Long weekend ahead.

Today is both Corpus Christi and Indian Arrival Day... these are public holidays in Trinidad and Tobago so we've got both Thursday and Friday off. 

I've got two limes to attend - one at midday and one later in the evening. The first is with members of the Ashram's Youth Group. They've invited my brother and me to a pizza lime... in celebration of our birthdays and I think also to just hang out with us and make sure we're doing okay. 

This evening the cute guy's cousins are having a lime... I'm invited. I'm... nervous? He's met a lot of my family and is fabulous and gets along well and such... I haven't had that much interaction with his. Um. 

I'm sure all will be well. 

Long day ahead but time spent in the company of friends and family (even if it's not my family) can only be a good thing.

Happy Thursday all!

peace,
Ren

Mother's Day 2011...

"A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials, heavy and sudden, fall upon us when adversity takes the place of prosperity when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine, desert us when troubles thicken around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavour by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts." ~Washington Irving 

Moments in time never turn out quite how you expect them too. My mom and I planned to go to the Ashram this morning for Guru Gita... we didn't.. slept through it and were only awakened by the loud, panicked cries of the Kitten. Early morning - grumpily sleepily awakened- a serious lapse in judgement during an attempted Kitten rescue - and then I fell off a table (nothing broken - am just very achy - can't even say I'm very bruised... where my cousins turn spectacularly blue-purple at the hint of a bump I turn mildly red and then back to normal... yay?). My mom had a meltdown ... it's really not fun (in fact it is somewhat heartbreaking) to have your mom crying on Mother's Day (sad tears... if it's happy tears then that's ok). She's blogged a bit about her take on today so you can read about that here.

The day itself turned out ok... we went out... spent some time together... ole-talk and got some rest. She is my mama and though she sometimes drives me crazy - I love her immeasurably. 

Finished reading 'The White Queen' and 'The Red Queen' this week. They were both a good lead-up to mother's day as they were both about mothers who wanted the best for their children. The 'White Queen' - Elizabeth Woodville, Queen Consort of  King Edward IV of England, was the first commoner (way before Catherine Duchess of Cambridge) to marry an English sovereign. History is unclear of what became of her sons, Edward V of England and Richard of Shrewsbury, who became known as the Princes in the Tower... what is clear is that she conspired to save the lives and fortunes of her children. The 'Red Queen' - Lady Margaret Beaufort, was the mother of King Henry VII and grandmother of King Henry VIII. The 'Red Queen' is the alternate tale of the 'White Queen'... where Elizabeth Woodville was a commoner, Lady Margaret was a noble, both had heirs with claims to the throne of England. The books are an incredible weaving of facts and fiction to tell their stories from their perspectives. I love the history of it... and that it's told from the women's perspectives. It helps me to understand more of not only what may have happened but what is happening now ... both in the outer world and in my own inner world. 

Mothering I think is an amazing aspect of womanhood. Something to be celebrated and appreciated. Got this article in my inbox. I enjoyed the vids from StoryCorps... most insightful. Sent out this prayer to my loved ones via Facebook. We may not always remember to be thankful for our mothers... we may not always feel the need to be thankful but I think ultimately the fact that we're here to make those decisions shows that we were in some way thought of. 

Hope all mothers and mothers-to-be had a blessed day. Continue doing what you do - the world is better for it. 

Love,

Ren

Edited to add:

• This fabulous Mother's Day post from Kit at BloggingDangerously
• Paulo Coelho's Character of the Week: The Mother

It's *my* birthday!

"Do not grow old, no matter how long you live. Never cease to stand like curious children before the Great Mystery into which we were born." ~Albert Einstein

It's been a good day. I took the day off (I have a firm policy - no working on birthdays). Didn't really do that much but still feel a measure of ... peace... calm... quiet... that I have not felt for some time. This might be due to the fact that I handed in all my MBA stuff on Tuesday (please Goddess... let me pass everything!)... or it might be that I went by the Ashram twice today... it might just be that today is my birthday. 

It feels like a return... circle around and this is where I am. I was born on a Thursday... it's why I particularly like Thursdays more than any other day. After all the craziness it feels like I'm at the right place at the right time. I am blessed. 

A run-down of stuff I did on my birthday:

• Got up at 4 am... went to Guru Gita at the Ashram. I didn't fall asleep during it but was somewhere in that hazy world between sleep and non-sleep. Got Happy Birthday sung to me before 7 am... Got told I've got a good brain... 
• Got three free apples from our market guy because it's my birthday... it's good when the market/grocery people know you.
• Played with the kitten
• Got presents! Books... 'Living in the Light' by Shakti Gawain- which I've already started reading, 'The White Queen' and 'The Red Queen' by Philippa Gregory - I received two of her books for Christmas and New Year's and she's now one of my favourite authors... historical-type-fiction which is amazingly written :)
• Did a tarot reading [see below] (Tarot.com gave me a free one ... because it's my birthday)... It looks like it's gonna be an interesting year..
• Did not have any falling out with my dad... It's only now that I realise this... there has been no strange drama this year... are we getting old? was he trying to be calm because of my having to hand in MBA stuff? There was no drama... wow
• My brother made risotto ... and carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. Thank the Goddess that my brother can cook.. and bake. I am blessed
• Took a nap
• Went to the Ashram (yes, again...) for discussion group otherwise known as "Sacred Conversations" ... most interesting topic for today... I admit I wondered what would be the topic today... Got told I'm a great critic... 
• Went out for dinner... Got free dessert... with a candle that would. not. out. seriously...
• Sang along with my brother to Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody [Thunderbolt and lightning, very, very frightening me|(Galileo) Galileo (Galileo) Galileo, Galileo figaro...] during dinner... (a song which my mom has either never heard or just can't remember... yet my dad, brother and I love it... :s)
• Got a present! Earrings shaped like awareness ribbon... 
• Sang along to the Masquerade song from Phantom of the Opera on the drive back home
• Answered phone calls and messages... missed some... oops? Spent some time on-line responding to all the facebook messages of birthday greetings.. 

After all has been said and done, it was a day where I learned stuff, spent time with family, and had fun... not bad for a birthday :)  Many thanks to all who sent birthday greetings :)

love,

Ren