My Journey to a Healthy New Beginning

We all know that I am biggest supporter of EFT!!! I love EFT- EFT works on EVERYTHING! Ihave to ask, “Have you ever suffered from insomnia?” I do… and there are those nights where I lay exhausted in bed tossing and turning, side to side you would naturally think I would turn to EFT? 5 nights in a row, I’ve ended up laying awake until 2, 3am.. etc etc sometimes I look over at 4:30AM and I am still awake! It sucks! I am soooooo tired and need to sleep and no matter what I try I just can’t do it…. the more I try to force it, the more I lay awake. It truly sucks! I laugh in the morning when I wonder why I wouldn’t have to turned to EFT sometime during the night? It must be in the exhausted state that I am in… I honestly don’t know! LOL!

So there I was last night thinking before I headed to bed how exhausted I was already, needing sleep… before getting into the rut of tossing and turning along with irrational thought patterns, before I put my head onto my pillow I turned to EFT- my miracle cure! In the past (before my trip) I’ve had a lot of success with this Setup Statement “Even though I have problems falling into a deep and peaceful sleep, I deeply and completely accept myself. Well, I didn’t have the best sleep of the night but I feel asleep quickly and actually slept so yes; EFT worked.

In those 5 nights I think of everything though— it’s so funny where my mind goes in those hours of tossing. Bad childhood memories, old boyfriends, sad memories… Why is that my mind draws to the negative? That can’t be good! When I work so hard at imagining and visualizing how I want my life to be my subconsious is working against me… So, I’ve decided to bring EFT in to help me with this… Use EFT to get rid of all those negative emotions that are attached to those negative feelings as they come up. I’ll be keeping my journal with me so that when these ideas come up I can write them down and either work through them with EFT in the morning/daytime or while I feel the pain at the moment. I guess it all depends but I am hoping that reaching for that better person will bring me closer to those amazing things I visualize and know await for me! Did any of that make sense? LOL!

On the postive side of things, there are those moments before you go to sleep or wake up in the middle of the night where you have those brillant ideas! They are sooo crystal clear in that moment that I want to take action- also thinking I’ll remember them in the morning- but then fall back into sleep back to la la land.

I used to journel in highschool as an assignment and was amazed at what I found in the morning… I am hoping it will be just as useful this time around to get rid of the bad and help remember the great! Well, there is my random thought before the night. Tonight, I’ll be using my setup statement again tonight to ward off any insomnia and make sure I have a pen and pad beside the bed.

Sleep tight!

Xoxo

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Well, it’s official.. I am officially 32!

I woke up this morning to sooo many facebook posts from friends with lovely things to say, phone calls from my sister, Dad and step mom (so far) a very adorable voice text from cute boy singing Happy Birthday and an amazing ECARD that blew me away and I am still laughing.. I need to share this e-card with you!!! Just when I thought, “wow, Casey really understand me as a positive person….” Well, he REALLY knows me and I love him for it! LOL

http://www.hallmark.com/ECardWeb/ECV.jsp?a=EG0992851142437M23118127Y&product_id=

I am sooo very blessed with many friends and family that love me and I feel their love especially today! I love all of you!!!!

Today I am hanging out with my adorable Nicholas and Hannah downtown Ottawa eating Beavertails and IceCream! Nicholas is cleaning my car and babysitting his sister for me tonight and my sweetie pie Hannah made me the cutest card followed my lots of hugs, kisses and special cuddles! I LOVE BEING A MOM!!! Xoxo

Once the evening comes the Mommy Tasha leaves the house to trade in for Party Birthday girl Tasha and spend an evening for drinks, dancing and FUN times with more friends!!!

When I say my life is blessed, I really am! Hugs to ALL!

Xoxo

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Since the moment I brought Hannah home from the hospital almost 5 years ago she has slept right beside me in bed… she nestles in sooo close and as she falls asleep she’ll cozy in her right hand under my chin and softly rub my face with her left hand.. she’s done this since birth and still does it to this very day. Easter weekend the kids and I re-arranged the master bedroom that they share and made it into 2 bedrooms and they really like it! Hannah has been sleeping in her bed for the past and week and I have to say that I don’t like it one bit! LOL.. My insomnia is back and I must check on her about 5 times a night! The last 2 nights about 2am she’s coming crawling into bed with me and when she does she snuggles in close and I fall asleep right away. Kids grow up so quickly and as they do they tend to need you less and less. Someday soon Hannah will be sleeping in her own bed each night.

As I lay awake last night my thoughts have been roaming around what I want to accomplish this year as I approach turning 32. As I lay cuddled in with my daughter, feeling very loved and happy it came to me… this year will be the year that “I follow my heart.” Last year was my year of “no excuses” and I really fought for what I needed and accomplished so much.

This year I want to follow my heart- my inner voice… the voice that tells me if I am upset or unhappy then I need to listen closely and follow my heart. I feel that I will be able to continue with my personal growth if I continue down this path and my life will be enriched beyond measure. Live each day with passion and purpose. In order to follow my heart I know that I will need to open myself to become more vulnerable, allow more people in and love like I’ve never been hurt!

It shall be an exciting year and I am so happy to start it this Friday with some good friends and good times! I think today’s post is more rambling than something that might make sense but I am getting there.. it’s becoming clear… I want to follow my heart to find happiness with my kids, family, career, relationship and health.  Instead of making excuses I need to really listen and open myself to become vulnerable to really allow it in.

It shall be a fun year! Hugs!

Xoxo

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I like to think I am a great cook.. well, today my attempt at bringing a very yummy traditional Irish dish to my family dinner went terribly wrong! Well, I started with substituting the beef for ground chicken and then not sure what I else I did wrong but it was AWFUL!!!! The good parts of the meal were the dumplings, greek salad and YUMMO Apple Crumble for dessert.. LOL… just before serving as I was mashing the stew I dropped the ladle and dipped my entire hand into the boiling stew which hurt sooo BAD! Instant swelling and instant blistering on my entire right hand! OUCH! I spent the entire meal, eating a horrible stew (totally my fault) with my left hand while my right hand soaked on ice packets…

I find the entire evening absolutely hilarious! My very lovable brother and sister-in-law ate the stew but I must say I had some yummy red wine to wash it all down! LOL

Well, 5 more sleeps until I turn 32.. I have still been trying to figure out what the theme of this year is going to be and I honestly just don’t know just yet- I think I am going to put it into the universe and listen to my heart and follow my intution in order to get the answer. Last year, was my year of “NO EXCUSES” and I have to say that it was a very successful year! I’ll fill you in on all my successes from that year in a blog this week as I really look at what I wan from my 32nd year ahead of me which is right around the corner.

Have a wonderful evening and I’ll chat with you tomorrow.

Goodnight

xoxo

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I wanted to update you on where I am today - I am very happy with the weight that I lost with my training and nutritional plan. In the past 1 1/2 month I had re-added carbs to my diet which was a big deal for me. Initially I did see an increase in weight and all in all since coming back from vacation I added 8lbs. I have stabalized and have been maintaining and quite happy at the moment… for a wee bit at least.. LOL

I know that I need to give up my summer again on my quest for overall health so I have made a deal with “myself” -I am happy maintaining until after the Long Weekend in May- after the long weekend I will be starting again with my trainer 3 days a week with cardio 6 days a week. I have met with a nutritionist to help set me up on a daily eating plan… my key to results is eating every 2-3 hours and have found a way to eat carbs (we’ll see!)

So there it is… Simple and to the point.. I get my 1 weekend of no restrictions for the summer of camping and in 3 months (end of August) I will be able to reassess where I am…

So from now until August there will be posts on weight loss, Law of Attraction, EFT, Personal Development and more! More of what is on my mind… hehehehe- I am so happy that you are following this blog and love hearing from you with your emails and comments.

Love ya’ll!

Xoxo

P.S. I finally joined the world of Twitter! Joine me on Twitter - http://twitter.com/tashamaggie

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I watched her on the news 2 evenings ago and I saw the posts coming through on Facebook.. In under a week she has over 200,000 fans on Facebook, YouTube is overwhelmed with hits… who I am talking about? A cheeky 47 year old woman from a small town in Scotland who has never been kissed- she dreamed that she wanted to sing for a large audience and she did just that…

The reason I needed to share this video with you… well, watch the video and you will see why! Everyone was making fun of this woman.. they had all made up their minds before she even opened her mouth… To think what would have been going through Susan’s mind and then performing; how brave indeed! You can tell that this woman (Susan Boyle) respects herself, loves herself from the inside out and when she opened her mouth it was a song sent from Heaven above!

Please follow this link to see this incredible performance! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnmbJzH93NU 

Most embedded links have been disabled so I encourage you to check out the link above!!!!

I have the word BELIEVE written all around my house… It is possible to dream and BELIEVE that your dreams will come true. Do you believe? I do!!!! I am still chasing my dreams and will chase those dreams till the day I die! Each and every morning I wake up and just before I lay my head to sleep I allow myself to believe in my dreams and see them coming to me… you’ve heard me say it so many times and I say it to myself about (literally) 100 times a day, “what you think about, you bring about!” Go right now… NOW! Run after those dreams because if you can hold them in your mind, then you can really hold them in your hands!

Lyrics for I Dreamed a Dream (from Les Miserables)

There was a time when men were kind
When their voices were soft
And their words inviting
There was a time when love was blind
And the world was a song
And the song was exciting
There was a time
Then it all went wrong

I dreamed a dream in time gone by
When hope was high
And life worth living
I dreamed that love would never die
I dreamed that God would be forgiving
Then I was young and unafraid
And dreams were made and used and wasted
There was no ransom to be paid
No song unsung, no wine untasted

But the tigers come at night
With their voices soft as thunder
As they tear your hope apart
And they turn your dream to shame

He slept a summer by my side
He filled my days with endless wonder
He took my childhood in his stride
But he was gone when autumn came

And still I dream he’ll come to me
That we will live the years together
But there are dreams that cannot be
And there are storms we cannot weather

I had a dream my life would be
So different from this hell I’m living
So different now from what it seemed
Now life has killed the dream I dreamed.

Enjoy!

Xoxo

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Although I was sad to be leaving Scotland I was excited to see what Ireland had in store for me… spending time with my new Irish friends the evening before leaving Scotland really instilled a sense of excitment to explore Ireland… The flight itself only took 20 minutes; short and sweet and I arrived into Belfast on Friday March 13th much earlier than anticipated. I was staying with someone that I had been chatting with from an Irish social website and he had offered for me to stay with him and his roommate while I was in Ireland…. I took a taxi cab from Belfast City Centre to Dunmurry which is about 15 minutes away to this gated Catholic community (Broompark)…. I met Marty who happened to be quite sick and soon after met his roommate Paul.. both were very sweet and hospitable.

On Saturday Marty and I headed into Belfast where where he showed me around the Belfast pubs! My first stop was at Whites Tavern which is the oldest pub in Belfast and is known for having the best Guiness… I had my first Guiness which was very tasty! I also met the cutest little dogs who had their own stool at the bar of the pub which I found odd but thought it added a lot of charm. Anyways, we made it through the streets of the Belfast pubs and started hearing stories before the peace 12 years before… saw the Europa hotel, the Crowne bar, the infamous bombings at Europa, the famous celebrities that would stay there and still do and often found having a pint at The Crown.

Later that evening I met Marty’s two sisters Leanne and Shauneen and their husbands Mark and Chris… we headed out to Lavery’s pub in Belfast for a friends birthday.. it was a ton of fun and everyone was so welcoming… It was at the end of the evening that had some surprizes in store for me. In the bar after close there was a place you could purchase alcohol to take away; which we did to head to an after party where we partied until 6AM the next day… craziness!

St. Paddy’s Day is different than in celebrated in North America… it’s more of a family holiday but celebrated in the pubs; even the babies the children! It might seem strange but when you are there and witnessing it, it is completely normal… bands are playing, the kids are running around having a blast, the elderly and the toddlers dancing and everyone is having a great time! I had a blast… Marty and I spent the day with Leanne and Mark and the evening his other sister Shauneen came over with her husband Mark… BTW, I kicked butt and cleaned up the table playing poker.. it was a fun St. Paddy’s Day and it was even more fun to spend it in Ireland!

Wednesday evening I Anne and Aidan picked me up to grab a pint and show me around Belfast. They were the couple that I met in Scotland… I was so touched by their heartfelt stories of the Belfast they grew up in and how traumatizing it had been and the lasting impression it had on who they had become. I cannot imagine!!! And throughout it all they wanted to let me know there was normalcy; there had to be! After the pint Aidan stopped the car to show and tell me personal stories and show me some of the peace walls and memorials. As I write this I am still haunted by one of the memorials Aidan showed me… [These "Peace walls" stand over 16 feet high and were built to keep peace between the Catholics and the Protestants. Even 12 years after the war has ended these walls still stand high, the communites remain gated and the tension still remains in most parts between the Catholics and the Protestants.. there is very little mixing. ] It’s truly haunting and very humbling…  I would like to point out that Belfast is the 2nd safest city to live in since the troubles 12 years ago and I felt it…

Thursday was a blast! We arrived into Belfast City Centre in search of a tour up the Causeway Coast. We woke up to fog but as the fog burned off the sun shone BRIGHT, the temps warmed up and the day was truly magical!

Carrickfergus Castle is a Norman castle in Northern Ireland, situated in the town of Carrickfergus in County Antrim, on the shore of Belfast Lough. It was our first stop for the day and we used it as a playground.. Marty and I jumped off the bus and played around the waterways and then explored through this tiny passageway at the back of the castle.. Who says you can’t climb the walls of a castle? LOL… well, that is exactly what we did and had a lot of fun doing it…. This is another medieval castle with 3/4 of the perimeter covered with water- with the fog that was still hanging low it was a spectaculor view as we had a lot of fun exploring the outside of this intriguing castle.

Carrick-a-Red Rope Bridge was our 2nd stop of the day and it is a real gem.. the fog had burnt away and the wind was dying down… to get to the actual bridge there is a  beautiful coast path with views no matter where your eye lands brings tears to your eyes- it is so beautiful! As you walk for the 1 mile to get to the bridge, the bridge originally served as a practical way of getting to Carrick Island to allow fishermen access to the island, a spot favoured by salmon.. Today, the bridge is a spendid challenge and allows for amazing views… Well, I was bold enough to cross it absolutely entranced witht the swirling sea below me and the stunning views all around me… Marty and I crossed a rope which was closed to get onto the island which is this small circular space with grass that is long and blowing in the wind and opens up to these views that brought tears and a sense of homesickness to me…. I missed my kids… How amazing and bless was I to be standing there taking it all in!!! This was IRELAND!

Our 3rd stop was at The Giant’s Causeway…. The Giant’s Causeway  is an area of about 40,000 interlocking basalt columns which was the result of an ancient volanic eruption. It looks like a modern day tetris game or Lego land and these rock columns just seem to go on forever and ever… It is a 3/4 mile of a walk to get down which again is such a glorious walk filled with sights and views that just mesmerize you, but the truly amazing mesmerizing way thing was my first glance of the Giant’s Causeway!!!! It was soooo much fun to walk and run across these columns and play down near the sea as it raged up against me (literally) or almost fall and slide off just to get a picture as the waved jumped up to get us… I could have spend the entire day there and we were definately sad to leave.

We stopped in this tiny little town and grabbed a quick bite to eat… Guiness Pie with garlic potatoes… OMG, the garlic potatoes are so delicious! I my found favourite drink was Guiness with a touch of blackcurrent cordial.. OMG it is DELISH!!! After lunch we sailed into the Bush Mills Distillery which was fun. I am not a Whiskey drinker but I did learn how to drink it (if I wanted to) and I learnt that the to tell the differnce between Scottish and Irish Whiskey is how it is spelt…. Whiskey with the “EY” is from Ireland and Whisky with just the “Y” is Scottish… I did take home some authentic Irish Whiskey from Bush Mills and the picture outside I still love.. I know I am short but I look miniature in this picture with my gift bag. As the sun was setting on the way home we were able to get a glance at Dunluce Castle which is this 17th century Medival Castle which is strikingly perched on rocky cliffs.. it was the headquarters of the McDonnell Clan and was constantly fought over.. it is more ruins now but seeing it from the distance at sunset you could almost close your eyes and feel as if you were transported back in time… When part of it fell into the sea one stormy night in 1639 it was abandoned shortly afterwards and now it stands as a a pice of history to transport you back to a place in time that intrigued and puts us in awe today.

My last evening in Ireland Leanne and Mark had us over for dinner which was delicious! Afterwards we had great fun with tequilla (well Mark and I did) and singstar on the Playstation… I felt very welcomed, learnt so much and left a better person… Again, it was hard to leave but I was happy to be heading back to London to see my cousin and do a little shopping therapy!

Some fun Irish things that I learnt…

“Craic” is an Irish saying which means fun or excitment and they use it for everything! “That was good craic” (fun times!)

“Wee” They use the word “wee” for EVERYTHING.. LOL! “Could you send a wee taxi?” … when I mean everything it’s used in every saying and it’s addictive!

A very Belfast tradition is using the words, “My” and “Our” when referring to family especially… With the accents I actually thought Marty’s sister’s names were Arleanne and ArShauneen.. when I actually said something they explained that it was “Our” Leanne and “Our” Shauneen which would mean that it was “his” sister….

“Potato Bread” is a form of bread in which potato replaces a portion of the regular wheat flour. It is cooked in a variety of methods, including by baking it on a hot griddle or pan, or in an oven

“Irish Champ” These are mashed potatoes, Irish-style, cooked with butter and green onions (cooked). Either served with gravy or traditionally served with a well of butter in the center. Soooo very yummy!

My favourite song! Galway Girl… Once I get the video downloaded I will share with you how truly amazing it was when I heard this on St. Paddy’s Day… It was good craic Let me try my best to set the seen… The band was playing, and older couple was dancing and the toddlers were dancing all around… as I videotaping the cutest little boy and panning the camera around, up the stairs two men launches into a fist fight… two turned into 10… we grabbed our beers (well, Marty did) and he steered me into this small passageway for saftey… knowing that wasn’t safe, he led me down towards the band where everything was normal, the band continued to play and the kids danced their little hearts out. Afterwards I learnt that one of the men in the fight was the owner of the pub! LOL… A normal day! hehehehe… I thought it was intriguing but still.. I LOVE THIS SONG and I hope you enjoy it as well

P.S. I would ask that if anyone knows where I can find “Blackcurrent Cordial” in Ottawa PLEASE LET ME KNOW how to find it! It’s bad enough that the Guiness doesn’t import well, but I would at least like to pretend and have a cold and yummy Guiness with Blackcurrent!

Xoxo

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Very rarely do you hear me say the words, “No, Not, Don’t”  - the reason is that when you tell someone not to do something you immediately turn your attention to what you’re NOT supposed to be doing. Don’t believe me?

- Don’t think of your nose- Don’t think of the colour blue- Don’t drink and drive- Please do not hesitate to respond to me- Don’t Drink and Drive….

Believe me now? If I find myself using these words I always follow it up with “well, what do I want?”

- Think of the colour purple- Find a safe way of getting home after drinking- Drinking and Driving KILLS- Please contact me if you or I look forward to hearing from you

Well, today I was trying to locate some motivational songs to build my own motivational movie to use as my vision boards… we all know the power of vision boards.. Heck I write messages on my mirrors, I hang motivations sayings and pictures around my home. Well, my search brought me to YouTube and I wanted to share what I found with you.

The subject of today’s post and the subject of the YouTube video is “Never give up on your dreams” Well, I want to tell you to follow your dreams, chase them… tackle them… Keep going until what you had in your mind you are living right now! You can do anything you put your mind to! All the great minds in history have told us this! I believe in this!

I hope you enjoy this video and it inspires you to rekindle those dreams and chase them until you receive them all around you- BELIEVE that you deserve to have your dreams come true NOW! I believe…. I hope you do as well! Xoxo

Happy Easter!!! Blessings for you and your family! My kids and I have a spriritual tradition of attending the Easter Triduum which begins at 7PM mass this evening. It’s the highlight of my year and I love that my kids really get a kick out of it. Their favourite is tonight’s mass! Today is the celebration of the Last Supper- it was last meal Jesus shared with his Twelve Apostles and disciples before his death. At my Church the priest uses the symbolism of “the washing of the feet”- The foot washing ceremony is at its root an act of love and I love being able to see the priest humble himself with his parishiners and then parishiners humble themselves to others, parents to their children, etc etc. I know that it might seem strange but I love that my kids, especially my son understands and asks to attend each year and he even looks forward to it! I love that! Well, we are going to a new church tonight so I guess I will see how they intrpret or celebrate Holy Thursday.

God Bless
Xoxo

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Oh Scotland!…  I think I left a bit of my heart there and look forward to seeing you again next summer! xx

I left a windy but sunny London morning and flew into a windy, rainy and snowy Glasgow on March 8th, 2009. I had booked a hostel at the Eurohostel in Glasgow and with some help of locals found it without and problems. I checked it and headed to the local Primark which is a pretty cool shopping extravaganza (thanks for the heads up Davene) then headed over to a local pub for my first Scottish meal which was delicious! I had bacon wrapped chicken stuffed with haggis served on a bed of mashed potatoes in a yummy gravy.. I also tried Tennants which a local beer - not too bad but I was later told it was known as a pretty yucky beer. The hostel was ok with a nice atmosphere and a local bar in the lobby. In the common room I met up with some really nice people and made friends with Dustin from Canada and Giuseppe  from Italy. We ended up heading out to a local dance club and had a great time! So many funny memories to look back on and good times! I found Glasgow to be more of a metropolitan and even though I met some nice new friends and had a great time clubbing I was happy to leave for Edinburgh the next day….

I grabbed a bus (free bus thanks to Dustin- thanks again buddy!) and when I arrived into Edinburgh it was incredible! They made it the capital for a reason and it took my breath away! I had changed my reservation and decided to stay in a B&B which was such a great decision on my part as the Dene Guest House went above and beyond in their hospitality! I still pretty tired from the night before and I wanted some quiet reflection on what being in Scotland meant for me. It was the 2nd year of being cancer free- 2 years ago on March 8th I had finished my radiation which ended my battle with cancer… it was the reason that I had taken this trip. Since the time I was about 7 years old I wanted to visit Scotland! I actually can’t remember a time when I didn’t want to be in Scotland and there I was at the age of 31 finally there! Finally and the sun had come out to greet me even at 6PM in the evening.. I had walked from the bus station down the VERY long and STEEP Dundad street with all my gear on. I was greeted at the B&B settled in, grabbed some take away, webcammed MY munchkins and fell asleep. Being at the B&B was amazing in the morning as I awoke to a very yummy hot breakfast (The Cookie) which kept me going all day.

Another gorgeous sunny warm day… I took  the advice of the B&B and headed down to Princes Street to catch the guided hop on/off bus tours. They were jam packed with information and the open top allowed me to soak in the sunny day. My first stop was down to the docks to visit the Royal Brittania Yacht which was pretty spectaculor- it was a fun visit. On the way back into Edinburgh I stopped to visit to take a quick look at the Palace of Holyroodhouse which is the Queens’ residence in Edinburgh. I decided against seeing the Botanical Gardens and headed back to Princes Street to get on the guided bus tour next. What a great bus tour that way… there I met Evelynn who was a sassy older Scottish woman who loved what she did and really impressed me with her knowledge and storytelling of the days passed from olden Edinburgh days. She took us through new and old Edinburgh and showed up places where Sean Connery had worked, lived and stays when he visits nowadays… She told us funny stories of how chloroform was discovered, the Scotts Monument, how life was and why the new town of Edinburgh was built…. So much history, so much beauty and the views of Edinburgh Castle literally jump on you and it’s a spendid view- the castle dominates the the sky-line of the city from its position atop the volcanic rock. The tour was so amazing that I did it for a 2nd time when she dropped me off near the Royal Mile so I could check out Mary King’s Close.

Mary King’s Close is hidden beneath the Royal Mile and lies Edinburgh’s deepest secret: a warren of hidden ‘closes’ where real people lived, worked and died.  For centuries they have lain forgotten and abandoned until it has been opened for the public to go down and explore on a guided tour. Yes, it was a bit commercial (actually very commercial and a bit corny) but it’s the real places where people lived, died and worked dating back to the 16th and 17th centuries. It was eery to visit but pretty cool! After my tour of the close I headed over the World’s End Pub for dinner where I met another lively local Scottish man who befriended me and told me I must visit the pub beside as it was one of the last privately owned pubs in Edinburgh. The Waverly on The Royal Mile is such a gem… it’s tucked away where locals visit and has a cool special flare… it was so much fun meeting more locals and they helped me decide that I needed to revisit my idea of heading to Inverness on my own the next day to see Loch Ness.

The next day I checked out this 3D Loch Ness story and booked a day trip into th Highlands to visit Loch Ness… I cancelled my hostel in Inverness and booked 2 more nights at the B&B I was staying in. I then visited Edinburgh Castle in the morning and what a beauty- a true story of Scotland itself.. about the only thing the locals don’t appreciate is that the British flag flies overhead.

Again it’s the history comes alive- I LOVE the history.. I was able to see the very cramped birthchamber where Mary Queen of Scots gave birth to her only child, James VI, in person I got to see the Honours of Scotland which again took my breath away.. the history again is humbling to take - to know that they were hidden and then to know that they were found again.. and now I get to see them in person along with the stone of destiny! These are items that I have only read above with my love of history and now here they were right in front of me in all their glory and incredible condition~ It was haunting to walk along the halls that royals from history walked… I want to tell you everything but alas it’s something you just HAVE to experience for yourself.

Next I took the day trip to Sterling to visit Sterling Castle. Here is another town that is filled with such history and beauty! You walked up this very steep winding town to get to the very top and as you round the corner there it is! It’s sheer magnificence as it sits on its high volcanic rock, visible for many miles in every direction.  During a long and bloody history Stirling Castle has been attacked or besieged at least 16 times. Three battles have been fought in its immediate vicinity, two of which were turning points in Scottish history: and a fourth equally important battle took place just a few miles to the north.  A number of Scottish Kings and Queens have been baptised, or crowned, or died within or near Stirling Castle. At least one King was murdered nearby: while another committed murder within its walls.  I was amazed by the sheer magificence for a castle of it’s time- the Great Hall, the chapel and the living quarters!

I took the train back to the B&B and was up ready at 6am for another great day of adventure into the Highlands which I was soooo very excited to see! I had no idea how my life was about to change that day.

I took the Loch Ness day tour with Highland Experience Tours- the tour left at 7:45AM into the Highlands. Let me tell you now that I was so blessed to have experienced the magic of the Scottish Highlands. Our tour guide Chris was so passionate not only about what he does for a living but told the history of Scotland which such passion that I felt I was transported back to the days of the Scottish clans of the Highlanders themselves. We travelled from the lowlands where you can see a physical fault line that seperated the lowlands from the highlands- of the forests only 2% remain from the 1600’s. In 1 day I witnessed 15 rainbows, see the beauty of Ben Nevis- Britain’s highest moutain with amazing views, tried to spot the Loch Ness Monster, Glencoe which is the notorious massacre of the McDonald clan. Down throught Sterling which is the backdrop for the wars of independance and heard stories of William Wallace and King Robert the Bruce. Chris was so passionate and because we had such inredible weather stopped to show us the stomping grounds of where he played with his grandparents growing up… it was a magical day that transformed me- it left me with an intimate understanding of Scotland. I left with a heavy heart - I was lucky enough to have met 2 groups of Irish locals- 1 group was from Dublin and the other couple; Anne and Aidan were from Dunmury which is where I was going the very next day in Belfast! After the tour brought us back to Edingburgh I spend the evening talking about our incredible day and experiences and Aidan and Anne shared their contact details and places I needed to visit while I was in Belfast!

Many people say things happen for a reason or some say might say I was lucky but if you have been reading my blogs or know me you would know that I know that all my experinces and people I met were brought to me because I wanted them to happen- the law of attraction is ALWAYS working and during my trip it was evident in each decision I made or people that came to me on my journey.

The stories that Chris told us that day touched my heart in such personal ways- some of the massacres would have been considered modern day gennicide…. I learnt the true meaning behind the song of Loch Lomond and learnt of the “true” heroes of Scotland- I understand more of where I came from Scotland was amazing in all it’s glory.. I miss you already and look forward to seeing you again soon my friend!  xx

Like I said, I was lucky enough to pass through Loch Lomond and as I did I learnt the true meaning of this song which dates back to the 1700’s and it quite tragic unlike the love song I always thought it to be…. I hope you enjoy learning a bit about Loch Lomond and enjoy the sights of Ben Nevis as I saw this spectacle in all it’s glory on a very clear day! xx

On Friday March 13th, I left my beloved Scotland with a heavy heart but looking forward to the new adventures that lie ahead for me in Ireland. To my delight Ireland touched my heart and I left with many amazing new friends, and stories that touched me to my core as well. I look forward to sharing my Ireland adventure with you soon. Before I do, I want to share a bit more of the culture I loved so much in Scotland. The very first day I arrived I met a Bagpiper playing this song in front of the Scott Monument- it sent chills through me and I started to have tears run down my cheeks as it was so beautiful and I had realized that I was really truly in Scotland- making my dreams come true! xx

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I arrived into London on March 5th at 11am local time which would have been 6am my time- unfortunately I hadn’t been able to sleep on the plane but met an amazing lady who ran a research centre in the Rain forest. She gave me some great advice on places to see and visit and was such an interesting woman. When I arrived it was so easy to get around on the underground tube which I took immediately to the hostel where I was staying. I was unable to get any sleep and looking outside at the sunny 15 degree weather I didn’t want to pass up a great opportunity to explore. I jumped on the tube and headed to Leicester Square to check out the 1/2 price tickets for the theatre. I decided that I would go and see Billy Elliot that evening and soooo happy that I chose to see that one performance!

Billy Elliot the musical was AMAZING! I laughed and cried and was astonded with the young talent that was right in front of me. I grew up with a love musicals but this performance touched me a way that nothing had ever before! If you ever have the chance to see this Musical- please go and SEE IT!

During the intermission I headed for the washrooms and was really uneasy with how the floor was shaking. I mentioned it the woman behind me and she grabbed my arm as it was me that was swaying… I was mortified and realized that I hadn’t eaten anything since about 8PM EST the day before and it has been about 20 hours since I had eaten anything, about 40 hours since I had slept and add the jet lag.. the only thing they had at the concession stand was chocolate so I ate some and headed back for the performance. It’s funny looking back at it but I was pretty mortified at the time.. LOL

Well, I finally got back to the hostel and literally passed out- when I woke the next morning at 7AM local time I was excited to see that it was another gorgeous and sunny day ahead of me. I jumped on the tube and got off at Green Park to visit Buckingham Palace. Green Park hit me in a way that took me by complete surprize. Everything was GREEN, the birds were chirping, the cherry blossoms were starting to bud, the daffodils were in full bloom and covered the grass everywhere and not to forget the sun was beating down in all it’s brillance! I walked through the park in awe watching the people and taking in everything around me and then at the end of the park were the brillant gates which opened onto Buckingham Palace.. it was such an amazing sight and the sun made it all that more brillant. I wandered around the Palace and found out that entrance to the Palace was only available in the summer but I decided to check out the Queen’s Royal Collection.

Checking out the Royal Collection was such a great decision- I walked around for literally 3 hours in wonder. I have always loved Rembrandt but I didn’t really know how much or why until I saw 2 of them in person. They are truly amazing! The way Rembrandt embraces the light- it’s as if there is a spotlight shining on the painting to draw you into the story being told. It’s really incredible! The 2 that I was able to see were “Christ and St. Mary Magdalene at the Tomb” which he painted in 1638 and “Portrait of the Artist’s Mother” painted in 1629. A must see! Everything was incredible but my 2 other favourites that left a lasting impression was “Christ Healing the Paralytic” painted in 1619 by Van Dyck.  Lastly the painting “The Massacre of the Innocents” painted in 1565 by Pieter Breugel ripped at my heart strings.  It’s a depiction of Harrod’s rule to murder all male children under the age of 2 in an attempt to destroy the Christ child. The Emperor felt the original was too brutal so they commisoned the painting to be re-worked. So everywhere in the painting where you would have seen a child being taken away to be murdered they replaced it with an animal- they were able to show a infrared lights view of what had originally been and it really blew me away and made me fall in love with this painting- the history, the artist, the, the controvery, the re-worked painting… If you want to see more please follow this link and click on the SPECIAL FEATURE link to learn about this extraordinary painting. (http://www.royalcollection.org.uk/microsites/b2r/object.asp?row=3&exhibs=FLEMB2R2&item=4)

I was meeting up with my cousin Kaila at 6PM after she finished work so I ran back to the hostel to grab my bags and head out to meet up with her. I hadn’t seen Kaila in about 10 year which was strange since we spent so much time together as children. She looked amazing and on the way to her place to took me to see St. Paul’s Cathedral and the Thames River at dusk. It was such a fun time and maginificent views. We headed by tube (an adventure in itself) to her flat in East Putney and got a chance to catch up a bit before meeting her wonderful boyfriend Paul. We headed out for dinner and drinks and caught up and planned she planne to show me around London the next day.

It was so much fun to wander around London with my cousin because I was able to just relax and go wherever she took me! We walked for about 6 hours that day visiting most of London by foot… it was gorgeous- everything is so amazing that it’s hard to pick up what I loved most. Picadilly Circus, Covent Garden, Leicester Square, Jubille Market, Boardwalk along the River Thames taking in the street performers, The London Eye,  Westminister,  Houses of Parliment, Big Ben, through St. James Park, up to Green Park and sooo much more! Again it was a sunny warm day and we had such a blast! We were spoiled to get back to the flat to a homecooked delicous meal by Paul!  It was a tiring day but so lovely! It was great to be able to get to know my cousin as an adult and I hope to see her again in May when she comes to Canada for a visit. I was heading to Scotland the next day by plane so it was up at 7am to get to the airport for my flight and I was going to come back and see Kaila on the 21st of March for a bit of shopping and more catching up before I headed back to Canada on the 23rd. 

My vacation was off to an amazing start and I had no idea how many more amazing things were in store for me! Well, I can’t wait to share Scotland with you as it was literally life changing for me! Not to mention that the day I left London heading for Scotland was the 2nd anniversary of being cancer free.

If you love art, here is the website for the Royal Collection. It’s truly amazing! http://www.royalcollection.org.uk/

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