Just Humans Being...

We have finally finished emptying Bebe's flat.  The keys have been handed in, the sale is going through - we've met with the estate agent, the solicitor, the new owner & said goodbye. Bebe was never into clutter, her home was always spotless & free of stuff, but when it came to clearing it out - it was still hard work! This is another reason why for us it is increasingly important to free ourselves of our own stuff... The thought of leaving all of it behind for the kidlets to sort out in years to come feels selfish, especially knowing what a nightmare it has been for us. No parent wants to become a burden to their kids, but it happens. We plan on leaving very little in the way of possessions, so when the end comes - the clear out will be a breeze! At least Bebe is still alive...  Many middle aged kids are left with property to clear & not only is it difficult to organise around their own family & work, but they are dealing with their grief too. 

An inspiring talk by this lovely French Buddhist monk, Matthieu Ricard. Enjoy! Kay & Sime xx 

Just 4 weeks to go until this year's Earth Hour. Here's the link to join in:  Sign Up For Earth Hour . We'll have friends staying, so a candlelit meal will definitely be on the cards... What do you have planned? Kay & Sime xx

               We came across Heidemarie Schwermer recently, she is a German woman in her 70s who back in 1994 created a Gib und Nimm (Give and Take) sort of swap shop/LETS scheme. Two years later, she decided to give up her job, apartment & possessions to try out a life without money & continues to enjoy her fascinating & inspirational journey.   Here's a link to a film all about Heidemarie:  LIVING WITHOUT MONEY . Please take time to watch it as it really is an interesting film. It has made us think more about where we are right now...  We are in the process of decluttering our home & it feels great, very soon we will have so much space as we free ourselves of furniture, books, etc. We have toyed with the idea of starting up the B&B again, but both feel it's really too much pressure. Instead we are thinking about welcoming people into our home with the Give and Take principles in mind - helping each other, learning & connecting. It will be

Photograph by Ryan Barnier This lovely chap has died... Well known in Cornwall, Ralph entertained the shoppers of Truro for many years. Sal's partner, Ryan took this beautiful photo back in 2007 & we wanted to share. If you'd like to see why Ralph was so popular - watch this great short film: Eighty Eight . You'll be glad you did! Kay & Sime xx

We have been busy sorting through all the stuff on our laptop & have found these 2 videos of Bebe taken in November...  A lot of what she's saying in this first video is make believe, but it just shows how she can somehow be totally convincing & is quite a storyteller! This is just a few days later, but you can see how low she would get & how irritated we were feeling too. These are just small examples of what life was like towards the end of her time with us. Her manic high moments would sometimes go on for hours, talking & singing non-stop. Eight hours was the longest stint, which was on her last night here. As her behaviour escalated, so did her voice - she became louder, full of aggression & threats, in the end we called for a doctor. She finally quietened down at around 1:00am with sedation, but had been on the go since before 5:00pm.  During her restless periods she was like a tired out toddler getting her second wind. Sometimes she w