Aromatherapy Conference

The aromatherapy conference was amazing! To be in the company of over 100 fellow aromatherapists was energising and inspiring. Everybody was lovely and friendly, and excited to hear that we two had come over from Dublin.

One speaker in particular caught my attention- a composer named John Levine. John composed alphamusic, which brings your brain into a relaxed state, usually within 4 minutes. I've never come across anything like it, and the effect on us was fantastic. John spoke for an hour, telling his story, while the music played in the background. And, honestly, when he had finished, I felt as relaxed as I normally do after an hour's massage.

I've bought one of his cd's, and so far the results are very encouraging.

We got a lovely goodie bag, with samples of some oils and creams- if there's one thing sure to win me over, it's a goodie bag.

However, lunch was not a positive experience. I haven't eaten food this bad in about 20 years. They had a disgusting cold quiche that tasted as though gelatine had been added, and a couple of curries, with a sign above them indicating they contained MSG! I ask you, at an aromatherapy conference! Why couldn't they have just put out some salads and nice brown bread- plain, simple and tasty.

That concert!

Well, it was a whizz!
We got sunshine, a good crowd, and an adrenaline rush that for me has lasted a week.
The buzz from playing, especially in the company of really fantastic players, is quite something.
There are loads of photos on www.rcbs.ie - sorry, but I don't as yet know how to upload them, I will try to find out in the next week or so.
I'm off to an aromatherapy conference in Liverpool tomorrow, I'm really looking forward to it, in spite of the very early start- I think it's one of those awful 6.30 am flights.
Hope you all have a lovely weekend.

Poison for the swine

The bug is gone, sent on it's way with the help of my lovely essential oils.

I got the burner going on Wednesday night after the mop-up, and put in the blend that I call Anti-V-Bugbuster. It's heavy guns, not really what you burn for aroma but more for murdering undesirables. It's a combination of cinnamon, clove bud, cypress, niaouli, lavendin, tea tree and eucalyptus staigeriana. It's anti-viral, anti-bacterial and immune system boost. I made the same mix into a spray, and literally sprayed every step of the stairs. And my final murderous act was to put the same mix on tissues on radiators all over the house. There, confession over.

Well, it has done the trick, and I'm glad to report that we're all back to normal, other than being very tired. As I write this, everyone has gone to bed- unheard of on a Friday night at 11.30!

Tomorrow, the plan is to get back to the gym routine and get the hair done. Well, I can't possible play the concert with grey roots now, can I ?

Swine-flu mop-up

We've had one heck of a tummy bug in this house this week. The kids ask me if it's swine flu, and if it is, I'll kill the swine who gave it to us. On the plus side, I was able to tell them that if it is, I've survived it and so will they.

Started Sunday with me, vomiting all over the bathroom. Tuesday was eldest girl, also on the bathroom floor, Wednesday was middle girl, all over our bed and bedroom floor. I had forgotten as they've got bigger, what this used to be like- quilts, pyjamas, pillows in the wash etc.

I came back from band practice to a chaotic house. Heofinfinitepatience was, unfortunately, also out. Middle girl was sick, but announced that the boy would make a great nurse, because she had phoned downstairs (!) to him asking for water, and he brought up not one but 2 types!
Afer which she decorated our floor in style. Before I got a chance to clean up, eldest girl announced that her head hurt and she felt "weird". I don't know why, but I took her temperature- 102. Immediately rang my neighbour, as I've no experience of temperatures. My kids just never got them, in 17 years. Her eldest is 12 and she has vast experience of them ! Her recommendations were paracetamol and Neurofen, neither of which I had in the house! Had to borrow from her extensive stock.

I'm useless at the clean-up, I try to do it little by little, starting at the edge, but simply end up taking forever. As in 40 minutes, scouring grooves between the floorboards 3 times over in case I missed a bit. If anyone has a good method, I'd love to hear it.

Now we're all better, just in time for the big concert on Sunday, so all's well. I think though, that I will knit that swine-flu mask- saw a lovely pattern on the internet.

Do what I do

This weekend is turning out much better than I expected.
I've just come back from a band rehearsal for the Marlay concert - it was fantastic! Hard work, mind, but such a learning experience. It reminds me in a funny way of how children learn from older children. The "funny" bit is that I'm the oldest (by a long shot) French Horn in the group, but very much a novice player. However, just sitting alongside and listening to experienced players, and following the music and playing some of it, is an amazing learning experience. It's that imitation thing that small children do- first time round, watch and listen carefully, second time imitate, and third time you feel as though you're doing it for yourself! Not sure what the seasoned players have to say about this, but they were helpful and gracious this morning anyway.
Came out of rehearsal to blue sky and sunshine, so I just hope that next Sunday's weather is as good. Now to "make hay while the sun shines" I'm off to the garden. Hope you're all having a nice weekend too.

Knitting to acting to computing

Daughter has ripped the knitting and started again. She's in love with blackberry stitch, and so decided that the whole scarf will be in blackberry, and in different colours. In the meantime, there is added to the mess in her room, a bundle of ripped alpaca yarn!
I reminisced with her how, when my mother was learning how to knit (at the age of 3, her father being the teacher), she would knit a long piece, throwing it over her shoulder when it became longer than herself, to prevent it trailing on the ground. There was very little yarn available so she would then rip it and start again, French Revolution Style! We also had a good look through the old knitting patterns, and had a laugh at how the men in them were made to look "cool" by having a cigarette in their hand! Seriously! She thinks that the women look very plastic, I think they look elegant.
It is really strange that those patterns still retain the aroma of my home, and if I close my eyes, I could be back in our little sitting room on a winter's night, by the fire, knitting and purling to my heart's content. Strangely comforting and yet reminding me of my loss at the same time.That folder is the only remaining item I have with that aroma - presumably because it is not opened very often. I wanted to drink in every last bit of it, yet feeling that the more I inhale, the less there will remain for another time.
The son abandoned the knitting mid-week as drama (the school play) took over. Now he's converting the camcorder footage into a dvd, and doing an excellent job if I may say so. The mind boggles- from knitting to acting to computing, all at the drop of a hat.
Myself, I've had a sore left shoulder all week- some would say it's emotional, and I would agree. I'm trying desperately to release it, so all suggestions would be welcome. I've done some IET, and sought freedom to replace "shoulds".
On the upside, it's a Bank Holiday Weekend here, so hurray!
Band practice tomorrow morning for upcoming concert- looking forward to it, and hoping to not make an idiot of myself. Have now to Google "also sprach zarathustra" and hope that Utube can help me to figure how it should sound.