Ready to go

Well, I'm ready for the off, there is almost a sense of desperation the day before I go... It's as if I have to go everywhere that I love here before I leave again... Managed a hot chocolate at La Trocha in Coín, and lunch at Bar Cruz in Alhaurín... The sun has shone, its been about 20º, one beautiful day here in the land of dreams...



Case properly packed now, things were just sort of chucked in, the case looks empty, the case looks like when I get there I am going to say, "where the heck are the rest of my clothes, and what on earth shall I wear for a month!!"  But, so be it!  Less is more forsure!  Like today, we needed something, not seen it for months, but I found it quite easily because we just don't have much of anything anymore... There really was only so many places something lost could be!  Perfect!!

Getting back to today, the day before going is the hardest, its like losing it all again, but tomorrow, when I am on my way, I will feel better, because not only am I looking forward to being where I am going, every day brings home one step nearer again... I am lucky, I am blessed.... See you in Wales!

TTFN
Marian

DC - The Pocket

Drawing challenge this weekend is The Pocket...

Here is my pocket! Me too!
Our Spanish house keys hanging from within... We are going home...

And having now left the house in Wales we called home, we are in slow transit to Spain, we arrived in Cardiff late afternoon yesterday, after a whirlwind of a day, trip to dump, trip to doctors, trip to town and trip to railway station!! Thanks to good friends and family we made the final step... In our hotel room now, after being around the shops for six hours!! Heck!!! Walked each and every one of the many arcades...

So many lovely indepentant shops, bars and restaurants, my feet are sore though, I have walked about ten miles a day for the last week, with all the moving and cleaning and clearing...

Last night it did feel strange, sort of like we really should be getting back to Briton Ferry! And to Pippa!! Who, coincidentally, walked off down the path with the pet transport peeps without a backwards glance, I can only hope, she presumed we were behind her, until at the van she turned and saw we were not!

And now Pippa is making faster progress than us forsure; already in France, and probably comfy in pet friendly residence as I write!

I travelled across country to see Tony and Kate Saturday morning, Tony drove us to Bedford, not been there for donkeys years... We had a drink and then left! In the evening we went to a local eatery, having first course there, then ice cream from next door!

Oh yeah baby! I had blue bubblegum and blackcurrant combo! Yum yum!!! It was gorgeous and I am very glad I don't live nearby!

I should add I guess that I drove in a rental to see my boys... And therefore it was Sunday morning I then headed north on the M1 which was stuck like an old record?!? on 50mph for what seemed like most of the journey!

Spent a lovely day with them... Oh my beautiful greeneyed granddaughter... We went to a branch of Chiquitos... Not been there, well one of its like in Aylesbury since leaving to go to Spain last time!

I left them about 7pm and got back to the Ferry at nearly eleven... Long dark drive, the interior dash lights were too bright and cast a strange reflection on the drivers door window... The longer I drove the more mesmerising it became!!  Thing is the car needed to be back by 12:30 Monday, and I would have had to have left so early... Just seemed best thing to do... And used car for a trip to dump into the bargin!

Okay amigos... TTFN from Welsh Wales for the last time as a resident, in transit now...

See you on the flipside friends, time to travel once more, this chick gathers no moss!!

Marian

Barry South Wales

Yesterday was a beautiful sunny day, no work either... so I took myself off early to Ikea in Cardiff, so early the coffee shop wasn't yet open... so 'did' the top floor first... all the furniture sections, walking in and out of each scene, took photos for ideas, was really good... And, before going down to the extras section!  Stopped for coffee and cake... very yummy!!!!  And a bit of internet time :-/ using the Ikea internet of course, registered with my Ikea card! lol, not sure if it was my Spanish or English one, but it worked either way!  Forgot I had it in my purse buying the coffee, would it have made any difference?

After Ikea off I went to Barry, lived here in Wales now for three years and not yet been, back to Barry!  Last there in 1987, when the boys were 7 and 5, and mom and I took them to the Butlins or Pontins that was there then... nothing now, and that area is out of bounds!

But I parked easily enough in a two hour spot, and walked down onto the beach, beautiful beach it is too!  Looking back towards the restaurant they used on Gavin and Stacy, British comedy series...

I got sad there too of course, knowing that mom had been with me last time I was here, but going there because she had in the first place... I needed to be where mom has been right now, can't tomorrow... on the fifth year anniversary of her passing, working till four, but that's probably a good thing... I think?

Mom's never been here, where we are now, and Barry is the nearest place!  Although we're going to Windsor on Thursday... to finally sort some more of moms things... so that will be a very emotional day, been there so many times with mom, and now taking some of her things with us and will feel very final...

Back to yesterday!!!  Was windy there on the beach, wonderfully blustery... I picked up a couple of random sea shells and two white feathers that appeared before my eyes...

Then I phoned Tony and burst into tears!!  Well, it had to happen... much as it is now as I write, and tomorrow I will be a wreck... I haven't read back to my Blog of those last few days yet, but I know I will right after I post this, I might as well be hitting myself with a stick or banging my head against a wall right?  But I can't stop myself.

My shadow... my best beloved parker coat making me look more like a weeble from the 1970's!

Me and moms shadows in Paris....

TTFN
Marian

Received a gift a few weeks back, a great box of Scottie biscuits!  The tin, and the biscuits therein!  Only opened them last evening, didn't realise the buscuits were doggy shaped, how cute are they!!!
And now, of course, also I will have to keep the tin!!! Another 'keeper'... Was thinking yesterday I will have to get rid of my post card collection... why do I have them? why do I keep them? I never look through them after all...  Mmmmm strands of Christmas blues coming through.... I have been fighting them off, because this Christmas we have a baby due!  Barry and Heidi's baby girl!  I must get rid of my Christmas low once and for all this year, just hard, after so many years of feeling this strange loss of something at this time of the year...

....and here below, already in a store down the road a way... Cadbury's Creme Eggs already!! What the heck is going on, at least give us the travel adverts, the sales all over the place adverts... and then, second week into January let the mad crazy [Easter]Egg race begin!!

Couldn't believe it when I came across them!!  Had to snap up the Kodak moment to share!

In Cardiff last week I noticed a girl bending down to peer at a post in the street!  Unsure of her sanity or health!  I looked at where she had looked, in so doing giving the same impression to others of that I am in no doubt! And there... as you see below it said 'Look inside'.... so I did, I had to!  And no I didn't get a black rimmed eye, no trick involved... but a brilliant small still life....

There!  Ladders, people! Ha! Who would have though it eh... and more in the street, next time, more small life in posts, I will post here!

Did have a very yummy doughnut though, Krispy Kreme doughnuts no less... and just looking at this link... I see they deliver on line!! Are they joking!!! Okay, this will quieten down my Christmas gloom, or at least give me so many calories I won't be able to run from it, and thereby face it at last head on...

OMG a doughnut tower... that, of course I realise could not be for one person... however much an addict one could be of Krispy Kreme... although... I don't know, maybe give it a go eh!?!

TTFN
Marian

Doctor Who la segunda parte

More from Cardiff today.... [still actually same day as above, or is it below?] While I am flowing with words for a change!  Again apologies for bad phone camera images! Appalling would be a better word, and very unlike me! Above the Theatre...

Here the famous Senedd famously seen in our daily news shots from the BBC centre on the other side of the bay from here... That is for the next visit, the BBC studios!

This trio of statues on Mermaid Quay board-walk....  will find out who they are, and next time promise sunny photos too! Mmmmm promises promises... Still can't believe what a beautiful sunny day it was here in Briton Ferry and Neath!

Now why did I stop and take photos of someone's apartment terraces I here you ask? The Elvis statue caught my eye on passing.... and below another two on this side of their apartment!  These apartments looking at them here don't really look British do they! 

This area, Mermaid Quay [can I spell it the American way please, Key!!!] its Key!!! They look like keys, that is why they are called keys! Sorry, maybe I should have written this tomorrow, I was tired after all and getting crabby and argumentative now!

So.... Mermaid Key is a very beautiful area of Cardiff Bay, lots of wonderful shops, restaurants, bars, and an amazing Art Gallery I had to go in, would have been rude not to!

And finally a note from yesterday... Time and Relative Dimension in Space TARDIS, maybe that's why I got to see Peter Davidson again, I had gone into the TARDIS after all!

What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?
Vincent Van Gogh

TTFN
Marian

Doctor Who Experience Cardiff

Yes, Doctor Who Experience, will be going again, if for no other reason didn't take my camera!  Wasn't sure how much walking would have to do and worried it would be too heavy! Along with the rest of the stuff in my hand bag!  So next time will drive, easy parking there, and can combine with another trip to Ikea... oh dear never mind, think I can cope with that!!!

After buying tickets, we waited to go into the Experience part of the program, a walk through adventure with the Doctor, and it was great fun, I was lucky and got to help drive The Tardis, the Navigation control and got the action going!  Really great fun!  Myself and the woman next to me, might as well have been about 12 years old, we were like two giggly school girls!!  For me as soon as I asked for the tickets "One adult and one adult child please?" I had asked the man at the ticket desk!! He knew what I meant, and of course still had to pay for two actual adults!  Not going to give away too much about the walk through experience as don't want to spoil it for anyone, well worth the visit....

Apologies again for the poor quality photos... none of which taken during the first part of the tour, not allowed, photos or videos, for obvious reasons!

The Time Lords above....

We had some lunch at the above restaurant, on board a boat!  Or rather a Lightship.... as in not a lighthouse, but a lightship!

This one permanently harboured in Cardiff Bay, and run by volunteers... you can get in the light tower usually but not today!

We passed by the Senedd, The National Assembly, and the Wales Millennium Centre where we had a coffee first thing...

Never been to that part of Cardiff before, only the shopping centre, which is a shame now, to have missed so much!  And next time will get a tour bus to these places, its a long... long walk from the Train station, there is a station much nearer the Bay, a small train, the station looks like something from an old movie, run down, buddleia tree growing out of the chimney!!  No photos of that of course!

More photos tomorrow amigos..
Tired now!

Oh Oh.... what am I doing!!! I forgot the most important part of the day!!!  Just coming down from the shop at the Doctor Who experience.... yes yes, of course there is a shop, could have spent a fortune in there too! Watches! Clothes! Randomness of things, something for everyone!  I bought a poster, its a take on a favourite of mine by Vincent Van Gogh.... and so, poster in hand, down the stairs we went, and out into the main reception area where we came in and where the ticket desk is.... passing three men... I stopped in my tracks, everyone else carried on passing by, out the doors, over to the restaurant etc... Who had I seen?  I knew, and couldn't believe that no one else had noticed a Doctor in our presence!! An actual real Doctor Who!!! And one I had seen many, many years ago... Peter Davidson, I had last seen him, standing on the steps of the American Embassy in London, I was renewing my American passport, his then wife, Sandra Dickinson had been inside doing the same thing, I had said "hello" on passing him on the steps, unaware of who he was until Dave told me I had said hello to Doctor Who!!!  Well I knew I had known him hadn't I!!!

This time I went over to the ticket desk and said to the man there, "that was Peter Davidson wasn't it??" he told me it had been and I relayed the above story to him and said I had to wait to see if he would come back out and I was going to ask him for his autograph... he said that was fine, I did wait.... and was lucky as only for about ten or fifteen minutes and he came back past the desk, I stopped him!!! And asked for his autograph, I was like a silly young girl! All of a flutter!!! I even told him the above story, he laughed and said I should have asked for his autograph then too!  I asked him to sign my poster!  So very soon that will be framed and on the wall, my Doctor Who Van Gogh with a real Doctors signature on! Way to go!!!  I still can't believe no one else in there recognised him!  And they call themselves Doctor Who fans! So many people passed him by....

Ending with two quotes, the one I already had planned and another just the heck of it!

“Those who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night.”
― Edgar Allan Poe

Love many things, for therein lies the true strength
And whosoever loves much performs much
And can accomplish much
And what is done in love is done well
Vincent Van Gogh

TTFN
Marian

Wow, just had an email telling me I have won 2 million pounds!  I just won't know what to do with it!  Oh woops, sent it into my spam box, heck, well there you go!!!

Snow all over the place in the UK it seems, not here, yet, I've said this so many times today I am sure to bring it here tomorrow, when Cardiff is my choice of destination for the day!  The National Museum draws me there.... never visited that one before, so here's to it!

I am still practising my dress making skills...

A fluffy sweater and a wraparound denim skirt, not looking very good yet, I keep making clothes that are either too big or too small, although sadly, I must admit, I have made more clothes for Blythe than I ever made for my boys!!!  And her poor little bare feet, in winter too! 

At this time, like the last couple of years, I have been re-reading my Blog, from when my mom, when my mom.... well, the last few months of my mom... Now, I don't want to bring everyone down, so do not visit my diary here from that time, I just really wanted to read from now, but remember when I looked that from the date mom moved into the care home, February 9th, I didn't write again until the 22nd, then after her passing, as you know the Blog runs from earlier in the month up towards the most recent, so, reader beware!  Why have I even put this here? Who knows...  Its just the first day on this page on March 2010

I am back there now, this month and next... I checked out my moms google map page, like I did every day for nearly a year afterwards too, thank goodness I got out of that!

I got another email also this morning, from the British Museum in London, where mom and I went on our trip to London and Her Majesty's Theatre,  for The Phantom of the Opera! The opener from the museum was "Hello Muriel"... we had booked a special visit and I used mom's name to do so...

I must admit too, I am a little bit concerned with the Pope stepping down, first time this has happened in over 600 years!  I know I am not a practising Catholic, one could say, but when we were there and visited a church, I know I have mentioned this before, there were circles around the walls near the ceiling, the circles were filled with Pope's heads, names with dates of birth and death beneath.... when we were there there were I think 3 empty circles, and the guide told us, that when the last circle was filled the world would end???  Well this means, that whoever becomes the next Pope, will fill the final circle!!!

And finally, for today that is!  On a TV program here in the UK on Sunday evening, I thought as I watched, that looks like the corridor in my old school, Ashlyns, in Berkhamsted.... then later in the show, they drove up the driveway.... of my old school, my sons went there too!

Call the Midwife

Couldn't believe it! Check it out if you can view it, apologies for the childbirth bits, but it is called 'Call the Midwife'!!!

A Brief Matter

Life is
Short
But death
Takes
A heartbeat

Michael Ashby

TTFN
Marian