Summer Blends Into Autumn

This bank holiday was a strange one for me.  It started off with a houseful and I was more or less confined to upstairs at my home.  The boys had taken over my living room once again for a two day Napoleonic war-game. They no longer have to crawl on the floor as two 8ft tables have been procured to save aching backs and knees. The boys arrived to set up on Thursday evening and the soldiers and tables were finally packed away on Saturday evening.  During this time there were various comings and goings with other friends turning up including a lady I didn’t even know. She gave me a very strange look when I came downstairs to say hello. Not at all what I expected from a visitor in my own home!!

The two day war-game was part of the continuing celebrations of a gentleman becoming a certain age. One of the gifts he received from the boys was a miniature model of two soldiers playing cards on an upturned barrel with discarded wine bottles to the side. This tied in with their war-game hobby and made reference to late night board games evenings accompanied by a glass of wine ‘or two’.  Luckily I had a planned hair appointment which took me out of the house for a while. My hairdresser has been absent for a few months and my hair had drifted into a style I haven’t been happy with.  I arrived at the hairdressers with photographs of how it should be, to get it back on track. When I arrived back home I was greeted with some sad news. The father of one of the boys passed away peacefully after suffering a long term  illness.

Photo copyright TAG.

On Sunday, we had been invited to some other friends’ for lunch for a double birthday celebration. It was only right that we should provide a bottle of bubbly to toast the occasions. After a delicious lunch, we sat and chatted for most of the afternoon before returning to what seemed like a very quiet house.

On Monday the weather had turned decidedly autumnal and damp. I had been looking forward to the possibility of a cycle ride but that was not to be. However the wet weather gave me the chance to catch up with a few chores and to sit and read a book in the restored tranquility of my living room.

Vision & Verb

The Vision & Verb collaborative project (by women of a certain age) has now reached its conclusion.  Marcie was our inspiration and guiding light, so I feel it appropriate to share her closing Vision & Verb.

Namaste

With palms pressed at heart’s center – we sound our voices.  We begin with a deep resounding ‘ohhhhm’.

Some of us are tentative at first. Our voices are new to us. We’re unsure. We’re shy. We’re scared. We haven’t – yet – given ourselves permission to speak out loud…to sing.

Together – we grow strong.

We connect to our hearts and our heartsongs. We connect to the earth and its energies. We connect to one another…honoring our intentions and commitment to show up together in this one space…in this one time…in this one day.

We are all the same.

We have arrived here from all corners of the globe. We were strangers. We have become friends. We’ve shared the stories of our lives…and our life’s stories. We’ve dreamed. We’ve laughed. We’ve cried. We’ve challenged and inspired and encouraged one another to be the best selves we possibly can.

We’ve learned kindness and patience and gratitude and joy. We’ve held one another in times of sadness. We’ve celebrated our victories. We’ve honored our defeats. And –  we’ve been there for one another as a reminder that tomorrow always comes. A new day will dawn and with it – another opportunity to begin. Again.

For me – our time here at Vision and Verb has been one long beautiful communal vinyasa practice. Our bodies and our breaths. Our images and our words. Quiet…soulful…deeply meaningful and powerful personal connection.

We’ve shown up. We burned brightly. And now – the time has come to let go. With appreciation…compassion… grace.

We honor the endings by knowing that every ending is really a beginning. We’ve shown up for ourselves and one another and done the best work that we can.

‘We’re all just walking each other home.’

Just as we began – almost 5 years ago – we close by bringing our palms together once and again at our heart’s center.  We sound our voices in a longer and deeper and more resonant ‘ohhhhhmmmm’. We’re confident. We’re strong. What we needed – we learned – we’ve always had within.

We’ve felt the energy. We’re now feeling the release.

We bring our hands from our hearts to our third eye center. A reminder to ourselves to follow our heart’s lead. We bow our heads.

And together – we say:

Namaste’.

The light in me honors the light, love, beauty and truth and peace within you. In sharing our authentic selves and brave stories – we are united. We are one. We are the same.

In deepest gratitude.

* * *

Thank-you to all of our dear and loyal readers who have shown up and shared in our stories. Your presence and spirit and quiet encouragement has meant so much to us here. You can find links to our individual blogs by checking out who is gathered around Our Table.

When one door closes another opens.

We look forward to your joining with us in wherever our new creative adventures lead.

***

Some of the ladies are preserving and sharing their posts from the project, they can be viewed at the following links:

• Marcie
• Cherry
• Donabella
• Ginnie
• Sue

Happy Valentine's Day

…With Love from Me to You xx

Happy New Year :-)

I know our time zones are all different so midnight will bring in the New Year at different times for each of us.  But tonight, ‘New Years Eve’, as midnight  turns in the UK is the perfect occasion for me to raise my glass to friends, old and new, and also remembering absent friends.

CHEERS!! I raise my glass to you.  Thank you for sharing life’s journey with me, I hope that any troubles from 2013 will fade into distant memory and I wish you, your family and friends a happy, healthy and peaceful 2014.

xxx

Home Alone…

…relaxing after yet another busy weekend!

I have had visitors to stay over the weekend.  I was doing a mad rush round getting the housework done before they arrived on Friday.  I didn’t quite get it finished because they arrived early.  We chatted for a while before ordering a Chinese takeaway for dinner after which we had a small family get together. The get together was in advance of my mum’s official birthday lunch (with family and friends) which followed on from last weeks birthday celebrations.  Following the lunch we took the scenic route (off road rallying springs to mind) to my Mum’s house where we spent the afternoon with her and stayed for tea which she had insisted on doing all by herself!!

We had a lazy start on Sunday and then set out for a ‘small’ lunch at Benthall Hall which turned out to be a very interesting place to visit.  I intend to go back when the gardens are more in bloom.  We were also told that the little church next door to the hall will be opening to the public later in the year, which is another reason to go back.  After the visit we returned home for a pre dinner sherry and a roast pork dinner.

I have spent today finishing off those jobs from Friday and reading.  A nice relaxing day 😉

A Busy Weekend

I invite you to join me at Vision & Verb where I relay the tale of my hectic  Easter Weekend.

Newcastle – Day Two – PM

A few minutes after I had settled down into the warmth I spotted JD arriving and being intercepted by the Concierge who, from conversations the previous night, I had realised had a wonderfully dry sense of humour 🙂

JD and I sat and chatted for a while and he gave me his painting of the ‘Cherry Pie Tree‘, which was inspired by a photo I had taken near to Flodden Field in 2009 ( I love the painting 🙂 ).  We then ventured out into the sunshine, which had overcome the sudden drop in temperature that had hastened me back to the hotel.  We took a leisurely stroll through the town to the frame shop to take his  latest painting in to be framed.  After careful consideration and with assistance from the  lovely Becky a suitable frame was chosen.

We then strolled back through town to the Cathedral for a cup of tea and more conversation.  The Cathedral tea shop closed so JD and I made our way back to the hotel and its temporary reception area to wait for Mr C to return from his day at work.  I enjoyed our pleasant afternoon together.

Eventually I had to start my long trip back to the Midlands.  Mr C and I decided to have a slight detour for a cup of tea rather than chance Leeming Bar again.  We headed for Mainsgill Farm which also gave us the opportunity to say hello to Kevin the camel!  He wasn’t immediately visible but then he was spotted inside and cosy with his back to us.  Then suddenly when he sensed our presence, he started parading around his accommodation, what a poseur he is 😉

After the welcome cup of tea we continued on the long journey south accompanied by the alarming alert “Severe weather forecast tomorrow” on the neon signs displayed at regular intervals on all the motorways as we traveled home.

After the long journey back, take away fish and chips and a glass of wine were quite welcome and refreshing.

And then it started to snow…

PS: Thank you JD I had a wonderful afternoon 🙂

The Case of the Flickering Lights!

Yesterday, when I turned on one of the upstairs lights it started to flicker and I thought that the bulb had gone, so I switched the light off. When I turned it back on nothing happened and I was about to get another bulb when I realised that all the upstairs lights had gone out…

The downstairs ones and all the sockets still work but the upstairs ceiling lights either don’t come on at all or flicker madly when switched on. The electrician can’t come until Monday so for now the upstairs is illuminated with desk lamps!

After that minor irritation it was a nice surprise to have an impromptu invitation to visit friends for board games and maybe a glass of wine or two.

Lunch for Friends

Yesterday some good friends visited for the afternoon, a good time was had by all.

Time to Relax…

I have had a hectic few days (again…).  In the past couple of weeks the kitchen and the dining room have been decorated. This  involved emptying the dining room and returning everything to it’s place before visitors arrived to stay over the weekend.  It was almost back in one piece before they arrived on Saturday, but not quite!

There was a busy itinerary whilst my visitors were with me;  Attingham Park, evening dinner at Mum’s, Daniels mill (I remembered my camera this time), Dudmaston Hall, Much Wenlock and a Sunday evening meal out.  On the morning of their departure (Monday) my visitors got up unexpectedly early leaving me feeling rather spaced out.  Their early departure did however leave me with plenty of time to get ready for my afternoon ‘bloggy meet up’.

Ginnie (from Vision & Verb) and Astrid were visiting the UK and had arranged a meet up with friends who blog at Shutterchance.  You might recall I met them both at the Black Country Museum last year.  This year they had arranged the meet up at Blists Hill museum, which is not far from Ironbridge.  It was so lovely to see them both (and the other shutterchancers) again.  We all had a fun afternoon together exploring Blists Hill, chatting and getting to know each other better.  Oh! I nearly forgot, we all took lots of photos too 😉

I booked today off to relax, but…

The day was taken up washing glasses and ornaments before returning them to the dining room.  I moved some furniture around too, to make better use of the room.  I am pleased with the result 🙂