In the planning and memory making business…..

Life sometimes seems like it’s got two sides ‘feeling entirely blessed’ and ‘first world problems’. Not a bad place to be if you can get the balance right.

What am I talking about you may think my invisible reader (if you exist). As I am convinced only those who are with me on any of these memories ever read this ( and then only if forced), they do it mostly to check that I didn’t include anything cringe worthy in our episodes. Plus those fellow bloggers who are growing their audiences (although I don’t think they read it, just automatically like to increase their return followers – now don’t shoot me bloggers I think that’s entirely fine, it’s just my memory blog and I am definitely a novice blogger).

But as usual I digress, back to the life thingy.

For context I am sitting on this sunny (unusual for up North) Sunday morning thinking, after everything that is (C-19) these days, you have to stop and reflect on what you have today rather than what you expect out of life.

Each year I hope I am growing in my understanding of me, which is based on experience (good & bad) and self reflection. For instance I know how much I enjoy planning even if the event or task never happens. Also the reliving moments/memories (as I do here on the novice blog) is almost as important as the event itself.

While some of my life tribe are more reserved about being on camera, (they know who they are. – not that they read this blog) others don’t take much interest and just go with it. After all what would the memories be without them and I love them for it.

Afternoon get together….

At this point I find that the ‘feeling blessed’ is sitting in our ‘she shed’ Sunday morning with ‘Girl Cat’ and Hound’ snoozing. I am organising the days and weeks ahead, looking over the recent weeks photos, contemplating how blessed. At this moment I am watching a Whats App conversation with some of the Thursday Girls talking excitedly about our lovely lady JZ who will be marrying her beloved fella next week.

Unfortunately I will not be there as I am going away but love that life is joyful among the mess. Lady JZ is inspirational to me, the way she sees life. Demonstrating it through her wisdom, humour, love and view of life she is truly a blessing to the world. Lady JZ never had relationships she had/has love affairs. Next week she marries her true love affair Lord L and I will be praying for special memories on the day and their life ahead.

Coy and beautiful lady, social distance memory

Some of the Thursday Girls Club hat display at the garden Hen Doo

Before my invisible reader thinks my life is untroubled, they should be aware, there are always valleys /troubles in everyone’s worlds and they do eat away my happy thoughts (when I let them – a moment by moment battle some days). My Work, my family that is affected abroad and at home by Lockdown all means we are waiting for answers to prayers, who isn’t?

Jason Mraz says it like this…..have a look and importantly listen to this song.

So while my troubles are difficult they could be called ‘first world problems’ or so Number Two Son explained to me.

Funny when stuff happens to others perspectives are easy to see, but when it’s our own, troubles seem insurmountable, unless that is, you can balance them with your blessings and right side thinking.

So I am counting my blessings today using my grateful list compiled below of today …. (Not everything but you get the gist)

@Memories from recent weeks

@Booking a van trip with Lady D to explore the Cotswold

@Getting to say goodbye yesterday, at a garden gathering to two of the loviest people my Pastor and his wife, off on a new venture of their own

.

Forever grateful to P & W for their support during some very sad times. God Bless them both.

@Organised a possible project in the house….. (well maybe)

@Had Lord S call on for his lunch and test out a leisure battery on the van in readiness for our up and coming trip.

@being Relaxed in the She Shed, with the house team.

@And to finish off the day I will be going back to church tonight to welcome our new Pastor and his wife.

As I reflect that ‘life goes on’ no matter what, and that blessed are those who have hope for tomorrow and live in the gifts of today. I have got to say I am trying my best.

Sometimes you got just remind yourself of what is important. Pity I can be a bad student some days.

Thanks to Pinterest.

LIFE is a Journey, Enjoy it…….

Our days on earth are like grass; like wildflowers, we bloom and die. Psalm 103:15 (NLT Bible)

About 15yrs ago when I looked at my life (which for most part was blessed ) I didn’t like where I was in relationship to few things. So I changed what I could, not always painlessly and not without a few hurts I wished I could have avoided, but I made the changes. I would have liked to say after that my life was a breeze. I would like to say that but it wasn’t, in fact in some key ways it was a nightmare. But and here’s the the big BUT, situations didn’t last forever. As situations changed and got better, even if something’s got a little worse, in the end I had to admit my life remained good. Good being a way in which I looked at it and was grateful.

It has taken me years to understand that just like God looked at all He made (the world including the light) and saw ‘it was good’ (Genesis) I needed to see the value in each day and enjoy it. Psalm 103 says life is short so enjoy it! Whether you are a person of faith or not I don’t think anyone would argue that one. (Don’t worry I am not going all religious on you, but it’s there in black and white).

After a few comments this week about how I am always enjoying life, and being a pathetic woman I started to feel guilty as if I am doing something wrong. Now in the clear light of day I know I need no justification for loving life, but I needed to remind myself why I say yes more than no, record the days and events of the good things (as there are not so good things) and Why I hold the good ones up and be grateful.

Its because ‘this little blade of grass’ is going to enjoy everyday come sun, rain or shine and feel good about it. I know I am blessed. I am not heartless I the see the burdens people carry, who may or may not complain, I see others with crazy lovely lives who may or may not complain. But I know LIFE is that one Journey we get to take only once and yes I intend to enjoy it as much as any human can No Apologies and with much gratitude!…… Sorry about photo I just thought I should remind myself that I am no air guitar player – note to self do not try it again and be grateful I own the copywrite! .

Lorca shaken not stirred…..

“I always knew looking back on the tears would make me laugh, but I never knew looking back on the laughs would make me cry.”
– Unknown

Our last full day with Brother and Good Lady Wife was to be a local journey, spending the morning in the local town of Lorca which has recovered really well since the earthquake, just over a year ago. Brother had been there at the time in his village but apart from a little tremble didn’t really notice it, while Lorca took quite a bit in damage and people died, so quite serious.

A visit tends to be the same thing, a wander around local shops which seems like its is mostly shoe shops (or so I think – not being a good shopper) and a hell of a lot of banks. Either they grow money here or they just like banks. Today we visited the local market where the fruit and veg look like they are mutants, huge and odd shaped but very fresh. NYB P loved it while NYB F struggled, holding himself back from heading directly to the little coffee shop and opting for a early beer. But he managed to wait till we had at least done one circuit before settling down to his first beer.

Going anywhere with NYBs and Brother tends to be the same, wander for 30 minutes, then enter a little taverna/coffee shop for a beer/coffee (I am resident driver this holiday it seems, so only non alcoholic for me!). All the while the four of them are sharing stories, while I tend to amuse myself by photographing anything that’s looks interesting.

Brother has never stopped talking since we got here and Good Lady Wife is fearful he will get a sore throat from the onslaught his vocal cords have taken this week. I suppose living in a foreign country means you miss the easy conversation with your fellow Brits. Or put it another way Brother is a professional, it’s in our genes and no stopping us. He and Good Lady Wife are such a committed couple, accepting each other for who they are, they are normal, but where other people tend to niggle about each other they seem to accept each other no matter what. Both of them want the other one to be happy, even at the expense of themselves , and neither of them could ever accept a life apart. This seems such a rare thing today, but you can’t help hoping that although rare, it is still a possibility with the right people, who are willing to be accepting and have the ability to love the other person more than themselves.

I always like to go looking at the rich houses of Lorca, its a pretty walk through a tree lined avenue. I like to imagine the Lorcan people who live there, wondering what do they do for a living, do they have a big family born from Spanish royalty, I will never know but maybe one day will get inside one of those houses. This little gated estate tucked just behind Lorca High Street is a treat to visit, and can be easily missed if you don’t know it’s there. I love a little tapas pavilion tucked right in the middle which reminds me of our pavilion in the local park at home (it bares no resemblance but it still reminds me), sadly today it was shut when we arrived, but never its not a fail, as we find another tapas bar at the end of the avenue, here Brother tries yet again to get us chips/fries returning instead with plain crisps (failed again), he really needs to learn Spanish better!!

Spending our last night in the village, partaking of Pepe’s large measures, I go looking for the sunset again across the Campo (a large open space behind the village, where you can see across to the mountains). I love doing this alone, the village is quiet, friendly villagers say Buenos Nachos as I walk past not caring that I am obviously a stranger (more strange than most, some would say), taking photos of stray cats and dogs as I walk by. Sunsets never fail to get to me, they seem to say “you have had your day, be grateful for it, it was made just for you. Never forget the beauty each day offers, it was meant to be enjoyed so hope you made the most of it as its never going to be repeated exactly the same. But remember as this sun disappears, if you need to make amends on what you didn’t or did do today, remember to pray to God, thank Him for today and ask Him for another day to put things right, and if thats not to be, pray that those you spent the day with, were left knowing how much you loved them, after all that’s the point isn’t it?”

Getting back to one of Good Lady Wife’s delicious suppers (including real chips – diet next week), we talk about how lovely both of their houses are and thank them for making us so welcome . Being in their company is relaxed and fun so much that you can’t feel sad at leaving and feeling very tempted to book to come back next month! Tomorrow we will hug and say goodbye and be grateful we have shared their dream, homes and company even if it’s only been for a short time and we always have the memories to take with us and the hope of another time in this little Lorcan retreat…….