Simplifying Life - Mark II

Gigervamp

I used to love playing marbles and collecting ones with a pretty coloured middle. I remember playing jacks too!

Hubby and I went to our local beach Saturday evening and I found a glass fishing net float and a stone that's shaped like a heart. I love beachcombing!

Then I spent most of yesterday afternoon sitting on my swing bench enjoying the sun. It was rather lovely.

mary43

Gigervamp - I love prowling round the beach when I get the chance (not often I'm afraid). Pebbles are my weakness and I can't resist the odd mis-shaped or coloured one. Over the years I've got quite a bowl full and its so relaxing and cost free

ceridwen

Time for a virtual fanfare - tan-tan-tan-tan-ta!....and for your delectation and delight - its US - WE'RE HERE......WE'RE HERE.....WE'RE HERE....yay!:beer:

the Transition Town Movement is well "ready to roll" and its the film premiere of our film "In Transition" (as in made by us - I can claim no credit towards this - but I will be thoroughly enjoying our film).

The realworld premiere is this afternoon and everyone else can watch the virtual premiere at 1.45pm today on

http://www.livestream.com/intransition

The national Transition Network Conference is on in London this weekend - so that will be one big gathering there watching this online -and the rest of us can watch it throughout the country (?hopefully?maybe 'twill remain on that link thereafter?)

So - our version of Simple Living coming up - do save the link for later - will be summat to see whilst MSE is "down" for maintenance this afternoon.

Right now - anyone who wants to see a little "taster" thing online - we also have "The Powerdown Show" - a DVD coming out of a series of 20 minute tv-style programmes and there is a freebie one to watch on:

http://transitionculture.org/2009/05/21/the-powerdown-show-now-available-heret/

Happy watching - yay!

:beer::j:beer::j:beer::j:beer::j:beer::j

Bring on the virtual popcorn...

LIGHTS.....CAMERA......ACTION....

ceridwen

..just checking in on the Transition Network Conference this weekend - on Rob Hopkins' blog (Transition Culture)......a Secretary of State (Minister for Energy and Climate Change) there as a "keynote listener"....this isnt just a conference...its a Transition conference (said in breathy Marks & Spencer advert tones)....blow the being there as a "keynote speaker"....hes there as a "keynote LISTENER" - heh!

....will be running off at intervals this weekend to follow proceedings virtually....

I'm at the local physical "report back" by our delegates later in the week in the Real World...:D

ceridwen

Er...ummm....whoops....Just a few "technical hitches" - er well actually rather a lot of technical hitches and the movie hasnt been screened yet. Two frustrating hours waiting/hoping later - so will try again later and see if its been sorted out yet and "hanging around on line" waiting to be viewed.

Daresay it will be sent out on some other medium soon - hopefully You Tube.:o

mary43

ceridwen - only just logged on -good to see you back:j I'm sure the 'techie hitch' will soon get sorted out.

Well, as for my little corner of the world............
Been to see GP for medical (hoping soc.services will see I'm as fit and well as can be at my age!) and results of latest blood test.....not as good as I'd hoped -showed sodium level to be 31 when it should be 36 :eek: Nothing too drastic GP said but wants be to have another test in July just to make sure. Seems I had similar problem about 3 years back - nearly passed out in one of the charity shops...........worried myself witless and got nurse to do blood test......apparently low sodium showed up then but obviously it wasn't felt bad enough to warrant telling me !! Maybe its just one of those things I'm prone to now and then.
Mums affairs should be sorted out within a week (so we're told) -then maybe I can get down to sorting out mums photos, her paperwork and my head !
OH has started decorating the front room - stage at a time -its a very long room ! Going from dramatic dark green to a sort of 'beige/buff'.........so far so good now I've got used to the change of colour.
House is still in a muddle and in desparate need of de-cluttering but today I covered a shoe box with some remnants of material that were laying about so small as it is........that's something..........its a start anyway.
Now my medical is done and dusted I do feel more like getting stuck into sorting stuff out..............having that hanging over me was overpowering my brain I think. Couldn't concentrate on much else.
Now I've booked a few days away (courtesy of Travelodge special offer) in Sussex during first week of august so I can enjoy a bit of tranquility and see youngest son at the same time.
Prior to that we're due a trip to see baby grandson for his 2nd birthday and then to MIL for her 89th !
Garden is looking good.........plenty of greenery to rest the eyes -family of blue tits have decided to share it with us - veg in pots doing well so I'm feeling quite content at the moment anyway.

Have a good bank holiday:j

ceridwen

Hi Mary

Sometimes - when a major issue is "hanging over ones head" as you put it...then its difficult to focus on anything else unless and until said Major Issue is sorted out. Yep....I know that....guess we all know that. Its annoying isnt it? You tell yourself "Come ON now...get on with it...get on with the rest of life...you've done all you CAN do for now about said Major Issue"...but its not so easy to just "pack it back" into a little suitcase and store that in the loft (metaphorically speaking). Yep - I know that one...

In my case...the major issue concerned is my job....as things sway to and fro....and constant change is a given..and who knows what will happen and when and the way my workplace is run is one big disorganised mess (thats on a good day...). So - I've got Plan A in mind and back-up Plan B...and so it goes on.

It can sometimes be very difficult to turn one's attention/emotions away from The Big Issue and get on with everything else in life I know.

Re your comment about sorting "mums photos/her paperwork and my head" - I think the "sorting ones own head" can definitely rate as the most difficult of the lot sometimes. I'm personally very grateful for one of the blessings of mid-life - as in much more clearheaded than I was. When younger - one gets swayed so much by peer pressure and one's own "hormones" and it is a blessed relief when the "fog" clears at mid-life and one can see things clearly - without those factors "cluttering the decks" - well thats my experience anyways. I wouldnt want to be young again - look younger definitely - but actually BE younger - no chance...

Re your front room being decorated - it does take a while to "get your eye in" and get used to things looking different to what one has been used to for some time. Many of us hate change...I know myself that there is a fine balance between enough change to keep one "stimulated"/engaged and an amount that starts to feel overwhelming...its a constant work in progress to work out JUST what the ideal balance is - and then of course theres the "best laid plans of mice and men" syndrome playing silly b*****s with ones "best laid plans" that happens.

Hope you're having a good Bank Holiday...and that everyone else is as well....

Right...off for a nice cup of coffee and a slice of <cough> VERY expensive Italian style lemon cake I treated myself to earlier....

mary43

ceridwen - I've been doing a few 'positive' things over the bank holiday - may seem silly little things but I covered a shoe box with fabric then did a notebook to match.........loved it so much I'm keeping it and it might end up being a memory box/book of mum.......not sure yet. Did another notebook this morning - that'll be a journal for my friend for next year -got rid of fabric remnants in the process so weeny bit of clearing out going on -may even do some more -gets rid of the fabric bits that are taking up vital drawer space.

Getting used to the colour of the front room but OH downed tools over the weekend - garden needed a bit of attention. I've got a video rack that we had given us (can't say no to a freebie !) Its black........coat of paint needed so that may be a project for later this week -another thing done, put in the place it was meant for and leaving some space in the 'indoor shed'. I feel as long as I'm doing something 'positive' -however small - my head is starting to clear or at least I can focus more on the positives than negatives.
My diary will make interesting reading one day............lol Never believed I'd have so much to put in it. It's full of things that have happened, at home and worldwide, the weather, plus my feelings in general about things. Good way of getting things into perspective too.........seeing things in black and white they can appear totally diifferent !

I agree with you on the way we can see things more clearly when we get that bit older.............but be young again ? No thanks ! A bit younger......maybe turn the clock back to better times, maybe but then I'd have to live through everything again so maybe not. When I think about it, I deal with things now I would have run away from not so many years back and certainly wouldn''t have coped as well even though sometimes I feel I'm not.

ceridwen

Hi Mary

Yep...I guess the only downside of the "see things more clearly" scenario as one gets older that at least some of us get can be the "parental angle"....long since lost count of how many times my father has expressed a wish that parents (to be accurate - him) could choose the person their son/daughter marries. A great advocate of arranged marriages in some respects is my father:D:D - just as well I'm British....so he didnt have cultural back-up in that respect - goodness only knows who he would have chosen for me....:rotfl:Though - I did take on board his points enough to think "its got to be someone like myself" (slight problem to that one - I sometimes think there aint that many people like me....) as well as "I must be in love" - oh well...the two never did coincide....hence why single...

I think Mary...that one of the things that strikes me (errr....often forcibly:cool:) as one gets older that there is a huge/and ever-increasing list of things that have happened in your life (of the undesirable variety) that you never ever thought WOULD happen to you. That is NOT an advantage of getting older - but I guess one turns that on its head ("reframes it" in modern day parlance) to see the positive side of that - ie "I've coped with x/y and z that were never going to happen to me/shouldnt have happened to me - so I guess I'll cope with THAT thing that has just come up as well - darn it!".

Anyways...take care....

mary43

ceridwen - it does sometimes get to the point where so many bad/negative things happen we sit and wait for the next one to appear -and more often than not it does.............and its yet another thing to 'deal with'.

Well, just as I thought I was coping really well -which I still am I suppose - I get a call from my brother. He's not coming back here till August so, after jumping up and down and badgering solicitors etc. to get a move on and get things sorted, it'll be another 8 weeks. Apparently we both have to sign papers...........when I last spoke to the solicitor she said there was no need, hence no need for big bruv to rush over here............now that seems to have changed (I know not why) so everything now hangs on my brother coming back. Miffed ? You bet I was............there was me counting the days to being able to sort out the paperwork I've got and shred all the unnecessary stuff not needed any more. Its a bit like two steps forward, three back...............oh well, worse things happen I know. It was just so unexpected especially as he was pushing for it all to be sooner rather than later.

Despite paying out £100 last week to have wheel bearings sorted out on the car its still not right so its back in the garage again........beginning to think we may as well not have one, the amount of money that keeps being paid out and we've hardly used it. Need it to be right for a trip to grandson for his birthday 12th June then up to see MIL on 16th for hers.Public transport to get to both these places is far from easy.

Oh dear...........talk about sounding like a grumpy old woman.........not helped by the tele being dominated by football......................lol

Sorry..............rant over................(still haven't painted video rack:rolleyes:)

Plus side to all things..........had a letter today from a lad we used to look after who had serious mental health probs............he's now landed himself a managerial position in an IT company and doing very well...........I'm really proud of him:j So..........life ain''t all 'downside' is it.