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Busy life is a great life
SOMETIMES when I sit down to write this article, I just haven't a clue what to write about. However, this week I am so spoiled for choice that I really don't know where to begin.
I'm going to divide it into three sections and then see if I can find a link. Just at the moment though, I think that the link will be "Life is great" but it might just end up being the weather.
Family: The activities have circled round our three sons, but all for different reasons. The youngest came home to spend a few days with us before his marriage next Saturday. It is such an exciting and busy time, that it has been lovely to spend some quiet time with him.
We have had long suppers, gone for walks and had a memorable day at "The Open" in Carnoustie. More of that later. We have noticed that people have the most amazing propensity to tell us their worst wedding stories.
I can't tell you how often we have heard about bad "best man" speeches, terrible weather and one story of the bride being an hour and half late, so that the next wedding had started before she turned up. For heaven's sake. I have my fingers in my ears. We are going to have a fantastic day and that includes the weather!
Then our No.2 boy phoned to say that the final exam that he had recently sat had been passed, and he is finally free to forge ahead in his medical career.
Some people sail through exams without a backward glance, but this series of exams has been a testament to his determination and toil. Now he can head into the summer with a happy heart. He is best man to both of his brothers, will be piping at both of the weddings and then is heading off to New Zealand for a year, working for another Health Service, and learning other ways of working, whilst enjoying the outdoor life in his spare time.
Keeping weddings in mind, the parents-in-law to be of our eldest son came to visit for the first time. So we pushed the boat out for them, and tried to stay focussed on that wedding, because that was the important one for them. Staying sane is the order of the day!
Golf: as I write this, the final round of "The Open" is just beginning. Normally we would be arm chair viewers for this. BUT, some friends have just given us their tickets for today.
Not just any old ticket, but numbered seats in the stand at the 18th hole, car park passes and entrance into the R&A Tent. How could we say no? We couldn't, so we are wrapping up in full winter gear and heading off soon.
On Thursday we went to the first day of the tournament. We went early at 7.30 and got completely and utterly soaked. It was appalling for the first hour. Then, it cleared up and we dried off. We got ourselves a good camp/viewing point in an exciting stand, and watched the most famous golfers in the world do their best, and worst right in front of us
It is such theatre. We groaned and clapped, and cheered and listened on the radio to what was happening on other parts of the course. You don't really have to be into golf to enjoy this day. There are all sorts of people there from all walks of life.
The huge crowd is knowledgeable and well behaved, with everyone knowing when to be still and when to move. No mobile phones or cameras disturbed the players' concentration, and good humour is the order of the day.
Only a very thin little rope restrains the supporters and everyone seems to be in a really sporting mood. It's fun.
Sunday evening: Just in from the closing stages of the golf. It was so exciting. Our seats were just as fantastic as we had hoped, and the ending was nail-biting as the Irishman and the Spaniard battled it out over an extra four holes.
You couldn't write a more thrilling finish and the sun came out just as the competition finished!
Garden: Everyone who gardens will know that the rain has been the winner in the garden this summer. Everything seems bashed by the endless deluges.
Months ago we were lucky enough to be invited to visit Prince Charles' garden on Deeside as part of Scotland's Gardens Scheme. HRH was not there, but his lovely and down to earth head gardener Caroline Matthias showed us round.
It really was fascinating, as she told us the story of that garden, and lots of interesting anecdotes about life at Birkhall. I'd love to tell all, but I might get my head chopped off if I do, and I need my head for just a few more weeks at least.
The best thing was to discover that the weeds are just as active in that garden as they are in ours, and that every garden no matter how grand is still a work in progress.
In conclusion, the link between these three areas does have to be that a busy life is a great life. Sometimes we just want life to be quiet and then a whole series of things come along, and you just have to make space for them.
They might be great things like the golf, the garden, the weddings and passing exams, or it might be awful things like illness or losing, or appalling weather and floods across middle England. Everything in the end is down to how we respond, rather than the event.
You never ever really know what is about to happen. Just be prepared not to let any of it bowl you over. Then you will always be ahead of the game.
- Jo Middlemiss is a Personal Life Coach. She can be contacted on (01356) 648329.
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Weather for Brechin
Wednesday 08 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 1 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 25 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Light rain
Temperature: 3 C to 4 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: South west
