Friends reunited

So much has happened in a short space to time.

I am delighted that 6 years ago a friend recommended I start blogging. It has meant that every month I have had something to reflect on, something to cherish and so much to be grateful for. 

Forgive me for the mega photo "fest" below. Be grateful that you are only viewing a few of my celluloid memories!

Empire State Building

Do you recognise the tower on the left? Yes, that's where we were - New York, and like the good tourists we are, we visited this iconic tower, the Empire State Building. Although it is showing some similarities to the Leaning Tower of Pisa due to the photography. 

Our holiday cruise with our friends Billy and Catherine, started in the Big Apple. Andy and I had a quick turn around after our impromptu visit to Canada and returned once more to trans-atlantic travel. 

View south from the top of the Empre State Building

We made some new friends when we boarded our cruise ship. Claudia, our cabin... sorry stateroom steward, used towel art every night. Meet two of the cool dudes, Nellie and Oscar. Shades are compulsory on a Caribbean cruise...

Yep you read right... we were cruising the Caribbean after a few wonderful days in New York.

This holiday was organised long before our Canadian adventures and our home relocation and it seems that every two years we go on a cruise ship with our pals, Catherine and Billy. Much fun is had by all.


This time we visited islands under blue, blue skies.

 Folks on Water taxi to Bermuda

Eileen chillin'

Sheltered under palm trees...

Beach at St Maarten

when the blue, blue sky was a tad too hot and...

San Juan, Puerto Rica

There were even moments when I couldn't believe my eyes. The cruise ship was bigger than some of the buildings in San Juan! Andy and I are looking down from the battlements of one of the San Juan fortresses at the Anthem of the Seas. Although the mega size of the ship challenges me regarding what effect it has on the ocean; the many towns, villages, cities and islands of the Caribbean rely on the tourist trade from the cruise ships to survive in a very fragile economic climate.

Billy and Catherine on a ferry

So many moments to be grateful for ... fun, laughter, friendship ... not to forget the "odd" gin and tonic and frequent visits to the spa. Every ferry trip a delight and so much fun to be had when there is a cruise "eye" taking you well above the normal level to view the horizon. No whales or dolphins spotted but a fun moment with children insisting that they saw mermaids!

Eileen on Balcony

Eileen taking flight

Being up high was what I thought would be my 2017 moment of taking myself out of my comfort zone. However it was surprisingly comfortable ... my out of comfort zone is to surprise me on my return home ...

What a view!

 

We had a balcony and enjoyed many views and even dressed up for the posh events although not without some resistance. We also enjoyed many evenings of chillin' and know that we are blessed with our friends and our retiral situation...

 There were also some "uniform" moments when the "me too" was very obvious

Andy and Billy shipmates

"Landmates" on Labadee

Reconnecting!

We went internet free for nearly two weeks ... and at the end of the hols ... look who is trying to reconnect now!

We have much to be grateful for and top of the list is our family. For those of you having withdrawal symptoms from no recent Murphy photos ... here he is with his Mum, Lianne, as she enjoys her first Mother's day! No matter what is happening in our lives we should work at being this happy!

A smiling Lianne and a laughing Murphy

p.s. Now just a little mention as a postscript for my 2017 out of comfort/enjoying life moment. I will be featuring this over the next three months. A friend of mine, Sue Bradley, is walking Land's End to John o' Groats this year as a life affirming exercise. I did say to her that she could jump out of a plane but she is steadfast in her commitment to walking.

She sent an email requesting some moral support on some of the "legs" of her walk and I have signed up to accompany her on the 32 mile Clyde Walkway. Training began this month with the intention of walking 5 miles every second day and building up to 10/12 miles twice a week. 

It will be great to be reunited with Sue and to put another two of my friends to work ... my legs!

Family reunion

Guess where we have been and who we have been with?

The Adoring

... and doesn't Andy look surprised. Yes we enjoyed a wonderful impromptu visit to Canada to see the adorable Murphy and of course, his adorable parents, Gordon and Lianne and the added bonus of Kenneth and Natalie being there too... and yes they are adorable too!

The Adorables

 Our plan of changing homes and altering our lifestyle to give us the opportunity and the "where withall" to travel has been realised. This holiday/vacation with our boys and their partners is a fabulous outcome and Murphy is the icing on the proverbial holiday cake ...

all the family

Sleeping Beauty

He looks like the perfect angel when asleep but believe me, he loves to be part and parcel of the party when awake...


 Bedtime reading was an awesome moment in his Grandpa's schedule. It even outshone the golf! and that is saying something...

Story Time

The many changes in our recent lives have given me much to be grateful for... and a lot of time for reflection.

Taking time to reflect is essential if you want to notice your blessings. Sometimes they turn up as opportunities disguised as obstacles and I am not sure how good you are at hurdling. I know I have the tendency to knock them over in the pursuit of a goal... metaphorically speaking of course. My legs are just not long enough to ever hurdle in reality.

So back to obstacles, they are there to challenge your understanding of what you are capable of or how much you are willing to commit to. And once overcome, you look back and reflect on how everything worked out despite your misgivings... and of course also when it didn't work out it, you realise that not working out was the perfect solution all along!

It is, what it is folks. So let's have fun with it, whatever IT, is! Life shows up as swings and roundabouts... which one do you prefer to be on...

Swing Time

Before ... and After.

Kitchen side -before

What a caption! Before and after piccies don't do justice to the three months of clearing, deconstruction and reconstruction that has been going on. Mega thanks to all the tradesmen involved in our new home's transformation. They were not just "on-site workers"... they also added their ideas to what needed to be done!

Lounge side - before

Grazie mille Gerry, John and Ross, Grant and Gordon. I can recommend everyone of them. Oh, and I mustn't forget the painter, Andy Auld. Amazing to think that retirement released the painter in you!

Kitchen side - after

Lounge - after

Yep... I know. Hard to believe it is the same space. We are so enjoying the transformation of our new home. We are now ready for visitors. Just tell us when you will be dropping by...

Spring

She wakes up

and as she does

her life force begins to show

as carpets of dancing snowdrops

interspersed with crocus shoots.

The brown winter trees showing green buds

with new life flowing from their roots.

Mother Nature's calling card

is the cycle of life's promise

in the miracle of Spring.

---

Starting point...

Everyone has one... a starting point... the moment when we focus on the end result and then rewind until only the bare bones exist. Well, we are at that point in our transformational home improvements.

Future kitchen and lounge

 You can see from the photos that work has begun.  However what you don't see, is that a lot of work has already been done to get us to this bare bone state.

Walls down... lights up... old windows out... new windows in. Joiner, electrician, plumber all working to create a shell and then everyone working together to make it into a home.


Sometime next month, I have been told,  it will all come together and I will have forgotten what all the fuss was about.

view of bathroom and bedroom

Anyone's guess

We are fortunate to be renting another place while all this work is being done, so can have a perspective on the changes. Living in the shambles would create distress not to mention some issues with the plumbing.

When change is taking place in any aspect of our lives, it is necessary to place a little distance between ourselves and the activity of change.

Sometimes that can be listening to a relaxation tape, meditating for 10 mins, even just taking 10 or so deep breaths.

... and yep I am putting into practice all of my own advice. As well as staying well away from the plasterer at work!

Murphy all wrapped up

I cannot write any kind of blog without showing off Murphy. Here he is, wrapped up against the Whistler winter chill of -15 degrees.

Another technique I have when chaos is all around, walls are tumbling down, rain is lashing on the ground and not one delivery arrives on time... is to count my blessings.

I look at Murphy's photos. I smile at him as he smiles back and I imagine what it will be like to be in Canada sharing the winter weather but all wrapped up in a warm coat and surrounded by love.

baci e un abbraccio...

Transformation

This quote came flying into my life just as I was contemplating what change was needed in my 2017 habits. It hit home. No  point in continuing with just moving to the next cabbage, it was time for a radical change of being. I realised that flying was not just an option but a necessity.

Fortunately my acceptance of this change was reinforced by a mega bout of lurgie, giving me the chance to physically cleanse. A body needs "enlightened" as well as the mind and soul.

2016 was a year of mega change for Andy and myself. There were changes in our family with a new arrival and a bowing out of another. We moved home and have found ourselves in a state of flux over where we are staying and where we are going. Health too was challenged. Andy now has his new hip and is striding well into this new year unlike how 2016 started and indeed continued with its many ups and downs.

So, it is time to not just change but to transform. We have embarked on transforming a new home, which is not without its challenges but anything worthwhile is worth effort and a consistant desire to improve inner and outer aspects of our lives will reap its own rewards.

One aspect of our lives, that gives us continual joy, is Murphy. This is him in a laid back pose. He is showing his gran and gandpa that chillin' is the name of the game as he is transforming every moment of every day, and seemingly without effort or angst.

Murphy is just showing up to be who he is... I don't think I am alone in thinking that he is adorable!

Thank you Murphy... you have transformed our lives.

Departure

Not been feeling much like writing recently. So much has happened in a short period of time...
Moved house, had a wonderful holiday in Italy and then returned home to Andy's Mum, Evelyn's health crisis after falling and breaking her hip. Evelyn passed away on Thursday the 3rd November and all thoughts of writing went with her. I had the most marvellous of mother-in-laws and miss her supportive energy and drive, not to mention the love she extended to all around her.

Will write again but for the meantime... the muse, like Evelyn has departed.