....Silence is golden...

....I'll be off to rural Ireland tomorrow (half day off work...yeah!) for my third silent retreat of the year. After a hectic few months - I am soooo looking forward to the solitude. Will catch up again next week...have a great weekend everyone!

....something about a meal....

...there's just something about sitting around a table of friends that really for me comes close to heaven! We gathered together last night before a friend travels to Canada for Christmas and we had a rare old time! Lots of lovely dishes...savoury and sweet...a lot of laughing....shining eyes as we all opened our 'secret santa' presents (where we pick a name out and buy for that person - of course - by the end of the evening everyone knew who had purchased what for whom!!). I was delighted with my lovely present - wrapped beautifully - containing candles...the most gorgeous Celtic style stone angel...a hand knitted autumny coloured scarf and a little book...Loved it all! We all looked about 6 years old as we were opening (I know it's a little early for Christmas!) our presents. It was a delight.

We then decided to have our 'Top 5' lists for the year - Top 5 books....cds....movies etc. I find it pretty hard to come up with my favourites....so much to choose from. I did love 'The Cloister Walk' a book by Kathleen Norris...really enjoy the music of Sufjan Stevens...local Belfast artist Duke Special...was challenged by 'The Constant Gardener' movie. How would your favourites of the year look I wonder...let me know!

Well...for now - blessings!