Laughter

Image via Wikipedia

Laughter is a great gift. Sometimes it's at its best when unexpected - the funny bone tickle that emerges from nowhere. There have been many times when something amusing has struck the funny bone and I've ended up in stitches with tears running down my face and been unable to breathe for a while. And how much better I've felt afterwards especially if I was worried about something. It was metaphorically like a breath of fresh air.

Beautiful September Sunday

Feeling frustrated at Argyle's attempts on the box I decided to go for a walk. The weather was beautiful and surprisingly warm for this time of year. Walked up to our local stone circle and enjoyed the peace up there. There was a pleasant breeze blowing to keep me cool from my walk. It was all a lovely experience from the moment I left the house to when I returned.

Frame of Mind

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It's amazing how much our current frame of mind can influence our perceptions of the external world. If we're feeling nervy or worried about something, it's easy to project that feeling on to all and every experience we have during a particular period. Paranoia is another state which can make us feel it is not comfortable to connect with other people because it is simply not 'safe'. Sometimes watching a clip from TV or reading something from a book can create a nightmare scenario which can trigger something internally. I have just read something this morning, the implication of which is really quite scary. Yet often politicians seem to live in this paranoid state and then they invent more and more reasons why we should prove that we are who we say we are - hence, particularly in the UK, the great debate over ID cards. It often takes a great deal to stay centred and not allow the paranoia and control techniques of governments and big business to undermine our own individual sense of well-being and happiness.

Cat at the Window

Image via Wikipedia

This always seems to be a rather wistful image to me. As if the cat wanted to go somewhere but couldn't or was waiting for someone to return. My cat is sitting at the window while I type, looking out. The window is open if he chooses to go out but he doesn't. This may have much to do with the fact that the house is surrounded by thick mist and it's generally pretty damp outside. Sensibly, he's decided to view the wild outdoors while being dry and warm. I hope the sunshine returns soon.

Departing Swallows

Image by Moonrhino via Flickr

I love it in May when the swallows arrive in Cornwall. For me this signals the start of Summer even if the weather doesn't hold up to the expectations we might have for that season. In the Autumn, I'm sorry to see the swallows leave. For weeks they've been preparing for their long flights after raising their broods, by feasting on the insects that are around. Then there are swallows everywhere. And within a few days they've all left - quite suddenly. I admire the stamina of these little birds to fly so far twice a year and through some quite dangerous territory too. So I look forward to welcoming them back next Spring.

Saturday Afternoons and Football

Image by MartyMC via Flickr

A couple of years ago every alternate Saturday was taken up with attending a Plymouth Argyle home match. This meant leaving home in the morning to catch a train and then walking from the station at Plymouth to Home Park where Argyle was playing. Didn't arrive home until 2030 so it was quite a long day. This was because my son had generously bought me a season ticket. Since that year I haven't been able to afford to go to games. This season Argyle are not doing so well and are currently at the bottom of the Championship. I have to ask myself that if I still had a season ticket would I go so readily now when they are doing so badly. I think that the answer would be 'probably not'.

Reversals

Image by mek22 via Flickr

A few days ago our cat brought in a mouse. Nothing unusual about that you would say. But then, out of the blue, the thought struck me of what situation would emerge if a mouse brought in our cat. The image of this is ingriguing and possibly the start of a story if I can ever get it going . . .

Autumn Term

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Academically, the Autumn Term is the start of the school year, as you're probably well aware. I cannot think about school terms without memories of the boarding school that I went to for the secondary part of my education. It was a convent school and I boarded away from home. The good thing about it is that it teaches you indedpendence away from your family. The less positive side is that the life is fairly regimented from the moment you get up. We were only allowed one hour of TV in the evening after doing our homework. We were allowed to see our parents for two visiting weekends per term and we were permitted a week for half-term. I can't say that I recommend the lifestyle but I understand that if you're particularly academically minded, boarding can be less distacting than normal daytime education.

Indian Summer

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For the past few days we've been experiencing a real Indian Summer here in West Penwith. It has been everything that much of the Summer has failed to be, with the mist and rain that we've been having. It has been wonderful walking around in the fresh air and warm sunshine. Yesterday evening I spent a lovely time playing football with my son who'd come down to visit for the weekend.

Stories

Image by nocas via Flickr

Over the past few weeks I've been trying to write a story. As is often the case it was going quite well and I was adding to it bit by bit. But then I mentally took a wrong turn which I will now have to delete. That's all well and good but the problem is that I don't know at the moment what the right turn might be to the story.

Autumn Mists

Image by animakitty via Flickr

There is thick mist outside my window. It has been like this for much of the day although this morning I could see to the other side of the field. It is also quite warm and sticky. I quite like mist in moderation but it has been like this for the last two days so I'm hoping that it will be sunny tomorrow.

Freedom and Routine

Image by Kliefi - (back in two weeks, ahoi) via Flickr

These words can mean different things to each individual. Some kind of routine is probably necessary for a minimum of organisation but too much can end up being very boring indeed. This is probably where the concept of freedom comes in; the freedom to break the routine or impose a different one. Sometimes it can be very creative to get away from your average routine and this is where holidays can be very enervating. This was brought home to me very strongly recently when we had a friend staying with us and this put us into a different kind of routine which worked, at least to some extent, while we had our visitor. But the sense of freedom after he left was enormous.

Walking

Walking is such a natural activity and yet as we grow older we tend to do it less and less. But walking is often more than an activity when there is a beautiful environment surrounding us. To walk then is a pleasure, and an almost spiritual experience; to feel the breeze in our hair, the sun on our face is such an indvidual and personal sensation that nothing can replicate. This is an experience which can make us feel glad to be alive as well as contribute to our sense of wholeness and well-being.

The Sea

I love the sea. Just to watch it moment to moment is fascinating, to notice the change of light and colours as clouds waft past in the sky. It most definitely has its own moods, from those sunny postcard blue days to the more murky, moody and grey occasions. It can be in one of these states in one part of the day and the other later. I love trying to reproduce the colour of the sea in watercolour as there are so many tints and hues even in the space of one bay. There are areas with rock underneath or sand and this in turn affects the colour of the sea above it. It really is a fascinating topic.