Halloween 2020 Hunters Moon

Our new regulations as they stand today..

Yes we are in the yellow sector..

And here in the UK emergency talks later with regards to a full on lockdown, again.

Feels like the end of the world as we knew it, brings all the distopian ideas, films, books.. into a reality none of us could ever have envisioned.

And I just want to get home.

Don't want to be here feeling like this, it's worse being away from home at times like this.

Bit of a nothing Blog.. but needed to share how I feel.. 

And I'm not alone in this, I know.. I mean about these times we're all in together.. not my Blog!

Was ending here.. but it's Halloween, and a full moon today, Hunters Moon..

The moon photograph above is probably the best photo of the moon I have ever taken, taken December 3rd 2017 from my brother's home in California...

This purloined piece of art.. just because I've always liked it.. 

I jokingly told the lady I am supporting I would be out tonight on my broomstick.. she said not to leave her at home, so I said I'd hitch on my sidecar to my broom.. and we can fly like that! 

We had this conversation yesterday, and today she brought it up again, so tonight we shall fly towards the moon a while, me on my broomstick, her on her sidecar.. 

Wish I could pen this picture in my mind to paper.. what a sight!

Happy Halloween peoples across the world.. 

TTFN

Marian

Searching for other things the other day.. just thought I'd remember back in March this near and happy days in NYC.

The Vessel..

Me in Central Park, Strawberry Fields area.. John Lennon's apartment beyond me..

Just abstract colors above.. taken from my aunt's house..

This amazing old store between the high rises..

And home in February before.. deep cloud cover.. 

A huge area of Andalucia went into lockdown as of midnight last night.. Jaen, Seville, Granada, Cordoba, Cadiz, Jerez, many of the smaller towns and villages encompassed in these areas..  

Not sure why not Málaga.. it's like we're being kept out.. locked out.. not locked in.. although of course we can't get into these areas..

Maybe they want us to thin out and reclaim the beaches!!

Very strange..

This morning my alarm woke me for the first time in five weeks here in the UK..

Sounds good eh! But really probably because I was awake for a good or not so good.. three hours or so in the night..

You know, the thoughts start up, I am worried sick about moving around here in the UK, and even worse the worry again, of not being able to get home.. 

It's awful, just want this to pass.. like we all do. It'll be here next year, maybe the next? 

Children whose first years only have this? And people whose last.. what a world.

Then that set me to thinking about a lady I supported a few years ago now.. 

About how she said I was her keeper of her memories..

Until we came to support her she had not lived with anyone since her parents passing.. her fiancé having died in WW 2.. and I was her first live-in support..

So over time, I learnt and remembered her life.. 

A sick cousin whose sheep Norman, would bang on the farm door, come in and go upstairs, onto her bed, shifting her dogs off .. and lay there with her.. almost like he knew she was ill.

A day in Aldershot when the King and his young daughter, princess Elizabeth.. were being shown the hospital there, and the lady's father being the most important person there normally and his young daughter with her dog.. the young Princess noticed the childs corgi and commented on it to her father the King.

The memory of her fiancé dying and how she learned of his death; all her recent letters to him, returned unopened and left on the mantel of the Hotel the Pumphouse  in Llandrindod, being used as a war hospital.. the matron hadn't even bothered to tell her they were there, or why.

How she went into London, lost and broken hearted and visited an art gallery.. she saw a painting, a Stubs.. Whistlejacket.. and somehow she gained a strength, found in herself a reason to go on, to carry on living even though she felt her life too had ended.

How, in the hospital, a cousin, a different one, was asked to clean all the men's false teeth.. (the men were very young and dying of their wounds and missing limbs.. so many false teeth?) She gathered them all up and washed them all in a bucket! Matron was like.. " whose teeth are whose?? Stupid girl." Needless to say the cousin left shortly afterwards. 

Of how also in the hospital.. these young men, always teasing and wanting kisses.. not been near a female while fighting, and probably would never live to have a girl again.. 

Wounds these days that can be healed, or prosthetics to bring a full life back to injuries, which in the past would have lead to only death.

She told of being in church where a minister, very ungodlike, told her she could not join the mother's union as she had no child, or ever would, because her young man had died.

I have since checked, well, then and there, actually.. no one is not allowed to join now, male female any age race creed or color.

I remember for her, the awful day of Aberfan when 116 children and 28 adults died, a colliery tip buried and killed them, and she amongst others went to help, to save, to dig, to give grace and support to those who they could, and those they couldn't.

And above all that she was born in Nepal in the town of Nainital, her first sight each morning the Himalayas from her bedroom window.

Her and her brother being cared for by an ayah.. It was the time of the British Raj.. 

The now famous artists she met; a writer called Bruce Chatwin. I'd never heard of him but his info is well worth reading.. I think she held a candle to him, as the old phrase goes.

And he knew Gerald Brennan.. who of course, those of us in Alhaurín El Grande.. know of, and many other people too I'm sure.

So many memories, so much history.. I'm sure if I live long enough to start to forget.. it's her memories I will remember by mistake.. and that will confuse people! For sure! 

TTFN

Marian

 Sometimes life has more color..

Just saying..

Today I'm on my way north, Tony and family dropped me of at Watford Junction.

On my first train now and headed for Coventry, a high level/tier/stage!! Area.. And where I saw the man with the crisp packet back in the vending machine incident.. Ugh!! 

I've had a great two weeks, enjoyed every moment with my newest grandbaby, she always is so happy to see me.. Maybe she's just so 'oh Nana! The hair! Your the face!' Whatever, so beautiful to see her beautiful face shining into my eyes..

Passed through Berkhamsted! Wonderful.. but so fast..

Didn't do much, of course, walked most days.. Ate well, thank you very much.. And stayed safe.

Now feeling the stress again, three trains, and then an Airbnb.

So many areas going into stage 3, in Spain areas doing similar things.

I wanted to see Barry and his family, but looks like I can't, not allowed to travel into areas and stay, and work against any travel into restricted areas if I'm not working. Fingers crossed things change, and I'll hope for the best.

Have to complain now, here again.. People wearing splatter guards in this train without a mask! Hello!! Won't work without a mask! Only keeps splatter from getting into eyes and off faces.. Not infection coming from you, or getting to you!

And passing trains, can see people who have pulled their masks down or off..

I'm wearing mine to keep you safe, I would like the same respect.

This won't go away without everyone being vigilant, well, and a vaccine of course.

As soon as I boarded and we were off I started to get a tickle.. I know the masks make breathing difficult, moist air, out and back in.. But please..

Do we want this to be a way of life, or a time we did good, we fought through it together.. And..

And here I have deleted  huge portion of me complaining about someone on the train..

Lols okay Calmed down now, but because I left the train and in less than two minutes I boarded another, off that one already and sat on a sunny station platform in sunny Leamington Spa!

Thankfully only in Coventry for two minutes! Wow! I just got the first one away! Maybe not the correct train? But ticket says any train.. 

Anyway, here now.. Awaiting third and final train of the journey. stomach rumbling like crazy!

Been used to a lovely lunch served up for me..

Just got into the Airbnb before the torrential rain! These photographs are the wrong way around.. but not matter.

I got out between storms to get snacks, and again later to collect a Chinese takeout.

And now, here I am at work, serving up the food for my client..

All good, a return placement for me, and a bit like a coming home feel to this pretty village and part of the world.. and safe..

Like I wrote the other day on fb, saying feeling safe, or in a safe area, is not something the majority of us, would have ever thought we'd say.

Posting now!

TTFN

Marian

Bit tired should I do that E&OE?

I'm with my youngest son and his family now, since Friday evening, I am out of quarentine! Yeahhhhh!

He came to get me, it was a long drive, and twice the distance for him... 

We came through our old area, Aylesbury.. passing where we used to live.. it's changed a little.

Been out for a couple of walks, I'm wearing my mask mostly, always on to pass people, it feels very strange not wearing one here from door to door, so feels more natural already just wearing it..

I ordered a frame which fits under my mask and makes it so much better to wear, it keeps the material away from my nose and mouth so breathing is so much easier, I found it very hard going especially in the heat.

I am kind of worrying now, already about getting home, all this time here, and only half of it for work, I mean the work is good, I need to work, but I am worrying about flights back home. My flight has already been set back a day by Ryanair. 

It's so lovely being here though! Seeing my newest grandbaby, absolutely wonderful, her beautiful happy face.. seeing eachother for the first time not through a videocall! Makes me so happy... 

She watches my every move, and I hers..

And their dog has taken to sleeping with me! Even escorting me to the bathroom! Lols, and in the lounge, sitting on my lap when he can!

TTFN

Marian

 

I finished watching the movie I spoke of yesterday... 

I'm glad I persevered, it wasn't how or what I expected at the end and and there was some random dancing, which freaked me out now and again.

But, the last third of the movie for me was the best.. It is split into three parts really, the drive to his parents house, at the house, and the drive back to town.

It's what they spoke about; sometimes we hear things when we need to hear them, for instance I listened to a YouTube video and in the feed was this amazing poem.

Do Not Love Half Lovers by Khalil Gibran 

Which I had never heard of, but so glad I have.

And to follow up on 24 hrs of 'things we're meant to know, cropping up at the time we need to!'

I have just watched the new Pixar movie.. Onward..

So that brought tears to my eyes.. Its a wonderful movie, absolutely.

These above photographs; unusual fruits were on the ground at the botanical gardens in Gibraltar.. Osage oranges.. which I have never seen before or even heard of! 

My last full day here.. 

And off to son's tomorrow.. 

TTFN

Marian

I forgot to post these photographs of the Osage orange.. 

I hadn't heard of these or seen anything like them before..

Time is passing by.. cabin fever big time! I know during the limits set during general lockdown, I was either with family or in work.. and it was strange days enough indeed..

But this is way more difficult, way more weird! Yes I've walked around the garden and land.. including the private driveway.. and pathways.. and that's been considerably fantastic! But not in the rain.. thankfully not too many of those days!

Two and half days left.. am I counting down? Lols er.. yes!! 

Am I losing my mind! Lols maybe!

No WiFi.. So even more arhhhhhhh! 

Eating lots of wrong foods.. and sleeping badly! The weirdest dreams.. 

Started watching a strange movie today.. It's a 2020 movie I'm Thinking of Ending Things.. it has a couple of people I know in it, Toni Collette and David Thewlis.

It's very complex, I have an hour left to watch.. it's very well acted.. but, yes, very complex is all I'm saying.

And I'm interested in seeing it's conclusion.

Lols Sorry, sounds very mysterious, but I don't want to give anything away..

TTFN

Marian

A memory that came up on Facebook today, photographs I took passing by Benidorm today a year ago.. prompted me to continue here...

2020 has brought so many changes.. Some enforced which have brought so much to us we would never have known.. So, already I am thankful..

Isolation has actually brought people into my life I would never have met.. 

And not temporarily friends, I truly feel lifelong friends.. 

Despite my days where I get down.. I know too I am so lucky in so many ways.. 

Really wish I could post some of the field photography I've taken here..

The parrot above was in the street, down outside Bar Cruz a couple of weeks ago.

Untethered.. I think some of his feathers had been cut.. he was with three men, just hanging out and enjoying the evening.. he was watching all the birds walk by! 🤦🏻‍♀️

Lols see if that emoji shows up!

Well, today the sun is most definitely shining and my spirits raised.. I don't suffer from SAD but being here where I am is making it very difficult if the weather is bad.. 

I have chocolate, coffee and sunshine!

Another day gone, and soon we with family.

TTFN

Marian