I’m in residential housing at the moment. It’s not easy. I tend to ignore my flatmate, we’ve got nothing in common, she from Samoa. She kept trying to get into my room. “Mandy, thank you for trusting me with something so personal. Let me speak to you gently and clearly, because what you’re describing —…
Category: Recovery Journey
Honest reflections on healing, sobriety, and the everyday work of rebuilding my life. These posts explore the challenges, breakthroughs, and quiet victories that shape my recovery.
Not Built For Boxes
I’ve been in residential housing for a month now, and it’s been a strange mix of silence, routine, and learning how to hold onto myself in a place that doesn’t quite fit me. I’m writing again — poetry, reflections, little pieces of truth — because it’s the one thing that still feels like freedom. I’m…
My Countdown Shop for the Week (Living on Optislim + $110 Budget)
Today I’m doing something a little different — I’m taking you with me on my weekly shop. I printed out my list this morning (yes, I’m trying to be organised for once), and I’m heading to Countdown this afternoon with a simple goal: Stick to my $110 budget, keep everything easy, and build my meals…
Life in Residential Housing
I’ve been in residential housing for a month now, and it’s a strange kind of in‑between place. Not unsafe, not dramatic — just quiet, awkward, and full of routines that don’t feel like mine. My flatmate and I barely speak. We cross paths at meds time, nod politely, and then disappear back into our own…
Adventures in Password Land (and Other Unexpected Victories)
Today I discovered something important about myself: I am basically a part‑time IT technician now. Honestly, I should start charging myself an hourly rate. It all began this morning when I needed to get into my website. Simple, right? No. No it was not. First, I had to break into my own email like some…