The journey: It's been a year

I could hardly believe my eyes when I woke up this morning. The usual pre-work routine started with coffee, a shower and a check on social media. There, at the top of my Facebook timeline, was a post form last year...

I can't quite believe I've had her in my ownership for a whole year.

Within a few minutes, I received a message from one of the chaps that was so instrumental in making that day happen, who also couldn't believe that a whole year had gone by.

I reflected on it for most of today. I'm still so proud to have her back. I'm proud that I've found some deeper meaning with this project. I'm elated that my grandad can rest easy knowing that Bess is where she was always intended to be. And I'm still amazed by the history and information that we've uncovered.

But there's also some frustration and disappointment in there too. A whole year has gone by, and we've only managed to strip out the interior - and even that happened in the last few weeks. Even logging back onto the website, I was met with the realisation that it's been weeks and weeks since my last update. There are part finished blogs sitting in draft status that I've just not had the time to get to.

Although it feels like the blink of an eye since we were hauling Bessy out of that garden on a beautiful summer morning, it has felt like a very long year in many other senses. In the autumn of last year, not long after getting her back home, my professional life was turned on its head. My job has always meant a lot to me and the events of October and November 2018 shook my core. Add to this, a monumental balls-up somewhere between my employer and her majesty revenue and customs meant that I was paying back a sizable underpayment in income tax. Couple this with a truck load of uncertainty, and you can see why I shut down and stopped doing many of the things that I wanted and indeed planned to do.

It's not been THE most difficult year of my life, but it has been a real challenge. It's tested my resolve and tenacity in different ways. It's required huge amounts of effort and diplomacy just to get from 9 am to 5 pm. And the one thing that has paid the biggest price for all that uncertainty, stress and anxiety is this project. The sad part, is that this has always felt like one of the purposes for me being on the planet. The start of something that will shape the rest of my life. Although I cared about my job and my career deeply, it has never quite matched that sense I got with Bess and the mental well being work.

However, after playing a very long game, I'm in a much better place today. I'm enjoying work again, I've learned loads and become a better person for it. Plus there are some really exciting developments on the horizon which will really help to give this project the boost it needs.

I really need to knuckle down and get on with things. But for now, a reminder of the day we got her back.

Here's to you Bess.