I built a fire last night, the first for a long time. Some friends were visiting my stepdaughter and just as they were about to leave they asked to see our house. My wife mentioned that it was a lovely evening for a fire, which immediately had the grandchildren running around trying to find chocolate and marshmallows.
It was already dark, and I think that this was the quickest that I have got together paper and kindling, and got the fire started in our fire pit. We sat around it, roasting marshmallows, until some drops of rain and over tired kids made us decide to call it a night.
A lovely, spur of the moment change of plans.
I have had the live stream of The Queen lying in state in Westminster Hall playing in the background as I do other things. Every so often I’ll come back and sit and watch people file past Her Majesty’s coffin. Every twenty minutes the flow of mourners is stopped as the there is a changing of the guards.
When I started watching it, the time would have been 3:00am in the morning in England. The flow of people paying their respects has not stopped. As I come back to watching the scene, I find myself pausing for reflection.
This post COVID fatigue is eating me alive. An odd metaphor to use, and while it is not true, at the same time it feels very apt.
Periodically I have to remind myself that not doing something will not get it done.
I’m a bit late to the game here, but I have just discovered that in Mastodon one can enter Alt-text when posting an image. That’s wonderful for accessibility.
Well that is brief but sharp rainstorm cleared the air. I’m feeling much lighter now.
Another step towards feeling better, I did a short Yoga routine on Apple Fitness+ this morning. Fatigue is still floating around and I’ll probably lie down before the day is over, but Yoga had not been on the cards until now. 🦠
This last Wednesday was the first anniversary of my Dad passing away. I was blessed to be at home for the last two weeks of his life, helping to look after Dad and just sitting with him. I might not have used the word blessed as I dropped everything and made quick plans to return to Britain following a sudden turn for the worse with Dad’s health. I was really unsure what I was returning to, especially on an emotional level.
I realize that am in town, only a 30 minute drive from home, for the first time in over a month. I’ll chalk that up as another win and sign that I am getting better .
I remember seeing photographs of her coronation in magazines when I was young in Tibet
I’ve been listening to BBC Radio 4 off and on through the day. As I prepare dinner this evening, Radio 4 are just starting their Friday morning programs. First on is the Shipping Forecast. I have not heard that for so many, many years. In an instant I am transported back home.
Clouds covering the moon last night.
I have had BBC Radio 4 streaming this morning, listening to people remember and reflect upon the life of Queen Elizabeth II. As she had got older I would say to my American family that it would be huge news when The Queen passed away. Now that news has come to pass, it feels all the more larger. I’m sitting with thoughts of gratitude to have been alive during her reign.
Now that I have a Mastodon account set up on OMG.LOL’s Mastodon Instance I am wondering how to use it? 🤔 Cross post from Micro.blog? Free standing? If the latter, when and what do I post there? What goes in one and what in the other?
One of those feeling a bit better and so I’ll clean the house, wash the bed sheets and freshen things up days.
After seeing @maique’s new avatar, I contacted Momo to ask if he could put together something for me. I love owls, and used to have a family of Tawny Owls living on my property in South Wales.
Now to update the few avatars that I have around the web.
August 2022 Hello Friend,
Well if one thing could define August to me, it would be COVID. After, how long is it, two and half years since the initial breakout? After watching COVID travel around the world. Following Maui become so quiet with no visitors allowed in. Watching the vaccines being rolled out, and tensions rise as debates raged about when to ease a particular restriction or let life return to normal (will that ever be possible?
This might not be the most appropriate analogy, but COVID feels to me like someone leaving the room after letting off a silent fart. I tested negative for COVID over a week ago but I can still feel the effects of the virus in my body, fatigue being the overarching symptom. I am not well. 🦠
We watched Petite Maman a couple of nights ago. I’d describe it as magical. A meditation on grief. Through leveling the playing field, I won’t say more, it becomes an exploration of children trying to understand their elders, and parents, their children. Gently paced. A gem. 🍿
