And again its been a long time!

  I have had a blog account for years and rarely used it. That is because life has been taken up, no taken over, by so much to deal with. 

The last few years have been tough, something of a challenge, many at times, for several reasons.

So I have not had the time, the energy or the inclination to write anything. Especially when I have to read and write so many emails and the odd report per day!

At this juncture I'll just mention some of those matters. Obviously some matters have many sub-components. 

The main demand on my time, energy and stress levels and indeed considerable cost has been the ailing health of my mother, her care and subsequent passing.  Before her passing her care and my worry built up to a crescendo. Initially I tried to care for her at home and then had to accept a care home was best. My local care home was superb, but being local meant frequent visiting and raised  She would not accept that though. Her ultimate death was a passage of time that involved far too many problems with NHS services and the hospital in which she died. I made a complaint and engaged my MP in that process. It took nearly 2 years of passing data and emails to get a series of apologies. 

Some closure, but not a full end to the matter. I was still trying to resolve probate and estate matters. 

Its 2 years and 2 months since my mother died and her will is still not finalised.  Not because my solicitor is idle, quite the opposite, but my my mothers death exposed how bad my fathers death was that had been handled by another Solicitors partnership.  I had problems with much of that then, when he died, but I never realised  how bad it was. It was professional incompetence as well as on the verge of corrupt! 

All this while I continued a local political role and for a very needy Ward of issues. Then I was given a Chair of Committee that became a Cabinet role in the Leadership of the Council. Ward work took up probably 20 hrs a week.   This just added another 20 or so! 

The garden was neglected, so was the house and my health. I was losing control. 

My social life still revolved  around Saracens Rugby or local community support. I did enjoy a few getaways both days out or holiday breaks, but it was so stressful preparing before and even worse recovering from the need to catch-up afterwards.  

So I knew I had to grasp the nettle and make some changes. 

I started by giving up the Cabinet role. That allowed me to make a start to tidying up the House and de-clutter some of Mothers stuff. It was also cathartic. 

But early 2024 meant preparations and then lots of active work was required for an Election in all wards and some intense activity in my area. 

Once that was over, I was asked to join the Mayoral "line" and chose to be Deputy Mayor rather than immediate Mayor. And I am now a busy Deputy! 

So time and energy has become a problem again. 

I am not going to let that time and energy dictate to my ageing and vulnerable health. So I have engaged a PA. I want to make the most of my Mayoral times. Especially as less than 5 months into the Mayoral year its proving to be the busiest Deputy Mayor year ever! Even with the Mayor doing so much. 

So you may be reading another blog entry fairly soon ...and it may be my "ghost writer" PA writing it on  my behalf.