Hi Everyone

[Doolhof]

Life has been really busy for me lately. I have had some days where I was concerned I was about to take a huge step backwards, so I spent some early mornings and late afternoons out in the garden. We have multiple olive trees that need pruning after not having been touched for 10 years!

I have found the hard physical work and the fresh air to be very therapeutical for me. I have managed to prune about half of the trees so far and feel very pleased with my progress. At one stage I was feeling overwhelmed with the job, but had to change my focus. One tree at a time and I will eventually get there!

I'm also studying and try the same concept with my study. One assignment or assessment at a time. Even if I can only spend half an hour on my study, that is half an hour more than if I had procrastinated, fussed and made myself anxious because I only had a half an hour to spare.

At one stage last week I was feeling so overwhelmed that I wanted to cancel social engagements. Instead I tried to juggle all the things I needed to do or thought I had to attend to and decided to enjoy the time with family and friends instead of fretting about other things that needed my attention.

Sometimes it is hard to find the balance! I'm very pleased to say that I have come out of last week feeling like I have coped reasonably well.

It is so beneficial to find activities and strategies to help reduce and lower our anxiety, depression and stress. I hope you are all able to find that "thing" that helps you through your day. You may have a variety of things that help in different situations.

Some days life seems really tough and confusing. I just want to encourage you all to hang in there and hope that your tomorrow is a lot better!

Cheers for now from Mrs. Dools

[geoff]

dear Mrs. Dools, I am so pleased that you have given us the time and explain how you are going, because it's no different than writing it in a diary.

We appreciate that the battle to keep depression under control is not an easy feat, because it's always lurking there behind us, following us around and just waiting for us to have a weak moment and then pounce once again.

We know that there are times when we know the shadow following us is the black dog, waiting for us to trip over and then take over, but on other occasions we can laugh to ourselves, saying 'I know you're there but I have other plans for you, and you won't be able to scare me'.

What you have achieved is amazing, and an excellent example on what can be done, but it takes great strength and purpose, but please realise that you can't push yourself, because when that happens, well we are know.

Thanks once again and congratulations on being able to achieve this, and to have olive trees would be great because I love them. Geoff. x

[Doolhof]

Hi Geoff,

Thanks for your encouraging message. I have had to lay off the olive trees for a while as my back has decided to have a hissy fit and is causing me a lot of pain right now! The darn thing.

It will give me time to focus on something else. I will check the olive trees on the weekend and see how they are recovering after the sheep we borrowed just about rind barked some of them.

While pruning the trees I found a variety of bird nests. I made sure I left those particular trees alone. I saw some gorgeous baby willy wag tails. I only knew what birds they were as the parent birds were dive bombing me all of the time I was near their nest!

Speaking of nests, our canary is sitting on some more eggs so we might have some new chicks soon. She is a weird mother in a way as she brings up her young, then attacks them, plucking out their feathers to line her nest ready for the next lot of eggs!

I try putting all sorts of things in her cage to make nests out of. She actually liked using some wool I found stuck to the olive tress for a nest, so I will go and get her more of that.

Each day can be a trial, but if we look hard enough, we can find a light at the end of the tunnel and run towards that!

Cheers for now from Mrs. Dools