The Boy and The Coconut Tree

Living with cats I'm enjoying a day off so after a few extra hours of sleep and a nice slow breakfast I headed out to be a tourist, a shopper, get my hair cut and meet some friends.  My day off is busier than a working day. During my hair cut, the hairdresser and me discussed how she has to have clothes for work and clothes and keeps them separate from everything else because of the hairs that get everywhere and are difficult to shift.  I told her about the two cats I am currently looking after and how their hairs are everywhere even though they are not allowed in my room but as they are all over my flatmates' clothes, they end up on mine etc. She asked me about the cats and their personalities, I did laugh at that. Everyone thinks cats are great, I am indifferent. One of the cats is cute and friendly, the other one, the older, hates me, she growls at me whenever I get close and has cornered me once or twice in the hallway.  I look after them by feeding them, ...

I don't keep a diary, I have never kept a diary apart from a travel journal from when I lived in Australia and wrote down my observations and experiences.  I still have it and after 15 years it makes me smile and feel sad, I miss the place a lot and hope to afford another trip there soon, 2016 maybe!? A few weeks ago I was enjoying myself in sunny Stockholm and twee Tallinn and now I'm back in londony* London and think this is the last weekend of nice summer weather we will have, autumn is creeping in.  Work has provided me with the most entertainment since that trip. I was out of the office for 4 days and changes were made without my input and it happened again last week.  It is like working in the shaking house at a funfair, the ground keeps moving below me and I am not sure what I can do to stop it. Maybe I'll just focus on my up-coming weekends away, home to see my parents, then to Barcelona in December (my first visit there since I left in August 2014). ...

 It has been so long since I wrote in my blog. I was trying to find the specific reason/ or reasons for not writing and I have none. Life is what happened. Barcelona life has swept me up in her arms and I am living it. I rarely had time to write a blog when I lived in London and the same goes for Barcelona. It has been 9 months today since I arrived and I've now got into a stride which I didn't expect and I am no longer looking for the exit sign. That has to be good. What is also happening is I am learning a lot about myself, even at 44 there is a lot to learn. I gave my life a mini audit over Christmas. I realized what was important and what wasn't. I've learned to worry about the people who worry about me and nothing more. I've learned to enjoy the things that life throws my way and not worry about the things I am missing. We are masters of our own destiny and I feel I am more of a master than most. Early evening looking to Mount Tibidabo, March 7 ...

As I have my 2 hour lunch break in a café on this cold windy day (needed a scarf today) I am watching the world go by as usual. Central Barcelona is a great mix of people. Next to me are 2 Russian girls who have lip implants, either that or they are having a bad allergic reaction to the coffee. Across from me is a Japanese couple and the guy is wearing a backpack that is taller than me. His back must be made of steel to carry that around with him all day. Winter has finally arrived here in Barcelona, last week it was 20c, today it is 11c and the locals are dressed as if they lived in Siberia. It isn't that cold and the sky is blue and the sun is shining. I am dressed for Spring, they are dressed for the next ice age. Even those Russian girls had fur on, probably a favourite pet that recently died (it looked like rabbit though they acted as if was mink). They begin the Christmas festivities early here too. The lights are going up, the plastic snowmen and santa clauses are ...