Rain or Shine…

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And you awake to pouring rain. A lazy cozy day indoors you say? Absolutely not. Remember it’s England and rain or shine, there’s a world out there waiting to be explored.

So instead of making our way to the Yorkshire Dales we visit the nearby town of Saltaire. This well-structured town has its history embedded in the fancy of Sir Titus Salt who believed that the welfare of his people was key to his success. As such to ensure the longevity of his large textile mill, he constructed a charming town where his workers were encouraged to live – a town with all the necessary amenities including a hospital, schools, gymnasium – and the list goes on. The story goes that Sir Titus Salt believed that alcohol was the devil and purposely excluded the inclusion of pubs in this thriving town. As you can imagine this lasted only until his death, when the rise of pubs increased with one of the first being entitled “Don’t tell Titus”.

Making our way to Appletreewick to meet up with another friend, we cruised through the lush dales with grazing sheep and cattle, stopping off in the sleepy town of Grassignton, a town committed to the summer weather.

Moving through North England…

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So much to see and so little time to do it. As we made our way from York through to the Moors and onto the ancient sea faring coastal town of Whitby.

Visiting Castle Howard on the way gave us an insight into the luxury living of the wealthy in the 18th Century. Designed by Sir John Vanbrugh and built with the assistance of Nicholas Hawksmoor, Castle Howard and its 1,000 acres of well-kept grounds afforded you, your personal lakes including your personal wildlife, riding stables and trails, of course. Not to mention secret afternoon ‘tea spots’ with magnificent views and, in the winter, your very own ski slopes.

Surely your friends would have been well accommodated in the many-something room castle and your entertainment needs would certainly have been met. Ah well… I may just have enjoyed that life.

Moving onto the vast North York Moors where speculation of meteorites is ripe but, alas the Moors are in fact a product of nature at its best. Heather in all its glory, sheep grazing happily. Walking paths to your heart’s content – your 10,000-daily step goal, over-achieved.

To finish at Whitby, reminiscent of pirate towns of the ancient past, pubs aplenty, the cool wind on your face, the crashing of waves drowning out your cluttered thoughts, allowing you to relax, gaze and enjoy the moment.

Touring York…

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What a wonderful opportunity to visit a place I’d never been before. In fact, in all my years of visiting England I’ve only ever been to London and South Brent. This year, due to some new acquaintances we made on a previous vacation, we headed to York for a quick visit. Travelling by car made it a much more pleasant experience, witnessing the countryside in all its splendour.

York as a city dates to the beginning of the first millennium AD but you can witness archaeological evidence of inhabitants much further back to between 8000 and 7000 BC. It is intriguing walking through this walled city with its cobblestone paths, narrow streets and medieval buildings interspersed with Roman and Viking remains and Georgian architecture – buildings transformed internally for modern use, built so many centuries prior.

If only the walls could talk, you would hear stories of the Viking occupancy and the city’s rise to become an important royal Centre for the Northumbrian kings. Stories of the Emperors Hadrian, Septimius Severus, and Constantius would keep you riveted, and of course Constantine the Great himself one of the most important personalities in history, who was the first emperor to rule in the name of Christ and was a major figure in the foundation of medieval Christian Europe.

York Minster, the York City Walls, the Shambles all worth the visit.

In and around Bristol…

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Bristol is known as one of the warmest and sunniest cities in England – I guess that is an encouragement when you consider the fact that England is synonymous with grey skies and cold rain. It doesn’t however exempt you from the reality that, it will rain and, it will be cold.

It has also been named the best place to live in the UK. Its independent spirit, cultural diversity, ease of getting around and exploratory heritage, is reason enough to visit and truly enjoy the many levels of interest that Bristol has to offer.

So we set off to tour this wonderful city, determined, rain or shine, to enjoy its ancient architecture, in search of the Clifton suspension spring bridge, dogged by political and financial difficulties, and renowned for its spectacular setting on the cliffs of the Avon gorge, while oh so secretly scouring the well preserved buildings for the nearest pub – a suitable watering hole to warm up, refresh and rejuvenate.

Not a moment lost, not a moment regretted.

What are weddings made of…

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A Prince in shining armour and a Princess in waiting – a promise of love ever after – a life filled with joy and laughter.

You may wonder which fairy tale I’ve been reading lately but the truth is that there are still weddings that are truly magical. Maybe not in the way we all imagine it to be with all the visible glitz and fluff. But magic sometimes happens in our hearts and manifests itself in the simplicity of our actions, over a period of time.

In this instance, the groom proved himself to be the prince in shining armour through his commitment, strength and dedication over the years. The princess in waiting, used his love and support to overcome her challenges and shine for all the world to see. Witnessing their journey warms your heart and gives you the assurance that there will be a love ever after – that the ‘til death do us part’ will be real. That their new journey will continue to be filled with adventure, joy and laughter – and hopefully little ones as well.

Congrats Rob and Gill – may your magic continue.

It’s been a long time…

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… since I’ve had no plans. Since I’ve been free of time constraints. Since I’ve been free to be wherever, whenever. And, what surprised me the most was the fact that it took very little time if any to get used to the process. Not surprisingly therefore, I’ve been enjoying the simplicity and ease of every moment.

Our main focus was to get to Bristol for a family wedding. And that we did. Slowly, to our own beat and enjoying what Britain has to offer on the way. Oldies but goldies on the radio, changing scenery, changing weather.

Britain has always had a charming appeal for me – on arrival you are greeted with a friendly smile and conversation at immigration, genuine interest in your visit to their land. You are warmed by their quirky sense of humour and piqued by their turns of phrases. Only the British can squeeze through a crowd with a polite “Thank You”. Only in Britain are you referred to as “Ma’am” and don’t take offense. You may even blush at the reference.

And as you settle into their culture, you begin to understand that beneath the politeness and often misunderstood ‘stuffy’ front, the Brits are truly fun to be around.

Where is your reset button…

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Relax, Recuperate and Reset. Recently a colleague asked me to describe my perfect unwind day. Immediately my mind floated to what I call a ‘pajama day’. The name speaks for itself. Sleep, eat, read, movies and more sleep. In other words, sheer self indulgence. No-one to take care of. No-one to interrupt you. No-one to disturb you from yourself.

As I sit here facing the peaceful ocean with the cliched view of my naked toes in the forefront of the beautiful calming sea, I realise that my sense of rest, relax and recover comes in many shapes and forms. Often I sit and stare into oblivion letting my mind wander over my blessings, my dreams, my aspirations. At other times, I take to my running to transport me to a place of peace and quiet while I work out my frustrations, disappointments and losses through hard physical work.

And then again at times, I focus on the persons around me. I listen to their quiet chatter, their spontaneous laughter, simple signs of life being lived. And in every instance the fact that my mind has moved away from the mundane thoughts that preoccupy me (whether they are positive or not so positive), allows for the creation of a void to be filled with the thoughts I choose. Those that keep me rested, relaxed and restored.

Generally we believe that we must get far away from our day to day surroundings to be able to press that reset button. I have proven to myself however, that the reset button is at my finger tips. I have complete control over it. Do you?

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33 years and counting…

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My eldest brother, as is usual, was one of the first this morning to congratulate me on yet another year of marriage. He also took the opportunity to remind me that Jesus Christ lived for 33 years and that during his short life he had performed just as many miracles, suggesting at the same time that I should expect an Amethyst stone from my husband on this occasion. My sister was quick to chime in noting that that would indeed be a miracle.
It got me to thinking though as to whether or not my life had been filled with as many miracles, if any at all. I guess the mere fact that my husband is still alive after so many years of marriage could be considered some type of miracle. My three sons would probably attest that they are living miracles considering the many occasions I threatened to tie them up in a tree and leave them there for good. If my dogs could talk, they too would thank their lucky stars that their many digging episodes in my garden didn’t end more tragically.
I sound like a mad lady, and yes, at times I may have acted like one. But reminiscing on my married life I can confirm that I have witnessed many miracles. Not those of the like of Jesus Christ maybe – there are many a time, though, that I would certainly have liked to have been able to change water into wine – but, there have been small ones which make life full and worth the while.
– The miracle of giving life – holding your treasures against your body for the first time, welcoming them into your world.
– The miracle of family – skipping bravely through life with the confidence that someone has got your back
– The miracle of unconditional love – knowing that when you mess up, because inevitably you do, there’s that one person who will help you pick up the pieces and move on
Two of my sons are soon to embark on this wonderful journey of marriage. And I’m hoping that their life, too, will be filled with many many miracles.

Blogging in the Rain…

/ Denise / 1 Comment

Perspective plays a critical role in your outlook on life.
Here I am, in one of the most beautiful places on earth, expecting to spend what one would imagine to be an idyllic weekend on a small Caribbean island – sand, sea, bliss. Not a care in the world. Freedom from the everyday shackles of the world of work and life.
The reality is that the rain is pelting down blurring one of the most beautiful views you can witness, my hopes of spending some me-time lazing in the sun on the beach with the cliche’d umbrella drink in one hand, dashed. My recently polished toes glistening in the sun, evidence of a fun filled holiday weekend – forget that.
And yet my heart is light, my smile is broad and I am at my happiest.
What I see is the earth being nourished. What I hear is the pulsating music of my favourite artistes making my feet with their recently polished toes, dance uncontrollably. What I have are friends to make my heart light and enjoy the moment with me. And that umbrella’d drink? Well, that’s the icing on the cake.
Here’s to life. May we always seek the positive.

The excitement of single track biking…

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As if my cycling through the Patagonia region had not already been filled with a lifetime of experiences – first of all sharing the journey with a group of random adventure seekers who became friends sharing their passions, their life stories all wrapped up in a great sense of humour.

Crossing through the varying terrains of both the Chilean and Argentinian landscapes that make the region the legend that it is.

Climbing the still active Villarica Volcano in Pucon – one of the most mind blowing and triumphant expeditions I’ve ever accomplished.

Exploring my own personal strength and endurance through the cycling adventure itself, learning the bike, mastering different surfaces and building my own confidence in managing the long distances crossed.

Then at the very end, pumping my adrenaline through the exciting opportunity to ride on the single track runs through the National Araucania Park – narrow trails filled with unexpected ups and downs, twists and turns – having to manoeuver encroaching trees and low hanging branches and constantly on the lookout for the odd tree roots and rocks to jump over. May sound scary but with a strong heart and lots of determination to succeed, we all came out triumphant, exhilarated and fired up.

…. and now on to my next adventure, whenever and wherever that may be. Hoping we will continue to explore together…