Blaise on a Wet Day.

Photos copyright: Maggie May

When I was just about getting over the worst effects of chemo 2, a very kind person from Church, who I have known for a very long time, asked me if I would like to go to Blaise for a walk at the end of the week. I had previously told J that this was the type of thing that I missed most...... being able to get out of the house for a walk in a lovely environment, like I used to do on my own in the days before cancer treatment.

At the time we talked on the phone, I was still suffering quite a bit from the chemo brain syndrome and I really couldn't visualise ever feeling well enough to be able to go for a long walk. This attitude unfortunately, comes as part of the chemo package, the thought that this time my energy would not come back. However J managed to get me to give a firm date for Friday.

Well of course, by Friday I was feeling quite fit but the weather turned out to be dreadful... pouring with rain from the moment I got up, to the time that J was due to pick me up.

When she arrived, we decided to go ahead with the arrangement anyway and found ourselves at Blaise, a beautiful spot in Bristol, with marvellous walks and scenery. I have posted about this place before and have often visited in the school holidays with the grandchildren, sometimes with all four of them.

Obviously on Friday morning, a normal school day, there were very few people about. The rainy day probably made even less people go there than usual, though a few stoical dog walkers with dripping wet canines in tow did brave the elements.

There is a small cafe near the car park, so it seemed best to start off having a coffee in a dry place. It was good to chat and catch up on our latest happenings because neither of us normally has the time or opportunity to do that.

The rain seemed set for the day, but we decided to go for our walk anyway. Armed with umbrellas we set off, not only soaking up the rain but also soaking in the beauty of the wet trees and grass that looked new and unspoilt.

We walked along to the Mansion and then towards the river walk, passing this stone dog on our way.

We are really fortunate in Bristol to have so many lovely green spaces to walk in.

Then it started to rain really heavily and we turned and walked back to the car.

Walking in the rain with our umbrellas brought me a good deal of pleasure and I was so grateful to J for taking me there. Thank you J if you are reading this.

I would like to bring to everyones attention that this weekend, a very important person is being Roasted by my brother, Eddie Bluelights. It is none other than our old friend, David Mcmahon, the Melbourne journalist, author of several best selling novels and professional photographer, who has helped and inspired so many of us in the past. Every ones chance to learn more about him.

Please go over and see Eddie's Sunday Roast.

The Fight Is On....

Ok, so I had to blog about my shock yesterday in my last post. People have been so kind with comments and email and sending me funny things. The bra was sent by Mickle from Mickle's Pickle and it was great of her and I had a laugh. Anyway thank you for all the support and kindness in comments on the post and email. It really means a lot.

I am now in fighting mood and getting myself into gear for whatever might be ahead.

This is the post that was supposed to go out this weekend, so here it is. Back to business.

Blogging Is Like A River...

Photo copyright: Maggie May

I have sensed that there has been a kind of apathy going round in Blogland lately. Everyone, myself included, has experienced a huge hole since David left.

Eddie Bluelights has made a great success of taking over his Sunday Roast and Hilary also with her Post Of The Week but there is still an unexplained void. Just makes you wonder how any one man could post so many photos and articles and keep the interest of hundreds of people, every day?

All this nostalgia has come to a head for me, after reading Saz's excellent post recently (Fat,Frumpy & Fifty) and she's none of the first two! It was entitled *What Is Your Sell By Date?*

It set me thinking. I wonder what my sell by date is? I don't mean that literally, thank you very much. I mean my blog shelf life.

I have lost several good blogging friends without warning and many others have tapered off writing altogether, only returning intermittently. Even sadder was when a couple of friends died.

Is it strange to think of people who I have never met, as friends? I think not. I feel that I have shared so much with other bloggers over the years and when they suddenly disappear, there is a feeling of sadness, bereavement even.

There is that saying, when one door closes another opens and there is much truth in that. There are many new and upcoming bloggers out there in cyberspace as well as all the established ones that I already know and value and those ones that I have yet to meet.

One of the comments in Saz's post was that (blog) life was like a river, flowing endlessly on........ I suppose gathering some new things and losing others as it swirls along, just like in real life. Another person said that she thought that a true friend thinks you are a good egg even if you are slightly cracked!

I liked both those replies!

In the end, we must decide who are we blogging for, other people or ourselves? It is good to have people appreciate our work, but as long as blogging gives us pleasure then that is the main thing.

I feel that my blog is therapy for me and combines my interest in photography with my love of writing. However, I think it is essential to visit others' blogs and leave comments. How can anyone have a one sided relationship? So please keep those comments coming in......... they are much appreciated and I will do my utmost to return to you.

The Sunday Roast

Most people who know David Mcmahon from authorblog will have been shocked and disappointed to learn that he decided to close his blog in order to promote more time to writing his novels.

Although this was an exciting thing for him to move on to, we will all certainly miss not only his photography and excellent journalistic writing, his sense of humour and his comments, but Verse and Worse (his funny rhymes), Post Of The Day, that made us all compete in a friendly way for recognition, and The Sunday Roast.

Whilst the Post Of The Day helped many people, myself included, to receive new comments and in turn, good blogging friends, similarly The Sunday Roast helped to introduce us to bloggers who were unknown to us.

Well I have got good news for you. David has recommended someone to take over the Sunday Roast and he is the Bristol Blogger, Eddie Bluelights who has agreed to do this and hopes to take over mid October.

Eddie wants to keep David's interviews in the same tradition and style and if ever David came back to blogging, he would hand everything back to him. So he is looking after it for him until such a day that this might happen.

There are quite a few people trapped on David's draft folder, who should have been appearing on his Sunday Roast. These people might have never seen the light of day if Eddie hadn't agreed to free them. It would be good to see who they are, if they are new people or whether they are good friends, whom we already know.

Some of you might well be thinking, "Whatever is this Sunday Roast?"

So for those who have never heard of it, I will explain quickly that David invited people to be interviewed via email, to use on his post every Sunday together with their picture.

Some of his questions were Why Do You Blog? What Is The Reason Behind The Blog Name? What Advice Would You Give To A New Blogger? He also asked what they thought was their most significant post on their own blog and why. Also what other blog had influenced or made the most impact on them and why.

These posts have always been really interesting to read and I have made some good blogging friends this way.

I was Roasted last December just after Christmas. It was good fun, if not a little hot!

Eddie also wants these back numbers linked to his blog for others to see but if this is not possible, then you can always check them out at David's place.

Well Eddie hasn't as many followers as David has (getting on for 1000). Who could compete with that? Therefore, it has been decided that some of his followers would spread the word around so that readers will know that the Sunday Roast is still in operation. That is why I am writing this post that I will leave on my blog for a week or so, before I post anything else.

So my dear readers, if you enjoyed David's Sunday Roast, please would you post a similar notice on your blog to help promote the fact that it is still in operation and point them to Eddie Bluelights?

I wouldn't be a bit surprised if David didn't come over and have a peek from time to time.

Let's give him something to be really proud of....... a tradition that was started by him and that lives on.

Righty ho then, over to you, as he would say.