MONDAY BLOG: END OF AN ERA

Happy Monday, everyone.

Thank you to those of you still here after a November that was light on content from us. Again – sorry. Our lack of activity seems to have driven a few people away. Sadly, it couldn’t be helped last month.

The saga of my mum’s house is coming to a close at last, though if you’ve ever sold or bought a house, you’ll know that whenever you think you’ve done everything… the solicitors somehow manage to find another form to sign, or a document they need. The end of last week was a bit like that. We’re hoping it might complete imminently, but who knows…? It’s a big pile of arse.

On Saturday, house clearance came and took away the last of my parents’ things (plus various bits and pieces of Digi Live and Digi Level 2 that we’d been keeping in the garage). They were two hours late showing up, so I was just there on my own for a long time (Sanja eventually came and gave me some company, because she knew I was finding it tough, and she is The Best of Wives).

It was horrible to be honest. So, so awful seeing everything boxed up like that – the accumulation of their entire lives – and getting carried away by strangers. It hit me unexpectedly hard. I’m still feeling shaken by it. Plus, my mum doesn’t even know it’s happening, due to her dementia, so I think we’re all feeling an awful lot of guilt.

Anyway. Overall, I’m in a better place than I’ve been for most of this year, but saying goodbye to the house I grew up in – and the manner in which we’ve had to sell it - has been really bloody tough.

Also… it’s another very stark reminder that I’m entering a new phase of life. I don’t know what the next 30 years will bring, but the way in which my parents have gone out doesn’t exactly have me looking forward to what’s in store. During her lucid moments, my mum seems so lonely and abandoned, almost forgotten (even though one of us tries to go in to see her every day). If I’m honest, I’m scared of the same happening to me.

At the weekend, I asked a client on Fiverr if I could extend delivery of a script by a few days because of everything… and she couldn’t have been more understanding, having gone through similar a few years back with her own mother. It’s in stark contrast to the reaction I had from a couple of other clients earlier in the year. I think, unless you’ve hit this stage in life, and been through stuff like this, it’s very, very hard to understand how all-consuming it is. It just redefines everything, and on top of that I’ve had a career upheaval to go through too. Lots of endings.

I appreciate I’ve been moaning about life on and off for a couple of years now – but I’m thankful so many of you have stuck through it and given me the space to journal about all we’ve been through. I’ve been better at avoiding the naval-gazing of late on here, and I’m hoping that 2025 will bring a bit more lightness back.

AAAANYWAY

Right. Onto Digi. Ask-Me-Do and Writer’s Club will happen this week. As will Biffo’s Brain.

The UFO vid is coming together. You should get it this week, though it may not be until the end of the week. I think it’ll be about 90 minutes, so not the horrifying two hours I was fearing. It’s SO good, he says modestly… When you see it you’ll realise why it has taken a while. Behold the current version of the titles above. Current... because I want to change the end bit.

Once it’s done, I’ll be straight onto completing Digi Level 2. I’m aiming for the first of the two eps around the last week of the month, and then the final episode the first week of Jan. There’ll be a premiere with us in the chat as before.

I’m also hoping we’ll have time to do a proper Digi Christmas special. Can’t promise, but I’m hopeful – even if we do a live stream thing, or just us on the sofa reflecting on the year.

 Oh! And Barshens is back this week for a limited run! I’m briefly in one of the episodes – don’t get too excited. It’s very, very brief. Sadly, Gannon’s not involved, but you will of course see him in Digi Level 2. I’m looking forward to it!