A Soggy Symbolic Saturday

28 Apr 2012 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , ,

Buddha In My Coffee CupWhere is all this rain coming from? Apparently, it is officially the wettest drought on record, and looking out of the cottage window this morning it’s not surprising. The raindrops are hammering on the windows, powered on by a blustery north wind.

The morning started strangely. We were supposed to be meeting B’s mum, aunt and sister and brother in law at a bank on Whiteladies Road in Clifton at 10:30 and we were there, or thought we were, just before 10:00. Sadly, it was the wrong branch, so a 15 minute route march ensued when we realised, to get to the right one in Queen’s Road.

It would appear that despite, or maybe as a result of, the financial sector meltdown, that good old fashioned red tape is still very much in evidence. So while B, Sue and their mum jumped through all manner of hoop to sort out the administration, Auntie Wendy and I slipped quietly away to Costa for a caffeine top-up.

Funny how your life-state influences your view of things, or maybe not. The principle of the oneness of self and the environment means that you influence the people and things around you. So when an image of Buddha appeared on the top of my Latte, I suppose it shouldn’t have come as a surprise.

Be Careful What You Wish For

26 Apr 2012 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , ,

Be Careful What You Wish ForSo many of us wish for things we would like, or wish to be things we aren’t. Short people wish they were taller, plump people wish they were thin, people with straight hair wish it was curly, people with curly hair wish it was straight.

Of course we are all ‘trained’ to want things from an early age, it’s a product of the consumerist society, and we are all urged to be dissatisfied with what we have, in favour of what the ad men can tempt us into buying.

But surely this way of going about things is a recipe for a certain degree of unhappiness. There are bound to be things we cannot have, maybe because it’s a physical impossibility, being taller when you are short, curly haired when your own is straight. So maybe there is a better way to look at things.

How about concentrating on the good aspects of our lives? You only have to take a few moments to think about it, and you will find that there are dozens, if not hundreds of things you are happy to have.

Maybe it’s your partner, family and friends. Maybe it’s good health, a decent job or even just having enough. So rather than thinking about the things you would like to have, take time to celebrate the things you already have, that are so precious to you, and things you would not like to live without.

And remember, you should always be careful about what you wish for. As a wise man once said, ‘Don’t wish for the stars, after all, where would to keep them all?’

An Alternative View

14 Apr 2012 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , , , ,

An Alternative ViewAs you might expect, my Gohonzon has it’s own special place in my apartment and although that isn’t the only place I chant, it doesn’t come with me when I travel around. Although chanting isn’t always done alone, being in a strange place, as in new to me,  requires me to seek out a little secluded spot to practice.

Last night, through all the thunder and lightning, B and I headed off to her aunt’s house in a little village just outside Totnes in Devon. We arrived late and the place was as dark as could be, no street lights and no moon because of the clouds, so I didn’t get to see the view until this morning.

To say that it was breath-taking would be an understatement. Beautiful rolling countryside as far as the eye could see, and all bathed in beautiful sunshine. I was trying to be a little quiet and so had delayed my morning practice until I could slip quietly away. After breakfast, B and her aunt went out into the garden to inspect the plethora of unusual plants growing there, and seeing the opportunity, I made my getaway.

The South facing picture window in our bedroom was the perfect vista to substitute for my absent Gohonzon, so while the ladies were outside, I stood and looked at the view and chanted. They say that variety is the spice of life, and I can concur with that view. Chanting in new and interesting places is fun, energy-giving and powerful, and as usual, I felt my life-energies rising as I chanted. So much so, that I am even tempted to start a new section of the blog, dedicated to photos of my experiences.

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

What A Good Good Friday

06 Apr 2012 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , ,

Stanley Takes A Power NapAfter a breakfast of toasted hot cross buns, we had a proper lazy start. We took a trip to a local electronics showroom to survey the lie of the land regarding a flat screen telly for the kitchen. Unfortunately, we had to have a couple of demonstrations of 3D TVs, so it was past noon before we dropped into Hannah’s to deliver young Stanley’s Easter Egg.

Hannah and Jay were in the middle of clearing the old house in preparation for the new tenants to move in next week, so we offered to take Stanley for a while to help them get on with the job. Stanley seemed quite keen, so with him strapped into his car seat in B’s Yaris, we set off to hunt for lions in deepest B & Q.

Now young Stanley is only two and a half, so I had imagined that keeping him amused was going to be a simple matter. How mistaken can one grandparent be? At first we made up little games to distract him from 40,000 square meters of shiny playthings, but he soon had the measure of us.

Unless I am much mistaken, we have a future 100 meter world champion in the family. For such a little chap, he’s got a fierce turn of speed, and when allied to his ultra low centre of gravity, he’s almost impossible to catch on the slippery store flooring. We had to put him in charge of the wheeled basket just to slow him to a catchable pace.

By the time we left the store, a good hour later, he was still raring to go, whereas we were all set for a nice sweet cup of tea and a snooze. But just as we were dreading another rendition of ‘Old MacDonald Had A Farm’, said nipper went all quiet and we found on closer inspection, that he had beaten us to the snooze.

We popped over to see B’s mum, and stayed a little while, but Stan The Man resolutely slept on. It was only when the car stopped outside Hannah’s just after 5:00pm, that the little chap stirred at all. As we left to head home for dinner, we were both feeling a bit pooped, but agreed that it had been a really good, Good Friday.

The Perfect Day

01 Apr 2012 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , ,

The Breakfast PartySo we’ve come to the last day of our holiday, and maybe we could have been rueing its passing, but today has been the very best of Sundays. With an early start in order to have the croissants ready for the arrival of Charlotte, Hannah and Oliver, we were delighted to see that the weather was still as beautiful as it had been all week.

We, or should I say I, demolished said croissants in pretty short order whilst Oliver consumed his apple puree. Washed down with lashings of hot coffee and plenty of good humoured banter, it was a perfect start to a perfect day.

Being made mostly of stone, the cottage is a bit like a fridge at times, so we decided to decamp to the garden and avail ourselves of the glorious sunshine. Garden chairs were erected and arranged and the jollifications continued. The garden is in need of a bit of TLC, but actually it fits perfectly into the higgledy piggledy style of a cottage garden. The birds and bees were in evidence, making themselves busy with their comings and goings.

Proceedings came to an end around 11:00 following the now obligatory photo session to record the event. With Oliver safely strapped into his child seat, the girls set off for home and we set off to find a few more ‘essentials’ for the guest bedroom. It was a fruitless search. Even a bit of light-hearted haggling failed to prise a rather nice, but far too expensive chest of drawers from the current owner, so we were home again by 1:00.

The Grove Wood Action Group, of whom Steve, the next door neighbour is advocate, were planning a walk from Shell Cottage, down to Grove Wood, in celebration of their successful prevention of the desecration of the wood by a local developer. Dressed in pseudo medieval and animal costumes, they made a colourful procession through the village and down the the entrance to the woods, where a ceremonial cutting of a ribbon took place.

Spirits were understandably high and much mirth and merriment accompanied the walk through the woods following the ceremony. The fact that, for us, it was a surprise event, only added to the fun and frivolity and we were happy to help by recording the occasion for posterity.

So a perfect end to a perfect and very enjoyable holiday. The weather, the events and particularly the company made it a thoroughly memorable time. Most pleasant.

Fun And Games

26 Mar 2012 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , ,

On the night shiftMonday, first proper day of the holiday and a task list as long as your arm. the problem was, most of the tasks required the purchase of this or that component before they could be completed. Both B and I have a serious allergy to shopping, so this could get messy.

We decided that we should make a master list, but as we all know, that is often easier said than done. We tried to break down the items into form or function and also into possible source store. It all looked logical, but it didn’t work out quite the way it was planned.

We spent the whole day going round the usual DIY suspects, and made a few of the required purchases, and several that weren’t. It was a lot of fun actually, and although we didn’t manage to find everything, we did come home with a very comfortable new toilet seat. The ultimate impulse buy.

I did get chance to talk to my mum, who sounded a lot better than yesterday, but was not back to normal by any means. She said that she had been drinking plenty, so hopefully she is on the mend.

Getting home around 5:00 and after a yummy diner and a few minor projects we got news that B’s dad was being taken into Frenchay hospital again, he was in there a couple of weeks ago, so the rest of the evening was spent waiting to be summonsed to go in so B could tell the staff about Ivor’s needs.

It was just after 2:00am when we finally got back home, a rather long day, and although Ivor is settled and sleeping, not the way we would have planned it.

A Proper Curate’s Egg

25 Mar 2012 1 Comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , ,

Kingfisher On The River FromeToday has been proper strange. It started fairly early with breakfast whilst watching the the start of the Grand Prix, Then off to the Co-op to pick up pastries for a second breakfast round at Hannah’s new house.

It’s a lovely property, big rooms, lots of space for the family to spread out. Nice and modern but in a traditional style, if you get my drift. Charlotte and Oliver came over too, so it was a nice family morning.

Back at the cottage, it was beautiful sunshine and a soft warm breeze. B hung the washing out while I set the ladders up against the end wall to investigate some loft insulation that was protruding from the barge boards. It seems that birds have been collecting it through a hole under the boards, so we placed a piece of wood over the hole, to try to deter them.

Having secure the ladders, and with half an hour until the roast lamb was due to come out of the oven, we went for a stroll down to the site of one of the old snuff mills, on the banks of the river Frome. The sunlight formed dappled pools of light through the spring foliage and the babbling river made a perfect soundtrack as we made our way along the riverbank.

We were busy watching a pair of yellow wagtails hunting amongst the rocks and boulders below the weir, when my eye was caught by an electric blue flash. It was a Kingfisher, elegant, sleek and arguably Britain’s most beautiful bird. We watched as it sped up and down it’s territorial stretch of the river, coming to rest on what appeared to be it’s regular perching points. It was so beautiful, in the setting of a perfect Spring day, that we lost track of time and had to hurry back to rescue the lamb from the oven.

Whether it was the walk, the fresh air, the excitement of seeing the Kingfisher or just possibly the glass of red wine that helped wash the Sunday roast down, I could not say. Suffice to say that another ‘recharging’ snooze ensued, so soon even the extra hour of daylight was also gone.

Just to complete the gamut of emotions, I found out tonight, that my mum has picked up this accursed norovirus and was feeling proper poorly. It’s really doing the rounds at the moment, but being in her early eighties, we are concerned that she is safe, doesn’t get dehydrated and can get help if she needs it. She will call tomorrow to let us have an update, and has an emergency pendant if she needs assistance in the night.

So as I said, a proper curate’s egg of a day, good in some parts, not so good in others.

Mothering Sunday

18 Mar 2012 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , ,

I ♥ My MomWhat a lovely day, spent with three mothers, B, her mum and mine. The journey from Bristol to Sutton Coldfield was made all the more pleasant with Scheherazade playing on the CD player accompanied by copious amounts of Love Hearts.

It was the first time B and her mum had met my mum and it was nice to hear mum relating the stories about how she met my dad and tales about our family homes around Sutton.

A lovely lunch and a guided tour of the garden made the time fly by and soon it was time to say our goodbyes. Having dropped B’s mum back home, B’s children Sam and Josie and little granddaughter Merrin came round to the cottage for the evening, so a lovely Mother’s day was had by all. Mum’s are the most important people in the world, for without them, non of us would be here.

The Best Of Times

14 Mar 2012 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , ,

Cancer Research UKAnyone who has lived with cancer, or is related to someone who has, will know that it lurks in your mind just as much as it does in the sufferers body. Even after successful treatment, that niggling doubt remains, is it gone, or just hiding somewhere, ready to spring back up at some time?

Charlotte had a ‘routine’ scan last week, although in truth, there is no such thing following surgery, chemo and radiotherapy, and the results were promised yesterday. The whole family were on tenterhooks, waiting for the phone call from the hospital. So imagine the stress I was under when there was no news, so I chant, chant, and chant some more.

They say that ‘no news is good news’ but was all but climbing the walls waiting. There was still no news by the time I left work, so I was left in a quandary. Should I call Charlotte to find out? Had she received bad news, so didn’t want to call me? Going slowly crazy and preferring to know the score either way, I made the call.

‘Oh, I was just going to text you’ she says, ‘they haven’t called, though I did miss a call this afternoon’ … argh !!! Honestly, not knowing is far worse than knowing the worst. At least when you know, you can deal with the challenge. Talking it over, we managed to convince ourselves that the caller, who left no number or voicemail, was probably the hospital, and that made us feel a little better.

So imagine the collective sigh of relief, when just before 10:00 this morning, Charlotte sent a text that simply said ‘All clear :-)’ The very best news we could have had. So life continues to be a rollercoaster ride of emotions, and my practice, although being pushed hard, is holding up just fine.

The Saddest Of Memories

13 Mar 2012 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , ,

My Nan, Charlotte and HannahMarch the thirteenth always stirs up the saddest of memories for me and my family. It is exactly twenty years ago today, that I lost the second most important lady in my life, my paternal grandmother. Just to make it even worse, if that were at all possible, ironically, March the thirteenth 1992 was a Friday, probably the worst Friday the thirteenth ever.

She was the most wonderful grandmother anyone could ever have had. She looked after me when I was very young, when my Mom was suffering from Tuberculosis, in the days when it was often fatal. She was a tweeny, a maid between stairs, in the days when Upstairs, Downstairs was a lot less romantic that it is on TV today. She was married to my grandfather Walter, in the days when Wally wasn’t a derogatory name.

She lived in a council house in Erdington, Birmingham, never owned a car, never really had two pennies to rub together, but was dignified and always proud of the way she looked and the way she kept that house. I spent many, many happy school summer holidays there, and remember being spoiled rotten.

She made the best bread pudding in the world, always had peaches or pears and trifle on the tea table and knitted me more school jumpers than I can count. We went on lots of holidays together as a family, but never outside the UK, in fact she may never have been abroad in her whole life. She was never happier than when she had something to worry about, but she was always happy and full of love.

She was just wonderful, was always there for us and is greatly missed. It makes me happy to know that she is back in the world somewhere and I know she will be spreading love and light wherever she (or he) is. We are thinking of you Nan.

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