At the end of my first week of officially freelancing, it was time to announce Gemma Writes Stuff’s first employee of the week.

Luna has proven herself to be an invaluable member of the GWS team. Not only is she surprisingly good at proofreading, but she is an amazing listener and sounding board for all my ideas. She meets all my ideas with endless enthusiasm, positivity and a waggly tail - what else could you want from a colleague?

Luna has faced everything new she has learnt this month with the same combination of tenacity, concerned woofs and, eventually, indifference - in true correlation with the approach she takes to all challenges in life.

The new standing desks that appeared one day were once a source of concern but are now simply part of the furniture.

Gemma’s new erratic working hours were strange and confusing too, but now she just goes back to sleep.

Excellent work this month, Loons.

If I may take a pause from amusing myself with continuing this joke, to be serious for just a moment.

For April, my ‘Employee of the Month’ goes to my Nana.
Although her preferred title would probably be management or better yet, Supreme Monarch of the Lowe Family, my Nana was always supportive of my writing. And for a woman with sky-high standards who did not part with a compliment easily, I always gladly took this encouragement.

While watching Countdown one day:
Me: “Ah, I am terrible at anagrams.”
Nana: “Well, what on earth did you spend all that time at university doing?”
Me: “Not anagrams, Nana!”
Nana: “Well, what did you do then?”
Me: “I have a Masters in English Literature.”
Nana: “All that and you can’t even figure out a Countdown anagram.”

Resuming the scheduled cute pup content this month, as she really is such a good girl.

She always knows when to give a little lick or offer a belly rub to really perk you up.

I am also convinced she knows I mean ‘treat’ when I spell it out in my letter-by-letter code. A genius and fluffy editorial mind.

Luna’s favourite Shakespearean play is ‘Hamlet’, not just because it evokes memories of pork-based treats but because her favourite quote is:
“There are more things in Heaven and Earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.”

Which fits in perfectly with her role as a member of the GWS team: she is always pushing me on to be more creative and imagine bigger and better ways to do things.

To quote the incomparable Lesley Knope: “I am big enough to admit that I am often inspired by myself.”

I am quite proud of myself this month for a few reasons: July marks 6 months (-ish!) of me supporting myself and my family as a freelancer which I always had in my head as my first big milestone.

But also this month marked an important moment in my day-to-day life when I thought and felt deep down in my bones that going freelance was the correct call for me at this point in my life.

In a way, I want to make a note about this feeling and moment here in case I need to read it again later on.

When the summer weather was disappointing, there was one beautiful ray of sunshine in the Gemma Writes Stuff office, and she had luminous and radiant fur and a waggly tail which brought warmth, happiness and serotonin into an otherwise dreary summer.

This month brought so many changes into our life and household with our first taste of ‘Back to School’. As we navigated this new terrain and adventure as a family, there was one constant. Luna making nests in laundry piles and getting in between the sheets while making a bed and refusing to move.

We’ve introduced a new member of the family to our household this month. Originally meant to be only here for to celebrate Halloween, a certain member of the house has fallen in love with him, so it is yet to be seen if I’ll be able to pack him away on the 1st November. (To be clear, the skeleton, not my child.)

With his name labels for all the bones and removable stress-ball heart, Somaliland (named by my eldest) has been a comical and creepy addition to Gemma Writes Stuff headquarters.

Rainbow tie-die. Fleece. Inspirational quote. Snuggly. This really is the Barbie of all jumpers, and I am just Gem.
It got me through my first very quiet month and reminded me that yes, I am Kenough. And I’m great at doing stuff.

Bonus: it’s a great conversational piece – I was stopped to chat by so many strangers when wearing this, which was brilliant!

Since Luna has been awarded the coveted GWS Employee of the Month so frequently, she has decided that she should start dressing for the job she wants, and not the job she has.

Her choice in this outfit however does not elucidate her ambitions any more clearly to management, but we did increase her belly rub quota in her employee benefits.