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!

Photo Story Friday - Relax to Order!

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

It's Friday today which means tomorrow is Saturday (duh)

so I am thinking and getting excited about my day out at an old Manor House,

for a

SPA DAY

Armathwaite Hall

a belated birthday treat to myself

I've never had a spa day and I really cannot wait.

I'm going to be pummeled and prodded,

smoothed and scrubbed

soaked and steamed

filed and painted

and even dined and wined

perhaps!

My girlfirend and I have had this booked for months and so am thinking where we are going in the Lake District, of which we live on the edge.

Outstanding view, overwhelming mountains

abundant streams and lakes

if this doesn't relax or chill me

nothing will...

august 2006. s.wilson
august 2006. s.wilson

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

Happy Holidays ...Part One

I had never visited the Isle of Wight before so I was really looking forward to driving there with the kids.

We left home at 4am, to avoid the hot spots on the motorways and completed the 335 miles trip in good time. We stopped for a full greasy spoon breakfast at 6am and arrived at the Red Funnel terminal at 10am.

on the Solent

The trip across was a treat as the boat had to navigate through the yachts and boats in full competition mode!

We met my husband in Cowes, he had been there from the start of the week doing his corporate entertaining thing on one yacht and then crewing (if that's not the correct term l'm sorry) on another yacht in his spare time. We had our dinner with him a little early around 5pm as we were beat from wandering around Cowes and our long drive. Then we left to drive to our authentic vintage vacation destination.

in the marina

Our trailer was a 1962 Airstream Safari and is in immaculate original condition bar a few small reconditioned elements.

For a gal who loves all things vintage and retro, it was a pleasure to be able to experience the trailer, in its full glory. Vintage Vacations uk is the brain child of Helen and Fraser who both manage and run the whole show. They have 10 trailers and counting all told and will shortly be adding the option of a renovated old Mission Hall to the site and even more trailers are being refurbished.

The attention to detail is outstanding as Helen has added a pile of authentic vintage board games, magazines and books. The Babysham is chilled with the original glasses and a fresh cream tea was awaiting our arrival. Bliss!

Keep an eye out here for details of her innovative and uniquely original

'SHOP IN A BOX'

Check out their site http://www.vintagevacations.co.uk/ for more info.

this was our accomodation

And here we stayed for the rest of the evening, planning our adventure for the next few days.

view from a very chilled and chilly chair!

We're off on a road trip ...

Oh bugger it! I just realised that I saved this post to draft instead of publishing it before we left last tuesday... here's what I wrote!

We're all packed, the car is stuffed to overflowing and my sister in law is here to dog and house sit, in that order!

We each have our own bag full of road trip basics, foamy fruits, wine gums, bananas, assorted sarnies and raspberry muffins, to be eaten in any order in the first two hours, then everyone will be high on sugar and then we'll hit a low 5 hours before we arrive.

We will be staying in a vintage AirstreamTrailer, known as a silver bullet, courtesy of Vintage Vacations uk and then we will explore the island and have some fun.

Hopefully we will relax sometime too, as have some great books packed, including Rushdie's Midnights' Children, l'm determined to master the Booker master, and a favourite author of mine is Joyce Carol Oates, her latest paperback, The Gravediggers Daughter and the latest hyped book, The Private Lives of Pippa Lee by Rebecca Miller, which is a Richard and Judy Summer Read choice. It has some literary creedence apparently, as the author is the daughter of playwright Arthur Miller, (and is the wife of Daniel Day Lewis why that's of any import, who knows!)

I will also turn 50 while we're away! So when l come back l shall know how it feels.

See ya soon!