New Grandma !

As from the eyes of a new mum                    

In honour of Elliana Rose, from her grandma, Elspeth Jackman

Seven days old.

You are so tiny, so fragile, so vulnerable,

But your little body pulsates with life.

I just want to spend time looking at you.

Seven days old.

You with the long expressive fingers of a violinist,

And eyes, revealed through the slits like large blue marbles

I am absorbed in baby-gazing.

Seven days old.

Do I dare to leave you alone and make a cup of tea?

Do I dare to join you and go to sleep?

I must trust.  It’s not just my admiration that keeps you alive.

Seven days old.

I will trust.

You are entrusted to me.

And I will trust God

As I too am a child, a child of my Father in heaven,

And He looks after me.

The New Baby's arrived.

I’VE ONLY JUST ARRIVED

It was cosy in there.

Warm, contained,dark, safe.

In my own private swimming pool.

I could bounce around and kick my legs.

I wasn’t prepared for what happened next.

It was cosy in there.

But suddenly I was propelled into a different world,

Cold, expansive, bright, unknown.

There were other beings in my world

That held me, that looked at me, that smelt different.

I wasn’t prepared for this.

It was cosy in there

But now my defence against change is to scream.

Loud, continual sound  coming from my mouth.

Is that me ? Do I have this power ?

I need to get used to this.

It was cosy in there

But I am learning that there is warm life to lean on.

I am learning that there is sweet succour to feed on

I am learning that there is the sweet smell of a mother.

And I am learning that to give up and let go into sleep

Is possible, and even rather comfy.

It was cosy in there

But with the transition over

I am learning to find it safe, warm, and even exciting

In the new life that’s just beginning.

Elspeth Jackman 23rd Jan  2013   for Elliana Rose

Selling books means meeting people

Hey, I'm a people person !  Talking to ladies' groups and enthusing about later life brings me into contact with such lovely people. The above was from my meeting last night at Jenny Evers'  home with her Marlborough Road Methodist women's fellowship. That, unusally was the second women's fellowship I'd been to that day  ! Thursday must be the LATER LIFE  day around here !  If anyone else would like me to come, I'm at your service.  The book is ENJOYING LATER LIFE by me, Elspeth Jackman, and you can get it at Amazon, in either Kindle  or paperback version or from the publishers, Onward and Upwards.
I wonder what next week's adventure will be.
Elspeth

My Interview on national radio !

Just before I escaped to soak up the visual beauty of the northern Italian lakes and mountains, I took time out to shoot down to Pimlico ! What's in Pimlico ? Amongst other things ,the studios of Premier Radio. I was there by invitation to talk to Maria Toth, presenter of their daily women's programme WOMAN TO WOMAN about my book ENJOYING LATER LIFE. It was a good experience. You can see the twinkle in her eyes here, and she was able to chat to me, check any emails coming in on the subject of the morning - being older- and make it so entertaining  ! Maria certainly has my admiration.

Yes, and the book is on Amazon both paperback and kindle, and you can also get it from the publishers, onwardsand upwards.org

I haven't any oil paintings to show you just now. On holiday I did pen and ink sketches of villas and palm trees, and turtles sun-bathing, but nothing really to show.

Elspeth

It's Talks Time !

Hi there,
Holidays will soon be over and then I get on my own band waggon to encourage the " not quite so young" that they are special, different, and in their prime !  Miss Jean Brodie, you were 40 years too early !
I've got quite a few sessions lined up when I'm invited to talk about my book ENJOYING LATER LIFE . The curious thing is that most of them are on Thursdays, either afternoons or evenings.  Is Thursday invisibly labelled as the day for the MORE MATURE ?
Where shall I start ? Oh a little about me, now a widow for 11 years, and then chatty stories about my minor escapades, and what I'm doing now, and then how they can actually be really useful to God as they are. This is an exercise to build up esteem.
Of course I hope a few might buy my book. I shall have some with me at a special discount as pensions don't always go far enough. For everyone else it's available at the publishers Onwardsand Upwards.org and  Amazon. Apparently the kindle books are selling better than the paperbacks.
I might take a few of my paintings. The other day I actually painted outside in the garden. See below. It's not meant to be an exact likeness. I had fun with it and the shape of the leaves and painted it over blocks of colour.
Hope you are enjoying life, whether earlier, middle or later.
Elspeth

Memorable Sunday 8th July

Sunday 8th July 2012 Presenting an outside broadcast on Hatfield Road St.Albans for Radio Verulam, I not only  had a grand-stand view of the Olympic torch passing by, interviewed both passers by and other Radio Verulam presenters, but even managed to give away several copies of my own book ENJOYING LATER LIFE ( which you can get on Amazon both in kindle form and paper-back)  You see Radio Verulam was celebrating their 5th birthday on FM, so we had cake, we had balloons and I thought I'd throw in the birthday present element as well.
Were you in the crowds that day ?
Elspeth

Party and Book Launch

It was great fun  - a birthday party plus a book launch all in one, hosted and organised by my lovely daughter. You might have guessed that the colours of my book ENJOYING LATER LIFE, warm orange, and bright red, were the colours chosen for the decorations for the barn dance and buffet supper.
And do you know ! one of my friends actually brought a unicycle ! See below. Not that I can ride one !

ENJOYING LATER LIFE  is a book to encourage the over 55's to live know that they are special, wonderful and not on the downward slope to the end of life.  It's available at Waterstones St.Albans, at Amazon both paperback and kindle; from the publisher, Onwardsand upwards.org, and if you are local to St.Albans, from me !

Have fun !  Elspeth