Sadness

I've just said goodbye to a friend of mine, who left too soon before her time. She was warm, kind, friendly and fun to be around, she worked very hard, was generous with her time to all who needed it, had a determined streak, a deeply spiritual side and as we grew up together filled my life with laughter. She had a bright disposition, sparkling eyes and was brilliant to have on your side in an argument! She was loyal, honest and amusing. We found pleasure in silly things, we shared a love of history, reading, sharing novels, knitting and so much more. I shall miss her more than I can say but I am so thankful to have known her and grateful to have shared time with her. The world will be a greyer place without her, but despite the sadness I carry in my heart there is so much joy and pleasure in remembering her. I will always be calling her to mind when I laugh and I know that is exactly how she would wish me to remember her, always young, full of fun, a dependable friend who loved laughing.

It is June isn't it?

I just checked and it is still June, which in this hemisphere means we should be thinking about summer. Yesterday, they issued a proclamation, parts of Britain are officially in a drought. So it poured down here, thunder, lightning, hail stones and the mountain I live on was so covered in the white stuff it even drifted! So I ask again it is still June? Chap told me this morning a hail storm on the beach in Swansea caused it to all go white temporarily! How much closer to sea level can you get than a beach? This is crazy what is going on? Please tell me after such a long dry spell we're not going to go back to ridiculous weather again. 

How British can I get? the world economy is in crisis, people have been made homeless by earthquakes, volcanoes are erupting, half of the world seems to be under some form of cruel dictatorship and a whole lot of the rest are rebelling against it and here I am talking about the weather. All I need to do now is go out and join a queue.

I rest my case.

Not being lazy

I am not being lazy, honestly. I know I haven't written much on my blog but it's been very busy. I spent a lot of time preparing stuff for a presentation doing the research and what have you and then going and giving it! Had to figure out how to use the new sat nav in order to get there as part of this performance. See, one thing after another. Modern technology just moves on apace, just when I got used to the last one (before it went wrong that is) so now nothing is the same and even that comforting voice telling me to 'turn around at your earliest convenience' is different - this one sounds everso slightly unhinged! No, perhaps it's just me surely the sat nav can't be making comments about my driving can it? Typical everyone's a critic these days.

I've still managed to mow the lawns, do all my usual chores and keep walking and swimming. I'm sticking to my diet but sadly the superfluous flab still appears to be sticking to me too! Oh well at least something likes me and wants to hang around. Actually reading that back the 'hanging around' was perhaps a somewhat unfortunate choice of words! All far too apt.

At least with the spate of showers we've had recently all the greenery is looking more refreshed and energised. It gives the animals something to eat and lays the dust. Mind you it's the devil if you've got washing out on the line drying! I can un-peg socks like a machine gun going off now I've had so much practice and all because I'm trying to be greener to match the environment round these parts! This is going to have to be my lucky colour of the week.

I've even managed to compose some more of my first draft novel and thankfully the creative juices still seem to be flowing. For the time being at least, before I have to start re-decorating the house and so on.
So, I am NOT being lazy, honestly.

Swimming and walking

I have to say I love swimming, I'm not sure I have a particularly good style but it gets me from one end of the pool to the other! I can recommend it as an exercise regime and I'm not particularly sporty! I regularly swim 1800m which is just over a mile and I try to do this twice a week if I can. It's a low impact exercise and doesn't make all my joints complain. Years of digging on archaeological excavations can make the joints - particularly the knees I have found - ready to complain about ill-treatment. Also I'm really not built to be a jogger...I'd soon have a pair of black eyes if you catch my drift. I don't look or feel good jogging. So when I'm not swimming I walk. This works, it clears the head when I've been hunched over a computer, it opens up the airways and there are often people to chat to en route. Try it out. It might surprise you!