Gracious Gifts of Julia Grace
November 30, 2023 1 CommentMain photo by CB 22nd November 2023 Julia was named Julia because… well… a bit of a long story, really, but the shortened version is that I had wanted to name her either Allegra or Olivia (if she was to be a girl)… And after she was born, whether at 5 am, or into the […]
Read MoreHallowe’en Musings
November 30, 2023 No CommentsImage by Freestocks on Unsplash 31 October 2023 I didn’t know it was Hallowe’en (*) – hadn’t remembered it was Hallowe’en, at least – until I typed in today’s date. But Hallowe’en it is. I should perhaps think of letting my pet sitters back at home know that there will be a stream of kiddies […]
Read MoreMike and Medjool Fusion Holiday
November 30, 2023 2 CommentsAll photos my own – taken in Catania, Sicily, today (or else, as indicated, back in 1992) 7th October 2023 I am in Sicily. Alone not alone. Alone in that I have come away unaccompanied. Not alone in that there are the island’s usual residents, plus more than a handful of tourists. Last time I […]
Read MoreA Non-Ordinary Friday
November 30, 2023 3 CommentsPhoto by Jr Korpa on Unsplash 16th September 2023 In early January 2023, I had dinner with a couple of friends from my “end of life” circle. At that dinner, as well as bravely avoiding all contact with alcohol (dry January and all), I fell with delightful curiosity and intrigue into at least two, new-to-me, […]
Read MoreSo – I Didn’t See Any Swans
November 30, 2023 No CommentsMain image by Dype Official on Unsplash. All other photos my own 10th September 2023 Race Event day + one. My lower back is achy. I can feel my tight thigh muscles, and know they will be all the tighter tomorrow, event day + two. But otherwise, all good. Better than good. I feel enthused, […]
Read MoreMy Biggest Little Trail Run
November 30, 2023 No CommentsPhotos my own, taken today 8th September 2023 Fellow Griefling, poet Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer, whose daily poems keep me both grounded with the earth and connected to the stars through her exquisite words, sometimes introduces her poems with a line like, “short big poem” or “very short poem” or even, “very very short poem”. I […]
Read MoreComing to the Here and Now – Right Now
November 30, 2023 2 CommentsImage by Jon Tyson on Unsplash 5 September 2023 I am feeling jittery and distracted. It’s not wholly uncommon, of course, but I seem to be lacking focus more than is usual. Part of it, I realise, is that I don’t have enough structure in my days at the moment. A lot of the time […]
Read MoreWhen answering with the same words is not an option…
November 30, 2023 No Comments21 August 2023 All photos my own. Main photo: Ring of Brodgar, Mainland Orkney Medjool and I have been continuing our lovely holiday and are now exploring the Orkneys. (I understand that, while one should not say, “the Shetlands”, one can say “the Orkneys”. But perhaps I should check. (I just did… it pisses some […]
Read More“Everyone has a story for how they end up here”
November 30, 2023 No Comments15 August 2023 Photos my own For the past ten or so days, Medjool and I have been on holiday in Shetland. Note One: Despite there being approximately 100 islands in the archipelago, I quickly learned to refer to where we were as just “Shetland” – not “The Shetlands” or “The Shetland Islands”. Whether we […]
Read MoreSixty. Unimaginably Sixty.
November 30, 2023 1 CommentImage by Nick Fewings on Unsplash 28 July 2023 Yesterday, 27th July, Mike would have been 60. His birth date – 27 07 1963. My birth date – 27 03 1967. Same digits. Just turned around in a couple of places. I love number patterns, and I always loved that our birth dates had the […]
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