Imperfectly Natural

Ah..back to my old ..hardly ever blogging ways then….We got back from cornwall and then went straight to the Greenbelt festival, what a mad weekend ! I LOVE Greenbelt, I’ve been going since the late 70’s - (yes I’m scarily old) and it gets better every year - if different, in the old days…..there were top bands headlining - now its more of a christian arts festival, with a big family emphasis but its always inspirational and uplifting.

The boys did a breakdancing workshop and we saw lots of great new bands. I loved the tribute to Larry Norman, he was the godfather of Christian rock, sounds naff but truly he was a genius and he died earlier this year. Lots of bands did covers of his songs including Martyn Joseph and my mate Pete Banks from After the fire.

The weather was awful but who cares… we trudged around a muddy field, drank lots of cappucino (me) hot chocolate (boys 1 and 2) and spent a fortune on smoothies and hippy type kit.

We sat in the Sacred space area for a while, I lit a candle for a freind battling illness and just sat drinking in the silence and the icon art. The boys decided to write a prayer, I was all overcome with a feeling of pride till I noticed they’d changed their mind and decided to writie a review of the books they’re currrently reading…well thats admirable too I hear you say…mmm…anyone looking over their shoulder would have seen the headings…Yucks Fart club and Horrid Henrys nits…oh well down from my holy moment and back to reality.

It took me three times to write todays date, thats when you know you’re chilled when you’ve lots track of the days.

Yesterday we were proper tourists and went to Lands End. Not my favourite kind of deal, queing up for ages to get nto the packed car park and milling around waiting for events that didn’t happen (there was an air ambulance day but becasue of weather conditions etc etc)

I had an attacj of meanness and refused to pay the forty quid or whatever it would have been for us to do the various exhibitions and fortunateley the boys were happy to play on the adventure playground

Last night we went to the Gurnards head for a meal to mark the end of our hols

Bye bye cornwall, love you, see you very soon I hope

Well I had to go back to meet Juicemaster Kate, showed her the Lifescape mag, that that one where the ttle for my juicy retreat article is ‘the uicy way to lose weight’ yet I am pictured in a puc from last Feb loking like an elephant.
Anyway we met at the surfers cafe and just about held onto our organic carrot cake while the screaming gulls whirled overhead.

I walked back up my favouirte hotel The Garrack to say hello and tell the owner that hes featured in the latest book, not in the travel section there isn’t one but in the chapter on recycling cos he has such an nteresting take on it all as a small business owner.

I have zero energy today - I’ve ’stopped’ for a while so my body is thinking…ooh whats that interesting feeling, lets get some rest in.
x

How could I forget ? and how bizarre that I after years of managing to blog only once or twice a month have felt the need to write twice in one day, must be the sea air.

I ventured out this monring as the sun weakly appeared, oh there are loads of easy walks around here the organic farmer told me, but he hadn’t reckoned on the fact that ‘easy’ to me means a stroll around St Johns wood rahter than finding the correct stile and footpath in the wilds of cornwall. anyhow I made it down to the sea and wild and wonderful it was too, Without sounding like a sixth former I never tire of watching the waves roll in and the more ferocious the better. I feel so alive as soon as I arrive here, particular if I’m close to St Ives - its quite weird. I sat and looked at the sea for ages and then made my way back up the hill, crikey I thought I was fit ! ‘if you turn right at the stile’ they said ‘you can walk over the field to the pub,’ Ah, more than one way at the stile, but I made it, wandered past a few cows who looked at me as if to say’you’re not from thses parts’ and finally past a farmers house, well through his back yard to be precise - funny these properties with footpaths through their gardens…and finally ontio the road, around one bend stood the pub, but not just any pub, the ‘Tatler’ renowned Gurnards head Gastro pub. I had a fabulous cappucino at London prices and then walked back

The gales died down, the tents going up and the sun is out.
Get down
x

We’re in wet and windy Cornwall, unbelievable that its high season. I don’t care though, the train ride went on for hours, we were losing the will to live. the only respite was the heart lurching view when we got to the brdige and corssed into Cornwall

We’re so remote here, it really is a different world, its such a problem being addicted to Cornwall - its just too far away - or maybe the real issue is that I don’t live here and its me thats too far away.

We were meant to be campng on a freinds farm but there were warnings of a force 8 gale last nigth so we snuggled in sleeping bags in the main house.

The boys ate cereals this morning with milk fresh from the goat.

Fab

Janey

Up at the absolute crack of sparrows (4.30) to be on air at BBC London at 6.45 Really fuh piece actually with Paul Ross and Jo Good, We talked credit crunch and saving cash by community buying - using companys like Suma Co-op and Infinity foods etc and of course they enjoyed playing with the soapnuts.

Wandered through London at 10 past 7 and thought how amazing it is to have this much energy. If that had been last year I would have been wiped out. Praise the lord ! - pass the juice

I saw an amazing heart stopping rainbow last nigth on my way to yoga (get her !) it was one of those that actually went from end to end, a complete arc if you get my drfit. I love rainbows and have had a sort of emotional attachment to them for as long as I can remember, I’m sure as a sixth form student I tried writing naff poetry or song lyrics around the idea…don’t worry I won’t inflict any of that on you. I also love the DH Lawrence book The Rainbow, think I did it for A level actually way more years ago than I care to remember. On that note I looked int he mirror yesterday and swear it was not me who looked back. it was an older woman, looking tired. it scared me, I must go and re-read my own chapters on glowing skin-care, I am religiously applying my organic line softener, so if it doesn’t change soon I’ll have to sue Inlight (only joking - think how old I’d look if I wsn’t using the natural stuff)

I’m useless at this blogging lark and feeling very frustrated right now cos I know I need to get a proper flashy blog…an new all bells and whistles website is underway but I’m afraid I’m frantically busy and very un-high tech….oh dear oh dear….you can tell I’m not having a good day so far…

kids are happy though they’re at a holiday club and doing all kinds of exciting stuff, as thye’re normally home-edded its been an interesting shock to their system being with hundreds of other kids and sonny commented on how loud they are ! I rather unhelpfully suggested he takes some foam earplugs…duh !! not very cool !

back when I’m feeling more upbeat I promise
x

The Tatton Park flower show is on form now till Sun and yours truly has inspired the design of a garden - I know its not exactly a rose named after me but hey ho, one of the members of the ladies circle has designed it and called it the ‘natural woman’ garden, now I know I’m imperfectly natural but I’m proud to be the inspiraiton - lets hope it doesn’t sprout weeds before the weekend !

Chocka this week catching up after my time at Champneys - I did tell ya’ll about that didn’t I ?

The great news is I’ll be doing some talks and events there so lots of excuses to go back and book treatments !
Janey

Just back from 2 nights at Champneys in Tring, man alive what a wonderful place, its years since I’ve been to a health resort, or ‘farm’ as they were known and back then it was overweight people queuing up in robes to be weighed and then waiting miserably for a sub standard treamtent and eating a bit of sad salad for lunch. This was like being at the most luxurious coutnry hotel ever but with the added benefit of an incredibiel spa and wonderful exercise classes. They say they’re a spa then a hotel but I’d say they do both brilliantly. I did a fitness hula hooping session - not bad as I haven’t kept a hoop up that long since I was a kid (no gags) and I went on some fab country hikes and of course did yoga.

Frank Bruno was very loud in his flourescent blue shorts in the gym and I’m sure they get a fair smattering of big time celebs but you don’t feel the need to dress up - its very relaxed.
Highly recommended - well worth it for a day trip, food fantastic too, longer article coming soon…

x

I won’t even bother with my sorry…where does the time go thing…..we had a ball at Hesfes even though only for the weekend, loads of sunshine incredibly. I must offer a big thanks to Morag (The Nappy Lady) I’ll have you know, for letting us hang out at her motor home on site and the kids played lots of football while I discovered a bit of Mersea island in Essex I didn’t know existed, namely a fab cafe where the cappucinos are good and a walk by some nice yachts, very select. We stayed with my old mate Pete from After the fire (yes - any old Christian rockers reading this…THAT After The Fire) they’re still gigging with 2 original members.

Last Tues I did a small event a Berkhamsted library and tonight just back from a talk at Waterstones in St Albans, I do like local gigs, home for cocoa by 11pm, another local one on Sat at an eco fair and then I’m off to a health resort (get me !) to sample a few pampering treatments for a day or so.

Appropo to nothing don’t forget to take up the offer for the Lifescape subscription - buy one get one sub free at a reduced price and you both get £25 worth of natural skincare - what an offer !