Tombola

Posted on 7 February, 2011 by Val

Whilst I sit around contemplating the navel of the Universe, Life Goes On. And, my! Doesn’t it Go On? It doesn’t keep still for a minute. And somehow it feels as if we are always running to catch up with it.

Just when you think you’ve got a situation sussed, things change, and new challenges appear. I used to think that feeling was very much a work-related phenomenon, with endless change rolling in on the latest wave of management restructuring and such like, but even here, where there isn’t a whole lot going on except for Nature, the only constant is Change.

Let’s take The Cats, for instance.

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Posted in Cats, Life | 8 Comments

Alauda Meditatus

Posted on 6 February, 2011 by Val

So, this Meditation lark! What’s the secret?

Having done looooads of reading and thinking and reflecting about Life and the Meaning Thereof, and having decided that the Noble Eightfold Path was probably the Way To Go, I came to the conclusion that my meagre portion of it could be significantly enhanced by the daily practice of a little bit of Right Concentration. I actually came to that conclusion about five years ago and, if I had any qualities of persistence whatsoever, that would mean that, by now, I could have at least 1,826 sessions of meditation under my spiritual belt. That’s a big number. I’m pretty sure that would have got me quite a long way along the path to Nirvana, or at least to being the considerably-more-chilled sort of person that I think I’d like to be. However…

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How do I love thee?…

Posted on 29 January, 2011 by Val

Yeah, well… Meditation. There’s a Thing. Sounds like it should be a piece of piss really – just sit still, be quiet, and don’t think. Who’d have believed it could be SO HARD? But before I launch into a lengthy discourse on the Many Difficulties of Meditation, let me tell you about the weather station.

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Posted in Environment, Life | 1 Comment

Rumpeta Rumpeta

Posted on 28 January, 2011 by Val

Okay. Let’s get back to that Elephant in the room. By which I mean that obvious truth that no one wants to talk about, and that we all pretend isn’t there. The one that, whenever I happen to bring it up in general conversation, causes those around me to shudder and say, “Stop being so morbid”. That massive great, grey wrinkly Elephant that goes by the name of Certain Death.

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Ups and downs

Posted on 24 January, 2011 by Simon

I think I shall always want to keep chickens. They do, however, have disadvantages as well as advantages . . .

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How are the mighty fallen!

Posted on 23 January, 2011 by Simon

Meanwhile, as Val gets to grip with major philosophical questions, the llama drama evolves. Lenny has declined in status. From proud man-biting, female-mounting hero to down-trodden, mocked zero.

Lenny is now often excluded from the warm stable at night, and sleeps shivering outside while ‘his’ pregnant women laugh disdainfully from the cosy doorway. During the day, he patrols manically up and down the fence-lines, but the neighbouring llamas can barely stir themselves to react to his fury at their impudent closeness.

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