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 January 201627 July 2021Academic Life, Everyday Life, Fitness & Exercise, Health & Wellness, Musings & Ramblings, Travels, Adventures & Explorations

Starting 2016

by Just FrancesLeave a comment on Starting 2016

I woke up this morning ready to start the New Year with hope and faith for a good 2016. Not with the naïve notion that…

Keep reading
Posted on31 December 201527 July 2021Everyday Life, Health & Wellness, Musings & Ramblings

Wrapping up 2015

by Just FrancesLeave a comment on Wrapping up 2015

With 2015 quickly coming to an end, it’s time for a bit of reflection. And as I look back at my hopes for the year, I…

Keep reading
Posted on25 December 201527 July 2021Everyday Life, Health & Wellness, Musings & Ramblings

A selfie Christmas

by Just Frances2 Comments on A selfie Christmas

Hello and Merry Christmas to you all! As I mentioned the other day, I am spending my Christmas (mostly) alone, but I am doing so with…

Keep reading
Posted on23 December 201527 July 2021Everyday Life, Musings & Ramblings

The holiday hush

by Just Frances2 Comments on The holiday hush

The holidays are here again, and that means I’m facing an extended period of holiday hush. “Hush” because, like most years, I will be spending Christmas…

Keep reading
Posted on20 November 201527 July 2021Everyday Life, Musings & Ramblings

Edinburgh: A city in perpetual change

by Just FrancesLeave a comment on Edinburgh: A city in perpetual change

I spent last night getting lost in discussions about Edinburgh’s urban landscapes as part of a panel discussion called Lost+Found in Edinburgh: Our city today. The…

Keep reading
Posted on24 September 201527 July 2021Everyday Life, Musings & Ramblings

The love point

by Just FrancesLeave a comment on The love point

Once again, National Punctuation Day is upon us. And that means I am going to talk about one of my favourite things – punctuation! But I’m going to change…

Keep reading
Posted on1 September 201519 November 2022Everyday Life, Musings & Ramblings

The king has left the building

by Just Frances4 Comments on The king has left the building

Today should be my Uncle King’s 53rd birthday. Only he left this world for the glory of Heaven a few days ago. I knew it…

Keep reading
Posted on15 August 201527 July 2021Musings & Ramblings, Widow Life

Balancing lonely and love

by Just FrancesLeave a comment on Balancing lonely and love

Some days, I think about how lonely I am, and about how I want to find someone to share my life with. I think about…

Keep reading
Posted on31 July 201526 July 2021Musings & Ramblings

Blue moon demands

by Just Frances2 Comments on Blue moon demands

I don’t know if I’ve mentioned it before, but my parents were really mean when I was growing up. As in they were so mean that they…

Keep reading
Posted on28 July 201526 July 2021Everyday Life, Health & Wellness, Musings & Ramblings, Travels, Adventures & Explorations

Making plans

by Just FrancesLeave a comment on Making plans

I’ve talked a few times about my desire to build healthy routines for myself, to get out and be more active, and, of course, to prioritise myself a bit lot more. And…

Keep reading
Posted on14 July 201526 July 2021Health & Wellness, Musings & Ramblings

Dress like today is important

by Just Frances2 Comments on Dress like today is important

Over the last several months, I got into the habit of wearing jeans most days. And that slowly led to jeans and a casual top.…

Keep reading
Posted on3 July 201526 July 2021Health & Wellness, Musings & Ramblings

Certifiably sane

by Just Frances2 Comments on Certifiably sane

For nearly two years now, I’ve been experiencing an extreme amount of stress. Some days and weeks have been harder than others, but there hasn’t…

Keep reading
Posted on2 July 201526 July 2021Musings & Ramblings

Happy things

by Just FrancesLeave a comment on Happy things

It’s day two of Journaling July and I’m running out of time to journal. Worse, I don’t really have anything to journal about. So, I thought I’d…

Keep reading
Posted on29 June 201525 July 2021Health & Wellness, Musings & Ramblings, Travels, Adventures & Explorations

Adventuresome

by Just FrancesLeave a comment on Adventuresome

I want to have adventures. Ideally, I want to have some of those adventures with someone I love. Or at least I’d like to have some…

Keep reading
Posted on21 May 201525 July 2021Musings & Ramblings, Widow Life

I laughed

by Just Frances1 Comment on I laughed

Ten years ago today, I became Mrs Ryan. I stood there at the altar in front of God, family, and friends – with my beloved Paul beside me – and…

Keep reading
Posted on10 May 201525 July 2021Health & Wellness, Musings & Ramblings

Time for new routines

by Just Frances2 Comments on Time for new routines

I mentioned a while back that my life was suffering because I was unable (and in some ways, unwilling) to set a few routines for myself. So…

Keep reading
Posted on3 May 201525 July 2021Health & Wellness, Musings & Ramblings

Deletion therapy

by Just Frances2 Comments on Deletion therapy

Clutter is everywhere. It’s in our closets. It’s in our kitchen cupboards. It’s in our bathroom cabinets. It’s in our desk drawers. It’s in our…

Keep reading
Posted on25 April 201525 July 2021Musings & Ramblings, Widow Life

Between sleep and awake

by Just FrancesLeave a comment on Between sleep and awake

I rolled over this morning in a sleepy haze to snuggle up to Paul, sure he would be there lying next to me. But he…

Keep reading
Posted on19 April 201525 July 2021Health & Wellness, Musings & Ramblings, Widow Life

The difference in grief

by Just FrancesLeave a comment on The difference in grief

Eight years ago today, my dear friend Joe passed away. And next Sunday will mark the sixth anniversary of my beloved husband, Paul’s, death. And…

Keep reading
Posted on13 April 201525 July 2021Health & Wellness, Musings & Ramblings

Resetting routines

by Just FrancesLeave a comment on Resetting routines

I spoke the other day about the higher-than-normal levels of personal stress I’m experiencing, and that I feel I need a break from my current way of…

Keep reading

Posts pagination

Previous Page Page 1 … Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 … 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-handedlentletterslibrarylighthouseslinlithgowlistsloch ness marathonlockdownloganlea reservoirlondonlonelyluxurymaidens cleughmanchestermarathonmargaritamartinimasksmaster's degreemaster's dissertationmemorial daymental healthmiamimindfulnessmini-breakmovingmummymuseumsmusicnaturenew yearnieces and nephewsnorth berwicknorthumberlandocdocean shoresold churchesolden daysornamentsparkrunparks and gardenspartners in painpaulpeeblespenicuikpentland 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 © 2009-2025, Just Frances. All rights reserved.  |  Privacy, Terms, & Conditions.
Amphibious Theme by TemplatePocket ⋅ Powered by WordPress