Getting my hair sorted! Monarch Dreads in Blackpool

My dreads haven't been tightened since Dec last year. I like to keep them straight and neat, so its been a bit of a trial for me to have fluffy fuzzy hair while travelling. I do love my dreads for travel - as its such a simple style to maintain. My hair has always been very knotty and thick - so I can only imagine what an awful mess it would have been if I'd attempted to keep it 'normal'. 

I know from the photos it probably doesn't look much different, but believe me - it totally is.  Rachael from Monarch Dreads was wonderful. She was funny, approachable and so easy to work with. She was extremely quick and pedantic with her tidy up and was super tidy ensuring that all whispy bits were captured up and all bobbly bits straightened.  I have to say totally work me driving nearly 4 hours to get to.  On our way to Scotland in November, I'll make sure I do a side detour to get another tidy up and visit her again.

Summary of a working visit at Madhyamaka Buddhist Meditation Temple -Yorkshire

Its a beautiful, tranquil spot, Madhyamaka Buddhist Meditation Temple up in York. As a volunteer worker, the conditions are spelt out before you arrive. It is defiantly not a place to expect to sit and ponder the worries of the world or meditate for hours on end; unless you are able to do this zen style ( in a moving mediation method) 

There are plenty of opportunity to join into the faith sessions, mediations and rituals during the week. 

Though the work is fairly simple, it can become tedious and repetitive, but this is due to the low expectations of supervisors on what the ability of its workforce. This is understandable as there is a wide range of abilities applying to volunteer.

It does give an insight into the life of a monk or long term helper within the temple and an excellent way to explore the Buddhist faith and teachings. 

Though it was challenging to do this with the kids in tow, it was an invaluable experience for them.

Every picture has a thousand stories

There are so many reasons I love to visit National Trust Houses, least of which is their astounding array of artworks. I kinda hyperventilate sometimes when I recognise a very famous painting.. just hanging there. Other times, when the room may be quiet, and the attendant is particularly helpful, I will get some history behind pieces; which again brings it all to life and more excitement about the place.

This painting is one that the duchess at Nunnington hated with a passion. It was painted when she was about 12 and held so many flaws that the painting was hidden until past her death. Her daughter, the most recent owner of the property before it was handed to the National Trust ensured that the painting was hung in pride of place along with its story. 

The duchess maintains that the dress was so scratchy and dreadful to wear, that it was only used for the sitting. Her family was shocked that the artist placed her on a couch in the way she is sitting, as she would never have been allowed to sit on the arms like this. She would never have been allowed to have shoes on near the furniture and certainly never have been allowed to have an outside toy within the house, let alone the sitting room. The best bit about this story is, is that the duchess's mother saw the painting and got the artist to come back and extend the length of the dress by a few inches as the actual dress was far too short and showed her knees.  LOL!