Feasts ad farewells

It's the village feast of where the Mr. is from, so we have been out amid the festivities of St. Helena in Birkirkara (as also seen last year). Band marches, endless fire works, music and great enthusiasm (even with the thick humid heat).

Alice T. Winfield

My mind is not here though, we received news that my grandmother passed away suddenly, and without having the chance to say good by or to speak to her one last  time makes my heart feel like lead. These are the moments when living so far from family and old friends is difficult. It had been a year and a half since last I saw her. To be fair she was 97 years old. Until the day she died she was still reading the New York Times, a lady who wore berets tipped to one side in the winter time, could argue with the best of them about any given topic, loved to travel (and did a fair amount- from Kathmandu to Cuba). She was an optimist who was always willing to have a conversation with a stranger, a curious, tennis playing gal, my hero.  The woman who taught me to play cards, to swim in the sea, to iron a shirt and to drink afternoon tea. We share the same feet, hands and eyes.  

The world feels slightly duller with her not in it. 

 I will be taking a few days leave from the blog.  

Amid the heat

Some places to put pencils and paintbrushes 

(thought it was about time to put some of those old cans to good use and I do so like oil cloth). 

Reversible headbands for the girls 

ohhh and a new Ice cream! 

Carol Jean I call it (after my mother who first introduced the glorious combination of 

dark chocolate and orange to me)

This recipe is much like Zanzibar (found here) except using 75 grams dark unsweetened cocoa, and the 3/4 cup sugar needs to be brown sugar, when you simmer the milk and chocolate add in one strip of an fresh orange rind (roughly two inches by half inch wide), a 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon vanilla and be sure to remove the peel before adding the cream. 

It is very good, the chocolate being dark, the orange a solid hint without being overpowering.  

Taking time to ....

give thanks.... (as inspired from this blog).
 Thanks so much Melissa for pointing it out!

Taking a moment to give a small momentary thanks -
- to the scrawny old man across the ally from us (their front stoop five feet from our door) who is blasting out old Elvis records ( am all shook up is echoing through the stone ally at the moment in the noon day penetrating sun)

- to the quiet few hours my husband gave me while he takes the children to the park and shopping ( I can clean and run errands in complete blissful peace.... podcasts filling my morning). Long lines at the post office with no stress.

- to the breeze that gave a short reprieve from the down ward beat of the sun and which made me look up at the rustling leaves of a fig tree heavy with fruit leaning out beyond the school fence.

- to the three boys racing in our ally, cheering and hooting  with the thrill of the competition,  they made me fondly remember those care free never ending summer days of when I was a child.

- to the chance  this morning to give my full attention to a particular story on womans hour- (knitted lives) oh  how it made me smile.... what full of life women!!! What a delightful project. It appeals on so many levels. The knitted swimming shorts excerpt a particular hoot.

- to the cool dancing police guys in this video who made me want to get up and move too.

- and lastly thanks to my middle child (whom I tend to worry most over) who yesterday made me smile with her cuddly soft caress as she layed down for a mid day nap next to me, kitten purring between our shoulders, the fan rhythmically beating on and blowing gently the small curl by her temple... these are some of the moments my spirit appreciates.

And you? Which things could you give thanks for today or yesterday?