The outpour of gracious birthday wishes from all of you has been far beyond my expectations.
I truly appreciate your gesture. The gift of even a moment of your time and kind thoughts are invaluable.
I will get round to responding to all the lovely comments that were sent my way. It’s unlike me to delay in responding, but it’s been a hectic weekend with my young son under the weather, dashing in and out of the hospital and trying to have a little birthday time as well.
Well on a sweet note, I saved a slice of cake for you, so do have one slice of virtual cake on my behalf 🙂
Secondly, I want to ask a quick question with regards to the posts links that I have been featuring daily.
I like to take stock and review my actions as much as possible and would like to know if it has been useful in any form?
Then finally to THE INVITATION, I will be hosting a PRE-EASTER BRUNCHÂ this weekend and you are cordially invited to the Easter egg hunt, mingling, connecting and blog-hopping.
The last shindig held in this abode was popping hot and we all had a good time. I hope this will be equally as delightful, if not better 🙂
Do say ‘aye’ if you are keen on it and YOUR invaluable inputs are welcome on how we can make it beautiful together.
Today’s theme for Photo 101 is bliss. Well, it falls in rather nicely today. Yesterday it rained ceaselessly that the school sent a mail of no school today, so yours truly started having bliss from last night at the thought that I don’t have to jump up at 4:30 in the morning. Yours truly lounged in bed. Now that is bliss 🙂
My source of bliss are derived from the simple satisfaction that I can find in the daily life around me.
I make a conscious effort to cultivate a heightened sense of contentment and each source depends totally on my frame of mind.
Something as little as seeing a happy dog, gives me a sense of joy.
Below are some things that signify bliss for me.
Putting up my feet on a lazy weekend and indulging in a good read with some nibbles.
Listening to my music and stealing in some wiggles.
A lazy day at the beach.
Eating out with my lovelies. We get to spend time chit-chatting and I get an off day from the kitchen.
Walk in nature and emptying my thoughts. Sometimes, I use that time to pray as well.
Just sitting and watch children play freely gives me joy.
Getting a pedicure with foot massage. Ah!
The sauna helps to work out the kinks in those bunched muscles. Toss in a good professional massage and I am in happy land 🙂
Eddy’s eyes strayed to the glittering guitar which hung behind the counter of the bar as he dusted.
Since he started working for Mrs. Hilley, he had wondered about it.
His eyes gleamed as he looked at it and the flaming guitar glowed brighter under his gaze.
He noticed that she touched it ever so often, dusted it with reverence and hung it back.
He had no idea what the story behind it was, but he couldn’t ask. There were rumours however, on one really knew the truth.
Since he was alone, he decided to play just a little bit. He hoped to own one some day soon.
Lost in the music the guitar’s flaming strings came alive and he failed to hear the door swing open.
Mrs. Hilley listened, tears ran down her face as he played haunting tunes.
Startled to find her watching him he hurried to hang it back but, she set two glasses of apple cider, sat him down to tell him the story of the flaming guitar.
On Thursday’s, I share pictures about ‘Echos of my Neighbourhood.
I would like to invite you to participate. The challenge is quite simple.
Every Thursday, share a photo of bits and pieces of wherever you are at any point in time. It could be houses, backgrounds of your neighbourhood, activities and so forth and you can tag it Echos of my Neighbourhood, add my link to your post so that I will get the ping from your post.
Every other Thursday, I will publish a post with the links of all those who participated the previous week.
This is just a fun way of getting to see more of the World around us through your eyes, since we cannot all be at those places, we can at least see them through you.
Hanging umbrellas at the village
In the blanket of the night
I love the pretty night lights of my evening walk.
The lights at Ibn Battuta
More evening lights
Viewing traffic from an overhead walk way.
Sugar crafted kitchen staff
Catching the Vile one. Sugar craft
Slaying the beast. Sugar craft
We got to taste the cake
Colourful sugar craft
Coffee parlour
Coffee contraptions
Brewing the potent brew.
Catching up on the gist at the train station
Another coffee parlour
Waiting for my cuppa
Bastakiya coffee house
From the pictures above, last few days  found me perambulating quite a bit. These were taken in the course of last week.
From attending the food festival and sugar craft show, to going to Bastakiya, the coffee museum and imbibing in coffee so potent that it could knock off your socks and you will float in the air with the buoyancy that it delivered.
I learnt a lot about coffee and took hundreds of photos.
It was thick heavy brew, served in small cups. I couldn’t finish mine because, it seriously gave me bright eyes and I think my hair stood on ends from the buzz that I got.
May I live Unafraid to breathe Free from a choke-hold That becomes a stronghold May I live Unafraid to live Clinging to my expectations With feral desperation
May I share space Unafraid of being encased Free from condemnation of race That becomes a strong base Purple, White, Olive, Black and every hue within May I share space Knowing that we are first a human race …And all blood are red in this place.
May I speak of belief Unafraid and in relief Free from contentious eyes of disbelief That becomes thresholds of grief May I wear my mask of belief Understanding that to achieve Peace would be a welcome reprieve …Which we must seek to retrieve.
May I love you Unafraid to be bound to you Free from censors of broken whispers That becomes harbingers of cold shivers May I love freely my love Unafraid to expose my naked bust Knowing that in you lies my trust Encased in the warm embrace of your love.
La Duchesse seems to know all the good buttons to press to get my heart overflowing with good memories.
I grew up on the staple of a plethora of music from a father who adored music.
Our mornings started with music for as long as my dad was alive. Played on the Grundig turntable and then on to Bangs & Olufsen sound system.
I suspected my dad wanted to be a musical maestro and he had a gentle deep baritone.
I love music and barely discriminate except when they are offensive and filled with cuss words.
I love the oldies and the trending ones as well. Most days, I join my children in singing the new songs, especially as we drive around town and I teach them some old ones. We love turning on the radio and just having a go at it.
However, deep in my heart there are those beats that are ‘my forever’ rousing strings of chords. I shall choose 10 out of the string beats of my memories and 6 from recent ones.
They are those beats that I grew up listening to over and over as I grew up in my parents home. Their sounds always transports me right back to the butter yellow house with the red roof. The house of my childhood.
We thank thee from Jim ReevesÂ
The Archies. Sugar, sugarÂ
Handel’s MessiahÂ
Kenny Roger’s Through the yearsÂ
Miriam MakebaÂ
Nat King ColeÂ
Bob MarleyÂ
Michael JacksonÂ
Dolly PartonÂ
The BeatlesÂ
I rock these ones below with my children:
Dido – Life for rentÂ
Adele – HelloÂ
Nico Vinz – I am wrongÂ
Afrojack – Ten feet tallÂ
Dimtri Vegas & Like Mike – Take me to a higher placeÂ
I am late for this party, the great book of lists challenge, considering that I re-blogged the post and was all excited. Somehow, I failed to start off last week.
However, I am still going to gate crash and hope that La Duchesse Derat won’t throw me out without as much as a mince pie and a glass of warm drink.
I love waking up early when the entire house is quiet, lying still and just listening to the breathing of my husband beside me as I think through my day and make a mental to do list.
I love my early morning brisk walks especially with crisp cold breeze on my face and my denuded face free from any artifice soaking it all in.
I love those sights of little things that I get to see when I am out and about – like a flock of birds in a feeding frenzy and the naughty Cat that came and made them run away, or a budding pretty flower – such sights are fuel to my mind.
I love the tingly foot massage that my young ones take turns to give me. It is nowhere near professional but it is so soothing. Sometimes they throw in a neck rub.
I love those little moments when my youngest keeps offering to make me his special sandwich; which equals a slathered helping of peanut butter and toast, with a nice cup of beverage and he tells me ‘I love you mummy, enjoy your sandwich.’
I love having a full pantry of food even if I don’t have money in my pocket. It always leaves me with a contented feeling and satisfaction when I do my bulk shopping for the household.
I love having people around me. It always gives me a warm feeling, even though, I occasionally hibernate, which, by the way never lasts long to deserve that lengthy word.
I absolutely love to dance to my long playlist while working out. I steal in a wiggle or two. It’s like working out two things at once; My Body and my Soul.
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a cooking pot and twisted tales 