BREAK THE RULES

Welcome to Wednesday afternoon in my little corner of the world where the sky is grey one minute, cloudy and blue the next ~ and holding the promise of rain and storms again.   Rather like life really - all going smoothly one minute and then you hit a bump in the road that causes you to wobble.

Life is sweet for me - and I have so much to be thankful for and my days are quiet and peaceful ~ daffodils are blooming in my garden and are a constant source of joy - they make my heart sing and bring a smile to my lips.

I am thankful for safe medical procedures for those I love, happy hours, letters in the mail, blossoms on the tree, music to thrill and stir my soul, communication, messages and photographs. laughter and the joys of friendship.  I am thankful for my warm and comfortable bed while the chilly wind blows, food in my fridge, and a good book to read (and a pile of them waiting to be read.)  I enjoy a movie on DVD every now and then and can watch it on a portable DVD player while I continue at my desk.  

I have been busy with many things and yet don't seem to have much to show for the efforts but I have a sense of calm and peace within my life.

News comes in fast and furious over the Internet and it thrills me to share all the good and bad things that happen and today news of the death of a Transplant friend came through.   Megan received a new heart in 2010 and became unwell very suddenly, and very quickly lost the battle for life.  She leaves a little family with her daughter just four years.

This young woman was full of life and seemed to have the whole future in front of her - but she used the gift she received to be present to each moment of her life and I am proud that her path crossed mine.   Fly free Megan and dance on the wind.

She had two extra years of life and I am encouraged by that fact and urge everyone of you to register as an Organ Donor and give others like Megan and me a chance at life.

It is the middle of the working week (hump day) which means it is only a few more days to another weekend and for those who are working hang on to that thought.  Be gentle with yourselves and go steadily into your working days - enjoy the company of your colleagues, walk in the fresh air in your lunch time, and take good care to rest easy.   If you don't go to the Office/Place of Business, but spend your days at home supporting the family and those who do work it is really important that you take care of yourself too.

Life is short, break the rules, ~ Forgive quickly, Kiss slowly ~ laugh uncontrollably and Never regret anything that made you smile.

And today more than ever I encourage you all to be present to each moment of each hour of each day  ~ tell those you love that you do love them, hug your kids, dance in the rain, splash in puddles and turn your face to the sun for then the shadows will be behind you.

Listen to the music that thrills your soul, eat desert first, walk by the river or the ocean and listen to the noises of the water and the sea birds.

Most of all take the time to be at peace with yourself:

DESIDERATA

"Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant, they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism. Be yourself. Especially, do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love, for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is perennial as the grass.

Take kindly to the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be, and whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world.

Be cheerful. Strive to be happy."

Max Ehrmann c.1920

Thank you for visiting the Musings of my Heart ~ a heart deep in thought.

Love and hugs,

Linda

GO OUT THERE AND DO AMAZING THINGS

Good Morning and welcome to Thankful Thursday - a day when I try to blog about things to be thankful for and a day doesn't even come close to being enough time - every day there is so much to feel gratitude for.

Today I am aware of my world - the sun is shining and the sky is blue but it is cold and a very heavy dew graced my lawn this morning.  I am thankful for vision to see this wonderful world and for hearing to listen to the birds and to beautiful music, to hear the voices of those I love.

I am thankful for an early morning phone call and hearing a voice I love, someone who just needed to talk - I am thankful for the technology that allows this to happen and for the comfort and reassurance that this precious soul knows that it is okay to call.  I am thankful too for my warm bed and the phone alongside it - no dashing to answer a phone.  I am thankful for the bliss of snuggling down again to sleep knowing I had been an anchor for this soul.

This coming weekend is a time of thanksgiving - it is the Annual DonateLife 

Service of Remembrance and this year it is a morning service again and at Prince Alfred College.

I will attend with a humble and thankful heart in the company of family and friends and so many other people who will lift their hearts in thanks for Donors, their families and for life itself.  I shall give thanks for Owen and his family without whom I would not be alive today. 

I am constantly amazed at the difference my gift of life has made - there were times when I couldn't walk from my bed to the bathroom and now I am going out and doing amazing things. 

 If you are a member of a Donor family - my love and thanks to you for the generosity of your family member.  Recipients know exactly how I feel and I encourage you all to get out there and do amazing things - spread the word - be a positive influence in the world.  Allow your thankful heart to influence your life and live, laugh, love and be very happy.

I am thankful as always for my Internet connection and the wonders of technology - it certainly enhances my life and brings much joy closer in by it's accessibility.

Find things to be happy for - find things to be thankful for and live each day with a thankful heart.

Find a special place that comforts and soothes you and visit there often, play music often, sweet and low and loud and triumphant.  Celebrate the lyrics that often put into place the thoughts you have trouble gathering.  Read a book, share a book, watch a movie with friends and loved ones.  Laugh a lot, enjoy a lovely meal out, find a craft to allow your creativity to blossom ~ share your crafted items and the immense joy they bring.   Take a walk on the beach and have ice cream - feel the wind in your hair and the salt sea air on your lips, dance on the wind and in all things give thanks.

Thank you for visiting the Musings from My Heart - a thankful heart filled with love for my life and those who share it with me.  I am blessed indeed.

Love and hugs,

Linda.

WELCOME TO SATURDAY AND GALLERIES OF PINK GALAHS

"Galleries of Pink Galahs"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ty27xUYtDWA

John Williamson - "Galleries of Pink Galahs"

"Galleries of pink galahs,
Crystal nights with diamond stars,
Apricots preserved in jars,
That's my home.

Land of oceans in the sun,

Purple hazes, river gum,

Breaks your heart when rain won't come,

It breaks your heart.

It takes a harsh and cruel drought

To sort the weaker saplings out,

It makes room for stronger trees

Maybe that's what life's about.

Winter's come, the hills are brown,

Shops are closed, the blinds are down.

Every body's leaving town,

They can't go on.

The south wind through verandah gauze

Whines and bangs the homestead doors.

A mother curses dusty floors,

And feels alone.

Trucks and bulk bins filled with rust,

Boy leaves home to make a crust.

A father's dreams reduced to dust,

But he must go on.

Tortured red gums - unashamed,

Sun burnt country wisely named.

Chisel-ploughed and wire-claimed,

But never, never, never tamed.

Whirlwind swirls a paper high,

Same old news of further dry.

Of broken clouds just passing by,

That's my home."

© John Williamson

Good Morning and welcome to a beautiful Saturday morning in my little corner of the world - we are forecast for 30 degrees (88) and rain later in the day - all is well and I am looking forward to a productive day.  I have lots of things planned - but am going to include an afternoon nap so that I am bright eyed and bushy tailed for my outing this evening.

Ilona and I are going to a John Williamson concert which we have had booked for five months and it seemed it would never get here - but today is the day.

We are having dinner out at an Italian Restaurant in the City and I am excited about both dinner and the Show - and hoping it all goes well.   I am sure it will.

Well, here we are at the weekend - What are your plans for these two days when we like to lower the speed, change gear and just cruise a little slower?

I know some of you have plans for a weekend by the sea and in winter weather I can think of nothing nicer - hope it brings all the joy and pleasure you are looking for.   Travel safely and ENJOY.

My plans for today are for to do some working on Christmas things because is it really on it's way at a very great pace.  I need to sort through gifts and re-write shopping lists and get into the spirit of things.

I have lots of other things to do but I will just take things steadily and perhaps play some lovely music or watch a DVD while I work on things.   A lovely day ahead for me.

I hope you can find lovely things to do and special people to share your days with - perhaps your little children are excited about Christmas coming - make some Christmas craft with them - some decorations for your tree.   I still have some made by my girls over 30 years ago and if I happen not to put them out - they go looking for them.

Perhaps you day will take you to a beach on a warm day - cover up Slip Slop Slap etc. but enjoy the water and the waves, or maybe you will walk down a green and shaded lane - wherever you are recall that we do indeed living in a beautiful world and be thankful.

I am writing again and listening to much more music and feeling very much more alive and I offer thanks to a special someone who has brought this about.

Health wise - feet still a little swollen and I am off for bloods on Monday so hoping all is well.

Thanks for visiting and reading the "Musings from My Heart" - a heart and head full of music and the joy of being alive.

Love and hugs,

Linda.

P.S. - there were five galahs on my front lawn this morning.

SATURDAY SAND IN MY SHOES

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6AZNDns4z0

Dido - Sand in My Shoes

A beautiful spring day here in Adelaide and a warm wind blowing which means that as it is Saturday lots of people have taken the opportunity to walk on the beach and just enjoy.

After shopping I drove along the sea front and saw children playing in the water and the squeals of delight were wonderful to hear (I imagine that water is still very very cold.

It took me back in memory to days when as I child I would spend many hours on the beach with family and my cousin and I would build sand cars and then bury each other in the sand.  I remember the buckets and spades and collecting shells to adorn our sand castles. We were as free as air and had not a care in the world apart from sand in our shoes as we made our way home.  They were good days and memory still serves me well.

It got me thinking of my swimming costume - and boy was that uncomfortable - shirred elastic in both directions leaving little bubbles that would fill with sand.  I recall the games we would play.  The whole family taking part in a game of cricket and I still have no idea whose bright idea it was to use the bag with the Vacuum Flasks in for stumps. 

Yes, you guessed it someone threw a ball at the stumps and got someone out and smashed the flasks.  

Memory is very funny and the things we often remember are not the important things - they are the things which filled our childhood days with joy and laughter.  I don't have any relatives in Adelaide with whom I can reminisce but when I talk by phone with my cousin we often laugh as we remember those times.

I hope you have lots of lovely memories to carry you through your days - childhood, simple things which bring joy and that when your clan gathers, you can laugh together as you recall.

Enjoy your weekend and find something to do that will feed your soul and bring you pleasure, leaving happy memories.  I found a new shop today that has wonderful craft things in it and spent a lot of time there.    While there I was pleased to note that Christmas is arriving slowly and wonderfully and the shelves are being stocked with all sorts of wonderful tinsel and tinkling things.

Have a wonderful time and thank you for taking the time to visit "The Musings from My Heart"  and I wish you nights of peaceful slumber and days with sunshine and flowers.

Love and hugs,

RUBY TUESDAY AND WHAT A DAY THIS HAS BEEN

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ux6-KcpjTF8

Ella Fitzgerald - What a Day This Has been

from Brigadoon by Lerner and Lowe.

Good Evening from Adelaide - a little chilly now after a crisp day with some cloud and some  blue sky.

I had such plans for today - the whole day was mine and I intended to go through my Christmas Journal and get "in the mood" and organized - Oh yes "The Best laid plans of mice and men...."

I thought I had a quiet at home sort of day with nothing special planned and that's how it started.  I decided to check out my sequins and beads - and dropped a whole container of sequins which were all colour coded - well that fixed that.   I had no idea how long it was going to take to sort them but I knew it would not be quick.   

Phone call saved me and I went out to the beach for lunch - and for a walk at Henley Beach - on the Jetty - just the two of us on the jetty and a very cold wind.

Some photographs for you:

Blue sky and ocean

Looking back from the Jetty to The Square

Free as the wind

We had fish and chips for lunch and found the only table in the sun - but it was quite cold and one of those free flying Seagulls left a message on my shoulder - yuk.

We took a drive around the suburbs where memories live and found such great changes since our younger days.  We mentioned that this one lived here and this one lived there - it was great to spend some time thinking of old friends.

Home again where I have spent the rest of the day sorting these sequins into colour groups and they are sealed this time - next time I will vacuum them up and just give up.

It has been a good day - quiet and pensive and as I sorted sequins this afternoon I watched the final two episodes of "The West Wing" - I have enjoyed it on my second run through.   Spending winter with C.J., Toby and the Bartlett Administration has been fun.

I hope your day has been uneventful but happy and that you feel you have achieved things - just taking care of yourself is an achievement in a busy world.

Have a wonderful evening or if the sun is coming up for you have a wonderful Ruby Tuesday.

Love and hugs,

Linda.

SUNSHINE ON A SATURDAY

Largs Pier Hotel, Largs Bay, South Australia

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUEZj4ogll0

Jimmy Barnes - Largs Pier Hotel

Good afternoon from Adelaide where the sky is blue and the sun is shining.  I was out driving this morning along the Esplanade at Largs Bay and pulled over to take this photograph of the Largs Pier Hotel - a magnificent Hotel on the west of Adelaide which was the old stamping ground of Jimmy Barnes when he was part of Cold Chisel.  I took some photographs for Nicole a BIG JB fan.

This hotel is situated at the corner of Jetty Street and the Esplanade and is directly across the road from the Pier and the beach.  

http://www.largspierhotel.com.au/history

This link will tell you something of the History of the Hotel.

The roads were quiet this morning - many sleeping in and many off shopping and it was a delight to view the sea and all the changes that have come about on that drive.  I had already done my shopping and the whole of the day stretched before me.

I try to do something different on Saturdays to define week and weekend - and today was a drive by the sea with the water sparkling and seabirds calling.  There were not many people about - some keen cyclists were caught in my photograph and there were people walking their dogs and stopping to chat.

The Kiosk was closed or I would have been tempted to have an ice cream and sit in the sun.  Driving back I noticed what used to be "The Orphanage" now being turned into apartments and I wondered what tales those walls could tell.  It would have been a wonderful place to live being only a hop, step and jump from the ocean, but the rules and regulations and loneliness would have far outweighed that.   I hope that for some who lived there, there are at least a few good memories.


I passed the Fort Glanville Caravan Park on my way home and remembered times when friends holidayed there and the good times my children had with them (even if Naomi did burn her leg on the exhaust of Poppie's car there.


It's been a good week and some not so good days.  Health wise I am fine, but there has been sadness in my week but there has also been joy - I have caught up on Facebook with Anne and that pleases me  I have again seen Delia and met her daughters and grandson so they are good things in my week to.  News coming in for Crosby is okay and there has been some improvement for Kenzie so at the end of this week I have much to be thankful for.


At the end of this week I am grateful for so much and hope that you too can find cause for gratitude - I have had the opportunity to talk with new people about organ donation and have been proud and pleased to do so.


Again I wonder at technology - I caught up with my Father's partner by text message during her holiday in England - it blows me away some times.


Have a wonderful Saturday - celebrate your life with your loved ones by doing something together - a walk, a picnic, a shopping expedition - whatever brings you joy.


I send love and hugs and thank you for visiting "The Musings from My Heart.


Love and hugs,
Linda.