I know for the past three to four weeks, I’ve barely been about on the blog. The necessary blogs for the First Draft series have been going up on time and the crime book club posts have just about been going up, but other than that, I am aware, there has been little of me. No personality, no engagement.
I’m sorry.
A brief explanation, which I think I attempted to do on some of the above posts, was to explain that I was away from home on a work related course for three weeks and this took all my time and focus up, including two to three hours homework each evening. And I don’t mean the drinking variety! I mean, sit down and revise and then plan out your move for class the next day, type work. It was exhausting and the blog suffered. I apologise.
Yet, I’ve been back a week you say, and it hasn’t improved any. That’s because after living in such a bubble for three weeks I had an awful lot to catch up with when I returned. Emails, sleep! more emails, Oh yes, I’m supposed to be editing my book, so I got straight back on to that. I also cooked some meals for my sick family member, took those across, which takes an hour just to drive there and back. My sister decided to spend a week in the hospital, so visiting time had to be allocated to see her, and then Halloween came and little man wanted Halloween cupcakes making. So having been a bad mummy and having left him for three weeks, I spent hours after work, making ghost cupcakes and carving out very poor looking pumpkins. He was happy though.
So, my priorities at the minute are, to write/edit and then blog if I can. Something has to give – and I’m truly hoping it’s not me! – so, if I can, I am going to blog and make them personal, and blog related again. We’re going to get back on track. Crime related, writing related, cake related and when I get some real time, which is likely to be in the Christmas holidays now, some blog focus on Nottingham as my setting.
The posts, as I will be trying to just throw them in amongst the bedlam, will very probably be shorter than this – yes, I hear your sigh of relief.
Today I will leave you will ghost cupcakes of which I was most proud.
Here’s to blogging as me more and engagement. And hoping I still have readers!
cleopatralovesbooks says
Loving the cakes 🙂 Hope life calms down soon
Rebecca Bradley says
Thank you – to both 🙂
readingwritingandriesling says
Life sounds very hectic at the moment, I hope you get a chance to relax soon.
Rebecca Bradley says
Thank you. I’m relaxing with a book this evening 🙂
Gwen says
It takes forever to catch up on e-mails, I swear. But it’s good to see your smiling face again.
Rebecca Bradley says
Thank you Gwen. Emails are a devil to catch up on. You think you’re nearly there and three more urgent ones pop in!
Jane Isaac says
Hi Rebecca, Your life sounds pretty hectic right now, I do hope you are finding some ‘me’ time. Great to see you back on the blog. Those cakes look yummy;) Take care. Jx
Rebecca Bradley says
Thank you Jane. I’m actually relaxing with a book this evening 🙂
MarinaSofia says
Life does have a habit of taking over. I too have to travel a lot for work, so when I come home my priorities have got to be the children, who have missed me, rather than the blog. I completely understand. But the cakes look like quite an achievement!
Rebecca Bradley says
Thanks Marina. I was definitely impressed with the cakes!
I’m quite lucky with my youngest. He loves reading. So I can have quite reading time and be spending quality time with him as he lays at the side of me immersed in his own book. We just did that this evening 🙂
Margaret says
I know what you mean about busyness taking over. My blog has been neglected recently because life has been very hectic–and I’m retired!
Rebecca Bradley says
There just aren’t enough hours in the day are there Margaret?!
I thought I’d cope better with a smart phone as I’d be able to do things on the go, but I’ve found the tiredness stops even that. Sometimes we really do just have to listen to our body and not do everything! 🙂
Annalisa Crawford says
I love those cupcakes! A three week course away from home is more than enough reason to let the blog rest – you must have been completely exhausted. And homework too!! Good to see you here, and good luck with the edits.
Rebecca Bradley says
Thanks Annalisa. I was thrilled with the cupcakes. In fact I think I was probably more excited than the kids!
It’s now the edits I am focusing on but I’m going to try my best to time manage now. Ah that magical couple of words. We’ll see! 😉
Alex J. Cavanaugh says
If scaling back on blogging helps, do it! We’ll understand. Sounds like you’re beat anyway.
Rebecca Bradley says
Absolutely beat Alex. But you know, you don’t achieve your dreams without putting in the work 🙂
Jacqui Murray says
Don’t you hate when life hits you like a truck colliding with a brick wall? Sigh.
Rebecca Bradley says
That describes it perfectly!!
nancyrae4 says
Sometimes life just crowds in on blogging. Gorgeous looking cup caps, btw. 🙂
Rebecca Bradley says
Thank you. And yes it does. Tonight I’m curling up with a book though 🙂
Elle Turner says
Wow! That’s a busy few weeks. And a lot of homework each night!
Love the look of the cakes. Hope you’re getting a chance to rest a bit now. x
melsherratt says
Not only am I always impressed with all you do and cope with, but I am seriously impressed with your cake-making skills now as well! Hope you catch up soon x
Julie Flanders says
Absolutely love the cupcakes! How cute and also yummy, no doubt.
I can understand needing to scale back on blogging sometimes. Take care and do what is best for you.
Joanna (Lazuli Portals Trilogy) says
Sounds like a bit of a whirlwind! Of course family comes first, Rebecca. And those things that scream at you until they’re done (like emails). The cupcakes are fab; are there any left??
No blog post? We’ll still be here. And you know what I’m like – it takes me time (sometimes weeks) to visit and catch up with posts anyway. 🙂