No blues here

Well, January is nearly over and I am pleased to say that this first month of 2010 has been great and I hope that the rest follow with the same good feelings. Last January, I wrote this post ; I was feeling very different than I am now thanks to some great times with some lovely friends both old and new.

It is often the most simple things that give the greatest pleasures - shopping and coffee with friends on a Saturday morning, dinners in and out to catch up and smile. Last weekend I had a crazy night out with a work/twitter friend; we drank cocktails and danced until the early hours, laughing until my stomach hurt. I don't remember all the events of the evening, although I did had a flash back when Bon Jovi's 'Shot through the Heart' came on the radio yesterday. I have a vague memory of dancing (with actions) on an 80's dance floor.

This weekend as been much different, in fact, I would go as far to say that it was almost perfect. I drove to Brighton on Friday night for a mini tweet up with Butterfly Girl , a friend who I have got to know through Twitterland. We went for pizza and wine at her local, which, I have to say does the best pizzas I have ever tasted, and chatted about love, life and our adventures. On Saturday morning, we continued the conversations and theories whilst drinking coffee on the beach and watching the winter sun dazzle on the sea and give warmth to the bones of West Pier. We had nosey in a little art shop/gallery, where I fell in love with the work of Robert Ryan whose work can be seen in his shop Ryantown. The imagery and words are beautiful and make me excited about love and the future. I think I might have to start saving as I need some of his work in my room and in my life.




I left Brighton feeling refreshed and enthused and with a desire to go back to some books and philosophies I read some time ago. Thoughts that I may have let slip but which are ultimately part of me.

Saturday evening was spent with family as my sister turned sixteen. We enjoyed a nice meal and Louise received some great compliments from a women at the bar relating to her confidence. I told Louise how proud I was of her and that she is simply awesome. Love her to bits.

Today I have lazed about the house, reading and enjoying silence, pottering and writing. A few years ago, a Sunday spent in my own company would have driven me up the walls with sadness and boredom. Not now though, now I am comfortable and happy.

Roses are red, bubbles are pink...

My Valentines weekend was filled with treats and loveliness:

Cups of tea with my nan, dinner with best friends, giggles, rose wine, hugging the one that needed love, exercise class with best friends on Saturday morning, more giggles, bending, stretching, meditation, my mum finishing the adjustments on my beautiful green vintage dress, wearing said dress, buying pink jellied sweets for gingerbread man, pink fizz, bubbles, a dozen red roses, candles, glitter love hearts, cooked breakfasts, Sunday lounging, shared cooking, homemade spicy meatballs, baby grand, sticky toffee pudding, early night, cups of tea and lots of kisses.

Weekend of constrasts

What is with our weather? We have had almost two seasons in one weekend.

On Saturday morning I woke to sunshine and heat and what an August day should feel like. I took my tea and toast into the garden and sat relishing in the warmth and the sunshine. I looked up into the bright blue sky and witnessed the migration of hundreds of fairies. As I felt the gentle warm breeze on my face I strained my eyes to the top of the sky seeing more and more delicate wishes taking a journey, some flying higher and faster than others. I thought of the many dreams and wishes that would be made following a successful capture of a fairy, children wishing for new toys, for someone to be their best friend or perhaps that their first day of school wouldn't be too scary. I then thought of the grown ups who still catch fairies and believe in making wishes, grown ups like me, who wish for love, friendship, happiness and solutions. As I walked down the garden I rescued fairies who had been caught in the long grass and spiders webs, I thought by giving flight to the fairies again, I would be helping to make wishes come true.

If only I had kept one for myself and wished for a repeat of the weather for today.

Today, I had my first fishing experience which took place in the rain. Martyn and I were up early where the sun gave hint to burning away the early morning haze, but as we arrived at Teddington Lock, the mist moved slowly in creating a calmness to the morning. The air was so still, the Thames so quiet until thunder rumbled through the sky and the rain began. I sat huddled under a large umbrella watching the intricate setup for the day ahead. There is something very soothing about being out in the rain (when you are warm and dry!) I watched the droplets create music on the river, the tempo changing every few minutes with the odd clap of thunder providing a bass. I felt at peace as I watched and listened, feeling proud of the catch of the day - a 4lb perch (apparently it was a fine specimen of a fish!)

I didn't actually do any fishing, I hadn't actually been prepared in dressing for the rain so I stayed on my little seat in the dry and watched the multicoloured maggots escaping from their pots (they were coloured in a similar way to pilau rice) some had made a dash for the moss covered steps where with a valiant persistence they climbed the step, well, as high as they could until they fell off. I watched for around 10 minutes, transfixed on whether any of them would make it. None of them did, but the pink ones reached the highest.