When the day that lies ahead of me seems impossible to face. When someone else instead of me always seems to know the way (Lovely Day - Bill Withers)

The weekend is here and normally I just live for the weekend, but my mood is still down and I need to get a grip.  Andy and I had a good chat last night about my Nemesis.  Well he was ranting and getting angry (he always does), really angry, I cried (I always do) ............... so here is another day full of opportunities, sparkle and joy!

Saturday:  Spent a great deal of the night watching the news about the tragic events in Paris.  I know I am being naive, but why oh why can't we all just get along?  What has happened in Paris is terrible.  I cannot imagine it, nor do I

want to.  It is only time for London, I know that. But people have to continue to live their lives without fear of what may or may not happen.  If anything were to happen to me whilst living here in London, I was living my life to the full and my time was up. I remember when I first left school I come to work in London. This was the era of the IRA bombing campaign (do the maths, I am 29) and the whole city was on edge. My dear Nan was really angry with me choosing to work in London.  I tried to explain to her that, even then, we are living in dangerous times, but we need to live our lives.  Ironically, some 35 years later (still keep doing the maths, remember I am 29!) here we are again!  Do we ever learn?

Then just to make me feel better, I have a patch of red skin under my left eye which looks as if I have a shiner.  I think it is dry skin so went to bed last night with it covered in cream.  I think I will have to just wear my sunglasses and look mysterious ........ or bloody stupid!  I decided to do neither.  My eye is a lot better but the news and weather is not! Today will be a PJ and duvet day....... because I can.  I could have a Meet Up tonight but it is in Highgate, which for London, is miles away.  Pay day is some 11 days away so I am budgeting and prioritising; I will not be going to the Meet Up and it is OK.

I finally got showered and dressed at 13:50. Vegetables prepared for our pre-Sunday lunch later and I have just kicked back today; because I can.  The weather is suppose to be dry but colder tomorrow, So I will wear my new cape and my black hat (then I wont have to wash my hair!).  It got me thinking

about the good things, and yes there are some, about Winter.  So here we are: candles, winter coats, hats, scarves, boots, jeggings, leggings  parsnips, Brussel sprouts (love them), vegetable Sunday dinners, duvet days, PJs, home-made soup, casseroles, slow cooker, baths, my lovely winter duvet and lazy days.
All that nonsense aside, I am still a sunshine girl at heart. 

Our evening meal was wonderful, a pre-cursor to my Christmas Lunch I think. A lazy evening to a lazy day.  We just sat and watched a film on Netflix.  So a lazy day but hey what the heck!

Sunday:  Terrible nights sleep (again), things on my mind.  Made my way to my meditation group.  I was early, so spent some time sitting in Shoreditch Park, just watching the world go by.  I had some peanuts left in my bag for the squirrels so decided to give them to the birds.  It was like a scene out of The Omen.  I was surrounded by Rooks.  Around forty of them.  I did think, just for one minute, if one of these birds poop on me I am not going to be happy. Especially after the events that evolved the last time I was shit on (well by a bird at least).

Arrived at the Trew Era Cafe and was greeted by a little dog.  One of the women who work there had brought her little dog in:  Poppy.  She was a dear little soul. I spent ages making a fuss of her.  Sat having a talk with the other people there then did our meditation.  I so enjoy this group and that time I spend there.

 There is something just so calming and balancing about it.  Did not stay long as I had to make my way to Haggerston to meet my friend Sarah, who has just returned from 12 weeks in Iceland, the States and Mexico.  Whilst I was waiting for her I took some photos.  London looks so lovely with the Autumn colours.

Met with Sarah and we got on a bus and made our way to Chatsworth Road Market, which is in the East of London, Hackney.  We had a good old natter and it was great to hear about her trip.  It just makes me want to travel more.

 From Chatsworth Road we made our way back over to Shoreditch.  It is funny, out of all the places in London I seem to gravitate to the East.  Typical.  So many 'challenging' memories in Bow and Mile End but that's where I tend to end up.

We got of the bus at Shoreditch High Street and we both fancied (yet again) some mulled wine.  We made our way to Brick Lane Boxpark.  I liked it there.  There were many independent stalls, selling many vintage things and home made crafts and food form all around the world.  We found some Mulled Wine, which I must say, like Avocados, I now enjoy.  There was a demonstration of Japanese food being made and the guy approached us to see if we were interested.  I must admit it did look rather lovely.  We looked at the menus and it was all meat so Sarah says to the guy 'oh she (that is me) is vegetarian'.  Well she may as well have said that I was Attila the Hun!  He just looked at me and walked away.  It was so funny.

We wandered around Brick Lane and made our way over to Old Spitalfields Market which now is, once again, a market selling, craft, handmade items, food and stuff.  Such a beautiful building and such a good example of Victorian

Architecture. It never ceases to amaze me how small London really is.  This market is just a five minute walk from Liverpool Street Station, one of the main trainline routes into the City. The old traditional, mirrored with the corporate, money generating City. Spitalfields used to be, up until 1991 a market for fruit and vegetables but sells many things.  I did see a rather nice dress there, which was quite expensive (for me).  The guy selling it was helpful but pushy and I do not like that.  Also, there was really nowhere to try it

on and if I am spending that sort of money I want to have some privacy whilst I decide if I like it or not.  We shall see.  Once again, like most places in London, there was food everywhere from all around the world.  It is a wonder I am not the size of a market.  Sarah had an amazing looking cookie dough cake, but I am not really a sweet tooth person. She said it was lovely and it certainly looked it.  I have probably put on 4lbs just watching her eat it!

By then we needed a sit down and found a bar and had a drink and just sat chatting away.  We then made our way home and I left Sarah to get the

Overground from Shoreditch High Street and I went home on the bus.  A busy, busy day but a lovely day and it is so good to have her back, albeit only for a few weeks until she goes a wandering again!

Andy and I just chilled in the evening and we started to watch our new box set.  We have now finished Sex and the City and we treated ourselves, on Ebay, to the box set of The West Wing.  Three episodes in and it is as good as it has always been.  We both were tired and went to bed around 22:00.  I fell straight to sleep and slept round until 5:30 but then was wide awake.  But hey, for me that is a brilliant nights sleep.

So a strange weekend.  Sadness, disappointment (yet again), reflection; new memories, friendship and laughter.

As always, with my love x