Ten Things of Thankful 178 (Election Week Thankfuls)

Hello everyone! Hope you are all fine. Cold here in Bavaria, had some snow in the morning, now melted. Him Indoors and I are both coughing like crazy, but we’re glad it’s the weekend, we can relax and hopefully, get better. Ten things of thankful, yes, I’ve got loads to be grateful.

Starting with my Mom. For three weeks, she didn’t have any companion to assist her in the house. Her PA left without saying anything and there was my mother, waiting for her until she rang and said, she didn’t want to return anymore. So panic, panic, everyone asking around if they knew anyone who could help and voila! Found one. One of the nieces of my friend, so we sent her some airfare ticket from the province to come to Manila. Happy with that result.

Aurora is my mother’s name
Daybreak she came
Such a beauty
Out in the sea

Creating an aura of hope
She always cope
Always has been
Serves with a grin

And in our lives she’s the centre
Perfumed with myrrh
The love she gives
Superlative!

(c) ladyleemanila 2016

HRH the son and his beautiful bride are happy on their new place/new town. She started with her PhD, he is volunteering in a charity foundation for three months and then he’ll try to look for a job next year. Good luck to them.

Yesterday, we had a phone call from the in-laws. He was taken to the hospital for some kidney stones. He’s back now, was given some medicine and asked to wait. He goes back in two weeks to be scanned and see what the next procedure is. Hope it works and he gets better so they can come here for Christmas.

Thankful for freedom and all men and women, generations after generations, all over the world, who sacrificed their lives to give us our freedom.

Thankful for my job, I’m still enjoying it and I still see it as my hobby.

Thankful for the memories. It was my Mom’s birthday last week and next week, it would be my Dad’s, bless his soul. We miss him.

Thankful for the autumn this year, now welcoming winter.

I woke up this morning, the air was fresh, cool breeze and dark time. Fog all over our garden, children on their bikes, waiting for each other to go to school. Summer is over, children are cheerful with their back packs. The wind whispering as crispy leaves fall from trees, heaps of gold, brown and red on the ground. It’s also time for harvest, our grapes by our front door and the two apple trees at the back. There was not a lot of harvest this year, enough to stew the apples for apple crumble and pies, and the grapes for some juice. We are very grateful for the produce. It’s also the time to take some of our plants, like olives, banana and palm plants in the house, as well as our pet tortoises. No more garden paradise for them. They are staying in with us.

autumn like a dream
when the wind brushes the leaves
fairy tale that weaves

kids back to school
cheerful to see each other
summer is over

harvesting apples
crisp copper leaves falling off
chilling the air

(c) ladyleemila 2016

For: Ten Things of Thankful 178 (Election Week Thankfuls). Also for: 30 Days of Thankfulness: Day 12, ALL SEASONS -NOVEMBER ENJOYMENT (November 13)

Sandbox Writing Challenge #61 — Happiness is NOT a dropping shoe!

happy dance

fireworks

Mini

HRH the son’s graduation at the university

What are the things that make you happy?

1. Him Indoors for being together for 30 years
2. HRH the son and his beautiful bride
3. My mother and her good health
4. My sister and 2 brothers and their families
5. My good health and Him Indoors’ health, too
6. My freelance job which is like a hobby
7. HRH the son finishing his Masters this year
8. HRH the son and beautiful bride in their new flat
9. Paid off our mortgage last year
10. Was able to travel to different places
11. Taj Mahal and seeing tigers in the wild
12. My blogging
13. Friends (real and online)
14. Relatives
15. My students
16. Mini for being with me for more than 10 years
17. 3 tortoises – Gin, Rex and Nikki
18. Our garden and all its trees, flowers, bees and butterflies
19. going to the gym, zumba, Latin, body balance
20. cycling with Him Indoors
21. listening to classical music
22. eating good food, going out
23. Skype, Facebook, Viber, Whatsapp
24. movies and good tv shows
25. all the good books that I’ve read

I think I’m afraid to be really crazy happy
because whenever I do I feel guilty for the others who aren’t so happy.

Are you one of the fortunate folks who never struggle with that fear of waiting for the other shoe drop?
If you are, tell us why!

I think I am one of them. Being happy is somehow in my default setting, I am happy whatever circumstance give me, whether it’s positive or negative. If my plans don’t go to work, I’ll try again and think again. Perhaps I’m missing something. Of course, I get lonely, frustrated and angry sometimes, but generally, I’m a happy person.

Thanks for the questions, Calensariel 🙂

For: Sandbox Writing Challenge #61 — Happiness is NOT a dropping shoe!

Three Day Three Quotes challenge 3 – Happiness

I am happy to thank  Natalia of Caboosemama Little Pleasures, for nominating me for this challenge. It was a lovely experience. I invite you all to visit Natalia’s blog, cheers!

Rules of the challenge:

1.Three quote for three days.
2.Three nominees each day (no repetition).
3.Thank the person who nominated you.
4.Inform the nominees.

Today`s Nominees are:

Eschudel

Candy

Mandibelle

Enjoy your Sunday!

Ten Things of Thankful 172 (Magic) #10Thankful

Hello everyone! There’s magic in the air and I’m loving it! Hope you are all fine. As I’ve said last Thursday, got lots of little things to be thankful about.

I’m smiling because the weather here in Bavaria is lovely, our Indian summer! We have just been swimming this morning and it was brilliant. I’ve hanged clothes outside to dry and the tortoises are happy in the garden. We’re also happy sitting in the garden, drinking our fizzy drinks and admiring the flowers. I have taken lots of photo, as usual, of the flowers, of the leaves changing colours, of the falling leaves, of shadows and other stuff. This morning I’ve video-called my mother. She’s getting better in using the tablet and she rang me herself, how cool is that! In social media, I’ve greeted my cousin, who celebrated their 25 years wedding anniversary and they have renewed their vows in the same church where they were married. It was nice to see them, together with their 6 children and they were all lovely in their white dresses and suits. My friend from Iran is now back from her holidays and we agreed to see each other next week. And tomorrow, Him Indoors and I are going out for a Chinese, the one where we used to eat when we first arrived here. We’ll be cycling there tomorrow evening. So that’s my smile this week. Cheers everyone!

P.S. the sky tonight’s so heavenly!

What else? I’m thankful that we have a long-weekend having Monday off as it’s Germany’s reunification day. Him Indoors is out buying food until Monday (shops are closed tomorrow and Monday, so panic buying for everyone!).

Grateful that HRH the son and his beautiful bride have found a flat in their new place where they will have the next phase of their lives. She’s doing her PhD and he’s hoping to find a job, having just finished his Masters. “White rabbits” to them!

Happy that I spoke to my mother and she’s fine and in good spirit. We talked about her 80th birthday celebration for next year, planning for a big party, of course, with all of her children and grandchildren all over the world coming to the Philippines to celebrate with her.

Grateful that school term in the language school starts next week. Looking forward to seeing my new students. I’ve just ordered some new books, too.

That’s it from me. Keep the magic in you! Take care everyone x

For: Ten Things of Thankful 172 (Magic) #10Thankful, SEASONS – BEGIN OCTOBER FEASTS

Weekly Smile 39 #weeklysmile

*three things that make me smile: an exercise in gratitude – feel free to steal this idea with wild abandon and fill your blog with the happy*

Hello everyone! Hope you are all fine. Allow me to share my weekly smile – as Trent said in his post, they are not just big smiles that require travel and so on. I’m smiling because the weather here in Bavaria is lovely, our Indian summer! We have just been swimming this morning and it was brilliant. I’ve hanged clothes outside to dry and the tortoises are happy in the garden. We’re also happy sitting in the garden, drinking our fizzy drinks and admiring the flowers. I have taken lots of photo, as usual, of the flowers, of the leaves changing colours, of the falling leaves, of shadows and other stuff. This morning I’ve video-called my mother. She’s getting better in using the tablet and she rang me herself, how cool is that! In social media, I’ve greeted my cousin, who celebrated their 25 years wedding anniversary and they have renewed their vows in the same church where they were married. It was nice to see them, together with their 6 children and they were all lovely in their white dresses and suits. My friend from Iran is now back from her holidays and we agreed to see each other next week. And tomorrow, Him Indoors and I are going out for a Chinese, the one where we used to eat when we first arrived here. We’ll be cycling there tomorrow evening. So that’s my smile this week. Cheers everyone!

P.S. the sky tonight’s so heavenly!

What made you smile this week?

How Happy is the Little Stone
by Emily Dickinson

How happy is the little Stone
That rambles in the Road alone,
And doesn’t care about Careers
And Exigencies never fears —
Whose Coat of elemental Brown
A passing Universe put on,
And independent as the Sun
Associates or glows alone,
Fulfilling absolute Decree
In casual simplicity —

For: Weekly Smile 39 #weeklysmile, Nurturing Thurs – Hello Fear!, Three Things Thursday: September 29, 2016, Riding at the front of the Train – Echoes of my neighbourhood

Happy International Day of Peace!

For: International Day of Peace. Also for: Nurturing Thurs – Anything!

“Ode to Joy” from Beethoven’s 9th Symphony

At Christmas time, we usually go to Beethoven’s 9th Symphony at Philharmonie, Munich. Depending on the tickets that we can get, we either go to the Matinee show that starts at 5pm on a New Year’s Day or the one on Boxing Day. Somehow, it starts our year right.

Joyful, joyful
We adore Thee
God of glory
Lord of love
Hearts unfold like flowers before Thee
Hail Thee to the sun above
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness
Drive the dark of doubt away
Giver of immortal gladness
Fill us with the light of day

With light
With light

Mortals join the mighty chorus
Which the morning stars began
Father love is reigning o’er us
Brother love binds man to man
Ever singing march we onward
Victors in the midst of strife
Joyful music lifts us Son ward
In the triumph song of life

For: Song Lyric Sunday Theme for 9/18/16

OBW 164 ~ Bloom

See the flowers bloom
Get rid of the gloom
Our days are getting longer
Warblers are singing
And we’re out biking
And the sky, is it clearer?

Tortoises are out
They’re walking about
Crocuses and daffodils
Tulips and snowdrops
Garden as backdrops
Just to be out give us thrills

(c) ladyleemanila 2016

For: OBW 164 ~ Bloom, Our World: 12 September 2016

Rondelet of Delight

We’re so lucky
Beautiful things around us all
We’re so lucky
Mountains, forests and big blue sea
Birds and bees all having a ball
Dogs bark, cows moo and insects crawl
We’re so lucky

Grateful we are
For blessings we get every day
Grateful we are
Sun shining and twinkling stars
People stop and smile, children play
Grateful we are*

(c) ladyleemanila 2016

* The Rondelet is a French form consisting of a single septet with two rhymes and one refrain: AbAabbA. The capital letters are the refrains, or repeats. The refrain is written in tetra-syllabic or dimeter and the other lines are twice as long – octasyllabic or tetrameter.

For: B&P’s Shadorma and Beyond – September 10, 2016

Music Prompt # 59 ‘B.o.B – Airplanes’ ft. Hayley Williams and Eminem.

Paradelle of Wishes

I wish I may, I wish I can make a wish
I wish I may, I wish I can make a wish
To be able to fly like a bird, see the world
To be able to fly like a bird, see the world
I wish I may make a wish, see the world
To be able to fly like a bird, I wish I may

No pain, no heartache, no misunderstanding
No pain, no heartache, no misunderstanding
People are sympathetic and help each other
People are sympathetic and help each other
No pain, no heartache, people help each other
No misunderstanding, people are sympathetic

A big smile for each one, to start the day
A big smile for each one, to start the day
“Pay kindness forward” and spread peace
“Pay kindness forward” and spread peace
A big smile for each one and spread peace
“Pay kindness forward” to start the day

I wish I may, “pay kindness forward”
To be able to fly like a bird and spread peace
No pain, no heartache, a big smile for each one
No misunderstanding, people are sympathetic
“Pay kindness forward” and help each other
Make a wish: spread peace and help each other*

 

(c) ladyleemanila 2016

* The Paradell Structure

First Three Stanzas:
The first two lines as well as the third and fourth lines of the first three stanzas must be the same (repeat). Where it begins to get difficult and become more of a poetic puzzle is when reaching fifth and sixth lines. These lines must contain all the words from the preceding four lines within the stanza using them only once to form completely new lines.

Last Stanza:
For the most difficult piece of this poetic puzzle, the final stanza of the paradelle does not repeat like the preceding stanzas, rather the final six lines must contain every word from the first three stanzas, and only those words, again using them only once to form completely new lines.

The Design is simple:
Stanza 1: 1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 4
Stanza 2: 5, 5, 6, 6, 7, 8
Stanza 3: 9, 9, 10, 10, 11, 12
Stanza 4: 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18

For: Music Prompt # 59 ‘B.o.B – Airplanes’ ft. Hayley Williams and Eminem.