It’s been a while

Hello my WP friends. How long has it been…too long, as even the WP page set up is completely different to me.

I have been concentrating on writing my Book that I hope to have published (my penguins story) but the Gates of the Big Boys, are only open to a selected few. Apart from that what has been happening in my world?

It’s been 4 years since losing Mum and Pop (my Penguins). The time has both flown and dragged all at the same time. The holes in my heart forever will remain. Knowing they are both together brings me comfort, the hardest days being the Anniversaries of their passing, their birthdays, Christmas and Mother’s and Father’s Day. But these are just days, aren’t they? A number on the calendar, that don’t show the outside world, how I’m feeling inside.

I am continuing with officiating Funerals and Weddings, though the Funerals far outweigh in number and losing Mum and Pop, has given me a greater understanding of what loss is and the grieving process.

Life hasn’t changed much with daughter K, though she is now selling more of her artwork and has received a few commissions, which keeps her occupied. Daughter B, had her 2nd child a girl (who just turned two).

I’m having a left hip replacement on the 9th of July….yes I’m old (well I didn’t think old enough to have one) but there it is. Not looking forward to the process, especially having to sleep on my back for 6-8 weeks, as I’m a side sleeper, but I must roll with the punches as they say!

Am I boring you yet?

So that is what is happening with me. Thank you to a couple of friends from here who have emailed me recently to ask how I am. It is so thoughtful to hear from you.

Perhaps I’ll get back into poetry or writing, perhaps not. I just thought ‘I’d dip my toe in’.

I hope everyone is well and life is being kind to you.

Jenny xx

The Simple Art Of Words

the_island_kingdom_by_arteandreas-d7bt6r5-2

come
take my hand
let’s delve inside the poets mind
travel highways, scale mountains
explore crevices of souls
perhaps you’ll be astounded
where the path may lead you
from another’s words

melancholy
they will find the deepest hole
darkness, doubt ~ no escape
blood, death, fear, pain
thunderbolts of agony
once their’s
now yours

happiness
you’ll read of sunlight
unbroken by the clouds
romance, they write
stars  ~ moons
oceans ~ love
tenderly to make you swoon
and sadness, tears will swell
you will feel their broken heart

this is what they do
the constant
describing feelings
as to put you in their head, their lives
to make you experience
the intricacies of life

you’re the witness to their spirit
the timbres in their write
if you could live inside them
you would understand
they paint, no structure
game or plan
their words non negotiable
this is who they are

it is from their interior
the senses they display
the ethos ~ the power
where they plant the seed
to love or hate
or merely read

©jmtacken 27/3/2014

Photo Credit http://arteandreas.deviantart.com

yes you caused this – a THANK YOU Post

December 9th 2013 – I posted my last THANK YOU!

How remiss of me for leaving it so long between ‘THANKS’- shame and tut tut (so not my way – or the Aussie way).

December I had 597 followers, 597 people whom I had never met. Never laid eyes on, never met personally (apart from two people) or bought a coup of coffee for, or shared a wine.

Today as of 21st February, 2014 I have 691 followers.

I don’t know you, I don’t know much about your lives or who you are, or what makes you special.

What I do know is that I am grateful, thankful that you have wanted to follow my rantings, raving, poetry, life stories. The ups and downs and in-betweens of who I am and what I write.

So I say THANK YOU to each and everyone of you, I may be weird in doing thank you posts, but that’s who I am and I am very appreciative that you enjoy what I write.

Most of you sit quietly in the background and that’s ok, I’m okay with that, you do what you have to do, as I do what I have to do.

If you wish to stick around I smile, if you get bored and go to greener pastures, I’ll understand.

So it’s just a thank you, pure and simple from my little pink thing that beats.

images-1

It’s chat time again or chewing the fat

This afternoon I needed to do a catch up, not only with posts, readers whom I follow, making new blogging friends but also estimating my kilometres for my log book… How dull you all say..and yes it was.

Out of my filing cabinet I pulled out the Services I have written, to check my notes on the kilometres I have travelled to family interviews and attending Services.

This is required for taxation purposes as I am sole trader at present.

As I looked at each file, with the Order Of Service attached, I had a reflective moment. These are lives that have passed, these people whom I never knew, gone now from their families, those they loved. This is to be expected, but it just hit me this afternoon as I flicked through their stories once again, as if nothing had changed in my life, but so much had in others.

On a brighter note we just celebrated Australia Day weekend.. I know sounds odd, but Aussie Day was on Sunday, so we all get a holiday the day after. Some of my more patriotic followers wrote posts about it, I was slack, I didn’t. I have been writing and getting the Service ready for tomorrow’s burial of a 48 year old man who passed as a result of Myotonic Dystrophy.

He lived in a facility the last 8 years of his life, I write his story, along with family members. Residents from the Centre will be attending and they are releasing balloons after the Chapel Service, prior to going to the burial site.

It should be beautiful, most of them will be in wheel chairs, being helped by their carers.

Yesterday I had a mishap, not with my writing, but just a warning for those of us who whip on a pair of shoes that have a slippery sole…do not venture down concrete steps, that’s all I’m saying. Down I went like a bag of spuds. I was winded and hit my back and grazed all my elbow..yes I yelled obscenities, seemed the only proper thing to do at the time.

Haven’t caught up with my penguins (parents) the last few days, so hopefully will call in after the Service to see them. Pop has finished writing ‘his’ Eulogy and I am so proud of him, though he tells me not to go on for so long that I will bore people. Aww bless ‘im.

Ok so no boring all of you now. I say farewell, y’all hurry back now ya hear. 🙂
xx

Leave of Absence Post

From someone who was bored yesterday – to someone who now has a Funeral Service to conduct on Monday 23rd and Tuesday 24th of December. I am in a tail spin with writing.

Actually disregard the 23rd Service – that has just been cancelled as they located another Celebrant 😦

As much as I would love to read and comment on your posts – I cannot and I feel guilty 😦 so I am writing for everyone’s forgiveness and to advise all that I follow that I can’t keep up at the moment, until the Services are written.

I know you will understand – but I have kept up with all of you constantly to date and this is still my intention to do so, just right now…… it’s not possible.

So my apologies for not being able to visit and comment on what you have written – truly.  😦

Mums
xx

and this is what he wrote

Anmol alias (HA) http://howanxious.wordpress.com  was kind enough to write a few words on yours truly and here they are.    I did tell him I would probably forego the tea for a wine afterwards:-)

 
with her fragile pen,
she carves out such
wings, feathery white,
reaching at your window,
and further into your heart,
demanding your attention,
making you smile a bit,
a genuine twitch of the lips,
savour these shiny pearls,
the gifts from mumsie,
served with some hot tea

 

I have another Service next Monday (found out this afternoon) so my Series Final on Pop is on the back burner, as is my other writing/reading and commenting. Apologies dear readers and THANK YOU Anmol for your sweet words.

🙂

Exciting news…possibly?

Dear Readers,

I haven’t been able to post prolifically as I have done of late as I am a tad under pressure at the moment.

Over the next few days,  well up to my Tuesday of next week at least I will need all your rousing support of  YOU CAN DO THIS!

Yesterday I got a phone call …. yes THE phone call from the F.D Home (the guy that let me see his other 2 Celebrants in action) and yes readers… next Wednesday at 12pm, I will conducting my first Funeral Service.

I can see you all smile..can you see me grimace??

I have my list of questions, it is a phone interview unless this changes tonight and I see the next of kin over the weekend. However there is a little time limit, so I must get everything prepared, gather the information, write-up the service, ritual (if any), find out other speakers all within the next few days.

Now most of you know me – do you think I wasn’t a nervous wreck all yesterday and throughout the night thinking of this… well for those who don’t ~ I was.

So this is what I shall be concentrating on, I maybe able to slip in some prose, but if I don’t or if I am unable to read your posts and comment PLEASE forgive me as this is now taking precedent.

That’s all I wanted to say, just be behind me, telling me I will be fine (which will all be ignored on Wednesday at 11.55am)

 

xx

 

 

 

 

 

What makes us? (Prose)

no tears in the writer

The writer has invited you
to read their words
to be privy to their inner thoughts
What they perceive to be ~
the essence of their soul
the antidote for how they feel
at any given moment

How do you envisage them
someone with a life
much the same as yours
A wife daydreaming by the stove
her words cooking in the pot
a teacher scribbling on a
blackboard, only to think of a poem

Do they sit at traffic lights
with words tumbling through
their heads ~ grasping for a scrap of paper
battling to find a pen, so they won’t
leave the words behind
For it’s in these precious moments
that they must write them down
or commit to memory
hoping later they’ll be found

Writers can be complicated
each one so different from the next
whilst one is happy with what they write
you’ll find the other quite perplexed
To you the reader you have the chance
to peer into their heart, their soul
their experiences in life

You will see pain, tears and suffering
love and happiness,  Mood swings
high to low from one day to the next
for they are emotional creatures
whose words reflect what they feel
and a roller-coaster ride is yours
should you care to read

So bear all this in mind
as you absorb what they
have written, understand their love
of writing at times needs to be forgiven
it’s a desire, a want, a lust
with a thirst that’s never quenched
but if by chance, it’s touched your heart
in the tiniest of ways
or brought some strong emotion forth
then you’ll have truly made their day

 

©jmtacken 21 Oct, 2013

My weekend that was

Saturday, took the dog we are minding for his walk, went to the movies in the afternoon with Mr. S and saw Gravity… I’ll let you decide what you think (the visuals are amazing) (Sandra was Mr. S’s eye-candy and George – well hello Mr. C – he was mine)  Back home we watched some more episodes of Breaking Bad (yes I am addicted to this show)  then I finally caught up with my darling friend and poet extraordinaire Miriam E on line.

It has been 2 months since we both collaborated and wrote from pictures or words given. If you haven’t seen what we get up to and you’re a tinsy bit curious, please take a wander over to  words… from here to there

Tomorrow I view another Funeral Service to see how a Celebrant ‘performs’ conducts, I shall let you know my thoughts.

Short ~ sweet ~ tired ~ complete.

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend

xx

The Sharman & the Prisoner (A collaboration – Prose)

Ilya Kisaradov.twistedlamb

Imprisoned not by lock and key
nor anchored by a ball and chain
the encumbrance was my mind
I let you in ~ run free

bemused by your eloquent speech
that led me to your arms
until your voice grated
your body abused and chastised mine

melting me with striking hands
burning bruised my skin ~ my thoughts
there was no escape from you
for your apologies I sought

sanctimonious at battles end
I once more cradled in your arms
but I burn still  ~ though transfixed
like the wax dripping from the flame

©jmtacken Oct 10 2013

Michael from summerstommy2 and I the other night did a collaboration – tonight we have tried it again, the same picture given. He wrote his version (below) of the picture above and I wrote mine.

I do this with Miriam in Words From Here To There but we haven’t been able to catch up for a while to do this 😦 hopefully we will soon.

Here is Michaels

Shaman

shaman, your talisman,
what cure will you afford
the sick in mind
the ill of body

shaman cast your spell
mend my soul
rid me of demons
cleanse me

Shaman curer of ills
flames burning
Chant your song
Weave me your magic

Shaman take my hand
I am lost in myself
I flounder
Immovable.

Photo Credit: Visit twistedlamb.com