The power of positive thinking

I heard some really sad news about a friend today which made me reflect on how I need to stop being so stressed. I need to concentrate on the positive things in my life. I have been feeling quite relaxed since our lovely Spa day on Sunday and I want to hold onto that feeling. I can't have a two hour massage every day so I need to achieve the feeling of well being it gave me by other methods. One of these has to be exercise, and my friend Heather is a very good example of someone who exercises regularly. Not only does she look great, she tells me that it makes her feel great too. I am already eating sensibly and I am certainly feeling better for carrying less weight (I dropped below nine stones today for the first time in a decade!).
I need to go to bed earlier (not a good start tonight as I am blogging not long before before midnight.) This will take some determination because late evenings are about the only time I get to myself so I tend to footer around reading or organising things. Above all I need to think positively and not worry so much, because I think it has become a bit of a habit! 

Jack's least favourite night of the year

Jack is not a happy cat. He is so deaf these days that we thought he might not hear the fireworks but it became apparent at tea time that he can definitely still both hear and see them. He is now hunched miserably in the upstairs hall, flinching whenever a particularly loud bang goes off nearby. Ally has gone with friends to the fireworks display at Glasgow Green and Davie went round to Kyle's fireworks party. James is in town meeting up with his walking friends. However I feel a bit chilled; I was cold all day at work today. So I have turned down invitations to all three events in order to have a warming bath and read my latest book; a thriller called The Big Picture by Douglas Kennedy, and I am as happy as larry. I'm enjoying the book even though the plot went veering off in a direction that I neither expected nor welcomed. However I am finding it fascinating. 

Four go on a relaxing adventure

Yesterday we gave Heather her birthday present from James and me - a Spa day at the One Spa in Edinburgh. When I booked it about three months ago it seemed very far off, but the time has flown by. Around the time of booking it, Ewan had expressed interest in getting a Swedish massage, and James was up for it too, so all four of us went along.
I really enjoy a Spa day and I wanted us to try somewhere that none of us had been before, so the spa at the Sheraton in Edinburgh sounded good especially as I know a few people who have enjoyed it. It was a lovely day and we all enjoyed exploring the facilities. It has a rather complicated layout or so it seemed on a first visit; we started by having a coffee while we registered at reception and then we headed to the gym for the first hour. James and I took it easy (he hasn't been to the gym since he was ill and I haven't been for ages) and we were both impressed by Heather and Ewan's vigorous use of the equipment, they are a fit pair. Then we made our way to the swimming pool - a decent size - and the outdoor jacuzzi which was on the roof. I do love an outdoor jacuzzi and I found it very pleasant but (and I am being a bit demanding here!) I had expected an amazing view over the rooftops of Edinburgh and instead there was a view of the neighbouring office blocks! I did like being in the warm jacuzzi pool while the chilly wind nipped my face, that's part of the fun for me. I remember loving being in the outdoor hot tub at Gleneagles in the rain. We also visited the "thermal suite" which consisted of a selection of spa rooms of different temperatures reminiscent of the spa at Center Parcs but smaller. Luckily it was not crowded and we could wander at will from room to room.
Soon it was time for lunch, which we had pre-ordered in the café earlier. Heather and I followed Ewan's suggestion to dry off our swimsuits before lunch by using the mini drier in the changing room, but we couldn't find it at first so we briefly tried to insert our cossies into a heater which was very funny. Luckily someone directed us the the drier! We had all ordered boxes of "superfoods". These were subdivided into small compartments each with a mini portion of various healthy treats e.g. Salmon with oatmeal, quinoa salad, crowdie and beetroot, granola with fruit and yoghurt, chocolate and beetroot cake. It was all rather self-conscious designer food and I felt as if it was "the emperor's new clothes!" type of lunch! However I did actually find it quite novel and tasty and we all entered into the spirit of the day and ate it up.
Back upstairs to the thermal suite we went until it was time for our treatments at three o'clock. We sat in a waiting area until a little procession of therapists trooped in and spirited us away to our separate treatment rooms. James and Ewan both got their Swedish massages. Heather had chosen a body wrap and a hot stone treatment, and I chose a massage and a facial. The treatment took nearly two hours and I felt so relaxed that I'm sure I nodded off from time to time, what with the warmth and the relaxing music. The first time I ever got a massage many years ago I remember feeling very self conscious, but now I really enjoy it. When I met up with the others in the "relaxation" area afterwards they all seemed to have enjoyed their experiences. And so we headed home after a day of serious chilling out and good company. I felt very relaxed and twenty four hours later I still do! 

Dark skies

David, James and I were watching a programme about Northumberland presented by Robson Green, where he visited the Kielder Observatory. The astronomer mentioned that 85% of people in the UK never see a truly dark sky because of light pollution. We were discussing that we have been lucky enough to see many dark skies in the north of Scotland and in Orkney and Shetland. Davie then mentioned that when he as in the Lake District doing his Duke of Edinburgh Gold expedition he left his tent one night to go for a pee. Afterwards he happened to glance up at the sky and was amazed by the fantastic display of stars - he said that even though it was cold he stood there gazing heavenwards for at least ten minutes. I love that story. 

Oh Philomena

Last night we went to see a film with Grandma called Philomena. She had read about it in the newspaper this week and fancied going to see it, so I booked us tickets at the Grosvenor and I met James, Davie and Grandma in Ashton Lane after my shopping trip. It was a grim and rainy evening and I was pretty sure the film would be a bit grim too so I wasn't particularly looking forward to it. I knew that it was about an elderly lady (Philomena) who searches for her long lost son with the help of the journalist Martin Sixsmith. The two main characters are played by Judi Dench and Steve Coogan. I have read about babies being taken away from their mothers by Catholic nuns, and the young mothers being treated very badly and made to work as servants in the nunneries, and of course I sympathise - but not much fun to watch on a Saturday evening I thought.
Well you may guess what I am leading up to - the film was absolutely brilliant. It told the story SO well. Steve Coogan was excellent as the jaded journalist whose career was on the rocks, and Judi Dench was fantastic as Philomena, just fantastic. I think that they both deserve Oscars. It was so sad and yet the lovely personality of Philomena shone through - she never lost her faith. Near the end there was a revelation so shocking that I gasped aloud and so did the rest of the audience. I will not say any more about the story because I would like anyone who reads this to see the film for themselves. 

A new month

So here we are in November and Autumn is in full swing. Dreich but still fairly mild weather contrasting with the bright yellow leaves covering the ground. I am very excited about our Spa day tomorrow and today's plans are very pleasant too - hairdresser, lunch with friends, shopping, cinema with Grandma. Who would have ever thought that I would enjoy going to the hairdresser? But I like the Rainbow Room and I trust Fiona, and I am feeling very relaxed. On the way in to town I was looking at all the people on the train and so many of them look really worn down and damaged. Life is hard but I suppose you have to keep going, I'm lucky compared to many. I bought a nice poppy badge at a stall in Argyle Street, one of the volunteers was our school bus driver! The pavements were shiny with rain and I quite liked that - a good day for being in town. 

Jury duty

It has been a long week and I'm so glad to be home and that it's the weekend. My week was further complicated by the fact that I had potential jury service from Wednesday onwards. On Wednesday we were sent away immediately, and on Thursday I didn't have to go in at all (you phone the night before to find out). So by Thursday evening I had kind of got it into my mind that I wouldn't be required. James and I went over to Hillington to collect my new car after work, it took ages to complete all the paperwork so we were starving and picked up a curry on the way home. I like my little silver car with its black roof, particularly the voice controls for music and phone etc. which I kept practising on the way home, such fun! James asked me to stop though; he said that he would prefer if I concentrated on driving! When we got in I phoned the jury hotline almost as an afterthought and found that I had to go in this morning! So of course I then had to text and email to change several arrangements I had blithely made for today. I totally over indulged on curry and as a result I had dreadful indigestion. 
This morning I turned up at the High Court and as soon as I got the chance I spoke to the clerk of court and explained that the timing was really bad for me. She was very nice and understanding, however I still had to wait until nearly lunchtime before I was allowed to leave. However the good news is that I don't need to phone on Monday; my duty is done.