This is actually a tree on the Queen’s Walk on the south bank of the Thames River in London.

I’m not sure what the tree did to be covered up in this obscene way but there you go…

But I suppose we do that to ourselves, when I think about it!

And strangely enough, my mobile was stolen from my handbag while I was taking this photo…

So when I met with my friend and colleague, Anne, after this she lent me her phone so I could let Elly and Rob know!

Anne and I enjoyed a delightful lunch at the Tate Gallery, then a wander around the exhibition of a Danish painter. Interesting to do this with someone who is so conversant in art as an expression of human-ness:-)

Last night Elly and I met in London’s Victoria Train Station after her work, went a got a tapas dinner @ a Spanish restaurant where the waiters don’t speak much English, bought some fun clothes for Tom and Thea at M&S, then arrived at the amazingly fanciful Apollo Victoria Theatre. I think there were more children than adults but that meant that the audience was more open than usual. and laughed and cheered a lot.

What an amazing musical “Wicked!” is! It takes the 2 witches from the Wizard of Oz and tells their stories from their early 20s, tracing the choices they made to grow and get to where they were in the Wizard of Oz. The 2 leads actors who played the witches were very strong and also good singers. The costumes and props (see the dragon and the curtain that’s a map, for example) were so well done too.

All in all a great night, which we had plenty of time to talk about as we took the train then Elwyn’s car through a traffic jam to get home around the witching hour (aka midnight).

Elwyn came home with very tired eyes today – she’d had a hard day at work and as usual not only pulled everyone together but also got all her own work done too. She wanted to go for a walk around Fleet Pond when she got home, which we did, then went on to the Heron on the Lake for a drink  (Pims for Elly ‘cos it’s summer) and nice dinner in the balmy summer evening light – a special event in UK!

Also I think relieved that I’d finally met Robin AND his Mum…

Today I took the train from Fleet to Waterloo Station, walked along the Queen’s Walk by the Thames where I saw these fish around the lamp post, and met Zena Mitton by the Millenium Bridge (south end). She took me further along the Walk to the refectory at Southwark Cathedral, and we enjoyed 2 cups of tea each while sharing stories of ourselves, our children and life in general.

A delightful way to meet a lovely lady – and I can see a lot of her in Robin.

Slept in this morning, then I took Meggie for a walk so Elly and Robin could sleep in some more. Fortunately she was very well-behaved apart from the doggy doing next to the church door.

Slow chat and brunch (which Robin cooked really nicely). Then off for a walk along another part of the River Dove – Dovedale where the Dovedale Dash happens, which Robin described as we walked. Lovely walk through to little old village of Milldale and back. Robin had a drink from the fresh water spring in a cave, and walked across the river while Elly and I crossed on the stones – Meggie swam to meet him! We were blessed to see not one but TWO of the rare little dipper birds AND a trout!

Icecreams, then drove to Ilam to see the old hall there – now YHA. Lovely building – very open and light.

2 trains from B’rum through Derby I arrived in the small town of Belper. Elly drove up in her blue Astra and drove us to Robin’s parents’ weekender in Ashbourne.

Dog Meg was at the door first of course, then there was Robin, much the same as when we’d met him on iChat. Warm and welcoming:-) Dropped my bags then we walked into Ashbourne to look around. There was a street festival, including some acts from Oz – Mr Spin and Skate Naked (see pic). Had lunch at the Florist Cafe, then back to the house and got ready for a walk from Hartington where we bought some yummy cheese. LONG walk with Meg straining at the lead (see pic) along the River Dove’s Wolfescote Dale and Biggin Dale. Drinks at a lovely old building with a YHA with some of our cheese.

Robin cooked us a beautiful barbecue – even Rob would have been impressed!

Then said good night to this lovely couple:-)

At 1pm today, my train (which would continue on through to Aberdeen) pulled into Birmingham New Street station. I was in Birmingham to meet someone at the Rotary International Convention there. I thought that lots of people were getting off the train but their number was nothing to the queue waiting to climb on board! And what a huge station. This was my first time here and I quickly realised what a huge, dark city it is.

The taxi ride past tiny flats and houses crowded with people of many nationalities, all poor, including many Muslims, showed me the other side of British life only too clearly. Yet the Pakistani taxi driver was very positive. Knowing a number of languages he’d looked at many others and had discovered that the word “taxi” is the same in all languages.

The last taxi driver of the day was from Bangladesh. He was so passionate about finding a better way for his people to be that I gave what help I could with ideas and contacts.

In darkness there is always light…

Not sure why but every time I stay with Judy in Plymouth, we have lunch together at the Royal Western Yacht Club where she’s a member. Today it was a most welcome break from all my family’s troubles to spend some time with this lady who has taught me so much just by being who she is:-)

And this visit I’ve been stunned by how much we are the same, Judy and I.

So it’s given me some valuable lessons in how I can help my disintegrated family of origin to move forward once more.

Today we drove further in deepest darkest Cornwall, after I was up very early to walk from our hotel, along the beach, across the causeway to the St Michael’s Mount, back again, up the main street to our hotel. We enjoyed the rough seas at Lamorna Cove and Judy told me how she and Ruthie walked the Cornwall path here. Then we turned inland to find Rosemerryn which I’d visited some years before. And there was the sign by the road! I knew that the owner at the time I last visited had sold it. Could I dare to ask the new owner if we could see the fogue that nestled in the back yard?

Well, yes I could with Judy’s urging. His name was Rob and he was only too happy to take us and show us. Judy leaned on my shoulders to walk slowly down the slippery, muddy slope into the darkness of this underground chamber that was pitch black. Then Rob came back with a torch and I went down into this womb in the earth from the times when women ruled (ie the pagan times over 5,000 years ago). I shone the torch slowly around the space so Judy could see. It was amazing. The energy was so alive yet at peace. This had been no burial chamber. The main space and the side chamber (see inset pic) were definitely for living!

I’m still in awe that we shared this very special place and that Rob shared it willingly with us.

On the way back to the A30 we found a VERY ancient Celtic cross – more magic!

So now that we’ve had women ruling, then men ruling, we need to learn to all work together for our earth!

Yesterday, as I sat with Judy in her flat, talking of what we could do together in the few days I’m with her in Plymouth, I remembered the Wessex ley line map in the book that I bought Elly at Avesbury – the main line goes from NE to SW along Cornwall, through Glastonbury and ending at St Michael’s Mount off Penzance near Lands End. Judy loved it too so booked a hotel for Tuesday night and 24 hours later we’d spent most of the day driving there through villages with names like Lostwithiel, stopping for a delightful long lunch break at Fowey – see the yacht hiding behind the tree that’s behind Judy.

It was a magical. sparkly, warm day.

From Penzance we walked across the causeway (at low tide!) to St Michael’s Mount and Judy sat by the harbour while I explored. Lovely peaceful energy here:-)

Early dinner at the Godolphin Arms (what a name!) and early to bed!