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

Tag: fear

Posted on26 April 202424 September 2024Musings & Ramblings, Widow Life

The years in between

by Just FrancesLeave a comment on The years in between

Today marks 15 years since my husband’s death and that means I am doing a lot of reflecting. Some of that reflection is about the…

Keep reading
Posted on7 April 20247 May 2024Everyday Life

Castle Ryan: A home of my own

by Just Frances7 Comments on Castle Ryan: A home of my own

Welcome to Castle Ryan, my new house that I hope to transform into a home. It was about 16 years ago that I last made…

Keep reading
Posted on12 March 20242 July 2024Health & Wellness, Musings & Ramblings

Post-COVID: A new normal

by Just FrancesLeave a comment on Post-COVID: A new normal

It’s been four years since the world stopped and mass isolations began to take place in many nations and communities. Indeed, my own COVID isolation…

Keep reading
Posted on1 February 20244 July 2024Everyday Life

Hopes of home

by Just FrancesLeave a comment on Hopes of home

In the past several months, I have hinted at Big Things that are afoot – and I even came close to saying outright said that…

Keep reading
Posted on1 January 20242 January 2024Everyday Life, Musings & Ramblings

2024: Giving new life to old things

by Just FrancesLeave a comment on 2024: Giving new life to old things

With the start of the new year, it’s time to start thinking about new things. New goals, new adventures, and new life. In recent years,…

Keep reading
Posted on14 November 20234 December 2023Everyday Life, Musings & Ramblings

Life in the UK: Testing my knowledge

by Just FrancesLeave a comment on Life in the UK: Testing my knowledge

It has been more than 22 years since I first arrived in Scotland, and now it’s time to test my knowledge of this place I…

Keep reading
Posted on18 September 20236 May 2024Everyday Life, Musings & Ramblings

An expat’s home dilemma: 22 years later

by Just FrancesLeave a comment on An expat’s home dilemma: 22 years later

Twenty-two years ago, I arrived in Scotland to begin a one-year study abroad programme. It is sometimes hard to believe that it was that long…

Keep reading
Posted on26 April 2023Musings & Ramblings, Widow Life

The lingering pain of widowhood

by Just Frances8 Comments on The lingering pain of widowhood

Another year has passed without my beloved husband and my heart aches from his absence these 14 years. Yes, the pain is softer now. But…

Keep reading
Posted on20 February 202318 June 2023Everyday Life, Musings & Ramblings, Widow Life

On the cusp of ageing

by Just FrancesLeave a comment on On the cusp of ageing

I found a photo of Mum a couple of months ago, taken the day after her 48th birthday. As I looked at it, I smiled…

Keep reading
Posted on26 April 202216 June 2022Musings & Ramblings, Widow Life

13 years of missing Paul; of missing me

by Just FrancesLeave a comment on 13 years of missing Paul; of missing me

It’s now been 13 years since my beloved husband, Paul, died suddenly and unexpectedly. It’s a strange feeling, being this far from the immediate grief…

Keep reading
Posted on24 March 202213 July 2022Musings & Ramblings

From moments on Earth to eternity in Heaven

by Just FrancesLeave a comment on From moments on Earth to eternity in Heaven

Trigger warning: This post recounts my time with my mother in the last hours and moments of her life. It might be an upsetting or…

Keep reading
Posted on21 January 202220 February 2022Health & Wellness

Escaping the plague

by Just FrancesLeave a comment on Escaping the plague

It was inevitable, as they say. COVID19 has come home. I mean, it’s not come to my home, but it came to my youngest sister’s…

Keep reading
Posted on1 November 202112 November 2021Academic Life, Musings & Ramblings

The visa anxiety cycle

by Just FrancesLeave a comment on The visa anxiety cycle

It’s been a month since I shared that the start of my job was delayed for a few days as I was still waiting on…

Keep reading
Posted on1 October 20215 November 2021Academic Life

Temporarily unemployed

by Just FrancesLeave a comment on Temporarily unemployed

Yesterday marked the last day of my post-doc life and today was meant to mark the first day of my lecturing career. But, alas, things…

Keep reading
Posted on14 July 202127 November 2021Academic Life, Musings & Ramblings

The chaos of static change

by Just Frances2 Comments on The chaos of static change

Life has changed so much in the last 16 months, but life has also been very static. Yes, everything has changed, and nothing has changed,…

Keep reading
Posted on1 June 20212 July 2021Chronic Illness, Health & Wellness, Musings & Ramblings

Re-joining society: The practical steps

by Just FrancesLeave a comment on Re-joining society: The practical steps

Now that I am fully vaccinated and the COVID19 situation in Scotland seems to be improving, I am beginning to take baby steps back into…

Keep reading
Posted on28 October 20204 July 2021Everyday Life, Health & Wellness, Widow Life

Widow dreams, again

by Just Frances2 Comments on Widow dreams, again

This morning was one of those days. It was one of those days when I woke up and I wasn’t a widow. I woke up…

Keep reading
Posted on26 August 20204 July 2021Chronic Illness, Health & Wellness, Musings & Ramblings

A surreal visit to The Real World for Bob and Dave

by Just FrancesLeave a comment on A surreal visit to The Real World for Bob and Dave

I visited The Real World today so that I could attend a hospital appointment for a routine check-up on my kidneys, Bob and Dave. The…

Keep reading
Posted on15 March 20204 July 2021Everyday Life, Health & Wellness, Musings & Ramblings

An anxious expat

by Just FrancesLeave a comment on An anxious expat

Whilst I was in Cambridge last week, things were starting to accelerate with the spread of the Coronavirus that causes COVID19. News from America and…

Keep reading
Posted on23 January 20204 July 2021Chronic Illness, Health & Wellness

PKD and ketosis: A layman’s take

by Just FrancesLeave a comment on PKD and ketosis: A layman’s take

I participated in a webinar about research into Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) and ketosis the other day and was quite pleased to hear such a measured take…

Keep reading

Posts pagination

Page 1 Page 2 … Page 14 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