family and relationships | Not Just a Granny

Archive for the ‘family and relationships’ Category

Bake Off Contestant 2019

Posted in around the UK, family and relationships, Fun Stuff, It's my life, lifestyle, tagged bake off contestant, blogging about my life, cake icing, cake icing lessons, family fun, https://sweetiedarlingcakes.co.uk/, wordpress on February 14, 2018| 4 Comments »

Quite a few months ago my future son-in-law decided to bake a cake. Now, under normal circumstances there’s nothing remarkable about that at all….except that he had never before baked a cake 🙂

The end result was – delicious, albeit somewhat lopsided and needed refinement. In that regard there has been no problem, over the last few months he has progressed in leaps and bounds and now whips up a cake in the blink of an eye…with his secret recipe fillings that are to die for. Delicious. I have no problem at all eating as much as possible when I’m home…if there’s any left LOL…his fiancé quite likes them too!!

After a conversation with my daughter about what he’d like to do with this new-found enthusiasm for baking going forward, I decided that a talent like this needs to be encouraged and nurtured, and so, as an early birthday present, I sent him for cake icing lessons.

After some research on the internet I found a lovely young lass by the name of Billie who has her business in Deal, which is just a short train ride or drive away from home, and so I booked him in for a 3 hour lesson.

The big day came and off they went, my daughter drove them there in Fiona and they made a day of it with her going along to view the proceedings and capture the moments. What fun.

The lesson progressed exceedingly well and the comment I had from Billie is that she thought he’s a natural, was very steady and patient and she couldn’t quite believe he’d never iced a cake before.

The final result…looks remarkably like a wedding cake and I wonder if there’s a future career in that direction 😉 I’m well impressed at the end result. I used to do cake-icing myself in my younger days, and iced and decorated a few wedding cakes as well as sold a great number of occasion cakes, so to see this talent in our little family is marvellous.

So, here’s my future son-in-law; Simon….a possible future Bake Off 2019 contestant!!

bake off contestant 2019, cake icing lessons

getting started

making excellent progress

a future Bake Off contestant in the making

I wonder if I should enrol him? LOL

If you’re wanting to know more about Billie’s cake icing lessons, here is her website

Read Full Post »

31 Days of Gratitude – Day 31 2017 in review

Posted in around the UK, Camino 2017, Castles of UK and Ireland, cities and towns of the UK, Domesday Villages of England, European travels, family and relationships, Fun Stuff, gratitude, historical houses of the uk, Inspiration, It's my life, my Canterbury Tales, My European travels, Palaces and castles in UK, seaside towns of Britain, UNESCO Heritage Sites, walk 1000 miles 2017, tagged 2017 in review, 31 days of gratitude, Camino 2017, Camino de Santiago, castles of the uk, Cindy's travels, coimbra, dark hedges game of thrones, domesday book villages of england, giants causeway, isle of thanet, Kent, New Year's Day swim 01.01.2017 Broadstairs Beach, Porto to Santiago, UNESCO World Heritage Sites on December 30, 2017| 2 Comments »

I was chatting to my daughter yesterday and remarked that I had been particularly blessed this year. Usually when you get to the end of the year you kinda feel like there is more that could/should be done before the year ends (well I do), and the last few days of December are spent cramming in just a few more activities. But this year I can truly say that I have had a year jam-packed with adventures, and for that, I am truly grateful.

Die with memories, not dreams

So to that end I decided to list my 2017 adventures, and was astounded at how much I had actually done, and how many places I have actually been to besides all my Camino 2017 practice walks that took me to some fantastic places. So this is my final blog for 31 Days of Gratitude – Day 31 – 2017 in review.

January

New Year’s Day swim 01.01.2017 Broadstairs Beach, Isle of Thanet, Kent

New Year’s Day, Broadstairs

Wedding Dress shopping with my daughter

wedding dress shopping…so much fun

Isle of Wight, Hampshire, England

A visit to the isle of Wight

Places I went while I was there; Nettlestone (1086 Domesday Book village), 20170116_144130-01 Bembridge Windmilll, Brading Roman Villa, Carisbrooke Castle, Cowes, Ryde, rode on a Hover craft, The Needles and Quarr Abbey.

a quick trip to Cowes – east and west

HoverCraft on the Isle of Wight

the outside area of Brading Roman Villa

whistle stop tour of the isle of wight shanklin

Chocolate Box perfect – quintessential England – Shanklin Isle of Wight

Carisbrooke, Newport, Isle of Wight

The Needles and the Marconi Monument, Isle of Wight

exploring the isle of wight, visit the isle of wight

East Cowes Marina

And Osborne House

visit osborne house isle of wight, visit isle of wight

Exterior views of Osborne House and across the grounds to the Solent

Queen Victoria – Osborne House, Isle of Wight

queen victoria empress of india, osborne house isle of wight, visit the isle of wight

gifts for the Empress of India, Osborne House, Isle of Wight

osborne house isle of wight, victoria and albert osborne house, visit the isle of wight

The Durbar Room, Osborne House

osborne house victoria and albert, visit the isle of wight

Victoria and Albert who between them created a dynasty that spread across the world – family portraits

osborne house isle of wight, visit isle of wight

beautiful passageways with exquisite sculptures, finely furnished rooms

osborne house, exploring the isle of wight, visit the isle of wight

Osborne House, Isle of Wight – seaside home for Victoria and Albert

aerial view of Osborne and the house

Magic Lantern Festival – Chiswick Park, London

Magic Lantern Festival at Chiswick Park

Magic Lantern Festival – Chiswick House, London

lifelike figures – exquisite

Magic Lantern Festival – Chiswick House, London

Canterbury, Kent

February
Oxted, Surrey – the Greenwich Meridian runs through the town

A closer look at Oxted

Limpsfield, Surrey – a Domesday Book village

Limpsfield, Surrey

Limpsfield High Street

limpsfield surrey, domesday villages of england, english villages, st peters church limpsfield

St Peter’s Church, Limpsfield – a pilgrim’s church

Down House – home of Charles Darwin

Down House; home of Charles Darwin and his family

Tatsfield, Surrey – a Domesday Book village

South East England’s highest village; Tatsfield. Ref wikipedia: “In Anglo-Saxon England, Tatsfield lay within Tandridge hundred. In 1086 it was held by Anschitill (Ansketel) de Ros from the Bishop of Bayeux. Its Domesday assets were: ? hide. It had 2 ploughs. It rendered 60 shillings (£3) to its feudal overlords per year.”

Tandridge & Crowhurst, Surrey

Tandridge & Crowhurst

Dublin, Ireland

ireland

Dublin

Trim Castle & Trim, Ireland

Castle Trim, Ireland

Colourful houses in Trim, Ireland. #architecture #Trim #CountyMeath #ireland?? #islands #traveldiaries #CindysTravels

March
City of Winchester, Hampshire, England

Winchester

Torquay, seaside resort – Devon

Torquay

April

Pisa, Florence, San Gimignano, Poggibonsi, Sienna, Lucca – Italy

Florence, Italy

I visited the tomb of the Medici today; Cappelle Medicee. May I just say; OMG!! The Chapel of the Princes is just overwhelming. These are the coats of arms of the Duchy. Wonderful wonderful designs inlaid with marble, lapis lazuli and other stunning materials. #Michaelangelo #Medici #tomb #mausoleum #Florence #Italy #Florence2017 #traveldiaries #livinghistory

I visited the tomb of the Medici today. Cappelle Medicee is just overwhelming. The Chapel of the Princes is yet another grand and striking mausoleum erected between 1604 and 1640 by the architect Matteo Nigetti following the designs of Giovanni de Medici, who practised architecture in a semi-professional manner. The Mausoleum, with its large dome and lavish interior ornamented with marble, was conceived to celebrate the power of the Medici dynasty which had successfully ruled Florence for several centuries. The octagonal room designed to contain the bodies of the Grand Dukes is in fact almost entirely covered with semi-precious stones and different-coloured marbles. The sarcophagi of the Grand Dukes are contained in niches and complemented by bronze statues. Ref: http://www.museumsinflorence.com/musei/Medici_chapels.html #Medici #CappelleMedicee #Michaelangelo #Florence #Tuscany #Italy #artwork #medievalart #livinghistory #extraordinary #traveldiaries #CindysTravels #Florence2017 #loveItaly

Florence, Italy

Another mind-blowing day. Visited the Galleria dell’Academia today when I saw Michaelangelo’s David (just wow) and other sculptures (unfinished), and stood TWO INCHES away from a Stradivarius violin ?????? That nearly made me cry!!! I saw an embroidered altar piece frim 1313!!! I mean seriously!!! ?????? I visited the Leonardo Da Vinci Museum (extraordinary genius) and visited Opera Di Santa Croce where amongst many others I saw the tombs of Galileo and Michaelangelo and Da Vinci as well as art by Donatelli and many many other old masters. Wow. My head. #Florence2017 #Italy #BasilicaDiSantaCroce #Michaelangelo #Donatelli #LeonardoDaVinci #Galileo #OldMasters #art #exquisite #extraordinary #Stradivarius #violin

Florence, Italy

I dreamed of Florence, and Pisa, Siena, San Gimignano and Lucca 😉 all listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites except Lucca which seems to possibly be…

Piazza de Miracoli, Pisa Leaning Tower of Pisa Duomo Santa Maria Assunta Baptistry of St John and the Old City Wall

Ponte Vecchio, Florence – that most famous of bridges

Poggibonsi, somewhere in Tuscany ???? I’m on my way to San Gimignano atm. Impulse trip. Probably not the best idea on a Sunday ?????? But nevertheless here I am. I have 60 minutes between train and bus so went walkabout. I should be in San Gimignano by 2pm, so plenty of time to explore. #Tuscany #Italy #traveldiaries #CindysTravels #Europe #Florence2017 #adventure #Poggibonsi #walledcity #SanGimignano

And so my day in San Gimignano comes to an end. What an extraordinary place!! I’ve climbed 2 towers ???? visited numerous museums and churches, a Roman ruin, walked up and down and around, seen frescoes that just leave you gasping and now I’m sitting on a bench in a forgotten corner eating the best gelato I’ve ever tasted from Gelateria Dondoli – Gelato World Champion 2006/2007 + 2008/2009. I can testify; it is delicious and now I’m enjoying the quiet and the view. My bus back to Poggibonsi leaves at 19:05. What a brilliant birthday trip. So glad I decided to visit. #SanGimignano #Tuscany #Italy #traveldiaries #Project101 #walledcity #UNESCOheritagesite #UNESCO #UNESCOWorldHeritageSite #walking #walk1000miles #loveItaly #Florence2017 #CindysTravels

May

Newcastle, Co. Wicklow, Ireland

Newcastle, Ireland

Belfast, Northern Ireland

Belfast Castle

sculpture on the banks of the river Lagan

Giants Causeway, Northern Ireland

me at the Giant’s Causeway

Dunluce Castle; a now-ruined medieval castle in Northern Ireland. It is located on the edge of a basalt outcropping in County Antrim. Built by the MacQuillan family around 1500, the earliest written record of the castle was in 1513.

the Giant’s Causeway

Dark Hedges – Game of Thrones, N. Ireland

The Dark Hedges – scenes for Game of Thrones were shot in this area

Sevenoaks, Kent, England

June
Tonbridge, Kent, England

a beautiful horse sculpture in front of Tonbridge Castle

Ironbridge, Shropshire, England – UNESCO World Heritage Site

Ironbridge, UNESCO World Heritage Site

Lenham, Kent, England

Lenham

July
Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales route – Southwark to Canterbury

southwark to canterbury rochester castle

pilgrimage southwark to canterbury southwark cathedral

pilgrimage southwark to canterbury medieval inns

pilgrimage southwark to canterbury rochester cathedral

Battle of Britain Airshow, Headcorn

Battle of Britain Airshow, Headcorn Kent

Battle of Britain Airshow, Headcorn Kent

St Augustine’s Way – Ramsgate to Canterbury

The St Augustine Trail

St Augustine

Minster Abbey

a dainty little hamlet – Stodmarsh

canterbury cathedral way of st augustine

Finally through the city walls and so to Canterbury Cathedral

August
Arundel, and Arundel Castle, West Sussex, England

the Market Town of Arundel; a Domesday Book village

Arundel Castle

Cathedral in Arundel

The Parish and Priory Church of Saint Nicholas Arundel

Kings Arms Hill, Arundel

views across West Sussex from the Norman Keep of Arundel CAstle

The Norman Keep, Arundel Castle

Arundel coat of arms

Arundel Castle West Sussex

Bromham, Houghton House with my lovely friends Lynne & Tim and Elstow (birthplace of John Bunyan) – Bedfordshire, England

Bromham, Houghton House, Elstow

Zip Line with Zip World in London with my daughter

September
Walked the Caminho Portuguese – Porto, Portugal to Santiago, Spain 240 kms – Both UNESCO World Heritage sites

O Recuncho do Peregrino Albergue – Miguel our host; the best

Camino de Santiago -portuguese coastal route

The scallop shells of O Porrino, Spain

camino portuguese coast route port to santiago

The 999 arch aqueduct in Vila do Conde

camino portuguese coast route porto to santiago

Igreja Matriz de Vila do Conde

camino de santiago portuguese coastal route port to santiago

Me, Agata and Jakob in front of the Muro de Azulejos in Povoa de Varzim

portuguese coastal route porto to santiago, camino de santiago

Caminhos De Santiago – Apulia – Esposende

camino de santiago, portuguese coastal route porto to santiago, viana do castelo

Santuário de Santa Luzia, Viana do Castelo

camino 2017, camino de santiago, portuguese coastal route, porto to santiago, santiago de compostela, walking the camino, notjustagranny

Torre do Relógio (Clock Tower), Rua Direita (Straight Road)- renamed Rua Ricardo Joaquim Sousa, this straight ancient street is still known locally as Rua Direita and leads directly from the archway in the clock tower to the river, a courtyard alongside the church, a gateway in the city walls.

fortress valenca, valenca, fortress city valenca portugal, camino 2017, camino de santiago, portuguese coastal route, porto to santiago, santiago de compostela, walking the camino, notjustagranny

These walls look pretty impregnable to me!!!

medieval city valenca spain, camino de santiago, portuguese coastal route, portuguese central route to santiago, walking the camino, porto to santiago, walk 1000 miles, over the hill and still travelling, baby boomers, silver surfers, the boomer generation, things to do in your 60s, bucket list for the older generation,

Fortaleza Valença – a fortress started at the beginning of the 13th century and relating to the reign of King Sancho I – composed of narrow lanes, tunnels and fortified walls; muralha primitiva

tui international bridge, medieval city valenca, portugal, tui spain, camino de santiago, portuguese coastal route, portuguese central route to santiago, walking the camino, porto to santiago, walk 1000 miles, over the hill and still travelling, baby boomers, silver surfers, the boomer generation, things to do in your 60s, bucket list for the older generation,

In the past, pilgrims coming from Portugal had to reach Galicia, Spain by crossing the river Miño on a boat, but lucky me I could walk across via the bridge 🙂

cathedral of tui, Camino Portugues, Camino de Santiago, tui, spain, camino de santiago, portuguese coastal route, portuguese central route to santiago, walking the camino, porto to santiago, walk 1000 miles, over the hill and still travelling, baby boomers, silver surfers, the boomer generation, things to do in your 60s, bucket list for the older generation,

looking back at the cathedral, charming little pilgrim sculptures, streets of Tui

follow the signs to camino portugues, the town of o porrino, walking through galicia, Camino Portugues, Camino de Santiago, tui, spain, camino de santiago, portuguese coastal route, portuguese central route to santiago, walking the camino, porto to santiago, walk 1000 miles, over the hill and still travelling, baby boomers, silver surfers, the boomer generation, things to do in your 60s, bucket list for the older generation,

An hórreo; a Galician granary, a fabulous sign board; O Porrino 9.5kms and scallop shells decorate a wall at the garden cafe of O Chiriringo Ribedelouro

bo camino mos, walking through the galician countryside, camino de santiago, o porrino to arcade, walking the camino, portuguese coastal and central route,

Bo Camino, Mos. Get your passport stamped here. I loved the way they used the scallop shell to register different languages

ponte sampaio in arcade spain, camino de santiago, porto to santiago, portuguese coastal route, portuguese central way, tui to santiago, pilgrimage to santiago, solo women on the camino, camino for women over 60, baby boomers travel, walk 1000 miles

walking in history

concello de pontevedra, camino de santiago, porto to santiago, portuguese coastal route, portuguese central way, tui to santiago, pilgrimage to santiago, solo women on the camino, camino for women over 60, baby boomers travel, walk 1000 miles

69.971 kms to Santiago

camino de santiago, porto to santiago, portuguese coastal route, portuguese central way, tui to santiago, pilgrimage to santiago, solo women on the camino, camino for women over 60, baby boomers travel, walk 1000 miles

Ponte de Burgo, Pontevedra on the Camino de Portuguese. what a thrill to see this 🙂

caldas de reis to padron, camino de santiago, porto to santiago, portuguese coastal route, the camino portugues, walk 1000 miles, travel diaries, not just a granny, walking the camino, snapshots of spain,

Early morning in the spa town of Caldas de Reis

34. kms to Santiago and I’m adorned with amulets

boots

church

calle de dolores, pilgrims way to santiago, iglesia de santiago, padron galicia, camino de santiago, porto to santiago, portuguese camino, following the way of st james, pilgrimage to santiago

Calle de Dolores – The Way to Camino de Santiago

10.1666 kms to Santiago de Compostela

Praza Santiago de Compostela

Susana and me outside the Cathedral in Santiago

Coimbra, Portugal – UNESCO World Heritage Site

Barcelona, Catalunya, Spain

October
Montgomery Castle, Montgomery, Wales

Montgomery Castle, Montgomery, Wales

November
Caernarfon Castle, Wales – site where Prince Charles was crowned Prince of Wales

Caenarfon Castle, Wales

Ffenistogg Railway Line Train ride; Caenarfon to Portmadogg through Snowdonia

Ffenistogg Railway line Caenarfon to Porthmadogg, Wales

Ffenistogg Railway line Caenarfon to Portmadogg, Wales

Climbed Mount Snowdon, Snowdonia National Park, Gwynedd – highest mountain in Wales

Mount Snowdon, Wales

Montgomery, Powys, Wales – The Treaty of Montgomery was signed 29 September 1267 in Montgomeryshire. By this treaty King Henry III of England acknowledged Llywelyn ap Gruffudd as Prince of Wales.

Montgomery, Wales

December
Snow in Wales

Snow in Wales

Christmas in Broadstairs, Isle of Thanet, Kent

Christmas 2017 with my delightful family

And in total, between 01.01.2017 & 31.12.2017 I have walked well over 1100 miles.

And last one for today…scenes from today’s Camino practice walk…from Broadstairs to Kingsgate. 1.5 hours. 6.32 kms. 9937 steps. Of course if I didn’t stop to take so many photos….???? What a fantastic day. My daughter joined me at Kingsgate where we stopped for tea, then I walked back home. All the dark images are facing south and the blue sky images facing north. #Camino2017 #Broadstairs #Kingsgate #seaside #walking #walkbritain #mapmywalk #englishcoast #seasidetownsofbritain #isleofthanet #Kent #scenicbritain #englandsbigpicture #blueskies #winter #water_captures #CindysTravels #traveldiaries #capturingbritain_coast #igerskent

My #Camino2017 practice walk took me to Ramsgate today. When I set out the sky was a pale yellowish line on the horizon. By the time I reached Ramsgate it was turning to pink…very pretty. I took some photos and headed back along the coast….however…if I had stayed just 15 minutes longer I would have seen a most spectacular sunset..although I did catch a little of it when I looked back. Just gorgeous. #sunset #RamsgateRoyalHarbour #englishcoast #isleofthanet #seasidetownsofbritain #harbours #sunrise_sunset_aroundworld #mapmywalk

Had an absolutely brilliant walk to Ramsgate again tonight. Started out clear with blue skies and massive clouds on the horizon, watched a beautiful sunset from the harbour wall, then some seriously cool wave action before heading back, and halfway home it clouded over and started to rain…needless to say I got soaked LOL. But oh how exhilarating it is to just walk and walk….8.7kms, 1 hour 40 minutes, 11349 steps #walking #Camino2017 #practicewalk #mapmywalk #Broadstairs #Ramsgate #seasidetownsofbritain #sunset #seascape #clouds #RamsgateRoyalHarbour #cloudscape #blueskies #isleofthanet #capturingbritain_coast #CindysTravels #traveldiaries #photosofbritain

Colour me blue…stunning day on the #isleofwight #sunset #walking #mapmywalk #walkbritain #placesofuk #englishcoast #TheSolent #seascape #water_captures #CindysTravels #traveldiaries #capturingbritain #winter #capturingbritain_coast #harbours #everything_transport #visitisleofwight

Shapes and lines…and what I saw on my walk today. #fromwhereristand #isleofwight #islands #placesofuk #englishcoast #TheSolent #englandsbigpicture #CindysTravels #traveldiaries #walking #mapmywalk #nationaltrust #visitisleofwight #adventure #capturingbritain_coast #capturingbritain

Okay so I had to concede defeat. I got as far as Priory Bay but the tides in and the footpath is a quagmire.but I did discover this amazing place…I thought it may be a hotel but there wasn’t a soul about..so I just sqizzed around and left. Now I’ve jumped on the bus. I still want time to explore Sandown. #isleofwight #CindysTravels #traveldiaries #capturingbritain_coast #beautiful #igerswight #seascape #TheSolent #englishcoast #englandsbigpicture

So, Sandown is not at all what I expected. It has an air of faded grandeur…of good times gone by. Hotels boarded up, paintwork faded and peeling….still from afar it looks splendid. The bay is beautiful too. #Sandown #isleofwight #architecture #faded #daysgoneby #CindysTravels #walkbritain #placesofuk #visitisleofwight #traveldiaries #seasidetownsofbritain #englishcoast

Scenes from Seaview to Sandown on the #IsleofWight Although part of my journey was by bus, I managed to walk a combination of 4-5 miles. I’m really excited about the #walk1000miles challenge for 2017. Certainly gives me a massive target to aim for besides my #Camino2017 practice walks. #walking #walkbritain #placesofuk #capturingbritain #adventure #travel #discovery #CindysTravels #traveldiaries #capturingbritain_coast #visitisleofwight #islands #seaside #seascape #igerswight #igersuk

A quick whizz around Seaview today during my break and after my adventure to Bembridge. #Seaview #isleofwight #placesofuk #blueskies #capturingbritain_urban #EnglishCounties #englandsbigpicture #visitisleofwight

I had a fabulous walk from Seaview to St Helens today…I would have made it to Bembridge too except I took the wrong road ?????? anyway, it was a beautiful day and I enjoyed my walk.11.2 kms / 19,108 steps and plenty photos ?? Here are some scenes of St Helens. #Seaview #StHelens #isleofwight #walking #walk1000miles #walkbritain #placesofuk #islands #historicbritain

taking a rest on Titsey Hill

different paths; different journeys

the many paths in life we get to choose…..

Reaching my ‘Proclaimer’ goal on Newcastle Beach in Ireland

Becoming a Proclaimer 🙂 – heading now towards 1000 miles

I have walked 500 miles 🙂 and I will walk 500 more

views of the Titsey Place Estate near Oxted in Surrey

visit the isle of wight, its alright on the isle of wight

sunrise, sunset – Isle of Wight

Horestone Point & Nodes Point

What an extraordinary year; 2017. IMG_20171231_100927_404

p.s. Days 14-30 Days of Gratitude will follow shortly….I eventually ran out of time 😉

Read Full Post »

31 Days of Gratitude – Day 9

Posted in family and relationships, gratitude, lifestyle, memories of days gone by, tagged 31 days of gratitude, blogging, cats, cats of my life, the love of an animal on December 9, 2017| 3 Comments »

31 Days of Gratitude and today I’m grateful for cats.

I love cats, I always have. From my earliest childhood memories, it’s always been cats for me. Despite that most of our early years were filled with dogs of all shapes, sizes, breeds and colours; Satan our Alsatian, Jasper our Cocker Spaniel, the 3 Pepe’s our Dachshunds aka sausage dogs, Blackie our mixed breed and many many others inbetween….for me it was always cats.

When my daughter was growing up we had pets of varying shapes, sizes and species; goldfish, hamsters, rats, dogs and cats. We once had 3 Maltese Poodles and 3 cats, a goldfish and a hamster. Then slowly but surely we finally ended up with just cats….

When I bought our house in Cape Town I never imagined we would end up with 5 cats at once. It was an unspoken rumour in the neighbourhood that I was the ‘cat lady’. If there was a stray or a lost cat I would have people at my door telling me they had found this or that stray and would I take it in!!! Obviously I couldn’t take them all but a number found their way into our home and hearts by design and stealth.

We moved to the Cape from the Transvaal in 1994 and took along 2 cats and 3 dogs. The dogs eventually moved house but the cats stayed. In time the number fluctuated; some died others arrived.

Misty – aka Kitty, a beautiful grey Russian Blue, rescued by my sister as a 4 week old kitten along with her sister and hand fed till 8 weeks and then given to my daughter as a gift. She was one of the most chilled and relaxed cats you could imagine. Nothing fazed her and being the matriarch it was up to her to welcome the future members into the family bosom. She never fussed about anything, and as each new member arrived, she would look them over and go back to sleep.

Sascha – a gorgeous tortoiseshell we bought at a pet shop. She cost ZAR 5.00 (less than £0.05 in today’s money). I remember my daughter pleading if we could have her, and me saying oh she’s only R5!!! Well that little girl cost me more than any of the others…she had one mishap after the other and plenty of vets visits. I took her to work with me for the first few weeks…needless to say not much work got done. After we moved into our house in Summer Greens she disappeared one day. We never did find her. 😦

Gizmo – a little black rescue cat with ears that were bigger than her head, saved as a kitten from some horror that was swinging her around in a plastic bag. She adored my daughter and disliked me LOL Whenever a new cat moved in she would flounce up the staircase having a hissy fit as she went, and sit there hissing her opinion. She never quite got the hang of welcoming any new members to the family. Unfortunately in time she had to be put to sleep as she developed a salivary virus that was attacking her system and after months on steroids we had no choice; her kidneys were failing. Poor baby.

Shanwa – my daughter’s little boy. Also a rescue cat he came to us at much the same time as Gizmo although he had a slightly better start that Gizmo. A stunning white and ginger cat, the two of them looked adorable together. He soon surpassed Giz in beauty and stature and grew into a stunning boy. He also adored my daughter but seldom got a look in with Ms Jealousy Gizmo. But he was chilled and just loved being with us. Sadly run over one night by a car racing through the neighbourhood, we heard the thump and when he dragged himself through the window we knew he was in trouble. A desperate race to the emergency vet late at night was to no avail. My daughter held him in the back of the car and actually felt his soul leave his body and pass through hers. A sad goodbye

Felix – one winter’s day as I started the engine of my car a long skeletal cat covered in sores and almost no hair slunk out from under the car…virtually unable to walk he staggered. I stopped the car and put out some food and water for him. This went on a few days, so I started feeding him regularly and as soon as he was able to trust me I put him in the car and took him to the vet. It appears he had been abandoned after his previous owners left the neighbourhood GRRRR. He stayed at the vet for nearly 2 weeks, they bathed, neutered and treated him. When he came home his hair was tough and harsh, the sores on his skin healing. Within months he had filled out and his hair grew soft and thick; the most beautiful ginger boy you could imagine. I adored him. He used to lie on my body, stretched out he tipped my knees to my head. A beauty.

Daisy – I remember one summer evening I was cooking supper and this beautiful little black and white regal princess came tentatively in through the back door. She walked through to the lounge and stationed herself under a high stool, sitting upright and still like sphinx for about 15 minutes or so and then she left. This went on for a few days and then she brought the family : 2 little kittens. She had been sussing out the place to see if it was suitable for her babies. They were quite big so one of our neighbours offered to take one and we kept…

Tinkerbell – the cutest fluffiest ball of fur you can imagine. She was adorable. Unfortunately the vet made an error when determining her age, despite my comments to the contrary, and before long she along with Mummy was pregnant. Obviously she was way too young to have babies so we had to have her spayed 😦 Poor baby. But she rallied and grew into a most gorgeous girl. Mummy went on with her pregnancy, but it was too soon after the first litter and one weekend she ended up delivering 5 tiny little scraps…virtually hairless and with see-through skin and unable to suckle. Emergency visit to the vet on the weekend and R3,000-00 later we took Mummy home without the babies…they all died. To our absolute distress. But she rallied and before long, now spayed she recovered. They were the closest two cats I have ever known and stuck together like velcro. If you were looking for one, you found them both.

Then there was Patches who crept into our lives one Christmas Eve. I found him sleeping on our laundry. An adorable little boy we loved him to bits. Sadly when he was still but a kitten who loved to lie in the sun, our neighbour rode over his head with their car….I can’t tell you how much I hated that man. It nearly broke me picking up that little body. We buried him in our backyard.

The last of our every changing menagerie before we left the country to come live in the UK was a family of 5; Misty, Gizmo, Felix, Daisy and Tinkerbell. At the time I wasn’t sure how long I was going to be in the UK, so a friend of mine took them in as boarders, but as it turned out I relocated and they were so settled by then that she kept 4 of them…except poor little Gizmo.

We used to go visit them all whenever we went back to South Africa and it broke my heart to leave them behind.

Now 16 years later we have our Elsie. A fabulously fluffy gorgeous little Miss. A rescue cat who had been very badly treated before being rescued, my daughter adopted her 2 years ago. She is a beauty and adores my daughter. She tolerates me LOL. Mind you I hardly ever see her, travelling as I do, so whenever I walk through the door, she’s like ” who are you again?” But if my daughter is not around, my lap does suffice. So long as I don’t hug, kiss or cuddle her. A bit of stroking is fine but not too much. Elsie is the most photographed cat in the world. Hahahaha.

Our Elsie

At my current assignment I have the joy of looking after a gorgeous wee tiger of a boy; Charlie. Just a kitten, he is a mix of something or other and just stole my heart. I’ve been very bad and let him sleep on my bed. We have loads of fun in the morning and I have the bites and scratches to show for it. Being a yearling he is still feisty as hell and goes from sweet and loving to wild and crazy. I often remind him that it’s not really a good idea to bite the hand that feeds him. But I love him to bits. I shall have to acquire him in time LOL

Charlie

So yes, cats. They are absolutely the most amazing creatures and I am so grateful for the opportunities I have had to have these beautiful souls in my life.

Today I am grateful for cats and the love of an animal.

31 Days of Gratitude – Day 8

Read Full Post »

In Memorium

Posted in family and relationships, lifestyle, memories of days gone by, tagged blogging, family, fathers and daughters, how divorce affects children, life, relationships, remembering, strained relationships with parents, the living years on December 7, 2017| Leave a Comment »

Hot on the heels of remembering my Mother on what would have been her birthday, yesterday. “I wasn’t there that morning my father passed away“…….Today I’m reminded of my Father who died 2 years ago.

For many years, probably decades in fact, I had a really fractious relationship with my Father and as yet I find it difficult to mourn for someone that left home when I was just 5 years old and my little sister just 2.

Of course while growing up he was my idol, I adored him and cried many desperate tears when he left after a visit. But in time he moved on, remarried and then the visits became less frequent, birthdays missed and behaviour criticised. The first 8 years weren’t too bad, we saw him on holidays and due to 2nd his marriage acquired a new brother, the same age as me.

But as the years went by, the criticisms grew more frequent and the disappointment began to show, and so the relationship deteriorated. I grew up and wanted to get married, he refused to give me away and I never forgave him for that. He went on to have another son, divorced that wife and married again, having 2 new daughters.

He only ever wanted sons. I got that. But I never got that despite that he didn’t raise me, he still felt it was his place to criticise me and find fault. I spent many years trying to please my father, to no avail. When I was in my 30’s I was promoted to Regional Personnel and Admin Manager for a large Courier Company in South Africa with 5 branches countrywide and the Head Office…..his response “are you sure you can manage that?”. I gave up.

After that I didn’t seek his approval. Time moved on, we grew up, I got older and eventually I moved to the UK. A relationship that was tenuous at best, was further strained by distance. Years went by without any much contact and the last time I remember really talking to him was on my 60th birthday 2 years ago. That was such a surprise, but time, as time proved, was running out. There was to be no opportunity to repair the relationship. C’est la vie.

One of my favourite songs that I love listening to is ‘The Living Years’ by Mike & The Mechanics. I remember how, when I first heard this song, how much it resonated. It reminded me of the relationship I had with my father…or lack thereof.

And so the years go by and although a sense of regret lingers, I feel no pain and no loss, but I think of him every time I hear this song….That’s good. I hope.

Read Full Post »

31 Days of Gratitude – Day 6

Posted in family and relationships, gratitude, lifestyle, memories of days gone by, tagged 31 days of gratitude, families and relationships, mothers, mothers and daughters, parents who die too soon, remembering a parent, the love of a mother on December 6, 2017| 1 Comment »

31 Days of Gratitude and today I’m grateful with a full heart for the love of a good woman. Today would have been my Mother’s 86th birthday.

my Mother and daughter. taken 3 years before my Mom died.

I’m grateful that I was born of a strong woman with good genes. Although many of those genes passed me by (except her good looks of course 😉 ) some of those that managed to find a hold are my love of chocolate, curiosity and reading. My Mother was an amazing cook and baker. Her cheese scones were to die for.

I have wonderful memories of my Mother playing with us, taking us out into the snow in South Africa (a rare phenomenon where we lived then), her wicked sense of humour and her love for her children and grandchildren.

31 days of gratitude, the love of a good woman, love of a mother

My mother as a young woman, me with the dark hair (7) and my sister with blonde hair (4)

She was a brilliant seamstress and made us (4 daughters and 3 grand-daughters) some stunning outfits….she even made both my sister’s and my wedding dresses. She carried on creating gorgeous outfits for people long after we grew up. In fact she was in the middle of creating a stunning wedding dress for a client and an amazing wardrobe of clothes for a lady with dwarfism just before she had the strokes that killed her. Every tiny outfit she made was perfectly cut, styled and lined and fit like a glove. Sadly she didn’t get to finish those final outfits…..

She died at the age of 52, just 7 weeks or so before her 53rd birthday.

From her I learned to cook, to sew (unsuccessfully)…not because she was a bad teacher, but because I had no patience. She always loved her flowers and gardens wherever she lived; her particular favourite were yellow roses. She had green thumbs and fingers and could grow just about anything….her gardens were always an explosion of colour.

31 days of gratitude, the love of a good woman, a mothers love. remembering my mother

my daughter often sends me yellow roses – she knows how much I love them

I’m grateful that I had the time I did with her, albeit way too short and sometimes fraught with arguments….something you’re inevitably going to get with a house full of strong minded women.

I saw this posted on a friend’s timeline today and the words resonated with me because of course my mind is filled with thoughts of my Mother:

“None of us are getting out of here alive, so please stop treating yourself like and after thought. Eat the delicious food. Walk in the sunshine. Jump in the ocean. Say the truth that you’re carrying in your heart like hidden treasure. Be silly. Be kind. Be weird. There’s no time for anything else”. Anthony Hopkins.

Poignant and powerful words, especially today as my family and I remember the wonderful person who was our Mother and Grandmother who should have celebrated her 86th birthday today. As well as which, today, 3 people on my Facebook timeline; 2 friends and 1 family have posted about the loss of someone close to them. It brings to mind the refrain that we should live every moment with passion and joy. We have only one life, and we’re dead a heck of a lot longer than we’re alive.

My delightful daughter started a thread on the whatsapp family thread; asking what favourite things we remember about her? It’s been really interesting to see what memories each of us have of her….all varied and yet they carry a common thread…love for her family. I’ll list them here.

Things I remembered (amongst many others, but these sprang immediately to mind); her crazy sense of humour, macaroni cheese (I make that a lot – in fact my client is getting that for supper tonight LOL)

31 days of gratituee, learning to cook, preparing healthy meals

one of mine and my daughter’s favourite meals; macaroni cheese. a family favourite.

potato salad (I made one today for lunch in her honour), pea soup, her music tastes, the colour of her hair – burnished gold aka auburn and her eyes – green, her colourful flowing kaftans that she wore all the time, her love of reading – mostly spy thrillers, and her sewing skills.

Memories from other members of the family are; her laugh, her hugs, sense of humour, naughty streak, playing scrabble, love of properly made tea (yes, as my sister said: no guesses where I get that from LOL), love of travel, love of roses, she was a party animal, making Christmas puddings, her OTT Christmas decorating, fabulous birthday parties for her daughters and grandchildren, her love of plants…she had a jungle in her conservatory… and as my one sister said…..the list is endless.

My Mother wasn’t religious but she was a very spiritual person. I remember just a few weeks before she died, her brother who she hadn’t seen for some years, suddenly visited out the blue. I recall how she phoned both my sister and I to tell us about the visit and her chilling words stick in my mind even today “one of us is going to die”. We just didn’t know it would be her. She had a very strong bond with my paternal grandmother and often she would stop mid-sentence and say “Grandma’s in the room”. She could smell the lavender my Grandmother wore. I remember one time, a few years after my mother died, my sister was making an outfit for one of her daughters and got stuck with a particular section…after trying for ages to get it right she burst into tears and said “Mon, help me please!” And she did. The outfit came together.

My Mother had 4 daughters and she taught us so much.

And even though it wasn’t (she was a strict disciplinarian) and isn’t always a ‘bed of roses’, most of our memories are good. How blessed we were and how well she is remembered.

Today I am grateful for my Mother (I chose well) and the love of a good woman.

31 Days of Gratitude – Day 5

Read Full Post »

31 Days of Gratitude – Day 3

Posted in career, family and relationships, Fun Stuff, gratitude, Health, It's my life, memories of days gone by on December 3, 2017| 1 Comment »

Okay so today I’m grateful for being able to cook. LOL I know that sounds really weird, but it is a huge benefit being able to cook. How often have you heard “he/she can’t even boil an egg”.

Yesterday I mentioned about working as a Carer and how it fills my desire to travel. One of the most important aspects of working as a Carer is being able to cook healthy nutritious meals. Most of the people I’ve worked for have it written in the job description : “likes a good home-cooked meal”. Okay that I can do.

Now to be honest I don’t like cooking. I find it tedious and a complete waste of time. That’s not to say I don’t enjoy eating 😉 Just not the time it takes to prepare a meal. I’ve said for decades that the day they invent a tablet that turns into a beautiful plate of food after being heated in a machine like a microwave, is the day I will cheer loudly and celebrate.

I love the smell of a good meal, I love the taste of a good meal, but I do not like the preparation and the cleaning up afterwards. Boring and tedious.

I was lucky to grow up during the 60’s and 70’s in South Africa. Firstly my Mother was a brilliant cook and taught my sisters and I how to cook. Although even then I didn’t enjoy it, I learned. Then at school, before it was considered sexist to have Home Economics for girls and Woodwork classes for boys, we had cooking classes. During those classes we learned how to prepare an extraordinary range of food, from vegetable to full on roast meals.

And for that I am grateful. I am grateful my Mother taught me how to cook, I am grateful I learned even more in school. 31 days of gratitude, learning to cook, preparing healthy meals

I am able to prepare really good, basic home cooked meals for my clients and of course I was able to prepare really good healthy meals for my daughter when she was growing up. I still do… whenever I spend time with her and her fiance, I prepare a dish of macaroni cheese…..always goes down a treat.

31 days of gratitued, learning to cook, preparing healthy meals

one of my daughter’s favourite meals; macaroni cheese

My daughter is now following suit and prepares some amazing meals for the two of them

31 days of gratitude, learning to cook, preparing healthy meals

Celebrating Christmas

a good roast meal for Xmas

Cooking is a skill. It doesn’t come naturally to everyone. Some people just have a knack for it, like my sister just younger than me who cooks a dream. But on the whole, cooking is something that needs to be learned….I was lucky enough to have been taught.

31 Days of gratitude 🙂

Read Full Post »

#walk1000miles 2017

Posted in around the UK, family and relationships, Fun Stuff, Health, Inspiration, lifestyle, Travel, walk 1000 miles 2017, walks around the UK, tagged Country Walking, long distance walking, travel blogging, travel diaries, travel writing, walk 1000 miles, walking in the uk, walking to health, walks in the uk on November 30, 2017| Leave a Comment »

So excited to be part of this fantastic challenge #walk1000miles 2017

It’s literally changed, improved and saved lives, and taken people of all ages, from toddlers to oldies, from all walks of life, in all manner of situations, out and about; in cities, towns, villages, hamlets and the countryside, to and from and in all parts of the world – whether it’s 500 or 5,000 the members have risen to the challenge and gone walking 🙂

walk 1000 miles, country walking, walking in the uk, walks in the uk, long distance walking

….one foot in front of the other…

Join us along with Country Walking for 2018 and walk 1,000 miles or maybe even 5,000 – yes, some people have walked in excess of 5,000 miles this year. Awesome 🙂

Walk 1000 miles in 2018 from Country Walking on Vimeo.

https://vimeo.com/245014566

Read Full Post »

Repacking Pepe

Posted in Camino 2017, family and relationships, Fun Stuff, It's my life, lifestyle, memories of days gone by, My European travels, walk 1000 miles 2017, tagged Camino de Santiago, Osprey Tempest 30 Mystic Magenta, packing for the camino, Portuguese Coastal Route, preparing for the camino, solo travel for women over 60, walk 1000 miles, walking over 60 on November 20, 2017| 2 Comments »

When I first bought my fabulous Osprey Tempest 30 Mystic Magenta (don’t you just LOVE that name!) backpack I decided to name it Pepe. I wanted to take something with me on my first Camino that would be in remembrance of my Mom who died 34 years ago at the age of 52 and never had the opportunities I have had, or been able to do some of the amazing activities I have done or been to places I’ve been. So I wanted to take her (my Mom), on pilgrimage with me to Portugal and Spain when I walked my first Camino.

packing for the camino, camino de santiago, portuguese coastal route, solo travel for women over 60, walking over 60, preparing for the camino

However, bearing in mind that weight is an issue, I was reluctant to carry anything more than I absolutely had to, so I decided that I would give my backpack a name, something that signified memories I had of my childhood and something powerful that was linked to my Mom. So Pepe it is……

The back story to this is that when we were very young; 7 (me) & 4 (my sister) and just after my parents divorced, my Mom got us a dog. A little sausage dog. We named him Pepe after a little donkey I had seen in a film my Mom and I went to after my Grandmother’s funeral. Over the years we had a number of sausage dogs named Pepe and each had a number added; Pepe then Pepe 2 then Pepe 3. After that I don’t recall having any more sausage dogs, although we did have many pets in our lives. Pepe was reserved for a special time.

So every day while I was walking, with Pepe on my back, I thought of my Mom. Buen Camino Mommy.

In the meantime, besides the daily repacking on the Camino, I have repacked Pepe 3 times since I got back. Needless to say I’m preparing for my (unexpected) 2nd Camino; the Camino Ingles in September 2018. Unexpected because at the time I planned my 1st, I said I would do just the one and maybe another. Now I have 6 planned LOL It was that amazing.

To read more about my first Camino click the link 😉 Enjoy.

Read Full Post »

10 Commandments of the Camino

Posted in Camino 2017, family and relationships, Fun Stuff, Inspiration, Interesting articles, My European travels, other peoples blog, Travel, tagged 10 commandments of the camino, blogging, buen camino, Camino de Santiago, https://notjustagranny.wordpress.com/, https://pilgrimshelter.com/2017/03/04/camino-vignettes-keeping-the-peace/, My European travels, pilgrims routes to santiago de compostela, porto to santiago on the portuguese coastal route, Portuguese Coastal Route, the spirit of the camino, The Way of the Camino, Travel, wordpress, writing on September 2, 2017| 2 Comments »

Over the past 18 months or so I have read many many articles and blogs about or relating to the Camino de Santiago. Most (95%) are positive and uplifting with the emphasis on sharing the pilgrimage with fellow walkers, getting to know them, sharing experiences both good and bad, sharing a table, helping others who are struggling, cheering on those who are doing well…… regardless of whether they are walking for religious, spiritual or bucket list reasons.

But every so often whether on a group thread, a Facebook page or a forum, you’d get that one person who had missed out on the ‘spirit’ of the Camino and makes an unnecessarily negative and judgemental comment like this one I saw on the Confraternity of St James’s page: “I don’t like the cheapening of the experience by commercializing it. I walked it 3 times and it was the most extraordinary spiritual experience. Tourists on walking holiday, as long as there aren’t too many, will hopefully not ruin it for pilgrims“. I’ll leave you to make your own decision on that comment.

I remembered a thoughtful post, 10 Commandments of the Santiago de Compostela, I’d read some months ago on the Camino de Santiago forum and I’m sharing it here in it’s entirety; these are not my words, but rather the words of the writer on the forum ( I’ve added the link below):

“There are many articles offering tips for walking The Camino. This selection is one pilgrim’s views and I do not apologize for any you disagree with or for not including any you believe should be included. This is my Camino:

I. Thou Shalt Do Your Own Camino: This is a personal journey and you walk, ride, crawl for your own reasons. Walk 5k or 20k or 40k per day. There is no right or wrong. Follow your heart and soul.

II. Thou Shalt Not Judge Others: Just as this is your Camino, theirs is theirs. Big pack or no pack, 30 days or 1 day, 3000k or 10k. One man’s 40k day may be another’s 5k as there are many people on The Camino with health and other issues.

III. Thou Shalt Be Humble: Lose your ego. For many this is a life changing journey. For others a bucket list item or just a fun walk. The Camino has a Spirit and she loves humbleness and gratitude. Look for ways to be of service to other pilgrims and anyone else in need. For example; offer to carry the pack for a struggling fellow pilgrim, give a hug to someone who needs one, listen and be compassionate when a fellow pilgrim talks to you. Pick one day to give back to the Camino and carry a plastic garbage bag and pick up trash.

IV. Thou Shalt Not Overplan Your Camino: She will communicate with you via signs, people, animals, music, etc.. There are no coincidences on The Camino. Be alert. You may come across angels. Anything and everything is possible on The Camino. So be ready to veer from your plan because The Camino will provide what you need. Open your heart and she will show you your soul. The more you follow Commandment III the easier this will be.

V. Thou Shalt Open Up to Fellow Pilgrims: Of course if a Camino of solitude is your choice it is your Camino after all. However, the Camino is a special place and a key part of it’s magic are your fellow pilgrims. You will find that you keep seeing the same people and very likely The Camino wants you to connect. Get out of your comfort zone and just go introduce yourself to anyone who you have a feeling about or see more than once. By following this Commandment you will make lifelong friendships or more.

VI. Thou Shalt Start and End Wherever One Chooses: Many do The Camino in stages perhaps a week or two at a time and take years to complete it. Many start from St. Jean Pied de Port, others from Pamplona or Le Puy En Velay or Seville. Some Europeans start at their own homes. While many end at Santiago, some go on to Finisterre or Muxia at the edge of the world. Some believe if you are religious ending in Santiago is appropriate, but if you are spiritual walking on to the sea is special. A few do as the pilgrims did prior to the 1900’s and walk back home. Again there is no right or wrong.

VII. Thou Shalt Travel Light: While it is your choice the lighter your burden the easier it will be on you both physically and mentally. There are many writings on what to bring and not to bring.

VIII. Thou Shalt Stay Wherever Thy Chooses: From a tent, to a municipal auberge, to a 5 star Hotel. Remember it is your Camino. Though I agree with the purists that the auberge’s are special and put one in better position to connect with other pilgrims.

IX. Thou Shalt Not Obsess About Blisters: If you read any of the books various former Pilgrims have written, many mention suffering with blisters. Just as with traveling light there are many publications on how to deal with blisters. Focusing on prevention and applying some lubricant such as Vaseline is best but be prepared with compeed or your treatment of choice. Wear shoes or boots that YOU are comfortable with.

X. Thou Shalt Have Fun on The Camino: Perhaps for some the walk is long and arduous but for others including this peregrino it is pure joy. As you begin walking each day, concentrate on your breathing for ten to twenty minutes, in and out, to clear your mind of any worries and you will find yourself in a happy rhythm. After a long hard day, if a waiter places a whole bottle of vino tinto in front of you, drink and enjoy the company and conversation with fellow pilgrims. Don’t take yourself too seriously or these Ten Commandments. The Camino shows you how precious the gift of life is. Make the most of it.

Buen Camino! Ultreia!” From the blog of www.thesenioradventurer.com

I loved these 10 commandments and plan to keep them in mind when I’m walking.

Of course I’m definitely guilty of #4 – I’ve planned my trip almost down to the minute LOL but I’ve left some days where I’m just going to go with the wind. My biggest issue has been securing accommodation. I haven’t yet managed to just go and let the Camino provide, so to that end and keeping #8 in mind, I’ve booked all the nights of my first 6 days and the last night on the route before I get to Santiago. Mostly because I really don’t want to rush to get to an accommodation by a certain time and I found from my research that in order to get a bed at the cheapest alburgues you have to get there early and wait. I don’t to stand around waiting, I have places to explore and things to see enroute. So for me, on most days, I’ve booked ahead. I have conceded though to stay in hostels in many places, to get some of the sharing experience. Although of course I use the YHA a lot so I’m used to sharing….anyway it’s just a bed and a pillow for the night 🙂

The Camino Provides – 2017

#7 has been a challenge. When I first started researching what to pack, I read that it’s best to stick to 10% of your body weight. Okay so that gave me at that time 8 kgs to play with. So once I had decided what I ABSOLUTELY had to take with me, things I REALLY couldn’t live without, I weighed everything and packed my backpack. 7.5kgs brilliant I still have .5kg to play with. Then I did my pilgrimage from Southwark to Canterbury!!!By Day 2 I ditched 1.5 kgs of stuff, packed it in a box and sent it home LOL Jeez! How heavy can 7.5kgs get anyway? I never realised the impact that weight would have on my body. So lesson learned; pack light. However I suspect this is still going to be a challenge. I’ll do my final pack on Tuesday next week and then see how I get on.

Packing for the Camino de Santiago

As for #9, ahhh yes. Blisters. The bane of any walkers life. I learned a very hard lesson during my pilgrimage to Canterbury in July – I walked with wet socks and the resulting blisters were horrendous and brought my journey to a screeching stop on my penultimate day. Walking with wet socks is NEVER a good idea. So in order to protect my feet I’ve bought an extra 4 pairs of the best out of all the socks I’ve tested so far and they will be my luxury item for the Camino 🙂

This experience is going to be very interesting for someone who has mild OCD and loves to plan things down to the last item. I suspect there will be a lot of challenges ahead, I have no doubt I am going to learn some interesting life lessons, once of which will definitely be about being with people. I’m very much a loner and love being on my own for hours and hours, so it’s going to be interesting to see how I communicate on this journey.

finding your way to Santiago

Buen Camino

Previous blogs about my impending Camino 2017

Countdown to my Camino 2017

Walking with wet socks

Harassment on the Camino

Read Full Post »

Harassment on the Camino

Posted in European travels, family and relationships, Interesting articles, news from around the world, Travel, tagged cultural treatment of women, harassing women in the streets, harassment on the camino, walking solo on the camino, why do boys harass women in the streets on June 26, 2017| 2 Comments »

One of the more unfortunate aspects of walking as a solo woman on the Camino is the perception that you’re easy game. I’ve read recently on the Facebook forums that I follow of women being harassed by men; naked men who chase after these women whilst masturbating, men waiting under secluded bridges till a woman comes along then yanks his pants down to expose himself. Men follow along behind the pilgrims and make lewd comments, or just hang around making a general pest of themselves.

Many of the women quite understandably get quite frightened, or as in one case was so badly upset by the whole thing that she packed up and went home. It’s a real issue and seems to be escalating somewhat. There are often discussions about how to deal with these incidents with some folks suggesting pepper spray which is banned in Spain, or whistles, and various other suggestions, none of which are really acceptable and could lead to further problems.

I recently read an interesting article about the escalating harassment of women in the Middle East regions, that although not specifically about the Camino, does talk about the harassment of women in middle east countries. Interesting, although unfortunately they don’t mention the biggest factor in these countries; women are viewed as 2nd class citizens…ergo men can do what they like coz they’re superior. Perhaps they should look at the cultural issues from the cradle up….men treat their wives in an appalling fashion, often abusive. Boys witness this and think its okay to be abusive towards women. Its pretty much the same in every patriarchal society. It won’t change till parents teach their kids about respect. Reading this article I get the distinct impression that the author/researcher is making excuses for why boys harass girls. These young men “have high aspirations for themselves and aren’t able to meet them,” he says. “So they [harass women] to put them in their place. They feel like the world owes them.”

Harassing women is not a new phenomena in the Western world; its as bad and has been for decades in our society where morals are loose and again, men are disrespectful towards their wives. Frankly those men’s magazines and light pornographic magazines, sexually explicit films, advertisements with half naked women spread across cars et al, all play a part in the sexual harassment of women. I remember with clarity, as a young girl developing breasts and having to start wearing a bra, the boys, would come up behind me or my school mates and snap our bra-straps or try to undo the hooks – behaviour they STILL indulge in 50 years later. We were always, without fail told to ‘just ignore it’. In fact I recall very clearly telling my daughter much the same thing 25 years later….either that or wallop the boy in question….which of course would then lead to her being punished for ‘assaulting’ the little shit.

However, there has been as is a shift being made in this area. I recently read where a Mother was called into the Headmaster’s office because her daughter had punched the boy who snapped her bra-strap. The Headmaster and the parents of the boy tried to make an issue of it, but the Mother neatly turned the tables by reminding them that what he had done is actually sexual harassment and that she would be happy to call the Police and lay a charge. Problem solved. Frankly I wish I had done that for my daughter, how much more empowering it would have been.

But, and here’s the thing…..it is sexual harassment, and the problem begins at home. Until all of society begins to see women as equals and deserving of respect, until parents unanimously teach their sons about the boundaries and how to treat a woman with respect, women will continue to be harassed on the streets….no matter which country we live in. I, however, am not holding my breath.

And if any man, young or otherwise even attempts to give me grief while I’m walking the Camino, he will live to regret it.

Read Full Post »

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »