And now .....

Thank you all for your comments on my last post. My apologies for not updating sooner. Its been busy around here, to say the least.

Against all the odds, the 2 lads pulled through and are now back in hospital in this country. Thankfully, the prognosis, for both of them, is good. There is a palpable sense of relief for everyone affected by the accident.

Incidents like this, and we've had more than our fair share since Christmas, bring home to me the utter futility of planning ahead, of wasting today because tomorrow will surely be so much better.

Now is the only time we can be sure of ...

I find it quite difficult to live every moment in the present.

But I'm getting better at it.

I think.

Any spare angels hanging around looking for a project?

Change

Its the skiing season.

The cold, wet, white, sometimes slushy stuff, that inspires normally sensible people to purchase wearable lagging jackets, lurid pink woolly socks and impenetrable mirror shades. All in the pursuit of the THRILL.

"Its SO exhilarating" they gush.

"The change of scenery is SO invigorating".

"And its SUCH a marvellous change from the normal, humdrum, da de da lives we all live. You MUST try it!"

Hmm.

Six young lads from my daughter's circle of friends decided to bite the bullet. They duly girded their loins and ventured forth into the alluring world
of snow.

They were having a ball. The apres-ski was particularly to their fancy.

Last saturday night, 3 of them accepted a lift back to their lodgings from a local man. The other 3 decided to walk.

Now 2 of these vibrant, young men are on life support, 1 is seriously injured and the other 3 are severely traumatised.

Their lives and the lives of everybody who knows them, are changed.

Forever.

Maybe there will be positives from this change.

I am praying.

Christmas

In a moment of sisterly insanity last week, the bould Molly and myself agreed to post on the 23rd of December.

It is now, officially, the 24th and I am the victim of my own conscience.
Better late than never, I tell myself.

Christmas has always been, for me, a time of mixed emotions.

Manic exhilaration, as a child, when the postman stopped at our door carrying several brown paper parcels. Delight at the golden-haired doll at the end of the bed on Christmas morning. Unspeakable pleasure on donning the softest white, woollen scarf and hat.

Misery and resentment waking up, alone, having been forced to sign my mother into a drying out facility on Christmas Eve.

Love and happiness for my baby's first encounter with the magic of Santa.

Loneliness and sadness for love unspoken.

And now its 2008.

Happiness and delight at No. 1 daughter's engagement.

Apprehension and pride at No. 1 son's plans to get off the merry-go-round and walk the world.

Gratitude and love for the lives of the ancient ones.

Optimism and hope.

Tis the season to be human. Indeed.

May all your Christmases be bright.

Portrait of a Procrastinator

Its taking longer than I expected to get my act together.

Wordless Wednesday

September Hankerings

I'm a great one for hankering.

Any spare few minutes and away I go.

Hankering.

For places, feelings, people and emotions that grip the reins to my sanity.

A rather bad habit, I suspect.

But.

It does provide an escape route from the mania and mayhem that passes for "normal everyday life", around here, anyway.

Right now, I'd like to be back in the mountains, with all my worldly goods on my back, and nothing to contemplate except the wonders of creation.

With blue skies and crisp, pure air.

And no work. Or queens. Or incontinence pads. Or wheelchairs.

We all have bad habits.

Don't we?

Resurrection

A miracle has happened.

The dinosaur has been resurrected.

Long live the dinosaur.