As I sit here in the departures lounge I feel a sense of strangeness ... My last journey to Spain in September, back from the states... A direct flight from New York... My last to Spain from England was back in August after our trip to Sheringham...

So flying to Málaga like this, is like returning to pre-life in Spain.

Back to 2001... Twenty four years ago.

It's just a visit, a holibobs visit... With a huge amount of wonderful lifelong friends there to see.. That is the difference, and a massive one.

Very mixed emotions, I miss everyone so much, but also worried how I'll feel when I see what I called my country, my home.

Thankful for being picked up by a good friend in the arrivals hall, a familiar face, and staying with the best friends a girl could ask for.

Yet, for some reason sat here feeling like tears are close.

East Midlands airport has changed a little, a reform, we came through the area that is designated normally for crew, and the new scanners etc will be ready by the summer.

Most of the stores are closed, probably a lot less flights coming through while they are doing this update, I came through at nearly one and were about ten people ahead of me only.

My bag went the other way too! Ha! So funny, all these years of travelling, especially for work, hardly ever did, in fact I can only recall once ever before.. no! Twice! Once leaving Bristol once Cardiff.. the later was a deodorant issue!! I think the other was an empty bottle in my bag! And now here, nothing needs taking out...and I was stopped for a bottle issue!  It seems the frizzease product was the issue and I said I can't not have that! He checked it! It was fine! Of course!

So, I need to preserve my battery, have my charger with me, good because the new seat charger isn't working!

See you from Spain next!

M.

Accept yourself, love yourself, and keep moving forward. If you want to fly, you have to give up what weighs you down.

Roy T. Bennett - 1939-2014 - Author

Funny the paths we take in life, although maybe funny isn't exactly the correct word.. We choose different paths, for different reasons; sometimes appearing to be the right path, only to find further down, actually it isn't the direction we thought, or even wanted to go, or just not what we thought...

Then, although we can't exactly go back, we have to open a gate along that path, and choose to leave it. Am laughing now, in my head (as I am on a very packed train, just loaded up in Birmingham New Street!), as I am imagining the path and gate and a blooming huge great field with many gates and pathways! But, actually that is it, isn't it!

I have just left, four hours ago already, a great two weeks with my sister-in-law, been absolutely wonderful, family visited, visited family, met up with old friends.. been out and about and every day has been a beautiful gift.

We visited, Swansea, had lunch in the market, where we used to visit every week, and likewise for Neath and Morfa, and The Range, was a two week walk through familiar home locations, even our old street in Briton Ferry.. So much more fitted in! Including the cinema! And Sunday lunches... Where we left stuffed, not unlike the turkey! 

We ate, a lot, so need to get my act together again now! Doctor has just now, this week, added a forth tablet to my list of medications! Nothing to do with food, exactly, but I should be careful of fats and sugars because of the gastritis, just forget now and then.. 

I've slept well, and warm in fleecy fluffy bed linens and wonderful pillows... Been absolutely wonderful...

Now! On my way back to Nottingham as I write, with a new found excitement lighting up my life. 

M.

The choices You Make Today Will Determine Where You'll Be Tomorrow

Dr. Adam C. Bandelli

Monday I had an appointment at the optician, I wanted to check out that weird ocular migraine I had before I left Spain...

Had enquired a few days ago, and just wanted advice, but they suggested an eye health check, so there I went yesterday morning! 

All good, thankfully, but told if I get more and more frequent to go to the doctor..

After the opticians I was back on the tram and off to a Highfields Park, just for a nice walk around in nature, as we're so many other people.

I had a doctor's appointment later so didn't want to be out too late, or too far away.

So, doctors! I have a few issues with my spine, and one of them is causing nerve pain, I have been coping with it, but especially after that awful sciatica last year, probability associated with same issue, I can't sleep because of the severe pain, okay, well okay maybe not, but during the day it's not so bad as at night some reason.

Found this just now, so makes sense..

'Pinched nerves-

Lying down can pinch nerves that are already compromised by health conditions'

He prescribed something for the nerve pain, I took it at bedtime and fell asleep normally, and although I woke up as usual all through the night, I wasn't woken up by the pain until about 4:30am, so that's a bonus! I guess? 

I felt awake and bouncy when I got up at 7:15! Now not so much, really, really tired.. I am thinking it will level out...

Last the pain didn't wake me until 2:45 this morning, feel so blah on these meds, mouth and head... Blah.

In the strange, perhaps strange way that I think, I think that not feeling the pain that the signals are telling my brain, means instead of waking up and turning to release the trapped nerves is worse.. because today I am in much worse pain doing everything else! Because laying down is keeping things trapped!

Do you see what I mean? Pain has a reason, it is telling us to do something.. So, for wrong or right, I'll take it one more time tonight, but if I'm still in pain during the night, and worse during the day, there is no point feeling drugged out all day added into the bargain for no benefits!

Also, a couple of other issues I left españa with... he will also get investigated now, so I was back to doctors this morning, bloods at the blood clinic in town tomorrow, and some scans later in the month! Whoop whoop! 

Yesterday I got a hot water bottle!! Bright pink furry cover with a place for hands!! Who knew?? 

M.

"Just one small positive thought in the morning can change your whole day.”

Dalai Lama

And my good intentions of Blogger better again has fallen by the way side!

These photographs I took in Ludlow last weekend..

Very pretty town, can't see it much here but the sun was shining.. 

Feeling like a tourists snapping away on my phone, now of Christmas it's so easy to delete people from the photographs I mean, of course!

It's the first time I've been here... But I'm sure my mom had visited..

Sounded so familiar... wonderful stores, luckily being a Sunday many were closed.. you're regular popular names on the high street, but also many independents, including antique and restoration stores, I wish the latter had been open, I would have walked in, and just breathed..

Especially if it smelt anything like my stepdad workshops...

These photographs above and below, same street taken from two sides..

There were many plaques on walls, explaining the history of previous occupations..

One made me stop sharp! It was an ancestor of a client of mine, when I was in healthcare! 

Felt very strange seeing his name there, like a circle completing.

Wished I'd been able to tell her..

I'm catching up now! 

I don't know what made me check back yesterday, I had walked into town via the arboretum here in Nottingham and couldn't see the sweet little dove I'd seen there previously.. So my journey into town was sad... I'd written about him here, and felt sad that he was alone there, lost his loving owner and probably a mate .. 

And now gone!! But, on the return walk past there he was!! I was so happy again!! Thankful he was there .. 

M.

The past is a place of reference, not a place of residence.

Roy T. Bennett - 1939-2014 - Author

From Southport towards Blackpool.. The snow topped hills in the background...

Found the Airbnb easily enough, free parking.. was clean and tidy, and small, but enough for one night only.. 

Blackpool Tower, tried to get better photographs, but it was windy and freezing!

Spent a while just in the shopping centre, then a drink in one Wetherspoon, and dinner in the next Wetherspoon long the prom!

These two photographs are Fleetwood..

I nearly got another tattoo here! Luckily, she was busy! 

Above Lytham St Annes.

Stopped here for a little look around the stores and to find a pier that was open! None at Blackpool were, and this one you couldn't get out the back bit on...

Maybe they're all closed out of season... 

Now I have two Blogs ready to post, thumbs getting tired, and battery going down... On the phone too!

Wish I could share the news of finding the family homes... I guess I can write something, somewhere on the Ancestry site... 

I suppose it's not having my mom to share the news with that leaves the empty space I have.. Don't think my son's are bothered, much, or even at all..

M.

Don't let yesterday take up too much of today

Will Rogers

So! Formby, do you remember, back in December 2014, I had a placement in Ormskirk and I realized that it was close to Formby, where my great grandparents had lived in their latter years, and died.. 

Looking back they had from time to time lived around there and in that area.. 

I didn't know what the house looked like, just the name, so had walked from top to bottom, a couple of times every week for three weeks, while I tried to find the house, by name... or connect with one of the places! Yes, yes, looking no doubt like someone who had bad intentions! It was cold then too, hood up and probably looking highly suspicious!

When I got home though, I found in my mom's things, some photographs taken there! 

So this time, armed with said photographs! It was a different story!

We found six houses down the street, styled exactly like my great grandparents home, because of certain features I have lessoned it down to three! 

Why? I don't know! To connect, somehow with my ancestors, my past.. 

One of the houses was being worked on, builders stopped and having a snack break in their van.. watching me, watching the house..

So I spoke with them, said what I was doing and why... So funny... I think they thought I was in the market to buy!

Now this house above, is in Southport, our next 'port' of call, because when I was looking at my ancestry stuff having coffee at the end of the street before the Miss Marple house spotting above! 

I found an address for my great grandmothers sisters home!

And that's where we went next! 

Look at that house! Humongous!! And of course as we approached and started wandering around the white van there drove up! Caught in the act! I told that man what I was doing and why... He said help myself! 

The house is several flats, and the structure looks so bad... So sad... Just looked awful .. but still, was good to find a house belonging to the family...

Southport, I just love this town, always feel very at home up in this area, and I guess, with all the history we have up here... It's no wonder...

The beautiful Lord Street Grand shopping centre..

Stunning old building 

Last time I was here though, there was an amazing labyrinth of antique shops somewhat down on the ground floor level.. Seems to have gone now..

M.

No matter what people tell you, words and ideas can change the world.

Robin Williams - 1951-2014 - Comedian-Actor

Nothing worse than playing catch-up! Especially when so much to catch up on!! 

Beautiful drawing above on one of those drawing pads; me in the middle, son and two babes on one side, son and daughter in-law and babe on the left... 

Sadly with those pads, it's a click and gone! 

Above, inside Nottingham railway station café, coffee and gloves... My mom's... Thermal... My mom still keeping me warm...

On my journey to Beautiful Bewdley..

Passing through Birmingham and the cathedral there, a nice walk from New Street station to Snow Hill.. Snow being the word! No snow and then day of travel, there it is! Of course!

Arrived a week ago! Already! 

Went to football on Monday evening, in Wolverhampton.. now that was cold .. but my hand warmers kept me warm, while I nibbled through a packet of Skittles! Not had those for many a year!

Tuesday morning began a journey up towards Blackpool, and on the M5 down came the snow! 

Heavy, mixed with hail, then sunshine! 

Beautiful rainbow for a while, but the roads were dangerous, at one point a driver on the outside lane realized the traffic ahead had stopped, he was going too fast and drove in front of us and the next car and drove onto the hard shoulder and slowed down there away from parked cars...

Luckily there was space to do so, or he would have taken us out! And not in a good way! 

If you can zoom in on the photo above on the left.. yes it's blurry as I was rushing to take the photograph.. but that car on the hard shoulder... It's facing the wrong way!! 

Lucky man must have just spun and ended up safely there... Nothing wrong with the car, but he looked stunned... As one would! 

So many cars all over the roads, smashed, or parked wrong!! Well, being parked of course on the M5 would be wrong, whatever! 

Anyways, the bad weather cleared, and actually made it through in one piece! So far!

Next stop! Formby!

I'll write now and post tomorrow!

M.

We all live under the same sky, but we don't all have the same horizon.

Konrad Adenauer - 1876-1967 - Former Chancellor of Germany

Ooops! Fail already! I didn't post my post! So will get this one posted and move on!

Above the Nottingham wheel coming down!

Stunningly beautiful day today, clear crystal blue skies above ..

This strange substance on the ground.. looked so pretty, appear to be ice crystals to match the sky! 

I walked then where the sun had touched and that wasn't so slippery!! Lols!

It does look pretty though all the frosting everywhere..

On the tram headed for town, lots of people back to work, so hoping it won't be so crowded! I really do not like crowds!! 

M.

The key to abundance is meeting limited circumstances with unlimited thoughts.

Marianne Williamson - Author-Speaker