Christmas Songs on the radio..............

I am enjoying all the Christmas songs on the radio when I am in the kitchen or driving around in my car. Music can bring back so many memories and Christmas songs are no exception - memories of Christmases past.

What's your favourite? These are a few of my favourites.....

"Happy Christmas (war is over) by John & Yoko"

and

"It's Beginning To Look A lot Like Christmas"

but my overall favourite is .....

 "Little Drummer Boy" by Bing Crosby & David Bowie  - it brings a tear to my eyes every time!

Off to my niece's Emma for a Christmas drinks and nibbles party - so now in the festive mood after listening to these tunes!

 

Nelson Mandela Remarkable Tribute

Thanks Carmel for sharing this stunning tribute on your Facebook page.

Sometimes we need to just see what happens - so true.

To my special niece Emma

Deliciously Ella's Banana Bread and a soup but not eaten together

I had an excess of bananas that were getting close to being inedible.  I thought that ruled out banana bread.  Not in the mood for a smoothie and I already have enough bananas in my freezer. So I thought that I would see what Deliciously Ella had to offer. Surprise  - she had a recipe for banana bread. So I thought I would give it a try and it is delicious and with no dairy or sugar it's so healthy. 

Here's the recipe - and a photo of my creation! 

It went quickly - last few slices!

And while I was on a roll I made a soup from the Deliciously Ella website - Carrot Ginger and Coconut soup. I stir fried the mushrooms that came in my organic veg box today which I added to the soup as a topping with some pumpkin and sunflower seeds. I would definitely make this again.

Australia at the Royal Acadamy of Arts....

The Wolsey, Eat Pray Laugh and the annual Cancer Research Christmas Party

Saturday 30 November - a day out in London - lunch at the Wolsey with daughter, Chris, Philip and Neil. Lunch was delicious and one of my favourite places to eat. I saw Paul McCartney with his daughter Stella, her husband and two children. And of course trying hard not to look at them!

The Wolsey

I love their pepper mills -so does daughter!

Inside the Wolsey

My Delicious lunch - smoked salmon. hollandaise sauce and eggs - yum!

 Afterwards a matinee  -  "Eat Pray Laugh" Barry Humphries farewell tour at the London Palladium. The first half I did not really enjoy - he played his character Les Patterson who has the most appalling of manners - spitting all over the audience!

The banner for the

 The second half was much funnier but his humour is based on audience abuse and thankfully although we were sat in the third row from the front we were spared the indignity of being picked on thankfully.


Monday brought the Annual Cancer Research Shop Christmas Dinner at Windleshan Golf Club. I can't believe that a year has gone by since we were there celebrating Christmas! It was a fun evening and I had prepared a table quiz to do during dinner which was everyone enjoyed it.

All dressed up - quick game of patience in between course

It's getting to look a lot like Christmas.

Ruth and me - don't we look smart!

Three Years..............and an immense sense of gratitude

It's hard to believe but it's been three years since I had my first surgery where the bowel tumour was removed. When I looked back at the blog entries at the time I realise what a tough time we were actually having. But we survived it and came out the other side for which I am eternally grateful for and a BIG THANKYOU to my guardian angel who has been looking out for me and got me through all the challenges that came along the way at that time.

I like this quote.

What a lot has happened in those three years and so grateful and happy to have had the opportunity to experience them - some parts of them not so much but I have learnt so much about myself in that time. But most of all just being given time......

 

I have many answers to this question.

Blood test - yes three months have passed since my scan

HAPPY!

I had a blood test last week for CEA levels. This is 3 months since my last blood tests and scan.  The brilliant news is that the blood test is normal - in fact it is 0.6  My August test was 0.5 so yippee!!!

              While CEA is not a fool proof indicator being 0.6 is a good place to be!!!

Back to Burghope Manor for the weekend

Coincidently we spent a weekend at Burghope Manor exactly a year ago - so wonderful to be back. Cosy beds , delicious breakfasts, wonderful dinners, amazing hosts , beautiful countryside and feeling so lucky to be back here.

Here we are again!

The exterior

Colin racing around their garden

A long walk

The pub we went to for a beer before dinner

Autumn leaves

A cosy bed

Since we last went there they are now No 1 on Trip Advisor for Bradford on Avon - which Burhope is on the outskirts.

First frost of this winter

Awoke this morning to the first frost of this winter. So it was a cold walk this morning at 7.30 a.m with Colin, Ruth and Jazz. But so beautiful I love that blue blue sky and white frost - so much better than the grey and rain we have had for the last two days!

Kriss Carr on Oprah's Super Soul Sunday - watch this

As you know Kriss Carr has been a great inspiration to myself and millions of others. So watch this video "How many of us truly live?".

She summaries so well what I have thought at times " until I am perfectly healthy I am broken" - and I am sure I am not alone in thinking this. But as Kriss says "this could be a dragon I am chasing all my life" at some stage you have to let this go. This can be really difficult - it is a huge obstacle to get over - letting this worry go away and just live. - if you ever reach this stage.

I made my mind up that you can't live in a state of worry. It sometimes makes a unexpected uninvited guest appearance but I now know how to accept it and then let it go. After all life is a terminal condition for us all and we just can't walk around thinking that!

But I hadn't really been able to describe the feeling that I aspire to feel and sometimes accomplish - which Kriss describes so well which is "truly loving what is - all of myself". This is something that initially felt a bit uncomfortable with me as it has selfish undertones - or is that just my unique interpretation? But when she goes on to say that  "How many will truly love - live for you" it sat more comfortably. After all I do lots of things for different people in different roles but for me I realised I did these things for me - they satisfied something inside of me - and I wasn't looking for thanks in doing them and didn't feel smug about doing them - but I did them all for me!

And Kriss has a lovely rescue dog who she loves - which makes me think of my little Colin! He has made such an improvement to my life - woof woof!

Colin

Watch out Paul Hollywood - I baked some bread yesterday......

the manual way and not in a bread machine - very rewarding and this is the result and it tasted delicious - spelt and wholemeal with seeds.

Watch out Paul Hollywood!

An invisiible red thread

“An invisible red thread connects those who are destined to meet regardless of time, place or circumstance. The thread may stretch or tangle but it will never break.” - Chinese Proverb

I saw this on Pinterest this morning and it really resonated with me and it made me think how lucky I have been to meet some amazing people in my life (OK and some not so amazing!) and even though I do not get to see  all of them they come into my mind occasionally and are not forgotten even the ones who are no longer with us - so that red thread never breaks!

True.................

Reiki Course with the Reiki Acadamy London.

This weekend I attended a Reiki 1 course run by the .reikiacademylondon.  This was something I had been thinking of doing for a while since my lovely healers Owen and Sue suggested that I should attend as I would benefit from it. I have to say that it exceeded my expectations and Torsten Lange was such a good facilitator and guide into this new world of Reiki which I truly hope to incorporate into my everyday life. 
  
What is Reiki?

“Reiki” (ray-key) is Japanese for ‘universal life energy, and is also a word used to describe a system of natural healing, This tradition was founded by Dr Mikao Usui in the early 20th century and evolved as a result of his research, experience and dedication.

We live in a world of energy that nourishes and maintains all living things. When this energy flows uninterrupted there is balance and harmony within and around us, and we experience a sense of well being.

There are many variations of Reiki, but in essence Reiki treatments can help the body emotionally or spiritually. It is a tradition that is open to any belief system.

Reiki treatment is a process that anyone can enjoy in the normal course of their life. Reiki can be used alongside other conventional or complementary treatment and often helps to provide emotional support during recovery.
There was an inscription was found on the memorial stone for the founder of Reiki Mikao Ursi in Tokyo which is summarised in this photo 

Good principles and not too complicated to remember and easy mantra to remember to say to oneself daily with a trigger phrase"Just for today" to repeat when during your day you are challenged!

Green Tea Print - came across this on Pinterest

Autumn weather -"Girl on Raw" and Lentil & Harvest Pie

A different angle on Autumn - starting over instead of fading away.

The weather has now really turned autumnal - not the good bits either! Rainy, chilly & grey skies like living in Tupperware. So I needed something warm and comforting for dinner last night. I remembered that I had received a recipe in my email box from verityslifestyle.com ( a lady that I met at Penny Brohn Cancer Care last year)  for a comforting cottage pie. I looked at the recipe and the link to where Verity was inspired to adapt the original recipe. This link was to "Girlon Raw" and her recipe for lentil and harvest pie. As I had most of the ingredients for this pie at home I thought it was suitably comforting to have for dinner on a wet chilly evening. I have to say that I was impressed with the result - it was the closest I have got to a cottage pie which is made with meat.I used to make a meatless shepherdess pie by Delia Smith but to be honest this was a bit complicated whereas this new recipe is straight forward andI would definitely make this again and probably try Verity's "Cottage Pie" at some time.

Delicious!

Matilda Tristram and how her comic strip helped her describe her cancer journey

  
I was listening to Saturday Live on Radio 4 while I was driving on Saturday morning. This is not a programme that I normally listen to as I am normally walking Colin at that time on a Saturday morning but this week had a different start. What a varied programme and I think I will have to listen to it again.

One of the guests was Matilda Tristram. At 31, she was looking forward to having her first baby and then she discovered she had cancer. She has  written a beautiful account of what it's like to find out you have colon cancer when you're 17 weeks pregnant in a comic strip format. Her comic about the experience is raw, funny and still unfolding. I was captivated by her story and so googled her when I got home and became even more interested in her story and felt that I just wanted to headline this on here as she is an inspirational woman who not only had to deal with her cancer but also agonising decisions about her pregnancy. I urge you to read about her   And here is a clip of her comic strip.

I have read lots of blogs about cancer but it is so refreshing to see it all described in a comic strip. There is more of her work on Matilda's website.  Her comic strip about colon cancer is Colonomic. Hope you enjoy it.

Note to self

Beautiful Virginia Water and a walk with Colin SIMPLY STUNNING

Simply stunning

Macmillan Work and Cancer Training at Surrey Police.

So true.......... And your health of course

A family reunion and party

This was the party that I had to cater for on 14 September - 70 people! What a busy time and a big THANK YOU to Chris, Phillip, Ruth, Lisa (aka Daughter) and Neil for helping. It was a great success and Neil's mum had a fabulous time with all her lovely family and friends - a special day.

A group photo

Th e Hall where the party was held

The food was a great hit!

Lynne cutting her "not quite 80" Birthday cake - no I didn't make it. Big thanks to Tracy for picking it up

Close up of the cake