Fab, Feisty and Sixty (ish)

One man and his dog   wait for me... by the River Eden totally oblivious I was there too, obviously! low water under the Eden bridge  btw this is the dead centre of the city, the Park runs along side the Eden, including Park, football pitches, tennis courts, cows abound or not, Playgrounds, criket and sports open arena. Visit  MamaGeek  and  Cec ily , creators of Photo Story Friday. ( These images should enlarge if you click on them)

This door, can you see it? Is hidden in the stage backdrop of this outdoor cafe A closeup Mr De Ville? For earlier posts in this series, check out  The Doors Archive .

S is for SAMYE LING One Sunday last month   Larry and I took a drive up into the Scottish Borders where nestled between the Border hills serenely sits the Buddhist Community Kagyu Samye Ling Buddhist Tibetan Monastery in Eskdalemuir, Nr Langholm,  Dumfriessshire, Scotland Prayer Flags Eorupe's oldest Buddhist Centre & Momastery it is a very peaceful place to visit you are free to roam around the grounds and Temples Retreats & Meditiation and Buddhist courses  are held regularly here Guru Rinpoche Dome of the Prayer House Samye Liberation Gate Nagarjuna Statue in Pond The Victory Stupa For the home of ABC Wednesday, go to  Mrs Nesbitt's Place .

I'm assuming his parents were not sadists, but in my book IF that is his birth given name they should be charged with emotional cruelty! Funny how appropriate it has turned out though, as an adventurer, climber and all round good egg!  Bear  Grylls  has been appointed Chief Scout from July 2009, in the footsteps of Sir Baden-Powell the original scout. Anyhow I digress, I was just listening to this man talking in the car - well on the radio in the car actually- and my pal Lulu over at Family Affairs was discussing the  positives of having Bear as the new Chief Scout ...and Bear Grylls mentioned that there are 30,000 kids on the waiting list to join groups! The factor here that prevents their movement from said list to enjoying themselves and learning new skills and having real boys fun.. is the fact that there are not enough volunteers to get organise! There must some incentives, in the good work, for some men to come forward and make these boys week!It seems ludicrous to me, that...

On Wednesday I had my day fully organised. This is usually met with love and loathing. Love in that I have finally managed to organise and arrange some tasks and deeds I have been meaning to do for weeks. Loathing in that on a day off work I cannot just sit on my fat arse and crash, either with a book, a film or my computer. So having shelved the housework, the gardening and any necessary food shopping I just got up and cracked on when the alarm woke me at 6.50am. I started with the usual morning ablutions followed by sorting the kids, dogs and myself into some semblance of order. Then printed off two sets of directions from the nice multimap people, filled up the car with petrol and the requisite playlists, bottles of cold water, sucky sweets and swizzler's lollipops. I headed east towards the sunnier and warmer climes of Newcastle about 60 miles away, then with my first set of directions not very securely held at my steering wheel I pointed the car towards Gateshead and Fhina . ...

Walking with Pippa a few evenings ago we took the river side further than our usual trek we wanted to blow away some particularly sticky cobwebs we stood watching the cattle wend their casual way along the waters edge,  I was rather hoping to catch up close when I was distracted by an interesting tree trunk   I went to admire the pattern then behind  it was very ruddy looking tree I walked closer and closer and closer to get a better look that's some sculpting more inf o HERE

Stirred into action to find some photos of our dogs for a friend  and then Moannie posting her pooch pic I have this beauty to share Pippa is our black labrador now approx 14yrs Barney a Jack russell/terrier was her best friend he died 3 years ago at the great age of 20yrs they slept like this day and night Pippa deferred always to Barney after he died she started to whine at night to sleep by one of our beds no wanting to be alone during the day she would keep watch  by the window until our return or perhaps looking for Barney my daughter took this picture one day  when she was home alone sick Pippa obviously hadn't realised anyone was still home

My son and daughter often send me links and  youtube thingies to look at... I thought Id share this one. One many may relate to.... .... and turn UP the volume

I watch the wet washing as it billows  in the blustery breeze  the shirts soak up the sunlight  as they haphazardly dance upon their tightrope so trying to escape their tethered prison I change my camera settings   and I dart amongst  the furious folds of cotton     I am compelled to capture these stunning shapes and smiles. Post of the day at  Authorblog , thank you  David!!!

Visit  MamaGeek  and  Cec ily , creators of Photo Story Friday.  Whilst I am in Kent, walking Milou with Mum we always pass this quaint looking thatched cottage it stands guard on a cliff top it overlooks the sea in another time it was  my parents' home one of many homes I have to say and I believe it to be a very favoured home I was already long gone  and married when they lived here but I do remember Christmases, a 25th Wedding Anniversary, lounging in the summer sun in the pretty garden,  listening to the tennis fortnight whilst devouring spicy chicken wings and many, many meals shared around the refectory table Mum walks past it everyday it cannot be more than 150 yards from where they live today when they first lived in the village in the 1980's they also ran the local fish and chip shop for a time (one of their many incarnations)  they made fab fish suppers  the cottage had a compulsory purchase order upon it  as it was in grave danger of falling into the sea -it is 25 fe...

This is my simple religion.  There is no need for temples;  no need for complicated philosophy.  Our own brain, our own heart is our temple;  the philosophy is kindness.  HH THE DALAI LAMA

During my lunch (half) hour one day last week.  I walked through the neighbouring Cathedral precincts.   luckily I had my phone with me.  I shall have to try and take my camera next time! Carlisle Cathedral- East elevation West view The Fratery East Elevation Cathedral Entrance THEN today I wondered through with my camera proper! Did it make any differences? Elvis is in the garden!