wholesome content incoming it's ✨ MJC-MAIL! ✨

family time, tan lines & holigays!

Hello lovely ones! 🌞

First things first, the way you all responded to my last newsletter was so wonderful 💜 Thank you. It was a weird and difficult week but I feel like I've restored and been able to sink back into real life - and your comments were so soothing to hold while I got here ✨

I've just come back from a trip with bae ft. sun, water, cocktails & not much else which I *think* was exactly what my nervous system needed! There was some brain trickery the first couple of days telling me that I wasn't allowed to relax or enjoy or be unproductive, but I did my best to recognise the thoughts without buying into them, and I managed to really be *there* the rest of the time, which felt like a beautiful gift to myself.

Turns out, you can let yourself enjoy the nice things and nothing bad will happen. Who knew?!

So let me catch you up on July including many holiday pictures that you didn't ask for! 🏝️

We clocked in plenty of quality family time last month that I am very grateful for 💜

It was my dad's birthday which meant double visits back home to Gem, a trip to the arcades and a family picnic in the garden with some table tennis to finish the day off!

I was speaking to my therapist yesterday about knowing that even though going home as often as I do and taking care of Gem isn't always easy and means I sometimes miss things and didn't necessarily have a “normal” twenty-something experience, I know I will always be grateful that I've been able to have the time with her, and with everyone else. I know that time is more meaningful than anything else I might have “missed”. I know I am so lucky to have this. 💜

We also had some time to visit Char’s family before going away! We played in the garden with the smol cousins and went on a beautiful hike. I hugged her dog a lot and she laughed with her baby sister. All gorgeous things.

And then there was even more love! 💕

My precious friend Alice got married to her partner Ruth in the most perfect mermaid gown on a sunny day in her family's garden 🌞 I haven't been to many weddings but this one was such a brilliant example of taking all the traditions and turning them into exactly what you want them to be - there were whimsical handmade decorations, karaoke, homemade wedding cake with Sylvanian Families as a topper. All perfectly Alice, and a day of pure love 💖

Then it was about time to piss off to another country, after months and months of “shall we go on holiday?” conversations and a final yolo moment of actually booking something!

We went to a gorgeous resort in Greece for a week of full-on relaxation and unlimited buffet food. Bliss.

We're always apprehensive about going away and what judgement we might have to deal with (so many things I never had to think about before, like googling “is it safe to be gay in _____” before booking a trip!). But we had a mainly lovely time - some stares and whispers here and there, but we carried on being our usual loving selves and didn't let it burst our bubble. 🫧

Char tackled her fear of swimming in deep water and came for a snorkel in the sea on a boat trip! I paraded around in every secondhand bikini I've collected from vinted and read a whole book* in the sun!

*I read Yellowface which was entertaining, but… left me with no positive feelings whatsoever lol.

Overall, I couldn't have asked for anything more. I am grateful and tanned and more in love than ever. It's sickening, really. 🤭

Now it's back to the adult life admin I've ignored and getting into the swing of work things! Lots of writing and creating on the cards for this coming month, and plenty of self care too 😘

I hope July was good to you and if not - I hope that August is better 🌱 you are wonderful and deserving of all the peace there is.

Let me know how you are in the comments? Any big life updates or small wins? Anything you need to let off your chest? We're here 🤗

Big huge massive love as always, speak soon!

M 💜