Scotland

My brother must be improving as he is now telling me what I need to do to avoid also having heart problems. I am just so happy he is improving and should be able to go home by the end of the week. I hope he really does make some lifestyle changes as I guess his wife represents what his lifestyle has been - fat and lazy!

Blackberry Wine is proving to be a fascinating book to read. Time changes are not a problem and I have come to accept the mysterious and supernatural feel of the book. Perhaps I should have been more aware of the links with Chocolat, but some of her other writing does not have this link to the other world. 
  
I purchased this book in the gift shop at Culloden in 2012. It is an anthology of poets born or living in the Scottish Isles. In many instances the left page is in Gaelic while the right has the poem printed in English. I am very fond of Meg Bateman's poetry, it sings to my soul and makes me cry. While it may seem unusual for a New Zealander to be so moved by the poetry of Scotland, this country is my second home. I am more Scottish than a lot of Scots due to the blood coursing through my veins. I read several of these poems a week and my heart is stilled at their beauty.

I am so thankful my dogs are well again. They are now an integral part of my exercise regime to avoid a heart attack. I try and take one out each day, sometimes both. I want to live to be very old and annoy my children intensely.