Today I was up at 07.30 this morning, to finish off yesterdays blog – add pictures, etc…and post it before 09.30, when I needed to get ready for the mediation group at 10.00am. We are encouraged to arrive at 09:45 so we can settle within ourselves and be ready to start at 10:00. In addition to finish the blog, I had to take Honey the Dog for a walk and make and eat breakfast (for both of us) (well I didn’t eat Honey’s breakfast 😉 ).
I got it finished about 09.40am and whilst waiting to join Zoom posted it on the various places, arriving at 09.55am – I was worried I was going to the last to arrive – but surprised to see only a few people in the Zoom room. There had been a problem with folk logging in, due to the updated version of Zoom – phew!
My website (well WordPress) blocked me last night from accessing the site, when 
I was nearly at the end of posting it. I did some internet searching and found it happens if there are multiple times you log in, or multiple times you login incorrectly or multiple times refreshing the page. You have to wait 30 minutes to wait for it to reset and if you try again, before it resets, the timer starts again.
I waited 15 minutes, still trying to find what the error message meant, then tried to log in again – so it would have reset for another 30 minutes. As it was then nearly midnight and I had a long day – I decided to finish it this morning.
In the early days of writing this blog, I used to upload the photos onto the website via my phone and then access the blog on my computer to write it. Then a new version of WordPress came along, which stopped me being able to upload multiple photos at once. It would take 
ages to upload one photo at a time. So I resorted to sending the photos to myself on Facebook Messenger, then saving them on my computer, one at a time. Then uploading them onto the website via the computer. I then found a way to upload multiple photos via the phone – so returned to that version.
Last night, I had so many photos – my phone stopped half way through uploading. But I had assumed, the photos had uploaded. So I logged into my website. When finding only half the photos were uploaded, I logged out on my phone and then logged back in and tried to upload the photos. Still without success, so I logged out and back in and tried again on my phone.
That was the error that WordPress picked up on – and blocked me. I also wonder, if it’s not so helpful to be logged in to WordPress on multiple devices and doing things to my website at the same time?
Does that make sense?
Anyway – today, all the photos are uploaded via my phone, BEFORE I have logged into my computer to start writing! And I am no longer logged in on my phone – fingers crossed it will all be ok!
Last night, just before midnight, when I was heading to bed, I heard that my good friend Ron (who I have been doing the dementia work with) had a heart-attack last night. His wife, Karen messaged me to let me know. She said Ron was currently in an air ambulance on the way to Glasgow. They live on the Isle of Lewis.
So today I have been thinking about death and dying.
I think that is Ron’s third heart-attack in about 5 years. His life has been up and down for over 10 years. But I thought his heart problems were more stable in the last 6 – 12 months or so. Although, he did have some stents put in his legs a few weeks ago to help with blood flow.
It brought up memories of my Dad, who died of a heart-attack in 2005. He had a few heart-attack / angina attacks before he died. I was living in the north-east of 
England and would rush down to the south of England, where he lived, with the fear of him dying.
This morning, I was thinking about Ron – and how I may not hear his voice again. Although, then remembered it is all over the Deepness Dementia Radio station he has launched. This is something I always found hard with my Dad, forgetting his voice.
I have spoken to Ron most days on the phone or Zoom for the last 8 weeks or so!
This evening, I spoke with Karen on the phone and she said that Ron is stable and going to have an operation on his legs and the stents, which will probably be tomorrow.
He has had a Covid-19 Test and it came back negative.
It does remind me on how life is so precious.
Today, another hot day. I had anticipated to go to the beach again. But after mediation, I went outside to go the shops and felt a bit of a breeze and decided that it would be quite breezy at the beach. Plus another 10-15 km was less appealing. My legs are quite sore from yesterday and my body is generally feeling pretty tired from all that exercise!
So we headed out to Arthur’s Seat instead.
With thoughts of Ron, death and dying on my mind – I put on Ram Dass’s lecture called ‘Facing Death‘. I always find this a thought provoking lecture to listen to. I must have listened to at least 20 times in the last 15 years or so!
Following on from yesterday’s blog, on what is “holiday”. I had another thought. When I returned to Easter Road (where I live) from the beach, I had a sinking feeling “back on the polluted, traffic busy Easter Road“. After such a lovely time, being at the beach. I wondered yesterday, whether part of a “holiday” definition, could include that transition from a new place on holiday to “home” and “work”. Which for many is that sinking feeling, that I experienced being back on Easter Road?
When we arrived at Holyrood Park, which is next to Arthur’s Seat. There were a lot of people, socially distanced, in groups, picnicking, drinking, playing racket games, chatting, etc…
It was the busiest I have seen it since lock-down. Plus many many more people, in small clusters across the whole of Arthur’s Seat. Even in the secluded hidden areas, where usually there are no one!
Unlike the beach – no one was sunbathing. Instead, sitting, eating, drinking, etc…
Holyrood Park felt like a massive campsite, without the tents! Check out the photos below (click on any photo to see if full size):
When one is camping on a campsite – one often puts up their tents with a little distance from other tents – so not to be disturbed in the middle of the night! Plus, if in groups, often form small clusters of tents, so everyone can sit outside their tent and chat. This is exactly how it felt in Holyrood Park. Small clusters of people sitting together – scattered across the whole area.
A campsite – without the tents!
We headed up the back of St. Anthony’s Chapel – I discovered a great wee path, which is quite steep, but gets you higher up, quickly.
We found the guy with his bagpipes. Plus another guy sitting near him with his bagpipes next to him. Plus, when we were leaving, we passed another man, coming along with his bagpipes! This is clearly the place to play bagpipes!
The main photo of this blog – you can see the bagpipe player behind Honey!
We then walked further up the hill and along and then across and back down our usual route.
The moon was up in the sky – half moon. I took a video. I did the same video, of the half moon in the sky on Day 29 (2 May). I guess, that is the moon cycle!
On the way down, Honey ran up to a couple, who seemed to love dogs and we started talking – Teddy & Georgina. Georgina was doing a PhD in Psychology and Mental Health. Both areas I have worked in – so we talked for quite a while!
Then we headed home.
Rested a while on the sofa before heading out for our bedtime walk and now this blog! It’s now light enough for a bedtime walk at 9.50pm – it was only a few weeks ago, that we had to go out at 9pm!! I love how it gets so light at nighttime, this time of the year. Although, only 3 weeks – until the longest day 😉
It was not humid tonight on our evening walk. I think it was a couple of days ago, when it was really warm outside at 9.30pm.
I fear that temperatures will soon to dropping. But what a lovely weekend, for Scotland to start easing lock-down and allowing picnics and sunbathing!
Readers Corner
Brian is the only person to share in Readers Corner today. Please, keep sending in your thoughts, own reflections and daily lives! Its great to hear what others are doing in lock-down!
He shared some photos for me, just before I was finishing Readers Corner, so he got in just in time! A rare site of Brian on a bicycle! He says he was on Leith Links, Edinburgh.
He also sent me some writing earlier today, saying he has been meaning to share this with me for a while!
“Hello There!” Does Readers Corner take requests? Because I have one! I am wondering if I am the only reader of the blog who is wondering if you could draw a map highlighting some of the favourite places you and Honey have been over the last couple of months? I feel like I now know a lot of these places and the characters you have met, but an actual drawn out map might be fun for your blog readers! Anyway, just an idea for Readers Corner – or is it the first contribution to Suggestion Corner!! PS I’m sure you maybe have better things to do than draw out a lockdown treasure map – but I’ve been meaning to mention it for days!”
Thanks for that Brian! What a good idea. Like a poster to put up on your wall, so you can get a better sense of my daily walks/journeys?
I’m not so good at drawing! If anyone wants to help – maybe on furlough leave – let me know! Otherwise I will start trying to put something together. May take a while 😉
So the end of another week! Soon to be Week 10 of lock-down!
It’s been a fun packed weekend, with lots of energy.
When I was talking to Teddy & Georgina earlier, I realised that apart from the words that continue in media/news. Plus, this blog – it no longer feels like I am in lock-down. This is my life. I am enjoying it. As I have explored a while ago, I don’t really want it to change. I am happy with my daily routines and life.
As I discovered whilst training to be a counsellor, I am not good with endings. Once I have found something that works for me, I don’t want it to change. I just stick with it.
At least for the time being, I can continue with my lock-down life. Maybe slowly change and ease out of it, rather than suddenly!
Was also thinking earlier, how great it is, that we are not being encouraged to meet other households inside. We are all outside, meeting outside. Pockets of mini-parties everywhere! It’s lovely that everyone is outside, rather than in. It kind of feels more of a community connection – rather than everyone meeting, hidden in their homes!
Hope you’ve managed sometime outside this weekend.
Stay Safe.
Jim xxx
Colin Campbell
Thanks for recommending Ram Dass Jim. A very thought provoking listen.