Thursday 26 October 2017

Live In The Moment

While sitting here working at my computer my desktop background changed to a photo of my kitchen in Mallorca and I stopped and stared.

For five minutes or so I allowed myself to gaze at the photo and remember how the kitchen had been in a terrible state when we bought the house and how the blind was one of the first things we changed.  Next we changed the cupboards and rearranged the kitchen to allow for more cupboard space, our fridge freezer and an extra under the worktop freezer.



While pondering on this I also remembered how stressed out I had got with all the pressure of being the breadwinner, the organiser and everything else that went along with that move.  So much so that I forgot to live in the moment.  I didn't appreciate what I had around me and what I was experiencing.  My mind was too busy thinking about the next thing I had to do.

Now I realise just what I missed.

I missed enjoying the moment (even with all the stresses and strains) and now that moment has gone.  I missed enjoying our lovely Spanish home and now that has gone too.

Too busy to live in the now, too busy thinking and not enough time enjoying, too busy to remember how short life is and how we should enjoy the here and now for when we turn around it is gone and all that we had or have is for nothing.

Life is for experiencing and enjoying and I have always spent too much time worrying to appreciate that.

Hope I can remember that in the future.

Ok back to work now!

Friday 6 October 2017

Harvest Moon

It is a harvest moon tonight and autumn is well and truly here.

The sun is shining and the sky is blue but there is a nip in the air.  First thing in the morning there is a heavy dew on the grass and it won't be long before the frost will greet me as I walk my dog.

Living in the countryside I have noticed the berries on the trees and bushes and if the old tale is true then the amount of berries and the early onset of them should be telling me that it is going to be a cold winter!  Mind you I'm not a true country person and I'm probably reading it all totally wrong!

I certainly miss the Spanish autumn.  Well to be perfectly honest I should just say that I certainly miss Spain - full stop, in totality etc and now that I've been given a clear bill of health (for the next year anyway) I can start to think of the future again.

I haven't totally given up on Spain, I miss the sunshine, the people and the way of life, but you can't look back.  I've said it before and I will say it again.

"Glance back but look forwards"

Well nearly the weekend - have a lovely one everyone!

Friday 29 September 2017

Fighting Fit Again

Hi everyone.  It's been an age since I wrote a post and looking back over the last couple of posts I realise that I left out a lot of what has gone on!

But that doesn't matter and I surely don't want to bore everyone with the gory details.

However this week I had my 'over a year' hospital check up.  That made it the third check up since my op.  Well it seems my hard work at getting fitter has worked as I've been given the OK to now go onto yearly check ups.  I could dance around the room and when the Consultant examined me and said 'perfect' I felt like jumping for joy!

For the past year I had tried not to think too far into the future and in fact I was scared to even think of having a future but now my dreams have started to return.  I am fighting fit again 😜

Life can really be great at times.

Thursday 12 January 2017

Hello Again!

Firstly a belated Happy New Year and I welcome the New Year to a new me with short hair instead of long and optimism instead of pessimism.

2016 was a stressful year full of up and downs where all that I knew before was turned upside down and my outlook on life was given one hell of a shake up.  But with that came a strength and a realisation of what is important and what is not important.

So here I am over 2 stone lighter having shed the living in Spain weight with the help of Slimming World and a new haircut to give me the lift that I needed.

I did not realise how long it had been since my last post but maybe I needed that time to come to terms with all the events of the past few years.

So I am living in a beautiful village, with a lovely little house that is perfect for what I need.  I have finally finished registering locally for all the health bits like doctors and dentists, vet and have, of course, found a hairdressers within walking distance to where I live.

Freddy, my little dog, loves his walks around the village and has even started to get used to the occasional gunfire that we hear in the distance.

I have joined a local Slimming World group where I have found not just the incentive to lose that extra weight but new friends that have made me feel settled within this area.  I feel like I belong, it feels like home.

It took a while (and a visit to London) to realise that working remotely from home in the UK is preferable to commuting and I certainly don't miss the early rising and late returns!  Right now as I listen to the rain on my 'office' roof I am thankful that I don't have to trudge to the bus stop or station and sit in wet clothes for the next couple of hours (or more) as we battle our way home.

When going for a meeting in London just before Christmas I realised that work clothes no longer exist in my wardrobe and although I managed to pull something together for that day the thought of trying to find clothing for a whole week would have been impossible!  In fact a position became available and I was asked whether I wanted to stay as I am or to take on that position.  I thought for a moment or two and then said no thanks!

Yes it has taken a while....

But I realise that I am lucky.  I have everything I need right here, and I am grateful.  Grateful that I have been given a second chance.

So all I can say is thank you!