There was one very excited little girl on the morning of her sixth birthday. Actually, Mackenzie had been excited all week, to the point when her Mum picked her up from school on the Monday and her birthday was not for two more days, she had plans. She told her Mum that she had been “inviting people” to her birthday and her Mum was like “what??? We’re not having a party, any parties this year.” Mackenzie’s smile on her face dropped. “What do you mean?” Mum explained that one year they will have parties, the next year they won’t. “But what about my friend Evie? Who was so excited about…

Oh, what a remarkable lady! All the world could see it and now they are acknowledging it. Queen Elizabeth II has died at the age of 96.  The tributes start rolling in from many people. What stands out to me is how so many of the ordinary Englishmen talk about how the Queen was always there for them. She was constant, reliable, true. Many spoken to by reporters felt that they would miss her because she had always been there. She had this constancy about her character and her failings were rare. She was greatly admired by many. Queen Elizabeth was appointed to the role at a very young age,…

I know I’m getting older but after the few days of painting, measuring, carrying, cleaning, driving, walking, picking up things, holding tools, acting as a labourer’s assistant, making drinks for many (and the list doesn’t stop there) … I am tired. My bones and muscles ache. My knees feel wobbly, especially if I try to bend down. It made me laugh really. Shows me how unfit I am. Or at least the lack of usage of some of the muscles. The funny thing is the whole team of people with us are feeling the same.  We gave our all. On the day after the event, we just looked at each…

Rush, rush, rush. Have I remembered everything? I start going through the list in my head as I glance at my watch for the time. Oh, I have not long, so again I ask myself, do I have everything? I send up a prayer to ask for assistance for the day as I grab the bags ready to walk out the door. I start going through my mind the jobs for the day. Working it out in my head as if I had a map, how can I fit it all in?  So, my thoughts went progressively through the tasks. I can go here, backtrack and then go there, then…

All the different questions were going through my head. How am I going to get it done? What do I say? How do I approach the topic? Can I even do this? The expectations are so high. I feel so incapable. Then I glanced down at the new clean pages of the scrap book that I had bought, and these words were emblazoned on the edge of the cover. “Don’t overthink it.” Oh God you have a great sense of humour! God can talk to us through anything if we have ears to hear, eyes to see. I was overthinking it all. How many of you does this happen to?…