Hello Monday, you come so quickly!

We've had a birthday in the house this weekend so I'm not as organised for this newsletter as I would normally be.  Thankfully there's nothing like real life to inspire what I write about.  I hope you're doing ok this week - you can always hit reply on this newsletter if it would help to share when you're not.  

''January is the quietest month in the garden.  But just because it looks quiet doesn't mean that nothing is happening'' - Rosalie Muller Wright

Much love and blessings, Nic   

Lovely memories - remembering Mum

Today would have been my Mum's 78th birthday.  She died when Euan was 6 years old and yesterday he turned 14 so their celebrations have always felt entwined.  I'm grateful for the blog I used to write when feeling reflective - this entry is from 4 years ago. 

I think of you often but especially today on your birthday.  I’ll never forget your 64th birthday when you met 1 day old Euan for the first time. I was a mess from a traumatic birth and I didn’t want anyone to visit the hospital. I could barely walk or pick him up and he screamed every time I tried to feed him. It wasn’t the picture of Motherhood I’d imagined in all those months visualising a peaceful birth and serene nursing. I reluctantly said ”OK” when you asked to visit (‘for a birthday cuddle’) even though I wanted to say ‘no’ and wait until we got home. 

It wasn’t you; I didn’t want anyone to see me feeling the way I did. I’m glad I did let you come (it took a week to get home) and that I have that first meeting with Euan photographed to share with him now.  He wasn’t your first grandson but he was my first child, your only daughter’s rainbow baby.  You knew what we’d been through to have Euan and had shared our joys and the heartbreaks along the way.

Fly high Mum x

Curl up with a book - ''All her fault'' by Andrea Mara

You may have noticed my book recommendations tend to be non-fiction - I haven't been absorbed in a novel for a long time.  I'm more inclined to listen to books or podcasts if I want to remember what I've heard.  It's only really on holiday when I'll make time to curl up with a fiction book.  In the summer I read ''Hide and Seek'' by Andrea Mara and was completely hooked by the suspenseful storyline she wove.  I ordered some other titles by Andrea from the library and ''All her fault'' arrived a few weeks ago.  I started it on Wednesday night realising it was due back soon and finished it very late on Thursday night.  I was totally gripped and did an audible ''nooooo'''  when I realised the twist at the end.  Well worth looking Andrea up if you like a suspenseful story line based on ordinary life (I usually shy away from 'suspenseful thrillers' finding them too gory or murderous!).  

Your questions - Can I have your chocolate chip brownie recipe please? 

Yes you can, though it's actually Mary Berry's!  I try not to eat too much sugar or at least only if it's been lovingly made into something rather than ripped from a packet.  But birthdays are the clear exception when it comes to cake.  This recipe was shared with us by our friend John who is such a fine baker and cook of simple recipes we all say he should open a cafe.  It really is super simple to make and produces a whopping 24 good size gooey brownies.  For Euan's birthday yesterday we topped each with a chocolate orange segment.  If you want to help your waistline you can make them smaller as illustrated here when it made it stretch to 50 bitesize squares topped with mini chocolate orange pieces and raspberries for George's 50th birthday last year (he didn't eat them all).

You can find the recipe here if needing a bit of a sweet treat on a cold grey day (I expect they would freeze well too).  I have just bought a brilliant Deliciously Ella to I hope to share a healthier cake recipe in the future!

Natural medicines to help relieve aches and pains

Arnica, arnica, arnica has been our friend this month.  My poor husband George returned from Germany with a very painful shoulder and 3 weeks later is still in a lot of pain.  It seems to have moved from the original injury and we suspect is pinching a nerve.  He won't mind me sharing that it's thoroughly miserable for him as he cannot get comfortable to rest or sleep.  Even painkillers are not providing ultimate relief so we're throwing all our natural remedies at it as well to at least provide comfort and support to the surrounding areas of his body.  The mental fatigue of dealing with pain daily is so very hard and people with chronic health issues can feel very unseen when this becomes their norm.  The things that have been helping George a little are:

Arnica bath soak - the warmth and water are a soothing balm to the soul when you're ill.  It can be a real challenge to get in a bath so this can be used in a foot soak or mixed with some soap for the shower.  

Arnica massage balm - I get through so much of this oil in my treatment room.  It's a licensed herbal medicine for rheumatism and arthritis so that means it has been proven to be effective and authorised for use by the MRHA (Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency).  Gentle warming massage with this oil (containing arnica, birch, lavender and rosemary) brings comfort to sore muscles, stiff joints and minor sports injuries as well as promoting recovery.  It can also be to prepare the muscles for activity such as running/cycling/gardening and reduce the risk of cramps and strains.

Arnica muscular and pain relief chewable tablets - treating injuries from the inside out with homeopathic remedies is a valuable part of a natural healthcare approach.  This remedy reduces swelling from sprains and overexertion. bruising, stiffness and muscular aches.  The remedy Hypericum is also good for nerve pain.

Arnica cryo gel - at the moment George is finding relief from warmth.  For some injuries alternating between warmth and cold is helpful for reducing inflammation.  I used this cooling gel myself when I have a very achy neck which feels like it's going to trigger a migraine.  It starts off feeling cold and then slowly brings a warming energy to where it has been applied.  I've been able to avert a headache at work using this and find the strong menthol aroma is helpful for clearing my head too. 

If you'd like to know more about any of our natural medicines at Weleda please get in touch. 

My heart smile moment week was my big boy turning 14.  He's such a lovely human. He had 7 friends round and they spent the day playing games, chatting and eating.  Cake and ice cream, lots of it!  Happy days when you're a teenager!  

Wishing you a wonderful week ahead. 

warm wishes, Nic