Here I am at last! Sorry I have been absent for a while but I have been a little distracted. I may/may not tell you about it one day. It is just before six here in the UK and I have been up all night. Cooking and packing for The Folk on The Water Festival in Warwickshire.
I finally realised that despite writing a Blog about it last year, most of you don't really know what it is. I have a great friend by the name of Dutch Van Spall. I met him when I was 17 in another, much more charmed life. Dutch is a bit mad about music, he loves everything about it and has dedicated his life to it. Dutch masterminded The Folk on The Water Festival (FOTW) last year. http://www.folkontheWater.com .Dutch decided to get on a Barge, stop at a few pubs along the way and host live music at every place he 'laid his hat'.
I live in Cornwall and as FOTW takes place on the Warwickshire Ring Canal, I offered my services as Chief Cook and Bottle Washer. Funnily enough, Dutch accepted. So I found myself on a Barge, in a County I had no knowledge of and managed to pitch in and look after the crew in some small way. What a fantastic time we had. We could not believe how many people turned out to welcome us and what a positive response we had. Oh and the two weeks of sunshine helped as well! So here we are again with a much bigger FOTW. Much more press attention and many more artists, with more coming forward as I write, despite the fact that FOTW started on June 18th.
I wanted to tell you about life on a Barge. Firstly it's difficult. You have to almost walk sideways to get anywhere when you have a Crew plus four and some nights that can mean 9! Feeding people is also fun. Trying to open an oven door or peer into the fridge whilst a few of the Crew wander past is interesting to say the least. You have to think about lots of things like taking on water, going to the pumping station - read that as 'getting rid of Poo!' Food supplies and managing to recharge your mobile phone/laptop/ipod...etc...etc...whilst the engine is running also feature. Note to Blokes - read that as Please! can I switch my hairdryer on NOW! Then there is the 'trying to find your land legs' after spending a week aboard. The world tilts gently when you have spent so much time on the water. No alcohol needed. It took me a week at home to realise that my shower wasn't going to be interupted by a another Barge sloshing by and turning my world slightly skew whiff!
Ah but the upsides....in the summer it really is living the dream. Imagine (excuse The Pun) living aboard a Dutch Barge (only 160K, fully fitted). Having a little plot of land with some solar panels and a beautiful grapevine, a veggie patch and a peaceful mooring. Complete Bliss! Then of course you would need a one bed flat close to your mooring so that you could spend the coldest months of the year in centrally heated heavan. Oh and don't forget a nice battered hat to wear at the tiller! That is the dream. But for now I am going to live the dream on FOTW for a week.
I can't wait to meet all the new artists and of course all my friends from last year. Joshy will be there, running the locks and more importantly 'running free'. So looking forward to meeting you all and catching up with precious friends. See you there!
Barge It!
Muse x
Thursday, 23 June 2011
Friday, 10 June 2011
Brushes With Royalty
I have just finished watching The Prince at 90. An interview between Fiona Bruce and Prince Philip. Blimey, he was awful to her. I think she showed 'fear in the face of adversity' or actually sat there quaking in the chair. Joanna Lumley described him as a 'Hawk Like'. Fiona was his prey and frankly I would have loved it if she had fought back... Twitter was awash with comments. One particularly funny - by @jannism
'Well I think Fiona Bruce handled that admirably. If "admirably" were to mean "like a cringeworthy, sycophantic arse cloud" '.
All I can say is get your Leathers back on love and assume the 'Cowgirl' position.
Talking of Royalty the extended Muse family have had our fair share of 'up close and personal' moments with them. My dad, in his prime, was a bit of a cheeky sod. At some point during the early sixties, Princess Anne locked herself out of her car in the middle of a huge storm. My father happened to be around and managed to break into her car and send her on her way. Fast forward to the eighties. We were on tour with the Donuts in Cyprus and Princess Anne was on a visit. My father could not get into the Sycophants line up as he was only a Mini (non glazed, variety) Donut at the time and took matters into his own hands. He had a huge collection of cameras as he has always been an avid photographer and strung the most impressive of which around his neck. Strolling nonchalantly to the end of the line he flashed his 'Press Pass' and got some great pics of her and brazenly asked her if she remembered her 'Knight in Shining Armour'. Apparently she did!
My mum is such a sweet thing, she gets all of a fluster about Royalty and launches into her Hyacinth Bouquet routine (scary...) when they arrive in the same County as her. This was not to be in 1970's in Berlin though. We were there courtesy of the Boys in Blue, my fathers job prior to the Donuts and she heard that Prince Charles was landing at RAF Gatow. I can't remember, but I don't think it was an official visit, just a stop over. The news spread throught the married quarters like wildfire and my mother pulled a scarf over her rollers and hot footed it down to the airfield. Unfortunately for her, Charlie made a beeline for her and shook her hand, oh the shame of being pictured in your rollers in the local rag!
Not to be outdone, his father also embarrased my mother. Ma and Pa were loitering on Ascension Island, having fun on the Donut expense account and Prince Philip was on a 'scheduled' stop over, on his way to South America as President of the WWF. All the local dignitaries were lined up, dressed up in their finery. My mum was in the crowd. Philip wandered off the TriStar, ignored the line up and went straight up to my mother. He said hello and shook here hand. She was so shocked that she said, 'I hope you don't mind me saying but you look like you could do with a good Iron Sir'. He roared with laughter and moved on. Poor woman she has never got over it!
I have only had one brush myself. In 1991 I had landed in godforsaken Tidworth, a really horrible Army hell hole, after a blissful tour of Cyprus. What is it about those movement guys at MOD when they think its funny to post your husband to Tidworth after having such a great swan in the sun? Anyway I was driving home from work. I had just turned off the A303 toward Tidworth and could not understand why the roads were so quiet. I stopped at a junction to give way and there, right in front of me was the Queen in a glass topped Daimler. It was a perfect moment. Just me, Her Maj and her driver. I can only think that I had avoided the roadblock by taking my usual short cut, there wasn't even a Security Car in sight. I waved and 10 feet away she waved at me, sat in my humble Yugo.....awwww! Say what you like about the royals but I love Her Maj!
Last but not least, a couple of weeks ago The Queen arrived at Penzance Station on an Official visit. My number one son James works for Customer Services and the poor Queen stepped off the train to a reception of Truro 'Party Animals' AKA James, Olly and Treve....... I wonder if she has recovered from the shock!
Namaste
Muse x
'Well I think Fiona Bruce handled that admirably. If "admirably" were to mean "like a cringeworthy, sycophantic arse cloud" '.
All I can say is get your Leathers back on love and assume the 'Cowgirl' position.
Talking of Royalty the extended Muse family have had our fair share of 'up close and personal' moments with them. My dad, in his prime, was a bit of a cheeky sod. At some point during the early sixties, Princess Anne locked herself out of her car in the middle of a huge storm. My father happened to be around and managed to break into her car and send her on her way. Fast forward to the eighties. We were on tour with the Donuts in Cyprus and Princess Anne was on a visit. My father could not get into the Sycophants line up as he was only a Mini (non glazed, variety) Donut at the time and took matters into his own hands. He had a huge collection of cameras as he has always been an avid photographer and strung the most impressive of which around his neck. Strolling nonchalantly to the end of the line he flashed his 'Press Pass' and got some great pics of her and brazenly asked her if she remembered her 'Knight in Shining Armour'. Apparently she did!
My mum is such a sweet thing, she gets all of a fluster about Royalty and launches into her Hyacinth Bouquet routine (scary...) when they arrive in the same County as her. This was not to be in 1970's in Berlin though. We were there courtesy of the Boys in Blue, my fathers job prior to the Donuts and she heard that Prince Charles was landing at RAF Gatow. I can't remember, but I don't think it was an official visit, just a stop over. The news spread throught the married quarters like wildfire and my mother pulled a scarf over her rollers and hot footed it down to the airfield. Unfortunately for her, Charlie made a beeline for her and shook her hand, oh the shame of being pictured in your rollers in the local rag!
Not to be outdone, his father also embarrased my mother. Ma and Pa were loitering on Ascension Island, having fun on the Donut expense account and Prince Philip was on a 'scheduled' stop over, on his way to South America as President of the WWF. All the local dignitaries were lined up, dressed up in their finery. My mum was in the crowd. Philip wandered off the TriStar, ignored the line up and went straight up to my mother. He said hello and shook here hand. She was so shocked that she said, 'I hope you don't mind me saying but you look like you could do with a good Iron Sir'. He roared with laughter and moved on. Poor woman she has never got over it!
I have only had one brush myself. In 1991 I had landed in godforsaken Tidworth, a really horrible Army hell hole, after a blissful tour of Cyprus. What is it about those movement guys at MOD when they think its funny to post your husband to Tidworth after having such a great swan in the sun? Anyway I was driving home from work. I had just turned off the A303 toward Tidworth and could not understand why the roads were so quiet. I stopped at a junction to give way and there, right in front of me was the Queen in a glass topped Daimler. It was a perfect moment. Just me, Her Maj and her driver. I can only think that I had avoided the roadblock by taking my usual short cut, there wasn't even a Security Car in sight. I waved and 10 feet away she waved at me, sat in my humble Yugo.....awwww! Say what you like about the royals but I love Her Maj!
Last but not least, a couple of weeks ago The Queen arrived at Penzance Station on an Official visit. My number one son James works for Customer Services and the poor Queen stepped off the train to a reception of Truro 'Party Animals' AKA James, Olly and Treve....... I wonder if she has recovered from the shock!
Namaste
Muse x
Thursday, 2 June 2011
Half Term and Wiggies
It is half term here in Cornwall and I had a lovely afternoon with The Git, my Grandaughter Angel and my son James on Tuesday. We went to the Great God Pizza Hut, which the brats loved. Eeewwww - evil stuff! Angel was really funny but Josh was hilarious.
Josh usually stays with Ma and Pa over half term and if Angel gets wind of it, she refuses to go home, as he is her hero. Josh is really growing up now and as the folks live in a Lodge on a big Holiday Park near Newquay there are a lot of 'city kids' staying at the moment. Angel and Josh disappeared when I drove them back on Tuesday at about 6pm. I was literally with Pa for five minutes and went to find them to say goodbye. Pa said, 'they will either be chasing Rabbits and Wiggies (Angels word for Squirrels) down by the park or they will be loitering by the pool hoping to get in'. Josh and Angel have all sorts of adventures at the Park. They climb trees, trying to get as high as the pet cat...nah, no chance and they have the bruises to prove it! Owls, Wiggies and rabbits feature heavily and Gramps keeps them entertained, letting them run free but always keeping an eye and an ear out for them.
I walked around the park, tutting and wishing I had taken the car and finally found them....in the bar playing pool!! Do you think they are a tad young to be barflies? I mean how young do you have to be to get a bar tan?? In my day it was at least 16... Actually the pool table is in a different room from the bar and as long as the kids are quiet they let them play. Thank god pubs don't let us smoke anymore - erm...thats for the poor city kids whose parents don't care what they are doing or erm...is that the Grand Kids of people who are too innocent to understand what they are doing at the age of 5 and 13!!! This is supposed to be funny BTW!
Okay, deep breath taken, I clocked the scene. Angel was on the floor playing dollies with two other lovely, (obviously, she says hysterically) poorly parented city girls and Josh was looking pretty cool playing pool with the other badasses - I think the eldest of whom might have been about 11. Josh was indeed the coolest dude. He had his best skater shoes on, his flashiest baseball cap and was sort of hunched between a lounge and thrust position...god help me!
Take another deep breath, I muttered to myself. Do NOT under any circumstances embarrass The Git, he is just finding his feet. I breezed in, said to Angel that Gramps wanted to play Dinosaurs with her, grabbing her firmly by the hand and giving her my best 'no nonsense honey, you are coming with me' look and waltzed over to Josh. He did his 'rabbit caught in headlights' look and his jaw dropped as I said 'want some change for the pool table Josh'. Dropping 6 quid into his hand I walked out of the door, breathing heavily and then looked down and realized that Angel was still clutching my hand, bless her heart!
Arriving back at the parents' lodge I gave them a lecture about not keeping an eye on Angel and Josh. Dad looked up from his book, laughed and said 'don't worry they are fine and will you stop being a stressy knickers'. Ma just continued listening to The Archers. Angelina got out her foam Dinosaurs pack that I had bought her that day, eyeing me warily. Erm...I might just mention that they had been gone from The Lodge for all of 7 minutes....
I phoned Josh this afternoon. Apparently he has a hot date with the pool table and will not be returning home for several days...I try, I try so hard to be a good mum but it seems that my parents know far more than me and just how to let a little boy grow up!
Namaste
Muse x
PS I have to confess that my Barfly days allegedly started at 15 ish...
Josh usually stays with Ma and Pa over half term and if Angel gets wind of it, she refuses to go home, as he is her hero. Josh is really growing up now and as the folks live in a Lodge on a big Holiday Park near Newquay there are a lot of 'city kids' staying at the moment. Angel and Josh disappeared when I drove them back on Tuesday at about 6pm. I was literally with Pa for five minutes and went to find them to say goodbye. Pa said, 'they will either be chasing Rabbits and Wiggies (Angels word for Squirrels) down by the park or they will be loitering by the pool hoping to get in'. Josh and Angel have all sorts of adventures at the Park. They climb trees, trying to get as high as the pet cat...nah, no chance and they have the bruises to prove it! Owls, Wiggies and rabbits feature heavily and Gramps keeps them entertained, letting them run free but always keeping an eye and an ear out for them.
I walked around the park, tutting and wishing I had taken the car and finally found them....in the bar playing pool!! Do you think they are a tad young to be barflies? I mean how young do you have to be to get a bar tan?? In my day it was at least 16... Actually the pool table is in a different room from the bar and as long as the kids are quiet they let them play. Thank god pubs don't let us smoke anymore - erm...thats for the poor city kids whose parents don't care what they are doing or erm...is that the Grand Kids of people who are too innocent to understand what they are doing at the age of 5 and 13!!! This is supposed to be funny BTW!
Okay, deep breath taken, I clocked the scene. Angel was on the floor playing dollies with two other lovely, (obviously, she says hysterically) poorly parented city girls and Josh was looking pretty cool playing pool with the other badasses - I think the eldest of whom might have been about 11. Josh was indeed the coolest dude. He had his best skater shoes on, his flashiest baseball cap and was sort of hunched between a lounge and thrust position...god help me!
Take another deep breath, I muttered to myself. Do NOT under any circumstances embarrass The Git, he is just finding his feet. I breezed in, said to Angel that Gramps wanted to play Dinosaurs with her, grabbing her firmly by the hand and giving her my best 'no nonsense honey, you are coming with me' look and waltzed over to Josh. He did his 'rabbit caught in headlights' look and his jaw dropped as I said 'want some change for the pool table Josh'. Dropping 6 quid into his hand I walked out of the door, breathing heavily and then looked down and realized that Angel was still clutching my hand, bless her heart!
Arriving back at the parents' lodge I gave them a lecture about not keeping an eye on Angel and Josh. Dad looked up from his book, laughed and said 'don't worry they are fine and will you stop being a stressy knickers'. Ma just continued listening to The Archers. Angelina got out her foam Dinosaurs pack that I had bought her that day, eyeing me warily. Erm...I might just mention that they had been gone from The Lodge for all of 7 minutes....
I phoned Josh this afternoon. Apparently he has a hot date with the pool table and will not be returning home for several days...I try, I try so hard to be a good mum but it seems that my parents know far more than me and just how to let a little boy grow up!
Namaste
Muse x
PS I have to confess that my Barfly days allegedly started at 15 ish...
Saturday, 28 May 2011
Wanderlust - Part II
It continues, The Wanderlust. I cannot help it. My brain just wants to stretch out on a beach and chill, it must be the brain talking because I have never been a sunbather. I always preferred doing dangerous things with skis, canoes and windsurfers. I have a lot of new readers on my Blog (thank you, lovely people) so I suppose I ought to return to my roots and explain the origins of 'Donut Child' and the 'Donut Kids' that are still with me.
Donut Child started because, after keeping a life long journal, I injured my arm (also known as The Fecking Bastard Arm) and could not write in longhand. The first year was so hard. Somehow, I had to share my thoughts, in a sanitised way, with the rest of the world. Anyway! I got over all that. Shoved the dirty linen under the bed as far as I could and coped.
Onto Donut Child and the wonderful childhood I experienced. My father was a very small fish in a very big pond when I was born in Cyprus in 1963. My dad was 22 and my mum 19 years old, a long way away from home. He was the lowest of the low, an SAC in the RAF. My earliest memory is of heat, a warm frisky, dry heat. Watching my brother and sister play and fight and get into all sorts of trouble. They were twins and absolutely gorgeous children. I was five, they were two and a half. I remember being so protective of them and if they did anything I would 'own up' on their behalf.
I can remember my dad taking me to my first day at school at Ay Nik Primary School. I was so glad of his hand in mine. We had to go on an enormous bus (erm...actually a small falling apart 'Chicken Bus') and I loved school. Some of the Donut Children that read this started on that day with me and 13 years later, despite following each other, randomly around the world, the same kids managed to finish Secondary School at King Richards in Cyprus with me.
Digressing again. Can you imagine coming home from school at the age of five, living right on the beach, throwing off your clothes, climbing into your swimmies and plunging into the warm Mediterranean Sea. After a swim, my mother would call me and lower down my lunch in a little bucket from our second floor flat. Then dad coming back from work, pulling off his uniform and swimming out with me on his back out to the reef to snorkel and swim with the fish and the turtles.
Life as a Donut Child wasn't always so romantic, we did our time in Germany, in the snow drifts of Berlin, also in the depressing quarters of RAF Digby, where we experienced The Winter of Discontent but somehow I managed 13 whole years in Cyprus and three visits to Ascension Island. What more can a girl ask for!
The Donut Kids are with me today. We have managed two reunions so far. The first was so special. It had been 30 years since we had seen each other. No boring school reunion for us. We had not only travelled throughout our childhoods but many of us had been abroad for most of our adult lives. I am so grateful to be in touch with them as even today many of us travel and are never in the the same place for long. I suppose that is why we cling to one another, even though we are all in our forties.
My father left the RAF but got a new job as a Donut at The Central Spelling Office. Can't tell you much about that as The Central Spelling Office is supposed to be a secret. Now you understand the reason for my Wanderlust.
Thank you for reading Donut Child, I appreciate it so much.
Namaste
Muse x
Donut Child started because, after keeping a life long journal, I injured my arm (also known as The Fecking Bastard Arm) and could not write in longhand. The first year was so hard. Somehow, I had to share my thoughts, in a sanitised way, with the rest of the world. Anyway! I got over all that. Shoved the dirty linen under the bed as far as I could and coped.
Onto Donut Child and the wonderful childhood I experienced. My father was a very small fish in a very big pond when I was born in Cyprus in 1963. My dad was 22 and my mum 19 years old, a long way away from home. He was the lowest of the low, an SAC in the RAF. My earliest memory is of heat, a warm frisky, dry heat. Watching my brother and sister play and fight and get into all sorts of trouble. They were twins and absolutely gorgeous children. I was five, they were two and a half. I remember being so protective of them and if they did anything I would 'own up' on their behalf.
I can remember my dad taking me to my first day at school at Ay Nik Primary School. I was so glad of his hand in mine. We had to go on an enormous bus (erm...actually a small falling apart 'Chicken Bus') and I loved school. Some of the Donut Children that read this started on that day with me and 13 years later, despite following each other, randomly around the world, the same kids managed to finish Secondary School at King Richards in Cyprus with me.
Digressing again. Can you imagine coming home from school at the age of five, living right on the beach, throwing off your clothes, climbing into your swimmies and plunging into the warm Mediterranean Sea. After a swim, my mother would call me and lower down my lunch in a little bucket from our second floor flat. Then dad coming back from work, pulling off his uniform and swimming out with me on his back out to the reef to snorkel and swim with the fish and the turtles.
Life as a Donut Child wasn't always so romantic, we did our time in Germany, in the snow drifts of Berlin, also in the depressing quarters of RAF Digby, where we experienced The Winter of Discontent but somehow I managed 13 whole years in Cyprus and three visits to Ascension Island. What more can a girl ask for!
The Donut Kids are with me today. We have managed two reunions so far. The first was so special. It had been 30 years since we had seen each other. No boring school reunion for us. We had not only travelled throughout our childhoods but many of us had been abroad for most of our adult lives. I am so grateful to be in touch with them as even today many of us travel and are never in the the same place for long. I suppose that is why we cling to one another, even though we are all in our forties.
My father left the RAF but got a new job as a Donut at The Central Spelling Office. Can't tell you much about that as The Central Spelling Office is supposed to be a secret. Now you understand the reason for my Wanderlust.
Thank you for reading Donut Child, I appreciate it so much.
Namaste
Muse x
Testcard - Normal Service will be resumed shortly.
I really need to get this out of my system before I carry on with my very successful Blog! Someone reads this Blog, via her daughters FB account - v.v.v unhealthy if you ask me, I mean WHO gives their Ma their internet password...shudder.
All I can say to her... J - you know who you are. You are a kindred spirit and love to read the written word, just like me. I am quite sure you would love to have a go at this Blog lark so either get on with it or create a Google Account and open your mouth in person. The comments posted on this Blog are let to run free unless like last week a personal phone number is posted. A young girl was in trouble and needed my help. Nuff said.
So darling, get over it or get on with it. Would absolutely love to see you do so because I suspect there is a little frustrated talent hiding in there and no doubt your writing would give mine a run for its money! And that is all the 'breath' I am prepared to give you.
Namaste x
PS Look at your lovely Ma and compare her to many much younger people, she is beautiful and I am so proud of her.
All I can say to her... J - you know who you are. You are a kindred spirit and love to read the written word, just like me. I am quite sure you would love to have a go at this Blog lark so either get on with it or create a Google Account and open your mouth in person. The comments posted on this Blog are let to run free unless like last week a personal phone number is posted. A young girl was in trouble and needed my help. Nuff said.
So darling, get over it or get on with it. Would absolutely love to see you do so because I suspect there is a little frustrated talent hiding in there and no doubt your writing would give mine a run for its money! And that is all the 'breath' I am prepared to give you.
Namaste x
PS Look at your lovely Ma and compare her to many much younger people, she is beautiful and I am so proud of her.
Thursday, 26 May 2011
Wanderlust and Barging It!
All The Donut Kids have Wanderlust in one form or another. I lost mine a couple of years ago, settling in to my fluffy slippers, scootching up to my fire and ignoring any memories of faraway places. I found it again a few weeks ago and it is causing no end of trouble. Put it this way, it is either Wanderlust or a bloody mid life crisis!
It started with a boat. I live very close to some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. All it takes on a sunny day is to grab cool box, a body board, shove The Git into the car and Hey Presto! We are there, walking on the beaches, lookin' at the Peaches...A'hem. Actually it is more a case of getting the Bino's out to ensure The Git is not drowning or getting into trouble. I also love looking at the tourists (Emmetts, as we call them down here) and thinking how lucky I am, sitting on the sand, watching the sun go down and The Git surfing in the waves. We have had a few great evenings like that recently.
I digress, I have been salivating over boats for sale, nothing special, just your average luxury 48 footer. Then I realised that I was actually financially in the Poo, so to speak, and decided to look at....erm, she says shamefully....erm...Motor Homes. See!!!! I am losing my marbles! This has to be a mid life crisis as I hate the damn things. After all, I spend most of my life in the summer, either sitting patiently (not!) behind them or watching them being towed away. If I go camping, I expect a bouncy air mattress, a generator, a plug and Sky Plus, not to mention The Butler!. I get grumpy if there is not enough power for my hair straighteners and if it rains I head straight for the nearest plush Hotel with feather duvets and a roof.
SEE! I got old, unadventurous and soft. Now all I can think of is setting sail in a (at the very least 48ft) boat or perhaps a driving across Continents in my top of the range Motor Home with enough room to square away half of the Glastonbury audience! Not entirely sure what brought this on but the realisation that I have actually lived in Cornwall for the last 8 years, without pinging off to some random place or other, may have something to do with it. Blowing into brown paper bag now...really!!! did I actually manage to settle for 8 whole years???
Never mind, my wanderlust will be cured next month. I am off to deepest Warwickshire with a Maestro, a load of terrifically talented Musicians and we'll be aboard a 'Rosie and Jim' Barge tootling along for two weeks. There is something magical about the canal and being aboard a Barge. You have no option but to slow right down to gas mark 3 miles an hour - it is very good for my mid life crisis and I intend to enjoy every minute!
Watch this space for futher updates. My slippers ain't got me just yet!
Namaste
Muse x
http://folkonthewater.blogspot.com/
http://www.youtube.com/user/FolkontheWat...
http://www.folkonthewater.com
http://twitter.com/folkonthewater
http://www.kateboats.co.uk/
http://www.bathplace.org/
http://www.canalsidecommunityfood.org.uk
http://www.bluelias.com/
http://www.thebridgeatnapton.co.uk/
http://www.newboldcomynarms.co.uk/
It started with a boat. I live very close to some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. All it takes on a sunny day is to grab cool box, a body board, shove The Git into the car and Hey Presto! We are there, walking on the beaches, lookin' at the Peaches...A'hem. Actually it is more a case of getting the Bino's out to ensure The Git is not drowning or getting into trouble. I also love looking at the tourists (Emmetts, as we call them down here) and thinking how lucky I am, sitting on the sand, watching the sun go down and The Git surfing in the waves. We have had a few great evenings like that recently.
I digress, I have been salivating over boats for sale, nothing special, just your average luxury 48 footer. Then I realised that I was actually financially in the Poo, so to speak, and decided to look at....erm, she says shamefully....erm...Motor Homes. See!!!! I am losing my marbles! This has to be a mid life crisis as I hate the damn things. After all, I spend most of my life in the summer, either sitting patiently (not!) behind them or watching them being towed away. If I go camping, I expect a bouncy air mattress, a generator, a plug and Sky Plus, not to mention The Butler!. I get grumpy if there is not enough power for my hair straighteners and if it rains I head straight for the nearest plush Hotel with feather duvets and a roof.
SEE! I got old, unadventurous and soft. Now all I can think of is setting sail in a (at the very least 48ft) boat or perhaps a driving across Continents in my top of the range Motor Home with enough room to square away half of the Glastonbury audience! Not entirely sure what brought this on but the realisation that I have actually lived in Cornwall for the last 8 years, without pinging off to some random place or other, may have something to do with it. Blowing into brown paper bag now...really!!! did I actually manage to settle for 8 whole years???
Never mind, my wanderlust will be cured next month. I am off to deepest Warwickshire with a Maestro, a load of terrifically talented Musicians and we'll be aboard a 'Rosie and Jim' Barge tootling along for two weeks. There is something magical about the canal and being aboard a Barge. You have no option but to slow right down to gas mark 3 miles an hour - it is very good for my mid life crisis and I intend to enjoy every minute!
Watch this space for futher updates. My slippers ain't got me just yet!
Namaste
Muse x
http://folkonthewater.blogspot.com/
http://www.youtube.com/user/FolkontheWat...
http://www.folkonthewater.com
http://twitter.com/folkonthewater
http://www.kateboats.co.uk/
http://www.bathplace.org/
http://www.canalsidecommunityfood.org.uk
http://www.bluelias.com/
http://www.thebridgeatnapton.co.uk/
http://www.newboldcomynarms.co.uk/
Tuesday, 24 May 2011
TLC and a rather good Vintage!
I had a bit of a rant about 'The Rapture' on Donut Child the other day. I suppose I could not believe that some idiot, organized religion was getting so much publicity. Get me...I gave it publicity. Doh! This Blog is not about religion it is just about us and our faith in each other. I may be dismissive about organized religion and I DO respect those that practice it within their hearts but I struggle to cope with others that feel the need to force me to participate in their God Delusion. Oh Bugger I am just digging myself a deeper hole.
Let me put this into some sort of context. I was about 23 when a relative was diagnosed with liver cancer. She was the same age as I am now. Just 47 years old. Let us just call her Doris for arguements sake. Doris had three weeks from her diagnosis of a terribly painful cancer to her death. She calmly put her affairs in order, sorted out her will and asked for a humanitarian service with no flowers as she would not be present to appreciate them. I remember thinking at the time how brave and rather stupid she was. I hedged my bets at the age of 23, I said my Hari Krishna once a week, my Hail Mary and The Lords Prayer before I nodded off at night. I did not realise it at the time but she was one of the bravest people I have ever met.
It takes a courageous person to dismiss the religion that your parents passed on to you. I was more unfortunate than most. I was brought up within a predominately Catholic family. I won't go into what disillusioned me, suffice to say, one particular Donut Child knows why, and of course I learned to think for myself, something I am able to thank my Father for.
My distrust of religion does not mean I am devoid of Kindness, Love and Respect for others. We all need a little Tender Loving Care. We all appreciate something to believe in, it is called HOPE and as I said in my last Blog, if you put 300 of us in a plane and stick it in a dive, we will all revert to form and pray to the 'God' we have been taught to pray to.
For me, I want to concentrate on one day at a time. I need to get my priorities in order and they start with my family. If I stumble across someone in need or a person who I can help then yeah, why not? If it makes you feel good and gives hope to another then get on with it. This Random Acts of Kindness thing does work. Try it, you may surprise yourself! Oh, just in case you think I have gone all Mushy....my latest RAK was repaid by 6 bottles of a rather good wine!
Namaste
Muse x
PS Still working on my road rage....
Let me put this into some sort of context. I was about 23 when a relative was diagnosed with liver cancer. She was the same age as I am now. Just 47 years old. Let us just call her Doris for arguements sake. Doris had three weeks from her diagnosis of a terribly painful cancer to her death. She calmly put her affairs in order, sorted out her will and asked for a humanitarian service with no flowers as she would not be present to appreciate them. I remember thinking at the time how brave and rather stupid she was. I hedged my bets at the age of 23, I said my Hari Krishna once a week, my Hail Mary and The Lords Prayer before I nodded off at night. I did not realise it at the time but she was one of the bravest people I have ever met.
It takes a courageous person to dismiss the religion that your parents passed on to you. I was more unfortunate than most. I was brought up within a predominately Catholic family. I won't go into what disillusioned me, suffice to say, one particular Donut Child knows why, and of course I learned to think for myself, something I am able to thank my Father for.
My distrust of religion does not mean I am devoid of Kindness, Love and Respect for others. We all need a little Tender Loving Care. We all appreciate something to believe in, it is called HOPE and as I said in my last Blog, if you put 300 of us in a plane and stick it in a dive, we will all revert to form and pray to the 'God' we have been taught to pray to.
For me, I want to concentrate on one day at a time. I need to get my priorities in order and they start with my family. If I stumble across someone in need or a person who I can help then yeah, why not? If it makes you feel good and gives hope to another then get on with it. This Random Acts of Kindness thing does work. Try it, you may surprise yourself! Oh, just in case you think I have gone all Mushy....my latest RAK was repaid by 6 bottles of a rather good wine!
Namaste
Muse x
PS Still working on my road rage....
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