time out

I have some time on my hands,

  my doctor has signed me off work for 4 weeks 

and I am under instructions to relax, 

be kind to myself and to let things wash over me. 

In the last few months

I have probably done a little too much coping,

much hiding in my work and a bit too much overtime,

 now I find that l am facing an impenetrable brick wall

So I intend to do as l am told,

enjoy without guilt some morning lay ins,

some must do walking and cycling in the evenings, 

with a rest on my favourite bench,
breathing in deeply of my surroundings

(my bike resting in Rickerby Park, Carlisle)

I have organised my paints and pastels,

bought a couple of fresh canvases

and even had a stab at a large pastel landscape

I am all signed up on courses

including Tai Chi and Shiatsu

l intend to spend many hours in my healing place,

my new secret garden

literally smelling the old roses!

ME time...

...does not necessarily equate to quiet time, at all! I'm home and l'm so tired. I've walked and l've walked! The train trip down from Carlisle to London was uneventful, thus newspaper, magazine, book, ipod... but on a Pendolino it was fast, blink and you'd miss the countryside whizzing by...

After checking into my hotel I wondered around Covent Garden

browsed the fancy food shops

then went to The National Portrait Gallery to view

and went to The Haymarket Theatre and watched Breakfast at Tiffanys

I then walked all the way from Picadilly via Regent & Oxford streets

to my hotel at Lancaster gate. at midnight. Phew!

Day two - the morning was spent finding then ratching around in the Persephoone bookshop. Bliss! I chose three books to wrap and put under the tree for ME!

Then I went to The Victoria & Albert Museum

where I spent hours in the Costume Rooms

this is a Vivienne Westwood, I wish!!

(more fab dresses in another post)

then viewed the marvellous Maharajah Exhibition

and then in the evening I went to the Royal Albert Hall, a first for me, to see

'A Not so silent Christmas'

featuring Rufus & Martha Wainwright

Kate & Anna McGarrigle

Boy George, Guy Garvey, Ed Hagerty,

& Dawn French & Jennifer Saunders-retired-

believe it or not this is Boy George & Rufus singing Blue Christmas!

A real fun night.