2017 and another holiday!

In looking back through my photographs for 2017 it would appear that I have spent most of the year on holiday in one place or another - it doesn't actually feel like it but I have been very lucky :)

The first trip of the year (just to confuse you if you read yesterdays post!) was to Gran Canaria with my friend JB.

The view from the balcony and the mountain we almost climbed on the far left of the picture.

Same view at night! Obviously you can't see the mountain in the dark!

 I've never been here before but am always up for an adventure - especially when she mentioned there would be lizards...

Lizards!!!

And cactuses - or is that cactii?

And palm trees

So, we ended up in her lush apartment, spending most of the days lazing by the pool, her soaking up the sun, me huddling under layers and avoiding any chance of sunshine actually touching me. I even brought a book to read. Note to self, next time go for something frothy and light, not 'Testament of Youth' which just made me cry (thank goodness no one could see me under the layers!). We ate our own bodyweight in ice cream, watched the pool fitness classes and did a great deal of laughing...

We took a boat trip to somewhere I can't recall the name of and the driver/pilot/steering bloke took a detour to spot dolphins.

In the aforementioned town. How do you water those window boxes?

We were so not party animals - in bed by 9pm most nights - but it did mean we got to be up and on the balcony to see the sun rise every morning! We could also view the large mountain across from the town which sported a large cross at the summit. People were clearly climbing up to see it each day and so we idly discussed doing so. However, our plans were abruptly halted when the lady in reception cast her eye at our shoes and shook her head - 'you will die if you try in those shoes'. Dire warning heeded we took our flip flops back to the poolside where they belonged!

Which boat shall we have?

A beautiful and relaxing week with a beautiful friend :)

Thank you gorgeous lady :)

My Trip to India

Back at the start of the year I was lucky enough to visit India for a week long yoga retreat. Here are a few pictures of my visit....

No idea what sort of butterflies these are but they were huge!

Who knew this was where baby pineapples came from?

Tapping rubber trees for the sap......

.....which then gets processed into these sheets

Colourful fruit and veg everywhere

Our view for the week :)

We ventured into the forest to see trees full of fruit bats!

A bowl of flowers to welcome us.

Evening lights

The view of the valley and mountains from our balcony

A lot of my non yoga time was spent trying to get pictures of the camera shy lizards - not brill but the best I got!

Chai - made proper

Discovery....

It's been a bit frosty out!

Been slightly blown away by some family discoveries this week – and weird coincidences.... Let’s start with the Peaky Blinders. For those of you that follow, you’ll know this is a drama series following the semi real adventures of a gang in Birmingham, set after WW1. I love a good period drama and one with the added bonus of gorgeous vintage fashion, slightly edgy stories and the exceptionally handsome Cillian Murphy – well! I did miss the series when it first broadcast but DD treated herself to NetFlix and so endless TV is now a click away. We are most of the way through Season Two and there are regular flashbacks to the main characters experiences in WW1, along with associated effects of PTSD. They were tunnellers, an occupation which involving digging tunnels under enemy lines to plant explosives. Just look it up, the stories of their part in the war are truly unbelievable. I had only just had a conversation with a friend about how we can never really appreciate the conditions that any of those brave guys had to endure (all of them, not just tunnellers). We also wondered at the job the tunnel diggers had to do, and could you imagine having to do that. I hate enclosed spaces and would just be filled with fear at the thought of tunnels let alone explosives and fighting and the thought of breaking into an enemy trench accidentally!

Fast forward a week or so and I am sat at the computer working on my family tree research. I go back and forth to this as the mood takes me. I try to be organised but get distracted by random leads to follow... This particular evening I was following my paternal grandmothers line when up pops a William Redding, my 2x great uncle. He fought in the Boer War (a whole new piece of history that I shamefully know very little about) but then ended up joining the Royal Engineers 184^th Mining Coy, He was a bloody tunneller in the First World War. From what I can make out he ended up near Arras when heavy German bombing caused massive damage and William was among the casualties. He was taken to Rouen hospital where he died from his injuries, aged 37, on June 8^th 1916. He was buried in St Sever Cemetery, Rouen, in France. 

This weekend we took a drive out to see his name on the Roll of Honour at the churchyard in Little Marlow, Bucks. His name also appears on the War Memorial at Flackwell Heath but my incompetence and lack of Wifi signal meant that we missed seeing this too. Next time..... 

Roll of Honour at Little Marlow Church

William Redding - remembered.

I would like to be able to visit his grave in France too – I don’t know whether any of his family at the time would have been able to make the trip but it seems to be a small thing we can do to pay respects to one of those brave men that never came home. 

Lest We Forget x

Dry January (and a bit of December)

Well, there goes the first week of 2017. It’s been an interesting one! I didn’t make any resolutions but I did set a few intentions instead. Not sure if intentions sound less pressured than resolutions but it works for me.... I have all the usual suspects covered. Eat more healthily, do more exercise, meditate regularly, make time for self practice of Reiki, have fun etc.

However, one intention has been more accidental and this one has given me lots of things to think about this week. I spent a very enjoyable evening with my beautiful friend Mrs S just before New Year. We chatted, we drank, we ate good food and drank some more. We giggled (and drank) and listened to great music. Did I mention the drink? I actually rarely drink to excess (despite what others might tell you!) but this one was a doozy. I suffered all the next day, and the day after that. Now, at no point did I consciously decide to give up alcohol but after a few days I did feel a bit better, then a lot better and my mind started suggesting “Oo, why don’t we try Dry January? That might be fun! Bet we can’t do it!” Around this time, coincidentally, two inspirational ladies that I follow online posted items around alcohol and giving up. To be fair both Rae and Sas have totally given up and I am not even suggesting that at the moment. Mine is more about let’s see how this goes. Bearing in mind I have both my birthday and a trip to Gran Canaria with a friend planned this month it could be a bigger challenge than I thought.

But, the positives so far have been great – and even DH has noticed. He did sheepishly mention that he thought I was drinking a bit too much. Not lots, but most nights I had a drink or two to ‘unwind’. Now I am discovering the joy of the evening cuppa and all manner of sparkling juices! Hmmm, if only I can get to grips with my salt and vinegar crisp habit too :)

Hope you are finding success with any resolutions or intentions that you have set for 2017 – would love to hear what they are!