Timelapse – return to blogging – Brighton West Pier

6 November 20156 November 2015 / Waves and Pebbles - random thoughts and writing on life, memories and creativity / 2 Comments

Copyright 2015 Kay Underdown/wavesandpebbles

This photo was taken from my hotel room in Brighton when I escaped with my daughter for a couple of days before returning home for my last cycle of chemo treatment which I am having today. I have very mixed emotions and hoping that I don’t end up back in hospital.

My post today was prompted by the realisation that people were still reading my blog and if I left it much longer I might never return. I realise how much I have missed the blogging world but I have taken time out to get out and about as much as possible before I am restricted again. I have also been experimenting with other social media, Twitter in particular, but there is no comparison. I find Twitter fascinating but there is not the same sense of community that I feel might be gained from being part of the blogging world. I would be interested to hear other people’s thoughts on this. There’s a lot of social media options out there and for me they each serve different purposes and it’s finding a way to use them without social media taking over your life.

I’m just going to leave it there today. I’ve still been taking photos which I will catch up on and blog about. My Apple desktop is a scattered mess of photos which will no doubt give me inspiration. I’m keeping calm and relaxed and there is just something about the photo I have chosen for this blog that takes me to a different place.

Notebook Memories from my Garage (1)

21 September 2015 / Waves and Pebbles - random thoughts and writing on life, memories and creativity / Leave a comment

When I was out on my daytime travels the other day, I visited a garden centre and they had an inviting display of fruit and vegetables. Bramley apples caught my eye and I recalled memories of an apple cake I had made many years ago when I attended a cookery class with my mum in my twenties. So, with that in mind, yesterday I went out to my garage book shelf to retrieve the notebooks I had kept for so many years, along with other old recipes I had collected since that time.

Just a brief glance reminded me of close friends we used to meet up with regularly, trying out different three course meals on each other. At the time I collected a Cordon Bleu magazine course so many of the recipes for our dinners often came from this. Sadly, broken relationships lead to related joint friendships being lost and only the memories, and the recipes such as Black Forest Gateaux, remain.

I will be sharing some of the recipes, and other memories, in future posts.

Enjoy your day.

Kay

Living on Water – Chatham Maritime, Kent, England

16 September 201516 September 2015 / Waves and Pebbles - random thoughts and writing on life, memories and creativity / Leave a comment

The other day I was at Chatham Maritime with time to spare and decided to take a few photos. The people who live at the top of the blocks of apartments must have an amazing view. There is much going on in the area to appeal to different interests and it is continually growing. There is a large university campus with three universities, Chatham Historic Dockyard, Dickensworld, cinema and numerous restaurants.

Reminiscing by the Estuary Coast – Allhallows, Kent

15 September 201515 September 2015 / Waves and Pebbles - random thoughts and writing on life, memories and creativity / 2 Comments

The other day I had to go to a doctor’s appointment at a different location. So, unplanned, it took me near somewhere I used to spend much time and of where I have very special memories. So I decided to take a detour.

It was our weekend escape to stay in a caravan and I was able to write in peace and walk along the coast with the sea breeze blowing through my hair. There were many precious family times, fun and laughter. It was also our temporary home in between house moves in the freezing cold of winter. I never forget the first time I saw it, emerging over the brow of a hill with the panorama of the estuary coast on a beautiful sunny day.

Introducing my Healthy Eating Forum for Bloggers across the World

9 September 20159 September 2015 / Waves and Pebbles - random thoughts and writing on life, memories and creativity / 2 Comments

I know I need to eat healthier. It’s not that I don’t eat reasonably healthily, as I think I do. But it is what the ‘reasonably’ stands for. Some days it’s chocolate, including keep returning to that delicious block of Belgian chocolate gateaux that I thought was such a bargain as I can slice it straight from the freezer and no longer wait for it to defrost. Other days it’s butter, too many things throughout the day that just wouldn’t be the same without it: hot buttered toast, mushrooms cooked in butter, cauliflower cheese with a rich sauce. Then recently I bought a second hand Kenwood food mixer and have been making my own bread and baking cakes. How do people who bake all the time manage to keep trim? And going out socialising, eating and drinking in restaurants and cafes. Yesterday I was offered dessert (after a fairly healthy and very filling jacket potato with cheese and salad). Usually I decline but I was tempted by their homemade Raspberry Pavlova. When it arrived the raspberries were sitting on a thick blanket of fresh cream. It was delicious but even I realised it was a bit over the top.

When I was first diagnosed with leukaemia in January this year I was in hospital for three months and lost about a stone and a half (I never can visualise my metric weight). I must admit I was glad that I had some weight to lose as I eventually couldn’t eat and had to have nutrition intravenously. The medical staff were concerned that I got my appetite back and ate things that would build me up. So when I could eat, it wasn’t particularly what I would call healthy – it was a bit of a mix. Which is probably where I am at now. I do believe that as long as the healthy and unhealthy is properly balanced then it is not a problem. But what is that balance? Balance is probably the wrong word as it definitely should not be 50:50. What do you think?

When I was in my early twenties I was forever trying to lose weight, trying different diets with my friends then putting the weight back on. Then I stumbled across something that worked for me, losing over two stone and keeping it off for many years. I still recall that I had a set menu every day, it became a routine. I had cereal for breakfast, crispbreads with apple sauce (yes, sounds strange, but I discovered it and it worked for me) then a chicken salad in the evening. I also walked to and from work, a good half hour each way. The thing was I didn’t have to think about what I was going to eat. I knew. Once I got used to it, I stopped being obsessed with thinking about food. Have you found something that has worked for you?

I know what I need to do. I need to plan what I am going to eat, make a shopping list and stick to it. And how difficult is that? Simple. Then why is it so hard to do? Why do I seem to have such a block when it comes to planning my diet? I have come across some blogs on here which focus on healthy eating, including people who have been affected by cancer and discuss the best types of food to eat. The problem is there is so much information out there and it’s knowing the best places to look. Have you found a really good blog or website? Is there a book you would recommend?

I should have the motivation. I have good reason to want to eat healthily but somehow that isn’t always enough to do what’s needed. There must be other people out there who are struggling like I am, or who have moved on and now living a healthy life. I am therefore setting up a page which people can visit and share their own experiences, what has helped them overcome blocks to healthy eating, what healthy eating means to them in practice, what the risks are – such as what has stopped them following a healthy diet, what has got in the way. Things such as stress, relationship break-ups, long working hours, cooking for family? I’d love to hear from bloggers all over the world.

Please visit my new Forum https://wavesandpebbles.wordpress.com/healthy-eating-forum/ and let me know what you think of this idea. I hope it will bring people together to discuss their issues related to healthy eating. You may have noticed I don’t talk about losing weight. I do need to lose weight but I think that once I am eating a healthier diet, my weight will gradually reduce which is the best way of keeping it off.

I look forward to hearing about your own experiences and am hoping that by doing this, it will help me, and others out there in the blogging world, live a healthier life.

Happy blogging.

Kay

Recovering at home – working towards my goals

29 August 201530 August 2015 / Waves and Pebbles - random thoughts and writing on life, memories and creativity / Leave a comment

Photo Copyright 2015 Kay/wavesandpebbles

Today I thought I’d better try and get back into blogging, which I had been looking forward to but other things have got in the way and I couldn’t seem to decide what to write about.

One thing I am really pleased about is that I at last seem to be making progress with an idea for a novel, one of my ambitions in life. It is gradually beginning to take shape, slowly. At last I seem to have found a way that works for me, by doing it randomly and gradually it is coming together and different ideas are starting to pop up. I want to write something that is both simple and yet complex in the way that it is structured, bringing together things to do with life that I am interested in and using some of my life experiences and learning. I had often thought about writing something autobiographical until I attended a creative writing course which made me realise that I could write fiction and weave personal experiences within it.

The other thing I have been doing over the past couple of weeks is catching up on an online learning course on social media marketing. It is an introduction and has been interesting seeing how the course itself has been put together. Maybe this will come in useful when I publish my book! When it comes to publishing – some way off for me at the moment – there are decisions to make on whether to go the self-publishing route, whether to publish an e-book, traditional printed copies or both. I love books that I can just flick through, there is just something about browsing in a book shop, holding the book and turning the pages. Yet having an e-book would open it up to a much wider audience.

Something else I have done in the past couple of weeks is putting together a photo book. I took advantage of one Groupon’s offers and enjoyed putting together a random selection of memories from photos on my computer which spanned from the birth of my 13 year old daughter. I received the book in the post yesterday and am really pleased with it. It has a hard cover with my own photos on the front and back. A bonus was that I could share an electronic version with friends and family if I wished – I wasn’t expecting that – so I am well pleased. Going back to my novel, I can really see the benefits of going the ‘e’ route but a combination – like my photo book – would definitely suit me best. So at some point I will need to research the options, particularly cost-wise and time-wise. If I really got a move on with my draft, when could I realistically publish? At last I do actually believe it could happen, that it is not some flimsy dream without legs.

Since coming out of hospital I have been dipping into ‘The Millionaire Course. A Visionary Plan for Creating the Life of Your Dreams’ by Marc Allen. I really like the book, particularly the use of ‘keys’ and numerous quotations. It has reminded me of things I have learned in the past and I have started doing affirmations again in relation to things I want to achieve. Last time I did this regularly, I did notice changes take place in my life for the better. I just need to remember to read the affirmations each day, add to them or change them, and see what happens. It helps in keeping things positive during a difficult time, as does my writing.

Well that’s it for now. I hope not to leave it so long till next time. I’m now going to see what photos I can use for this post.

Additional note:

It intrigues me where things lead. As I thought about what photo to use, I decided to take a photo of an inspirational tile that was a gift from my eldest daughter some years ago. It sits here in a prominent position in my room. I then decided to look on the back to see if there was any way of finding out if it was still available. Well I still don’t know the answer to that as I got distracted. The tile is by Russ Berrie and I googled this. I ended up reading about Russ Berrie’s story as Founder of The Russell Berrie Foundation. A man who starts making money at the age of 10 years old selling scorecards at baseball games and has a real belief in the value and skill of being able to sell. He becomes one of the top 40 most generous Americans and founds The Russell Berrie Foundation. Sadly he passed away on Christmas Day in 2002 but his memory lives on through the Foundation. I liked the following quote from his story which is an extract from a lecture given in 1998 “Selling Your Way to Success”:

“So, set a goal, then persevere in that goal through thick and thin, overcoming all obstacles … if you have the courage and the sense of urgency to get it done, you will do so. You can achieve what you want if you truly want it badly enough. My wish for you is that you get in touch with the person that is uniquely you. I advise you to trust yourself enough to let the world in and savor all that it has to offer.” (Russ Berrie 1998)

Home again – reflecting back on beauty in nature after chemo

19 August 2015 / Waves and Pebbles - random thoughts and writing on life, memories and creativity / 2 Comments

Hi everyone

Just got back home after another spell in hospital. I realise I have missed the blogging world which is out of reach where I stay as there is such a bad mobile connection and no Wi Fi. I thought about writing blog posts while I was in hospital but for me it isn’t the same. I like to be spontaneous. To write and post the same day if I can. There may be some snippets of writing that I can share but I tend to look back later at any writing I do in hospital rather than revisit it straightaway.

Anyway, the week before I was admitted to hospital following my third cycle of chemotherapy, I had taken a gentle walk in a couple of different places. So some of those photos will be appearing here. They are not brilliant photos, a bit blurry in places, but for me they represent days spent enjoying just being in nature on beautiful sunny – yet cloudy – days.

Forced to Reflect – chemo and pancakes – including recipe for Strawberry Pancakes with Fresh Apricot and Caramel Sauce

23 July 2015 / Waves and Pebbles - random thoughts and writing on life, memories and creativity / Leave a comment

Forced to Reflect

In my mind, the words force and reflect do not sit well together. Forced is negative, being made to do something against one’s will, whereas reflection brings to mind a calm place with ample time to look back in a positive way on memories. What brings me to think of these words together? I have had a couple of months off treatment, which has taken me to a wonderful place where I have enjoyed life, had renewed energy, been able to think about the future, my hair has regrown to a point where I actually like my new short style. I began to feel that I was in a false state of wellness as I knew that my next cycle of treatment was imminent. Last week I had the dreaded call, resulting in dates for this week. I have tried to keep positive, not to think back on the difficult and challenging time that I have had since January.

Yesterday, as the clear ultramarine blue liquid dripped into me, I thought ‘what a beautiful colour’. One of the nurses who knew me quite well from my spell in the high dependency unit joked about me turning into a smurf. Her smile reminded me of the kindness and care she had shown me back in that dark place. Another nurse smiled brightly, commenting on how unbelievably well I looked compared to that time when I was lying in bed, hardly able to move, being turned throughout the night and losing the use of my legs through lack of mobility. I got through that time. I can do it again, I may not even go there.

Here I am discussing my treatment, what this blog was not to be about. But this blog is saving me, it is giving me hope. It is enabling me to achieve goals at a time when I felt that time was running out. Each day is precious, I enjoy my life with my wonderful family and friends. I have been blessed with a beautiful warm summer that is delightful. Yesterday when I was going for my treatment, my eldest daughter visited and we went out to my favourite new local cafe for lunch. I once wanted to run a tearoom – it was to be called ‘Pebbles” and would be right beside the sea. One side was to be the cafe with special gifts and books for sale, the other side was to be a place for quiet contemplation, with artwork to view and books available, and the opportunity for either one to one support or small group workshops with a coaching theme. I gain satisfaction from seeing what other’s are able to accomplish. The cafe I mention is run by a young girl seemingly living her dream and very successful with it. Who knows where life will take her, I know nothing of her history. I have never owned a tearoom but I have been able to achieve the essence of my dream by organising special intergenerational tea party events, holding workshops and training in the community and organising an art competition – all while working in my dream job working for a local charity.

I started this post early today and now it is late evening and I am reflecting back. I return to the local cafe. The first time I visited it was with a friend. We chose from the breakfast menu and I had the most scrumptious fluffy American blueberry pancakes piled high, with fresh blueberries floating in warm maple syrup. All thought of taking photos for my blog went out of my head as I dived in, so the photo shown here was an afterthought. This experience led me to look up recipes and try one out with my new mixer that I treated myself to. I was really pleased with the results and we had them with cinnamon sugar. Yummy. So this morning, as my daughter had stayed over, I decided to make them again. The first round was drizzled with tangy fresh lemon juice with cinnamon sugar. For the second round, I thought I’d try something different and I made the most wonderful fresh apricot sauce with strawberries. I was gutted that I forgot to take a photo so will have to make them again specially and take a really good photo. But I wanted to include what I did here anyway. So, a quick recipe.

Strawberry Pancakes with fresh apricot caramel sauce

Use your favourite recipe for American fluffy pancakes – if you have never made them there are many to choose from online. The one I make uses 200 g self-raising flour, 200 ml milk, 2 eggs and 1 tsp honey. The eggs are separated first. Then mix the flour, milk, egg yolks and honey together with a fork until thick and smooth, but not for too long. Whisk the egg whites until thick and firm and then fold into the pancake mixture until all the white has mixed in. Melt butter in a thick frying pan and when it is sizzling spoon dollops of the mixture, spaced out. (At this point I add some chopped strawberries, quickly sprinkling a few pieces over the top of each pancake first and then gently pressing them down with the back of a large spoon before the tops of the pancakes become too set. The pancakes are then flipped over once golden to cook the fruity side until lightly golden.)

To make the apricot caramel sauce (quantities for 2 servings only) and the amazingly flavoursome whole strawberries that top it all, peel and chop 2 fresh apricots and wash and hull 4 fresh strawberries. Place the chopped apricots and whole strawberries in a heavy based pan, I use stainless steel, with 3-4 teaspoons of caster sugar. Do not add any liquid. Heat gently, stirring occasionally. The apricots will start to soften and the sugar melt, becoming a lumpy golden sauce. You will smell a slight caramel scent. Do not allow to boil. Continue to stir just for a few minutes. I stopped when I noticed the caramel smell start to change and placed the base of the saucepan in water for a few seconds to stop the sauce from continuing to cook, so it didn’t become bitter caramel. On tasting, there is a hint of caramel flavour which blends beautifully with the fresh apricots and I served it warm. The whole strawberries will be cooked through but remain firm, and their flavour is really intensified.

So today, my second day of treatment, we enjoyed a home cooked, satisfying and delicious breakfast. What a treat! It reminds me that I must cook more, something I used to do a lot of and have the recipe books to prove it in my garage library. It also gives me something else to photo and blog on here. So, forced to reflect? Yes, but to me, reflection ends in a positive and turns the world around.

Urban Gem – finding tranquility

20 July 2015 / Waves and Pebbles - random thoughts and writing on life, memories and creativity / Leave a comment

Living in a mainly urban area, I sometimes forget how easy it is to escape in less than 20 minutes and find tranquility, something I should do more often. It was wonderful sitting by the lake reading my book and I hope to return to do some writing soon. It gave me a chance to try out the panorama facility on my phone and I quite liked the black and white filter effect for the last photo shown here.

The Strawberry Effect – an A to Z Poetry Challenge

18 July 2015 / Waves and Pebbles - random thoughts and writing on life, memories and creativity / 3 Comments

Copyright 2010 Mr.TinDC, Flickr, CC-BY-ND, via Wylio

The Strawberry Effect

Apples gleaming with a rosy hue
Bananas browning too soon in the queue
Cherries masquerading with damson delight
Darkening tastebuds with sourness so bright

Endless choice of shapes and flavour
Fondling fruit such strange behaviour
Gathering mounds of good intent
Healthy heroes the world has sent

Isles of green spring way ahead
Jolly leaves stay in their bed
King of mushrooms, sturdy and strong
Laughing lentils, where have they gone?

Melons milking their golden flesh
Nurturing nectar with a honey mesh
Oranges glow with dimpled desire
Peppers compete with radiant fire

Quarrelling cubes of hacked about fruit
Ready-to-eat but do they really suit?
Softening strawberries enticingly placed
Thoughts of the cream and the scones in haste

Under the rainbow hope is born
Visions of dreamy desserts forewarn
Wallowing weighty magical moments
X-rated – so bring back the Clements
Young and fruity and so divine
Zero degrees with a glass of wine

This poem was written this morning after this week discovering the blog of Blair King http://www.peoplethingsandlife.wordpress.com and reading her poem The Storm. I loved the poem and then discovered Blair had set out to use the alphabet for the start of each line which I thought made her poem even more amazing. So, I thought I’d have a go with the A to Z and somehow I ended up with this poem based around food shopping – no idea why! Have a great day! Kay (and thanks Blair for the idea)