Hello, world!

My brain has slowly switched itself back on over the last couple of days. I’m still quite tired, but the pain is much better and I’m beginning to feel more like my usual self. So much so, in fact, that I’m having to fight off random urges to work, reupholster furniture, mitre bits of skirting board, climb hills and generally do things that Susies do when they are awake. Fortunately, various factors are stopping me from indulging in such craziness, such as the fact that I’m still liable to come over all wobbly at a moment’s notice, it’s very cold outside and my clients are refusing point blank to let me work until after Christmas (although they all say they have lots of work for me then, which is good). I’ve also got quite used to naps.

One thing I have been doing over the last couple of days is making a dress.This is about the only physical progress for Wardrobe Therapy that I’m likely to make this time around. I did attempt to do a bit on accessories earlier in the week, in that I got out my jewellery box, untangled everything, felt overwhelmed and then put it all away again. I really need to start from the beginning, but won’t be able to do that for a while, as in order to sort out the pile of stuff crammed in my wardrobe, I need to be able to bend down and my head is still not happy about being upside down.

Nevertheless, the past few weeks have brought a fair few insights. Spending three weeks in PJs and with greasy hair (due to stitches in head and no-going-upside-down and no-water-in-ear rules) is enough to get a girl thinking about upping her sartorial game. Having quiet, no-internet time has also given me space to reflect. My main conclusion was that I need to have more quiet, no-internet time even when I’m not poorly, but I also had an epiphany or two.

Epiphany No.1

I’m going to stop worrying about my weight. Two chance discoveries prompted this one. Both were old lists of my measurements and weight, one found in an old notebook and the other tucked inside my CMB colours wallet (I’m a Rebellious Light Spring for anyone interested - rebellious because I take no notice of it whatsoever). The thing that astonished me, but probably wouldn’t anyone who has known me for a while, was that both lists were nearly identical to the weight/measurements I am now. I’ve been secretly thinking I need to diet before I ‘deserve’ a good wardrobe (and a whole lot of other things), but now I’m throwing that to the wind. This is obviously the size and shape that genetics and my choice of baked goods have bestowed on me. OK, my BMI is a little high (but apparently BMI is a load of tosh), but my fat is in the right places (i.e. not around my waist, smothering my internal organs) and I’m healthy, so I’m going to learn to be happy with this and make/buy clothes that fit me now. Hence the dressmaking I started this week.

Epiphany No.2

I’m blonde, so must deal with it. I’ve always been uncomfortable being naturally blonde (the jokes, the stereotypes…) but recently I have been even more uncomfortable being naturally slightly less blonde. The bits of my hair that have seen brief spurts of summer sun over the last few years are still very blonde, but the rest of it has gone kind of mousey. I have resisted dyeing it, because then I would be unnaturally blonde (even more jokes, even more stereotypes…). However, my quiet time gave me space to look at it from a purely aesthetic point of view and realise that being artificially blonde is much better than having weird two-tone hair. So I have bought a packet of Nice’n'Easy dye and will be bleaching away as soon as my stitches and ear will allow.