Play agents and the allotment.

           I've given half the allotment back to the council. The boy kept hassling me with emails going on about the eleven year waiting list for plots and such, so I gave in. What you see in the last two photies is what I'll have left next year. Well, it means less ground, but also less work. I reckon I've had the full allotment for twenty five years!

           Tonight, finally, I thought I should send out some emails to theatre agents about the play I sent into the Scottish Playwrights Society which led to the meeting with Stephen Greenhorn. Funnily enough, I came upon Tom Erhardt whom I met around 1990 or 1991. He liked BUSTED. Surprised if he's still working.

           I hold out no hope for a play which was not commissioned by anyone, but I suppose I should make an effort.

Long time no see.

                  The top photie is from Auntie Kathy's, the corridor outside her room. It's Mossend Cross in the early 1900s, I assume. I thought the tin building was the old pole hall, but Kathy told me it was a church. Well, it has a cross on it.

                   The second photie was taken at an exhibition. It doesn't do the piece justice, but it was nic to see something from Roz in an exhibition.

                    My girlfriend ended up in Newmains a couple of weeks ago and, of course, I had to have a look at the old Bowman house. They've cut down a lot of trees, all the ones at the front anyway. Also, they seem to have added a bit of floor and they've fixed the roof, it seems.

                    The house was another reminder of impermanence. When I think of how much that house meant in my life and Roz's and all ....

                     A very good friend of mine seems to have had bad news about his health. Another reminder of impermanence. This has given me quite an impetus to practise.

                   It's Monday and my daughter's birthday today. She's thirty already. I haven't seen much of her since the Spring, but I'll see her tomorrow.

                   I'm becoming less and less happy with my lifestyle. It is not conducive to practising. But to my puzzlement, the meditations keep developing. My bad habits make me less happy than I would be. Anyway, it's Monday and this is usually the day when I try to reset my life, having spent since Thursday night with Heather. I've got plenty to do around this place.

                   I'm at the stage with my new novel where I can just dip into it now even after a few days off.

                   The bottom photie is of Edinburgh from Kinghorn. We still go out on Saturday and find some place to take the dog a walk.

Autumn Colours in the Botanical Gardens

          I've been trying to start a fast today. Well, I still haven't had anything other than water, but at this time of the evening  (just after seven) is when one normally starts to have fun ....or a drink of beer, for instance. Oh well.

         I've been working on the novel for long enough recently to get back into it. I've really enjoyed working on it though it has bugger all to do with buddhism or anything. Anyway, I feel quite positive now about writing and was thinking maybe I should try to contact play agents about the Jock Tamson's play. It's just finding the time and being bothered. Since I don't need any more money, I don't think my heart is into doing anything for money. I don't care about folk wanting to read my stuff or anything like that either. I do like writing though!! Always have. I think I'll get into it and not try to give it up ever again. Maybe have a holiday now and again!

          The Botanical Gardens is a delight, especially when you can't go sometimes because your friend has a dog. Today was just lovely. Sat meditating in a really nice spot as well.

Back to the allotment

          What a change in the allotment in the last week or so! One of my broccoli things had flowered. Might put it in the soup anyway.

          I'm very positive about my meditations and all right now. It was so good down at the Samye Ling. I don't know anything about anything, but if there are channels to open and that's a process that is indicated by changes .... well, they are pretty open now!! So now I've got to kick on and be more determined about the purification.

          I'm hoping to start a fast tomorrow. I think I must have done two three days fasts before. Not quite sure. Done at least one, so I know it's a wee bit of a challenge, but easily doable. Anyway, the health benefits of fasting are pretty obvious. Shame it makes you hungry. We'll see. Should give it a go!

       

New review of the Buddha and the Big Bad Wolf

4.0 out of 5 starsA romping good read - i would say a pageturner but im ...

ByAmazon Customeron 4 August 2017 - Published on Amazon.com

Verified Purchase

A romping good read - i would say a pageturner but im reading on kindle these days! What's not to like - a pair of unlikely travellers stumblebumbling around, cursing and swearing, having deep philosophical or randomly paranoid thoughts in the most unlikely situations,I learned loads of Buddhisty stuff too- cant wait to read all his other books now

Just found this. The last time I discovered a review it was a one star review for the Stumblebumming Towards Enlightenment. Win some, lose some!

Just back from the Samye Ling

          The top photie was taken just after I arrived. It's the lama and one other. Seeing him as soon as I got there, I found most auspicious. And it was a wonderful visit. It usual for me to feel a wee bit restless during the day at some point, but that didn't happen this time.

           The meditations were fabulous sometimes, the way they developed over the four days. Lots of bliss and some heat. Of course, whenever I get back from the Samye Ling, I always feel tired. I'm not too sure why, but that's the way it is. Only got on here to get the photies transferred.

            The last few times I've been down there the abbot has been absent for one reason or another, but it was brilliant meditating with him in the temple every morning. Just brilliant.

             Also, much enjoyed a book called Brilliant Moon, the autobiography of Dilgo Khent...can't spell the boy's name.

Back from Yetholm

          Just back from a week spent in Kirk Yetholm. This is almost in England and I did not realise how lovely some of the Border countryside was. Lots of travelling folk lived in this place and in the cottage where we stayed. One of the photies is of the cottage in the long ago. Family of twelve lived here at one time. Highlights of the trip were getting onto the Holy Island (though we just drove back off since Heather had been there before, visiting the scene of the Battle of Flodden, and seeing the Smailholm Tower, which was a place to hide/love during the reiving years.