Travelling Lady

I arrived in Tokyo several days ago. I am here visiting my daughter. I have visited once before but last time I was based in rural Japan.

Because my daughter was working I navigated the Narita Express (the fast train from the airport into Tokyo) on my own. It was quite an experience with a few mishaps along the way but I made it to Shibuya station. Once there I had to find the Hachiko exit. This exit has a statue of a dog called Hachiko who waited faithfully for his master at the station every work day. Even after his master died he maintained a daily watch at the station for his master who never came again. The true story has been made into an  emotionally moving movie.

I found the sign saying Hachiko exit but true to my geographically challenged self I could not find where exactly I should go and instead found myself on a train platform. It was then I started engaging the locals with a combination of sign language and the email from my daughter I clutched that had a written description of the Starbucks we were meeting at. Three encounters later I was on my way.

I could not work out how to use my ticket to exit the station through the automatic gates. Eventually an elderly gentleman and i had a conversation whereby he spoke in Japanese and waved his ticket and I used body language and mind messages to shadow him closely as he exited the barrier. Bear in mind that I was dragging a large and unwieldy suitcase behind me. I made it through still clutching my ticket and no doubt have made the list of wanted criminals in Japan.

My adventure was not over as I then had to cross what is known as "The Crossing" to find my way to one of the busiest Starbucks in the world. Of course I made it and my mission now is to learn one new word of Japanese a day.

I shall keep you posted and will add some photographs soon.

Delight, fear and disbelief

My favourite South Island location Oamaru

Last post I talked about having my 3rd job interview over a period of four months for the same position. Since then I have been to a talk where the speaker considered they were blessed because they had never been out of work in their life.
I have been out of work for the last four months and prior to my last contract position for an unheard of period of two years I was out of work.  However, I do not consider that means I am not blessed. It is just a sign of the times. I always find plenty to keep me busy when I am not in paid work.
My interview went well and I was offered and accepted the position. Then I experienced wild swings of emotion from thankfulness to disbelief to fear. It was hard to believe that after being left hanging for so long I had a permanent position.
After saying "thank-you Spirit" repeatedly, I then I fell into the pre-new job nervousness - omg can I perform this role. But as my daughter pointed out, what starts out as nervousness soon turns to bored when the mysteries of the role are revealed through sheer repetition.

I have a job (this picture was actually taken in Japan)!

A thought occured to me today that blogging is the modern day equivalent of the confessional and the comments we get are our Hail Marys. 
Enjoy your day.

Lavender's Blue Dilly Dilly

                                             I have this lavender growing in my garden.

I would love to have a self sufficient garden with chickens, an orchard and a big vegetable garden. I currently have a mini orchard and a vege patch and live on a busy road.

My complete self sufficient dream includes solar energy, passive heating, rain water collection tanks and living off the grid. Oh yes and a loving partner and a work from home income.

Three months ago I wrote down my goals for the next 3 months, 6 months, 9 months and 12 months. So far most of my 3 month goals have eventuated. That is remarkable in itself. My usual track record is never so productive. I look at my 6 month goals now and feel furtive hope that they may be more than pipe dreams.

It is more than just myself experiencing this phenomena, apparently at this time in the evolution of man many people are finding that their dreams are quicker to manifest then previously.

Would you agree? Have any of your goals been easier to achieve then expected recently?

Meanwhile tomorrow I have the third interview for a position I have been throwing my hat at for the last 4 months.

                                         My adorable puppy

My first attempt at uploading photos

                                          Sunset at Piha, West Coast, Auckland, New Zealand

This is a beautiful part of the world. The air is vibrant and full of ozone; the tides are wild and treacherous. I love to swim here, although many drownings occur each year. It is mainly fishermen fishing off the rocks and migrants unused to the tidal rips who find that their luck has run out.

For the rest of us it is a special place to visit. Much of the land is historically Maori tribal land and some of it retains special spiritual and healing qualities, making it an ideal place for a retreat. I feel very close to the source of a greater power than myself when I am here. The scenery is full of majesty and wonder.

Welcome to my followers. I am delighted to say my followers have tripled in recent times! I am thrilled to have your company and I note your diverse origins - namely Japan, England and USA. How amazing is that!

Gratitude

What am I grateful for?
Yes I know Oprah haas done this idea to death with her incessant chant of "make a gratitude dairy" but maybe she has a point.
My daughter has written a list of her life affirming gratitude for her blessings. I will now do the same:

1. I can still mow the lawns
2. I live in a beautiful country
3. I saw two kingfishers yesterday
4. I am alive
5. I  have food to eat
6. I have all my fingers and toes
7. Google allows me direct access to so much information
8. I have family
9. I can hear
10. I can speak

What are you most grateful for?

It is our imperfections that make us whole

Last week my father passed away after a long illness. He was 86 years old. His wish for most of his years was to live to the ripe old age of 90 years. I do not think that in the end he regretted not making it, for after much hard work, and much shedding of skins he was ready to pass into the light.

I spoke at his funeral. There were many things I could not speak of but I spoke of his last few years after a major stroke left him crippled and bedridden and the internal work he completed during that time.  He had imperfections like all of us; they were part  of the man, they made him human. We are all flawed and when we are remembered we want to be remembered whole, imperfections and all. Otherwise it is not real, just empty mouthings from people who did not know us.And being known and being seen it how we find meaning and connection with others.

As Leonard Cohen said "there is a crack in everything, that's how the light gets in." Such a poet.

Why Lemon diamond

Welcome to my blog.

Believe it or not my Grandmother's maiden name was lemon diamond. I just love it!
Lemons are good for the digestion when the juice squeezed into a glass of warm water and drunk upon rising.

Diamonds look fantastic on a finger.

This blog will look at the sour and the sparkle of life. I will be unafraid to explore the mysteries of life, including the spiritual.

I look forward to developing my approach as I journey along. 

If there was ever a time when I needed a forum to express myself it is now. I have the time and the inclination due to divorce, unemployment, a mid life empty nest and the fact that I am writing a book. I will have to upskill myself to take photgraphs.