The New Year Begins!

Sorry, I've been kind of AWOL for awhile, but now I'm back. I cheer at the 'yahoos!' and pretend not to hear the 'boos!' LOL.

Anyway, I do hope you all had a wonderful Christmas.

So several things are happening/happened.

Mum's drain is out, she's been given the all-clear by the surgeon, she only has to go back to Perth to have the stent out sometime Feb/March, we're waiting to hear. She's resigned from the school crossing as crossing warden, as she states "I have 12 years until I'm ninety, and every year after is a blessing. I want to do what I want to do in the next 12 years." I completely understand. She is now 78 yrs old, has worked all her life, has been a crossing warden for 18 and 1/2 years in wind, rain, and heat. It is time for her to step back and do all those things she's wanted to do - craft work (masses of it in the cupboards for years untouched), gardening, photos, etc. So 2018 is a new beginning for Mum.

As for me, I've resigned from Discharge Planning at the local hospital, effective from 12th Feb, and will be going back to nursing full-time instead of part DCP and part nursing.

Last year was quite stressful at times (as we all have times like this) with surgeries for both of us, and since Mum was so sick I've also had time to step back and reconsider my life. I love my writing, like my work, but wasn't getting a good work/writing/life balance, so I'm determined that I will get that good level this year. By going back to nursing only for my day job, and writing while making sure I get a good life balance outside of both, the year is already looking rosier.

No, I'm not quitting writing! Could never do that. But I am taking on a few things I've always wanted to do in the writing field. One of them is re-working the sci-fi Heart & Soul series. These books were my very first works. Now they are dated, especially the earlier ones, and I'm working on revising them all. Some of the later ones won't need much work apart from editing, but the earlier books will need rewriting in areas, major overhauls, so that is what I am doing. I have a wonderful cover artist doing new covers and they look AWESOME! This series will be revised and relaunched this year.

So the first part of this year I'm working on this series. I haven't given up writing BBWs or contemporaries in general, but this project is dear to my heart and one I've finally taken up. Possibly in-between it I may put out a novella, but I really need to concentrate on getting this lot revised, finished and launched. Then it's time to take up a new writing project.

Oh yeah, I'm also re-doing my website! I can't help it, I do this every year LOL. Love fiddling with my website ;-)

So 2018 is a fresh beginning for both Mum and I. Do you have anything new for 2018 that you are starting or considering? Sometimes even the smallest changes can make a huge difference in your life.

Happy New Year, all!