Saturday, September 28, 2013
Friday, September 27, 2013
Jane's Vrahassi: Jane on Crete TV
Jane's Vrahassi: Jane on Crete TV: I love the unexpected, and today as I was walking through Heraklion I was asked to say a few words on camera, for a Crete TV program. David ...
Well, I am having a great adventure at the moment.
Love Jane x
Well, I am having a great adventure at the moment.
Love Jane x
Thursday, September 12, 2013
Want to Know How it Feels to Give Away a £10 note?
Want to know how it feels to give away a £10 note? Just wonderful!
To some of you reading this, £10 will be small fry, others will be saying, she's mad giving money away, when she has so little, and others might just follow my lead and do the same. Which one are you?
The streets of Beckenham are not lined with gold, but there is a fair bit of it passing around. It's a wonderful place to live.
Not much has happened today, though I have been busy every minute, writing my blogs, cello, piano, a bit of cleaning. Anyway, I just fancied a bit of mashed potato, so I peeled a few spuds, put them on to boil, and opened a tin of chunky steak. Now I haven't eaten tinned beef for a number of years, but I saw this chunky steak in Marks and Spencer's, and, maybe it was nostalgia, or maybe the picture on the tin, but I thought, that looks good, so I bought it. I opened it today, heated it up in a pan (easy) and poured half of it over my mashed (or is it creamed in Beckenham) potatoes. Just delicious!
And now, after I've written this, I shall write a list of what I need to take on my holidays. Only 6 sleeps to go, and I'll be off on another adventure.
Have a good evening dear reader,
Talk some more soon,
Love, Jane x
Monday, September 9, 2013
Money in the Post!
Oh the joy of receiving! And the Joy of Giving!
How wonderful, I received payment for playing the organ in church. I get £15 every time I play. Now, my instinct is to say, no, keep the money, but the truth is I think the church already has a pot of money, in fact, I know it has, as meeting after meeting is called to discuss how to use their pot to benefit the community.
So, I have decided to donate a part of my music making money, to someone who is homeless, and I know there are plenty of those people. I remember when I failed miserably in business and ended up with no house, no car, no job and very little self respect. It's a bad place to be in, believe me. But what I did have, was a wonderful partner who loved me, two brilliant children who supported themselves, and most of all, a fantastic, (in the face of all our problems) positive attitude. So what! You know, there is one thing much worse than not having a roof over your head - death!
My mother died when she was 43 years old, I was then 21. There is nothing, more devastating than to lose someone you love, nothing. But you know what? Down, is down, but it's not out! David and I may not have had a home, we may not have had a job, but we had love, and were loved in return, and most of all, we were alive and knew we could build again. The last 20 years have been a bit like one of those electrical wire games, where you have to cautiously move a loop over a zig-zag of wire, and if you touch it the alarm goes off, and you have to start again. We have progressed three steps forward, two steps back. But after 20 years we have emerged, having achieved so much.
Now we live in a cozy flat, we can travel the world, we take holidays, I have taken up my music studies again, we have lots of friends and our family has increased by three grandchildren. We are alive, and for every breath we are grateful. I never want to have to live in a tent again, but I know there are lots of people, right now, who find themselves in that position. I've been there, and I know how it feels.
I believe that everyone can improve themselves, but only they can do it. And it may take time to get where you really want to be. The secret is to know where you want to be, and to never give up until you get there. And, you know what? The journey can be so much fun. There is always a positive side to any situation. You know how the song goes, 'Always look on the bright side of live.'
My immediate goal is to increase my confidence as a speaker, as for possessions, I want a modern flat, with a lovely fitted kitchen, a luxurious bathroom, and a balcony overlooking the lake. One big enough to have a piano. Of course, by then I will be traveling all over the world telling people how I achieved it all.
Anyway, I have decided to seek out someone at the beginning of their journey and share my good fortune.
I'll let you know how I go on, in my next blog post.
Now, did you know that Beckenham High Street is getting two new town signs and new street furniture, all thanks to the Town Centre Workiing Party chaired by Copers Cope Councillor, Michael Tickner. Not only that, but a Beckenham Heritage Trail will be launched with points of interest marked with special paving slabs. It is all being funded by a special capital grant from Conservative run Bromley Council. Hooray! Well done! That's action. I'm going to join a committee at Clock House Church to discuss, and if I have my way, ACT on their findings, as to how to make use of the building at Clock House, to benefit the community.
And if you want to improve your lot, take a look at how I'm improving mine. I've found a little secret that I'd love to share with you. It's working for me, and it's worked for thousands of other people all over the world. Take a look. Make things happen. I do.
Plan to Prosper
How wonderful, I received payment for playing the organ in church. I get £15 every time I play. Now, my instinct is to say, no, keep the money, but the truth is I think the church already has a pot of money, in fact, I know it has, as meeting after meeting is called to discuss how to use their pot to benefit the community.
So, I have decided to donate a part of my music making money, to someone who is homeless, and I know there are plenty of those people. I remember when I failed miserably in business and ended up with no house, no car, no job and very little self respect. It's a bad place to be in, believe me. But what I did have, was a wonderful partner who loved me, two brilliant children who supported themselves, and most of all, a fantastic, (in the face of all our problems) positive attitude. So what! You know, there is one thing much worse than not having a roof over your head - death!
My mother died when she was 43 years old, I was then 21. There is nothing, more devastating than to lose someone you love, nothing. But you know what? Down, is down, but it's not out! David and I may not have had a home, we may not have had a job, but we had love, and were loved in return, and most of all, we were alive and knew we could build again. The last 20 years have been a bit like one of those electrical wire games, where you have to cautiously move a loop over a zig-zag of wire, and if you touch it the alarm goes off, and you have to start again. We have progressed three steps forward, two steps back. But after 20 years we have emerged, having achieved so much.
Now we live in a cozy flat, we can travel the world, we take holidays, I have taken up my music studies again, we have lots of friends and our family has increased by three grandchildren. We are alive, and for every breath we are grateful. I never want to have to live in a tent again, but I know there are lots of people, right now, who find themselves in that position. I've been there, and I know how it feels.
I believe that everyone can improve themselves, but only they can do it. And it may take time to get where you really want to be. The secret is to know where you want to be, and to never give up until you get there. And, you know what? The journey can be so much fun. There is always a positive side to any situation. You know how the song goes, 'Always look on the bright side of live.'
My immediate goal is to increase my confidence as a speaker, as for possessions, I want a modern flat, with a lovely fitted kitchen, a luxurious bathroom, and a balcony overlooking the lake. One big enough to have a piano. Of course, by then I will be traveling all over the world telling people how I achieved it all.
Anyway, I have decided to seek out someone at the beginning of their journey and share my good fortune.
I'll let you know how I go on, in my next blog post.
Now, did you know that Beckenham High Street is getting two new town signs and new street furniture, all thanks to the Town Centre Workiing Party chaired by Copers Cope Councillor, Michael Tickner. Not only that, but a Beckenham Heritage Trail will be launched with points of interest marked with special paving slabs. It is all being funded by a special capital grant from Conservative run Bromley Council. Hooray! Well done! That's action. I'm going to join a committee at Clock House Church to discuss, and if I have my way, ACT on their findings, as to how to make use of the building at Clock House, to benefit the community.
And if you want to improve your lot, take a look at how I'm improving mine. I've found a little secret that I'd love to share with you. It's working for me, and it's worked for thousands of other people all over the world. Take a look. Make things happen. I do.
Plan to Prosper
Saturday, September 7, 2013
Out for a Spin in West Wicomb
Last week passed quietly, in glorious sunshine. I took a walk in Kelsey park, treated myself to an ice cream from the little van in the park, and walked up as far as the Chinese garage. I hadn't realized that there is a butcher's shop in the little shopping precinct in Wickham Road. And a couple of nice looking cafe bars. I shall have to investigate them further. My exercise over, I settled to my cello practice, and relaxed with a good book, or two.
Poetry is one of my passions, and when I am not writing (which has been most of the summer) I am reading. At the moment it is Carol Anne Duffy's book, The Bees, and Rainer Maria Rilke's sonnets to Orpheus, translated by Martyn Crucefix. Two totally different books, both brilliant in their own ways.
Today I have been out and about with Joanne, a mother and daughter day, lovely. She took me to look at a car, which she took out for a spin, and decided to buy. It was all very exciting, she had been talking about buying a new car for ages. And I recon she deserves it because she works so hard, and in such a worthwhile job. Anyway, we had to celebrated of course, so we went to La Racasse (I think that is how you spell it) in Beckenham. We had a glass of bubbly, and lunch, and chatted for about an hour.
I have spent the rest of my day doing my cello practice, and making videos for Empower Network. We have high expectations for our little enterprise, it is certainly keeping me busy, and we get to meet such lovely people.
And now I am going to watch the last night of the proms, before bed. It's church in the morning, but I'm not playing the organ this week, so it isn't so stressful. And then I shall meet up with Jo again.
So, only a little adventure today, but I am tired so will say 'goodnight.' I hope your weekend is full of smiles.
Love and hugs,
Jane x
It's a lovely car, isn't it?
Poetry is one of my passions, and when I am not writing (which has been most of the summer) I am reading. At the moment it is Carol Anne Duffy's book, The Bees, and Rainer Maria Rilke's sonnets to Orpheus, translated by Martyn Crucefix. Two totally different books, both brilliant in their own ways.
Today I have been out and about with Joanne, a mother and daughter day, lovely. She took me to look at a car, which she took out for a spin, and decided to buy. It was all very exciting, she had been talking about buying a new car for ages. And I recon she deserves it because she works so hard, and in such a worthwhile job. Anyway, we had to celebrated of course, so we went to La Racasse (I think that is how you spell it) in Beckenham. We had a glass of bubbly, and lunch, and chatted for about an hour.
I have spent the rest of my day doing my cello practice, and making videos for Empower Network. We have high expectations for our little enterprise, it is certainly keeping me busy, and we get to meet such lovely people.
And now I am going to watch the last night of the proms, before bed. It's church in the morning, but I'm not playing the organ this week, so it isn't so stressful. And then I shall meet up with Jo again.
So, only a little adventure today, but I am tired so will say 'goodnight.' I hope your weekend is full of smiles.
Love and hugs,
Jane x
It's a lovely car, isn't it?
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