If
IF you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:
If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: 'Hold on!'
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
' Or walk with Kings - nor lose the common touch,
if neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!
Rudyard Kipling.
Must have equality here so I’m sure old Rudy won’t mind me adding
You'll be a Woman, my daughter!
I love this poem and was reminded of it today so thought I’d include it in today's blog update especially as I don't have a huge amount top say, now that makes a change I hear some say.
I’ve spent a few weeks getting to grips with my camera and almost threw the towel in. All this mathematical calculating with F stops, lens sizes, apertures, light, and noise distortion had me in a whirl.
I then chatted to someone who was a royal photographer and who told me that cameras have Auto for a reason. Providing you are taking good pictures let the camera do the work until you have the confidence, to use some of the manual facilities when you become more familiar with it.
He was right. I’ve been out and about and taking pics in low light using my tripod and remote shutter release.
I did take this pic, it was a students day at the art center on the marina, it was great fun, rapping bands and young people i really enjoyed it.
I’ve been doing boat jobs and at the moment in the middle of making a new passerelle as ours has disintegrated however, rain has stopped play today.
I'm keeping up with the fitness regime and some days been to the gym twice and walked wobbly legged back to the boat, and collapsed. I'm also getting to grips with the step classes and although I’ve little delicate finess I'm starting to not only remember the routines but I'm enjoying it.............I’m doomed. Does this mean I'm going to turn into a Jane Fonda, Rosemary Connelly, Cher-alike. OH YES!......oh no!
The usual round of social gatherings have been happening. Film night on Wednesday's only I’ve seen them all except for this Wednesdays, The Black Swan. Tonight it’s bowling again, I enjoyed it last time and did very well, lets see if that was just a fluke.
The wind here when it gets up is a force to be reckoned with. I rock and role some nights and it’s like an orchestra tuning up with all the halyards bashing against masts, in in-mast furler’s rattling ‘cause some have yet to put their sails on. Ropes squeak and pontoons groan and my Cornish flag sounds like a drum beating as it gets battered about. It would seem my flag is acting as a wind direction and speed indicator to many of the live aboards here. It was on such a day I had an accident, it was bound to happen.
I’d been for my weekly shop and had a bag on the basket at the back and a bag on each handlebar. Wind on the nose I attempted to cycle over the steep bridge but alas it wasn’t to be. Just at the brow the wind combined with my heavy load brought me to a halt and I just like a cartoon fell to the right still sitting on the bike. Result, two cracked eggs a grazed knee and elbo and an embarrassed look on my face.
Why is it that the first thing you do when you fall over, off or under is to look around to make sure no one saw you? And if someone does come to your aid you say, I'm fine, smile and make a quick getaway when actually you want to cry out ‘I want my mum’.
I remember as a kid I always had scuffed knees and was so proud on those few occasions that I had no scabs, grazes or large plasters covering the gouges. I remember my mum would dress me up all pretty, hair in ribbons, frock she’s made and cardie she’s knitted but the tom boy evidence was there, right on my knee and sometimes the left one too.
See no knees, i guess they had bandages or plasteres festooned on them. I do remember the Donkey was called Susan.... How embarrasing, who names a Donkey Susan?
Have to go times a rocking, I'm now i'm off to walk/jog 6k .....I must be nuts................................
