A Trip Down Memory Lane

Then

Now

I have of recent times had a few trips down memory lane. I am at heart a dreamer and I like to ponder the past, it can be quite enlightening bringing back memories of good times and fun times, of course there are the sad times too.  As you get older the past, albeit cannot be changed, is sometimes a nice place to be, as a friend said.

My sister and I when we get together, enjoy reminiscing what we did as youngsters. Growing up we were a family of four girls, our Mum and Dad went  their separate ways which split the family, my two younger sisters lived with our Mum whilst myself and my sister closest to me, lived with our Dad. We lived in what I considered a very nice house, it had three bedrooms, a large kitchen and living-room and a large hall, there was also a big garden to play in. In the living-room there was an organ, my Dad being very musical played it well. After school, my sister and I would run all the way home to see who could get into the house first to play the organ, it was a real battle sometimes, but amicably done. The other treat we enjoyed, one bedroom was cleared of all furniture and in these days the floor had linoleum on it, so we would wrap dusters on our feet and play ice hockey with two broomsticks and a shoe polish tin wrapped in a duster, I might add this floor was so shiny you could almost see your feet sliding along. Those were fun times simple and uncomplicated.

Another time, when we were older, my sister and I lived with a very nice family when the coal mines closed down in our village and our Dad then had to move to England to get work as a miner. On the times he could visit we would have a bit of a get together and he would play the piano with a bit of singing thrown in. My sister and I always had to harmonise this particular song named 'The Cuckoo'. we both knew this would have to happen and we were quite shy in doing so, but we did it after much embarrassment. Funnily enough the New Year just past, we were remembering that very song and so, we gave it another go and to our surprise it didn't sound too bad, we even remembered the words!.

There are pleasant times and not so pleasant times that come and go in our lives, friends that last a lifetime, friends that have moved on and friends that are no longer with us, also incidents and happenings that stay with us throughout our life and do not let us forget the challenges and experiences that we encounter along life's path, a learning curve to build a meaningful and fulfilling future.

Peace, joy and happiness are not the sorts of things one can chase and grab. They are instead the sorts of things that come to us where we are, if we let them - if we stop trying too hard and just let things happen as they need to.

Another little song from The Te of Piglet as I leave you, until next time,

Let's take the time,
Let's try to find
What real life has to offer.
And maybe then
We'll find again
What we had long forgotten,
Like a friend,
True 'till the end.
It will help us onward.

Have a wonderful day

An Incredible Journey

My incredible journey began on a fine warm and sunny day as I traveled with my two companions to Matamata.

Our car journey was to take around 4 1/2 hours, so being driven I settled down in the back, put my music on and just relaxed. A most enjoyable car journey through a busy city, townships and farmland. We stopped for lunch and a bit of a leg stretch, much needed I guess for our driver.

On we went until we reached our accommodation situated just outside of Matamata to a 600 acre dairy farm near Wairere Falls. Once we had settled in and had a chat with the owner who told us there was a lovely walk up to the falls, we decided the walk was a good idea. When we arrived at the start of the walk, there were quite a number of people who had either been or were just heading off to climb the mountain!! So we three being brave with our walking shoes, walking sticks, and bottle of water made headway along the path to see this waterfall. The path was walkable, however, in parts was very rocky and as we neared the top it was beginning to get quite muddy and wet. My two companions were not happy with this and so we turned back and once back at the start of the trail we instead took a picture of the waterfall from a distance, not as good as the real thing though.

The morning saw us then on our way to the attraction that brought us to Matamata to see Hobbiton. We were all very excited, well perhaps I was more so, anyhow, on reaching the movie set we got on a bus which took us to the Shire where the Hobbits lived. I was immediately transported back to' Middle Earth' where Bilbo and Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gangee lived and where Gandolf made his appearance in his horse drawn cart. I was absolutely amazed by the detailed craft of the hobbit holes, 39 in total.The door to Bilbo and Frodo's residence was slightly ajar, however, we were not allowed to go in even though being short in height I could have quite easily made it, sadly we were not allowed. We traveled on up the hill and looking over to capture a magnificent view of the valley to the Shire, it was just magical.

Our journey then took us past the homes of the Hobbits showing the various crafts and work that took place there. Very clever little hobbits's, (as Gollum would call them).  Nearing the end of our 2 hour tour we approached the bridge over to the Green Dragon pub, this being the place of ale drinking and merriment for these happy little Hobbits. I could feel the excitement of the 60th Birthday party given for Bilbo, and imagining the rockets and firecrackers going off. As we entered the pub, the huge fire was burning in the grate giving a real atmosphere of the evening frivolities of the pub, and we were given a drink of either cider or ale, very nice it was as the day was very hot.

All too soon our incredible journey had come to an end, a day I will remember for a very long time, even at my time in life. I would not be able to describe all that we saw, it is a place you would have to go and see for yourself and be transported back to a time of Hobbits, Wizards, Dwarfs, Elves and all the characters of The Hobbit Trilogies. I would have turned around and gone through the tour again, however, time is not always on your side. Perhaps another day.........

Have a safe and happy day with perhaps a little magic in it.

Getting Older and Senior Moments

GETTING OLDER AND SENIOR MOMENTS

How often have you gone for something, got to where you thought you should be and forgot what it was your were going for. I have done this so many times I often wonder where my mind is at.

A perfect example of such a time was, I was looking for a particular photo, I made myself a cup of tea and went off to the place where I thought the photo was. As I reached for the box of photos I spied my puppy albums, so down they all came and I had a lovely time reminiscing, going back in time to when there were puppies running all over the place, it was heaven. However, I completely forgot about the other photo and my cup of tea which was by this time cold, so I carefully put my puppy albums back in their place, and returned to where I started off and promptly remembered that I was looking for a photo, I did eventually find the photo and by the time I found it the mood had changed and I went on to something else. As yet I have not placed my car keys in the fridge, give me time, for I am sure that is yet to come! I am sure it is only absentmindedness or trying to multitask with half a mind on what your doing that creates these so call 'senior moments'.

I have heard it said that if you think you have Alzheimer's, you have not........ I had a dear friend who suffered from dementia, she was always chatty and always had a smile. As the disease grew worse she went back in time and reminisced about her early days, meeting her husband and family events. She had trouble remembering names and faces but she never forgot my face when I visited her and she always asked after my husband and were the doggies fine, this really tugged at my heartstrings. I would have to say though that everyday was a new day to my friend, but she would eventually get back to the stories that I had heard a thousand times, so me being a good listener and she a chatty-cathy kept us both going throughout the visit, we did have many laughs also.

Getting older is not much fun for some, however, if you take it a day at a time and try to keep your mind active, reasonably fit and eat well, there is nothing to stop us still enjoying life. Be happy and go with the flow.

A little quote from the Tao of Pooh:

"Do you want to be really happy? You can begin by being appreciative of who you are and what you've got.
 Do you want to be really miserable? You can begin by being discontented."

Have a Happy Day

A Happy Event

A happy event is about to take place at our home on the 14th February, 2017, St Valentine's Day. 

My sister and my husband's brother are to be married. This has been a happy and joyful relationship in the making over the past year whilst they were both back in Scotland having spent a few months with us in 2015.

They are both in their senior years and are really well suited to each other, they share many laughs together and are very happy in each other's company. Not many of us get a chance like this later on in life and so it comes with our blessing and the hope of a long and happy relationship in their marriage.

We are enjoying such lovely hot weather at the moment, not so good for the gardens as we were hoping for more colour so that the wedding pictures would be bright and cheerful when taken around the property. We shall have to wait and see.  I did suggest to my sister that we could buy in some artificial colour but that did not go down so well, so we shall take what comes. 

I was hoping to bring a little humour to my blogs, however, I have never been much good at jokes, I do not really cotton on to the majority of them and only remember the punchline. I am at present reading The Tao of Pooh Bear and the Te (virtue) of Piglet. This is a book that cleverly reveals the Principles of Taoism through these two loveable characters, a book that can be read by people of any religion or no religion where something can be learned, there are also little humorous readings.  I will leave you with this from Piglet:

The sun is high

The road is wide

And it starts where we are standing

No one knows

How far it goes

For the road is never-ending

Enjoy your day and be kind to one another

A Wonderful Life

Since retiring some 4 years ago to Northland, New Zealand, life has become a very peaceful satisfying experience.

Having worked up until retirement, busy doing this and that, and not taking time to 'smell the roses' I often think now whilst relaxing on the deck in the sunshine with a cup of tea and a gingernut or two, and my beloved labradors, this has to be the ultimate in tranquility and serenity.

At this time of year, we have a small orchard, bearing apples, plums, figs, pears and the citrus is just starting with young fruit. I sense some homemade wine on the make!

The bird life is plentiful with our native Tui, a family of quail, the beautiful wood pigeon so heavy, perched on a branch you would say ready to fall, and the little fantails flitting in and out following you round the garden trying to catch any insects that might be disturbed in the grass. Of course there is also the more common birds, sparrows, blackbirds, starlings, all of which have had their young in our bird boxes and many bushes and trees. We have one little female thrush who has spent the summer with us, has had her young and is now returning each day to be fed, so tame now that she hops up on the deck to tell us she is waiting.........

I have recently started to walk in the mornings and have found this has changed my outlook somewhat, a feeling of self worth and becoming more fit and losing a few extra kilos, I may just get to like this 'new' me, but will my wardrobe need an update, possibly so. I will leave you with this thought, do not wait too late in life to grasp the moment and run with it.

Until next time

Look after one another