Category: Serendipity

#689 theoldmortuary ponders.

On By theoldmortuary.designIn dog walks, SerendipityLeave a comment

For the first time this morning I did one of my regular winter walks in summer sunshine. Richmond Walk was built in 1790 by the Duke of Richmond to give the public access to the coast path between Stonehouse and Mount Wise. Richmond Walk is a winter walk because it is slightly less exposed to the winds of winter, is tarmac or concrete for the whole walk and has small patches of grass for the dogs to enjoy sniffing and exchanging messages.

There are two outdoor pools which are open throughout the summer at no charge. On my winter walks they are rather desolate unused spaces. But today they were a riot of abstract blue water reflections and the noises of happy swimmers.

There have been pools and even public baths and spa facilities with bathing machines in this area for a couple of centuries. All that is left of The Royal Clarence Baths is a small beach and some stone arches.

But for me the joy of the day was the turquoise waters of the current pools.

Extra #688 theoldmortuary ponders

On By theoldmortuary.designIn blogging, Serendipity1 Comment

https://theoldmortuary.design/

What do you enjoy most about writing?

Writing my blog is possibly the most joyful thing about writing. There is something calming and meditative about writing daily and finding a positive in the often mundane pattern of normal life.

A tiny percentage of my life makes it into the blog. The blog is repetitive and often has fairly dull subject matter. But writing daily for several years now has taught me to look for nuggets of interest and pleasure in everything I do.

#688 theoldmortuary ponders.

On By theoldmortuary.designIn Home, Serendipity3 Comments

What do you love about where you live?

What do I love about where I live? Where I live gives me my little fix of zen just five minutes walk from my front door. All of my life the coast has been my fixer of woes. I have never lived more than two hours from the coast. So always accessible easily. For two years that accesibility has been a five minute walk.

But I am a picky coast lover. I really dislike seaside tat. Garish shops and arcades, horrible mini fairgrounds, crazy golf, the list is extensive.

What I love about my current location is that for centuries it has been a key maritime military defence area and has been protected from typical coastal development. Only fairly recently completely accessible to the public there are walks and a park that overlooks the sea with not one bit of traditional seaside tackiness.

All of the bright colours in this blog are provided by my early morning dog walk.

It is not just me that loves the peace snd simplicity of our early morning walk.

Hugo and Lola are dogged in their quest for tranquility.

Why do I love where I live? Because this locationion suits me very well.

#686 theoldmortuary ponders.

On By theoldmortuary.designIn pondering, SerendipityLeave a comment

Happiness is my commonest positive emotion. It is my default setting. I have recently been made aware that I rarely show ecstatic emotion. I laugh a huge amount and do genuinely take great joy from many things. But I am not sure I know how to express the increased level of joy life brings me when my regular happiness levels get a boost. Misery or worry are also less obvious to other people, for me the indicator is insomnia. If my happiness quota most days were a colour it would be a variety of shades of orange. Extreme happiness would be yellows and crossness, irritation, sadness or anger would be many shades of red. Perhaps I need to show more yellow and some red instead of occupying a mostly orange mindspace.  Always something to learn, always room for improvement. Perhaps a little blue or green should be added into my outwardly projected emotional serving.

What positive emotion do you feel most often?

#685 theoldmortuary ponders

On By theoldmortuary.designIn Bobbing, Fireworks, Serendipity1 Comment

Evening dog walk with enhancements.

The British Firework Championship was being held just across from our swimming zone.

We could see the flashes and hear the bangs as soon as we left home. A sure sign we had talked too much over supper. No real surprise there,we always talk too much. There were even some illuminated swimmers in our usual bobbing spot.

This morning everything had returned to normal and a dozen happy bobbers swam in the bay without the excitement of fireworks. One bobber had returned to us after being away in Abu Dhabi and another had been dealing with some family complications in London. It felt so good to have a big group of bobbers together to refresh our hearts and minds in the cool waters of Tranquility Bay. We are each others metaphorical fireworks, lighting and lifting one another as and when needed.

#683 theoldmortuary ponders

On By theoldmortuary.designIn Serendipity1 Comment

What brings you peace?

Nothing specific brings me peace but I find that peace often just finds me, sometimes in unexpected moments. This morning the Oosterschelde set sail from Plymouth on a two year voyage to replicate the journey of Charles Darwin.Who sailed from Plymouth on Beagle 200 years ago on the journey that inspired his work The Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection

https://maritime-executive.com/article/200-years-after-darwin-tall-ship-recreates-hms-beagle-s-famed-voyage

Seeing a Tall Ship up close is very impressive. As she slipped anchor to sail the world I felt a tiny stab of sadness.

But then seeing her sail by and gently raising her sails there was a moment of quietude and graceful momentum.

But soon enough the boat, that was so large and imposing in the harbour started to lose significance in Plymouth Sound.

And in moments was lost in the low lying sea mist that was further out . Peace came gently, just watching a tall ship quietly slip into invisibility

#681 theoldmortuary ponders

On By theoldmortuary.designIn Serendipity1 Comment

If you were going to open up a shop, what would you sell?

I really don’t have the skillset to open a shop but I know absolutely what it would be and what it would sell. Books… Cakes… Coffee… Art…

It would be in the old waiting room of a railway station and would flex as the day/days progress. Early in the morning I would sell coffee and croissants to commuters. By 10 am the cakes of the  day would be delivered and people who wanted books and a place to  gather would start to come in. The sun is always out and people sit outside overlooking trains or countryside. By 5pm the book browsers are gone. Some evenings in the month cooks rent my fabulous kitchen and create ‘Pop-up’ events. Similarly poets, musicians and comedians rent the space to perform intimate gigs to knowledgable audiences.

My space would be a community hub and by owning it I would meet eclectic and fascinating people every day. My idea of perfection.

#680 theoldmortuary ponders

On By theoldmortuary.designIn SerendipityLeave a comment
Daylight through my pocket, the one with my phone and optimism in it.

What is the most important thing to carry with you all the time?

Optimism is the most important thing to keep in my pocket, along with my smartphone.I don’t quite understand the point of pessimism. I am not rude enough to cancel pessimists,they have some valid views and can be interesting to talk to, but draining at the same time. I am pathetically optimistic although completely accepting of the serendipity of life including the, sometimes unpalatable, negative aspects.

Another genuine and unplanned pocket picture of optimism

#679 theoldmortuary ponders

On By theoldmortuary.designIn blogging, Serendipity1 Comment

Describe your life in an alternate universe.

I have no idea when I last updated my Facebook Avatar. More than six years ago for certain. I have paid her very little attention. Today I was surprised when she popped up next to a comment I was about to send to a friend.

I have morphed into my Avatar without even trying. I own those glasses, white t shirts and a Chartreuse Cardigan.

Twenty years ago this was her.

Nothing more to be pondered. I am a woman who ditched a Basque for a cardi !

#678 theoldmortuary ponders

On By theoldmortuary.designIn Serendipity1 Comment

It was a strange and mournful day, first thing this morning. Grey with sea mist and slightly damp. But then I walked past a memorial bench with a sad bunch of flowers marking someones 60th birthday.

How lucky am I to have passed that milestone and to pass this bench every day when the person commemorated never got that far. So out of a strange and mournful day came so many reasons to be cheerful.

Paul Simon drearful v Ian Dury cheerful.

I am somewhat lost in selecting my tracks for a private Desert island Discs event This is a project some years in the making. The list stretches beyond the 8 tracks allowed by the original radio programme.

The list has stayed substantially the same but if I could dictate I would like twenty tracks. I may try to negotiate. Today I made some brief notes for each of the twelve tracks.  Unknown until now I think there is a theme that reflects my glass half full attitude to life.

In my life a fair old bit of rain has fallen and, as for many of us, some days can be dark, but my music choices show that I have always allowed optimism and a certain degree of pretence to be my tools of choice when dealing with the tough stuff.

But 8 tracks to reflect a lifetime. Impossible