Happy New Year dear friends {Smile}

I wish you all good health, blessings and much happiness in this coming year.

Am just starting of a new string for 2013 with my resolution of making time to post more frequently {Smile}

I do hope that everyone enjoyed their Christmas and New Year celebrations - I must admit that looking out of the window this morning it is a lovely change to see blue skies rather than grey and pouring rain! {Smile}

I need to feed the dogs and make a start on my day so until later... leaving a {{{warm group hug}}} to {{all}} who may enter...

with love always

mermaid...xxx

Happy New Year {{Liz, Elfina, Kermit, Hathor, Maggy, Robynne}} and all others who periodically call the Retreat ~Home~

I couldn't agree with Hathor more . . . hoping this New Year is kinder to us all!

Whew, I for one am glad that 2012 is gone. It was one of the most difficult years I've faced to date on a variety of levels. But a new one is here, and so setting out positive thoughts that it will be much better and happier for all of us.

Love to all,
Diana

Hello again dear friends {smile}

Well it has been a fairly quiet start to the New Year. I have been cleaning the kitchen and washing floors and vacuuming carpets. The weather is glorious today and dry for a change so no mud being brought in by the dogs (at least for a little while!). Dorothy is still away at home in Poland so I have quite enjoyed doing cleaning whilst taking a break from all things ORC though I know I am going to have to make a start on the web site for the 2013 season very shortly now that we have the programme organised. Just some more revisions to the text (with Emma doing the main lot thank heavens) and then the brochure is ready for the printers. There is a big tourist attractions exhibition in London around the 12th January and everything had to be ready for that so I think we will manage it by the skin of our teeth!

I guess that’s the trouble with being away for 6 weeks in October/November (which is when we start thinking about the next season. So by the time we got back then it was straight into starting to get organised for Christmas with cards to write, (my apologies to all those dear friends overseas who didn’t get a card this year as we went past the posting date for overseas), presents to buy and organise and run up to Christmas then also getting finished up with the financial year for accounts for ORC that it seems like a lifetime away since we had the holiday.

I don’t think that we will be away for such a long time again whilst we still have the boat business as we just can’t afford the time to be away. If we are not getting ready for the new season to start, then all the stuff during the season then end of season and finally getting ready for new season again -–it really isn’t worth the extra work which it entails in getting caught up with things. {Smile} Sometimes I think it would just be nice to retire properly once and for all but I guess the Universe deems otherwise at the moment so we just carry on.

I have been enjoying getting some of the esoteric astrology pages back up and running which has also got me back into using Dreamweaver in readiness for the ORC web site as I know I have to be able to get the pages up quickly so am now back in the stream of things web wise so shouldn’t take too long to get the pages changed. Just posters to be done as well but I am taking a couple of days break from it all to try and have some ~me~ time.

I actually didn’t stay up to see the New Year in and went off to bed at 11pm as I was tired and Paul had started calling up people so I didn’t really feel like seeing in the new year listening to him talking on the phone! {chuckle} He eventually saw in the New Year on the phone with Rob Doyle (in Australia) so that was nice for him and think he finally got off to bed around 2.30am. As it is now 12 hours later I think he is finally getting up though he is only going to have a couple of hours daylight left before it is dark again! Guess that is why he is a night person and me a daytime person (well I would be with the Sun as my chart ruler)! {chuckle}

I am going to have to go and get the stables ready shortly for the sheep to come up and have their hay and early evening feed so I think I will pop this post in for now and then will make a start on responding to posts that have been left in the board in previous weeks.

Until then I hope everyone is having a good start to the year and am leaving a {{{warm hug}} to {{all}} who may enter….

With love always

Mermaid…xxx

Hi guys.

Seems as though I have had my own personal 12-21-2012 as well as many of my friends here. It has been a rascal.

Finally got my 'puter back. The guy that took it to the mechanic got sick and the mechanic was then sick. So it was a while before I could get it. There were other things but I won't bore ya'll as many are dealing with their other things. My prayers to all for a prosperous, healIthy and productive year. Productive in the way of being able to meet/love the challenges the UNIVERSE has for you/us. This maybe a challenging year for many of us. Guess I'll have to check my chart and see if I can see anything. Been a long time, we'll see.

Mermaid, ya I can just see you retired. Glad you are back to your daily thing. Praying for you to have a healthy and delving year. Ah, those mysteries that await us; the thrill of life. GREAT BEAUTY. ENJOY MY FRIEND HI TO PAUL. {{{HUGS}}}

Diana, I have been thinking of you guys and wondering how it has been going. We have had cold weather here-to 10 at night, had a frozen line outside that is used to water the trees I used to have. I have water now and am very grateful. One never realizes how fortunate they are until there is the stress. {{{HUGS}}}

Maggy, Elfina and our many friends, HAVE A HAPPY, PROSPEROUS AND LOVING YEAR. MAY THE GODS LOOK UPON US, GIVE US STRENGTH AND HELP US ALL BE HAPPY, HEALTHY AND WISE BEYOND OUR YEARS. ENJOY ALL TO ITS FULLEST. {{{HUGS}}}

LIGHT, LOVE AND PEACE; Kermit and Friends + B2. B2 here. I too want to wish all a very happy NEW YEAR. we love youse guys a lot for sure {{{LOVING PAWSEY HUGS AND SPECIAL LICKY LICKS FOR NEW YEAR}}}

Hello dear friends [smile}

Sheesh what a start to the new year! I am still trying to get the ORC web site completed and the brochures signed off for printing and to top it all the boiler packed up a couple of weeks ago and the engineer has now confirmed that it is not repairable so just as we are coming into the coldest part of the winter (with snow forecast for later today) we will have to get a new boiler organised! The engineers won't be able to fit it until at least 18th February so in the meantime I have rushed out and bought a couple of electric oil filled radiators so that this end of the house doesn;t freeze up!

Nelson and Shula managed to have a huge fight the other week which meant a visit to the vets for Nelson and him having to be sedated so that his ear (with bites and then wet ezcema) could be treated. Fortunately he is fine now thank heavens. Some good news though is that Chakhotay's horrible condition appears to have been successfully treated with the drugs and seems to have healed up and disappeared so we have reduced the drug dosage and will see after a month if it can be reduced more. I sent out a big thanks to the Universe for that gift though I must admit. The vet asked if it was the same dog! [smile}

We had water coming into the fireplace in the big sitting room and have had builders here over the weekend fixing that and Michael and I have been putting a new water butt in place as we had more drainage pipes put on so it has been a fairly busy start to 2013!

I have made a good start on updating the esoteric astrology site so am pleased with that and have to have the ORC one done by the end of this week so then I should have some more time for me (wishful thinking) {smile}

In the meantime I hope that all are well... and I will get round to going through the posts - promise!

much love always

mermaid...xxx

Hello dear friends (smile)

I am sitting writing up this post in my iPad as have had to shut down computer for the time being. We have heavy snow falling here so it will be interesting to see if we are snowed in tomorrow! It has been freezing and snow for nearly a week now but this is now the worst.

I think I wrote that the heating boiler is dead at the other end of the house so I have heaters there but can't use them and the washer and drier as that is too much of a drain on the electrics. The annexe (where the study is). Is on a separate electricity supply and it doesn't appreciate all the extra heaters being plugged into it! Whilst I am doing the laundry I have had to turn off the heaters and also the computer as it doesn't appreciate the power suddenly growing so better safe than sorry.

I hope that all are well and would ask you to hold Jaqui (Paul's ex wife) in your thoughts as she has been diagnosed with breast cancer. She will get results of MRI scan tomorrow and is scheduled for surgery on Thursday (Paul's birthday) so any thoughts and ((headings energies)) that can be sent her way would be gratefully rreceived. I have been trying to help her as have walked this path before myself so I can help her stay positive and keep focused .

I am finding it frustrating that I can't type this post in a word document because I don't know how to copy and paste without a mouse. But I tout I should leave a quick post he to help explain my absence. I have just about finished up the outstanding Orc stuff though which is good and so I should be able to finally respond to posts in my next post when ism back on my own computer.

I have just seen all the typos which are terrible but more the iPad than me (smile). So I am going to pop this post in for now and will be back again soon. Til then leaving a (((warm group hug)) to ((all))) who may enter.

With love always

Mermaid xxxx

Hi guys,

I see many of us have had our personal 12-21-12. I think it is more personal because it is/was an eleven day. To me the 11 is more personal than a 22 day which to me mean universal elevation of awareness where as an 11 would relate to a personal elevation of awareness. Well, that's my thought on that.

Diana, I have been wondering how you guys are doing. I suppose you guys are sloshing around in mud after all the rain lately. I'm not complaining as we can use all the rain sent to us by the Universe; we sure need it. I'm hoping and praying that all is going well for you and Ed. Take care and the BEST TO YA'LL. LOVE YOUSE GUYS (((HUGS)))


Mermaid, I see you are going through a lot also. I like the oil filled heaters too as the oil holds the heat longer. I recently bought another heater called
EdenPure. it does a great job. They use inferred heating elements. I am very satisfied with it. The address is : www.edenpure.com The company is in Canton, OH. Don't about the electrical hock ups for outside the USA.
It looks as though your new boiler will be a birthday present. Boy, too many electric hook ups will blow a fuse/circuit breaker or two. Glad to see you are getting caught up some what. Ahhh, those doggies, glad they are okay an your buddy Ch...(can't spell that name) is doing a lot better. I see your weather is also a bit off lately. Our's too. Got to 10 at nights here and now 45 nights and 60-70 days. WOW. ENJOY MY FRIEND and hope all is fixed up now or as well as can be expected. Hi to Paul! LOVE YA BUDDY (((HUGS)))

To all our friends; ENJOY, HAVE A GREAT YEAR. All these little issues will make us strong and very wise as we learn from them. ENJOY THEM ALL; LEARN WHAT IS BEING SHOWN AND ABOVE ALL GIVE THANKS TO THE UNIVERSE FOR EACH LESSON. LOVE ALL YA'LL.

Elfina, Diana, Maggy, Greg & Robynne and everyone, HAVE A GOOD YEAR AND ENJOY MY FRIENDS.

LIGHT, LOVE & PEACE, Kermit and Friends + B2. B2 here. Has been a bit tough but we are making it and giving THANKS EACH DAYS FOR OUR FRIENDS AND ALL WE LEARN.
{{{SPECIALLY BIG PAWSEY HUGS AND LUCKY LICKS}}} for all.

Hello dear friends [smile}

At last the snow has gone though it looks as though we might have a bit more on the way. The ground is absolutely waterlogged with the snow melt and then loads of rain. Mind you life seems to go on though with the usual wintering animals and getting all up to date with work related stuff. It has been so cold at this end of the house though that I will be very glad when we finally do have the new boiler after the 18th February. {smile}

Paul had a good birthday last month and we went out and had a nice meal with the children. It feels as though we are in some kind of hibernation at the moment I must admit although the days are getting a little longer minute by minute.

I hope that all are well in their own ~nows~ and thought I should pop a line in here to just say that we are ok though Paul struggling with health stuff and I have been a bit crippled up with my knee again but hey ho we are getting old(er) so what to expect especially in this cold weather! {smile}

I seem to have written before that I would get back in here and catch up with posts and then the Universe has intervened so that I have not been able to so am not going to say it again then perhaps it will work for me instead of against me {smile}

So til I pop back in am leaving a {{warm group hug}} to {{all}} who may enter.. and sending out {{healing energies}} to those who may need them.

with love always

mermaid...xxx

Hello, I've finally had the energy to post a little. After a nice but rainy cruise of the western Caribbean 2 weeks ago I returned with the flu and have been in bed almost a full week with it. I did rally on Sunday as it was super bowl Sunday and we had invited 7 people in for a party. I cooked all day and Pat did the ribs on the grill. It turned out well and they all enjoyed their selves and the games. They stayed until almost midnight. I spent yesterday in bed but have dressed and am ready to start life normally today....I hope.

Pat had another operation 3 weeks ago and is now feeling much better. We both are going for complete physical exams at the end of the month. It is time for us to get healthy and thinner. We are both overweight which is not good at all.

My son John turns 43 on Saturday. I still cannot believe he is that age. He and Pat are going on a Fishing outing next week for 2 days. I hope they have a fun time. I will have 2 whole days to myself.

Sorry to close so quickly...Pat has just removed an orange tree from the ground and needs a hand with removing it. I better run. I'll try to be back later.

Good morning dear friends {smile}

I thought I would write up a post now that I have got all my early morning chores done, animals fed and walked (dogs) and sheep (hayed up and the boxes strawed down). Once again we woke up to plenty of the white stuff outside this morning although it is nothing like the poor people across the Pond on the Eastern States have had over the past few days with that super snow storm that hit. I did think perhaps we were getting into warmer weather but the Universe has decreed not yet. {smile} We still have another week to go before the new boiler is installed at this end of the house which has made it a tad challenging when trying to work etc as this is where the study/office is! Am not looking forward to the upheaval as it will be two days work but it will be lovely when it is done that;s for sure and I can get back to some kind of normality at this end of the house.

With the limits on electricity I can’t have washing machine, dryer, three heaters and computers running at the same time as it blows the electrics so I have also been out of sync in trying to keep up with laundry etc whilst Paul is working and needs the computers as he is now working mainly from home now. This means that I don’t get as much time to myself as I have been used to (and I do miss that) but we are learning the different routines now. I do need to clean the study up but when he is working in here then it is impossible and by the time the evening comes then I am too tired! I think he is in the office on Thursday morning for a meeting so perhaps I will have an opportunity then.

I have been getting a bit done on redoing the pages on the esoteric astrology part of my site although it is taking much longer than I would have liked. I am trying to set myself a target of doing two pages a day if nothing else but it doesn’t always work as then it carries on into more that need to be done and linked. All things will happen in due course though that’s for sure.{smile}

I hope that everyone is well in their own ~nows~ as it has been rather quite in here but then I haven’t been posting as much as I would have liked either so I guess it is the same for all of us

{{{elfina}}} aww I hope that you are feeling a lot better now dear friend {{{hugs}}} the flu is horrible to have – don’t you get a flu jab over there? I remember when I last had it that I went to bed with teeth chattering and didn’t wake until 24 hours later! Paul had got it first but as he was ahead of me then he managed to get out of bed and see to the animals etc – it was then we decided that we had the flu jabs every year! You know I think we are all getting older and having health issues. I have had real problems with my right knee although thanks to my osteopath getting back from a three week cruise it is now much better. She says that it is deteriorating but not so much that it needs referring to a surgeon yet! Yeuk at that thought! {smile} I hope that John had a good birthday – sheesh he must have been in the middle of that storm or did he get down to you beforehand? Actually seeing the date of your post I guess he did get down to you before the storm and they must be on their fishing trip now? Hope you are ok dear friend and sending love and {{{hugs}} across the sea to you {Smile}

{{{kermit}}} aww how are you doing dear friend? {{hugs}}} I feel so bad that I haven’t written as much as I would have liked but have had to accept that I only have 48 hours in a day right now much as I would like more! {grin} The boiler will nearly be a birthday gift although a week early then as it will be installed on the Monday and my solar return is the following Saturday… then we will have Robynne’s and yours following to look forward to as well won’t we? {smile} Time for a little Pisces birthday party methinks {grin} The dogs are doing well at the moment (touch wood!) although nelson can be a bit of a pain as he is challenging chakhotay on the walks – they are all sleeping now though which is lovely I must admit! Chakhotay is slowing up bless him but he still enjoys his walks and barking at the world it is hard to believe that he is going to be 11 on the 11th May. I hope he manages to enjoy the summer time as well as this winter has gone on for so long now though of course it is only to be expected as it happens every year! {laughing} At least the days are slowly increasing minute by minute and it will soon be the Spring Equinox in another 5 weeks or so thank goodness but I must wish my life away that’s for sure {smile} Sending you and {{B2} a {{big warm hug}} and look forward to hearing from you again soon! {smile}

{{{Diana}}} Hope all is ok with you and {{Ed}} dear friend as you have been very quiet. Am sending out a thought wave for you to pop in here! {{{hugs}}}

Sheesh looking at of the window it is snowing again! I suppose that I should get on with some work so I will pop this post in now and hope that everyone is well in their own ~nows~. Am sending out {{{healing energies}}}} to {{all}} who need them and leaving a {{{warm group hugs}} to all who may enter…

With love always

Mermaid…xxx

Hello to everyone.

I'm so sorry to have not written prior to now, but life has had a way of intervening and dictating other things for me. Please forgive me if I don't go back and acknowledge the posts as I'm rather limited on time at the moment. I've missed you all very much and sending out {{healing thoughts}| to Elfina and your Pat, Liz, Hathor, and Kermit as I see you've all be struggling with your own health or life events.

Ed begins his next set of chemo tomorrow after several delays. The last delay was because we'd both come down with a nasty respiratory infection which turned into bronchitis for him and pneumonia for me. Yet a couple of courses of antibiotics and much bed rest later {chuckle} we're both on the mend, thank heavens! Ed's well enough to tackle the chemo, so I would ask that you all please hold him in your thoughts as it's likely to hit him quite hard.

Yes Liz, we are all getting older. In younger days, I could bounce back quite nicely from the pneumonia, but I must admit it really knocked me for six this time. With the scarred lungs from the pulmonary embolism a couple of years ago, it was touch and go for a bit, and not having insurance meant I had to pay for everything out of pocket so that was a bit much as well, but one does what one needs to do. They're now talking about re-instating the State Medicaid back to its original definition next year, yet that is for next year, so am sending the request out to the Universe that I'll be healthy the remainder of this year as I really can't afford to have any more out of pocket medical issues.

Mom is doing very well health wise and emotionally. I thank the Creator(s) that she is as well as she is and in a good state within herself. She's getting out with the ladies in the senior community where she lives on a monthly basis for lunch, they pick a different spot each time, so that has been great for her. Next month would be the 55th wedding anniversary for her and Daddy, so I expect there may be some revisits and tears shed with that.

Oh, and I did have a fascinating experience during the sickest part of my own recent health event which I will be posting later as it was really quite profound and I feel an out of body experience.

Right, rambled on long enough here, and time is fleeing from me, so 'til next time, am sending out a {{hug}} for all my dear friends here and hoping you will all have a blessed week.

Love,
Diana