Hyde Park; reflections and patterns

Peak District National Park

Wintertime in London

Self portrait on an emotional day a few weeks ago.

Moonriver Valentines Dance was last week, a local dance for people with disabilities. It was like a Special Olympics Dance, and was a blast!

A friend from the Moonriver Dance, who snagged me to be his dance partner during the competition, and bought me a coke afterwards.

A mystery note to someone at the Moonriver Dance! how sweet.

Kafero and I

A snowy kiss!

The snowy day in London brought many trains to a halt, and I was exuberant about the white flakes and snow everywhere!

These 3 women were giggling and laughing, and I really enjoyed looking at the many pillows they had made that were stuffed in these bags (can you see that one upside down with the dachshund dog?). If I'm in the right mood, I can be quite captivated observing people on the trains here.

Obama wax figure revealed in London on Inauguration Day ! What a fine day! To see and feel the excitement and hope of people around the world.

December, Christmas at home!

Eli and I making a snowman in the backyard

amazed at the fire Grandpa made

mom and dad going on a date! how cute.

Grandma Withers and Uncle Eric came up from Florida to spend Christmas with us

that's Amanda at the end of the street on the left in the red coat...waiting for Santa to come on the local fire engine. She waited for 45 minutes, and he did come!
here is the note and snacks she left out for Santa and his reindeer on Christmas eve. (we have told her for years he is not real, but she doesn't believe us, and insists...maybe she knows something we don't?)

Leah, singing and strumming on her guitar

Winter sunrise in our backyard...I love winter, and especially how the snow sparkles in the sun

Eli lining up his buses and cars on Christmas morning

dear friend Jill and I enjoying a night out, and many oogles over her baby that's due in March!Eli drawing a picture of ''a farmer"

Katy, me, Alissa..reuniting in Detroit for some lunch and laughs on my snowstorm induced layover on my way back to London!

World Aids Day +Ctrl + Alt + Shift

World Aids Day was Monday...... in honour of that, we went to a performance called +Ctrl+Alt+Shift+ here in London, with striking movement based performance to get messages across about the HIV/AIDS awareness. Here is a short clip of one of the performances....

Cost of living

Ever since I was born
Everyones been complaining
how the cost of living
just keeps soaring;

Tea from Ceylon
Rice from Burma
Sugar from Jamaica
Meat from the Argentine
Yes, there's no denying
the cost of living
has been rising
ever since I was born.

Yet I haven't heard
a single complaint
since the day I arrived
how the price of human lives
has been taking a nose-dive:
in Hiroshima,
Stalin's Russia,
Hitler's Reich
in Vietnam,
Kampuchea,
Uganda,
South Africa,
Guatemala,
El Salvador...

Ever since I was born
the cost of living
has been getting rather steep.
The cost of a life
has never been cheaper.

by Cecil Rajendra

Anna and I adventuring London

My dear sweet friend, Anna (we met working in Patongo IDP Camp), was back in London for about 5 days. We had many giggles, cakes, walking around London.

London by tube, train and foot

We attended the Emerging Artists and Residents in London over the weekend, and this was one of the performers-on his flute making some amazing music !

Hey World, Don't Give Up

Music by Micheal Franti & Spearhead

Autumn joys

England is smelling like Autumn, the fresh leaves, cool air and even some sunny skies to complement..
The canal near Kafero's house Swans and houseboats along the canal
Denis, a good Ugandan friend who also worked with Medair in Patongo IDP camp, has just arrived in England to study his Masters at Cranfield University. Wonderful to visit with him and hear his first impressions of life outside Africa!
Sheep grazing under the moon in the English countryside

Wild horses

Kafero and I spent the weekend camping in New Forest National Park, a few hours south of London. A gorgeous moss covered forest with tranquil winding rivers, and to make the fairytale surroundings come alive; wild horses and ponies running about !

a day with Eli

So hey everybody, I'm 2 years old now, and I'm styling now. Also now that I'm 2, I'm tons of fun to take out on little adventures around town and I love being outside ! So, who wants to hang out with me for the day? 'Auntie Kate' ofcourse!

Autumn sunrises in the backyard
Riding my bike
braving the slide

Grandpa on his lunch break, showing me how to work this cool toy at the park
Eli and 'Auntie Kate'

Oregon...can it get more beautiful?

It was the only place in the forest to camp
Could you wake up in a more beautiful place? Cliffs, fresh woods, and the Pacific ocean
Alissa and I, reunited under a shining sun

Liz and I demonstrating beach stretching

Portland friends reunited at the beach for another great weekend together ( there were 8 dogs , but apparently only 2 made it for the photo !)

How sweet it is to be with family, friends and the beauty here ....

Eli drinking his water like a little man at Tiffanys wedding !
Mom and Dad walking their Grandson to the beach
Leah and Eli at Teal Lake
Eli collecting rocks !

Grandma Withers and I at Mackinac Island taking a carriage tour
Amanda and I on our way to Wheatland Music Fesitval in Lower Michigan, this was taken when we ran out of gas on the side of the road !
Lovella, Carrie and I; reconnecting after 2 years of being on different sides of the globe.
Rainbow on Lake Superior at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, 10 minutes after this Amanda and I drove through a hail storm.

Home sweet home; our backyard on a Saturday morning ; relaxing peaceful and tranquil

cancer to freedom

Then to Now

reflect

CANCER-FREE

live, die, live

anger to relief
scar to survive

knowns and unknowns

accept-ance

time to moments

life to living

embrace