Giving Makes me feel good.

In Thailand our hotel was amazing, we stayed at the Centara Grand Mirage (google it)  it was a five star luxury hotel. Mr Special chose well.  There were a couple of maids that cleaned our room each morning. They also dropped in with fresh water and fresh, if not funky looking fruit every day and every evening they came back to turn our bed down and put flowers on it.

One thing I liked is that they not only cleaned but kept the place tidy, if we threw clothes on the bed, we would return to find them folded up it was so sweet. Also one day we went out and left the room safe open and not only did we not find one thing missing one of the maids came and told us about it. They were lovely.

At some point during the holiday I decided to buy them earrings. I knew that they probably were not earning a lot, especially not enough to adorn themselves with jewellery so I thought it would be a nice gift. One morning when I saw the first maid I had them in my bag, I gave them to her and even though I knew she couldn’t understand a word of English I said to her “Thank you for cleaning my room” and did the Thai thank you (lotus hands) sign. She was very composed and bowed to me and then went into her little maid cleaning room. Mr Special said he heard some excited chatter coming from there straight after. I saw the other one in the afternoon and gave her a pair as well.

Do you know that for the rest of the holiday I didn’t see either maid without these earrings in their ears? They were SO grateful. They price that these earrings cost could never be more than the good feeling that I got every time I saw these maids.

Also just before I went to Thailand, I told the guy in the JA shop that I was going and he asked if I could bring him something small back, even if it’s only worth 50 pence. We got him a fridge magnet. I dropped it in to him today on the way home. When I popped in, he and his mum were there and they nearly started crying when I gave it to them. I know it sounds a bit over the top but I think it was really overwhelming that a stranger who doesn’t know them at all, went all the way to Thailand and brought them back a gift.

It gave me so much pleasure to see both the maids and the people in the JA shop so happy. Now I truly understand this quote.

"I have found that among its other benefits, giving liberates the soul of the giver" 
Maya Angelou 

 

Yeah no toilet paper, you got to use a hose...

Look how beautiful the wall was

Our room

 I want one of these in my own house

 The bed at night

Our fruit Bowl

The hotel had a pool bar you swam to

I used to sit on those yellow things and float around all day

We ordered room service and it came with a table and cocktails

Yeah I loved chilling in the pool area

This is the hotel lobby, Mr Special took this, my photography skills are not this advanced!

The Healing Feeling

I've had a busy long weekend!! Remember when you were a child and your relatives used to visit? It was exciting wasn’t it? Mum used to get out the best cups and you used to be dressed all nicely? Well at the weekend, family were getting out the best plates for me as I was in Derbyshire where I did a few family visits.

For some reason many of my people live up there so I had to go see quite a few. I haven't been up there in (shame) three years, although I have seen them at events and in London and I speak on the phone I haven't made the trip myself.

When I went to my sisters. I felt like the true Auntie from London with the whole 'wow haven't you grown?' 'how are you getting on in school?' my niece does cheerleading and I was saying 'show me a little routine' that kind of thing I even took a few family photos and had to sit through a good many home movies. It was so nice though.

Being the model family member I took gifts to all, mostly bottles of wine but I made sure I took my grandmother one of the bags from my website and my sister some lovely soaps.

One person I made sure I went to see was my Daddy, he is resting in Derby Cemetery, it so was hard going there because I haven't been since he was put there. At first I couldn’t find his plot and I got really upset and emotional but I found it. I went alone and for some reason spent around two hours there. I miss him a lot and its nice to have a place to go and express that. I cant explain it but when I sat there and poured my heart out, I think some hurt, or something inside me healed right up and now I feel lighter. I hope that makes sense.

So all in all I would say this weekend was fantastic, I got to spend time with the people I loved, eat a lot of food, laugh, smile, dance and heal my heart.

Visiting Dad was on my 30 things list (it was a personal one) I'm glad I went. When was the last time you visited family? Or had that healing feeling?

A Letter From A Stranger….

This is me reading my letter...

There is something sugary and delightful to me about receiving a handwritten letter. That’s why it’s on my list of thirty things to do this year. So when I came home the other evening and sifted through my letters….. ‘bill, bill, ex’s debt letter, bank statement, buy a new car sales letter, bill’ at the bottom of the pile on girly pink writing paper was a handwritten letter all for me. Of course I was delighted I sat down, made a cup of (green) tea curled up and read through the fifteen pages. Taking me back to my Pen-pal childhood before email was invented.

When was the last time you wrote (not typed) a letter? Have you ever written a letter to someone you didn’t know? What would you say? How would you introduce and express yourself?

The letter was from a sympathetic reader who read my list of thirty things and decided to help me achieve one. Thanks hun! There was a certain openness in their writing where the sender explained who they were, where they were from and small parts of their life which left me wanting to know more about them so I will definitely write back.

Wow I have a pen-pal :)

On a deeper level reading it also left me thinking that when humanity abandons the pen and paper completely when instant communication, such as emails, phone calls webcam, e-cards video calls and texts are all that’s left. We would have really lost something.

I think we would have lost a little joy in our lives, the same sort of joy you get from running through sprinklers or curling up with someone warm when the rain is pouring outside. Hmmmm I think I’m going to write to people more and start sending cards again. Oh and write in those cards instead of saying ‘from Angel’

As I Exit 2008...

It wasn’t easy to review 2008, when looking back I realised that it’s been a huge year for me. You don’t even know the half of it!

This was there year where I truly learnt what stress, despair, depression, loneliness and guilt were. I thank God for teaching me those things. I guess they happened so that I was also able to experience and recognise happiness, relaxation, achievement, freedom and LOVE!!

I was able to look at all my friendships/relationships and understand that there are always two people in the boat and that if only one of you is rowing you should stop for a while and see what happens – that taught me a few things.

I ran many 5k races (good for my body) got good at Yoga (good for my sprit), passed some finance exams (good for my mind) and started another business (which will eventually be good for my pocket lol)

I visited Venice, started to express myself through writing and as well as getting some things published I started this blog. I made some new friends, stopped rowing for others, learned to pole dance - for exercise only I promise.

I was lucky in 2008 I won a few things like theatre tickets and dinners and someone who loves me brought me a pink DAB Digital radio where I rediscovered Jazz FM and fell in love with it.


It was a good transitional year where I started off on one journey and ended on a new one. I'm really excited to get it over and done with now though and it ends on Wednesday night at my house where I'm having a joint party with Mr Special!

I'm now in a place with an open heart where I hope to remove any last traces bitterness that I was carrying. I forgive myself for any mistakes I think I made and know that I can’t change anything that I did, I can’t go back I can only go forward, so with that knowledge roll on 2009!!