Skip to content
Just Frances

Just Frances

Made with 100% pure awesomeness

Menu
  • About
    • Meet Frances
    • Copyright
    • The Small Print
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • 2025 Goals
      • Rebel Badge Tracker
  • Browse by topic
    • Everyday Life
    • Academic Life
    • Widow Life
    • Chronic Illness
    • Crafting & Creating
    • Culinary Arts
    • Fitness & Exercise
    • Health & Wellness
    • Musings & Ramblings
    • Travels, Adventures & Explorations
  • Gallery
    • Main galleries
    • Random photo dumps
    • Race photos
    • Just swirls
    • We forgot the tripod
  • Contact Just Frances

Category: Musings & Ramblings

Posts under this category tend to be reflective and at times a form of my own “talk therapy” as the act of writing down my thoughts and feelings can sometimes help me to work through them. I try not to be political or controversial in what I write, so you won’t find many of my “world views” shared here. (But in this COVID-pandemic world, I urge my fellow humans to wear a mask, social distance, and get the blood vaccine when it’s offered to you!)

Posted on1 November 201113 July 2021Everyday Life, Musings & Ramblings

A pedestrian dilemma: Which way?

by Just Frances3 Comments on A pedestrian dilemma: Which way?

In America it seems to be fairly straightforward: We move right. In the UK (and potentially the rest of the world?) people seem to move…

Keep reading
Posted on1 November 201113 July 2021Musings & Ramblings

A thankful November

by Just FrancesLeave a comment on A thankful November

Just Frances was started with the idea of sharing random nothingness with family and friends as a way to stave off the isolation I was…

Keep reading
Posted on26 October 201112 July 2021Everyday Life, Musings & Ramblings, Widow Life

Secret smiles

by Just Frances5 Comments on Secret smiles

There is something to be said about a smile. People who smile are more approachable. They seem friendlier. They seem carefree. They seem happier. For…

Keep reading
Posted on6 October 20119 May 2022Musings & Ramblings, Widow Life

When sadness comes

by Just Frances1 Comment on When sadness comes

Life is mostly good these days. It’s mostly happy and mostly bright and mostly cheerful. Mostly. Of course, the problem with “mostly” is that mostly…

Keep reading
Posted on20 September 201112 July 2021Musings & Ramblings, Widow Life

Reflections

by Just Frances4 Comments on Reflections

The home I had in America was my dream home. Paul and I spent more than two years searching for the perfect place to raise…

Keep reading
Posted on17 September 201112 July 2021Musings & Ramblings

Olives

by Just Frances2 Comments on Olives

I love olives. They are very much a part of my life. Olives for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Olives for tacos and nachos and pizza. Olives…

Keep reading
Posted on14 September 201112 July 2021Musings & Ramblings

Honestly, I’ll keep blogging

by Just Frances3 Comments on Honestly, I’ll keep blogging

It would seem that I’m not very good at this whole blogging thing of late, and I apologise for that. I suppose that it has…

Keep reading
Posted on16 August 201111 July 2021Musings & Ramblings

Home away from home away from home

by Just Frances1 Comment on Home away from home away from home

Today I left my new home in Stirling to take a train journey to Billingham, England – Paul’s hometown and home to some of my in-laws. My…

Keep reading
Posted on16 August 201111 July 2021Musings & Ramblings, Widow Life

The feathers

by Just FrancesLeave a comment on The feathers

A couple of nights before we had services for Paul in England*, a woman I know told me a story about feathers. She said when…

Keep reading
Posted on11 August 201111 July 2021Musings & Ramblings, Travels, Adventures & Explorations

In flight

by Just FrancesLeave a comment on In flight

Ah, the modern world. Don’t you love how it’s filled with gadgets and gizmos aplenty and whozits and whatzits galore? After all, it means that…

Keep reading
Posted on11 August 201111 July 2021Musings & Ramblings, Travels, Adventures & Explorations, Widow Life

Caledonia, I’m going home!

by Just Frances2 Comments on Caledonia, I’m going home!

Wow! Can you believe that I’m flying “home” to Scotland tomorrow? Or should I say today, since it’s past midnight in the homeland (why am…

Keep reading
Posted on30 July 201111 July 2021Health & Wellness, Musings & Ramblings, Widow Life

Widow dreams

by Just Frances1 Comment on Widow dreams

For more than two years now, my nights have been haunted with horrible dreams. I call them “widow dreams” and I understand from other widow(er)s…

Keep reading
Posted on29 July 201111 July 2021Fitness & Exercise, Musings & Ramblings

Running into excuses

by Just Frances2 Comments on Running into excuses

So I’m training for this marathon. Only I’m not doing that great at the moment. Last week I was pretty pleased with myself: four miles…

Keep reading
Posted on16 July 201111 July 2021Musings & Ramblings, Travels, Adventures & Explorations

An unemployed, homeless transient

by Just FrancesLeave a comment on An unemployed, homeless transient

Last summer I shared with you my rocky start in life as an illegitimate, homeless transient. Well, it would seem that I’m back to a…

Keep reading
Posted on15 July 201110 July 2021Musings & Ramblings, Widow Life

It was a home

by Just Frances4 Comments on It was a home

Tonight is my last night in my house – the house I purchased with Paul a little over three years ago. This was our home; this was…

Keep reading
Posted on12 July 201126 October 2021Musings & Ramblings, Widow Life

So, I made you a mixed tape

by Just Frances5 Comments on So, I made you a mixed tape

About two months ago I wrote about how distraught and heartbroken I was over the apparent loss of my beloved first (and only) mixed tape…

Keep reading
Posted on7 July 201110 July 2021Musings & Ramblings, Widow Life

The table

by Just Frances1 Comment on The table

Three weeks before we moved into our house, I found an Art Deco table on CraigsList for $20. I emailed the link to Paul then…

Keep reading
Posted on27 June 201110 July 2021Musings & Ramblings

On a positive note

by Just Frances2 Comments on On a positive note

Yesterday’s post was a bit sad and whilst I’d love to say that I’m over it and that the world is all unicorns and rainbows…

Keep reading
Posted on20 June 201110 July 2021Musings & Ramblings

Subtracted

by Just Frances1 Comment on Subtracted

Last August I wrote a post titled Plus One, and for the months between then and now my life was thrown into this weird world…

Keep reading
Posted on19 June 201110 July 2021Musings & Ramblings

Schrodie lives!!

by Just Frances4 Comments on Schrodie lives!!

It was just before 4 am when the screaming howls of cats outside my bedroom window woke me with a start. I ran towards the…

Keep reading

Posts pagination

Previous Page Page 1 … Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 … Page 26 Next Page

About Just Frances

Just Frances is a personal website maintained by me, Frances Ryan. I am a quirky runner, writer, thinker, drinker, crafter, adventurer, and researcher. I am also a daughter, sister, aunty, friend, and widow. But mostly, I am just Frances. (She/Her)

I blog about my life, including my travels and adventures, my experiences with PKD and ITP, my life as a young(ish) widow, and my life in general, really. Learn more about the topics I write about here.

Search Just Frances

Subscribe to new posts

Enter your email address to subscribe to Just Frances and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Keywords

5K10Kaberdeenaberdourallermuir hillamericaanniversaryanxietyarbroatharranarthur's seatarts & craftsaunts and unclesbeerbikebillinghambirthdayblack hillblessingsblood & organ donationbloomsdaybraemar half marathonbroken anklebubblybudgetBurns Supperby the watercaerketton hillcambridgecanadacandycapelawcarcarnethy hillcastlelaw hillcastlescatholiccelebrationscemeterieschallengescharity shop findschildhood memorieschoreschristmascle elumcocktailscoffeecognacconcertconfessionconfidencecookingcopalis beachcousinsCOVID19COVID19 craftsCOVID19 shieldingCOVID19 vaccinecroatiacrochetdaddydatingday tripsdeclaration half marathondenmarkdinner partydrawingsdreamsdrinkdyslexiaeastereast kipeast lothianedinburghedinburgh half marathonedinburgh marathonedinburgh napier universityegoEllensburgenglandentertainmentenvironmentexpatexploringfaithfalkirkfamilyfashionfastingfearfoodfood preservationfossilsfoster kidfrancefreeze your fannyfriendsgadgetsgallerygeekgeocachingghost townsglasgowglencorse reservoirgoalsgolfgraffiti & street artgreen cleughgriefguest postgymhalf marathonhalloweenhandbagshandkerchiefshappy memorieshare hillhealthhealthy livinghillfortshippyhistoric buildingshistoric scotlandholidayshome and gardenhomelandhopefulhouse sittingimmigrationin-lawsindependence dayinspirationsinvernessinverness half marathoniPodisolationitpjewellerykamiak buttelabor daylake cle elumleft-handedlentletterslibrarylighthouseslistsloch ness marathonlockdownloganlea reservoirlondonlonelyluxurymaidens cleughmanchestermarathonmargaritamartinimasksmaster's degreemaster's dissertationmemorial daymental healthmiamimindfulnessmini-breakmovingmummymuseumsmusicnaturenew yearnieces and nephewsnorth berwicknorthumberlandocdocean shoresold churchesolden daysornamentsparkrunparks and gardenspartners in painpaulpenicuikpentland hillspersonal bestphantoms cleughphdphoto dumppkdplastic canvaspoemspretty thingsprioritising mepublic lecturespunctuationquirkyquotesracesrandomrantre-joining societyreadingreal ale festivalrebel badgesrecipesreduce-reuse-recyclerelaxingroot beerroslinroutinesruinsrunningscald lawscenic viewsschoolschrodiescotlandscottish half marathonSeattleself-improvementself-reflectionsewingshoesshoppingsillysisterssite adminsloveniasocial distancingsock monkeysspaspoiledstalkingstationerystatues, monuments, and memorialsstep countssteptoe buttestirlingstubbornsunsetsswirlsthanksgivingthe palousethe parentalsthe runner stumblesthesisthreipmuir reservoirtolvaptantraditionstrainingtravelturnhouse hilluniversity of aberdeenuniversity of glasgowuniversity of stirlingupcyclevalentines dayvenicevideosvintagewakefieldwaleswalks and hikeswalla wallawashingtonwaterfallswest kipwhimsywhiskywidow blog (archives)widowhoodwinewordsworkworking from homewritingyakimayorkyorkshire

Archives by month

Copyright © 2009-2023, Just Frances. All rights reserved.  |  Privacy, Terms, & Conditions.
Amphibious Theme by TemplatePocket ⋅ Powered by WordPress