Rev. Andy 🐺 🌿 @andy@mentalhealth.social

I'm feeling pretty good at the moment, all things considered (all things being: eldest catching COVID, isolation at home, stupidly busy at work, etc.) A few years ago, I'd be managing this by self-medicating and feeling worse as a result. Short of a few intrusive thoughts, my brain reminding me that trauma never really goes away, life is good.

Latest garden project is vermiculture, starting with a wormery I set up last night. Lots of fun + helping close the loop on recycling.

Went to see the parents today and came back with more plugs. 😂 24 leeks, 6 Brussel Sprouts, and 6 somethings (PSB I think, though according to dad might be Summer Cabbage). @Jo planted out a load of seeds yesterday, just in time for last night's downpour. And the radishes are sprouting. #gardening We're getting there!

Tomatoes, chillis, lettuce x 18 (seed), marigolds (companion plant), radishes x 96 (seed), spring onions x 128 (seed) and strawberries at the back. Knackered now.

The soil is very warm at around 7cm (still fermenting and steaming), but all of the seeds are shallow planted, 1-2cm, so I'm not worried. We'll plant more out later in the week, assuming we dodge most of the rain. Plenty more seeds in the folder... #squarefoot #gardening

Autism-friendly, square foot (-ish) #gardening raised beds...done. I'm taking next weekend off. 😂

We also have compost to spare, surprisingly. That's in the region of 5,250 litres - about 2.5 tons.

A couple of days of watering in and then we'll start planting out our plugs, seedlings, and putting some seeds straight in.

Gratuitous "finished the first raised bed" selfie. #gardening

One pallet down. It really smells like shit. This is a good thing. I also smell like shit. This is less good. 😂

First raised bed done and level. I'll finish the next one over the weekend. Seems I've also got myself a new, semi-skilled apprentice.

#gardening #birds

We're getting there with the #garden. Current task is building two 2.1m x 4.2m raised beds. Hoping to become a bit more self sufficient from this (no dig method, year round veg). As with all things, one day at a time.

A few days from now I'll be 11 months sober. I can honestly say, I'm the most balanced, centred, mindful and relaxed right now than I've ever been in my whole adult life. Life is good. I am happy.

Well, except for the price of timber. 😂

#Gardening #MentalHealth

As promised, before and after (well, current) photos of our #garden project. It was a mess. Depression, anxiety, personal problems, and my own unhealthy relationship with booze have meant what was a lawned garden a decade ago, became an overgrown mess.

Maybe it's all a giant metaphor for self improvement and the hard work we've put into life in the last few years. Or something. Whatever. It's mindful. It's present. It's nurturing and creative and life-bringing. We're enjoying it. 😁🌿

Well, sayonara Night City. 92 hours later I've finished my first playthrough on the XSX. It was gorgeous, beautifully written and an outstanding realisation of a city and characters I've loved for 33 years. It meant a lot to me. It has its bugs and the way in which CDPR management handled its premature launch is horrendous (not to mention other aspects of the company culture, best left to a separate toot), but it was a powerful storytelling experience. I'm looking forward to my next visit. 😎

Enjoyed today's sobriety app pledge motivational. 🙏❤️

And my marathon CP2077 session comes to an end. I've put in maybe 40-50 hours since Thursday evening, performance issues and all (Xbox One S, though the kids are playing on PC and it looks gorgeous).

I have over three decades of the 'punk universe in my blood, most from running the TTRPG. Night City and its stories have been a part of my life and gaming friendships since I was a teenager in the '80s, and I've fallen in love with the game and many of its characters, bugs, warts and all.

Today's sourdough! 800g organic flour (10% rye), 10g salt, 500g water, 300g levain.

Started yesterday with a 1 hour autolyse, added the levain and kneaded in. Four folds, 30 minutes apart. Shape and ferment for another 3 hours, shape again and 14 hours overnight in the fridge in bannetons. Dutch oven and ice cubes at 450F for 30 minutes, then 30 minutes with the lid off.

Pretty chuffed at the results. #baking #sourdough

My bread-fu is improving. Since lockdown v1 I've been dabbling with baking bread, including growing a sourdough starter ("Doughbi-wan"). Applying more of my undergraduate microbiology skills than anything else.

This is the result of an improvised recipe using starter discard after I fed him last night + overnight proofing that didn't seem to do much. Looks good.

Breadmaking is also my go-to when my mental health is poor or my vulnerabilities are high. I recommend it.

#Bread #MentalHealth

Ehhhh. 👌🏻 #AlcoholFree

Working on learning to make sourdough now. Made a starter over a week or so ago and utterly failed on my first attempt other than on the taste. Tried again today. Amazing structure, flavour and crust but still a pretty pathetic rise. I'll try a longer prove I think, probably overnight in the fridge. #baking #bread

A bit too fucking late, Mr G. 😂

"Fuck you Andy, sleep is overrated."

Pet peeve of the day: not understanding what a depressant is and authoritatively stating to others that it means that it makes you depressed.

Yes, alcohol is a depressant. Yes, depression can be comorbid with alcohol abuse. But...

I've had this gathering dust for a long time. Seems right to open it now and enjoy some of the foundations of my geek youth. #scifi #dvd #starfleet #80s