Goodbye to Mark

Yesterday I delivered Mark to the Railway Station at Chester to start his journey back to VietNam. Why he didn't get the train from here I think had to do with the extra cost, but anyway, he'd booked his ticket from Chester. As Annie just happened to be working there, we arranged to meet her so I could drive her back home.


After we'd had a meal in a Cafe, dropped Mark off at the Station and spent half an hour trying to find our way back to the motorway because we'd taken the wrong road, Annie was wishing she'd taken the train and got home much earlier! Anyway, I was very glad to have her with me, as we were driving into the setting sun, which was blinding me all the way home in spite of sunglasses.

Yesterday morning I was shocked to find I weighed 66k, the same as a week ago when I resolved to lose 1k a week for the next 6 weeks until I'm down to 60k. I knew I'd blown it over the weekend at Annie's, where we celebrated Julie's and Rich's Birthdays (even though Julie wasn't there), with wine and nibbles, nuts and crisps, which were delicious if not exactly the healthy diet I've been trying to maintain.

However, I was even more shocked this morning to find that I weigh 65k! It's a digital weighing maching, so very accurate. Something must be moving, maybe as a result of the walks I've been taking, as well as my focus on '60k in 6 weeks' mantra.

With more regular exercise and less food, something's gotta give!

Regeneration

A couple or more years ago, my old friend Gotami brought me a small African violet plant when she came to visit. It bloomed nicely on my windowsill for a while but eventually, due to my many absences, began to look past it's best. Last year I thought of binning it, but as it still showed evidence of life in tiny green shoots among the dried old leaves I decided to re-pot in fresh compost instead. A year later, (thanks to my daughter Annie for regularly watering all the plants while I was away), this is it; lush green leaves with the most beautiful velvet flowers.

The other change I made recently was to take it off the windowsill in my front room, which I only use when I have visitors, and bring it into my den, where it resides among my most inspirational books, CD's and DVD's, along with me on my laptop. None of us bloom if we're not fed and watered with regular human contact and I count myself well blessed with my family who I see very regularly.

Annie and her family live not far away, so I see them a lot, while Julie sometimes comes to stay the night, which usually involves a bottle of wine! Mark often takes me to the Cinema when he's here and last week we saw the new Sacha Baron Cohen's film 'Bruno', which was even more disgusting than 'Borat' and great fun! We also saw the new Harry Potter film, which fulfilled all expectations! I just love those films... and they're all British! I was so glad to accompany Mark to Leeds recently and catch up with his daughters, who I see rarely.

Today is Julie's Birthday and I hope to see her later. Rich should be on his way already; it's his and his twin brother's Birthday on Monday! Naturally I miss those who are not here; Damian (Happy Birthday to you) and his lovely family, who live in Australia, but was so glad to visit them earlier this year, a trip that I'd love to do again some time. I'm so grateful to be surrounded by so many of my children and grandchildren, not to mention Llawen, my gorgeous little great-g-daughter.

I do believe that the outer world reflects to us our own inner state and maybe my African Violet is reflecting the way I'm blooming; free of old stagnant attitudes and habitual restraints. Thank you Gotami for this reminder, not only of you and Gordon, but of the way we all need nurturing!

How easy can it be?

In the midst of the wet and windy weather we've been getting, today was so bright and sunny I just had to get out for a walk. Without any definite plan I found myself walking from West shore along the road to the end of the Great Orme and taking the Monks' path up the hillside, so called because of the monks some few hundred years ago, who used to walk from their monastery on the coast up to the top to tend their flocks.

It's quite a climb as you'll see from the pictures; although not really a mountain it's as much as I can manage nowadays and that's me, hot and out of breath nearly at the top.

However, while walking I used my solitude to address some issues with EFT, such as; 'Why isn't the Law of Attraction working for me?'

Now I've studied this idea for some time, read many books and articles, listened to inspiring podcasts and watched countless video clips. I'm happy to explain to everyone how the way to change one's life is to change the way we think and to transform basic belief patterns. We are what we think; I tell them. But making this work is actually quite tricky. While I think I'm focussing on positive aspirations, I'm actually stuck in the groove of habitual beliefs such as; 'Wants never gets', 'If you want something you'll never get it, so don't want.'

While I say I believe that energy can be harnessed to make things happen, I've begun to realise that a part of my mind doesn't believe at all. This 'Doubting Thomas' is a cynic and finds plenty of reasons to throw cold water on anything.

So I tapped on that; 'Even though part of me doesn't want to believe... I completely love and accept my 'Doubting Thomas' part. Even though this part doesn't believe in anything... I forgive this part that's been doing its best to protect me from being stupid.'

As I tapped I realised that I could ask this part of my mind to accept the possibility of something it finds difficult to believe. That felt good, but 'Thomas' waits for results.

I've been gradually gaining weight and have now topped 10 stone at 66 Kilos. I accept that I'm unlikely to ever be 8 stone again, but I'm not happy to be heavy as it affects my energy levels and I've been feeling very tired lately. So today I made a decision to achieve a weight of 60k in the next 6 weeks.

Now I've said it and put it out to the universe, how difficult can it be to lose 1 kilo (2 1/2 lbs) a week? Or rather, how easy can it be? Notice how that change of language changes the perception? I do love food but I really don't need to eat so much!

'Even though part of me doesn't believe I CAN get to 60k in 6 weeks... I'm open to the possibility that I CAN eat enough to lose 1k a week... and I completely love and trust myself to achieve this... 60k in 6 weeks... how easy can that be?

Anyway, I'll let you know how I get on, week by week.

These are views of the town as I came down the Orme today. I'm so glad I got that exercise. I've been too tired or lazy to get out lately... just sit at my computer finding reasons not to move!

Where I get my Wisdom

As I have such an interest in travelling, both literally and metaphorically, I love sharing the experiences of others and the world wide web has a wealth of websites and inspiring newletters to which I subscribe. So when it's raining, as it is today and I have time to sort through my email, I find there many messages, recordings and videos to inspire me.

This quote is a great piece of wisdom from young traveller Chris Guillebeau: “If you rely on others to set criteria and standards for you, I think you’re setting yourself up for failure or disappointment. Better to define what success looks like on your own, and not worry about what other people think.” (The Art of Nonconformity... http://www.chrisguillebeau.com/ )

As an Aquarian I like the idea of nonconformity. Most of my life I've been nonconformist in a conventional kind of way. If I'd been born a couple of years later I think I'd have been a hippy, although I'm so strongly imbued with my family's Northern protestant work ethic, it refuses to go away. The result is that I don't feel I 'belong' anywhere. You know what I mean?

Among the many newsletters advocating EFT I usually manage to read Gary Craig's: www.emofree.com as well as Gwyneth Moss' The Tapping News at www.emotional-health.co.uk and EFT Down Under from Steve Wells, whose workshops I've attended both here and in the US. He usually has thought provoking things to say at www.eftdownunder.

Maybe you'd like to share your favourite sites on the comments page! If you too are nonconformist, or have anything at all to share, I look forward to hearing from you. Just click on the Comments button... it only takes a minute or so... OK?

Newcastle

Just back from a weekend away in the far North where Mark was teaching his TEFL course for aspiring teachers of English. I was one of the students and it was hard work but as always, it was good FUN as well as great teaching!

The picture is of Boris, a 'Russian student', not very proficient in his use of the English language, introduced to test the mettle of those practising their teaching skills and as they don't know quite how to treat him, this causes much hilarity. That's him in the red shirt!

After two long days we returned to Leeds where Chloe gave up her bed for me, and we returned home very tired last night.


Below is the Angel of The North standing above the main road into Gateshead and Newcastle and it's quite a sight, although this picture doesn't do it justice.

Off again!

'Where the Bee sucks, there suck I; in the cowslip's bell I lie:'

Annie convinced us that a performance of Shakespeare's 'The Tempest' in the open air in the cool of the evening would be a wonderful experience. So last night Mark and Chloe with Annie and myself drove down the lovely Conwy valley to Gwydir Castle, suitably equipped with warm clothes, blankets and folding chairs. Not to mention the bottle of wine! It was indeed a memorable performance, one leading role being played by the lovely Rachel who works with Annie, except that there was no sound system and we at the back couldn't hear a thing! Alright if one had the script, which Mark did of course. Anyway, we should have been relieved that it didn't invite a tempest in reality.

A lovely idea, only marred by cold wind and midges, which ate me alive! Worse than mosquitoes in VN! How creatures so small one can hardly see them can pack such a punch is beyond my comprehension!!!

Mark has a weekend TEFL course in Newcastle, so I'm going along for the experience and also to catch up with Amy, another granddaughter and Mark's eldest, in Leeds. His younger daughter Chloe has been here a couple of days so we'll be setting off early in the morning to cross the Pennines, then continue up the A1 to the far north where fierce brigands lurk in wait for unwary travellers. Well, not these days, although they are descended from Vikings, allegedly!

To tell the truth, I'm still recovering from Glasto and five days caring duties!

More Glastonbury

As I've been away at work for the last week and unable to get online, I'll post a few more pics of myself and family at the Festival, which we all enjoyed immensely.

OK... where do we start?

Llawen with her grandfather Tim...

My daughter Julie and her lovely daughter Mia...

Cathy my glamorous granddaughter dressing up at the Oxfam tent...

Some strange poser... who I won't embarrass by naming!

and finally the belle of the ball!