I love it all.......

My parcel arrived today - the one that was half expected. After all, none of us had to do this - we wanted to particpate for the pleasure of sending rather than receiving............. We are all participants in 'Alices swop'http://fancifulalice.blogspot.com/2010/01/swap-swap-swap.html and it certainly did for me just what Alice was hoping - it brought a smile and a lot of pleasure during this long cold winter.
Debbie had gone to a lot of trouble with each item and I loved it all. I especially loved all the trouble she had gone to in explaining her reasons for each item. My heart felt thanks go out to you xx

My parcel is on its way to Nova Scotia but it will do doubt take a bit longer to get there. I got great pleasure in choosing each item, I hope I have done Shelagh justice.

Thanks Alice, you and Debbie made my day!

Remind me again why I enjoyed London...........

During 2008 I worked on a six month contract in central London. I travelled from the island each Monday and back on Friday evening. It was mostly during the summer so I didn't have bad weather to contend with and most early mornings were made special by the pleasant walk along Ryde pier. I can honestly say, I really enjoyed that work time!
This week I made an overnight trip to London to go to the theatre will my niece. I know it's different as it's still winter but by lunchtime on the second day I couldn't get home fast enough......... If it wasnt for the fact I was meeting two good friends I would have been home a lot earlier. Not sure what has changed - is it me, or is it London?

Already have a further short trip booked later in February - will it be my last one for a while? Am I falling out of love with the big smoke? Time will tell.............

Journey to somewhere?

Nearly a year has passed since I first experimented with this blog and as well as learning alot, so much has changed. I am still in the fortunate position of not having to rush out to work all week but more than ever I feel that I am not doing enough with my time/life. I guess I have to be my own 'kick up the back****' no one else is going to do it for me :-)
I am succeeding with one of my resolutions: keeping a compost bucket, which here on the island is collected by the bin men. I have started looking at what we spend on food each week and we are now getting very little waste. My next resolution is not to buy any vegetables which come in plastic trays as part of the bigger aim to cut own on waste. I am being as frugal as possible with the water I use (bucket in the shower etc). The Isle of Wight has water meters so it does encourage you to be careful.

I still feel I need a bigger goal to work towards, but no sure what it should be.......... I am starting to investigate volunteer work but nothing yet has really caught my imagination.

I feel I am now taking my first steps but I guess I just have to decide where this journey is headed..............

So simple but just how I feel........

I found this on the Care2 website and it was so close to how I was feeling, I wanted it to be my first real post of the year:

20 New Year Resolutions:

 

•More Real Food, Less “Food-like Substances”

•More Fruit and Vegetables, Less Sugar, Wheat and Corn

•More Organic, Less Toxic

•More Chewing, Less Eating

•More Water, Less Soda

•More Recycling, Less Waste

•More Walking, Less Driving

•More Exercising, Less Watching TV

•More Outdoors, Less Indoors

•More Sleep, Less Worry

•More Calm, Less Chaos

•More Being, Less Doing

•More Consciousness, Less Ignorance

•More Smiles, Less Anger

•More Love, Less Hatred

•More Play, Less Serious

•More Letting Go, Less Holding On

•More Forgiving, Less Blaming

•More Generosity, Less Greed

•More Ubuntu, Less Me!

Ubuntu means what makes us human is the humanity we show each other. It is a Xhosa (South African) word and philosophy emphasizing community, sharing and generosity.

Goodbye 2009

I have needed to do this post for a while but just couldn't face it. I lost my mum in November following a short illness and am finding it really difficult. It has taken me till now to face being able to take references to her off my profile......

Goodbye 2009!

Green (ish) thoughts from the island............

I hate the slide into winter............ Its the lack of daylight that does it! I actually look forward to the shortest day, because at least the days are going to get longer after that.

I discovered this on my 'travels' around the Internet and was fascinated by the whole project. Hope the DVD becomes available at a future date. It got me thinking about making changes in your/my life and why we make our resolutions at new year. I think around now would be a better time to do it. At least it gives us something to work on and to look forward to.

So what resolutions should I make now? First and foremost has to be to turn my life 'a darker shade of green'. It sounds so simple but what does it really mean? There is so many ideas out there, how do you know which one to pursue and what will work for you?

More investigations needed I think!!

A stolen afternoon on the Canal du Midi

Still in France after nearly a month. There has been lots of jobs to do on the house but no viewings. Its now been on the market for a year but there is little in the way of buyers for the bigger houses. Seeing the Euro at 90 pence obviously doesn't help the situation either.

www.maisonsausoleil.com

Still while I am still here it seems a shame not to enjoy all it has to offer. Have just spent a pleasant afternoon with good friends sailing along the Canal Du Midi from Le Somail. A great way to spend a Saturday in September.

Heading home, next week via Paris. Looking forward to spending a few days in the City of Lights and meeting up with friends from around the globe. Jimmy Buffett is in Paris on the 26th September and if it is anything like last year, or the London concert every mile on the autoroute will have been worth it......

Fins Up !!

How did I ever find time to go to work...........

Its not that I don't think about updating this blog, its just that its always when I am least able to do it. It is more than two months and I don't remember where most of the time went!

Back on the island now after a month in France. I was glad to get home. Lovers of France will think I am mad but it got so hot that just going out to the supermarket became a full time job.

One of the reasons we returned home when we did was to witness a very important occasion! The first full Jimmy Buffett concert in London in his 40 years of performing and boy what a night!! Definately worth the long trip home. It was great to see everyone.

The island is currently busy with visitors and events. Sandown Carnival tonight - Cowes week starts on Saturday - why would you ever want to go abroad :-)

In two minds........

Starting to put everything together ready for the summer move to the French house. I spent little time there last year as I was working, so I am rather out of practice. My thoughts are split between looking forward to having some time to myself and worrying about being away from my mum. I realise she has no sense of time anymore but it doesn't stop me not wanting to leave her for too long.

Long time no blog............

It's true what they say - as you get older the time definitely does go by much quicker. It's hard to believe that its more than a month since I posted here. Much has been seen and experienced since then so it was not time wasted.

A short break in Tenerife, where I completed my first sea dive, thank you to Kerry at Atlantic Divers (http://www.atlantic-divers.com/). It has left me wanting to do a lot more.

A ten day stay in the Languedoc, where we cleaned up the house after the winter months. The great weather there was a bonus.

Back on the Isle of Wight now and making the best of the fine sunny weather which will no doubt disappear as quickly as it arrived but very welcome all the same.