Peace...

Well... the sun is shining in Largs today!  and boy does it make a difference. There was an acompanying cold wind ... brrrr ...

but our granddaughter, Rosie and myself, managed to persuade Grandpa to take a walk to the beach to search for shells...

 and surprise surprise, there was an abundance of them.

Rosie loves the fact that although she brings a full bucket home to wash, with the next visit to the beach, the tide has brought even more of the beautiful shells she likes to collect.

We even encountered three dogs on the beach this morning that came to say hello. We think they must have been part wolf due to their "huskieness", but Rosie and the dogs still became pals and that added to our adventure. 

We were so close to home... but still managed an adventure.

As Rosie was our little ray of sunshine this morning, I realised that this Snoopy quote couldn't be more appropriate to our situation.

As, due to all that's going on in the world just now, we have all been struggling to find any kind of sunshine in our lives.

No matter how distant we live from war, earthquakes, poverty and chaos, we need to know that we can still make a difference.

Spreading sunshine can be as simple as donating to the varying charities that are stretched beyond measure. However we can always use the power of thought to reach out to the displaced, lost or grieving. 

Not necessarily to send sunshine but to focus on Peace.

Wherever and whoever we are, we all need peace in our lives...

OM, shanti, shanti shanti.

Celebration

 Last year, a friend of mine gave me a beautiful book to help me focus on blessings. Helen knows how I love poetry, so the combo of verse and blessings were perfect for me and I appreciated both the thought and the gift.

And the title of Bless the Space Between Us intrigued me.

The book is full of inspiring, insightful messages, beautifully written. Words that touch the deepest of emotions and calm the most troubling of times.

One of my favourites, that I return to regularly, is "For Celebration"... and as today is my husband, Andy's birthday and we are celebrating together, as a family, it seemed like a perfect gift to pass on to others.

As the words help us appreciate the many blessings, we share in our lives, I thought I would share this special poem with you ...

 

 Many, many, thanks Helen. 

... and many, many thanks to John O'Donohue

 

Here is a photo of some of my many blessings... 

Who knew....

 so many surprises this month...

some welcome and some not so much!

First of all, the welcome ones. Murphy and Rosie came to stay.

Hallowe'en in Canada ...

A couple of angels!

    

 and Christmas in Scotland. 

 We have even made it cold enough for our Canadian visitors with the temperature dropping below freezing. Brrrrr!

 Tree up but loads of things to do before Santa comes...

 However if  I remember the Christmas story correctly, the angels always arrived early...

 "Super delighted" with my double surprise, as the Canadians say...

Question - what do  I, say? 

Answer - They are "Awesome"!

 Now to the unwelcome surprise. I took a tumble and have manged to "jigger" both knees. You will be acquainted with that well know medical term  - "jiggered".

Right is worse than left but both are challenging my moving around and of course interfering with shopping... and with Christmas looming I shall have to do a special letter to Santa (Andy) to help me out.

I may decorate my elbow crutches with tinsel to cheer myself up. Alternatively Christmas pudding earrings have always made me smile in the past. Not real ones of course...

... thank goodness there are children around to help me watch the mega number of Christmas movies on TV and work at embracing the spirit of Christmas with wishing you

                                                "Peace and Good will to all!"

Words of advice

 

Well... 

while searching for inspiration regarding an Aloe Connections monthly newsletter, I came across this advice. Strange though, as I wasn't aware that I was needing advice, but then when do we ever!

 There is no name attached to the words of wisdom, but there is a sense of someone who has been there, done it and proudly wears the T-shirt.

It also helps that the background picture is calming...

So what about words of advice?

I have always been aware that unsolicited advice is never welcome and even when solicited, it can be challenging to swallow. 

As a physio, back in the dark ages, my advice was often sought and sometimes even taken. Nowadays, my advice is rarely sought, but when it is, a whole new relationship develops. The one with myself, as advice is always personal due to one's own experience!

Invariably, I have to quote Dame Maggie Smith who famously said " My dear, I never give advice, I only have opinions!"

Now maybe that would be a great quote for a T-shirt...

Chaos reigns

... with soooo many changes in our personal world just now, it is hard to keep up. The result is that writing is taking a bit of a back seat due to other life's commitments.

However, here's my October offering of an inspirational quote that is a favourite of mine. It always helps me put everything into perspective...

Here's to appreciating more of the invisible, even in the midst of chaos.

Seas of Change

Do you notice how sometimes change can come insidiously, as in little by little, by almost imperceptible alterations? 

One example being the wrinkles that time etches on the face or perhaps the pounds that miraculously gather around the waist!

And then there is the other type of change. The tsunami! 

 The sea of change that alters not just one's face but alters the whole face of life as we know it... and brings what seems to be a hundredweight of challenges with it.

For some, this is when a health diagnosis hits home. For others, it is when war, famine, poverty and/or pestilence - the whole four horsemen "thingy" come riding into their own backyard.

Over the past week, changes in the UK's political scene preceded major changes in Britain's Monarchy.

We exchanged one male Prime Minister, Boris Johnstone for a female leader in the form of Liz Truss. A change that was perhaps considered inevitable... however when two days later another change that was also considered inevitable, happened, it still came as a surprise, a shock that resonated around the wolrd.

The tsunami of change that Our Queen, Elizabeth had died and naturally her successor Prince Charles, was now King Charles III.

There has been much said about Queen Elizabeth's life and works, and her remarkable reign. She was an amazing monarch, with inspirational qualities and her life is deserving of all the praise that is being showered on our memories of her. 

However I don't intend to dwell on the past or indeed what the future holds for any of us, in this blog. My only thought at this time is to recommend paying attention to the seas of change that are all around us. 

They carry us forward and require us to play our part in whatever way we can. When such a state of change happens, such as the rocking of the establishment, the changing of the guard, watch out for all the reflections of change in your own lives and like Elizabeth,  rule steadfastly and sail safely through... wherever the tide takes you.

Visitors

It was wonderful last week, to be able to have visitors to stay... and not just any old visitors but family, in the form of Andy's cousin Maggie and her husband Mark. 

My in-laws, yeah, but they have always felt like family to me.

They came to Scotland from Canada for an extended stay, taking in the Western Isles and all that the Scottish weather and hospitality could offer. 

Over the years, we have spent many fun times with the Scurfield branch of the family. They opened their homes and hearts to us all, allowing us a glimpse of what their family and by association, Canada had to offer!  

There were road trips, boat trips, water parks, theme parks and  many, many interesting family meals!

... and who could forget our trip to Niagara Falls!

We can never thank you enough. The welcoming hospitality began with the matriarch, Aunt Maggie and her husband Uncle Jim and is continuing with their children... Jamie, Evelyn and Maggie... and including partners Giselle, Todd and Mark. 

"Grazie mille" to you all.

The previous photos were taken in 1991 and Aunt Maggie is still on matriarchal duties!

Here are some snapshots of the recent family reunion in Largs...

Extended family in extended room!

    Inside - table for two?

Maggie and Robin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Outside - where will we go? 

There are four choices in Largs... up the hill...

Kenny and Marks

or down the front...

Natalie and Maggie

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                        

 

 What about out to the pencil?

Are Mark and Maggie Vikings?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Or there is always a welcome visit to the Anchor Bar...

Then... waiting for the sunset.

Clan gathering

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well worth the wait...

Thanks for including us Maggie and Mark, in your trip's itinerary.  We loved having you and even the sun smiled when you visited us in Largs...