MissElaineous

Moments

Moments
There are some weeks that seem to pass in a blur, with one event after another, one task on the to-do list giving way to ten more. Where I don’t make the time to catch my breath, to look around and savour the moment. This has been such a week … and the busy-ness is not quite done yet! Yet… View Post

Trial, Error, and Experimentation

Trial, Error, and Experimentation
I’ve been thinking about experimentation lately. Not, I rush to add, in any illicit sense, but rather in the regards to trying new things. I think it is very easy to find yourself in a comfortable rut: you know exactly what you’re doing, how you’re going to do it, and you no longer have to activate your brain in order to do so.… View Post

Sunset in Technicolour

Sunset in Technicolour
For a night owl, I’m rather obsessed with sunrises and sunsets. This winter I’ve been fortunate to catch sight of some absolutely stunning views while travelling to and from work, but one of the most spectacular light shows occurred just a few nights ago in my own back garden. So for all of those who are feeling a bit of the back-to-work blues… View Post

A Post-Holiday Rant

A Post-Holiday Rant
[Today’s blog entry is a crossover with my Off the Ground blog because this is a message I care about spreading as far as possible, unlike glitter.] “Glitter” and “litter” are one letter off. Coincidence? I think not. Glitter is, after all, something that others foist upon you without thinking about it. The similarities don’t end there. Litter can be found in… View Post

Are you the spider or the fly?  11 lessons after a digital detox

Are you the spider or the fly?  11 lessons after a digital detox
[ Edited January 2019: All Roads Lead to Machynlleth was written at the end of 2016, during a period of my life that I found stressful and overwhelming. Yet looking back, I think it illustrates the power of travel to shake us out of bad habits and routines, and offer new paths to explore. There is no overnight cure for… View Post

Seasonal Reflections

Seasonal Reflections
As we creep closer towards the end of a year that many of us would like to see the back of, the festivities of Christmas give away to the contemplation of January. Janus, the Roman god of beginnings and endings, is depicted in art with two faces, one looking behind and one looking forward; could there be anything more appropriate for a time when… View Post

Seasonal Traditions

Seasonal Traditions
A few years ago I had the opportunity to take the Myers-Brigg Type Indicator (MBTI), a personality assessment that divides people into one of 16 types.* For the most part, I came out as an ISTJ; strong on the I and J, rather wobbly on the S and T. In reviewing the description with my career coach, she asked if I could see myself in… View Post

London Walkabout

London Walkabout
We started off our Sunday in London by going to church … the Greek Orthodox St. Sophia’s Cathedral to be precise. While putting together the surprise trip for my birthday/anniversary, my husband stumbled across this five-star gem on Trip Advisor. As it is only open one day a week, he made sure to plan activities in the area accordingly, so we soaked up the… View Post

London. Eventually.

London. Eventually.
While the weather gods may have smiled on us at Shaftesbury and Longleat, we apparently neglected the appropriate offerings to the spirits of the railway. We arrived at Chippenham Station just in time to hear that our train was cancelled. A quick check of the First Great Western app showed that problems were to be expected for the next hour. That was okay, no… View Post

Lights, Camera, Safari

Lights, Camera, Safari
Just not necessarily in that order. You may have been wondering why Shaftesbury was chosen as the first part of my surprise birthday trip. It wasn’t for Gold Hill, or the stunning views, or the opportunity to solve a Treasure Trail that wound its way through the town (or even the Thanksgiving dinner), although all were a nice way to celebrate. Instead its proximity to… View Post

Shaftesbury Views

Shaftesbury Views
Back in June, my husband put together a surprise trip to London for me. Well, I knew we were going to London, but had no idea what activities were planned. It was incredibly liberating to turn the reins over to someone else to arrange everything, and when he asked if I wanted something similar for my birthday/wedding anniversary, I jumped at the chance. This was how… View Post

Thai for Thanksgiving

Thai for Thanksgiving
Growing up, the last week of November always seemed an equal mix of magic and mania. Within the span of several days, my parents and I celebrated birthdays (two on the same day), my parents had their wedding anniversary, and the American holiday of Thanksgiving reared its be-wattled head. Since moving to the UK, the power of this week has lessened. Family birthdays are celebrated… View Post

Looking Up

Looking Up
From mid-November my grumblings about my early morning commute normally begin to climb towards their crescendo. It’s around this point that the window of opportunity for capturing a beautiful sunrise from the railway station closes and it’s just dark when I set out in the morning, dark during my journey, and dark when I get to the office. Even though I manage to leave… View Post

Watch this space

Watch this space
Ever feel you’re trying to look in several directions at once?  That basically describes the past weekend as my lovely husband put together an incredible trip to Shaftesbury, Longleat, and London. I am just starting to catch my breath from this whirlwind holiday, but there will be more blog entries and more photos coming very soon. View Post

Reducing Christmas waste … and shameless self-promotion

Reducing Christmas waste … and shameless self-promotion
The past few years I’ve been feeling a touch “Bah, humbug!” when it comes to Christmas. It’s not the never-ending Christmas songs played in the shops, or the adverts, or even the naff jumpers. Rather, it’s the waste left behind. The mountains of wrapping paper, the gifts that may not last until the end of January. It’s a bit disheartening spending 364 days of… View Post

Bah, humbug!

Bah, humbug!
It’s been a while since I’ve posted a piece of fiction, and with the Christmas season upon us I dug up this little story. It was inspired by my own visit to a local store and seeing a display of toys much like the one I describe here. Having previously done a stint in retail, I wondered how the staff… View Post

A Matter of Perspective

A Matter of Perspective
I have found myself thinking a lot about optical illusions this past week. You know, the type where one person sees a young woman turning her head, but the next views the same image as an old crone. Or at first glance it’s a wine goblet but then it turns into a pair of profiles. Or viewed one way the… View Post

The Unexpected

The Unexpected
I’m still processing my thoughts and emotions from this crazy week, trying to figure out how to say what I want to say without resorting to expletives, shouting capital letters, or an inordinate number of exclamation marks. So while I sort myself out, here are a few photos of more pleasant, but still unexpected things I encountered this past week.… View Post

Chippenham: Gateway to the World

Chippenham: Gateway to the World
It’s a running joke that one of Chippenham’s best features is that it allows you to get to other places very easily. It’s practically a stone’s throw from the lovely villages of Lacock and Castle Combe, a short drive to the market town of Malmesbury, the railway station and M4 open Bristol, London, Wales, and beyond to Chippenham residents, and the wonders of… View Post
MissElaineous Travel Blog: Escape, Explore, Discover, Enjoy