Day 24 - I had an amazing dance. I feel incredibly strong now. But I went through hell to get here. I felt sick to the stomach during one of the new bellydance exercises this evening. A belly roll is the most difficult manoeuvre I’ve ever done. Engaging the pelvis and abdominal wall in a cyclical rhythm brought up sensations in my stomach I’ve never explored before. I haven’t engaged this area much so it’s waking up and shouting at me from the inside. It’s saying that this stomach area is really important and needs to be taken care of.
This photo represents something for me. All the hours of dance I’ve put into my life the last few months. All the sweat, love and rhythm. I’ve never been happy with changing room photos. This is the first one where I’ve thought ‘Yeah baby’. Here’s a girl with a healthy attitude.
I discovered a Lindt shop. Suffice to say, I got rainbow pick n mix.
This morning I’m in Pret A Manger. A lovely coffee shop chain in the UK. I love it here because they’re all about fresh food and organic coffee. They even have carrot juice and in a mainstream chain this is a real bonus. I never feel pressured to give my seat up in Pret because there are always a good spread of chairs available. I’m in a mall at the moment. Only ten minutes from the house. Malls aren’t places I usually frequent but it’s working for me today. There are a couple of shops to visit hence the visit. It’s quite quaint actually. I’m enjoying the vibe.
There’s something about going into a place of refinery that makes me become a better person. It makes me feel good. I sit straighter and talk more politely. Etiquette is an art. They’ve got it down to a fine tee at The Ivy. I watched many cocktails being made tonight at the bar.
Another glorious York walk. How small does my head look in this photo?!
I want to talk about hairy armpits on ladies. For some reason society dictates that women should have no hair under their arms (I’m sticking with arms though I know there are other places this filters into too).
When I was a kid, I was fascinated by a lady in the swimming pool showers (she happened to be French). She had hairy armpits. This wasn’t the main thing that surprised me. It was more the fact that she got completely naked (such confidence) in the communal shower when all the English ladies were more reserved in their swimming costumes. This was my first knowledge that ladies had underarm hair.
Had a look through my photos and found these. Gobstopper heaven in Montreal and catto Amy, doing what she did best - being the most relaxed and unfazed catto ever. My first love ❤️
I find it impossible to swim anywhere where I can’t see the bottom. Pristine seas. Absolutely. Murky waters ie rivers, lakes etc. A definite no no. I think I’m missing out on all this wild swimming stuff. But the fear runs deep.
I swam in a murky lake once. When I was a kid. It was a grey day. Kind of ominous and colourless. It had a weird slimy, silty bottom. When my feet touched it, it made me squirm. My imagination running wild probably. That night I got ill. It probably wasn’t even the lake that made me ill but in my mind there was something sinister about that dark water.
I was lucky enough to swim in lots of pristine water growing up. I loved nothing better than being in the sea. Dad and I splashed around in San Antonio bay in the rain. I remember being fascinated by all the sand worm formations. I went on and on and ON at my mum in Spain to buy me a lilo. Eventually (and I mean it took ages to persuade her - a lot longer than usual) she bought one. It was amazing. I’m so glad I went on at her. Best fun I had on that hols.
Spring Cafe. Uber cool and vibrant. Full of people chatting happily and saying ’like’ a lot. Feels gentle and creative. Definitely doesn’t smell of bacon. Lots of lovely reclaimed wood for tables. My coffee of choice - Cappuccino with oat milk. Very very nice. Creamy with a bite. Already finished it so now we’ve ordered a mocha. To share. We don’t want to go too crazy on a Tuesday evening. I’m sitting in the window. Simon’s next to me. We’re both on our laptops giggling like pixies about having finally made it into a cool cafe together, to drink coffee and work on our creative endeavors. I feel like we’ve arrived.
So our babe of a car is in the garage. We’re waiting to hear whether her engine can be saved. We’re hopeful. She’s been well looked after. Luckily being in a city means we don’t need to use her. Luckily we weren’t on the way to a house-sit when she broke down (on the motorway). She was rescued by lots of lovely nice recovery people. Simon, the superstar, dealt with it all perfectly. Without stress or worry. Just gratefulness that he hadn’t needed to be anywhere urgently when it happened.
I’m looking out the window. Wood pigeons bounce round the garden. Feathers preened and plumed. They can’t help but chase each other off when there’s food nearby (sometimes missing out on the food in they’re protecting). Four squirrels snuffle for seed. A baby one decides how its going to get down to the others from off the shed roof. A pheasant shows up. Purple irridescence shining off him. He’s handsome and he knows it. A magpie swoops in making everyone duck for cover. Blackbirds sing, a cat meows. Finally, jackdaws enter the scene and begin their morning foraging. This is a special wildlife haven. I’m lucky to have seen all that.
Let’s get @vasta on Micro Monday. He’s lovely and says the sweetest things 😊
After two coffees, it was inevitable I would go a bit crazy today. Fast forward a few hours and you’ll have found me walking in the pouring rain, smiling like a moose high on caffeine. I was so happy. No umbrella. Just me, the rain and droplets of water kissing my face.
Anyone ever been lacerated by stinging nettles? They got me all across my right ankle. I see the process as quite cleansing actually. That area definitely needs stimulating. Now I’ve got some pleasant tingling aftershock sensations. I’m rather enjoying it : )
Day 23 - was more of a working dance. I had stuff to tidy (the cleaner’s coming tomorrow!?). It’s good to know I can incorporate dance into daily routines. With or without headphones. I’ve always got dnb going round my head. It makes the mundane more fun. And I got a bit wet too.
I got my hair cut. By Johnny Scissorz. Ooo that name! I love hairdressers with Instagram accounts of their creations. It’s so useful. In the past, I’ve ended up with some weird ass haircuts in even weirder assed salons. Now at least I know what I’m getting myself into. I’m hap.
Since I’m in York. In the buzz. I’ll be frequenting coffee shops. I’ll be writing in the outside world. This is a new experience. I used to read in coffee shops. Now I write. I’ve gotta say it, I feel kinda cool. With my silver shiny Chromebook. Sipping coffee. Writing down ideas. Living my purpose. Especially now I’ve had my haircut (pics later). I always wanted to be one of those people. Working. Drinking coffee. Looking like they’ve got their creative shit together. Now here I am.
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