The Big Advenutre 17

So now all the 'should I/shouldn't I go' thoughts, all the will I/won't I moments; all the planning, booking, trips to and from the travel agent, bank, mobile phone shop, websites etc - all the doubts and thoughts of cancelling, all behind me now. Thinking about it is past - doing it is now!

A lot of people are watching me, awaiting news of my trip.

I know, because of who I have been, I have influenced and inspired others in the process of taking risks, changing, trying new things.  One bereaved lady braved going on a short UK break on her own; a friend braved an overnight stay in London joining a group of strangers to attend the Albert Hall for a centenary WI meeting, another younger woman took her young son on a seaside holiday for the first time without the support of a man. Why we fear travelling and being alone is a puzzle - we drive alone every day to and from work or to places we need to be.  Airports are not so different to bus or railway stations, flying is an everyday occurrence for the pilot and crew.  It is as safe to fly as it is to drive these days.  Being alone is a choice, there will be people in all parts of my travelling.  "Strangers are friends you haven't met yet".

I have been wished well by special friends and family.  I feel loved and privileged. 

The Big Adventure 16

And so it is time for the suitcase to have its virgin flight.  These next few days it will lay on the sofa bed, open, ready and waiting.  It will become home to dresses, shorts, beach towel and swimwear.  Toiletries, shoes, underwear etc will be neatly arranged.  Space will be filled to the maximum benefit.  Then it will be zipped up, weighed and labeled - destination Skyros, Greece.

On its journey it will be manhandled, tossed about and loaded into the plane's hold with hundreds of other similarly filled cases.  It will encircle the luggage conveyor belt and be wheeled out of Athens airport for onward transit by taxi, coach and ferry to it destination in a small hillside village on the island of Skyros.

We live such luxury lives, us holidaymakers, when, in comparison, refugees are fleeing their homelands in only the clothes they stand up in with very few or no possessions.

For us we spend a week or two in a foreign land welcomed for our financial presence but for them a lifetime of poverty, striving, being verbally abused and buffeted about, being looked down on, judged, hated even, every day.  They will be desperate to 'fit in', to make a better life, to live without fear of being shot, without the sound of gunfire every day.

I am grateful to God my life is as it is and this life path has already been ordained for me.  My fears of travelling alone are but nothing compared to immigrants at sea in overcrowded boats, in the back of container lorries and scaling fences in Calais to enter the Chunnel in a bid to come to England.  The promised land of milk and honey - but will it be?

Will Skyros be all I anticipate?  Let's go and find out, I'll be back soon.

The Big Adventure - 14

I am nearly there.  It will soon be the end of my 60th year, age 61 will begin a new chapter.  What a great year it has been, not without some seriously heart stopping moments, but after doing a review I am thanking my lucky stars, and God of course, for a wonderful year.

• Went to a fund raising event and met well known Author, Carole Matthews plus upcoming Author Christie Barlow and her friend Kim Nash, a Publicity Manager.
• Attended a Woman's Weekly Writing Fiction Workshop in London with co-leader Della Galton, well-known short story writer and novelist.
• Attended a Quiet Day Retreat in Warwickshire.
• Learnt loads about food allergies and clean eating.
• Achieved Gold Card status at the gym (5 year reward card).
• Retired from Self-Employment.
• Continue to make lovely cards at Craft Group and on-going attendance at Writer's Block group.
• Attended a West Midlands Writer's Workshop.
• Had a magazine article published and received payment for it.
• Gained new 'friends and fellow authors' on Twitter and Facebook including romantic novelist Mandy Baggott and author Mandy Boles.
• Continued to Blog.
• 3 friends had breast cancer diagnosed and treated, 1 friend had a stroke; 1 had stem cell treatment for bone cancer and 1 had a suspected heart attack. A dear friend abroad struggles with early dementia and his family are all pulling together and coping best they know how.
• Enjoyed a lovely week exploring Norfolk - loved Cromer, Wells-on-sea, Holt and Sherringham.
• Met up with lots of friends and family in coffee shops and garden centres for lunch or CAKE!
• I am up to 27,000 words on writing a novel; 15,000 words on memoir/self help book and have retyped children's stories I wrote some 30+ years ago.
• Met the adorable, munchable Ollie Nash, aged 7. 
• Lots of 'time out' at the caravan park, in hotels/B&B's and at friends' homes who live further afield. 

Quite a list, quite a year.  As my aged Aunt keeps telling me "old age does not come alone" and I feel I have been plunged into it with dear friends ill health issues.  Knowing how and when to support has been difficult, flowers, meals, drinks, kind words and a listening ear has, at times been hard but makes me so grateful for my own health and pray long may it continue.

So to round off the year perfectly on the horizon is The Big Adventure.  I will be in Skyros, a Greek Island, for my 61st birthday.  How wonderful is that?  Two whole weeks of guided tuition in writing from the acclaimed Author, Dominique Roffey.  My pen and pad will be well used and I hope on my return to have had such inspired input that I will be more focused, more determined, more self-disciplined in my writing and JUST GET ON AND DO IT. 

The Big Adventure - 15

Doubt creeps in when I least expect it.  I am going along nicely towards my goal and then things outside of myself bring doubts to my head.

• Am I really a writer? 
• Have I left it too late in life to pursue this avenue?
• Am I setting myself up for yet another disappointment in life?
• Is the holiday a waste of money, time and effort?

I ride roughshod over these thoughts and push ever onwards towards my goal, trying to enjoy the journey; the process; and telling myself "NOTHING is a waste in the economy of God" - a phrase I once heard from a lady preacher at Cefn Lea, Joyce Gascoigne, some 28 years ago when I was pursuing a very different life.  Being so much younger then I didn't analyse my actions, I went with the crowd, flowed through the river that was 'church' and all it entailed.

"So what" if I am the oldest person on the Writer's Course?  I am only 60, there is life still yet to be lived.  Any disappointment would surely be from NOT having pursued this avenue; there is no shame in trying, no catching a fish without learning the tricks of the trade as it were.

As for the cost, time and effort - well, it is true I could have bought new lounge furnishings or even a second hand car.  I could have left the money in the bank 'just in case of a rainy day', but I chose to invest in myself, in the belief that I could be a writer.  The time and effort therefore come hand in hand with the cost.  Nothing is free and nothing comes to me - I have to go out and get it.  If, like the fisherman, I come back with an empty line - hooks, rod and net having been in the wrong place at the wrong time, I will move to another spot in pursue of the prize.  Salmon fishing is an art and takes much practise, effort and money, as does becoming a writer. 

I have already thought to go on another course not so far away next year.  This is the beginning of a new direction and purpose of my life.  Until I achieve my goal, admit defeat or life events change my circumstances I will be writing, writing, writing AND learning, learning, learning.

The Big Adventure – 13

“Are you beach body ready?” the advert asks.  (There has been much protest about this poster on the London Underground walls). I 'follow' The Body Coach on Facebook, who I reckon is going to make it big time on our television screens very soon, but his 'posts' has its positives and negatives.  His food – clean, lean and ready in 15, looks simple to cook and tasty to eat.  It is nutritious and healthy, no fat, no sugar, no additives.  Brilliant, we could all do with meals in a hurry sometimes, and fast food does not have to equal unhealthy choices.

 

The not so positive messages are photos of mainly females, comparing their tummies before and after a 90 day challenge.  As yet he doesn’t seem to reveal his ‘programme’ of exercise alongside the mini clips of him cooking foods, but there is no doubt that the participants have undertaken rigorous exercise to change the shape of their tums.  The photos are impressive and I can tell they are all younger than my senior years.  I expect the photos motivate some people, as do the before and after Slimming World photos.  But for some I guess it will be a dampening of spirit and an “I could never look like that” thought.  So some people will, not doubt, scroll on past.

 

Do I need to be beach body ready?  I am not ‘on the pull’ as youngsters see the beach area; I am not ‘body conscious’ or shy.  If you don’t like my body that is your problem, not mine.  Don’t get me wrong, I have fell prey to wanting to look better and have exercised and eaten healthily for many a year but there comes a stage in life where self-acceptance of ALL that you are comes into play.  It doesn’t mean I will cease self-improvement, both mentally and physically, but I actually am ‘at home’ in my body.

 

I do look in the mirror at my tummy and sigh but I love my tummy.  It is the place that held a precious baby that grew and stretched my skin and organs to capacity.  She grew into a lovely girl and self-confident young woman.  My tummy bears the scars also of three operations in that area.  A small one below my belly button where a laparoscopy was performed by keyhole surgery; a medium sized one to remove my appendix and a long bikini line scar that signifies the end of my childbearing days and which threw me into the menopause.  My tummy, or muffin top, does hang over this long ‘zip-like’ scar and no amount of pulling in; tightening muscles etc. will change that fact.   It is literally a ‘life line’.  I have pampered my tummy with creams and cared for it as much as I know how to.  It bloats and subsides as does other peoples, it would seem. 

 

I blame the additives in foods, the chemicals we unknowingly put into our bodies but feel powerless when food merchants tempt us with chocolate éclairs; ice creams that evoke good; childhood memories; fish and chips - our English traditional seaside meal etc. etc. etc.  We cannot deny ourselves these pleasures forever and shouldn’t have too.  When will someone address the gluten in bread and cakes, when will I be able to buy things rather than have to make things myself knowing they are chemical, sugar or fat free?  So many people these days have allergies – when I was young I only knew one person with eczema and one with hay fever.  Now I am older skin complaints and allergic reactions are so popular.  What changed?

 

Anyway, you will be wondering what all this has to do with my big adventure.  Well it was the original question.  Am I beach body ready?  Yes of course I am, like it or lump it, it is the only body I have.  However, I will be going the next 21 days without bread (again) as I swear this is my main culprit.  Then two whole weeks of a Mediterranean diet will be wonderful.  Bring it on.

The Big Adventure - 12

Tweeting has become a daily habit, it takes time away from other things, but is a total pleasure when you connect with another budding author who is on the Greek Island you are about to visit for a writing course.  I am connected to several authors and a publicity manager via facebook and twitter.  Not a bad few months work.  It is very encouraging to read their tweets and postings about writing etc.

My latest 'connection' via a tweet from Mandy Baggott, an accomplished author, is Dunster House Ltd., as I recommended them to Mandy as she was looking for a writing space cabin.  I have had mine for 5 years now and when Dunster House asked for photos I pinned all I had of the cabin to a board on Pinterest.  I had fun doing it and seeing the journey from the dream to reality.  The hard work it took of grafting the garden area, the concrete base being installed, the erecting of the tongue and groove wooden slats, the complicated roof.  I christened it 'Greta's Place' as an Aunt had left me some money and I was at a point in my self-employed career where I could not afford to pay office rent any more.  (You can see these photos on Pinterest - just search for Sue Flint, then see my Garden Cabin Board).

Going back on my story a little more, whilst living in Cyprus for three years,I had two dreams - one was to be involved in a Retreat House and the other to be a writer.  Whilst living in Cyprus I lead quiet days and a ladies retreat, and as a qualified professional counsellor did what little I could using my skills with ex-pats.  I also co-founded a Writer's group in Paphos with the lovely Joyce Sehmi, from Read Mediterranean.  Little did I know then that I would live the dreams.  I returned to the UK and together with my husband, managed a Retreat House in Lancashire.  I also took private clients for counselling and later rented an office in High Bentham to begin what became 'Soul Friend Services'.

My Private Practice business continued back in our home town of Staffordshire a decade ago now.  SFS continued, hosting Craft and Writing Groups too.  Renting a room in the library for card making and writing on a weekly or monthly basis became a little too costly and so, when the Cabin was available, the writers, being a small group, would huddle into the garden room and read our set pieces of work and improve our skills.  Craft Group still meet at the library and I have now retired from counselling and SFS no longer exists.

Seeing the journey of the cabin in pictures, especially the fun fund raising times, has made me proud of the expense of erecting a garden room.  I have had one or two ladies who came and used it for Quiet Days and, should I need a quiet space, it is only a few steps away from the house (great when there is football, cricket, rugby etc. on television!)

I am hoping that my big adventure will have the same result.  It is an expense, an effort, scary even, something that will be enjoyed for such a short time, but I hope, like my cabin, it will give me great joy and a purpose to continue to bring about the second dream.

The Big Adventure - blog 11

Twitter is becoming very useful.  Having avoided it for so long I now feel I have mastered using it over and above Facebook.  I have connected with accomplished and would be authors on Twitter and exchanged tweets.  Yesterday, a tweet appeared from someone on the island of Skyros, beginning their writers course, and attached a photo of her view from the accommodation.  It was a sneak preview of things to come.  It fired my happy and uplifted my spirit.

Of course, I replied to her Tweet and 'followed' her.  She was encouraging and I hope to read more of her time there.  It is crazy to believe I am doing this, technology and my persistence to keep up with it makes it possible - to see how someone else enjoys the very same holiday venue that I will be at in 31 days time.  Not that I am counting down!

My new tweeter gave me a glimpse of the island and that led me to do a bit of on-line research.  I know it will be beautifully breathtaking, all Greek islands are.  But a little insight prior to my travels can only be helpful. 

Skyros is home to a population of approximately 3,000 inhabitants who mostly live around its capital town of Chora.  It is famous for the burial site of Rupert Brooke, English Poet.  Pictures of typical whitewashed buildings, windmills, ruins and lots of sea put me in mind of the film Mama Mia.  Note to self : pack good walking shoes and seasickness pills!  I guess there will be a trip or two but otherwise lazy slow living nights, interesting workshops and restful afternoons will be the order of my time there.

Also yesterday I did an early morning airport run to drop a friend off on the first leg of her journey to USA.  We set off at 6.30 am expecting the roads to be quiet, but where does all that traffic come from and go to at that unearthly hour.  She arrived at her destination at what would have been 1 am UK time.  Travelling alone and in need of disabled assistance that is some journey and if she can do that my 3.5 hr flight to Athens will be a doddle in comparison.  Seeing the planes close up and taking off was really exciting, they pass by our house so high up that they are hardly noticeable, but being in the airport grounds amazes me that so many are flying every minute of every day.  Up, up and away.....

The Big Adventure - 10

So Greece have made an agreement to stay in the Euro zone but they are not out of the woods yet.  It is really quite strange seeing Athens on the TV news each evening and thinking I will be there soon.  I have been there before, many years ago when I stayed at Marathon, when the marathon was being run.  I remember a really old man being the last runner and admiring his determination.  Runners are really inspirational people.  They probably don't realise it as they pound the track, looking ahead, keeping focused on the end line.  But the message they give to onlookers, supporters, cheerers, reporters etc. is something you can't put a price on.  Admiration, wonder, a stirring emotion, a 'willing' them on to achieve the prize of completion.  It is an emotion hard to describe, it is a memory that lasts a very long time.  They are an example to us.  The runners show us what determination looks like, what pains can be overcome with joy.  They remind us that all things are possible if you put your mind to it and that self-discipline has rewards.

Not everyone can run, or cycle or swim or walk even.  Not everyone feels the need to raise money for charity in this way.  But each one of us has something inside that 'calls' us to do.  We have two choices - ignore it or go for it.

Seeing a runner cross the line at the end, whether 99 years of age or their first race at nursery, just fills me with pride for them.  Cheers, clapping and joyful tears from the crowd as the runners near the end and then takes breath of stillness. Smiles from ear to ear knowing they have won their own race regardless of place or timings.  Then they look for someone in the crowd for acknowledgement from someone dear, hugs are given, pats on the back, handshaking, drinks.  Its an electric moment.  Surreal.

I am taking part in my own race, its not a sport but an inner need that needs honing, practising and putting out there for all to see.  It is breathtaking and scary, but like the runners unless you join the race you have no idea of what you are capable of.  Into the unknown of whether you will get cramp and have to give up or whether your body will carry you to your goal. My goal is to be a published writer; one day I will hold a book in my hand with my name on it and I will have crossed the line.  It will be awesome.  Friends are already lining up and cheering me on and this writing holiday is all part of that journey.

The Big Adventure - Blog 8

At least I won’t turn up on the Greek island looking like a lily white tourist.  The sun is out and so am I. 

Today I am wearing shorts and T-shirt, sunglasses and suntan lotion. I am away from the phone, Internet, television, household chores and all other distractions.  I have nothing to do at the caravan save for reading, writing, eating and sleeping.  In between the sun-lounger is being well used.

Excuse me now, I must catch some more rays!  Afaristo.

THE BIG ADVENTURE - BLOG 7

‘The News’ is doing its best to put the fear of God in me.  Two major issues – a terrorist attack in Tunisia where 30 Britons murdered on the beach, and the Greek monetary crisis. 

Tunisia was terrible, horrendous for those involved and survived.  The families of the dead must feel such shock and turmoil right now.  Imagine, one minute you are laying on a sunbed soaking up the sun, just sinking into a much needed rest.  The sea waves are lapping on the golden sands, straw umbrella’s shading you from the glare.  You smother yourself in suntan lotion and pick up your novel unaware that a madman is striding along towards your area.  Then, in an instant, you are gone.  Others around hear the piercing sound of gunshots, screaming, shouting.  Terrified adults ‘play dead’ face down in the sand, hardly daring to breathe sensing their end may be imminent too.  No time for goodbyes or ‘I love you’.  A terrorist in black clothing wielding a gun is your only concern.  He moves on and away.  Carnage is the sight that greets your eyes now.  No beauty, just bodies and blood.  Crying, weeping, and wailing.  People running away, people running towards to help.  It is like a scene from hell.  A dream moment has become a nightmare, one that will last forever.  You would never be the same again.  Cups of tea for shock, clothes – get dressed.  Hospital visiting or home is the only place for you now.  Holiday over.  Living with loss or trauma will take forever to overcome.  Like many here in UK, all we can do is look on, weep inside, and carry on with living not allowing this horrendous act change our habits or daily routine.  It is beyond our comprehension. It is devastating.  It has us all ‘on edge’ a little.  But feeling helpless we live on and do what we have to do. 

The Greek financial situation affects me also.  Advice is not to use the banks and to take loads of cash, which I am sure, will make me anxious.  Having lots of Euros will no doubt trigger a spate of holidaymakers being robbed, although being on a Greek island away from the mainland will help settle me of this fact.   The travel company have sent an email assuring us of their care which was hugely appreciated.

With only seven weeks to departure I am still looking forward to this adventure.  Of course, all the worst case scenarios pass through my mind most of which I am sure will not happen.  And then I think of Tunisia and all the people affected by that tragedy.  My mood and excitement is lowered and I have to remind myself why I am doing this in order to carry on with the plans.  This voice in my head is the voice of reason and brings my mood to an acceptable level again.  I think of all the lone travelling my daughter has done, that my gym buddy does now she is a widow and tell myself I can do this.  I will do this.  I must to do as part of my desire to write.

The Big Adventure blog 9

The Big Adventure creeps ever nearer.  The title makes it sound as if I am going on safari, or parachuting, or going into the jungle and testing my survival skills.  When in fact I am merely taking time out to learn more about writing skills and no doubt, more about myself as travelling abroad alone is out of my comfort zone.

 

The financial crisis continues in Greece but strangely I am unphased by this.  I am looking forwards to the experience.  Money will not spoil that.  As long as I take enough Euros to see me through - buy a few drinks and perhaps a memento or two I will be fine.  Meals are inclusive.  I have clothes and essentials, what else do I need?  The citizens of Greece are having to stretch their cash out, they are limited to what they can withdraw at the bank, if in fact there is any money to withdraw.  What a terribly worrying time for them.  Surely tourists money will be very welcome, spent in shops, restaurants and tavernas.

 

We take our wealth for granted, much like our health, until such disasters occur.  One minute we are muddling along on our wage or income, another we could face poverty.  We never have enough until we have so little and then we realise how rich we were.  When pension pots disappear or benefits are cut, life changes beyond our control.  It is a scary place to be and brings many a different reaction from individuals.

 

So in comparison my big adventure is very small indeed.  It is a fortnight of difference, of change and new learning, it is a luxury to mark the end of my 60th year and what a year it has been.  How lucky and privileged I am to be having this adventure, how blessed and grateful I am to be me.  How random is good or bad fortune, life or death, health or illness.  With that thought, the whole of life is one Big Adventure.

The Big Adventure - 6

Who will be there?  Today I find myself wondering about the Tutor for the Writer's Lab on my Skyros holiday.  A quick web search tells me 'Monique Roffey is an award-winning writer and memoirist'.  The 'memoirist' word catches my attention as I have not heard that term used much - usually one is an 'autobiographer' but as I like to write about myself perhaps I am a 'memoirist'.  I have always thought you had to be famous to write an autobiography although I know many a novel is based on true life stories.

That aside, she is younger than I am but has loads of writing experience and I feel assured by her smiling photo that I will like her and learn much from her.  I have not met an 'award winning' author yet although my circle is forever widening in this field.  I hope she is as down to earth and fun like the authors I already know.  How wonderful to have been in the writing field all your career - do I wish I had followed this path earlier?  I have no regrets about my working life, it has been varied and full, so in that respect the answer is no.  I hope to have a good few years at it ahead though! God willing.

Monique has been a very busy lady and has held some high ranking posts.  Someone of such high calibre would have made me feel intimidated and caused me anxiety in my younger days, but with the maturity of years this does not phase me now thankfully.  I can say 'well done you' to her knowing the extent of sitting behind a desk studying she will have done to achieve what she has, the stresses and tensions of exams, the moving around the world, and finding what makes you happy.  Joys, tears, sacrifices and sheer determination all go into the pot of a 'successful' life.  It takes grit, focus and a circle of good friends who are there to encourage you and listen to your woes from time to time.

 

Monique - people are only strangers you haven't met yet.

Next blog : who else will be there?

The Big Adventure -blog post 3

What is happening to the Euro in Greece?  Everyone heading that way for a holiday will be asking this question.  The news advises taking Euros in cash, not a card to use in Greek cashpoints.  Makes sense, but travelling alone, this will, I am sure, make me a little more anxious.  Hopefully by the time I leave the UK it will all be sorted out and worries unfounded.

Today, I bought swimwear, shorts and flip-flops.  Well the sun was out and my holiday looms nearer each day.  Got to have the right gear for the climate!  Still can't quite believe I am going, but in the moments I think about it I am looking forwards to being part of the Skyros experience this year.

Friends and family are supportive and encouraging which helps enormously.  I admire all the foreign travelling my daughter has done alone in the past and how she still does around the UK in her showpiece VW yellow car.

There is a self confidence to be found in travelling alone whether for business or pleasure.  There is no one to rely on except yourself, you make all the decisions and then go with the flow.  Afterwards there is such a sense of achievement and a confidence that enables you to try other trips or other pursuits.

With that in mind, I am off to make a list of what else I need!

The Big Adventure - blog 4

The sun is out, the bikini fits, can I go now please? Skyros seems sooooo far away, not only in distance but in time.

I am in the zone now, I have reconnected with a former me - I found a pile of rejection letters from publishers I chose to submit my children's stories too during the 1980's. I have re-read the stories I wrote 30+ years ago. Besides that which I am working on at present, these stories are very precious. I hope to road-test them on a child soon to see what they make of them.

Meanwhile the big adventure plays on my mind when I lay down to sleep, I have to actively fight off unhelpful thoughts. In the morning light though a reconnection with authors, bookworms and friends via Facebook and Twitter puts me back on track.

Today I would normally be in my garden cabin writing, writing, writing but alas my beloved laptop is at the computer hospital with a virus. I am assured it has been healed but that I need to install something that detects malware. Not sure what that is but no doubt will pay out for that too! Losing one's computer is a great loss. A gap appears in your life that forces you to look for alternative ways of doing what you usually do. So this blog comes via my tablet. Yesterday's blog seems to have got stuck uploading, so it will appear out of order when I get said laptop back.

In the meantime I might just garden sunbathe today. Have a lovely day too.

The Big Adventure

For as long as I can remember I have always liked writing - letters, journals, magazine articles, short stories, children's books.  I sent the children's books off to several publishers back in the 1980's.  I have a collection of rejection letters as is par for the course. I self published a children's religious book but that was a hard learning curve that probably put me off course as, other than a few magazine articles, I have not tried for publication since.

However, I have reached the grand age of sixty and it is now or never. I have retired early and am pursuing my goal with a vengeance and passion.  I do believe all things are possible if you try hard enough, and if it doesn't you can enjoy the journey and have no regrets about what you tried to achieve before you die.

My two hobbies now are keeping fit and healthy, and writing.  Reading obviously comes hand in hand with writing so a new routine to fit all these things in, run a home, see friends and family etc is beginning to emerge.

The suitcase, sitting empty and new in the back bedroom is a daily reminder that it is only 60 days until my big adventure.  I see it as a pivotal turning point in my life, so it is both scary and exciting at the same time.

The Big Adventure

"I bought a new suitcase. There I've started".
"Started? What?"
"My blog"
"Well that's not very interesting is it. So what's the suitcase for?"
"My big adventure".
"ooooh now  that's  interesting, tell me all about it.  Are you going on a cruise.  Oh I love cruises, they are so glam, all that dressing up for evening meal.....
"No no no, here, sit down".  I pour tea.
" Thanks, nice mugs, I saw some like this in Morrison's, did you get them there?"
"No, do you want to know or not?"
"Oh your big adventure, suitcase, and its not a cruise. Yes do go on".
"'I am going on a Writing holiday....
" oh you are going to Devon, you went there before, I remember you stayed at a cottage, the owner had a dog....
"Have a cake".  Pushes blueberry muffins plate forward on the kitchen table.
"These are nice, I expect you made them yourself? I get mine from Morris...
" Will you let me speak! I'm going to Greece, well to a remote Greek island"
"Wow, that is exciting, tell me more...." Chomps her cake.

Fruit craving

Being on holiday should not be a reason to spoil good eating habits, but it does!  The sea wall where you sit to eat fish and chips, the quaint coffee shops for cappacino's and cake, the restaurants, take-aways, deli shops, all lure one away from good habits.

You tell yourself "I'm on holiday" or "you've got to treat yourself on holiday" and it all sounds plausible and acceptable until ' the bloat' happens.  Constipation and a protruding tum is you're body's way of saying 'hang on - what are you doing to me?"

Then you have a child sized ice cream because you would rather have a small one than say 'No' to the offer. 

Today the craving for fruit was so strong that I ate a whole bowl of fresh cherries, yum,  a nectarine, and a big juicy orange.  Now I only have bananas left for tomorrow.  Well that's an improvement on no fruit for three days!

I am also craving the gym and swim too that my regular routine allows for.  Although I walked for 1.5 hours through the woods on Monday I am feeling decidedly sluggish.  Perhaps I'll run up and down the stairs in the holiday cottage or swim in the sea? Brrrr.

What are your holiday eating habits like?  Got any tips that don't deny me holiday foods but maintain good eating?  Perhaps I'm asking the impossible - you can't have it both ways Mrs! Soon be time to return home and get back on track.

Social Media

I recently had a 'wobble' about Facebook and Twitter.  I was temporarily blinded to seeing the point of them, particularly Twitter which I am relatively new to.  It probably happened after hearing the comment that Facebook was now classed as for 'old' people. 

Facebook, having been around longer than Twitter, is not as difficult to master as some 'senior' generations thought and so they have caught up with the youngsters of the family and friends who regularly 'post' all sorts of things that they may previously have thought was dangerous, gossippy, etc.  We 'oldies' have realised it can be quite fun.

I guess the younger ones didn't want their parents being their 'friend' and accessing information about their night life or girlie/lad behaviours from the pictures posted to make their friends laugh.  So they moved over to Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and suchlike to out-wit the oldies.

Last week I found I had posted a picture on Fb of a new phone and phone cover I had.  What was that about I asked myself?  Did I want to share the joy that comes with owning something nice?  I think this was the reason.  But what of my friends seeing this - what did they think?  I could kid myself that only one or two people actually saw the picture, as no more than four 'likes' appeared before the picture was out of sight.  Daily posts by others soon tip your picture from top spot and, like we used to say about newspapers - it is soon history or chip paper.

Then a friend I met in town commented on my new phone cover and I thought, "how trivial - why on earth did I think anyone needed to know I had a new phone cover?"  It is a bit like all those food posts.  Are we really interested in who has had what for dinner, who is drinking coffee where, and who is out on the town getting drunk?  I know there is an option to 'unfollow' people but generally I think people just 'scroll down' their pages glancing at things that don't really interest them just in case they miss a good bit of news.  I suppose that is what we do with a newspaper or magazine only read the bits that interest us.

There is, of course, an upside to these sort of posts if you are a positive, joyful sort of person.  You could be inspired to eat more healthily, visit the same coffee shop, restaurant or nightclub, run a marathon or visit a spa.  If it is a relative you are 'following' (doesn't it sound creepy) it is nice to know they are safe, who they are with and learn about their life that they probably don't tell you too much about.  Sharing moments that makes you proud of them, friends, pets, places, achievements, babies born etc. helps raise our sense of happiness.  The latest trend of 'selfies' are often skillful and show people loving life and living it to the full. Not sure what all the 'pouting' lips are for though!  Wanting to be kissed?

Another useful side to social media is all the information about meaningful charities, health issues, missing persons, crime etc, together with inspirational/motivational quotes.  The 'Aunty Acid' jokes and other 'funnies' make you 'laugh out loud' LOL.  For me social media is far more entertaining than the doom and gloom of daily newspapers.

Twitter has a limited use of words attached to 'handles' (addresses like mine @tweetsue13) and 'hashtags' #goodfood (where you can click on and gain access to anyone else's tweet with the same hashtag).  The 'like' button (thumbs up symbol) of Fb is a 'favourited' star on Twitter, and the 'share' on Fb is now a 'retweet' on Twitter.  The jargon just has to be learnt!

I have had a few nice short 'conversations' with a couple of authors on Twitter which kept me going initially, but writing short, snappy tweets or replies is not my forte.  As you can tell from this Blog, I rant on a lot.

However, it can all become a bit addictive - how many 'likes' have I had, who has made comments, who needs a reply?  Emails are fast becoming a thing of the past as Fb messenger also enables you to have a private 'conversation' with your family or friends which of course are accessible on so many devices these days.  Letter writing and actual talking is crowded out.  When did you last hear someones voice on your land line telephone, other than a salesperson?  The postman certainly doesn't bring me nice long hand written mail anymore.

It would be quicker sometimes to read a newspaper, ring, text, face time a few friends but the worldwide web has caught us like a spider catches a fly.  We are 'into' the web now for all sorts of avenues - reading books, listening to music, finding hotels, maps and directions, playing games, finding a partner, promoting businesses, looking up words and medical conditions, banking, etc etc etc.  It has no limit.  When I am away from an Internet signal I miss it!  We oldies are now 'down with the kids' and our grey matter is stretched and tested but we have more time for it.

I now have to learn self-discipline about time spent on the net.  I turn off devices at 9 pm as I believe it does affect my sleep if I don't have an hour or so break before bed.  But it is almost the first thing I reach for in the morning and then an hour can disappear in a blink of an eye.  So my next 30 day challenge is to organise my time more effectively.

Writer's Block

Writer’s Block Exercise 12 May 2015 lead by Brian Johnson.

Pick a number between 1 and 5.

Find that number Psalm in the bible and after reading it, choose one word from the Psalm for the first 8 letters of the alphabet.

I chose Psalm 3, and my words were:

Arise
Break
Cry
Deliver
Every
Foes
God
Holy

 Make a sentence/paragraph using these words.

1)      Arise from your slumber, I will break the tension.  You will cry no longer, I will deliver you from every foe.  I am your God, the Holy one who heals.

2)      Arise, I say and break your habits.  Cry to me and I will deliver you.  Every deed will be rewarded and justice brought to your foes.  I am your God, the Holy one who changes your circumstances and leads you on a new path.

Rewrite Psalm 3.

O Lord, why don’t I recognise my foes

Until they rise up against me?
They speak against me and dishonour my deeds
They say I am a fool.

But you O Lord surround me

You protect me and lift up my head
You heard my unspoken thoughts
And you lead me away from harm.

I lie down to sleep
And awake refreshed again
I will not fear my rebukers
And allow them to consume me.

My God is my deliverer
He is my Lord,
Be gentle on my foes
But show them the error of their ways.

Lord bless me and my enenies
Bless all your people this day.
                                                                Sue Flint

Out of Sink,

kilter, or routine is where I have been.  My daily and weekly exercise, my reading, writing, household chores even sometimes my meal planning and healthy eating.  But, it is coming back.  Thank goodness.

It happens from time to time.  You take a holiday or someone has an illness that necessitates a break from 'normal' daily life.  Sometimes we complain that our lives are boring, doing the same thing day by day, week by week, month by month.  It is not until circumstances 'rock your boat' as it were, that we appreciate the calmness, peace and joy in the everyday living experiences.

We take for granted our morning cuppa in bed, that the postman will come (even if we only receive junk mail), that we will eat three times a day or more, and sleep in a comfortable bed, that we will have money in the bank and a roof over our heads.  We moan about the weather - just this morning I heard "what a miserable day".  It is a cold day, it is a sun-less day, a windy and threatening rain day, but my day is bright, hopeful and a sense of balance in my being is returning.  It feels good, lighter and brighter.

Bad things happen, sad things happen, tragic, desperate, incomprehensible things happen.  Earthquakes - people scrabbling about in concrete and dust rescuing a life here and there.  War - gunfire, bombs, homeless people, starving people.  Terrorism, murder, aeroplane crashes.  It all comes into our awareness via the media.  It may trouble us for a moment of thought, or tug on our heartstrings to donate aid money, but when these things happen to someone you know or in your neighbourhood, it shocks us to our core.  It overshadows the good things of life and sends us off balance.

In times like these some people question 'what is life all about?'  Others question whether there is a God and if so why does He allow these things to happen?  Those who suffer with depression will not be able to see any good anywhere, and yet, at the same time as all of those terrible things, it is still a beautiful world.

A new baby girl is born today. The spring flowers are blooming bringing colour into our gardens and towns where there was greyness of winter just a week or two ago.  Research for cancer treatment, dementia, stroke and all sorts of illnesses are beavering away in laboratories throughout the world.  We just don't hear too much about this.  People are getting married, people are celebrating a special birthday, someone just got a job or passed an exam.  There is much happiness in the world too.