Category: Mums

Let me re-introduce myself…

With a four year hiatus in blogging, I have finally found the headspace to open it up again. Now on the slippery slope to 50, with a tween and an adult – the journey continues!

Well, well, well… it’s certainly been a while. Not sure if you remember me, but I’m Linda… and I used to write a blog! I actually did that for three years… and then took a four-year hiatus. The blog, called Tales of a Mother’s Daughter, originally centered around the diagnosis of Autism for my daughter when she has five, her food intolerences at that time and managing her Autism as she got older.

So, what’s been happening since I’ve been gone?

Not much has happened in that time – just a global pandemic lasting a couple of years, a war with Russia, football finally came home, we’ve had several Prime Ministers, and we celebrated our Queen reaching a record 70 years on the throne, only to lose her later in the year. I could go on and on – four years is a long time!

That time for me has also been different. I lost my freelance work thanks to the panic of Covid, launched a new business, nearly closed that business two years later… changed that business to a not-for-profit (CIC) then finally ended up closing it in January this year. There will be plenty of time for reflection on that, but for now, this decision has given me rather a lot of headspace. So much so that I have decided to start blogging again, so if you are reading this… thank you and I hope you stick around.

So, with that in mind, we have had a name change! ‘Mum Running Life’ reflects my love of running along with the fact that I often feel like I’m trying to find ways to run this thing called life effectively – usually without much success. Running has been a big part of my life for the past four years, given that my business was to do with encouraging people to run, so it seemed only fitting to have it in the title somewhere.

So, what will I be blogging about? Well, as I am on the slippery slope to 50, I am always on the look-out for how to feel better, look better, and function better, so there will be posts about the things I am trying – the good, the bad, and the ugly. The last time I blogged, I had a teen and a tween… I now have a teen and an adult! I will be chatting about the challenges that my daughter faces as an adult with Autism and also our journey for ADHD diagnosis – might be waiting a while for that one though!

So, if you’re not there already, you can also find me on Facebook and Instagram, sharing bits and bobs that make me laugh, make me think and keep me sane!

See you there and see you soon!

Much love

Linda x

Getting out of ‘the Black’ and finding more confidence with colour!

img_6173-1Do you always go for the same colour when you buy something new? 🙋‍♀️

Or maybe you’ve found yourself in the changing cubicle in your favourite store having no idea if you can carry something off? You know it isn’t right, but you just can’t quite put your finger on why?

Wouldn’t it be great to have an expert eye with you to tell you whether something suits you knowing that it’s an honest opinion?

How would you like that; every, single, time?

As I write this, I’m feeling a little smug, because I now have that superpower! Continue reading “Getting out of ‘the Black’ and finding more confidence with colour!”

My ‘Magic’ night with a Stripper!

Image result for magic mike live

A couple of weeks ago, I found myself in a place I never thought I would ever be…. at a strip show! I’m not a prude by any means, but I’ve never really bought into the enjoyment of watching men throw their hoses around… I mean, let’s be honest, they’re not the most attractive thing are they… even with the hunky, oil clad body to go with it!

So, when a couple of friends got very excited about the Magic Mike Live Tour last year and suggested we get tickets, I soon found myself agreeing to go. I swear there might have been some anticipation that Channing Tatum was actually going to be in it which added to their excitement – like that was ever going to happen!

What sold it for me was that we got tickets to go on my birthday which, I have to be honest, I don’t particularly enjoy since losing Mum.  My 40th birthday was the last time I sat with her and had a meal, so it brings back those memories rather than celebrating surviving another year! Continue reading “My ‘Magic’ night with a Stripper!”

Going with the flow & not sweating the small stuff at Christmas!

close up of christmas decoration hanging on tree
Photo by Gary Spears on Pexels.com

Excited for Christmas!

Actually, for the first time in a few years, I am excited for Christmas!

Not to sound like a miserable cow, but I must admit, the last couple of years have felt a bit shit without Mum being here. She was my Christmas. So much of how you celebrate the festive period is built around how you spent it as a child.  All the traditions, the smells, the songs, the 80’s brash decorations! I loved all of it!

I certainly don’t want this to be a sad blog just before Christmas, but I know a few people that are experiencing Christmas for the first time this year without one of their parents, or a parent that is incredibly ill, and I just want you to know that you’re in my thoughts.  It doesn’t seem like it now, but I want you to know that it does get just a little bit easier as the years pass.

Crying for Mum… or George Michael? Continue reading “Going with the flow & not sweating the small stuff at Christmas!”

Why ‘Ghosting’ is not cool!

adult alone anxious black and white
Photo by Kat Jayne on Pexels.com

I thought about writing this blog exactly a year ago… totally because of the Halloween timing, but because I knew it would be hard to write, I put it off.

So, if you don’t know what Ghosting is, let me explain.

You usually hear about Ghosting in the dating game… if you thought being dumped by text was rude, this just got to a whole new level!  Maybe you’ve been seeing someone for a little while and all of a sudden, they’ve blocked your number, removed you from social media – they’ve vanished. You have no idea what you have done, no explanation… do you make an effort to contact them or not?  Maybe they’ve been run over by a bus!  But there you are, they’ve disappeared and you just got Ghosted! Continue reading “Why ‘Ghosting’ is not cool!”

Find Your Tribe… Love Them Hard!

silhouette of four people against sun background
Photo by Dennis Magati on Pexels.com

Ever since I started my social media course last September, I have had many experiences of  ‘women tribes’.  They have come in many forms… course cohorts, networking groups, and workshops.

What I’m talking about here isn’t my usual group of friends… not my ‘girls’ that have known me forever, who have seen me at my best and my worst (which was probably face down pissed up on a pavement in Newquay!).  These are women I have never met before, who sometimes live in different parts of the country, come from different walks of life but all thrown together for the same cause.

As you may have read in previous blogs, I have recently started a course involving mindset and how you can up-level your business by getting over your fears and negative thoughts.  Last week our cohort of nine, plus our mentor Andrea, had our first Zoom meeting – posh term for ‘a meeting over the internet’! Continue reading “Find Your Tribe… Love Them Hard!”

Writing ‘My Story’! Intro week of ‘Get Excited About Your Life’

blackboard chalk chalkboard concept
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

This week I started my Introduction or ‘On Boarding’ for my new course ‘Get Excited About Your Life’.  This is a course which will help me to look at key points of my life and help me to move my mindset to a positive place which will inevitably help my business.

We’ve had a few actions to take on for this introduction week – one being to do a Facebook Live to our group.  Now, for me it was fine as I’m a complete show off, but for some of the ladies in my group it was a real baptism of fire… and they all nailed it!

The other big task for the week was to write ‘My Story’.  No rules, no template to follow… just write my story as I ‘feel it’.  This will be used as the basis of my 1:1 sessions with my mentor Andrea.

Jeeez! Where to start with that! How long should I make it?  How much detail is required? Continue reading “Writing ‘My Story’! Intro week of ‘Get Excited About Your Life’”

Barcelona with ‘The Butch Girls’!

I know, you’re thinking who on earth are the ‘Butch Girls’? It sounds like it could be some female wrestling tag-team (might have to Google that!).

Let me explain. ‘The Butch Girls’ are my wonderful group of school friends that still keep in touch and do stuff together 31 years after first meeting at secondary school.

I’ve come to learn that this is actually quite unusual, to still be in touch with girls from secondary school. And whilst it’s true that we have been in and out of each other’s lives, especially during our 20s, these girls will undoubtedly always be in my life.

So, why are we called ‘The Butch Girls’?  We can’t really remember where it came from. None of us are particularly masculine or as the name may suggest, that we might bat for the other side (or is that the same side?!).  I remember the reference ‘Butch Girl’ first came up at my 18th birthday party… a long, long time ago!  It seemed to stick and we’ve been ‘The Butch Girls’, ever since!  I suppose if you happen to see us strut our stuff to Tina Turner’s ‘Nutbush’ it might explain it! It really is something to behold! Continue reading “Barcelona with ‘The Butch Girls’!”

Remembering Mum… Performing Dusty Springfield from her hospital bed and showing Cancer a f***ing good fight.

img_0599-1Last night was the first night in a long time that I had a period of not being able to sleep… normally, once I’m out… I’m out!  Last night however, was different.  Two years ago at almost the exact time I woke up, I was on my way to the hospital to pick up my Dad.  He’d made the call an hour earlier to say that my Mum was now at peace and had passed away.  I was now reliving it all instead of sleeping. Continue reading “Remembering Mum… Performing Dusty Springfield from her hospital bed and showing Cancer a f***ing good fight.”

Here’s to Gin & Friendships and Psyching myself up for the holidays!

It’s midday on a Sunday and I’m still sat on the sofa in my summer PJs. After having a very much needed day out drinking Gin and eating platters of meats and cheeses with my two oldest school friends, I’m now sat thinking about the stretch of the six weeks holidays in front of me!

Arrrrrrggggghhhh!!!!!!

I’m buggered whatever I do here. If I have a plan all written down, Ellie will go on and on about it, decide it will be rubbish and drive me crazy and if I don’t tell her she will go on and on about and decide we’re not doing anything and it’s going to be the worst holiday ever…driving me crazy 😜!! Continue reading “Here’s to Gin & Friendships and Psyching myself up for the holidays!”