My birthday cake for today from dear friends...

I got it home in one piece, mostly unmelted, very soon though in the kitchen it started to! Badly! So I quickly sliced it up, and half of it is in the freezer in small slivers! 

I didn't freeze the fruit.. later this evening I shall consume my first slice! 

We met up this morning in a pastelería, wonderful cake store; sat outside under their veranda and drank coffee and food was eaten.. conversation flowed, as always...

Cards and a present.. I am a very lucky girl... Not sure how I got to be 65? 

That's not even a real number is it? 

Surely not! I'm still me, still the same girl, looking out through my same eyes in awe and wonder most of the time.. still wondering what my mission is? Or did I complete it already?

Out again later for dinner, different dress! No driving though, so I shall partake of a small beverage!

There's a loose thread in the world... This was on something I was watching yesterday.. I like it, a loose thread in the world... 

My kind of thought process..

Thank you all for being in my life, sharing good and bad and nothing-much-days, for listening to me while I chatter away to you all... 

If I am next to you you can zone out... I guess if you're reading me? Not so easy! Ha!

M.

Two quotes today, just because I can!

The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance.

Alan Watts - 1915-1973 - Writer

And...

Nothing in the universe can stop you from letting go and starting over.

Guy Finley - Writer-Philosopher-Spiritual Teacher

 

Tapestry in the castle.

So, arrived into East Midlands on Friday afternoon.. bit early for Baz to be home yet, so bought some winter clothes and had the best pizza in Asda! Before going home..

Saturday relaxed a bit and went to the nearby park and the library.. 

Part of the kids climbing walkway.. beginning with a rope bridge, there were many, some bridges made of knotted together type of ropes.. and afterwards I read up to age 12!! Hey ho! 

It was fun!! 

Sunday morning we went to the castle! First time in this life I visited Nottingham Castle! Me being (Maid) Marian! Hahahaha!! 

The outside was good, the galleries were very good, lots of informative displays.. 

There was an area to use crossbows and use your skills, and a bow staff.. inside..

A lot of interactive things in place, great for adults and kids.

Monday after babes in school, Baz and I went to town for breakfast, we went to the Foxy cafe.. very very good breakfast! 

We got cake for later.. as it was my birthday! 

Tuesday I took myself back to the castle and did the Mortimers Hole Tour, it's takes you down through a cave system to come out down on street level.. 

Good tour guide, very informative, so much knowledge going in!! 

And today, again another tour! This time the City of Caves tour! 

As soon as I got off the tram at Lace Market the heavens opened! I pulled a lightweight rain mac from my small bag and that helped.. 

Maybe! So I stood in the doorway of an abandoned building, I noticed something, when you stand somewhere like that you become completely invisible, people were walking past, people unloading stuff from a truck.. no one looks at people in doorways.. 

Anyways! It was over quick enough and I started back down to where I thought the caves entrance was, is.. 

But no sign and couldn't see anything, so walked back up the road and asked someone who sent me completely in the wrong direction! Thanks! 

He was the second person I asked, first was a visitor, second couldn't speak English and so third was just having a laugh!! 

I came back anyway to where I thought it was and walked down a big big flight of stairs.. 

Right here!! At this point!! And lo and behold! The entrance!! 

So very very good, first you gain access to their WiFi and then download their audio tour.. and off you go! 

Excellent!

About forty minutes or so.. was definitely worth seeing.

And amazing knowing all this is under the city, about 800 caves, but they say could be a thousand, all man made from the sandstone.. whole generations of people, people worked and lived there.. there also were no churches, and no policing, which led to the luddites!!

I came back out into the city thirsty! So went back to the Foxy Cafe, and had a toasted teacake and a chai latte!

Lost my leather wrist tie this morning.. Well, didn't lose it, I came out of the Foxy Cafe and a woman chased me down the street with it! But still, it's broken in a bad place and lives no more...

M.

Well, that's it!

When I turned 59 last July 17th I decided my 59th year would be a good one, or a memorable one at the very least.

And that it has!

Highs lows and all points in between!

Ending this evening, with a bang!

I have wanted to go to a firing range for years!

And more so since I became a zombie killer on Arizona Sunset!!

Panara Bread restaurant

So today after work my brother took me to one half an hours drive away, and wow! Wow wow wow!

We used a Glock 9mm, 150 bullets and two blue men posters to fire at!

I did okay, actually okay..

Sort of surprised myself.

It was great fun; the guy at the counter showed me exactly how to hold the gun, load the gun and to fire it.

Jackboys Dog Bakery

We took turns, and filled two blue men posters with holes!

At one point I started a small fire!! Lol I guess a bullet passed through with some paper attached, landed on the pile of used bullets and ignighted!

We all had to leave while it was extinguished, then back in!

Really great fun!

And now I'll take my leave of this my 59th year and move on with as much fire in soul, love in my heart and passion in my being as I am going out with...

So watch out! It's a full moon tonight and my birthday tomorrow.. another year begins!

TTFN
Marian

Travelling Road

My birthday in Cambridge with Tony; I had never been to Cambridge before... I suppose with having lived so near to Oxford for so long, Oxford is where we always went!

River boat tours, punters punting...

Lots of tourists... of course!

The weather was lovely, which is good, and a new memory... reminding me of other memories...

So I have notes to transfer onto here, went out this morning without my phone!  Yes, unbelievable, I never leave my phone, or phones behind and once I knew I had forgotten them, I felt like I had left my arm behind in the house!!

Last evening I came home from Malaga airport to our home, and was nice to walk into the house with people here, and they're here till I go to work again, nearly... But Pippa is not here, she is still in the doggie hotel, it wouldn't have been fair to bring her home today and take her back tomorrow... I miss her...

This morning I left early to go to Aldi, got there at 9am, and now, well then, having coffee at La Trocha while I wait for the shops to open at 10am...

Just now driving I asked Franco out loud "where are you?" my make believe games hurt, but for the shortest of moments I can almost believe, I though him just now, still in hospital - not good for him, I know! But for me - hope, and any amount of hope keeps me... keeps me? I don't know where it keeps me. Oh yeah!  In denial.

Plans today! I changed my plan and just didn't care, so here, not on the coast, struggling to park and time wasted driving, have to get a few things for work on Friday - Feeling worried, nervous, scared even... But its one week only!

Had a good week at Tonys, Sunday we went out for a long drive, ending at a garden centre and then home; Saturday we went to Milton Keynes which was great... always love going there, I suppose because its a rarity now for me...

Every day bar one I went on Tonys VR... Who knew! I'm a gamer! Only I was waiting for VR!  No motion sickness at all.  Franco would have been very proud of me killing all the zombies, shooting them in the head with quite good accuracy!  I have put them on my YouTube... hang on will get a link...

That takes you too my Channel I think...

I am hooked! I am hoping they still have the Oculus Rift store in Plaza Mayor.... I'll be there every week for hours!!

Today, this morning on my way out, the air smelled so good, warm and fragrant - a day to drive and travel... Franco and I would have gone far today.

Notes finished, I am surprises I could read my handwriting, so very old Skool!!

Perfect cosy spot! 

Birthday Travels

Álora castle

MMMMM..... time to breathe...

Yesterday, above sign photographed, from our seats outside a bar in Campillos!  Also had coffee outside on the Alozaina road in a bar my mom and I always had coffee in, on our way to Ronda...

We would have had a coffee at La Mesa, but oddly it was closed, so having passed up an opportunity of coffee, outside, at the El Chorro train station we waited for La Mesa... and it was closed....
[haha, okay not letting it go yet am I!]

View from the road towards Ronda from Ardales

We went to my secret birthday spot by way of Álora and Pizarra actually, wondered if the market was on in Pizarra but it wasn't... We could almost see us at our stall, we did enjoy those days... and think now that was what we had a bill for back then, and had to pay in Álora, probably a fine for not holding a sellers license at one of the occasions in Pizarra...!  That day we paid it, we drove in the pouring rain to Álora, a bug had settled onto my window in the car when we left the house, he hung on throughout our journey... and back again! Strong tough little fella!

The Kings Walk at El Chorro

We stopped in my secret place for a while... sat on the stone, well I sat on the small cool box, and squished it a bit... we drank some water and as always there, amazed ourselves at the natural beauty, the outstanding stunning country... looked at the teeny tiny country houses way down the mountain we were perched on... I remembered as always being there the most on my first birthday without my mom... I had made a massive picnic, all homemade, from the gazpacho to the sauces.... yesterday I had made nothing, was going to but didn't... we'll come back another day for longer before I head off back to work again in August...

It was breezy yesterday, and the wind whipped our faces and blew over the water bottles... but it was a hot heat, I love the serenity of that place, I think there would be a good place to end... Not my Blog... but personally, sorry, not meaning to sound depressed, I'm not, its just that there is peace and tranquillity and natural silence...

Cough, ahem.... okay... Sorry peeps!

So, we decided to head further up the road from Ardales and went to Campillos, we had been there before, maybe a few times but the last time was in the rain... This time not so!  We had a tapa there and then headed off back down the road towards home, but turned a right for Teba and Ronda...

It was a long drive for Franco, but a good one, lots to see, lots to admire along the way...

On the road from El Chorro to Ardales

 We stopped finally at that bar I mentioned earlier, just before the right hand turn for Guaro...

On the road from El Chorro to Ardales

And we were home...

Before I go... Yesterday morning, I awoke in the very early hours, from a dream I cannot remember now, I didn't remember it when I woke up, only that as I did so I shouted, really loud... I shouted "mom"...

I stayed awake for ages then, and when I woke up later I was sad... It really doesn't get any easier, I know I don't look on Google maps everyday, or even every month anymore... Remember I used to look at the windows of her flat... the curtains closed against the sunlight on the day the Google van went past... So I knew she was in her home, sat there watching TV, she had pulled the curtains to stop the suns glare on her TV... if she hadn't I wouldn't have known for sure she was there, behind them... But I do.

And one day that dam Google van will go by her home again and it will be a new view I see when I look, and it will break my heart, again.
[So don't look!] yeah right!

TTFN
Marian

Happy Birthday Mom

Happy Birthday to my Mom today.... she may be out of sight, but never out of mind, like a priest once said at another funeral, "when a ship sails away, out of sight, it is only out of sight by us, and on another land, sails into view, and we know the ship still sails...."

Mom and I in Rome, what a great vacation... two weeks of flying around Italy in a coach with a bunch of strangers who became friends, mom won a bread Frascati lady with three breasts, one for white wine, one for red, and one for... milk!

1928 was a leap year....

New York 1928 and the Brooklyn Bridge...

Mom was born in a bad storm, and similarly in March when she passed away the storm came again and took her...

Missing Mom

By Claudia Lee

I awake each morning to start a new day
But the pain of losing you never goes away.
I go about the things I have to do
And as the hours pass I think again of you.
I want to call you and just hear your voice
Then I remember that I have no choice
For you are not there and now my heart cries
Just to see you again to tell you goodbye
To say Mom I love you and I always will
And hope that much of you, in me you’ve instilled.
The day that you left I just didn’t know
That you were going where I couldn’t go.
And now all my memories of you are so dear
But gosh, how I miss you and wish you were here.
Who now can hear me when I need to cry?
It so hard to tell you “Mom goodbye.”
Someday I know all will be well
And I’ll see you again with stories to tell
Of how you were missed and how we have grown
And how good it is to finally be home.
Until then my memories of you I’ll keep near
And I’ll pass them on to those who are dear.
I miss you Mom...