The Month of May

Summer’s update

To say May was a month feels like an understatement. In all honesty, it’s been a long time since I’ve felt so broken. You know when everything comes at once and your brain doesn’t feel like it can cope with anything else and then along strolls something else for you to deal with? Yep, that was my month.

Percy

On the first Friday of the month I got a knock on my door at 6.15am and completely confused, I clambered out of bed to see who on earth was knocking at such a time. It turns out my lovely neighbour from across the road was bringing Percy to me, having seen him in the road; my poor baby had been hit by a car and consequently had a fractured pelvis.

We took him straight to the vet but unfortunately, he passed away on the journey there. I am grateful to have been with him in his final moments and that he passed surrounded by love and cuddles, but my heart is truly broken.

I decided to plant a flower garden in Percy’s memory and so Will and I went to the garden centre (and B&M because money is tight) and picked up some pots, soil and seeds. I decided to go for a Cottage Garden mix because of the colours; Percy was such a vibrant soul and this mix seemed most fitting.

I spent an enjoyable yet emotional morning in our small garden planting and every time I water the pots I spend a minute remembering Percy and it brings me joy. Seeing the first sprouts peeking through made me smile, and I love that we have a lasting garden to remember him by.

Zeus

It only feels right to mention my darling Zeus, as he too has been deeply affected by the loss of his brother. The two of them would spend many hours cuddling and playing and his absence was immediately noticed by Zeus; he spent the first few days constantly looking for Percy, roaming the house and sitting on the wall outside, waiting for him to come home.

May also marked three years since I adopted Zeus, one of the best things I have done in my life. His love and affection have gotten me through some pretty dark times and I am eternally grateful to my furry best friend.

Crossfit

What feels like the only consistent thing throughout May was Crossfit. I joined MarketTown CrossFit in January and have loved getting back into the flow of working out regularly. Due to my long absence from exercise I was essentially starting over and so the joy of new PBs is a relatively common thing at the moment. This will obviously slow down over time but for now, I am enjoying celebrating the small (and big) wins where I can.

A last-minute weekend away

Towards the end of May I took a spontaneous trip to Peacehaven and Brighton where I met up with one of my favourite humans, Eloise. We met when I lived in Wiltshire and don’t get to see each other nearly enough and so when she suggested a last-minute hot tub weekend I was all for it.

We stayed in a mini eco-hut in someone’s garden (about as bizarre as it sounds) in Peacehaven, walking to the seafront before getting chip shop chips for dinner, and on the Sunday we went to Brighton for brunch and a look around. The parking was extortionate but the food and company were top-notch.

May presented me with financial challenges, heartbreak and some serious burnout. Towards the end of it I was in full hermit mode, rarely leaving the house and hardly speaking to anyone. I am trying to use June as a reset and focus more on making changes where I can and not getting caught up stressing about things I cannot control. If you too had a challenging month in May then know that you are not alone and try to remember the age-old phrase “this too shall pass“.

I hope you have a wonderful June,

Summer