It's over

My hubbie and I enjoy those rare moments of relaxing, a particular way. When all the chores are done, we curl up on our sofas (yes each of us has our own) wrap up in blankets and turn on our favourite telly program. Sheer bliss.

Recently we have just switched to DVD's as the adverts on the TV just drive us insane, I mean every 7 minutes really is unnecessary.

We tend to watch a box set of DVD's over a period of months. We look forward to each one, like a teenager would a night out. Oh how times have changed.

My sis sponsors our habit. She sends us great British drama series or sitcoms and she has excellent taste. This year we have gone through Life on Mars, Sherlock and now Stella.

All top-tastic. Thanks sis.

However, Stella finished last night. Part 10 was watched. It's now over.

We loved it. Just fun, light entertainment with a touch of reality and plenty of laughs. We looked forward to it and savoured each one. We only put it on when we were both in the mood and we had time to snuggle up. Once we even watched two in one night. That was really decadent.

And now it is over. It was great. We loved every moment.

We are sad it's over, but soon it's Christmas, so I better be nice to my sister and maybe next year we get a new series. Hint hint Sister Sue!

So what do you do to relax? Do you have a special routine with your loved one? Is it as boring as mine? Go on inspire me, make me jealous. Make me wish I had more energy at 9pm!

Stillness

I never really sit down and think, let's write a blog. For me, writing does not happen through deliberate intent. Rather, I write when something occurs to me, then I scribble down some notes, which begin the start of a story or blog.

This week I have been on a family holiday and have spent 7 full days touring the Rockies in an RV (recreation vehicle). Alternatively known as a campervan.

We have been travelling through many national parks with no specific agenda nor destination. All we had to do was look out the window for wildlife and take the odd photograph. In my mental planning, I had foreseen a rush of inspiration and blog content pouring out of me daily.

Yet here I am at the end of my week in the Rockies, with no posts to share.

I have had plenty of time. I have been exposed to many new experiences. I have had many new impressions. Despite all of that, I have simply had no desire, whatsoever, for me to churn out a blog.

I think for one of the first times in many years, I have really enjoyed having nothing to do. Nothing to think about. Nothing to say.

I have been inspired by the grandeur of the mountains, the splendor of the terrain, the ever changing weather and the joy of watching my kids just be.  As a result, there has not been a pull for me to do anything but enjoy the moment. The precious moments of peacefulness.

I am surprised by this lack of drive. However I really am thrilled that I found the quiet and stillness of mind to just be in the present with my beautiful family. And simply observe the greatness of the landscape.

It's possible that as I return to crazydom, all my ideas and reflections begin pouring out and do turn into blogs, but right now my mind is calm.

The intense experience of the Rockies has restored some inner peace and provided a lifelong imprint on me.

I have always enjoyed being in the mountains. And today I understand a little more why.

Thank you Alberta, I will always remember you. May you be with me, whenever I need you.

They are going to be OK

The National Alopecia Areata Foundation says that there is more than a 90% chance you will not pass alopecia on to your child. What a relief!

I have to admit, that I am constantly looking for signs of balding whilst brushing my daughters' hair.
If there is more hair in the hairbrush, or on the floor than what I deem normal, I get nervous. I offer to brush their hair once more, with the motive of checking for thinning or bald spots.

It is one thing having no hair yourself, but for your kids, to me that seems like it would be unbearable. I do know, that we would make it work and find solutions, but really this would be a tough one. 

Personally, I was 30 when I started to lose my hair. I had gotten through school and had my first dates. I had even been married for a few years. So in many ways, I had it easy when I got alopecia.  But a child at school, I am not sure how I would cope with that.

Yet a few weeks ago, when chatting to a lovely colleague, she told me her son at a very young age, lost all his hair. She showed me, proudly, a photo of him. I have to say, he was gorgeous. All I saw was his beautiful eyes. His cute little smile. I hardly noticed the fact that he had no hair. All I could see, was a handsome little boy, with a radiance around him.  In fact, he looked like he was meant to be that way. He was just, quite simply, perfect.

So when I read these statistics, I felt better about the genetics of alopecia. However, it also made me realize, that I do carry a burden with me, a burden of me passing alopecia on to my girls.  Up until this point, I had not been aware that I been stressing about this, albeit quietly.

So now that I have this awareness and these statistics, I will make a conscious effort to stop this obsession and realize that the chances are on our side. Even if my girls do inherit this condition, I am safe in the knowledge that their inner and outer beauty will be enough to carry them through.

Just like my colleagues beautiful little boy.