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One of my dogs is called Finn- a Morkie- and he thinks he is a mountain goat.  Whilst on Portmarnock beach today he was high up on the dunes, deftly clambering over numerous rocks and all with his inimitable grace and joy. I thought that maybe he needs an abseil harness to get even more of a work out. Then I remembered that he is not a human and would not know how to use a harness.

My dog training skills have always been questionable. However, recently I have been using the ‘positive reward’ system where I reward good behavior as opposed to admonishing poor behavior.

I have a small patio and at times – depending on their mood, or the color of someone’s socks as they pass by- they will bark. When they have been out for a few minutes and are quiet I will call them in and give them a treat.

After a while Finn would give a little bark and come running in licking his lips. When I checked there was no one passing by. I began to think, who is training who here?  I need to brush up on my skills.

The other day when I was visiting a friend’s house Buzz started barking relentlessly at no one in the living room. My friend and I got a bit spooked until I realized that he was barking at his reflection on the TV that was turned off. Dogs, eh?

 

That’s all for now

Stay fab

Adele

I came across this lovely prayer recently. It is an Hawaiian forgiveness ritual to be recited to yourself in times of need.  In particular when your self-critic is dominant and you need more self-compassion. This for me has been quite a bit of late.

I was thinking what the Irish version of this would be. It would possibly be something like this

Irish Ho’oponopono prayer

Cop yourself on

You gobshite

Get it together

Grand, now howz the craic?

 

As a nation we are not known for our self-compassion.  When someone is asked how they are the response is generally ‘Ah, grand, Thanks’.  Whether they are or not.  Any other response would silently be deemed as either too much information or a bit ‘wet’. Although this has changed with Covid. People are more honest and open as everyone is getting a bit fed up with never ending lock downs.

Considering a virus has changed our world I began to consider when everything started going viral? Apparently, this began in 2009 when the first video went viral around the world.

My mind began to run riot as I pondered the possibility of whether we manifested Covid globally.  Did this come back to bite us in the arse? Then I began to think that I was going nuts for even thinking this. Which, in fairness, I probably was at the time.

Our vaccine roll out strategy was not the fastest to begin with. They started with the over 80’s. I thought why don’t you just start with everyone over the age of 110 years and give yourself some decent leeway.

I think I need to say the prayer again now as sarcasm doesn’t suit me.

That’s all for now

Stay fab

Adele

 

 

I watched this video after I had a swim yesterday and felt compelled to check my lady garden. Thankfully it was nothing like the video.  However, I was still not averse to a decent pruning whilst I was at it.

I am frequently amazed and secretly delighted at the level of accidental nudity at the beach with people changing post swimming.

We are generally so thrilled to have had a sea swim that getting dressed in a graceful manner is not really a priority.  The craic’s and the boobs are there for anyone interested in viewing them.

I know I am no different.  In my haste to dry myself, get warm and changed I am pretty sure that my baps have been accidentally on display at times. If this happens, I can honestly say that I do not really mind if someone gets a glimpse. They may well decide that they resemble spaniels’ ears or Pamela Anderson’s, if she were 99 years of age.

I suppose the joie de vivre associated with swimming tends to put these worries into perspective.  Were I younger I know that I would be uber self-conscious but there has to be some advantages to getting older and this is one of them.

So, for now, Baps away.

Stay fab

Adele

Lately I have decided to open a new page of my Nigella Lawson cookbook- Simply Nigella- every day. Just to expand my culinary repertoire.

I get that food can and is (with the right person) sensual but Nigella takes it to a different level entirely. There are a couple of guys on TikTok called #Menwithpot who also ham up (excuse the woeful pun) their cooking in a forest.

They truly make the art of preparing and cooking food a very Zen like and enjoyable experience. Particularly as they are doing it out in the open in the middle of a forest. Their faces are never shown. Only their hands. Seductively massaging chicken breast. It is almost food porn of the highest order.

In their posts you never see squirrel’s bungee jumping from trees and robbing their food. Come to think of it I don’t think that I have ever seen a squirrel bungee jump, period. I must pay more attention from now on.

Who knew that slapping chicken would be so enjoyable to watch? I wonder if the staff in Colonel Sanders with his Kenfucky Tried chicken ever slap their chicken.  Oooh, I am getting hungry at the very thought.

That’s all for now

Stay fab

Adele

I love that men cut through the bullshit and say it like it is, without taking a trip down the emotional roller coaster. And as a woman I love taking that emotional roller coaster trip on occasion. Relishing all of the nitty gritty details of an exciting event just so that I can relive it in my imagination.

Life would be so unbelievably boring if we were the same.  ‘Vive la difference’, as the French would say.

But then there is the old chestnut that always seems to arise post conflict in a relationship where the guy/ or dominant person will say ‘It’s not what you said, but the way you said it’. This will always indicate that one person in the relationship is generally more sensitive than the other.  This is often the reason a relationship like this can work.  Where two opposing personalities can learn from each other.

The saying ‘opposites attract’ is often very true.    If all else fails and a truce cannot be brokered, I find that getting into the car, turning the radio up very loud and screaming my little lungs out normally works pretty well. The making up is always the best part too.

That’s all for now

Stay fab

Adele

HAM is the sound for- the throat chakra (word of warning here. Have your breakfast before reciting these sounds otherwise you will be obsessed with thinking of a ham sandwich. As I was. Even OM had me thinking of ham) This relates to language, sound and truth. It can be blocked by lies, denial and lies about ourselves.

• Location: Throat
• What it controls: Communication, self-expression, and truth
• Mantra: “I speak my truth, always.”
• Color: Light Blue/Turquoise
• Element: Sound/Music
• Stone: Aquamarine
• Yoga pose: Fish Pose
• When it develops: 29-35 years old

YAM is the sound for- the heart chakra. This concerns love and can be blocked by grief sadness and loss. Our peace of mind will abound if our heart chakra is unblocked. As mentioned in a previous blog- I think therefore I yam- (has nothing whatsoever to do with anything).

• Location: Center of chest, just above the heart
• What it controls: Love, joy, and inner peace
• Mantra: “When I love myself, loving others comes easily.”
• Color: Green
• Element: Air
• Stone: Rose Quartz
• Yoga pose: Camel Pose
• When it develops: 21-28 years old

RAM is the sound for- the solar plexus chakra. This relates to will power and can be blocked by shame. Accepting ourselves our strengths as well as our flaws is important for the healthy flow of energy within this chakra. Our self-worth and self-esteem are increased when this chakra is clear.

• Location: Upper abdomen in the stomach area
• What it controls: Self-worth, self-confidence, and self-esteem
• Mantra: “Self-love starts when I accept all parts of myself.”
• Color: Yellow
• Element: Fire
• Stone: Amber
• Yoga pose: Boat Pose
• When it develops: 15-21 years old

VAM is the sound for- the sacral chakra. Forgiving ourselves is vital for this chakra to be clear. Our sexual desires and wellbeing flourish without fear.

• Location: Lower abdomen, about 2 inches below the navel
• What it controls: Your sense of abundance, well-being, pleasure, and sexuality
• Mantra: “I always honor others but not before myself.”
• Color: Orange
• Element: Water
• Stone: Tiger’s Eye
• Yoga pose: Bound Angle Pose
• When it develops: 8-14 years old

LAM is the sound for- the root chakra. These chakras require us to relinquish fear, be free and courageous. It concerns our security both financial and the need to be grounded.

• Location: Base of spine, in tailbone area
• What it controls: Survival issues such as financial independence, money, and food
• Mantra: “I can’t grow from an unsteady foundation.”
• Color: Red
• Element: Earth
• Stone: Hematite
• Yoga pose: Warrior I
• When it develops: 1-7 years old

 

I am off to get grounded at the beach. Swiftly followed by a trip to the chipper to practice the ‘Fish and chip’ pose.

That’s all for now

Stay fab

Adele

 

 

The images are from

https://www.onetribeapparel.com/blogs/pai/seven-chakras-meaning

Research is from

https://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-91/The-7-Chakras-for-Beginners.html

I have been researching Chakras recently. I always had some idea as to what they were but could never really differentiate between the different chakras.    Adding a link to the song by Chakra Khan-I feel for you’ seemed like a good idea but then I realized her name is Chaka Khan. So, here goes.

We have 7 chakras which are like vortices of energy from our head down to our sacrum.  ’Chakra’ is the Sanskrit word for wheel as this is what the energy ball resembles. They are constantly in motion. There are sounds associated with them. Whilst reciting these sounds it is best to surrender for pure cosmic energy flow.

OM is the sound for – the crown chakra. This is our connection to the divine and concerns our thoughts and feelings.

• Location: The very top of the head
• What it controls: Inner and outer beauty, spiritual connection
• Lesson: “I am a vessel for love and light.”
• Color: Violet/White
• Element: Divine Consciousness
• Stone: Clear quartz
• Yoga pose: Headstand
• When it develops: 43-49 years old

 

OM is the sound for -the third eye. This is our Illusion of our self that we are separate and not one. It controls our Intuition. Imagination. Wisdom. Ability to think and make decisions. Also our Collective consciousness.

• Location: Forehead between the eyes (also called the Brow Chakra)
• What it controls: Intuition, imagination, and wisdom
• Mantra: “I am open to exploring what cannot be seen.”
• Color: Dark Blue/Purple
• Element: Light
• Stone: Amethyst
• Yoga pose: Child’s Pose
• When it develops: 36-42 years old

 

I am off to clear my third eye as it has been a bit blurry lately.

To be continued tomorrow.

 

That’s all for now

Stay fab

Adele

Following a zoom training program today a suggestion was made for all of the attendees to submit their favorite song to share during the break. This was to help us get to know each other better and it certainly helped as we got to experience a lovely variety of music that as individuals we may normally not have been exposed to.  There was everything from opera to folk to show tunes to Pharrell and being ‘Happy’.

Later I began to think what it would be like to get together with some friends and sing some of our favorite songs. Like Karaoke without the bar and back round music. Maybe under a tree in Newbridge or Malahide castle?

I know in the past that this was called choir but as we are somewhat limited during lockdown, I envisioned a small group sitting in camping chairs and having a singalong.

Then I remembered that I think I sing like Sinead ‘O Connor when in fact it probably sounds more like Phoebe from Friends. I realized that perhaps most of us would have woeful voices but that maybe this would be part of the fun.

If we were truly woeful maybe people could pay us to shut up and we could donate the money to a local charity? Any ideas?

That’s all for now

Stay fab

Adele

 

I love these lines from Friends.    Perhaps because they are so cleverly written and as such are so quintessentially ‘Chandler’. They say the best character writing in a book, film or TV script should allow the reader to remove the name so that the words in and of themselves would clearly indicate who is speaking. It’s the same for any of the characters in ‘Will & Grace’, the dialogue will always be distinctive for each person.

The best chat up line that I ever-embarrassingly- tried to deliver was ‘Is this seat taken?’ In my defense we were a Hen Party on the rampage in Barcelona and a ‘chat up lines’ deck of cards was offered up for everyone to pick a card.     It was, of course, a drinking game and if you failed to deliver your line upon some poor unsuspecting suitor you would need to take a shot as a forfeit.

My guy was a gorgeous Spaniard who asked me to dance and as we were dancing, I surreptitiously placed my hand on his bum and delivered my line. I will never forget the shocked look on his face. His expression resembled that of a person who had been assaulted. It was very embar-ass-ing. Geddit…Sorry.

This nowadays would pretty much be the case. He ran away. Very.  Fast. My chat up lines ended there and then. Forever.

That’s all for now

Stay fab

Adele

 

I thought of this song whilst I was on the beach today and want to share it with you. I had attended a course earlier on where communication and nonverbal cues were discussed. Maybe that’s why this song came to me as it is primarily about love when each partner knows and loves the other so well that actions speak louder than words. Where this type of intimacy is the bedrock of a beautiful relationship.

I hope you enjoy.

And just for some comedy here is the JP clip on Gluten Intolerance that I promised. It makes me cry laughing. Apparently many coeliacs find it hilarious too.

https://youtu.be/Oht9AEq1798

 

Song

 

Glint

When you glint, when you sigh

When you gather yourself together

When you flounder, when you are shy

When you smile, whatever the weather

You light me up, you set me free

To be myself. Be better at being me.

The veils of your essence revealed gloriously

You are the branches to my tree

You are my dawn chorus, my symphony

When you make me coffee. When I make your tea

How you like to be touched by me

You light me up, you set me free

To be myself. Be better at being me.

The veils of your essence revealed gloriously

You are the branches to my tree

You are my dawn chorus, my symphony

 

When you are cheeky and full of mischief

When you are bored beyond belief

When you are excited and full of glee

When you are kind and so happy

 

You light me up, you set me free

To be myself. Be better at being me.

The veils of your essence revealed gloriously

You are the branches to my tree

You are my dawn chorus, my symphony

 

That’s all for now

Stay fab

Adele