The pleasure’s all mine….

It’s a fortnight since I did a bit of a Blog. At that time, I was very busy. Guess what? Nothing has changed. I am still very busy. I am absolutely packing it all in!

Meals out in fancy restaurants; open water swimming; church activities; a spot of gardening and taking part in the local Am Dram play which we did a weekend ago. It’s all very nice thank you – and the pleasure is all mine.

I had turned up at Centre Stage, earlier in the year, when the group was reading through the latest proposal. No harm in reading out loud, I had thought. But then I was offered a part. Oh…. hum…. well…… it was only a few words, a page at most, so I said ‘yes’. It didn’t look difficult and I got down to learning the words and thinking about acting.

A few weeks later, the Director contacted me. Could I do another part as well? I hadn’t bargained on that but, having perused the script and finding it was only a page, I said ‘yes’ to that as well.

And, as it turned out, it was all delightful – even acting with Paul Sullivan, with whom I’d sworn never to act again…… he’s always so funny and unpredictable that you never know whether he’s going blame you for the script being messed up!!

We had a good laugh about it, and every time we were on stage he’d grin, and then mutter in my ear, ‘I thought you said you’d never act with me again?’ Funnily enough, I thoroughly enjoyed it and no script was messed up while we were on stage!

The cast and crew involved in the play were very kind to me and looked after me wonderfully well. I managed to totter onto the stage and say my words without too much fuss and even enjoyed trying on the Scottish accent for size.

The play was a great success, with everyone playing their parts extremely well, whether it was front of house, on stage or backstage – so all in all, a very positive experience after what appears to be a ten year absence from the group. Gosh, I hadn’t realised it had been that long!!! Must pay my subs…..

Roll on a week later and what next? Ahhh…..it was the Yoga Retreat weekend. Oh my, it was so good. Jaime was an absolutely brilliant leader.

We were at Holland House near Pershore. Such a treat – the location was marvellous; the sun shone beautifully; the company was vibrant and kind, and the yoga proved blissful. Couldn’t have asked for more. Came home feeling great. Even the dodgy hip that I’d developed in the last few weeks, and that has required physio, couldn’t put me off! See what you think to this venue! Lush, innit?

We practiced our yoga in the Chapel…….. well, actually, in this photo we’re about to lie down to immerse ourselves in a Gong Bath. Not a lot of movement going on at all here…. a bit of snoring maybe, but all very peaceful, hehe!!

We did actually do lots of movement and went for lovely walks, but here’s another one of us, just having broken into consciousness after a meditation session in the glorious garden under the trees – ooh, it was lovely!

During the retreat, I had time to think about the passage of time and how things change as we encounter different experiences in life, too. It was good to explore how I feel and look back on what we fondly call ‘the journey’ since John died. I am calling it a ‘safari’. I mean, you never know what you’re going to come across next, do you? Growling tigers one minute or peaceful open water the next.

There’s a comfort in knowing I’d had the ol’ man’s company for so long. The conclusion of the Maya Angelou poem, ‘When Great Trees Fall’ says it all.

And when great souls die,

after a period peace blooms,

slowly and always

irregularly. Spaces fill

with a kind of

soothing electric vibration.

Our senses, restored, never

to be the same, whisper to us.

They existed. They existed.

We can be. Be and be

better. For they existed.

In my heart, it feels like he’s always with me, encouraging this new life. “Don’t stagnate, live,” is what I hear. So I’m living.

Take care everyone. God bless.