Sunday 15 November 2009

New Year blessings

I can not quite believe it myself, but we are now starting our sixth year in our motor home. I should explain myself here, we set out at the end of October 2004 and spent Samhain in our van. So each Samhain I class as the end of our year, which is in keeping with old ways, as at this time of year everything dies off ready to be re-born in the spring. So communitites celebrated the harvest they had reaped and made ready for the coming winter months.
We have travelled some miles in that time, seeing wonderful sights and meeting such diverse people throughout the British Isles. My son has now just turned ten and has grown an enormous amount in the past five years. His talent for drawing and creating evolves as I write. It is a wonder to see him conjure up a picture in what seems like no time at all. He is also reading fluently and enjoying different books, his favourite are still comic books. Of course super heros are still his real passion, which little boy does not aspire to some hero or another, and the comic books give him art ideas.
He has created quite a few short comic strips involving family and pets. At the moment he is working on a six page comic of 'The League of Extraordinary Dogs'. We await with baited breath. He has a good creative imagination, I'm sure it helps with other learning as he seems to try to picture things in his mind and then find a comparission to help him understand whatever we are discussing. The other day whilst out walking the dogs he started to develop ideas for a story. We were walking through some woods and suddenly he began to laugh. I stopped and looked at him and enquired if he was alright. " Yes I just had an image of a soothsayer I want to put into a story about magic portals in a wood. He is naked except for a tea towel made into pants" He giggled. When we got in he did no more than drew the man in his surroundings. He did look quite funny.
Then he set about writing his story, this is the more difficult part for him. He finds spelling challenging, and ends up having to explain what word he has tried to write. The English language is very difficult, as not all words can be sounded out, and sometimes letters masquared as a different sound. I had not even taken into account this difficultly until Troy started to write. We do spellings, but he stumbles at the sounds of the words. However, he ploughs on, even if only for a short while. He has gone back to the story and added sentences. Like everything else he learns he will get there, but it must be frustrating to have lots of corrections in your writing most of the time. I try not to make a big thing of it, and praise him whole heartedly when he gets the spelling right. We do spelling tests but I try not to make them a chore, don't want to put him off now he's on the road.
I have succesfully re-sealed all the joins in the outside of my van. It was letting in water as the old seal was either non-existent or peeling away. I had that done three years ago, so I can't complain too much. This time I was quoted over a thousand pounds and to move out of my van for two days. Well that was out of the question, as was the price. So I posted on a wildcamp site and got some very helpful suggestions. I invested in two tubes of sealent used on boats and have completed the job in eight hours over two days, whilst still living in my van. As you can probably tell I am very pleased with myself. I have to add that I am also pleased I did a good job as no rain has leaked in.
I am still trying to find a publisher for my book, failing that I would love people to read it and give their honest opinions, but I don't know how to do this either. I am a complete techonovice and find it all a bit difficult. This blog has taken some getting used to and I find putting it all together traumatic. I just can't seem to get pictures in the right place, so anything else is beyond me in computer respects. I am beginning to put together some future works So I also get confused as to where everything should go.
We are having a bit of us time now before yuletide and family time descend, as most of our time this year has been dominated by work and caring for others. Since being back in Canterbury we have cherished our time with family and friends, but delight in the peace and sanctity we call home. Taking the dog out late at night I can truly enjoy the wonder of the unvierse as it sparkles down at us. We are but a mere dot in the expanse of space. Last night as I looked up at Mars I saw a shooting star. They flash across the night sky bursting forth and are gone before you can even make your wish. I have not seen shooting stars since 2007, so I was especially glad to have been out at that precise moment. The night sky was alight with stars, so clear after the storm that had raged through the south east for two days.
I understand why the Americans call their homes on wheels land yachts, as ours swayed to and fro in the winds which danced a merry dance outside. As we sat in our van the wind outside sounded like an old toy Troy had had. It was a long plastic corrugated tube, with an end like a speaking tube. You whirlled it around and it made a noise. It made us chuckle listening to this sound. Our mirth was brought to an abrupt end when we both felt like we were on a see-saw. Not quite 'Wizard of Oz' but nearly I'd say.
Our days now will be filled with wood and walks, books and drawings and of course food and drink. During all this it is important to still the mind and concentrate on walking one step at a time, then look at what surrounds you. You will notice even the smallest detail in the surrounding world, which we so often miss. I look forward to what awaits us in the coming year and know there will be new experiences out there to help us on our way.