I've started walking most days early in the morning for the last couple of weeks. I feel as if I'm starting the rest of my life this year. My dear mother died when she was only 66, my age now. I have missed her all this time and feel so lucky to have good health.
I don't remember the holiday, only the blue and yellow woolly swimming suit!!(soogy and droopy when wet).
My dear Will is here for a while and we were delighted to hear wonderful news following his recent scan. The oncologist came into the room smiling, Will's brain shows no sign of tumour, just brain.
This was what we hoped for of course and I can't really put into words the feeling of relief after 4 years of worry. All being well the next scan will be in 9 months, so we can all get on with our lives with cancer being in the past. I feel exhausted but at the same time enormous gratitude and admiration for all the dedicated, skilled people who have looked after Will.
Hence the feeling of a new start and the need to mark this year in a big way, I have an idea but I'm not sure that I'm brave enough.....
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Will teaching Barney to use his camera.
I decided not to take my camera on my walks and just to observe. So no photos but many magical moments held in my memory, all with the sound of birdsong and Spring emerging in all it's beauty.
I saw a pair of blackcaps for the first time (identified when I got home); pheasants, partridges and skylarks flying up just in front of me; skylarks singing high above me; the kestrel who was my only companion, on the wire above, just keeping ahead of me and then swooping down a yard or so from me so I could see his glorious colours; the buzzard resting in a tree and effortlessly taking off; a flock of goldfinches on seedheads in a ditch; the red kite; the mistle thrush singing his cheery song, a pair of yellow hammers and all the usual lovely birds. The best moment was a pair of long tailed tits on a branch both with a feather in their beak, busy nest building. This morning was bright and sunny and a welcome change from the blustery, cold wind of recent days. The tight, sticky buds of the horse chestnut were just opening to reveal the wonderful lime green new leaves unfolding and several brimstone butterflies were out and one red admiral. What a beautiful time of the year.
Tomorrow I will be teaching lino cutting at Art Van Go in Knebworth, my first time working there, looking forward to it!
