Walking the Essex way

Yesterday my friend and I walked to our favorite lake on a misty and frosty morning! First walk after Christmas and I really enjoyed the walk.... It was very atmospheric with the mist surrounding the lake.
Unfortunally it was to much for my friend, she had been nursing a cold all through Christmas and shes not walking today!!...I was hopping for another walk....I think I will go on my own, I could not sleep and have been awake since 2am so I need to clear my head....

A Christmas memory.

All that work! And its all over, Christmas is always something to look forward to, the gathering of family and friends, exchanging tokens of affection, the excitement of opening presents....The preparation of sweet things and the Christmas Lunch!!!

Now its only a memory! Did it really happen! Or is it a sweet memory of great times that hopefully our children and grandchildren will remember as I do with found memories.
of the laughter that I can still hear of all those past Christmas, of family getting together and that warm feeling of togetherness of belonging, feeling that we were loved.

I do try to keep that tradition alive, December is a month that takes me back to those happy times, of growing up in a home full of music and much love. Now Away from my Madeira and my dear parents long gone..
I hopped that my siblings and I would keep together and take it where our parents left of, but unfortunally it was not to be...My heart feels heavy with sadness. But I am lucky enough I do have my daughters and my little darling for me to love and be loved...

Happy New Year to you all

A Christmas memorie

December for me is a month of nostalgia! It takes me back to my childhood. My little house in Essex way is smelling just like the house of my early years in my Madeira, the house that I and my siblings grew up, the scent of cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg and black treacle, permeates the whole house.

I can just see my Mama baking all the goodies for Christmas, first the cookies, I remember we had to help, rolling little balls ready to go in the oven, then came the cakes mama measuring the ingredients into a big basin, no electric mixers like I use, she had to do it all by hand.
Once again the scent of baking, and one can smell it for miles, because every house in the neighbourhood is also baking for Christmas.

Now its my turn and it gives me a lot of pleasure, to keep the tradition going, I know that my girls and their cousins love Vavo's  cookies and it gives me great pleasure to send them to the family, a little token of a time when we all felt loved... I hold this memory in my heart locked like a precious jewel .

So now my house feels and smells just like Mamas. The house

 smells heavenly, the scent of spices so heady its intoxicating, and that's how I remember Christmas.
I hope that one day my babies will have the same similar memories.
Whishing you all a very happy December and I hope that you all have been very good, because Father Christmas is taking requests at moment..... So place your order wisely...

London outing.

Yesterday we visited London for a launch of an Anthology a selection of short stories Published by Bridge House....My friend Paula short story was one of the selected, (((The glass slipper Company)))
I loved being there it was so interesting listening and talking to the other authors.

This is the third time that we go to these. And am so pleased for Paula, so far she has had 10 short stories published. The last one was last year  in Cafelit 5.....Paula also has written 3 novels but she's till waiting for that break which am sure won't be long.

So yesterday we got all together that is Paula Her other half Russell who is very supportive bless him. her friend Joan and I..... we all went to London for the launch, but first we had lunch in a London Pub....In all it was a great day, even though I was not feeling very well.... really I should've been tucked in bed with a hot water bottle...But am glad that I went.....

Walking the Essex Way

Its been two weeks since Hubby and I arrived back to our little house in Essex way... The foot is getting stronger Paula and I started walking once again it had been a long time since we walked the footpaths of Essex way...So far we have done two walks and it has crippled me somewhat, but one has to persevere after all I had been sitting on my butt with my leg up for sometime.

On Saturday I went to a Christmas and food fayre with Miacarla not brilliant but it was okay, to be honest did not really find anything that I wanted except for food, bought some interesting sausages and cheese, oh and fudge it was yummy anyway it was something to do....

Today just taking it easy with Hubby... Tomorrow will be back walking really had missed my walks, so pleased that there is still so much Autumn color out there, its lovely to be back into a routine walks in the morning and then house work

Local Park

American lake. The locals call it the front pit 

it really sets me up for the day, am hopping that my feet will get stronger! Next week I'll be going to London for my friends Paula new anthology launch....Its always exciting to be there amongst all those interesting people. 

Memories

After a month's holiday in my Madeira. I find myself back in my little house in Essex way, some trees are still hanging on to their summer clothing, and its wet and getting colder, but all the same its nice to be back home, Madeira is where I was borne, but Essex is my home.

This year I found two of my cousins which I had lost touch.... I felt so emotional meeting them and their lovely families.... They say that we live in a small world, and its true, one weekend when on the beach talking to Duarte, his one of the group of friends that get together on the beach at Reis Magos at the weekend, and he mentioned the word Sao Roque, so I say that I had family on that area but unfortunally I had lost touch with them, and he asks their name so I said my uncle who is no longer with us worked on the docks, and when I tell him his name he say's that he knew him and his children.

And low and behold straightway he calls someone and asks for a phone number and after a little wile he gets my cousin phone number and he gives it to me with a smile.
I was quite emotional by then, and very nervous I call and  was answered by a female, so feeling very nervous I ask for Jose Manuel and she asks who's speaking, so I answer that I am a cousin I hear her saying to him its for you, she say's that's she's your cousin, he is so surprised saying that he did not know that he had so many cousins.

So we arrange to meet on Sunday at the restaurant in Reis Magos, they arrive bearing in mind, that I did not know them and vice versa, this is going to be hard! I am seating there and my cousin his wife and son arrive but seat outside, I did see them but not being sure I don't say anything when I see them go, having finished their coffee thinking it can't be them, I say to Duarte disappointed his not coming is he! So he say's its still early, but after a wile I phone him again his wife answers and say's that they are on the way.

It turns out they had been there already but not having recognized anyone they had gone, Am so glad that I phoned again, they were on way home so glad that they turned round and came back, straightaway he invites us to his house for lunch and when we get there his wife calls my cousin Ida so that's another cousin that I find, their Dad was my Mothers twin, thinking about it when I look at him I can see his Dad... Am so pleased that I found him. Thank you Duarte..

Madeira

This holiday has been a little different, had a lot of rest and did a lot of reading I feel that the little grey cells have been through the ringer... Have missed walking down to the promenade to see the sunrise, and the odd walk to the levada, also missed entertaining, having friends round, but it hasn't been to bad I still managed to hobble around and with hubby's help and  the help of my new friends I still managed to get down to the seafront....

Now its getting near to going home, seven more day's and I'll be seeing my babies and my little darling, I really miss them, also miss my house.
Am hopping that it won't be long for me to restart my walks through the footpaths of Essex way with my walking buddy Paula. My foot is getting better but I find that still not strong enough yet.