a girl in fringe, pretty in red
To My Mother
by Robert Louis Stevenson
You too, my mother, read my rhymes
For love of unforgotten times,
And you may chance to hear once more
The little feet along the floor.
What are you thankful for today?
I am ever so thankful that I still have my mother, who at 79, still rocks and so cool!
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
*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 from our tortoises – Gin, Rex and Nik – happily munching their dandelions. Hope you are all fine. Lots of lovely smiles from me this week.
It’s amazing when I could just booked a flight to the Philippines after a phone call from my Mother. She wasn’t well, with temperature and flu, and I thought, I’d like to be with her. OK, it wasn’t that easy, I have to think of the timing, my sched at work and of course, Him Indoors. So, when Him Indoors got back from work, I told him about the plan and he said, why not? I looked at my sched for next term and the last class finishes middle of February next year. I’ve searched for a flight and the price wasn’t that bad, voila! I’m booked for February, 2 days after my last class. Staying for two weeks. Yay! I’m sure my Mother would be pleased.
Met my friend for lunch. We went to an Italian and she had pasta and I had risotto and we shared some mixed salad. The weather was gorgeous and we walked around town, saw nice pairs of trousers which were calling our names, so we bought them (I’ve got grey, she’s got green ones). Then we stopped by our favourite cafe and had capuccino and some cakes. Life is good!
What made you smile this week?
For: Weekly Smile 36 #weeklysmile, Three Things Thursday . Also for: Nurt Thurs – Forward!, Cityscape Dubai – Echoes Of My Neighbourhood.
A Rondel is a French form consisting of 13 lines: two quatrains and a quintet, rhyming as follows: ABba abAB abbaA. The capital letters are the refrains, or repeats.
Five Words: [ PLACE – SHARP – CHIME – FIRM – PACE ]
Aurora, with a chime we honour thee
Puts everything in place as we speak
You’re as sharp as your glamour and mystique
Gentle but firm, in your own pace with glee
We’re grateful to have you as our mommy
As we climb mountains and swim in a creek
Aurora, with a chime we honour thee
Puts everything in place as we speak
Enjoy being with you with shopping spree
With your golden age you’re still very chic
With your support, we will reach our peak
Admire the sunrise, sunset and the sea
Aurora, with a chime we honour thee
(c) ladyleemanila 2016
Hello everyone! Just got back from the UK where I visited my Mum, brother and family and of course, HRH the son and his beautiful bride. My friend N came with me and she also enjoyed her visit. We had some grill in the garden, sang, ate, drank and messed around.
We visited Coventry Cathedral, Lady Godiva, St. Mary’s Guild Hall and the City Centre.
We went to the Transport Museum, where we saw old cars, bikes, sportcars, etc and we went on a simulated ride on the fastest car (Thrust 2). That was cool!
We went to see Packwood House and Gardens in Solihull. It was lovely! The famous Yew Garden must be one of the largest collections of yew trees in the world.In the Carolean Garden visitors can admire the stunning herbaceous borders and enjoy views across the gardens and parkland from the seventeenth century brick gazebos. Away from the formal gardens visitors can discover Packwood’s lake, which features a circular stroll through a wooded glade.
We went to see two films – Tarzan and Json Bourne. They were great!
We went to see Stowe House, which has one of the most beautiful landscape gardens in the country. Stowe House is a Grade I listed country house located in Stowe, Buckinghamshire. It is the home of Stowe School, an independent school and is owned by the Stowe House Preservation Trust. It was a long walk but all worth it!
We met HRH the son and his beautiful bride and had Chinese. Nice to see them again.
Went to Birmingham with my Mum and my brother with his kids. We walked around the City Centre, did some shopping and had some ramen soup.
For a real bonding time, my Mum and I stayed in Chester for three days. Chester is a city in northwest England, founded as a Roman fortress in the 1st century A.D. It’s known for its extensive, well-preserved Roman walls made of local red sandstone. In the old city, the Rows is a shopping district distinguished by 2-level covered arcades and Tudor-style half-timbre buildings. A Roman amphitheatre, with ongoing excavations, lies just outside the old city’s walls.
I think that’s about it, my ripples of thankfulness! I have to unpack now, do some laundry, then pack my bags again. This time is for India, for the son’s wedding, Indian version. Him Indoors and I are flying in two days’ time for a couple of weeks’ holiday. Have a great week everyone!
What made you smile this week?
For: Ripples of Thankfulness by Lizzi, Weekly Smile 30 #weeklysmile, Three Things Thursday: July 28, 2016, Ski Dubai and Two Birthdays – Echoes of my neighbourhood 29, Thankful Thursday: Cherry on Top
What is the perfect pizza?
We usually make our own pizza, with lots of different things in it – tomatoes, cheese, pepperoni, salami, ham, mushrooms, pineapple, onions, etc. We usually slice and chop the ingredients and put whatever we fancy on our side of the pizza. It’s really delicious!
What is your favourite time of day?
I’m a morning person, so yes, first thing in the morning, I’m your man. I make the tea, have breakfast, do some blogging, get to work, or if I’m not working, swimming, going to the gym, cycling, cleaning the house, doing laundry, etc.
Show us two of your favourite photographs? The photos can be from anytime in your life span. Explain why they are your favourite.
This was a view from our room in Kranzbach when we celebrated our Pearl Anniversary there. We had a great time.
HRH the son and his beautiful bride on their first dance. I just love it!
Complete this sentence: I’m looking forward to…. This weekend when I’m flying to the UK to see my Mum before she flies back to the Philippines. HRH the son and his beautiful bride are also coming to meet us at my brother’s house and we’ll have a jolly time. After ten days, I’m flying back to Germany. Then, just unpack and then pack again for India. Yes, two days after I arrived, Him Indoors and I are off to India for the son and his beautiful bride’s wedding, Indian version. We’ll be staying there for two weeks. We’ll be visiting the bride’s family and relatives, have the wedding, and then tour the south of India after the wedding. Really, really looking forward to it!
Have a gorgeous week everyone!
For: Share Your World – 2016 Week 29 by Cee Neuner
A balloon caught
in the tree – dusk
In Central Park zoo
© Jack Kerouac
colourful balloons
kids’ summer fest in the park
the fun they all had
(c) ladyleemanila 2016
Autumn eve –
my mother playing old
love songs on the piano
© Jack Kerouac
when I came to visit
mother singing with her friend
all of us cheering
(c) ladyleemanila 2016
Hello everyone. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. We had a quiet one and I’m very grateful for it. Just a cosy watching tv or dvds in the attic. Just me and Him Indoors. That’s my first thanks – to Him Indoors, who’s there with me through thick and thin.
Next – HRH the son and his beautiful bride and I’m going to see them this weekend. And then we all go to India for their wedding, the Indian version, with 500 guests.
My beloved Mother, who still rocks at 79, and I’m visiting her in the UK this weekend before she flies back to the Philippines. Next year for her 80th birthday, all of us will be flying to the Philippines to celebrate it, probably on a Christmas time so we can all be able to take some holidays.
To my siblings, my sister and two brothers and their families – all my nieces and nephews, bless them all. I love them.
Very grateful for our health – well, sort of healthy-ish. We just have to enjoy and be active by cycling, swimming and walking, try to eat healthily and be positive.
Very grateful for the flowers in our garden.
Not to mention, some herbs, our grape and apple trees
And the bees and butterflies who come and visit our flowers
Which reminds me, we’ve got an insect hotel for the little ones
And last weekend, it was children summer fest at the park
Have a lovely week everyone!
For: Ten Things of Thankful 161 (Courage, courage) #10Thankful by Lizzi
If the rain stops, then we can cycle to the beer garden. We’ll have a picnic, complete with our Bavarian tablecloth which we take on our bike rides. I can have the grilled fish and then an ice-cream later, don’t forget the wheat beer, too.
If the son skypes, then we can talk about the holiday, well their wedding in India really. The son and his beautiful bride got married in May in the UK and next month is their Indian wedding. Looking forward to it.
If the clothes get dry, then I can iron or fold them. Or better still, I can start packing. I’m off to the UK next week to see my mother before she goes back to the Philippines. My friend is coming with me, so we’ll be touring her, too. My friend only stays until a week on Tuesday and I stay until a week on Sunday. When she leaves, my mother and I can travel to Chester for a couple of days, for a real mum-daughter bonding.
That’s it from me today. Have a gorgeous weekend, wherever you are then.
For: Stream of Consciousness Saturday
What is your earliest memory?
One of the earliest memories I had was the time when my sister was born. I was three, my big brother was four and we were waiting in the other room, my father was pacing up and down. Until we heard the midwife (my aunt) said: “it’s a girl!” We all rushed in the room, we saw some blood and the baby crying and my mom was on the floor. My aunt told us to “go away, we’re not ready yet.”
My sister was born
My brother and I waited
Then we heard her cry
What was the last photo you took with your phone?
We were walking in Berlin and we found this Filipino street food restaurant. We stopped to have our lunch. We had some spring rolls, sinigang soup and longganisa hamburger, followed by halo-halo. We had a good time.
Have you ever danced in the rain?
Most of the time, when I was young in the Philippines. It was warm rain and we always had fun playing and dancing in the rain.
What is the longest you have gone without sleep?
I really cannot remember. I love my sleep and I sleep well, so probably very seldom that I’ve stayed awake for a long time and not gone to sleep.
Bonus question: What are you grateful for from last week, and what are you looking forward to in the week coming up?
Last week was back to normal routine after our trip to Berlin.
In two weeks’ time, I’m off again and looking forward to it. Two weeks in the UK to visit my mother who’s still there with my brother after my son’s wedding in May. She’s flying back to the Philippines in August, so I thought I’ll visit her before she returns to the Philippines.
Then, three weeks in India for the son’s wedding with his beautiful bride, Indian version. We’ll be visiting relatives before the wedding. Then after the wedding, we’re going around with a bus, touring the south of India. Looking forward to it!
Have a lovely week everyone!
Reflections on Life through poetry, essays and photos
Creative Exploration in Words and Pictures
All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain!
Roaming, at home and abroad
Reflections on places traveled and photos taken.
Enjoy every moment of LIFE !!
Creative writing, photography, opinions, random thoughts and pretty much whatever I feel like!
The blogging challenge keep you motivated and start the new year on the "write" track!
ladyleemanila 