Sharon's last dance with me

My beautiful friend Sharon, who now has her wings

It was just the two of us in the room, as the family had stepped out of for a short while. Sharon was comfortable in the hospice and the staff loved her.

            “Let’s have some music mate, this version of ‘Show me love’,” I said to Sharon as she slept. Using my phone, I played the song we used to go crazy to on our nights out. She opened her eyes, “I thought you might like that,” I said as I watched her eyes close again. I held her hand until the song played out then I blew my nose and dried my eyes. Standing up to put the tissue in the bin, I said with my back to Sharon, “I know, you like the King and I. I remember this song you told me about,” and typed into the search bar of my phone ‘The King and I,’ and looked at the long list of songs. Memory reminded me Sharon liked ‘Shall we dance?’ as I clicked play.  The first strings played and filled the air in the room as I moved over to the bin, to throw my tissue away.  

As I turned around I instantly smiled and walked back to the bed where Sharon was wide-eyed and conducting the music high in the air with gusto.  Shocked in the very best way possible I laughed and said, “Oh Sharon you are a legend!” I took hold of her left hand and we danced together in the air above her bed as her right hand tapped ‘one, two, three’ in time to the music! This was a classic moment with Sharon and I lapped up every second of it as we danced together for the last time.  The words were familiar and we sang together, not loudly, but audibly, “…with our arms around each other and will you be my new romance, shall we dance, shall we dance, shall we dance?” 

            The more I laughed, the wider Sharon smiled.  I couldn’t believe what I was seeing, “Oh they won’t believe this when I tell them,” I said with tears of joy pouring down my face.  Sharon and I singing and dancing again. Not on the dance floor, granted, but that really didn’t matter.

            “I’m really going to miss you girlie,” I said.

            “Miss me? Why? Where are you going?” Sharon asked

Why Last Christmas (the movie) made me cry

Why Last Christmas the movie made me cry

A brand new, Christmas themed chick flick is out! Excitement filled me as I realised there was a gap in my diary to go and watch it at the cinema the day after it began to show.

The trailers showed what looked like a rom-com type of theme with lots of love to be had and of course, Christmas ‘things’. Was it going to be like Mamma Mia? Everyone said it was set to the theme of Wham! songs. Remembering back to when I was a kid, I saw Wham! on tour at Wembley in London.  December 23^rd1985.

Those were sad and lonely days in my little bedroom, playing over and over, "Like a baby" on vinyl until I fell asleep, to the glow of an oil lamp I used to light. 

Last Christmas (the movie) gave me a jaw-dropping plot twist to fathom! I am the person who can always predict what is about to happen in the storyline but I really didn’t see this one coming. Of course, there are no spoilers here but if you see the trailer you will see what I am about to mention here on this post.  

You see, for me, this day saw far more than just going and watching a movie.  The main character Kate (played by Emilia Clarke – who has the most incredible facial expressions and eyebrows) goes through a personal journey.  From being somewhat a ‘misfit’ in life and trying to please her family and friends, while getting so much wrong, she has a miserable time until she meets Tom.  Played by the most handsome guy I’ve seen on the big screen lately, Henry Golding, Tom begins to break down the hard outer shell Kate has built for herself through past hurts.  As her softer side unfolds, we see her opening up to letting her heart do the talking as “Heal the Pain” (George Michael) weaves throughout the film.

Casting my mind back many years to an old friend who was a guy, he used to play Heal the Pain to me all the time after my own heartbreak. Corny, I know but I don’t mind; it is a lovely memory that moved me at the time and took me right back to that moment in the film too.  Of course, my eyes began to fill with tears and I hoped they wouldn’t flow. 

It worried me how much I could relate to the main character and if you have seen the trailer, I’m giving nothing away by telling you there is pretty much a love story unfolding.  Kate lets Tom in to her closed heart. Something I struggle with, letting people in.  I can only imagine how hard this is for her.  

The plot twist happens and we see so much unfolding within the story which takes us to an ending where Kate has to go on her own journey of learning to love herself, just like the song says, 

     “Be good to yourself ‘cos nobody else has the power to make you happy.”

And I cried LOTS more. 

Did I love this film?

Oh goodness, YES! 

Some have said it’s cliché’ and cheesy.  Isn’t that exactly what a good rom-com Christmas themed movie needs to be?

Set in London, it was beautiful to see familiar places like Regent Street and Covent Garden lit up for Christmas but for me, the characters made this film what it is, with a little George Michael magic thrown in. The storyline definitely took me through a personal journey, during the time I was watching, and the tears were a demonstration of my own life adjustments I am trying hard to sit comfortably with just now. 

Go see this film! It will make you feel Christmassy and that plot twist is definitely something to make you gasp! 

Let me know what you thought too while I try and be a little more ‘Kate’.

"I'm just scared all the time; they just expect me to be normal." (Kate) 

Signs that autumn is here

October 30th already - gosh - and today it was plain to see that autumn is here.

The cool air in the morning and the dewy tops of the cars starting out their day were a sight to see in their glistening beauty as I snuggled into my warming car seat to drive to the coast.

Today was a brand new start on my writer journey as I travelled to the Kentish coastal town of Deal to begin a writing course with the plan to hone my craft of writing a story arc more fluently.  As one of my very best friends lives in Deal, we decided to use this opportunity to get ourselves together for a fabulous catch up!

Coffee and Walnut gluten free cake (made me smile..)

....Julie made me laugh, as always

I do love a classic. This Triumph made it look like we had gone back in time

Officially Autumn

End of day writing session