#AtoZChallenge: What it means to be Spiritual

Today on the #AtoZChallenge I allocate the letter S to spiritual.

When I first consciously decided to embark on a spiritual quest, I little knew how much of life I had yet to discover. As a child I lived a sheltered life, very comfortable and happy. My family are all fairly boring in truth, but not in a bad way. They simply get on with their daily tasks and life ticks over nicely.

View of the river Weaver and woodland in Middlewich, Cheshire, England taken by LGBT fantasy book writer Catherine Green of SpookyMrsGreen.com mindful parenting and modern pagan lifestyle blog.
View of the river Weaver and woodland in Middlewich, Cheshire, England

What it means to be Spiritual

I used to think that being spiritual was something of fantastic magic and mystery. It offered a life of excitement, something unusual and unique. Above all I thought that to be a spiritual person would take me away from my boring existence, and give me something of an adventure. I thought I could learn to communicate with Spirit, but I had no idea at the time just what that meant. I was thinking of good old fashioned ghosts, like in the classic stories. I was largely confused by the Spiritualist movement popularised during the Victorian era.

Being spiritual can mean many different things. It is all a question of perception. For me it means living in harmony with Mother Nature as much as possible, but still existing in the modern developed world to which I was born. I believe in past lives, and in fact, I have had past life regression before now that was fascinating and very entertaining! I know that ghosts and spirits exist, because I have seen them and spoken to them.

Being spiritual is not the same as being religious

People might often confuse being spiritual with being religious. I certainly used to think that a spiritual person was a ‘hippy’ type, but that was before I learned about paganism and what it means. To me, spirituality is not a religion. It is simply a mindset, a belief system, but you can be spiritual and still be Christian, Jewish, Muslim, etc, or of no particular faith. I think ultimately it is about living by your own standards and values, although perhaps that is a very wide generalisation. What are your thoughts on being spiritual?

Thank you for stopping by, now why not check out my fellow writers on the #AtoZChallenge? See you tomorrow!

April A-Z Blogging Challenge 2014 at SpookyMrsGreen.com mindful parenting and modern pagan lifestyle blog.
April A-Z Blogging Challenge 2014

Did you enjoy this article? Download your FREE copy of LGBT fantasy short story It’s Complicated (The Redcliffe Novels) and meet the werewolves of Cornwall, England.  Click here. 

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#AtoZChallenge: We Need to Recycle Everything

Here in the UK there is an initiative called Reduce, Reuse, Recycle that has been running for a few years now. The idea is to encourage people to think about the household waste they dispose of, and to dispose of it in more environmentally friendly ways, rather than simply sending it to landfill.

Today on the #AtoZChallenge I allocate the letter R to recycle.

April A-Z Blogging Challenge 2014 at SpookyMrsGreen.com mindful parenting and modern pagan lifestyle blog.
April A-Z Blogging Challenge 2014

#AtoZChallenge: We Need to Recycle Everything

I have always been conscious of the need to recycle our waste. It began as a child when my mother was very keen to reuse what she could, and to dispose of our empty cans, bottles and paper products efficiently. Recycling became a way of life, and so it was natural to continue the habit when I moved out of the family home. I was also further encourage (or is that coerced) by my now husband, the eco-warrior himself, Daniel Green.

My husband is so conscious about the need to recycle everything, that he took it upon himself to strip down our old double mattress recently, so that he could take it in pieces to our household waste recycling centre. He wanted to put the metal springs and coil base into the scrap metal bay so it can be melted down and reused, and the fabric part of the mattress could be incinerated and turned into fossil fuel. Mattresses are a pet project for him. So many of them end up in landfill because people simply don’t know what to do with them, and most probably don’t even take the time to consider what their waste does to the environment.

Why do people refuse to recycle?

It surprises me that people generally still refuse to accept the need to recycle more of our waste. I mean, during the world wars there was no waste, and every civilian family learned to make use of almost everything they could, because there was no endless supply of simple cooking ingredients, fabric for clothes, and raw materials to make furniture and utensils. During the past 30 years or so we have become lazy because manufacture became cheap, and we had nothing to fear in the Western world. Now, hopefully, the world is changing again, and people will once again become mindful about their waste, and the need to reduce consumption, reuse what we can, and recycle the rest.

Thank you for stopping by, now why not check out my fellow writers on the #AtoZChallenge? See you tomorrow!

Image of book covers from the Redcliffe Novels paranormal menage series. MMF romance. Bisexual and gay romance. Gay werewolf romance. Paranormal author Catherine Green.
“It’s Complicated” (A Redcliffe Short Story) by paranormal author Catherine Green

Did you enjoy this article? Download your FREE copy of LGBT fantasy short story It’s Complicated (The Redcliffe Novels) and meet the werewolves of Cornwall, England.  Click here. 

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#AtoZChallenge: Sitting in a Queue is a Good Day Out!

We are now enjoying what appears to be a very bright, sunny and warm weekend for Easter here in the UK. There is a running joke that whenever we have a Bank Holiday weekend, the weather turns bad. This time we might actually be in luck.

Subsequently everyone decides to head for the beach, to make the most of this glorious occurrence. Today on the #AtoZChallenge, I allocate the letter Q to queues.

April A-Z Blogging Challenge 2014 at SpookyMrsGreen.com mindful parenting and modern pagan lifestyle blog.
April A-Z Blogging Challenge 2014

#AtoZChallenge: Sitting in a Queue is a Good Day Out!

My husband and I decided to take our children for a long-overdue daytrip to the seaside. We packed up the car, got onto the motorway, and were immediately stuck in a very long queue of traffic. A quick glance at the flashing motorway gantry sign confirmed our suspicions. This queue was very long. We decided to try a different route, and changed our planned destination accordingly.

Having first tried heading up the M6 towards the Fylde coast, which was my original suggestion, we changed our minds when we saw the queue. My husband then suggested we go with a trip to North Wales, which is always a favourite destination. Unfortunately it was just as bad, and a journey that would have originally taken us just over an hour to complete, instead took almost three hours.

We tried a detour

Nevertheless, we refused to be defeated. My husband tried coming off the A-roads a couple of times, only to be redirected back onto them when the queues stretched in all directions. It was a mixture of small accidents and sheer volume of traffic that caused the problem. Still, we finally reached our destination, enjoyed our picnic on the beach, and took in the wonderful fresh sea air of the North Wales coast.

Thank you for stopping by, now why not check out my fellow writers on the #AtoZChallenge? Have a lovely Easter weekend!

Image of book covers from the Redcliffe Novels paranormal menage series. MMF romance. Bisexual and gay romance. Gay werewolf romance. Paranormal author Catherine Green.
“It’s Complicated” (A Redcliffe Short Story) by paranormal author Catherine Green

Did you enjoy this article? Download your FREE copy of LGBT fantasy short story It’s Complicated (The Redcliffe Novels) and meet the werewolves of Cornwall, England.  Click here. 

 

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#AtoZChallenge: Living with Chronic Pain

Today is Good Friday, and for the #AtoZChallenge I allocate the letter P to pain. I was going to talk primarily about postnatal pain, but decided instead to be more general.

Chronic pain is something that almost everybody has to live with. I was listening to a feature on BBC radio 5 Live just yesterday on this topic, and some of the callers that were interviewed moved me to tears.

April A-Z Blogging Challenge 2014 at SpookyMrsGreen.com mindful parenting and modern pagan lifestyle blog.
April A-Z Blogging Challenge 2014

#AtoZChallenge: Living with Chronic Pain

Living with chronic pain is something I am very familiar with. To look at me from the outside, so to speak, people would not see a problem. I have never been classed as disabled, never needed any special treatment in daily life. I rarely see my GP, and actually would not recognize my registered doctor if I saw him out on the street. And yet, I have this condition.

The chronic pain condition that I live with is related to two eye disorders that work in tandem. I have a condition called Lymphodoema Distichiasis. Basically, I have two rows of eyelashes in each eye, one of which grows on the inside of the eyelids and subsequently scratches the cornea. I have scarring on both eyes that was sustained in childhood, since it took a while for me to be properly diagnosed. This included multiple surgical procedures and various medicine trials. As a teenager I developed Dry Eye Syndrome, where my eyes do not produce enough natural tears for lubrication. It leaves me with a permanent feeling of tiredness, and hot, sore eyes. Some days I literally want to rip my eyes out because I feel that would be the only cure.

Developed more chronic pain symptoms

More recently I have developed chronic pain symptoms that might be sciatica, but they have not been properly checked by doctors and so I don’t have an official diagnosis. I began to have severe leg and lower back pain during my first pregnancy. It eased off and then returned when my baby was about 8 months old, and has since returned on regular occasions with my second child. The leg pain leaves me crying out in agony and unable to move, and it is very distressing. I had a brief programme of physiotherapy when I first went to my doctor, but was told the pain should ease after a few months. I was left feeling frustrated and alone. My doctors dismissed me as an unimportant case.

I know quite a few people who also live with chronic pain. It seems to be something of an accepted condition in my social circles. Our cultural norm for dealing with such a problem is to throw medicine at it. I personally believe that we need to go deeper. For myself I feel that a good programme of emotional and psychological therapy would go a long way to help ease my pain symptoms, and subsequently leave me refreshed and happy. At the moment I can’t afford such therapy, but I will investigate it anyway, just in case… I wonder if this might work for other people? Please do share your stories, and any links for organisations that might be useful.

Thank you for stopping by, now why not check out my fellow writers on the #AtoZChallenge? See you tomorrow!

Image of book covers from the Redcliffe Novels paranormal menage series. MMF romance. Bisexual and gay romance. Gay werewolf romance. Paranormal author Catherine Green.
“It’s Complicated” (A Redcliffe Short Story) by paranormal author Catherine Green

Did you enjoy this article? Download your FREE copy of LGBT fantasy short story It’s Complicated (The Redcliffe Novels) and meet the werewolves of Cornwall, England.  Click here. 

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#AtoZChallenge: To Observe is to See

My life is crazy right now. On the surface everything appears very normal and boring. But inside me there is a tornado building, and something has to give. It occurred to me that a good word for today’s #AtoZChallenge would be observe for the letter O.

As a writer I pen tales based on the people, situations and places I observe. Being a mother I continually watch my children as they grow and develop, and at the moment I observe the subtle differences between their personalities.

April A-Z Blogging Challenge 2014 at SpookyMrsGreen.com mindful parenting and modern pagan lifestyle blog.
April A-Z Blogging Challenge 2014

#AtoZChallenge: To Observe is to See

Sometimes I feel very silly because I fail to observe the wider world around me. For example, when driving out and about, my husband seems able to observe not only the road and other vehicles, but everything beyond. It takes all of my concentration just to navigate through the journey safely, and to maintain a conversation with my passengers. Oh, and usually I am the one responding to the children and their demands from the back seat!

I am not the only person that has struggles. All around the world people are battling to survive, to heal, to escape, to work through a whole host of challenges. In the western world we observe these struggles from a sympathetic distance, and yes, there are lots of people who get stuck in and help. For me on a personal level, I am at the stage right now where I need to fix my own life situation, so that I may then move on and help others if they ask.

Too busy thinking

All too often we are so busy thinking about what needs to be done, what has been done, and what we want to do, that we forget to simply stand still and observe our place in the world. I live a very quiet, simple life, but I am surrounded by loving family and friends, and I never go hungry. That is a huge blessing, and today I want to take a moment to observe my good life, and then move on from the self-imposed barriers I have erected. Have a lovely Thursday my friends!

Thank you for stopping by, now why not check out my fellow writers on the #AtoZChallenge? See you tomorrow!

Image of book covers from the Redcliffe Novels paranormal menage series. MMF romance. Bisexual and gay romance. Gay werewolf romance. Paranormal author Catherine Green.
“It’s Complicated” (A Redcliffe Short Story) by paranormal author Catherine Green

Did you enjoy this article? Download your FREE copy of LGBT fantasy short story It’s Complicated (The Redcliffe Novels) and meet the werewolves of Cornwall, England.  Click here. 

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#AtoZChallenge: Notebooks and Nappies

I have chosen another amusingly random title for today’s #AtoZChallenge post. For the letter N I allocate notebooks.

The reason I called the post Notebooks and Nappies is because these are pretty much my basic key items of luggage when I go out and about (I keep a notebook in my baby change bag, just in case). I was going to write a post about normality or something like it, but then I remembered I already did that one in the #AtoZChallenge 2013, doh!

April A-Z Blogging Challenge 2014 at SpookyMrsGreen.com mindful parenting and modern pagan lifestyle blog.
April A-Z Blogging Challenge 2014

#AtoZChallenge: Notebooks and Nappies

There are several notebooks knocking around my house at the moment. Most are mine, but a few do belong to my husband and daughter. He needs them for his professional research, and she acquired them from me when she saw me writing notes for my various projects (and the shopping lists). I love the art of writing, even if it is simply a brief scribble on the back of an envelope.

Writing in a notebook has always been one of my simple pleasures in life. I used to write random quotes on my school exercise books, snippets of poetry that came to mind, or even just sentences copied out of text books. I just love to write, and on occasions when I knew that I needed to write but I didn’t know what to do, I would pick up a notebook and a text book and be well away for an hour or so.

I love collecting notebooks!

Collecting notebooks is also a very pleasurable activity. I suppose it is just another aspect of the human nature and its need to collect things per se. Some people collect ornaments, or paraphernalia, or specific items of interest. I don’t actually collect notebooks on purpose. I seem to have acquired some as gifts along the way, others I bought out of necessity, and yes, there are some that I buy simply because they are pretty!

Thank you for stopping by, now why not check out my fellow writers on the #AtoZChallenge? See you tomorrow!

Image of book covers from the Redcliffe Novels paranormal menage series. MMF romance. Bisexual and gay romance. Gay werewolf romance. Paranormal author Catherine Green.
“It’s Complicated” (A Redcliffe Short Story) by paranormal author Catherine Green

Did you enjoy this article? Download your FREE copy of LGBT fantasy short story It’s Complicated (The Redcliffe Novels) and meet the werewolves of Cornwall, England.  Click here. 

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#AtoZChallenge: Battling the Laundry Pile

Are we halfway through the #AtoZChallenge already? Wow! Time is flying once again. Today I allocate the letter L to laundry.

My reason for this is because it takes up so much of my time these days. My washing machine never stops, or at least that’s how it feels. My bedroom often resembles a Chinese laundry, and on dry days my washing line in the back garden is full.

#MummyMonday Reusable Nappies and Terry Cloth Nappies hanging on a washing line copyright Catherine Green of SpookyMrsGreen.com mindful parenting and modern pagan lifestyle blog.
#MummyMonday Reusable Nappies and Terry Cloth Nappies

#AtoZChallenge: Battling the Laundry Pile

Where does all this laundry come from? Mainly my children, and also my own clothes tend to get smeared with what I like to term ‘baby residue.’ Not a day goes by without me being covered in milk, or crushed biscuit, or something a little less appealing that leaks from baby’s nose… I really appreciate my automatic washing machine.

We just returned from a week away, leaving my husband at home to go out to work. Since we stayed with my mother-in-law I was able to wash clothes and nappies every other day, so I wasn’t expecting to return home to an overflowing laundry basket. I think I just washed a whole week’s worth of my husband’s boxer shorts, because he never quite got round to putting a load on to wash when he got home from work at night.

Catch up with the laundry

So there I am. My mission this week is to catch up with the laundry created by a family of four, by which time I will be preparing to wash bedding and towels… it never ends! Have a great week everyone!

Thank you for stopping by, now why not check out my fellow writers on the #AtoZChallenge? See you tomorrow!

Image of book covers from the Redcliffe Novels paranormal menage series. MMF romance. Bisexual and gay romance. Gay werewolf romance. Paranormal author Catherine Green.
“It’s Complicated” (A Redcliffe Short Story) by paranormal author Catherine Green

Did you enjoy this article? Download your FREE copy of LGBT fantasy short story It’s Complicated (The Redcliffe Novels) and meet the werewolves of Cornwall, England.  Click here. 

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#AtoZChallenge: My Kitchen Quest

Following on from my ‘junk’ post on yesterday’s #AtoZChallenge, today I allocate the letter K to kitchens.

I never used to think much about the kitchen. It was a place where food came from, where the dishes were stored, and that was about it. I was never going to be the stereotypical Stepford wife, happily baking, cooking and cleaning, keeping an immaculate household and model children and husband.

April A-Z Blogging Challenge 2014 at SpookyMrsGreen.com mindful parenting and modern pagan lifestyle blog.
April A-Z Blogging Challenge 2014

#AtoZChallenge: My Kitchen Quest

Somewhere along the line, after my husband and I bought our first house, I gradually became more obsessed with wanting the perfect family kitchen. By that I mean a big room where we can fit a table and chairs, space for the dog bed and bowls, and most importantly, enough cupboard and worktop space for me to enjoy creating nutritious, interesting meals for my family. I know, I know, it is one of those idealistic images sold to us in glossy magazines.

The thing is I actually have friends who are fortunate enough to own houses with kitchens like these. They are beautiful spaces; practical, liveable and full of warm, loving energy. And I will have a larger house with such a kitchen very soon. There is just the small matter of finances to deal with first (more overtime, my darling husband?!)

My kitchen isn’t that bad

My kitchen now really isn’t that bad. I mean, we have a beautiful, cosy two-bed terraced house that was built in 1896. I love the history of our home, and both my husband and I intend to restore it to what we see as its former glory one day, when we can afford to do so. The kitchen is a small, square room at the back of the house, and we would prefer to build an extension so it can become the big family kitchen-diner that I dream of.

Thank you for stopping by, now why not check out my fellow writers on the #AtoZChallenge? Have a lovely weekend!

Image of book covers from the Redcliffe Novels paranormal menage series. MMF romance. Bisexual and gay romance. Gay werewolf romance. Paranormal author Catherine Green.
“It’s Complicated” (A Redcliffe Short Story) by paranormal author Catherine Green

Did you enjoy this article? Download your FREE copy of LGBT fantasy short story It’s Complicated (The Redcliffe Novels) and meet the werewolves of Cornwall, England.  Click here. 

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#AtoZChallenge: The Joy of Discovering Junk

This may seem like an odd title for today’s #AtoZChallenge, but bear with me and I will explain. I allocate the letter J to junk, and by that I mean the idea of collecting items that other people might consider to be junk (or rubbish here in the UK).

A more popular name for the habit of junk collecting is vintage, or maybe retro. In fact, there are lots of descriptions for this most exciting form of treasure hunting.

#FreeforallFriday Antiques and Collectibles at Dagfields Antique Centre copyright Catherine Green of SpookyMrsGreen.com mindful parenting and modern pagan lifestyle blog.
#FreeforallFriday Antiques and Collectibles at Dagfields Antique Centre

#AtoZChallenge: The Joy of Discovering Junk

I have always been drawn to old items of interest, whether that means old buildings, old furniture, and old cornucopia; just about anything that has a story to tell. Anything that other people might call junk. I am never happier than when I take time out to visit my favourite local craft and antique centre, Dagfields, and when I go away on holiday I love to discover junk shops, antique centres and craft fairs.

Another junk shopping habit I indulge in is visiting charity shops. Since the decline of the UK high street in its traditional form, we have seen an explosion of charity shops in our towns. In my home town of Middlewich, for example, there are three charity shops on the main high street, and it is only a small town. These charity shops are excellent places, however, and I find lots of fantastic bargains in them.

Revisiting the charity shops

While visiting my family this week I have revisited the charity shops in my former home town, and I was very pleased with some clothes I discovered in the Douglas Macmillan charity shop. I am now itching to revisit Dagfields, and actually to go further afield and explore the junk shops locally that I haven’t been to for a long time.

Thank you for stopping by, now why not check out my fellow writers on the #AtoZChallenge? See you tomorrow!

Image of book covers from the Redcliffe Novels paranormal menage series. MMF romance. Bisexual and gay romance. Gay werewolf romance. Paranormal author Catherine Green.
“It’s Complicated” (A Redcliffe Short Story) by paranormal author Catherine Green

Did you enjoy this article? Download your FREE copy of LGBT fantasy short story It’s Complicated (The Redcliffe Novels) and meet the werewolves of Cornwall, England.  Click here. 

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#AtoZChallenge: Use your Imagination

Our imagination is a wonderful tool, and the perfect word to allocate for the letter I in today’s #AtoZChallenge post.

I was struggling to think of an appropriate letter, and then I saw my daughter running around playing a lively game with her fairy friends. Well, enough said! She is wearing a pretty, red party dress over her t-shirt and leggings, and has invited the fairies to a special party. It sounds fabulous!

April A-Z Blogging Challenge 2014 at SpookyMrsGreen.com mindful parenting and modern pagan lifestyle blog.
April A-Z Blogging Challenge 2014

#AtoZChallenge: Use your Imagination

I love using my imagination. I do it all the time. As a writer it is essential for weaving my stories together, and of course, I wouldn’t have those stories in the first place without my imagination. My world is populated with whimsical creatures, both cute and not so cute. Just last night I woke with my baby and took a visit to the bathroom in the dark. For some reason my mind flitted back to memories of the horror film The Woman in Black that I had seen about two weeks ago. Needless to say I got back into bed very quickly!

During my studies of the occult world I have learned that our imagination is key to connecting with the world of Spirit. When we take time to meditate, we imagine places of calm and tranquillity, as a method to soothe the active mind and help it to rest. Sitting in a dark stately home in the middle of the night, performing vigils with fellow ghost hunters, we must learn to separate our imagination from the reality of the sights and sounds around us.

Ultimately, without the use of my imagination, my life would be a very dull existence. Just now, for example, I am sitting in my father-in-law’s office, working on his computer, and the view from the window is a luscious back garden flanked by green fields and tall trees. Beautiful! It is your imagination that puts the picture together as I describe it.

Thank you for stopping by, now why not check out my fellow writers on the #AtoZChallenge? See you tomorrow!

Image of book covers from the Redcliffe Novels paranormal menage series. MMF romance. Bisexual and gay romance. Gay werewolf romance. Paranormal author Catherine Green.
“It’s Complicated” (A Redcliffe Short Story) by paranormal author Catherine Green

Did you enjoy this article? Download your FREE copy of LGBT fantasy short story It’s Complicated (The Redcliffe Novels) and meet the werewolves of Cornwall, England.  Click here. 

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