Home and Away is finally published!

 

I know that I have been away from this blog for some time.  That doesn't mean I haven't been busy writing, journalling, healing. 

My latest novel went live today on Amazon.  Home and Away, follows the adventures of Sarah, a sixty-seven year old widow, who finds herself, in March 2020, locked down in Croatia as the world struggles to manage the pandemic.  It is a story of love.  Love of herself, her family, a little one-eyed cat, and a certain Croatian gentlemen.  

This read would be a great escape from the news of today.  Buy a copy.  Make yourself a cup of tea, and curl up with my new book. It is available as a paperback and an ebook. 

I hope you like it. Let me know in the comments. 

Oh, and now this is published I promise to be post more often about the this and that of my life. 

Update 66 - What?

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This is suppose to be a Year of Projects update, but an important event has preempted Yopping Update #16.

Because...

Today is my birthday!  I am 66.  Sixty-six!  As my dear friend said today - you have 39 years to go!  

I am planning to live to be 105 so, yes, 39 years indeed.

Yesterday I swam my birthday lengths - 66 lengths - in 59 minutes, and then I went to a hair salon for the first time since February 2020 for a trim.  I felt brave and now my long hair feels so much healthier. 

This morning I was greeted with my grand-daughter wishing me a happy birthday, and then a group video chat with my son and daughter, and they sang me happy birthday with my dh accompanying them on guitar.  

Then my sister phoned with another happy birthday song, and I got to open my presents from her while she was on the phone - what fun!

More wishes from my younger sister and brother and a dear friend.  I am blessed indeed. 

Yes, another migraine earlier this week, but I am moving forward - one day at a time. 

On the knitting front though (can't resist updating my fellow yoppers) I have finished my cardigan, and it is waiting to be blocked.

so happy with buttons I found in my button jar(s)

I have knit all the little pieces I can for my Beatrix Potter trio.  I am waiting on the light and dark browns I need for Peter Rabbit and Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle. I am hoping my KnitPicks order arrives this coming week. 

I started a pair of socks which I am knitting two at a time and I am 8 rows away from turning the heels.

Catharine MaCaulay from the Bluestockings collection by Kate Davies

My dh gave me the board-game Wingspan for my birthday and so today (which is a very rainy day) I am going to learn how to play it.  When my son was out in August he brought his game and we played it and I LOVE it.  Any birdwatcher/birdlover would enjoy this game because there are 170 bird cards with beautiful illustrations and information on their habitat/feeding behaviour/nesting habits etc.  It is enjoyable just to read all the cards.

set-up and ready to roll

I have been organizing all my knitted shawls, and I am washing and re-blocking nine of them to give away to friends.  

I mean really, how many shawls does one woman need?  

And don't even get me started about my sock drawer!

I have been in jeans for 19 months, but I always have colourful feet!

I will leave you with two pictures. My dear grand-daughter:

her Ta-ta is a brilliant photographer

and my motto for the coming years:

Warning - Shameless self promotion - My first novel, White Rabbit, is on Amazon as an ebook.  I have self-published it under Mary-Anne Burton Taylor.

Yopping Update #27 - the old and the new

Where to begin?

How about this?

The hat she is wearing was knit by my aunt many years ago and my sister found it among my aunt's things while we were cleaning out her house.  My aunt never 'finished' a baby knit until the baby was born.  This hat was knit, but not sewn up.  I brought it with me to Croatia and once Layla was born I sewed it up and brought it to the hospital for her to wear home.  How special is that?

She is now ten days old and her grandpa (djedi) and I (baka) can just gaze at her for hours.   I have even got a few cuddles in, although like her mother, Layla is a momma's girl.  

I have been knitting and we finally celebrated Christmas on January 1 so I can show you some knits that have been under wraps.  

Two Zodiac potholders - double knit of course, from hemp.  One for baby - 

and one for her daddy (tata)

I finished two more Simpy Knitting Kits:

and then I knit this little guy out of scraps I had left over.  It was fun to learn the loop stitch:

I started a hemp dish towel for me, but it isn't finished yet because I decided to knit my grand-daughter some mitts.  These are my own pattern made with leftover yarn from my Hitchhiker.

I have been walking a lot here - about an hour a day most days.  

Here is the view on my walks along the seawall:

and then of course on January 1, I had to take a dip in the sea for prosperity's sake:

If you want to see a video of the event you can check it out on my instagram feed @breathinglife1680

We have been eating amazing meals - our son-in-law is an excellent cook and I have been sleeping in every day until 10ish (ok, sometimes 11ish).  

Bura was blowing on Wednesday and Thursday and it was cccooolllllllldddddd (-1C) , but when Bura blows the sea is the most amazing colour.

I am glad that on January 1st when I dipped in the sea the air was about 13C.  The sea was colder - probably around 10 degrees.  I am sure glad Bura wasn't blowing for that adventure.  

Yesterday on my walk I came upon these Roman ruins:

and then this blooming cactus:

It is hard to believe we have been here a month already and in less than three weeks we head home. 

New Year's Eve was amazing - we went down to the sea at midnight and the whole of Split and Kastel was awash in fireworks, not to mention the ones being set off right over our heads.  

Then last night we heard a commotion and there was a wedding happening right below our balcony in the church square - more fireworks, music, and singing.  It was so joyous.  

So that is my week of adventures. 

To follow other intrepid yoppers check out their stories here. 

Yopping Update #26 - She is here!

She arrived at 9:18am December 27th, 2018.  And don't they both look just perfect.

I haven't got to hold her yet because the hospital is not allowing any visitors due to a flu outbreak in Split, but thank goodness for texting and cell phones.

They should be home later today.   I can't wait to hold them both.

Knitting is a great way to pass the time while ones daughter is in labour.  I finished something for the baby, and for her daddy, and some tree ornaments for my daughter to hang on her tree when she gets home.

We haven't had Christmas yet because my daughter was put in hospital on Christmas Eve so when she gets home it will be Christmas and Baby and New Year's all rolled into one.

I saw this cute Santa trying to break into a restaurant window near our apartment.

We are doing well navigating the streets, stores, and restaurants near our house.  The seawall is only minutes from our door and it is a beautiful place to walk and enjoy a bijela kavu (white coffee) in the outdoor cafes.  When the sun is out it is so warm to sit outside and enjoy the view.

My husband and I went to midnight mass on Christmas Eve.  It started at 11:30 and ended at 1:20am.  It was the first time my husband has attended a mass with me.  Of course it was all in Croatian, and the church was filled to capacity.  I lit a candle for my daughter, and we were home and in bed by 2am.  Here is a picture of the nativity scene at the front of the church.

We were up at 7 to go visit her in the hospital for a couple of hours on Christmas Day and then home for a long afternoon nap.  On the 26th there was a concert at the church and afterwards a live reenactment of the Christmas birth.  The balcony of our apartment overlooked the square where Mary and Joseph, Jesus and the animals were on display.  We had VIP seats for certain.

Here is the crowd below us:

And here the kings are coming to visit the baby Jesus (who was a live baby!)

and of course the animals in the stable:

Then there was lots of chances for locals to get photos taken with the holy family:

After the show we spent some time with our son-in-law, and by 8pm he was getting messages from our daughter that labour was truly underway.  I went to bed about midnight and woke up at 4:30 to a message that her water had broken and things were well on the way.

After a few nervous texts with her husband, we fell back to sleep and woke up to the message and picture that opened this blog.  What a gift!

That night we went to her house where her husband's family had gathered to congratulate us all.  There was wine and a lot of laughter.  His family is so warm and welcoming to us.

Friday I spent doing laundry, and housework and knitting more little kits from my simply Knitting magazine.

I will have to get to a wool store sometime in the new year as I am running out of knitting to do!  Gasp.  I know, right?

So, we have a month to spend with our new grand-daughter before we head home.  It will be so hard to leave them:

Wishing all my readers the blessings of these twelve holy nights, and Peace to all in the coming year.

To follow other yoppers check out their stories here.

PS:  They are both home, and I can't stop gazing at her and her Mum.  A Christmas miracle and blessing for certain.

Yopping Update #11 - Socks it is

Happy Birthday socks on the almost birthday boy!

A perfect fit.  I am so proud of my first design. He had some taxi socks he loved when he was a teenager and I tried to replicate them.

I was in a parade last Sunday in the wind and the rain - it was so much fun as we represented the Free Store on my sister's little island. The day before had been the 40th anniversary party of the Recycling Depot.

Everything the three of us are wearing and carrying came from said Free Store.  (Except my Tilley hat.  I have had that for thirty years!)

We went camping with our son last Tuesday and miraculously avoided the rain, and the campfire ban was lifted about four hours before we arrived at our campsite.  Here is our view:

and the juvenile robin that kept coming around every time my son split open a log so it could eat all the earwig larvae.  Such a comical, brave little guy. (The robin, not my son - although he is comical and brave too - just not so little).

Yesterday we went for a rainy walk in the canyon near our house.  There is my big boy on the bigger staircase.

Being such a busy week with parades, and camping and visiting and all I decided to cast on a simple sock.  I love this colourway called Talisman from Opal yarns.

I hope to get back to Bonnie's Wish this week - she keeps giving me sidelong accusatory looks that I am stepping out on her what with my sock knitting and all. She is right, of course, but I will get back to those cables soon (ish).

To follow other yoppers and their week go here.

Today 29 years ago

On January 14, twenty nine years ago, I was making sure everything was organized to leave your brother so your Dad and I could go to the hospital to deliver you.

It had started snowing, hard, and I was concerned if we didn't get to the hospital sooner rather than later it would be too late.

As it turned out if it had been too late it would have been fine to have you born at home as yours was an uncomplicated birth.

As it turned out the Doctor was not as concerned as I was about the snow and waited for the hospital to call him that your arrival was imminent.

He missed the birth.

He did describe driving to the hospital as a commercial for all-wheel drive vehicles as he drove around all the stuck cars in his path between him and us.

So yes, you were born in a snow storm.    January 15, 1989, 3:20 am.

I still remember the doctor on call who delivered you - not her name, I forget her name, but she had the most wonderful warm brown eyes.

And so it began in that hospital room greeted by your Dad, and your Aunt, and me. You born on what would have been my father's 65th birthday.  A gift indeed.

You met your brother later the very same day - he arrived with a bouquet of irises for me.

I have come to believe that our children are our teachers, not the other way around.

You came into this world to teach me about you, about the world I live in, about myself.

I am still learning from you - you who now live so very far away - and in a hot country - far from snowstorms and icy winters.

I wish you were here so we could go to the Korean spa together, go get our hair cut, go out to White Spot and share some zoo sticks. Maybe get a mani/pedi and make fun of the massage chairs like we did so many years ago in Halifax.

I wish you were here so I could make us some tea, and we could sit in the kitchen nook and watch the birds and talk.

I wish you were here so you could sit at the piano, or play the guitar and sing.

I wish you were here so we could do yoga side by side.

I wish you were here so I could hold you as I wish you a Happy Birthday and tell you what this relationship of ours means to me.

But, as my mother used to say, "If wishes were horses than beggars would ride".

(She was also a Capricorn).

So today we will Skype, and hopefully the card I mailed will have made it in time to greet you on this special day.  If not, know that it is winging its way to you across the many many miles.

Happy Birthday, dear girl.
I love you.

Mum

Candace and Penny (My sister and Me)

The Healthy Knitter wrote the first chapter and asked us to write the second chapter.  

This is for my sister.

Chapter 1.

Long, long ago in a far off land there lived two friends in a tiny rural village. They were the same age and had been the best of friends for as long as anyone could remember. Candace was adventurous, a bit of a free-spirit and longed to see the world... to find that perfect place. The villagers described Penny as the kindest person they'd ever known. Penny was kind, not just nice but genuinely kind and she felt at home wherever she was. The two girls were inseparable.

The two young lassies spent their days assuring that the fundamental needs of the village and villagers were met. They built houses, fetched water, and made meals using produce they grew each summer; their door was open to all who needed their help. Candace, a spinner, magically converted the fleeces from the local flocks into the most coveted yarn and Penny knit up hats, mittens, sweaters and socks to clothe the villagers especially to keep them warm during the long winters. Penny felt fulfilled with the work she was doing however Candace's heart stirred... she was called to see the world. She knew their must be more...

As time passed and the villagers continued to draw upon the help of the two girls something happened. Penny, a giver from the heart started to weaken. No medical provider in any of the near-by villages could determine what was wrong. She continued to work and work and work despite her fatigue but Candace was worried... how long would Penny be able to persevere.

Knowing that winter was approaching, Candace and Penny were sharing a cup of tea as they had daily for as long as they could recall. They took great pleasure in the ritual that had come to be with pouring the tea and placing their hands around the cup just so, pulling the cup close to their heart before taking a sip. After a long period of silence, Candace said in a soft and gentle tone, "I must go. I need to see the world, to meet people from other villages to view how they live. I must find a cure for what ails you my dearest friend as you cannot continue to give, and give, and give. I will return with tales from afar, a remedy for your sickness, and find the perfect place to live."

Penny's heart crumbled. How would she live without her friend... and for how long? Yet Penny knew that she must let Candace go. Penny knew that as much as it was her destiny to stay in the village to help others, she knew that Candace needed to immerse herself in the world beyond the forests of the village.

So Candace packed up a few of her things in a tiny knapsack and headed out the door. Penny sat down to knit and vowed to continue knitting until the day Candace returned.

Chapter 2.

Candace travelled the world - to the Arctic circle, to Vietnam, to southern Sudan, to Bangledesh to London, to Spain. She travelled to help the disenfranchised. She took with her a small felted Venus de Willendorf Penny had made for her years before. In every hotel room, inn and village she would send Penny a picture of the Venus and it was their secret signal that all was well and they were still connected. With every picture Penny felt her health returning.

Candace always knit hats for the babies and children in the villages she visited. Penny always knit socks for the poor and homeless in her own village. They often joked that if there couldn't be world peace at least the people of the world could have warm heads and warm feet thanks to their efforts.

Every stitch Penny knitted while Candace was away reminded her of their bond. Every stitch helped her heal.  She imagined every stitch was a knitted thread that connected them over the miles.

When Candace returned she brought the Venus with her and set her beside her bed where it still lives. She also brought Penny a small statue of Ganesh that sits by Penny's bed.
Ganesh is made of brass - Venus is made of wool. Like their love for each other - soft and unbreakable.

Pulling towards the heart

The Healthy Knitter talked about her three observations when she sees someone looking at yarn. 

1)  They ooh and aah
2)  They rub it against their nose or face
3) They pull it near their heart. 

Number 3 really really spoke to me.  I do this with yarn I love.   I have seen my sister do this too. 
In fact when I read that post today I had a strong image of my sister pulling wool towards her heart, and my heart responded. 

I started to think of all the expressions with the word heart:  warmhearted, heartfelt, change of heart, cold-hearted, getting to the heart of things, heartache, heartthrob, heavyhearted and knowing something deep in your heart. 

Life is not for the faint of heart. (or is that feint of heart?) 

Heart is the seat of love.

Heart is where we feel joy bursting out of our chest.

Today I am going to reflect on heart things.

I am going to pull towards my heart. 

It has room enough to grow with every encounter, and even times when it has been sorely broken it has mended, stronger and bigger and with even more room for new things to be pulled towards it. 

There are scars.  There will always be scars.  But they are a reminder that I have healed, and lived a life. 

A life where I have pulled things towards my heart.

A heart that holds the memories of loved ones who are no longer physically with me in this life. 

They live in my heart. 

I believe I live in theirs.

Blessings to you, dear reader, as we continue through Advent. 

I am so glad you are with me on this journey. 

I thank you from the bottom of  my heart.