I can’t say that Meat Loaf was a favourite of mine, but you couldn’t really go through the 70s and 80s without instantly recognising his voice when you heard it on the radio. He was theatrical, with sweeping operatic songs and accompanying videos, but he also seemed like a fun person to know… there’s an episode of Spicks and Specks where he just enjoys it all, and so does everyone else 😀
After some weeks of being off road (the car suddenly decided not to cooperate), and thanks to some lovely family ❤ , we are back on the road… Say hello to the new car (who still hasn’t been named – any ideas? 😀 )
I’ve got my first two medals from the virtual challenges I signed up for a few months ago. Basically, you sign up for a particular challenge, then log your walking/running/otherexercise on the app. You also plant a tree (or remove plastic from the ocean) every 20% of the distance along the way. I have been using the challenges as motivation to move, in some way, each day – there are ways to convert things like shopping and housework into distance. My first two challenges were the Trek To Petra, and the Flower Route through the Netherlands. Part of the fun is looking around the various places via Google maps, and you receive (virtual) postcards along the way. Here are my beautiful new medals!
Here are the fronts – the bronze bit slides out of the Petra medal, and the windmill turns on the Flower medal. Here are the backs.
I took advantage of the New Year sales to get some more. There’s a 2022 “choose your own” challenge, which I’ll use to track my creative endeavours through the year. That’s adjustable, so I can add more “miles” as I go. I chose two shorter routes for actual exercise – the Amalfi Coast, and the Berlin Wall. I’ll use various forms of movement and exercise to convert into miles. My last choice is longer, and one I’ve wanted to do for a while. It’s a longer walk around Scotland. I held off on it because I didn’t know how I would manage the distance, but I’ve decided to use this one to track Bible reading (one chapter = one mile). My first two were measured in kilometres, but I had to do this one in miles… the length of the challenge is 500 miles. And of course, each time I log distance for the day, this is what I’ll be singing in my head…
Why does it already feel like it’s halfway through the year?
Started a proper exercise regime today, rather than the bits and pieces I’ve been doing so far. There’s still scope to improve, of course, but I got down to the pool this morning, for the first time this year. Cooled down on this hot, muggy day. Rescued some dragonflies. Brought home some frangipanis. I’ve been doing my prescribed exercise, but it occurs to me that freeform dance can be a good fill-in, do-anywhere type of movement. In my head, there’s still time to learn to become as graceful as a ballerina. My body tends to disagree… still, dancing doesn’t have to look good – just be…done! Last year was spent “doing” stuff – there were time limits and schedules. Very enjoyable, but I didn’t quite get to do all the things I wanted to do to feel ready for this year… Time to concentrate on the important stuff – to ask God each morning what today is doing. And then – Dance! 😀
So, Betty White died the other day. I mostly remember her from The Golden Girls, and from her internet presence over these later years. She seemed like someone who it would have been fun to know, a role model for living (and aging) joyously. As I’ve read a couple of times lately – it says something about your life and legacy that you could die at 99 years of age and people are still saying it was too soon… If I look at her age, and others who are in their mid to late 90s, I can literally think of myself as middle aged! It’s a time of life when you start to ponder your own mortality, though – especially when your health is not great. I’ve been reading an anthology of Mary Oliver‘s poems, and it has been interesting to read some of what she was writing when she was around my age. The two anthologies written around the age I am now are “Dream Work” and “House of Light“; they each contain one of her more well known poems. Maybe getting closer to death triggers a greater introspection; maybe it’s because there are often big life changes in these years. Or maybe some people are just more naturally thinkers…
I want this year to count, and I am aware that I have less time to do that with each passing day. Probably a good idea to get on with things then! 😀
Here is a song that I enjoyed listening to. It does come across a bit as focusing on those who have health and families to enjoy in their old age, but the sentiment is still applicable to those who are struggling with brokenness. Yes, you are still beautiful, and you can still learn how to be settled in your own skin! May your path this year be paved with wildflowers, and your heart be soothed by oceans ❤
As we turn towards this new year, there’s an element of… trepidation. And anticipation. I don’t know what’s coming.
But I pray for beauty, peace, and that feeling of knowing you are in just the right place, at just the right time – that you have come through the “space between” with at least some idea of your path for where you’re going. Happy and glorious New Year to you all! ❤
Once again we’re in that middle week between Christmas and New Year. My plan was to do a lot of nothing, except reading… I’ve stuck with that pretty well, but sometimes you have to do something! Tidying, mostly. Computer files. Cupboards. My mind? 😆 Next year seems like it might be interesting. Guess I’ll start finding out in a couple of days!
I hope your week has been beautiful ❤ It’s time to look ahead, but since Christmas is not necessarily just for, well, Christmas… here’s a clip I only just found the other day.
a bit of creativity, a bit of eco consciousness, a bit of inspiration.... hopefully not a lot of pompousness and blathering :D
i'm not entirely sure what's going on here... let's travel along and see...
1000 Fields of Roses 