Post Thanksgiving Ramblings

This was Austin this afternoon, as you can see, not forgetting Guy’s birthday, even though he is in the middle of the North Atlantic.  This warmed my heart no end, as you can imagine.  Firstly, that I can see his smile via the wonders of modern technology, and secondly that in the midst of his adventure he remembered Guy’s birthday.

I have always hankered to celebrate Thanksgiving.  As my friend, Louise, said on Facebook, it seems like such a worthwhile festival celebrating the best things in our lives.  Of course, other than the year I was in the US at the right time, there was no-one here of the same mindset until Guy’s return this year, so, finally,  I got to celebrate at home in what seems to be the traditional way.

Other than a distinct absence of pecans in Tenerife I found all the right ingredients for dinner, and my addiction to candied yams, sweet potato pie and pumpkin pie is now official.  I also did a broccoli casserole which was very “American” i.e. lots of cheese and crushed crackers on the top.  The whole, glorious meal was colesterol heaven, and absolutely wonderful!

Of course the day set me thinking of  things to be thankful for, which always brings on the warm fuzzies, doesn’t it.   Already in a pretty good mood since seeing the doctor the previous day (and seeing light at the end of the broken-wrist saga tunnel!) , I had a nostalgic stroll down memory lane and came up with some good stuff.

That Austin and Guy are who they are, however, far eclipsed all other memories.  As today is Guy’s birthday more memories surfaced.  On their birthdays I always kind of go back over the hours around their births…..total, overpowering happiness, but that they should go on to grow up to be the people they are today is the greatest pleasure of all.

 

 

 

 

The Gift of Time

It was one of those silly, clumsy moments when you wish the earth would open and swallow you up. I’d popped the stuff into the recycling bins. What I hadn’t noticed was the woman walking on the other side of the containers with her two dogs……but Trixy did. She bolted, I was taken by surprise, I managed to steady myself for a second, and then down I went to my great surprise. “Can that woman see my knickers?” I wondered as I collided with the dirty tarmac – or lack of it. I realized later that a small pothole had been the ultimate cause of my embarrassment, as my big toe began to swell.

Not to dwell on the boring bits – upshot is that for the last four weeks I have been sporting an ugly plaster on my left arm.

It’s itchy, it’s frustrating and it’s irritating on a dozen levels, but it has also been a learning curve.

The one thing we can never buy is time, so this has been a gift. The first couple of weeks, not fully understanding the extent of the injury or the time scale involved I just read and read and read. There is never, ever enough time for this.

Evidently much greater minds than mine have already mused on this:

“One glance at a book and you hear the voice of another person, perhaps someone dead for 1,000 years. To read is to voyage through time.” (Writer and Astronomer Carl Sagan)

I am still reading as if there is there is no tomorrow, but this gift has been to give me time to reflect on what has gone before, come to terms with some things which happened and with some which I now know will never be. Time has given me acceptance.

It has also given me time to pull together all those half-formed ideas and plans which have been rushing around my brain, and vying for attention with the more immediate needs and committments of my life. Time has given me clarity.

There has even been time to clear out the deadwood, all that stuff, both mental and physical,which weighs down our journey, and slows us down. The type of stuff which stops us from seeing the trees because the forrest is too thick. Time has given me a clearer road map.

Mostly time has given me the opportunity to explore new paths and abandoned roads. It has shown me new possibilities, given me hope and inspirations. Time has renewed my purpose and ignited enthusiasms, which had been buried under a rubble of mediocrity and ennui.

All this virtually without leaving my sofa, because the heat caused more discomfort! Who knows what awaits when one actually sets out on the journey again!