There is no other like Russell

I know I have written about Russell before but he is just so special that I want to write more about him.

He is the most gentle, calm, and gracious soul, he is utterly selfless 🙏🏽 and serves his purpose by God very well.   My friend Colin says that unfortunately God only made one of Russell and that it would be nice if he made a few more. Susanna adored Russell and used to say that Russell wasn’t just an angel,  that indeed he was an archangel.  I wouldn’t be surprised if that is a fact,  because I believe God sends some angels to earth in human form to walk amongst us and spread God’s word and love. Russell is very introverted and would be humbled by my words as he is very unassuming but I feel occasionally inspired to write ✍️ about him, because he is a much-loved and appreciated friend 🧡 and will  be my friend for eternity. Even Lily loves ❤️ 😍 💖 Russell…… and Lily doesn’t like a lot of men.

If you build your legacy you will never die.

It is another rainy afternoon here in Melbourne and I am again watching the ABC on my television 📺.  The quote that is the title for this blog is a direct quote word for word from Gill Hicks. Gill Hicks is an Australian survivor of the terrorist attacks bombing of the London underground back in the mid-2000s. She lost both her legs in that attack and fought for her life, a life she now spends working for a foundation promoting peace. She is beautiful and remarkable and her story is a beautiful one of good overcoming impossible odds.

She makes me think of Susanna and how by writing ✍️ about her both in blogs and in the novel Angel Lady I keep Susanna’s memory alive. I will never forget Susanna and will continue to shout from the rooftop how wonderful she was, particularly in the way she chose to fight her battle with cancer. She was gracious and positive, grateful with a wonderful sense of humour. Gill Hicks reminds me of Susanna, she has the same grace and beauty. Stunningly beautiful from the inside. I intend to learn from these two beautiful role models and hope that when I am gone I will be remembered so graciously and like an angelic presence.  There is something to be said about leading a loving gracious 🙏🏽 life where you spread God’s love and mission and go about your business quietly bringing positive change to the world 🌎.   Gill Hicks’ legacy will live on long after she departs this earth.  I am definitely a follower of her message.

Step by step, baby steps

How do you plan your goals?

How I plan my goals is to take everything one baby step at a time. Chipping away, in baby steps, like a sculptor chipping away on a piece of clay or marble.  I set myself small goals to achieve and reward myself if I do, but don’t beat myself up if I don’t.  I make lists of things to do.  I am slowly decluttering my place,  ready to move I the not too distant future and have atarted to make lists about that.  The things I need to sell ot give away etc and the new thibgs I would like to buy for the new place. This is increasing as time moves on.

Ballroom and Rock ‘N’Roll Dancing, my one regret.

I try to live my life without regrets, but there is something I sincerely regret.

I my early 20s i was going to both ballroom and rock “n,”roll dance classes and loving it immersing my life in that subculture and lifestyle.  Unfortunately, i fell in love with the wrong man, who forbade me to attend these classes. Because I was young and inexperienced, I obeyed him. He turned out to be a horrible person, and I was naive.  He didn’t want me to dance with other men, mind you, he never once danced,  and was a womaniser to boot.

My one regret is that I gave up dancing 🕺.  I wish I had kept it up over the years because it kept me fit and flexible and improved my balance.   Had I known the impact I psych meds would have on my body I s would have seen how imperative that sort of movement was to maintain fitness and general well being

Oh well, we can have 20/20 vision in hindsight, and I have wonderful memories of how much joy you can get from dancing.  I still love ❤️ music and dancing 🕺.

Send Me An Angel

The reason I have titled this post Send Me An Angel is after the song by Australian band of the 80s Real Life.  I was just listening to this song 🎵 and reminiscing how it applies to my life. There are at least 3 angels in my life that God has provided me with.  Lily obviously,  and definitely Susanna,  Michael and my Dad.

Something happened when I was walking Lily today, that could have turned out very traumatic,  but I think because Lily is one of God’s cherished angels she was unharmed. God truly does work in mysterious ways 🙏🏽 and the song 🎵 Send Me An Angel has an interesting backstory.  The singer from Real Life wrote it about the time he was caught in a bushfire at Wye River during the Ash Wednesday bushfire here in Victoria back in 1983.  He was watching as the bushfire raged along the Great Ocean Road and was fearing for his life. He prayed 🙏🏽 for God to send him an angel and that was how the song 🎵 came to be.  When I am in need of a little angelic inspiration I listen 🎶 to it whilst petting Lily,  the little angel 😇 God sent me.

The most challenging time of day…..

Now is the time of day I find the most challenging. Early evening to late evening. It is at this time that I most miss company.  Sure, I have Lily, but in the evening time I sometimes feel lonely for human company.  It is the only time I feel lonely, and normally, I love my independence and value that so much. I don’t miss my marriage, but I do miss having someone around at the end of the day to chat to and share my day with.

How I cope with this loneliness is to listen to music 🎶 🎵 either on the radio, or I watch clips on YouTube or iView. Some days are harder than others and I have only just decided to now use this time productively by planning what I want my next home 🏡 hopefully at The Haven will be like. Planning my move and also writing ✍️ and visualising what my place could look like.

At the moment I am watching Antiques Roadshow and am daydreaming about beautiful Antiques and planning the angel theme for when I move.

I will now try to keep myself occupied at this time,  so I will overcome nighttime loneliness.

A Children’s Literature and Music Shop

If you were going to open up a shop, what would you sell?

I know in the past I have written about owning a children’s bookshop,  but now I would also have that shop stock music 🎶 for children as well. I would sell music by The Wiggles and other children’s musicians.

I would also have a section of that bookshop dedicated to fantasy,  fairies angels etc and stock merchandise like ornaments and little toys related to fairies 🧚‍♀️ and the like

I would have storytelling sessions and face painting to make the experience of visiting this shop very special.  It would be a shop for the young and the young at heart ❤️ recalling the wonder and innocence of childhood.