~ Preparations ~ Week two ~

~ Monday ~

~ A Play Day ~

After a brief 10 km cycle to my friends house, I went for a day of fun at the lake. With poi, uno (card game), balls of all sizes, the bongo, a little guitar and a bag packed with a variety of delicious healthy food, we were prepared for our Play day! 

Lake Martignano is just a short drive from Rome and is set in a beautiful natural location. The crowd includes people from all walks of Life; hippies, young people, families and the sporty types :D 

We played and ate and played again; football, UNO, bongos, volleyball, poi. 

Play is so important in Life, many people don't make time for it. As you grow up the belief that you should act responsibly and no longer play silly games may also grow. This is fatal for your heart. Playing takes us to the present moment, whether your chasing a ball or awaiting your turn in a game of cards, in the moment you feel free, happy and light. It helps to mould better relationships by encouraging different methods of communication as well as giving you a little insight to yourself, maybe your a little competitive or a bad looser. Maybe your ego gets a little too big when you win, thinking your as the big dog of the game. To play is to create and to let your inner self express. It teaches you to let go! Letting go is so powerful! So my advise to you is if you haven't played for a while, start now!   

As the evening approached we were informed of an open yoga session which was a great end to the day and perfect preparation for the week ahead. 

~ Tuesday ~

~ Pannier bags ~

As you already know, I am preparing for a 3000 km cycle around Europe to raise funds for my Life project. You can imagine, I don't have a great deal of funds at this current moment. But what I do have is creativity, ideas and determination to complete the challenge / journey and to continue towards my goal for Project Life. In my preparations I have been wondering how I may be able to carry my belongings on the bike, "I don't have those nifty little bags" I thought. After scrawling through ebay and amazon, then listing up what it is that I need, I figured that the money I would spend on buying the stuff would probably be better spent on building the shop. So I said to myself "you will have to make do with what you have" and as always I quickly realised that I had a bag with a broken zip, "That's perfect!" I continued to think and so the creating began.   

With 30 km on the bike and these handmade beauties, I was pretty chuffed by nightfall <3 p="">

~Wednesday ~

~ The hitch hiking butterfly ~

The morning started with my usual routine before heading to volunteer on the farm. Always wonderfully tranquil planting and picking. On my way home I noticed I had a little company, it was just a couple of km into the trip that I noticed it and I stuck in there the whole way home! It was great company, "where is it your headed?" I asked the little butterfly, 

"my journey, is my journey" the little butterfly replied, " I am with you now, after, I am not yet sure, the heart has not spoken and the feeling has not come."

"I like your style little butterfly, you are very free" I replied.

"find your heart, follow it and you to will be free." stated this wise little creature. 

We were silent and I pondered these words as I continued the journey home. When I parked my bike outside the house and left, the butterfly simply sat. 

The butterfly was not the only lesson to come across today, I see how the weather will effect my journey. The heat has risen in Rome and summer is creeping in. A new factor when riding the bike as the heat doesn't help my low blood pressure, luckily a friend advised me on the use of licorice, which has been added to the list of necessaries. The temperature is only going to rise so it's a handy lesson to learn.   

After my working day had finished I joined my friend in the park, we joined in with a lesson of African dance, whilst stretching and awaiting other friends who gave us a lesson in Thai Chi (my first). The thing that stood out in this lesson for me was how to keep your back aligned and always to move with your core, from your centre. By relaxing your hips, shoulders and belly and letting all tension go into the earth and following this by an extension of the neck, it releases everything and takes the awareness of your mind to remain concious of your position. This is a great way to stay in the present moment.

 "As strong as a mountain, as fluid as water" ~ Lorenzo!

I look forward to more of this practice <3 p="">

After this lesson I really took my time to ride home, being aware of every movement of my body and trying to keep the hips loose and the stomach relaxed through every push, using my centre. Watch this space! 

A total of 44.6 km and many beautiful experiences ~ Thankyou for my Life ~   

~ Thursday ~

~ Park Life ~

Between the 40.9 km today, I worked and continued to travel slowly, acknowledging my centre (as learned in Thai Chi) It really helps to stay relaxed and is a powerful meditation. I also found myself with slots of time to lay in the park, slowly stretching the body. From the feet to the neck and all the places in between. A great pace and a relaxed me! <3 nbsp="" p="">

~ Friday ~

~ Handmade ~

Today I spent the day collecting all the ingredients needed to make my own sunscreen, I found it very exciting and have been waiting since last summer to make some. I had all the ingredients I needed except beeswax. "Ah, there is a party on the farm tonight" I thought "I should be able to get it there." 

The farm isn't only a farm it is the centre for a bigger project which supports young people in rejoining society and building a better future for themselves. There are 3 homes around Rome with people aged between 14 and 21, who have been in trouble with the law and requested to live in supported housing. The project is called il Fiore del deserto, they also have a project in Kenya housing orphans of aids. The party was to raise funds for the projects and to show the local community, different things these young people have been doing. Some DJ's, some creating art, others selling products of the farm and Kenyan project and another which caught my eye, was a group of young girls, who have designed and handmade beautiful notepads, branding themselves as Blah Blah. It was beautiful to see them following their dream and creating a beautiful event together. I plan to continue with my voluntary involvement in this project and I hope to purchase some items from them for resale in the Life travelling shop. 

Luckily enough they had some beeswax for sale and I had completed my check list of ingredients. The day ended with 27.6 km and a warm jar of sunscreen setting on my shelf <3 nbsp="" p="">

~ Saturday ~

~ Kids know love ~

Today I spent the day with a recently turned four year old, she has a great, stubborn and fierce personality! Throughout my Life children have been my greatest teachers and they continue to this day. Today as we walked home from the park, a homeless man began to speak with her. It was a strange situation for me, as I know many parents fear the homeless, so at first I was wanting to avoid the situation. But as I let go of the fear I saw love, openness and honesty from both of them. She did not judge his ratty clothes, turn her nose up or tell him to go away! She listened to him, laughed with him and seemed to bring a smile to his face. It was beautiful reminder that no matter who you are, how old you are, where your from or how much stuff you have or haven't got, you can find a connection, maybe just for a few moments, but a connection of love and purity. 

By the end of my day, I had completed 28.6 km and opened my heart a little more <3 p="">

~ Sunday ~

~ Follow your Dreams ~ 

Sunday has been a day of rest, with 14 km to the market and back, the purchase of a few little bits, including, camera bag, puncture repair kit and charms for my current bracelet project. A grounded feeling as the day draws to and end. As I write this weekly summary, I see how everything fits together so well when you just follow your dreams. The time has passed that I give up, no longer, disheartened as old things stop. Moving forward, letting go, dreaming bigger, but moving slow. I love my Life!