People who are important to me (1)
on Lynn Sellwood (The Gambia), 17/Jun/2010 15:29, 34 days ago
I want to start with The Bookclub. We started a bookclub in our street about three years ago and it has become a vital part of my calender. Not only do I get to read books I wouldn't normally choose but we get together to put the world to rights and discuss the state of the nation! We are a group with different backgrounds and life experiences, hailing from South London, Grimsby, Liverpool, Cyprus and the East End, some with formal education, others without, but all with an opinion and the will to share it. In a previous blog I gave you our list of  the next seven books, the plan is that I take them to The Gambia and report in at meeting time! Neighbours are perhaps a very under-rated group of people and I think we should be careful to get to know them if we can. I love the fact that I live in a street with such lovely people in it. I can go to them for help, advice and I know I will miss the familiarity of their routines as part of my daily round.I have started my wave of holidays in June. My thoughts were to do some things I have always wanted before I went to The Gambia, and the first was to take a boat down the Thames for a few days. Well, we were blessed with the most amazing weather which made the whole experience magical. You get a view of England which is quite different from a street view. We are a bunch of (older) women with no experience of piloting/captaining a motor boat. We were undeterred and after a local difficulty getting through a bridge going downstream and doing a James Bond approach to another bridge going back upstream we were unfazed. Locks and mooring became second nature (to Lynne).This is Sally, one of my oldest friends. If that sounds ambiguous because I make it sound like she is old, I can assure youit is deliberate! Sally has two friends called Lynn and the other one is often referred to as "little Lynn" or "my very successful friend, Lynn". So, I can only conclude that I am "big Lynn" or "the less successful friend". She was the organising maestro of this trip which dented my diet as you will see from the last photo.  This was taken on our last night. We moored on the riverbank near Wallingford under some trees. We had eaten well after a walk around the town and amojito and all of us reflected on the view of the world from the river. We had cruised from Benson to Henley and back again. Our paths crossing with ducks and swans and lots of people in boats, most of whom were incredulous that we had no men on board to help us! I thought it strange at first but it kept happening. Has the fight for women's equality really not stretched to the rivers of England? What it did demonstrate to me was how important female relationships are to me and it is going to be important to remember that while away. Men don't always have the answers!              Now, this photo is proof that my diet, a) hasn't been working  or, b) that it has a long way to go! It is however a demonstration of my absolute determination to have a go at all the challenging things to cross my life in the next couple of years. I will, eventually, get the weight off, I will embrace change with open arms and I will enjoy the journey! The next adventure isGlastonbury. We have a mobile home and a tent for the toilet, 12 bottles of champagne and five organisers! I an secretly looking forward to Snoop Dog and Rolf Harris, Al Stewart (because of my yoof!), The Bootleg Beatles, Candi Staton, Groove Armada and the Scissor Sisters. Stevie Wonder will be amazing and the sun will shine and I am going to get a massage and go to the Leftfield events and continue to connect with my left- leaning roots.As for other updates, I have three families interested in renting my house! The shed is still not cleared out....but I did do three drawers which were full of buttons, sewing kit, odd photos, measuring tape, old makeup and a giant pair of binoculars!