April Photoblogging Challenge, Day 13: Page suggested by @robj

A journal resting on my lap in a dark room, illuminated by a book reading light.

April Photoblogging Challenge, Day 12: Magic suggested by @DaveyCraney

The outline of a person maybe Shakespeare, on a wall surrounding a door, approached by a wooden bridge.

April Photoblogging Challenge, Day 11: Sky suggested by @jedda

The sun pears through a thick cloud fog as people and a dog sit around a picnic blanket looking on.

April Photoblogging Challenge, Day 10: Train suggested by @starrwulfe

Looking down on a train approaching a station.

April Photoblogging Challenge, Day 9: Crispy suggested by @rom

Grilling fish in a Japanese restaurant.

🧹 A lot of the clean up has been done, but as the final family members head on their way, vacuuming is what is needed now.

April Photoblogging Challenge, Day 8: Prevention suggested by @anniegreens

A fence in focus, behind which is a sports playing field and distant buildings.

April Photoblogging Challenge, Day 7: Well-Being suggested by @ridwan

Me floating in the ocean.

🎶 I’m up early enjoying a cup of coffee. After the birthday celebrations yesterday, my mother’s apartment is still and quiet. Outside a blackbird is singing its heart out. I grew up listening to and loving this bird’s song. I recognize anywhere - here in England, or while watching a movie set in this country. For me, it’s the sound of spring and long summer evenings here.

April Photoblogging Challenge, Day 6: Windy suggested by @Miraz

An overcast windy day on the Isle of Skye, as spied through the ruins of an old church.

A frame of an old church window in the ruins of a church, looking out on an overcast, wet and windy day

🎂 We are celebrating my mother's 90th birthday today. With my family having spread themselves out around the world, it feels like an international gathering with accents from the US, New Zealand and England filling the room. Happy Birthday Mum, and congratulations.

April Photoblogging Challenge, Day 5: Serene suggested by @chiawase

My quiet spot, wherever I am in the world, by the River Wye at Tintern Abby

Weeping Willow over hanging the River Wye in South Wales

I’m sitting alone in the bar at an airport hotel at San Francisco International Airport (SFO). Back in Maui, where I flew in from an hour earlier, it is just before six o’clock in the evening. Here it is almost nine at night. It’s late but it’s not, depending on which time zone I choose to see myself in. My mind tells me to head to bed, my stomach tells me to eat. I choose to listen to my stomach, but I don’t want the full service of a restaurant. The bar feels more relaxed and informal.

People are chatting, television screens show live sports, voices and the sound of clattering cutlery drift over from the nearby restaurant. So different from the world that I have just arrived from.

For all the activity, and the sound and stimulation that come with it, I find myself in my happy place. I’m by myself despite and maybe because of this busyness around me? And yet I love sitting in this anonymity. I’ve used this phrase before, but I’m sitting alone in the company of others. For this introvert, I can feel more comfortable around such strangers than in a room full of people who I know.

I am returning to England for my mother’s 90th birthday celebration. There will be a gathering of relatives, most of whom I have not seen in a long while. I am looking forward to seeing everyone, catching up on news, finding out where life has taken them…and I can already feel in me the angst of the gathering. This might be hard to understand for the socializers in the room, but for me small talk and what I will experience as the busyness of a party can get the best of me. I am soon exhausted. If I lock onto a conversation with someone about something that really interests me, I can still be sat there in that conversation when everyone else are packing up to leave. I loose myself in the conversation. Introvert, yes. Short on words, no…given the right circumstances.

However, that evening at SFO the company of others was very welcome. I sat quite content alone, in the company of others. That evening I remember fondly.

Looking out over Bristol tonight.

Looking out over the city of Bristol at nighttime

April Photoblogging Challenge, Day 4: Foliage suggested by @pratik

A remote valley on the north east side of Haleakala.

Looking out into a remote and heavily wooded valley on the north east side of Haleakala

April Photoblogging Challenge, Day 3: Card suggested by @val

A menu on Virgin Atlantic

Here’s a short update on my running training. I have not completed a run for two weeks now on the Watch to 5K program that I have been following. Initially, as I said in this post, the experience of exhaustion from my last run took the wind out of my sails. Next I found myself getting ready for a trip that I am making back to the England to celebrate my mother’s 90th birthday. Maybe I could have found time within the busyness of getting ready…but the short of it is that I didn’t.

But I have been missing running, and so today at the airport hotel that I have been staying at I got on the treadmill for 15 minutes. I didn’t race. I set myself a good consistent pace, and came away from the run feeling as though I had exercised, kept the pace up and felt better for it. I hope that I keep up with the running in some shape or form while I am away.

April Photoblogging Challenge, Day 2: Flowers suggested by @davegullet

The first Agapanthus of the year flowering in the front garden.

Light purple agapanthus flowering in the garden surrounded by other vegetation.

Reading this news of the World Central Kitchen staff who were killed by Israeli air strikes in Gaza hit me in a way that surprised me.

Before the Maui wild fires last summer I had not heard of World Central Kitchen. While volunteering in Lahaina following the fires I discovered this charity organization. They were on the ground in Lahaina serving up meals not only to those who had lost their homes in the fires, but also to the volunteers. And they weren’t just serving up any food, but had taken the time and care to discover what was eaten locally and that’s what was on the menu. I hear that that is how World Central Kitchen operates.

During the days in Lahaina trucks were going back and forth bringing supplies to the staff managing the tented kitchens and serving areas. I can picture them now.

I cannot imagine the bravery required to go into Gaza to help bring a meal to those in need. They were doing their piece to help relieve suffering, through serving up that which nourishes us in body and spirit. And now seven of those brave volunteers are dead. I find it all so sad.