simon Sinek. 30-minute-ish episodes, again with special guests to cover a multitude of different topics and subjects. The habits of successful people, what to do when things don’t get better, how to be resilient, and of course, a healthy dose of true crime. Listen to my favourite episode with David Mittelman, here.

If you’re obsessed with a podcast and want to share a link, drop me a line on the contacts page. I’m loving opening my mind and ears to new conversations, opinions, and takes on things.

Oh, I almost forgot! Sheet masks. No podcast indulgence would be quite as effective without a good quality sheet mask on your face and I know it’s not just me who swears by this winning combo.

Personally I like a good tea tree or coconut/collagen mash-up, mainly because I’m old and need to take advantage of any and all ‘natural’ stimulants to stop my face from sliding off. Big shout out to Home & Bargain for stocking 99p ones that are actually good and to Boots and Superdrug for the £6 carbon pay day efforts that make you feel a teeny bit dewier.

How do you listen to your favourite podcast? What’s your genre of choice?

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Sep 04 2022
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The Invasion

It’s been a billion degrees for the last month and now it’s raining so of course, the 8-legged population of the North West thinks it can stroll into my living room.

Absolutely cannot cope with spiders. August has been mega hot here, like silly hot. I’ve had a better tan sitting on the front doorstep watching the kids play than after 2 weeks in Benidorm. Silly hot. Then the inevitable happened. The heavens opened and to quote my Geordie dad, it ‘stotted down’, prompting the biggest house spider I’ve ever seen to come racing into the living room at 9:45pm.

It stopped just short of my feet and froze at the sound of me shouting ‘SHHHITTTTTT’. You can scroll, there’s no spider pics here.

Luckily, my eldest daughter bought me a beautiful coffee table book last Christmas. It’s the bright pink Kate Spade book, ‘Things We Love’. It’s packed full of lovely things and it weighs a tonne which is the only way I’m able to still write this blog. It was dropped from a great height and a sense of calm was restored. The other outcome was spending the evening with a giant arachnid who clearly had plans to hop up, watch a bit of Netflix and chill – before devouring me, not in a good way.

I’m not scared of many things as proven here, but I am terrified of spiders. I don’t mind the small ones, just minding their business. It’s the big bastards, full of bravado who’re like ‘what are you doing in my house?’. I once sacrificed my three-year-old son in the hallway to see where a massive house spider had gone. Unfortunately for all involved, it was above the door he had to pass through to get back into the bedroom. Much screaming ensued and now he’s also scared shitless. My parenting bad.

I love Autumn but sod the soggy spider invasion. Invest in coffee table books now and save yourself!

God bless Kate Spade.

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Sep 04 2022
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Happy New September

I’ve bought a new diary and planner. Does anyone else start their year in September rather than January?

You’d think after 10 years I’d be much better at this blogging lark, but low and behold! It’s been another 5 months since I last put digital pen to digital paper. It’s been a busy one and yet another emotional rollercoaster. Buckle up, we’re gonna recap!

In March I was due to have a fourth diathermy laser treatment for my HHT. If you’re new to the blog, you can read all about my superhuman ability to bleed from my nose and mouth at any given moment, here.

I had recently had covid, again you can read about that particular shit show here. And despite knowing this and the fact my PCR test showed positive, I was invited onto the theatre ward. I turned up, mentally and physically prepared for another general anesthetic, only to be told it was a non-starter. It’s difficult all this surgery stuff.

I have to make sure I have adequate time off work. I have to make sure the kids are looked after for a couple of days because the operation wipes me out for a good 48 hours. I have to make sure my mental health is ready to deal with the fact this particular surgery holds very little hope of being 100% successful. To have all of that in order and then be held in a corridor like a leper was pretty crap, to say the least.

My mental health bounced. I lost confidence in my work, having to turn my camera off during meetings all the time, and beginning to feel myself pull away from wanting to go out and do stuff that usually makes me happy.

I referred myself to Talk Liverpool and after a 7-week wait, I was able to access a bunch of online modules to help me improve my mental health and wellbeing. I found some of the coping mechanisms relatively helpful but I really needed to talk to someone. Sadly, this didn’t happen, other than one phone call in which I was told I was ‘showing improvement’ and therefore referred back to my GP. I felt a bit bamboozled by it all really and not at all ‘improved’.

In May I buggered off to Portugal for four days R&R. I only had one nosebleed during that time which is hella surprising (aeroplane aircon, humidity, increased alcohol intake etc) and so I looked at villas and realised very quickly that I had no option but to return home. Damn it!

July was a whirlwind. I started a new job, my boy turned 8 and my mum flew us to Spain for a 14-day family endurance test, I mean holiday!

I’ve never been to mainland Spain in August before. This one warrants it’s own blog post. Sit tight for ‘Benidorm Bitches’ in the coming days.

I’ve had the fourth diathermy laser surgery. It didn’t go well. I came around in recovery and suffered 4-days worth of ‘ocular distortion’. Apparently, this occurs when you don’t fully close your eyes during a GA. On top of not being able to see straight, my nose was back to bleeding again as before, just four days post-surgery.

I’m currently awaiting a clinic review appointment and I can’t lie, I feel really down about it all. I’m back to daily journalling and trying to find a little joy in each day to keep my spirits up.

So here I am. My nose is still goosed, my vascular system is constantly trying to make my life more difficult and I SERIOUSLY need to lose some weight.

On the positive side – my bloody brilliant daughter smashed her GCSE’s and has already started her A Level programme. My middle wonder got a full bill of health in her recent HHT clinic, won a local and national art competition, and has become a fantastic little swimmer. What about the boy wonder I hear you cry? Well, he continues to amaze us all. He learned how to play chess in about 8 minutes flat, has learned how to swim (forward roll, backward roll and handstand in the pool) this summer AND he has enjoyed his first visit to Liverpool PRIDE.

This is what keeps you going, isn’t it? The little things. The smiles, and hugs and daft kitchen dances and good news and seeing friends and family and date nights and lovely dinners and hobnobs and coffee in bed on weekend mornings.

September is the start of a new academic year and for me a chance to renew the promises I made to myself in January. If you’ve any advice or great hacks for staying positive, being more disciplined or limiting those crappy times to maybe just an hour, or half a day when it all seems overwhelming, hit me up on the contact page.

Here’s to ‘keeping on’. Happy New Year.

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Apr 30 2022
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FREElance

It’s Saturday morning and I’m toying with the idea of going freelance again.

Completing a self assessment tax return comes with an undeniable sense of freedom, like a fresh start. A divorce from financial burden. A free pass to flirt with the world of interesting, varied and often highly stressful work again. The pros and cons list is a tome in itself and in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic there seems to be much more opportunity in ‘remote’ work.

I’ve straddled both sides of the journalism world, freelance and contracted and enjoyed lots of fantastic benefits, the most prominent being flexibility. The security of a fixed salary payment on a fixed date every month is highly appealing, but words like ‘secure’ and ‘fixed’ have never been that attractive to me.

If Monday involves writing copy about concrete blocks for a council, Tuesday is product descriptions for an indie clothes label, Wednesday is website copy for a well known high street bakers, Thursday is a feature on student bars and Friday is a Premier League match report – I’m happy as Larry. Yes, even despite knowing I may not get paid for this work for another 90 days.

But then summer comes along and the idea of a holiday is floated, new school uniforms are needed, a prom dress, a new laptop, the latest Nikes and suddenly managing all those invoices can become chaotic vs the simplicity of a guaranteed salary payment.

Weighing up the varied nature of freelance life involves being 100% honest with yourself about the real investment it takes to pull it off successfully. The pitching, research, negotiating, deadlines, interviews, self assessment, time management, dealing with the guilt of working non-stop and never being able to turn your brain off from work and the ‘ooooh there’s a story in that’ mentality. Oh God, I love it.

But you know, I’m still mulling it over.

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Apr 18 2022
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Worrying About Will

Good morning! I’ve been at my Chromebook since 8:15 am. The kids have had Easter eggs for breakfast, the eldest is packing to go away with school for a few days and no one, NO ONE can find any Selotape in the house for Logan’s rocket. It’s been a ride.

Amongst all the chaos I’ve managed to write around 3,000 words. I’m trying to focus on smaller submissions to bring my publications CV up to date a little. However, creativity on demand is hard going. I had no idea there were so many phenomenal independent magazines, journals and periodicals in the UK alone. This afternoon looks like research (reading), fresh air and more chocolate.

In other news, I’m worried about Will Smith. I don’t condone violence and he had no right to slap Chris Rock at the Oscars. It was a dumb move which shrouded his much-deserved Oscar win with a monumental shadow.

The conversation around comedians and where to draw the line in terms of personal attacks is also an interesting one. I’ve been reading Will’s recent autobiography and put it down again twice as his insistence on reiterating his struggle with cowardice towards his father caught me off guard. Reading about it felt like it concluded every paragraph in the book. I suppose the reader gets a sense that power and ego has been a struggle his whole life.

The Red Table Talk between Will and Jada, to me felt completely unnecessary and potentially signalled the start of Will’s unravelling. Recently Jada posted a short video of Will being pissed off that she had just started filming him while asking for help with their marriage to some guru dude – again, to what end?

I’m likely talking out of my arse because who really knows what goes on behind closed doors and backstage? I’d just be gutted that a brilliant actor might throw in the towel.

How are you spending Bank Holiday Monday? Probably not worrying about Will.

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Mar 25 2022
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Covid Calling

I’ve felt like a sitting duck for two years. Now I have Covid.

It’s been a week. My HHT symptoms are off the scale (lots and lots of nosebleeds). My youngest daughter had steroid injections in her surgery scar, which I had to stop three minutes into the procedure as she was screaming in pain. And this morning we both tested positive for Covid resulting in my own, long-awaited HHT diathermy laser surgery, scheduled for Tuesday next week, being cancelled.

Deeeeeeep breath. It’s fine. We’re fine. Our Covid symptoms so far include headaches, dizziness, sore throats and snotty noses. Basic flu symptoms, really. If this is the worst of it, we’ll count ourselves lucky.

Safe to say I was a bit pissed off on Instagram

Initially my two youngest we’re frightened when I said I had tested positive. Their lived experience of Covid is their Nan and Granddad catching it and Granddad becoming a ‘star in the sky’ just three days later. It’s still frightening.

We’ve done everything right. Vaccinated at the earliest opportunities. Washed our hands, kept our distance, wore the masks – and yet it’s still hunted us down.

Reassured, we’ve ordered more lateral flow tests, an Asda food shop and my mum stopped by to help top up the gas and electricity (yep, still on pre-pay metres in 2022, talk to me about budgeting!). We’ve got lots of clean pyjamas, Calpol, board games, art supplies, books and a decent sized garden. I’ve already explained why the kids can’t have their tech plugged in all day every day. Cheers, Rikshi!

It’s Mother’s Day this Sunday. We didn’t have anything in particular planned but with the fine weather set to last and the BBQ dusted off, it would’ve been nice to get the family together to celebrate my mum. It made me realise how gutting it’s been for couples who have spent thousands on weddings only to have them cancelled once, twice, three times. The families who’ve missed big birthdays or had to watch funerals of loved ones on Zoom. The front line staff who have had their lives turned upside down knowing the government couldn’t care less. It’s such a shit storm, isn’t it?

Into isolation we go.

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Mar 25 2022
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Decade

I’m celebrating 10 years of blogging with Covid and a 4,500 word giveaway. What a mash up!

I received an email from WordPress today which stated it’s my 10 year blog anniversary. My first thought was how different I am to the person I was a decade ago. Unrecognisable sums it up. 2012 I was a newly wed with 7 year-old and 6 month-old daughters and struggling with post natal depression. Life as a RAF wife never suited me. Too isolated. I turned to blogging as an escape from life behind the MoD wire, documenting thoughts, routines, aspirations.

Typing away in Costa like all the cool 2012 bloggers.

Fast forward 10 years and isolation is back – only this time it’s thanks to a positive Covid test this morning. It’s been a transformative decade. I took my blogging to college and earned my NCTJ Journalism qualification, enjoyed a freelance career covering all manner of phenomenal events and experiences and added a little boy to my brood. I also shed a husband, moved 160 miles across the country back to Liverpool, was diagnosed with an incurable disease (and dyspraxia) and landed my dream job in the Premier League. It’s been a ride.

Above all else, I still love to write. This morning I joined an online BIPC online seminar hosted by my former boss and good friend, Jo Austin, to brush up on my analytics skills – all the while taking page after page of notes. My 61 item online Asda food shop was handwritten before being typed in on the website and a whole slew of birthday and celebration cards have been decorated with my distinctive scrawl today, just to pass the time.

Even something simple like formulating a short quote on Instagram for a fantastic self-employed friend of mine (go get ’em, Carmel) is a thrill. Proof reading homework, commenting in reading records and typing up epistaxis severity scores every day makes my soul happy.

I’m reading more in 2022. I’ve managed 13 books so far, the most recent being ‘In A House Of Lies’ by Ian Rankin, another of his TV famous Rebus series. I love the challenge of switching authors in quick succession, it’s a great lesson in writing style. Join the 2022 book challenge here.

My blogging set up has not changed in 10 years

As part of my ‘100 books in 2022’ challenge I listened to ‘Windswept & Interesting’ narrated by the author himself, the big yin, Billy Connolly on Audible. Still one of my favourite comedians and story tellers since watching him on TV in the 80’s cavorting across the stage, my mum and dad in pleats laughing. I’m always inspired by the desire to make people laugh and the level of commitment it requires. Reading is integral to writing. You can’t do one without the other. Something I obviously wasn’t wise to when I started out blogging.

The level of cringe in my early blog posts is enough to have you crying with laughter (or physical pain) I’m sure. So with my sights set firmly on the future (and not past blog posts such as ‘Is Anyone Out There’ and ‘Geordie’s Round Up), I’m setting a new goal for my writing.

THE GIVEAWAY BIT

To celebrate a decade of writing I’m giving away 10 custom blog posts/articles up to 450 words each for copyright free publication. If your business website could benefit from some fresh new copy or you want to mix up your own blog with a guest post, interview or feature, get involved. Similarly, I love a bit of creative fiction too. If you fancy being the main character in a super short story, I can make that happen! Forgot to write your best man’s speech? Need a snappy intro for your thesis? Challenge accepted!

The first ten people to email katereillyjames@gmail.com with contact details and a line or two about how you want to use the 450 words – wins! It’s that simple. All articles will be organised via email/phone/Zoom and entries are open NOW and until 30th April 2022. Strictly one entry per person/organisation. SME/Sole traders only and no redrafts.

Here’s to words. Old, new, fascinating and familiar.

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Sep 10 2021
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In The Morning

I’ve begun a new routine this week and after just four days I’m learning things about myself I don’t particularly like.

I’ve tweaked my routine to better suit my return to teaching and while the first week is always fraught with nerves and excitement, the extra two hours in the morning have essentially just afforded me more time to worry.

I’m a worrier. I’m trying not to be, but it creeps up on me like a theif in the night who lingers until my 5am alarm, then steals all my enjoyment of the alone time and headspace I had planned.

I read a brilliant book. ‘Morning, how to make time’ by Allan Jenkins is a beautiful collection of early morning thoughts, musings and observations which inspired me to change my own routine. A quiet space, uninterrupted by social media, news, electronics, even lights sometimes. Time to make a brew in the dark and just sit. That was the plan. To just, be.

I’ve been getting up at 5am. I’m naturally competitive and love the idea that I’m getting a head start on the day before the succession of terraced house bathroom lights switch on and my street comes to life. It is peaceful, at least outside.

My favourite part of the new routine, which began in earnest just four days ago, is standing in the cool wet grass in the back garden, in the dark, while I hang out the washing. It’s wonderful. I could stand there for hours. It’s quiet, calming and I’m enjoying the fact our adopted Magpie family comes to eye me suspiciously from the garden wall. Almost accusing me of stealing their places in the dawn chorus.

I’ll stand out there for as long as I can. Watching the sky change colour and window panes illuminate with streaks of daylight. I stay because as soon as I head back inside the noise begins.

Right, who needs what today? Pe kit? Flute? Snacks? Have their reading cards been filled in? Where is her tie? Urgh those shoes need a wipe. Did I request Friday afternoon off for her hospital appointment? Who’s bringing them home today or is it after school club?

A quick glance at the bbc weather app mocks my choice of outfit for work with heavy downpours expected all afternoon. I do not want to wade home in sandals, better go back to my wardrobe and rearrange. Now, I have 1,200 calories today, what can I have for breakfast? Run the shower, think about today’s lesson plan. That student is struggling with shorthand, another is keen and will need more stimulation, another has visions of a political career which makes me nervous.

Looks like it’s porridge again then, although a dollop of rhubarb yoghurt and granola is worth the same calories. Hhmmmm.

I’m feeling under confident teaching that new module later today. I’ll swat up on the journey in. If I drop the kids off at 07:45 I can get the 07:55 bus and have 30 mins to revise. Yes, that’s a good plan.

Concerned about the eldest and her recent blood results. Going to have to come up with a better plan to make sure she’s eating a more varied diet.

I’m starting back at Uni next week too. I wonder if my certificates are still in that suitcase in the loft. That’s a weekend job, for sure.

Must check when pay day is and rearrange direct debits for this month. The perils of starting a new job. I can do that on Saturday morning. Oh no, it’s the sleepover. I’ll need to get a head start on shopping for snacks and decorating before her friends come. Ahh, I’ll fit it in, somewhere.

Ironing done, bags packed, washing on the line, showered, lesson plans complete, oh, charger! Okay, bags packed, again. It’s time to wake the kids up.

I’m not sure how long it took author, Allan Jenkins to shed the mental workload in order to be able to enjoy the early morning twilight. His book reads like a whispered conversation between two secret friends. My early morning experience feels more like a drill sergeant barking orders and the potential stresses of the day ahead.

Aside from the blissful laundry routine, and it is blissful to me, waking two hours earlier in the morning to ‘get a jump start’ on the day seems to have jump started my over active brain. It’s mentally exhausting.

I’m writing this at 5am on Friday morning, day four. I’ll head out to stand on the grass in a moment and likely worry if this blog post is a load of waffle and debate deleting it before 9am.

I’m naturally awake at 5 now, it’s still dark, the kids are peacefully snoozing away and there’s a full white wash to go out on the line. This is my peace. It may be only a fleeting moment before the cogs in my head begin to slowly churn and process the back catalogue of thoughts and to do’s, but it’s enough to make me set my alarm again for Monday.

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Aug 31 2021
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Truth Brownies

When the ‘Treat Yo Self’ approach to life gets out of hand, how does someone devoid of all discipline make lasting changes to benefit their health?

I had a slab, not a slice, a slab of chocolate brownie and a Cadbury’s Twirl for my breakfast. It’s hospital day today. I’m booked in for some investigations this afternoon to see if the persistent pain in my ribs is HHT related or if I’m just fat. I’m 99% convinced it’s the latter. Yesterday I had a bowl of sugarpuffs for breakfast and I can’t work out if that’s better or worse than today. In fact, yesterday I had Sugarpuffs with semi skimmed milk (I’m not a complete animal, who drinks full fat milk?) followed by garlic bread with cheese at lunch, followed by a BBQ dinner of sausage (no bun), cheese burger (all the brioche bun), mixed salad, red pepper hummus, those amazing mini poppadoms from M&S, chocolate brownie and 6 custard creams. Anyone at IMA want to try and work out how many calories that equates to?

I’ve got a serious issue with lack of discipline. When I was young I could eat whatever the hell I wanted and stay slim. I was very active as a teen and 20 something but the moment I got pregnant, i kissed that little luxury goodbye. I didn’t eat for 2, I ate for 12, for the whole 9 months. I put 4 stones on in 9 months. The baby weighed in at less than 9lbs, don’t try to make me feel better.

In between babies 1 and 2, I went from a size 14 to a size 10 again and looked and felt a lot better. However that wasn’t due to hard work and effort, it was the Divorce diet of stress. It’s SO effective.

I’m no as heavy as I was when I gave birth in 2010. It’s so depressing because I’m not even carrying another human being this time. But as you’ve probably learned from my breakfast choices this morning, I’m lacking any kind of will to do anything about it.

I am reaching critical mass though. I’m making my boyfriend delete pictures of me. I’m not jumping in selfies with my kids. I HATE my wardrobe and it’s entire contents. I’m dreading getting back to work because it means I have to see people who will DEFINITELY notice the weight gain. I’m back to wearing all black outfits in an attempt to hide my bulky frame.

It’s hard going all this, isn’t it? I find it’s far too easy to give yourself some slack but then struggle regain a healthy balance. All bodies are beautiful, stop comparing yourself to others, and my personal favourite, treat yo self. When I happen across these inclusive, nurturing, well-meaning posts on Instagram, all my brain hears is: “EAT ALL THE FOOD, WATCH ALL THE PRIME” and nothing else.

Today’s excuse is, it’s the last day of the month and surely tomorrow, 1st September is the BEST TIME to start again. Seriously, what is that all about?Starting diets on a Monday? Start healthy new habits on 1st of the month? Why? Why isn’t 09:17am on Tuesday 31st August the best time? I’ll tell you why, because I lack self discipline.

I’m at a cross roads because I can’t understand why I can’t commit to just not eating shite and moving my ass regularly.

I love to move. Razzing about on my bike makes me dead happy. Starting my day with yoga and HIIT makes me happy. Dragging the kids out on a long walk or blitzing a 25 mile, 2 day city break with my better half, stuff of dreams.

A lack of discipline and no get up and go can be lethal. Just ask my recent DKNY bumbag purchase, which is already on the last belt buckle hole.

I need your advice, your input, your motivation because I’m seriously sad about this whole situation. It’s getting me down. I want to feel good in my clothes again. I don’t want to have to sit out when my kids are arsing about in the garden/park. I don’t want to wear head to toe black (although it’s SUCH a good look).

Hit me up and how you get the balance between feeling and looking good, and living a little.

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Aug 30 2021
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5 Things I Hate About School

Getting the kids back to school is a wonderful thing when it comes to routine, food consumption and of course their overall educational advancement. Loads of things about it suck though.

It’s that time again. September is a huge month of change, more so than January for me, as kids of all ages re-emerge from their tech and halcyon days of trampolining/TikTok video making to stick on a tie and go learn something new.

Loads of parents/carers and guardians will already be on countdown to the moment the school gates open, but for me personally, it’s a 50/50 split. Part of me wants to live somewhere remote(ish) and homeschool/travel the world and enrich my kids minds in a totally different way. But then part of me realised how important their friendships are to their overall well-being and man, who wants to spend 24/7 with their mum. That said, if I won the lottery we’d be travelling for a year and they’d bloody well like it!

I loved school as a kid and teen. I cried the day I left senior school. It was the stability I craved as a military kid who moved around. Leaving felt like the safety net had been pulled from underneath me as the enormity of the responsibility I now felt hit home. As an adult, I’m firmly in the camp of ‘oh I’d go back in a heartbeat’ and relive the care free days of English coursework and sunny days spent on the athletics track.

There’s so much more I hate about school as a parent.

1. School Uniform Shopping

The quality of school jumpers and cardigans is shit. The queues (which start at 7am because only two shops in the whole borough stocks your school) are shit. Take a ticket and wait to slowly die on pastel cushion covered benches at Clarks, shit. £50 for a pair of shoes my darling son will have scuffed to death before October half term, also shit. Someone I follow on Twitter piped up the other day calling to ban school logos on jumpers/cardigans. I get it. Supermarket plain block colour jumper/cardigans are great quality and cost a fraction of the cost. Why’s that not a thing?

2. Pointless Paperwork

Our primary school sends home SO much paperwork that is 100% unnecessary when we have a school to parents texting facility which works fine. I mean sheet after sheet of local education authority notices, changes to the start and finish times due to Covid, fundraising, lost property, it never ends and it’s rarely helpful. Stop killing the planet sending out and update on the safari park day out – just text it!

3. Missing My Gang

My three haven’t started back yet and I’m already missing 10pm games of Mario Uno at the kitchen table. I’m not saying I don’t enjoy a G&T and solitude on a Wednesday night when they’re in bed by 8:30pm, but kitchen discos, film nights, late laundry sort outs and marathon Insta reel viewings is just as fun. No really. Boo to education taking them away from pairing socks and running about with undies on their heads, twerking to Mr World Wide!

4. Reading Books

I love to read, as do my kids. We’ve battered all the Chip & Biff, Famous Five, Jacqueline Wilson, Michael Morpurgo, JK Rowling, Julia Donaldson, Charlie & Lola, Elmer, Roald Dahl and Flower Fairies collections time and time again. it’s not a struggle to get them to read. They’re now onto murder mysteries which is awesome because listening to them talk about the plot and characters and who they think ‘summit’ is the best. School reading books are woeful. My ten year old has brought home the same Wonder Woman comic book like three times in one half-term. They’re not varied enough. Not exciting enough, not enticing enough. I’m starting a petition to make Rick Mayal’s live reading of George’s Marvellous Medicine, mandatory for all primary school kids. Where is the drama? The fun? The challenging dialogue?

5. Losing Stuff That Costs Money

Rewinding back to school uniform here. How do kids lose so many items of closing in such a short space of time? A school jumper, with a name printed clearly on the label, that they take off and out on the back of their chair or in their (also clearly labelled) tray until the end of school, can vanish into thin air without anyone having any idea of how it happened or where the jumper has gone. What do you mean you’ve come home without any PE shorts? You were just wearing them? Why is there a detention slip in your bag about a missing tie? How do they do it? This whole situation causes me so much stress, every academic year.

That’s it. I’m not asking too much, am I? Text important stuff, don’t lose stuff, stop making school uniform inexplicably expensive, invest in top tier reading material and maybe give them a few more days off so we can pair socks and twerk to PitBull tracks as a family. Thank you.

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Aug 28 2021
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Summer Loving

8 weeks, 7 seasons and a whole load of miles later, summer 2021 is almost over and out.

It’s late August and my Paris 2016 throw back pictures are making me sad. Who could ever have known what was in store for the world in the time that has passed? From sunrises at Sacre Coeur to school uniform panic buying and booking pre-term covid tests.

It’s been a lovely summer though, all things considered. We made some memories in London on a four day city break. Did all the fun touristy stuff, London Eye, Emirates Airline cable cars, Uber boat own the Thames, Hamleys for Lego, Leicester Square for M&M’s and a spin around Liberty a la Cruella. We’ve watched tonnes of films too, our collective favourite being Emma Stone as Disney villain, Cruella. The fashion alone is worth the £20 Disney plus streaming fee. The Croods 2, SpaceJam (oh dear) and Free Guy all ranked highly with the Reilly James clan.

Sticking with the telly box, I’m 5 episodes away from finishing all 7 seasons of Mad Men and WHAT a ride! Still in love with Roger Sterling, the massive idiot, Joan is an inspiration, as is Peggy, although her hair annoyed the life out me for the entire show. Pete Campbell is still a slime ball and Betty, sheesh where to start with Betty?! The soundtrack to my 2021 summer will always be the Mad Men opening credits and I’ll always be eternally grateful that I didn’t become a writer in the 1960’s.

The weather has mostly been amazing an afforded us gorgeous afternoons doing community volunteering and visiting brilliant fundraising initiatives such as The Sunflower Maze. A fab way to spend a couple of hours while helping to fund our amazing NHS.

We’ve also fallen back in love with the garden this summer. I’ve taken more time to actually look after it and I think we’ve clocked up 4 if not 5 highly successful BBQ’s so far. The kids got heavily involved in preparing frozen fruit platters and skewering mushrooms, before taking swingball to a whole new championship level. Loads more summer pics in the gallery.

Taking a break from scrubbing the damn bbq grill, we headed out for dinner earlier this week at Maray, Bold Street in Liverpool. It’s always a treat to have someone else cook and when the food is as good, and the service as friendly as it is at Maray, it makes it extra special. All the hummus, pan fried hake and ginger cake. It wasn’t meant to rhyme, sometimes it just writes itself.

Back to soundtracks quickly, I discovered ‘Brooklyn In The Summer’ by Aloe Blac on a work trip to London and now I can’t get it out of my head. It’s a belter track.

Pleased to have the footy back this summer. Didn’t realise how much I’d missed it. Curios to see what the season has in store for newly promoted Brentford as well as my beloved Toffees with Rafa at the helm. I mean, how bad could it be, right?

I’ve been fortunate enough to work with The Blue Room, BBC Spoort and BBC 5Live again this summer thanks to my phenomenal friend and BBC Sport/5Live Producer, Dave. Legend. Coupled with Frankfurt Expo, Bloomberg and my first ever wedding photography gig, it’s been a busy one. My eldest daughter starts out on her acting career this week and I’ve never been more proud of her courage and determination.

It’s back to school for all four of us next week as I make a very welcome return to the classroom. I’m getting new shoes and everything. While I enjoyed the challenge of a new PR project, the 6 months I spent outside of the college environment just made me realise how much I missed it. So NCTJ class of 2022, I hope you know what you’ve let yourselves in for! Shorthand and VJ and Portfolio, oh my!

How’s your summer been? Which memory stands out the most for you?

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