Speeding train

Fast as memories flying through my mind.

Watching my life fly past, my childhood and children's childhood.. neighborhood

I see me, little Marian Bonelli, and then in the rec little Barry and little Tony.. 

Now both with young'uns themselves.

My line, under my house.. under the concrete platform I lay on over the tunnel to watch as the trains past beneath.

The grand Union Canal, weaving along beside the A41 and the Euston line.

Old man's beard heavy on the passing, me passing, hedgerows.. 

Lots of bright winterly berries too.. going to be a bad winter, too many old wives tales, but I guess they must have come from somewhere.

Roads I know, knew, all too well.. the old A41.. following it along from Hemel Hempstead, the road up to Bovingdon.. Bourne End.. 

Then behind the terraces coming into Berkhamsted, under Gravel Path.. then whoosh.. gone the park at the bottom of the road that leads to Tesco.. the old conker trees there.. I have some still, from there, of course I do! I hear ya!

Wanted to make use of the time to follow the words I've recently heard about all the information coming into our minds when travelling and it passes straight through and out.. doesn't cling..

And it's only past hurts grief's that act like a net to stop us or make happy things sad by clinging on..

So plan of watching absorbing and letting go the journey.. turned into a net..

Once out of Milton Keynes.. where our first stop is, now.. and in our parked up pause back there I've quickly penned this.

Now parked up at last station.

I've seen..

Field of Llamas 

Fields of sheep, and cattle

Field of seagulls!

Mistletoe!?! Nope not just now, or maybe! But I meant to say with a photograph the other day, the what appears to be greenery in those trees is mistletoe.  We've seen loads while out walking, last week I exclaimed, as I do, that's mistletoe! And passing workman heard and shouted to his mate, we should grab that!

Back to journey, now.

There has been fog so thick at times can't see to the ends of the passing fields.. oh hang on, they're not passing, I am..

Trees of my step dads.. his type of tree, old and gnarled.. 

Fields burned after harvest.. felt for a moment I could smell the burnt wheat but just nose memory... Another few hectares with giant signs reading.. Growing for Wheetabix!

Pulling into Rugby.. and out again..

On my last train now, had a shortish wait in Coventry.. now here I am in Leamington Spa.. feels like only yesterday I was waiting here! 

I definitely need to stop and smell the roses, metaphorically speaking!

One person got off, and only me got on this train.. although time yet +1 

Taken some nice railway photographs.. said it before, I should have been writing down train numbers! Keeping my trainspotters anorak firmly under cover!

Later I am posting this as written, slightly list-like, but I'm writing lists and ticking boxes so it's all good.

Watched a beautiful movie yesterday, Last Christmas.. 2019. Absolutely beautiful watch it if you can.

Okay on our way! Back to Stratford upon Avon and what looks to be a very beautiful hotel.

And it is. The Mercure, very old, black and white frontage. Lots of twists and turns inside.. 

Very strange from outside, not the hotel, the whole lockdown look. It's a dark gray day, bit foggy here even in the town. And the hotel looked locked up, door closed, downstairs rooms unlit.

A sign telling people to ring the bell, which I did, and someone came to let me in, and locked up behind me.

Hotels in Lockdown, for us solitary lone workers, key workers, healthcare workers.

I checked in, and came up to my room. It's really beautiful, a humongous bed! With all the regular.. the bathroom huge too.

I dropped my things and popped out quickly for some food, unlocked for me to get back in. I signed in on the Covid19 track and trace also as requested.

Came back to my room and ate half the prepackaged food I bought; after a nice half hour and coffee finished I ran a bath, poured in the small bottle of hotel bubble bath.. I applied a mask I'd bought in Mercadona back home, and laid back listening to music eyes closed in the bubbles and hot water.. really really lovely.

Now in comfies, drinking a caramel latte mix.. I'll have a rash in the morning, but what the hey!

And posting this!

TTFN

Marian

Being a bee whisperer I am always on search of beautiful bumble bees... This plant was abundant, and buzzing'ly full of glorious bumble bees...

No shortage of the amazing creatures here, thankfully!  Oh and here is, was, the castle grounds in Berkhamsted!

I arrived as you know Thursday, into sunshine, a little at least, Friday was a pretty damp day, but I relaxed and got to know a new member of the family, Ruffles! And we went to see a show Friday evening in the St Albans Area, a comedian Mark Watson, he was excellent, we were third row from the front, and two of us were slightly stressed at being picked on! It didn't happen and was a great evening out.. Had Nandos first!

Saturday the weather started a bit iffy but picked up and we went out to shopping area outside of town, beautiful sunshine by then.  And family came to visit in the afternoon, a really good day...

Hadn't been around the Castle grounds since mom was in hospital, so over nine years ago; it hasn't changed, lol, not for a couple of centuries now maybe!!

Yesterday the weather was also good, we took a trip down memory lane, visited Northchurch and Berkhamsted. Our primary school, St Mary's, the houses we've lived in... Walked along the Grand Union tow path nearly as far as Dudswell, cut through the fields, marked footpath...

And back through to the main road near the cricket field and rec.

There is a rather large fish in the 'can you spot it' photograph above! Lol

My old primary school looks a bit sad out front!!! When did the tree go? Looks like the roots are still uplifting the playground?

TTFN
Marian

Sorting through the many photo albums of my mom and step dads... His paintings and newspaper clippings...

I came across one mom took of a mirror with a piece of his art work above, and looks like she roped dad in for a reflection shot... Although of course it could have been me or Brian, his friend who took many of his photographs for him...

And on seeing I thought

'Hello Dad...

How very much more I could have learned from you; if I had just stopped and listened...

TTFN
Marian

Well so much for Blogging while I am away... that didn't happen now did it!?! Somehow I don't seem to have much time, which is well, how its supposed to be, considering I am working away...

I managed a bit of fb and email time first thing and last thing at night, and maybe the odd few minutes during the day, but only when everything else is done, and I am not jumping up like I have sat on a needle to do just one more thing!

The photos randomly of two very old service buses... in Berkhamsted the other Sunday, I thought people were out on a jolly, but turned out the rail service was out of action and people were having to use the bus service they put it on instead!  So that could be why people didn't wave back, or look very pleased at being waved at!!

Been a tough couple of weeks, but time flies by and I am really enjoying  the challenges every day brings, different every day!  The journey back yesterday was a nightmare on the M4, made worse by drivers with no lights on!?! What is that all about?  Heavy rain, splash back, fog and almost zero visibility at times... its almost mesmerizing like driving through snow or thick fog hours upon hours, journey took a bit longer than it should and the services were packed out!  It felt like everyone on the M4 came off it just when I did, and then back on I had to pass all those same people I had before! lol

Once over the bridge into Wales the weather improved a little but the speed limit wen down to 50! That didn't slow the journey down for most people because not many people took any notice of it!  Even on passing a completely mangled Fiat 500, and the accompanying police cars and vans... after a tail back and 2nd gear speed for half an hour prior to reaching the scene of the accident... 'they' put their right foot peddle to the metal and drove past the speed limit without a second thought it seemed!

Today been to the opticians and into Swansea, found a nice coat, going back for it soon! Just need that "time out" to decide on it!  Also needed some winter type shoes, not the fury sort, have a wonderful Uggs for cold weather, but some ankle boots sort of thing!  Walked through a tonne of shops, and decided on the cheapest pair, because they were the best!  Also wanted a handbag... don't tell Franco!  The one I am using now I bought in NY and with the cream linen I don't want it getting ruined by dirty weather! lol, if you know what I mean!  Saw a whole load of bags that were just perfect!  But did that "time out" on them, came home and resurrected an old one from five years ago! Which is now as was then, perfect!

Oh... I got bitten by a spider over night Sunday night or in the evening and I didn't notice, I have the worse horrible 'thing' on the back of my hand, it looked like a giant white spot surrounded by a red circle [infection I guess], and over the last few hours the white bit looks more like a giant white... well... thing is the only word for it! It looks revolting! lol

Our garden looks somewhat of a jungle again out there!! Brambles have taken over, the palm tree has dropped its long leaves, and the plants look... wild! Would be a good word!  But nice to come back and go blackberry picking in my own garden! Very very tasty!

TTFN
Marian