Monday, 18 August 2025

Grumpy Hilary … or Fed Up lady …

 

Fed up most likely … I have hot water … now my landlady is flying in from Kenya to see what's happened … so I guess everything will be tipped upside down again … I am fractious … stressed out with the irritations and inroads into my life …


Wonderful scented roses
Friends and family have been saying for goodness sake get your health sorted out – but frankly with the flat scenario I haven't felt able to do both …



I buried my head in all five Kingsbridge series books – covering the dark ages of England 779 AD to ten years after Battle of Waterloo in 1824 … which gave an insight into life through the ages.


Four of his novels, the fifth was
recently published

I think it probably helped otherwise I'd have been fretting more than usual … and I have various references to use when our History subject changes in 2026 … we're doing the Medieval period now – but I'm not sure what our 'leader' and her humble subjects (us – the members) will select/choose next.


I was happy that AJ Sterkel (Read all the Things! Blog) chose Follett's masterpiece 'The Pillars of the Earth' … as one of her books to pull you out of a reading slump.


AJ Sterkel's header for her blog

Life as it continues has different perspectives on who one is in life … being single, as are my brothers, so no reason to be overly enthusiastic about family life ahead – yes, and yea, for other friends and family … but for me – I just do my thing.


Wiki's logo
I'm happy – I've had an interesting life … and am not on my way out yet (I don't think!) … so I'll stick where I am and doing what I enjoy and can do … getting out and about as much as possible – and reading rather more than I've done over my lifetime, so far.


Carstian Luyckx - art work of 1650
Personal historiography, as well as academic knowledge in the public domain via whatever tools were available to that era of life, which now is much broader than it used to be … and as I'm older (perhaps wiser too) more of life's history starts to fall into place …



So this little brain is full of jigsaw pieces of life through the ages … and grateful that essentially I'm just getting older – not mentally deteriorating, thankfully.


AJ Sterkel's image ...
'How to Reignite Your
Love of Reading'


I hope I can be left in peace to get on with my life … but as the year progresses we'll see … for now – my head is above water, screaming silently, and just wishing this period was away …




AJ Sterkel's link to her latest post ... I also suggest you read the previous one on the saddest books ... I really enjoy her lists ... 


Cheers to you all and thanks for your comments and thoughts …


Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

18 comments:

jabblog said...

Hilary, you are bravely swimming and keeping your head above water.
You have every reason to feel downhearted and deflated, wondering what the universe will throw at you next. Somehow, you manage to cheer up everyone else.
I know I'm not alone in wishing you well and wishing we could do something to help.
Chin up, and keep on keeping on.
Janice x

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Hopefully you get a break from the chaos and uncertainty.

Anabel Marsh said...

Sorry to hear you are grumpy / fed up - hope your issues all get resolved soon.

Kay G. said...

Bless you, I do hope life will start treating you better! (Here's a joke... "Do you ever wake up grumpy? "No, I usually let her sleep".
Ha ha, I think that is usually said as "I let HIM sleep" but if you knew me and my husband, you would know I can't tell it that way. LOL!

Kay G. said...

Oh! And I meant to tell you, years ago I met a man who told me that he met Ken Follett on a trip in the Caribbean. He said he was simply WONDERFUL. It's just something that I was so glad to know and I wanted you to know this too! x

Yamini MacLean said...

Hari OM
Life just needs to keep rolling and we need to keep up with it! YAM xx

Liz A. said...

Sometimes the escape that fiction offers us is very, very necessary.

Hels said...

Follett told a good story and wrote beautifully. I am not sure if The Pillars of the Earth can pull a reader out of depression but his devout monk was driven to build the greatest Gothic cathedral the world has known .

At least for me (suffering from anxiety not depression), I was excited by the serious struggle between good and wickedness, between church Vs state.

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

@ Janice - yes ... I feel like that - frustrating to say the least ... my head in Follett's books has been a release, except when it came out of each reading and came back to this earth. I am positive by nature - thankfully. Chin up ...as you say - life goes on .. appreciate your comment.

@ Alex - thank you ... I sure hope so too ...

@ Anabel - life goes on doesn't it and not much keeps me down ... but really at the moment it's a bit much - still this week will bring change of some sort.

@ Kay - thanks Kay. No I don't wake up grumpy ... but enjoy your joke ...having had a hubby who would sleep on! - mine went out the door!
Oh - how interesting you met someone who'd met Follett on a trip the Caribbean - thanks ... it's alway nice to know that he was down to earth, despite his success with his books ...

@ Yam - yup ... I'm keeping up with life - it's the flat connection I'm struggling with ... but as you say life always goes on - which does keep us swimming, as Janice says.

@ LIz - I was very glad to have such lengthy books to travel through in these circumstances - and I learnt a lot too about our English history ...

@ Hels - I'm not sure I'm depressed per se - just frustrated that people who should be sorting things out for me, in fact should have done after a few days, not 8 weeks later, have not realised their responsibilities. I've enjoyed the stories through the various eras.

Thanks so much for all your thoughts - another hiccup has occurred ... the landlady has decided to come over from Kenya to see what's going on - so I have that to deal with this week ... I'm not a happy bunny - but life goes on - cheers Hilary

David M. Gascoigne, said...

That’s a long way to come to check on the plumbing, Hilary! Sorry to hear that you are in a bit of a funk and I hope that the path is upwards with nary a hint of a further downward slide. Life’s niggly problems can sometimes be a source of great frustration and surprisingly difficult to shuck off. We are all rooting for you and longing for the bright, energetic, quirky Hilary we all know and love. Set yourself a challenge to research some truly obscure bit of history and I am sure that will help! And we’ll get an interesting blog post from it, so we’ll all win. Thinking of you - David

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

It's frustrating when your life gets hijacked like that. I really dislike feeling out of control, so I can empathize with you. You do a great job of delving into things that bring you joy!

Debbie D. said...

You've had a rough time, Hilary. Don't blame you for being fed-up and grumpy! At least you have hot water again (hopefully that won't be disrupted) and lots of interesting reading material. One day at a time... Hang in there! ☺

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

@ David - I know ... it has been fixed now - but the landlady will want to look - so not sure what she's going to do ... take everything out once again - who knows! I hope this week is it ... but just might last into September - frustratingly. Yup - I'm really grateful for everyone's support and thoughts etc ... I needed those books to fall into and hide away ... but I do have things I want to post about ... just hope by then I'm feeling easier - the GP must come soon too.

@ Elizabeth - oh crumbs ... such a pain when things go bananas as they've done recently ... the leaks are just stupid - and have just caused me extra stress. I am unimpressed - as you can gather. Yes - I'm lucky that I can let my brain take over and give myself something educational to think about ...

@ Debbie - yes ... and my health aspect is making me ultra tired - so stress added in ... definitely makes me feel weary. Ne-er mind - it'll be over soon (I hope!) ... as you say one day at a time ...

Thanks you three ... really appreciate your care ... cheers Hilary

Sean Jeating said...

Were I Chinese, I would probably say: You live in interesting times.
Don't let it get you down, Hilary!
The peace of the night.

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

@ Sean - life is really life ... so frustrating and as long as the Chinese don't come call I'll get through!!. Thanks, I'm off out today - bother the landlady and tomorrow. Cheers and great to see you - Hilary

Rosalind Adam said...

Good to hear from you, Hilary. Sorry to read that you're having troubles at home. I do hope they all get sorted soon. I hate having to have work done on the house. Keep reading and, as my friend always says to me, deep breaths!

L. Diane Wolfe said...

Heath does come first so let them get the flat issues in order and don't worry about it.

Sandra Cox said...

Hi Hils, Thank goodness for books, hey. I do hope things get squared away for you soon. Wishing you a peaceful day. Cheers,