Drawn by a Star

Thank you to each and every one of you who have sent positive thoughts, prayers and encouraging messages. It’s a week now since the hip operation.  I left hospital on Monday and arrived ‘home’ to Kay and Bernie’s house to a birthday celebration lunch for Kay’s 88 year old mum. This amazing lady can walk 16 laps around the house in 15 minutes. I can 'walk/hobble' one. Apart from the kindness and priceless friendship of K and B, there are so many fabulous things about being here to start this next chapter in my new life. The two llamas have arrived! Meals in the garden or on the terrace with the family are pure joy. Life has a rhythm here which I watch and admire: the turkey, the chickens , the different breeds of ducks, the geese and the peacocks all need to be talked to and fed. The dogs needed to be walked, the garden constantly has to be watered and ‘worked.’ Baking and delicious savory smells drift from the kitchen daily....

Two keys, Belgian chocolates and a waning moon. Today I handed over the keys of my house to the Dutch couple who will rent it for a year. We had lunch together yesterday. They brought me a gift of Belgian chocolates - yum off the scale delicious-   and a bottle of Belgian beer.   The beer’s called Forbidden Treats, he said, or was it Forbidden Fruits?    I’m embarrassed to tell you I’ve already eaten nearly all of the chocolates. The forbidden treats are waiting for the right moment! The couple had just driven for two days to get here.   They were tired. We ended the meal with Tiramisu and hugs.  This morning we met again at the bottom of my track for the handing over of the keys.   The smell of orange blossom is   strong now. The purple irises are in full bloom The golden oriels are back.   A whoopee family flew in front of my car yesterday. In the process of letting go of the house I created 15 years ...