miramiramazing

Autumn is on its way - it's dark by 9pm.We've come full circle since my friends from Rancho Collapso were here in May. We'd be out there watching the sun set at 8:30, drinking wine and munching on bits of freshly baked bread. Seems like a million years ago now.

Came back from town this afternoon after various errands and activities , famished, Had a bite to eat and then snuggled up in bed for 40 winks and woke up two hours later as the sun was setting.

It's been a long day actually. Started with laundry - loads of sheets and towels after visitors and phone calls in between trips to the laundry room. Found a monthly travel card in the washing machine dated 25 August that had been through a wash and left behind in the washing machine. These things are expensive- over 600 kronor. Put a note up in the hall. I wonder if it is possible to exchange for a new one as I doubt the magnetic strip will work after being laundered

Feel like hibernating .. already. It's too soon. I want more summer and sunshine. *yawns*

Think I'll light a few candles and get the runes out Time to consult the oracles
.

There is a solution to everything. and the thing is to think about what you DO want to dampen the screaming voice of all that you don't want , of all that is wrong, of all that should not be happening , of all that is unfair or unjust. Focus on what you want and desire .. your heart's desires, your soul's desires.

Whatever it is you want, Mira, think about it.

Think and think and think.

And as surely as day follows night, that which you have thought about will be drawn into your life - be it answers, friendships, health, abundance, or love.

It's the law.

The Universe

What I desire most of all today is :

Peace of mind
Energy to do what needs to be done
Well-being
Guidance and support.

When I look at this list and think deeply about it ,peace of mind is already there , sometimes, I have a little energy obviously , otherwise I would not be posting this and here and now I feel a warm cosy feeling of gratitude welling up in me. I do have support and guidance from amazing friends.

My GRATITUDE LIST !

Thank you , dear friend for the phone call around midnight. Bless you . It made such a difference. I love you. I have more clarity now and feel empowered.

I am grateful for the beautiful 'rose blessings' from another friend.

Grateful for my bath , my home, my homemade bread and green tea.

Maclappy of course and my Internet connection.

Facebook and Blogland

Fresh fruit and veggies ; inexpensive and abundant this time of the year.

" When everything changes, change everything" book by Neal Donald Walsch

Virgin olive oil that came in an attractive tin that will probably be home to a new plant or herb. Thyme perhaps

My gratitude list is endless really.
For these and all my blessings I am truly grateful.
Thank you Universe ... I welcome all gifts and blessings to come.

xxxx

I've not seen the new moon yet this month, have you ? It's nearly full too.

	The Moon is Increasing in Light The next phase will be Full Moon at 6:04 pm Sep, 4 2009
An auspicious time for affairs and businesses which are at an expansive stage of development, as well as for new beginnings. A growth phase: stimulate the growth of plants which bear fruit above the earth now, and cut hair to accelerate its growth.

I have been researching MSG , monosodium glutamate , a so called " food enhancer " which makes food taste wonderful and makes you crave more of the same , but which is actually harmful to your body.

Now I make most of my food from scratch , but it still includes spices , such as mixed pepper , veggie stock cubes etc and since starting to read ingredients labels (often in the tiniest of print) , I have discovered that MSG is in the most 'innocent' of flavourings MSG IS EVERYWHERE !

So WHY , if it is harmful to health is MSG added in vast amounts to processed foods ?

It is because large profit-driven food companies have found that manufactured free glutamic acid, in the form of monosodium glutamate (MSG), hydrolyzed vegetable proteins, etc., etc., when added to our processed foods, masks off flavours and makes the blandest and cheapest foods taste wonderful.

Since free glutamic acid is cheap and since its neurotoxic nerve stimulation enhances so wonderfully the flavour of basically bland and tasteless foods, manufacturers are eager to go on using it and do NOT want the public to realize any of the problems.

In Japan, kombu and other seaweeds have been added to foods to enhance flavour for thousands of years . In 1908 a Japanese scientist discovered that the active ingredient in kombu is glutamic acid and then the use of its sodium salt, monosodium glutamate, began in Japan. During the Second World War American quartermasters realized that Japanese army rations tasted great. Following the war, they introduced monosodium glutamate, the flavour enhancing ingredient in the Japanese rations, to the food industry; and the world-wide use of processed free glutamic acid began to explode.

EXCLUDING msg from your diet can actual heal you, as I read in Emjae's inspiring blog :

evidence of healing

Emjae has been a Health Researcher for over 25 years. Although she was educated in healthy diet and lifestyle, in 1996, she was challenged to overcome her own state of illness that seemed to have came upon her almost overnight. Within a 10 year period she went from constant 24 hour pain -- from her jaws all the way down to her toes -- to being better than about 95% pain free.

From now on , I am taking my magnifying glass along with me everytime I go food shopping.

Rant warning.

WHY is it so difficult to get replacements and spare parts ???

I've run all over town trying to get philips jordan brush heads for my electric toothbrush. They all seem to stock nothing but Oral B.

Now a couple of years ago , I stocked up anticipating this , but now my supplies have run out.

I shall SCREAM if this means buying a new electric toothbrush as apart from the brushheads the battery and brush is fine !

What a waste if I have to chuck two brushes away .... NOT an environmentally friendly solution now , is it ???

Same thing applies to biros and other pens. Ridiculous , isn't it ?

grrrrrrrr

Altogether now , for Esspee and us all .....

Just remember that you're standing on a planet that's evolving
And revolving at nine hundred miles an hour,
That's orbiting at nineteen miles a second, so it's reckoned,
A sun that is the source of all our power.
The sun and you and me and all the stars that we can see
Are moving at a million miles a day
In an outer spiral arm, at forty thousand miles an hour,
Of the galaxy we call the 'Milky Way'.
Our galaxy itself contains a hundred billion stars.
It's a hundred thousand light years side to side.
It bulges in the middle, sixteen thousand light years thick,
But out by us, it's just three thousand light years wide.
We're thirty thousand light years from galactic central point.
We go 'round every two hundred million years,
And our galaxy is only one of millions of billions
In this amazing and expanding universe.

The universe itself keeps on expanding and expanding
In all of the directions it can whizz
As fast as it can go, at the speed of light, you know,
Twelve million miles a minute, and that's the fastest speed there is.
So remember, when you're feeling very small and insecure,
How amazingly unlikely is your birth,
And pray that there's intelligent life somewhere up in space,
'Cause there's bugger all down here on Earth.

Painting  by Susan Seddon Boulet

"I offer you peace
I offer you love.
I offer you friendship
I see your beauty
I hear your need
I feel your feelings
My wisdom flows from the Highest Source
I salute that source in you.
Let us work together for unity and love."

Gandhi 's prayer for peace.

Breakfast first sitting over; two campers have ventured out in the rain to go about their business and I've had a soak in the tub Two hours till I have to leave and need to prepare a little for a very important meeting with MrH. Need to collect papers together and be organised.

It's raining aa LOT .. my hair is extra curly today .. and that's nice too.

Catch you later have a good one ! xx

Just deleted a post that Maclappy sent off his eagerness as " morningb " and blogland editor shaking finger and saying " yez forgotten to add tags " naughty naughty

So .. here I am writing to you from my cosy corner in Miraland kitchen

House guest left almost an hour ago for the airport, bless, grabbing a banana and apple to munch on the way. I vaguely remember him returning around 3 a.m. Cross Atlantic flight can't be too much fun on just a few hours kip, eh ? ah well .. all part of the adventure.

Think I'll get uo and have breakfast with my remaining two campers ...tata for now

" will you be alright, mum ?" the Prof keeps asking me. " of course ....I'll be fine I'm looking forward to this." And I mean it.

I am not being a martyr. I love crazy adventures... it's a bit like being allowed to pitch the tent in the back yard and sleep there

I'm sleeping on a couple of mattresses in the kitchen tonight. The Prof and Johanna are in my room and Greg, my house guest, in the living room.

The Prof , Greg , Rami and I all had dinner together this evening , Johanna joined us later and afterwards we sat in the middle room chatting and drinking tea before the lads nipped out for a final drink and other farewell rituals.

Greg is leaving tomorrow, and the Prof and Johanna will be staying another night while the floors get done in their flat.

I like this. It's like being a student again.
Mac Lappy and I are enjoying ourselves
Night night from us all in Miraland xx

"The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be kindled."

--  Plutarch

fascinating , innit ?
I 'KNOW' this stuff but don't understand it . Trying to understand it makes my brain hurt. Methinks I am happy with The Mystery.

What do you make of this ?

!

What is intimacy , anyway ?

Intimacy means more than sex. For me it is about the connection of souls.

It is the true union of two beings; heart to heart , soul to soul and has surprisingly little to do with that which is physical.

Intimacy means 'profoundly within' The word " intimacy " comes from the latin 'inter' meaning within. The open sharing of your innards .. innermost hopes, wishes , desires, thoughts, secrets ?

Horizontal sharings; talking to someone while lying down, stretched out on the sofa , floor, grass, sand ....

People can be engaged intimately , each sitting quietly reading a book, or watching a sunset, or chopping veggies for a salad.

Being together ; sharing the same space, breathing the same air , tuning in to thought waves, and each other's vibes.

The soul selects her own society-
Then - shuts the Door -
To her divine Majority-
Present no more-

Unmoved - she notes the Chariot's-  pausing-
At her low Gate-
Unmoved- an emperor be kneeling
Upon he Mat -

I've known her -  from an ample nation -
Choose One -
Then - close the Valves of her attention -
Like  Stone -

 

--Emily Dickinson

What happened to the annoying bluebottle buzzing around my bed at shuteye time?
There was much futile swatting and whifting around with a newspaper I can tell you -
Still .. this morning ... nowhere to be seen.

*fears she might have swallowed it or summat while snoring away *

Monday morning and I've been up for a few hours already, morning rituals and reading of posts , commenting reflecting, laughing out loud

....tuba playing
....wabbits
....packed thongs

Merry wheeze !

Time to seriously get on with the day ...
... or not .

Jocelyn B Smith has joined me this morning and I'm instantly transported to Greece. I 'd love to be there now for some island hopping or simply sit in a taverna with wine tsaziki and calamares , savour , enjoy and watch the world go by

Composer: Mikis Theodorakis / Lyrics: Iakovos Kampanellis. Part of a concert held in the ancient theater of Delphi (June, 2001), on the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the United Nations H...

Coming home on the number 4 bus around midnight is fascinating. All kinds of interesting people.

What caught my attention to night was a guy in his 30s flanked by two pretty long legged girls. He was clean shaven apart from a goaty beard,with serveral piercings in nose and chin and his ears ... well... I've not seen anything quite like it before.His earlobes were stretched and hung down in loops about 5cm long and there was a heavy ring in each loop , about the size of a 10p piece.

Well .... I was transfixed. Nearly got my camera out , but didn't dare. Pity that. Night night xxx

Psssst .. they looked like this

http://honestinfomercialreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/earlobe_reconstruction.jpg

Woke up just before noon feeling great Happy. I'm still in the happy place. Great feeling.

Splashed water on my face climbed into jeans and t-shirt , wrapped shawl around shoulders and nipped out to get a few things for breakfast while MrG , house guest, was in the bathroom. Sharing a bathroom is the only tricky thing when sharing your space with someone. A little planning required.

By the time I got back , I had the place to myself again. Put Indian music on loud - "Cheb I Sebbah- Devotion " sang and belly- danced the way you do when you know nobody is watching and then made breakfast eggs, tomatoes, bread and coffee.

I have found that my CD player from the 80s works if I start on track 2- for some reason , it complains and gets stuck on track 1.

I am so happy to have music again. Read my tippsy stream of consciousness writing from yesterday and must say - NO REGRETS. What was written still applies today. Great when that happens. I can still sign my name under that piece.

Happy Saturday as you work laugh and play xxx

Writing to you from a very comfy and cosy place...
my white sofa in the middle room ...
surrounded by candles
have just finished a plate of smoked salmon and cream cheese sandwiches and onto my second large G&T,,,,,
Third Leonard cohen CD ....
I am in a place of BLISS

I've lived too long on my knees ... he is singing in his velvety voice
What more does one need ?
Apart from a real life Leonard or something like this

I shall read this in the morning and it won't make sense at all
but right now , every word , every sound is profound and full of deepest meaning

" I am cured and my heart is at ease "

*sighs*

Stream of consciousness or unconsciousness blogging
has to be done sometimes

Ah .. friend .. don't matter if you are a man or a woman .. if you are in love with somebody .. these are the words you need to say .. listen carefully

I'll be loving you .. with a love that is true ALWAYS !!

ALWAYS !!

Here's a new moon  ritual for you to try that has been handed down through so many people that its origin is unknown but is claimed to be very powerful.

You don't have to believe in it for it it to work either . Just do it and see what happens.You will be amazed at the results, as you will see increased abundance in your life, in some area of your life ; itis not always financial, but certainly in an area that you need.

Abundance cheques are a tool we can use to create more abundance in our lives.
They are written within 24 hours after a New Moon.

There is a traditional manner, which has been handed down, that must be followed. If you do not have a cheque book you can draw a check on a piece of paper and fill in the same way - the results will be the same, more abundance for you.

Method

1.) Within 24 hours after a New Moon, take a cheque and where it says "Pay " write your name.

2.) In the little box where you would fill in the amount write "Paid in full."

3.) On the line where you would write the amount in words write "Paid in full."

4.) Sign the cheque: "The Law of Abundance"

Do not put a date on the cheque.
Do not write a specific amount on the cheque.
Put it in a safe place and forget about it. The Universe will take it from there.

Many people are skeptical about trying this until they do it. After the first time they realise the power of these cheques and do them routinely every month! Try it yourself and see!

If you enjoy this ritual, do it for the next three New Moons and see what happens.

So far , I've only had small amounts pouring in , but bog or small , most welcome and after all , this is only the second cheque I have written in this way.

Do let us know how you get on

These are hilarious .. well at least I think so. Thank you , Ruth hehehehe

How Fights Start

My wife sat down on the settee next to me as I was flipping channels. She asked, 'What's on TV?'

I said, 'Dust.'

And then the fight started...

**********

My wife and I were watching "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire" while we were in bed. I turned to her and said, "Do you want to have sex?"

"No," she answered.

I then said, "Is that your final answer?"

She didn't even look at me this time, simply saying, "Yes.."

So I said, "Then I'd like to phone a friend."

And then the fight started....

**********

Saturday morning I got up early, quietly dressed, made my lunch, and slipped quietly into the garage. I hooked up the boat up to the van, and proceeded to back out into a torrential downpour. The wind was blowing 50 mph, so I pulled back into the garage, turned on the radio, and discovered that the weather would be bad all day.

I went back into the house, quietly undressed, and slipped back into bed. I cuddled up to my wife's back, now with a different anticipation, and whispered, "The weather out there is terrible."

My loving wife of 5 years replied, "Can you believe my stupid husband is out fishing in that?"

And that's how the fight started...

**********

I rear-ended a car this morning. So, there we were alongside the road and slowly the other driver got out of his car. You know how sometimes you just get soooo stressed and little things just seem funny? Yeah, well I couldn't believe it.... He was a DWARF!!! He stormed over to my car, looked up at me, and shouted, "I AM NOT HAPPY!!!"

So, I looked down at him and said, "Well, then which one are you?"

And then the fight started.....

*********

My wife was hinting about what she wanted for our upcoming anniversary. She said, 'I want something shiny that goes from 0 to 150 in about 3 seconds.'

I bought her a bathroom scale.

And then the fight started....

**********

When I got home last night, my wife demanded that I take her some place expensive.... so, I took her to a petrol station.

And then the fight started...

**********

After retiring, I went to the Social Security office to apply for Social Security.. The woman behind the counter asked me for my driver's License to verify my age.. I looked in my pockets and realized I had left my wallet at home. I told the woman that I was very sorry, but I would have to go home and come back later.

The woman said, 'Unbutton your shirt'. So I opened my shirt revealing my curly silver hair. She said, 'That silver hair on your chest is proof enough for me' and she processed my Social Security application.

When I got home, I excitedly told my wife about my experience at the Social Security office.

She said, 'You should have dropped your pants. You might have gotten disability, too.'

And then the fight started...

**********

My wife and I were sitting at a table at my school reunion, and I kept staring at a drunken lady swigging her drink as she sat alone at a nearby table.

My wife asked, 'Do you know her?'

'Yes,' I sighed, 'She's my old girlfriend. I understand she took to drinking right after we split up those many years ago, and I hear she hasn't been sober since..'

'My God!' says my wife, 'who would think a person could go on celebrating that long?'

And then the fight started...

**********

I took my wife to a restaurant. The waiter, for some reason took my order first. "I'll have the steak, medium rare, please."

He said, "Aren't you worried about the mad cow?""

Nah, she can order for herself."

And then the fight started....

**********

A woman was standing nude, looking in the bedroom mirror. She was not happy with what she saw and said to her husband, "I feel horrible; I look old, fat and ugly. I really need you to pay me a compliment.'

The husband replied, 'Your eyesight's damn near perfect.'

And then the fight started.....

My friend Lena , bakes delicious bread from scratch called Levain bread. It's a long and arduous process, requiring patience, tolerance , discipline and scales for exact measurements. I do not have scales. Never used them. Refuse obstinately to get scales.So,according to Lena , I am doomed before I start, but stubborn as I am , I shall succeed without scales and do it my way ... or not bother.

Now .. Levain is not the same as sour dough my understanding is that Levain starter is made from water , raisins and a drop of honey which is and shaken now and then for a few days.

Sour dough , is flour + water which is left and " refreshed " every day or every other day for a number of days.

Now a few of my friends including the Prof are doing this. Have any of you tried this ? Do share

Woke up with cramp in my left leg .. ai ai ai .....
Baked bread.. two loaves

Watched a bit of "Heartbeat" series from the 60s

Wrote 3 Pages

Dream ... *consults scribbles in note book by bed *

" a murder .. I am with someone who bumps a few people off in cold blood. I return to the scene of the crime later and the feeling of horror.. no ... more like shudders .... witnessing this on return to scene of crime ".

My therapist will love this when I tell him next week. First session after the summer break.

Today's message from NDW about OBSTACLES really resonates:

....that obstacles are not opposing you, but merely and

gently re-routing you.

It is important not to view that which stands in your

way as your 'enemy.' It can often be your best friend,

sending you on a detour that takes you around what

could have been your biggest stumbling block.

Send a word of gratitude, then, for anything that seems

to be 'opposing' you now. All things in life happen for

good. Trust God about that.

Quite a good Friday so far How is your day unfolding ?

xxx

Amazing - makes you feel incredibly small in the greater of things

First off ..

Repairmen cameth ( two of em ) One unscrewed the offending broken catch t and replaced it with a new fixture, while t'other looked on , assuring him that is was indeed the right way round

Mr G , my house guest , was nowhere to be seen. Think I remember him returning home last night , not sure , as I was well and truly on my way to dreamland by then. No sign of him this morning. In fact , I woke up 10 minutes before afore mentioned repairmen were ringing the door bell.

I was still trying to remember my dream when they arrived. Something about the Indian Kaftan
that I wore when I was pregnant with the Prof .I was describing it to someone. Basically a huge square piece of soft Indian cotton folded down the middle, a seam on either side and a hole for the head with a beautiful blue print down the front. Very roomy it was. I used to live in it towards the end of my pregnancy and also afterwards. I still have it , thread bare and patched up at the top Bless.

Anyway , in the dream Anna-Stina comes to visit and sits on a red sofa.The cushions have moved and the bottom mattress has slid away so I am arranging it , fluffing up cushions and noticing the dust. I'm only staying for half an hour, she says.

That's all I remember.

So this is where I am two hours later , still at my 'puter and between blogland and facebook .Going out now though much love coming your way xxx

Twigs
(excerpt)
And so
it has taken me
all of sixty years
to understand
that water is the finest drink,
and bread the most delicious food,
and that art is worthless
unless it plants
a measure of splendor in people's hearts.

~ Taha Muhammad Ali ~

(So What: New and Selected Poems, 1971-2005,
translated by Peter Cole, Yahya Hijazi, and Gabriel Levin)

Web version: www.panhala. net/Archive/ Twigs.html

Lots to look at while having your hair shampooed.This was my second visit and probably my last , as Alex, the hairdresser is opening her own salon on Heleneborgsgatan which is a few stops on the bus from here. Typical. I really enjoyed coming here, practically next door to me .

Being philosophical about windows flying open

Repairman has not " heard of himself " yet as they say here in Sweden...pfffft. Books are keeping the window closed. ( what does that mean ?)

Apart from calling , I have sent him an email illustrating the problem in pictures ;-)
( see above )

I wonder what this means , symbolically ?
The catch is broken ... window flies open .. a window of opportunity ..... and I try to close it with books ? LOL

My weird dreams continue. Last night I was making a HUGE pot of carrot soup and the dream the night before resembled a funny b- movie with Eddie Murphy as a healer .In other news :

Popping next door to get my hair cut . Moon is waning which means hair will grow slowly . Brilliant :-)

“You were born with wings. Why prefer to crawl through life?”

-- Rumi

HAPPY BIRTHDAY , Alexandra ( Amaletska )
from me and the lovely socks you made specially to match my painting.
Love love love and best wishes from us both.

xxx

Leggings and amaleska socks in an attempt to thwart the mozzies.

Are you hammock experienced ? 

Happy Birthday Mon !

Did you know this
?

Have a wonderful day
Lots of Love
xxx

Left home clutching the bit of paper with directions , times of train and bus numbers, only I'd written down the wrong bus number and ended up in Norrtälje , which is about 30 kilometres from where I was supposed to be.

Bus numbers and directions were given me over the phone and mistake was made because " seven- six" sounds very much like " 26" in Swedish.

Ah well ... my friends came to pick me up and a good half hour's wait and then another half hour later we finally got to our destination and had a great time out at their new house in the country.

The journey back was uneventful. I've had a bath and now ready for some shuteye. Night night .. maybe pics and details tomorrow

XX

My hermit life has become hectic
Not only are there chats with lodger throughout the day, but also extra socialising.

Wonderful dinner last night with Kjell, Pether, Anti, Erik and Lotta at K&P's summer residence / allotment.

Crayfish quiche with dill to start with , followed by stuffed salmon rolls in an amazing sauce, and veggies fresh from the garden.. wine flowing .......

Now off to Åkersberga , to visit friends in their new home

The catch on my bedroon window has broken off so I can't shut it bit of a worry since there it is quite windy.

Ok ... off again ... will touch base again at some point

hugs and kisses , friends xxx

t' man is out jogging while I am here catching up with emails and blogland.

Dinner with Gunilla was great with lots of heart to heart soul to soul sharing.

G. is staying at a friend's flat as he own flat is rented out for the month in order to bring in very necessary funds. Long story. Won't go into the details. G. has also taken on an extra job working in an old people's nursing home , which is really taking it's toll on her physically.

Ok .. more later ... got to go out now .. ttfn gave a good saturday

Yes .. all is well. Greg arrived later this morning , safe and sound, two big cases, and a tad jet-lagged and zombie - like.

First impressions of Stockholm so far :

1. Euro-Seattle, even lots of frumpy coffee shop types 2. Awesome sea breeze and 70 degree sun. 3. Volvo, Saab, Saab, Volvo and some German cars on the roads. 4. You could probably get by in this country with just German 5. The price of everything is just ridiculous. 6. I wish I would have brought a shirt that said "CIA" on it.

Mira's first impressions of Greg:

He's all right. Funny. Houstrained. Polite. Makes artistic sandwiches. Likes veggies. Reminds me a bit of that guy in K-Pax Nice guy.

Rami came round to pick him up and the two lads went off to find goings on in Kungsträdgården , while I am off out to dinner at Gunilla's.

TTFN .. will post more news as news occurs

xxx

Funny Quote of the Day - Pablo Picasso -

"Computers are useless. They can only give you answers."

Mornin' all

there is a chill in the air
I've been leaving windows open all night...'
.. not anymore

Seems like autumn is in the air

darker nights too

Listening to Cheb i sabbah " Devotion" while writing this. It is deeeeevine

Keep getting sidetracked responding to comments and messages, but it is all good.

Morning pages written, time for a lovely warm bath before my elusive house guest arrives... maybe ?

See you later
Happy Friday's all round xxx

Well, Rami called 5 minutes ago and I received this email from my house guest, Gary :

Sorry, I am leaving today and will arrive at 745 am on friday. I got a little anxious and upped the date one day. I'm definitely looking forward to meeting you and Rami and can't thank you enough for your hospitality.

So now we know
Thank you for your attention in this matter

X

Waiting for my house guest to arrive from New York.
He was supposed to arrive at 07:45 a.m. this morning and it is now 12:36 p.m. and no news whatsoever

I have no flight numbers,so I can't phone to see if his flight was delayed, but he has my contact numbers and directions of how to get here.

I hate waiting and not knowing

Perhaps I should just go about my day as I would if I wasn't waiting .... eh ?

I dreamed of Leonard Cohen last night.

*smiles*
It was a good dream.
I got his autograph and we chatted a while. He'd written a story for a child who was there with us.

Funny, I am feeling a surge of love welling up inside me ....... a joyous feeling .. as I write this.

I wonder if I was in his dream too.
Could have been.
It is not impossible.
He could have dreamed of me and the child and could be reflecting on this dream right now.
We will never know.. unless of course , one day we meet, I get his autograph and he says: 

" hang on a minute .. I remember you .. I met you in my dream " .

Stranger things have happened at sea.

Leonard.. if you are reading this , do let me know. Ta !

I love my nightly astral visits.

Did you dream last night ?

India moves to protect traditional medicines from foreign patents
India fights to protect ancient treatments from western pharmaceutical companies

In the first step by a developing country to stop multinational companies patenting traditional remedies from local plants and animals, the Indian government has effectively licensed 200,000 local treatments as "public property" free for anyone to use but no one to sell as a "brand".

Bless India . May they be successful.

... apart from weird dream again last night. The main character was a morph of one of the The Prof's babysitters Yvonne, but in the dream she lived at Agneta's house , another babysitter who later morphed into my friend Monica, who dragged me along the the Qi gong course a couple of weeks ago. I suspect it is a message about healing my inner child of something.

Heard from Monica that her one week intensive week course was amazing. She'd received a healing treatment from the leader of the course, Gunnar , and is now able to sit in a lotus position , something she had not been able to do since she was 16....but have I told you that already?

My short term memory is not good. This is one of the reasons why I blog, so that I can remember what I have been up to.

Why is it that horrible things that happen are easier to remember than joyful moments ?

If I ask myself to remember a happy moment , my computer brain flicks through the pages of my memory book , holds the page up and asks " what about this one ?". ( I'm thinking of one right now, a really happy moment , and it is to do with blogland ) I wonder if you can read my mind and tell me what it is / was.

Ok , best tend to the bread dough in the kitchen and get Mr Volta to vacuum the place. I have a new house guest arriving tomorrow from the USA - a friend of a friend who needs a place to stay for a week. He wil be staying in the front room , unlike MrTheFish, my last visitor , who stayed in the middle room.

I wonder if he will need feeding twice a day ?

Toodle loo

Lit the perfume burner and the flame was huge . The thing  burned so fiercely that it muts have produced smoke that set off the fire alarm.

I got scared,covered it with a big pot to suffocated the flames and fortunately was able to extinguish the flames and soon the alarm went off.

Phew !

Scary stuff.

The sound of the fire alarm scared the living daylights out of me !
Anyway , at least now I know that the alarm works . I won't be lighting josticks anytime soon .

Good one, Mike Dooley akka The Universe

Yes, Mira, you can have whatever you want. ANYTHING you can imagine. You name it. It's yours. Done deal. Zip, zap. Bing, bong. Ka-pow.

Oh, but you have to go get it. K?

I'll help,
The Universe

World Tour III - Coming to a city near you!
Thoughts become things... choose the good ones! ®
© www.tut.com ®

Mira, we're a team. I'll do the hard parts, but you gotta get us started. Schwing, baby.

*chuckles*
Right now.. off to do the laundry ... TTFN possoms xx

Kahlil Gibran on Love

When love beckons to you, follow him,
Though his ways are hard and steep.
And when his wings enfold you yield to him,
Though the sword hidden among his pinions may wound you.
And when he speaks to you believe in him,
Though his voice may shatter your dreams
as the north wind lays waste the garden.

For even as love crowns you so shall he crucify you. Even as he is for your growth so is he for your pruning.
Even as he ascends to your height and caresses your tenderest branches that quiver in the sun,
So shall he descend to your roots and shake them in their clinging to the earth.

Like sheaves of corn he gathers you unto himself.
He threshes you to make you naked.
He sifts you to free you from your husks.
He grinds you to whiteness.
He kneads you until you are pliant;
And then he assigns you to his sacred fire, that you may become sacred bread for God's sacred feast.

All these things shall love do unto you that you may know the secrets of your heart, and in that knowledge become a fragment of Life's heart.

But if in your fear you would seek only love's peace and love's pleasure,
Then it is better for you that you cover your nakedness and pass out of love's threshing-floor,
Into the seasonless world where you shall laugh, but not all of your laughter, and weep, but not all of your tears.
Love gives naught but itself and takes naught but from itself.
Love possesses not nor would it be possessed;
For love is sufficient unto love.

When you love you should not say, "God is in my heart," but rather, "I am in the heart of God."
And think not you can direct the course of love, for love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course.

Love has no other desire but to fulfill itself.
But if you love and must needs have desires, let these be your desires:
To melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night.
To know the pain of too much tenderness.
To be wounded by your own understanding of love;
And to bleed willingly and joyfully.
To wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving;
To rest at the noon hour and meditate love's ecstasy;
To return home at eventide with gratitude;
And then to sleep with a prayer for the beloved in your heart and a song of praise upon your lips.

Just missed the bus this morning and power-walked two bus stops to the train station and arrived at the same time as my train.

YES !

I don't like being late for appointments, but this time I needn't have worried, as my acupuncturist was running behind schedule.

"I can't give you another appointment because I am leaving for Switzerland on Saturday and don't know when I will be back. " She tells me all in one breath, " My sister is dying of cancer ... I can't sleep or think of anything else "

It felt like a confession. She obviously needed to get that off her chest, poor thing. For the next few minutes , I lay there like a pin cushion, needles everywhere, and mentally sent healing to this situation and to her sister until a voice in me reminded me: " This is your time now. Relax and enjoy the healing. " Righty-o , and so I did; snored and fell asleep for the next thirty minutes or so.

Dropped in to see A-S on the way home. She'd been attempting a clear out and not getting very far. I know the feeling. Overwhelm. Too much to do. Trick is to just take one cupboard or corner at a time and move the unwanted stuff out. We drank tea and chatted for a while and then I moved on.

At home and ravenously hungry, made a batch of basic curry sauce, setting a portion aside to freeze and use later and mixing the other one with chick peas. Yum !

Met Marie Louise on the bus on her way to see Gun . Haven't seen either of them for ages.

Nipped in to the hairdresser's on the way home and made an appointment for 19 August.

That's it .... time for a power snooze .....

This arrived in the mail just now from Ruth via Mike in Vancouver. A bit long, but worth a read Have a fabulous Monday

Snakes also known as Garter Snakes (Thamnophissirtalis) can be dangerous.

Yes, grass snakes, not rattlesnakes. Here's why.

A couple in Southern Ontario had many potted plants. During a recent cold spell, the wife was bringing a lot of them indoors to protect them from a possible freeze. It turned out that a little green garden grass snake was hidden in one of the plants. When it had warmed up it slithered out and the wife saw it go under the sofa. She let out a very loud scream.

The husband (who was taking a shower) ran out into the living room - naked - to see what the problem was. She told him there was a snake under the sofa. He got down on the floor on his hands and knees to look for it. About that time the family dog came and cold-nosed him on the behind. He thought the snake had bitten him, screamed, and fell over on the floor.

His wife thought he had had a heart attack, so she covered him up, told him to lie still, and called an ambulance. The attendants rushed in, would not listen to his protests, loaded him on the stretcher, and started carrying him out. About that time, the snake came out from under the sofa and the Emergency Medical Technician saw it and dropped his end of the stretcher. That's when the man broke his leg and why he is still in the hospital.

The wife still had the problem of the snake in the house, so she called on a neighbor who volunteered to capture the snake. He armed himself with a rolled-up newspaper and began poking under the couch. Soon he decided it was gone and told the woman, who sat down on the sofa in relief. But while relaxing, her hand dangled in between the cushions, where she felt the snake wriggling around. She screamed and fainted, and the snake rushed back under the sofa.

The neighbor man, seeing her lying there passed out, tried to use CPR to revive her. The neighbor's wife, who had just returned from shopping at the grocery store, saw her husband's mouth on the woman's mouth and slammed her husband in the back of the head with a bag of canned goods, knocking him out and cutting his scalp to a point where it needed stitches.

The noise woke the woman from her dead faint and she saw her neighbor lying on the floor with his wife bending over him, so she assumed that the snake had bitten him. She went to the kitchen and got a small bottle of whiskey, and began pouring it down the man's throat.

By now, the police had arrived.

Breathe here....

They saw the unconscious man, smelled the whiskey, and assumed that a drunken fight had occurred. They were about to arrest them all, when the women tried to explain how it all happened over a little garden snake! The police called an ambulance, which took away the neighbor and his sobbing wife.

Now, the little snake again crawled out from under the sofa and one of the policemen drew his gun and fired at it. He missed the snake and hit the leg of the end table. The table fell over, the lamp on it shattered and, as the bulb broke, it started a fire in the drapes.

The other policeman tried to beat out the flames, and fell through the window into the yard on top of the family dog who, startled, jumped out and raced into the street, where an oncoming car swerved to avoid it and smashed into the parked police car.

Meanwhile, neighbors saw the burning drapes and called in the fire department.

The firemen had started raising the fire ladder when they were halfway down the street. The rising ladder tore out the overhead wires, put out the power, and disconnected the telephones in a ten-square city block area. (But they did get the house fire out.)

Time passed. Both men were discharged from the hospital, the house was repaired, the dog came home, the police acquired a new car and all was right with their world.

A while later the couple were watching TV and the weatherman announced a cold snap for that night. The wife asked her husband if he thought they should bring in their plants for the night.

That's when he shot her.

Just been on the phone to my mum who is having to deal with yet another challenge. The ceiling in her bedroom has caved in and there's plaster and debris all over her bedroom.

Thankfully this happened while she was out and she only discovered the mess when she was going to bed. Apparently due to water damage via the roof and so house insurance will cover repairs which could be a blessing in disguise.

Over 60 years of paying house insurance premiums finally pays off. The only other time they have claimed was when our owl bird table, carved out of Yorkshire stone was stolen 20 years ago as well as the flagstones out of the back yard , would you believe !

*sighs*

Mum is still waiting for her appointment with the specialist. They've managed to lose her papers and are claiming that they never received the referral, which is rubbish , because I was with my mum at the doctors and also phoned to confirm the appointment. WHY is it that they always seem to mess these things up ??? Grrrrrrr. Bless my 84 year old mum.

It takes a lot of courage to phone mum as it seems that every time I phone something is amiss and there is very little I can do help from here.She hardly ever phones me .I should phone more often than I do. My sister D and her husband visit every month and help her with practical things and she does seem to have a network of people looking out for her, thank goodness.Not easy.

I am so grateful that SOMEHOW things always get sorted out in the end

Graffiti of the best kind !

Neighbours Zacharias and Richard were on the balcony when I finally emerged for my walk. They'd been for a walk earlier today and were now chilling on the balcony.

Walked down Hornsgatan to HornstullStrand and from there along the waterfront to Skanstull, stopping to sit for a while in a lovely swing seat overlooking the water.

Saw this bungy jump contraption.

The cage, carrying three people is hoisted up. One gets out and is suspended in a harness or something and then woooosh drops straight down into a safety net that sort of opens to break the fall.

Anyway .... my walk was about 5 kilometres all in all. Got the bus at Skanstull and dashed home to make dinner as by this time I'd worked up quite an appetite. Hot chili prawns with lots of garlic in a thick tomato sauce with a splash of ouzo, would you believe. Glass of chilled red wine; another stroke of genius

Feet up now . Let's see if I can find a good film to watch .

See ya

As I said , I should I could be outdoors enjoying the sunshine , but instead I am finding every excuse to nourish my soul in other ways........

*Chewing the cud*

I had more colourful dreams last night which is not a bad thing, but quite exhausting. I not wake up not refreshed , but more curious and determined to solve the enigmas that lie in my unconscious.

Now , morning pages, breakfast , cup of coffee and several hours later I am awake , alive and kicking ...curious and determined to unravel things.It's great .The detective in me is curiously active

I should be could be outside enjoying this wonderful sunny hot day, but it's as if I can't do this until I have sorted my thoughts out, if you know what I mean.

Some people cannot leave home without first doing the dishes and tidying up, while with me , that is ok. What I find hard to do is to leave home before I have " gathered " myself .. all the parts of me that are flying around.

Grounding, is probably what it is called. Returning to my body after an intensive night of dreams.

I hold the hot bright sun and the powerful silvery enigmatic full moon responsible for this exhausting but inspiring time. I love it !

I have also been listening to many versions of La Paloma . This one is of Eugenia Leon which, without understanding the words moves me passionately. La Paloma - one song for all worlds.

I cometh from facebook where my status statements have been turning into mini blog posts.

I feel mumblings coming on, Bare with me.

Phoned two friends to come over and share a bottle of vino with me , but both are tired or otherwise engaged. So , I've had a wonderful soak in the tub , had chantarelle pasta and and on to my second glass of wine. I have stocked up with food and wine now so , life is good.

Woke up this morning with a thumping headache. I have no idea why. No alcohol yesterday at all. It disappeared an hour and two alvadon tablets later.

I have been dreaming intensively these past few nights. NOt always pleasant dreams either. In one dream , I am in a crowd of people fighting to get to an exit. In another dream, I am doing a reading for a guy and people keep coming into the room and disturbing us. I give him a tape recording of the session and tell him that this will have to do since I am not charging him for the session. He gets ready to leave , but it is pouring with rain, so I give him a shower cap to wear ( ) he is only going next door to number 17.

*pauses to sip wine*

Earlier today I accompanied my son , The Prof, to the place where they issue Identities.( his had expired 2 years ago ) I had to prove that I was me and testify that he was/ still is my beloved son. The girl there took 3 or 4 photos with a special machine until we were all satisfied. I think she quite fancied him

But before he arrived I spent ten minutes chatting to a Tunisian man who also happened to be at the number 47 bus stop. He told me that the man who has just stopped to talk to him was a professor ; Italian , Salvatore Cyotse ( or something like that ) a very learned , well educated man married to a wife who was half his age and kept having face lifts. He went on and on , so in ten minutes I'd heard the noble professore's life story
And then my mobile rang , it was MY son The Prof who happened to be standing just a few feet away and had also been waiting for 10 minutes

Well that's about it ... I'm just about up to date. Did I tell you I stopped on the way back to pick up groceries .... and also to chat briefly to my neighbours on the balcony. The one that looks like Uncle Fester , due to injuries sustained while falling over drunk , one day last week is healing very nicely. Amazing the body's power to heal. The black eye is almost gone and the scar on his forehead is healed

I hope your Friday evening is most joyous and entertaining.
xxx's

Hopefully, Bonny-Moor Creme de Cassis ( Blackcurrant liqueur ) made in Miraland. You are witnessing a historic moment, my friends. The first ever liqueur to be made in Miraland. Wish me luck

This is the start of Bonny-Moor Crème de cassis , made in Miraland from the blackcurrants that I picked at Anna-Stina's cottage in the country.

The blackcurrqants have been washed and allowed to dry throughly. Yesterday, on the day of the full moon, I put them into this glass jar making sure to cover them completely with Vodka.

They are now going to steep for 4-5 months or longer , before the next step , which should be around December or January 2010, when I strain the contents , blitz them and then pass the liquid through muslin, mix with syrup until sweet enough and then pour into a bottle.

Two fabulous hot and sunny days on Lena's island together with my soul sisters.

On arrival... Lena's levain bread, hummus, an amazing salad of chevre cheese, watermelon, rocket, olives and tomatoes washed down with rosé wine,and then  billberry pie with a dolop of home made icecream .

In the evening munchies and a glass of chilled Fragolino. Friagolino is an amazing slightly sparkling Italian wine.... it's  liquid wild strawberries and a divine new experience for me.

Then  a quick lie down in the hammock before dinner
Dinner on the terrace,  consisting of barbeque salmon , marinated in a spicy teriyaki sauce, potatoes and salad.
We watched the full moon rising over the treetops creating a stream of slivery gold on the water and later paid our respects to the goddess by swimming naked in the  silvery  reflection she had so graciously created.

( Full moon skinny dipping is an unforgetable indescribably sensuous experience )

Today was also one of those rare  hot and sunny days , right from the early hours. Stepping out of bed wearing just a towel and walking out of the door, across the grass, idiscretely dropping towel and wading straight into the sea for a morning dip before breakfast.

Back home now, well and truly sunkissed and the moon is once again with me , looking in at me  through the window . Bless !

I did get to see lady moon last

*delight*

Dreamed about angry heated discussions with authorities.They had written me a cheque for 360 which is a pitance of what is due to me. I found myself approaching boiling point rapidly reaching the point of saying things that cannot be unsaid. Deep breaths. " there must be another way , Mira " i hear the voice of wisdom say.Why settle for less when you know you are worth more ?

Perhaps the solution lies here .....

in dream 090804part ll I was being tested to see if I could spot impostor couples from the real ones.

Discerment is key . Discernment in all things- that and casting light of fearful demons. We all have them. One of mine is fearful thoughts about money or rather the lack of it.

Fear is a bugger. I've noticed I have so many hangups when it comes to money ; speaking about it ...asking how much something costs ...haggling.. what is your best offer...etc etc ...so much fear, guilt and shame attached to this subject, isn't there ... and money mongers make full use of it BUT awareness means choice !

I am learning not to control things too much. Currency is meant to flowwwwwwwww. Current. In currents. This implies creative chaos, I think , so that things can get stirred up.Oxygenated. Kali destroys to clear things away so that new seeds can be sown that result in growth. Dynamic , organic growth......unrrestricted expansion....fewer girdles or tightening of belts , less ironing beautiful creases and wrinkles.

OMG there's a heck of a racket outside .. screaming police sirens and cars speeding by on their way to some emergency .. or not.

Sun has set and the moon should be rising in the south , but try as I may, I have not been able to locate the lady. She is elusive.

There's lots of things I should could be doing , but I don't feel like doing anything.

Did the laundry and snored through an acupuncture session; my first after the summer break. Great. I've missed the needles .. or rather their benefits.

Right.. I shall sink into a fragrant bubble bath and then get an early night. It's going to be sunny and warm tomorrow again , I'm told

enjoy your evening !

Found this just now
Typical !!
I could have done with this before became the mossie's dinner 

Mosquito repellents - aan excellent article in care2

think twice about using DEET-based mosquito repellents. DEET, or diethyl-meta-toluamide, as its known in chemistry circles, has recently been linked to brain cell damage.

I shall be exoerimenting with natural mosquito repellents such as :

Citronella

Soy oil

Catnip

NEEM seed oil: or “neem oil” is extracted from a plant that grows in India.
( I've been using neem toothpaste for the past six months and it is absolutely FAB )

Lavender essential oil: smells great and is a commonly used and effective mosquito repellent.

Garlic: eat lots of fresh garlic-mosquitoes can’t stand the stuff.
Good old garlic. Works for vampires tooo ...... and most of your friends too.

Blood sucking vampires
This one is the biggest of 14 bites
ai ai ai !

Two years ago, I stood in this very same spot watching and cheering the Pride Parade not knowing that two years later I would be living here.

I wish I'd had a few friends with me for moral support. It's easier to let go and get into the carnival spirit, but I had fun anyway and connected with a few of the passers by; hugs , hi fives, smiles and waves. Saw one of my friends who was marching with the Gay Police and rushed up to give him hugs and kisses

Anyway , here are a few pics... there's more on Facebook for those of you know me there