Oct 23rd

She said yes.  *smile*

Ace.  *grin*

Let the crazy journey begin!

 

A lazy morning this morning, then yoga, then breakfast out.

The sun and sky and air temperature was glorious.  One of those mornings where you just stand still, face upturned to the sun, eyes closed, drinking in the smells, the warmth, the sounds, the joy that is absolutely palpable in the atmosphere.  Gorgeous weather brings out the gorgeous in everyone.  It's a pleasure to be surrounded by people in this kind of energy.

Feeling less and less like an imposter with this name.

Yogi teacher number two introduced to the new name.  It rolled off her tongue as she was correcting my Dandayamana-Bibhaktapada-Paschimotthanasana (Standing Separate Leg Stretching Pose).  Even though I was in shitty-arse pain, I smiled.  It felt nice (hearing the name, not stretching in the posture - the posture sucked).  I've been receiving all sorts of reactions - 100% positive, which has actually surprised me!  I mean, I know people generally are too polite to come right out and say any negative thoughts they may be thinking.  But when you tell someone in person, they have no place to hide their initial reaction - and they've been so embracing.  Sign of the times we live in - or the people I hang out with...?  

 

Reactions are essentially moot anyway.  They will not impact me either way.  And I know any reaction anyone has, negative particularly, is not about me.  It's 100% about them and them trying to find a way to fit this idea into their own reality.  It's generally quite a foreign concept to most and it can be a little threatening.  A name is an identity.  Changing that is paramount to changing your identity.  There is also the link in to lineage.  Some feel a name change is a snub to your family, your parents, your heritage.  No doubt my own parents will feel that way, too.  And that's okay.  It's not something they would feel comfortable doing themselves.  But no one is asking them to *smile*.  

I am not disassociating myself with my family, or my parents, or my heritage.  Simply finding a name that fits.  As my birth name never really did - not surprising really, considering I didn't choose it myself!  And it was chosen when I was a few moments old, so my personality had hardly had a chance to shine through to influence a choice one way or another *laugh*.  I hear some customs do that - wait until the child is a few months (or years?) old and then allow their personality to dictate their name.  Makes perfect, gorgeous sense to me *smile*.

Grateful for lots of things today.

Lovely lighting for some pics of our beautiful felines prancing and pouncing around in the garden (a rare treat for them!).  A man who's heart is so huge and who's spirit is so generous, that he opens his home and his life to two new souls (actually four, if you count the cat and budgie *laugh*), without so much as a flinch (and still feels this way more than 24 hours later).  And then spends most of the day rearranging bedroom dynamics for the five souls that will soon be under this roof.  Grateful for beautiful warm weather that allows me to shed layers of clothing, liberating my body from the restriction of fabric it rebels against more often than not.

And you?  What are you grateful for this fine, spring Sunday?

August 29th

Grateful for soft, silky bundles of unconditional lovin'.

Grateful for colour, brightness and joy.

Grateful for new friends, good food and excuses to drink too much wine.

Apol for dodgy photo.  Much wine, much hilarity, not much concentration on getting quality pic.

Have you seen these?  I'm focusing on them a lot at the moment.

Grateful for good friends that bring these reminders into my consciousness.

August 2nd

I'm not all that fond of spending more than 10 hours at home by myself.

Even when I'm working, I still like to look up and see someone there.  And having the option of using my vocal chords is always nice, too. (Okay, if I'm honest, I do talk to the cats, the computer, the stupid articles I read on fb from time to time...)

Such is my life on a Monday and Tuesday (and soon to be Wednesday).  They are my work days.  My schedule-nothing-exciting-just-get-your-butt-home-from-yoga-with-no-stops-along-the-way days.  More often than not, I *actually* achieve this, too!

I try my utmost to accept my solitude as constructive time to write - which it is.  And work hard at resisting the urge to seek out human company - wherever that may be (the supermarket is perfect for this), just to break the monotony of my own company.

I mostly do this because the sense of time-wasting that I feel as soon as I get to wherever I chose to go, to break up my day, hangs heavy.  So on the (all the more frequent) days where I maintain my solitude to work, I am grateful for the company of our kittens.

For keeping my feet and lap warm.  For having me in giggles at their outlandish, skittery-skattery antics.  For stretching up on my legs to touch noses with me for a die-it's-so-cute kitten kiss *swoon*.  They are actually quite wonderful company.  So much so I tend to forgive their gnawing on my book spines and sending my papers scattering when they scamper across them in full flight.

So, thank you Tilly, Lily and Jasper.

For your company, your cuddles and your kisses.

July 16th

After a 90 minute session in the hot room this morning, the kittens demonstrate perfectly, the extent of our activity for the remainder of the day.

Grateful for days of downtime.

(Pics posted especially for Fiona ;o)

July 9th

I had a day of alone-ness today, to focus on work.

Well, almost alone :o)

Very grateful for furry company.

Even if they must sit right on top of the reference material in my lap while I glance away for 20 seconds to consult another reference.

So much cute, no?

July 8th

Harmony within the ranks.

It happened today.

Well, it may have happened before today, but today we saw it with our own eyes - AND it happened for a long enough period that we managed to capture it on camera!

First the nuzzle right up close to each other.  Lily was already in my lap and Moo just jumped in, on top of Lily.  Lily just looked at her (I thought she might have wriggled a little bit!  Moo looks heavy!).

Then the getting comfortable... STILL closer to each other in a relaxed state than any of us have ever seen!

Then came the sniff!!!!

THEN THE LICK!!!!!

Moo actually started grooming Lily!  It was such a cool moment.

A few minutes later, Jasper momentarily gave up his screen obsession and perched atop my opposite knee and began pawing Moo, as she cleaned herself.  She ignored him at first, then turned to groom his paw!  He didn't think much of that and kept moving his feet until she got the message.  She resumed cleaning herself and then he then rested his paw actually on her head (I was trying so hard not to jiggle them with my laughter!).  His audacity astounded me!  It didn't last more than five seconds, before she turned and hissed at him.  And fair enough too.  I told him it most likely felt quite oppressive for her and that it best if he didn't try that one again (especially in a house where females outnumber males five to two.

Did you know, that when a cat meets his nose to yours, it's a sign of intimacy and affection?  Kinda the equivalent of a cat kiss.  How sweet is that :o)

Grateful for an olive branch or two amongst our feline furbabes.  We may just have our dream of the four of them sleeping together, yet!

Oh, and our accommodation booking for our getaway in less than four weeks was confirmed today.  *sigh*  Warm, tropical, sandy, salty, sleepy four day goodness.  I feel blissed out just thinking about it...

May 31st

Grateful for little balls of fluff, that bring so much joy.

Welcome home, Matilda, Lily and Jasper! :oD