Just Keep Bouncing…….

We’ve spoken a bit over the last couple of days about getting back up when you’ve been knocked down, of not letting adversity get the better of you, of bouncing back.

These are some of the things I have seen lately that have made me bounce back.

My boy, my beautiful boy, blowing everyone away in his role as Oberon in the school production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. I was so proud. So proud. I couldn’t believe he was related to me.

Bubbles. I defy anyone not to feel uplifted by the sight of a bubble. Especially a mega bubble. This guy I saw in Hyde Park had mega bubble making down to a fine art.

These young guys were playing in Hyde Park on the same day. They played mostly Beatles songs and were actually pretty good. Everyone in the park was bopping away and smiling. It was a collective feelgood moment!

Halfway through their set a group of bikeriders came along and began to sound their horns, clap and do tricks on their bikes to the music. It was amazing. The mood was high. I didn’t see one person who wasn’t smiling.

And then, one day when I was feeling a little bit down, I looked out of my window and once again, there was a message in the sky. I couldn’t believe it. It’s as if there’s a guy with a plane up there who realises when I’m feeling a bit bad and writes me an inspirational message. I found out later that the writing was for ROUK? Day which is a national initiative to raise awareness of depression, but at the time it felt very much like it was meant for me.

I like to end on a humorous note where I can and this really tickled my fancy. A lot of people around here name their houses. Some are obviously people’s surnames like Wilson or Jones. There are names relating to the garden like Rose Cottage or Azalea Heaven. But these two are my favourite. Old houses. Old friends. Watching over us all. And I know exactly what they would say – Just Keep Bouncing….

39 thoughts on “Just Keep Bouncing…….”

  1. A Midsummer Night’s Dream is one of my all time favourite plays – that is such a fantastic photo – give him a big pat on the back from me (he must have a good memory learning those lines).

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    1. I was so impressed he learned all those lines, Gabe. I heard him reciting them in his room for weeks beforehand… he was quite dedicated. Showed me he can apply himelf when he needs to. I love the play too. It is very entertaining!!!

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  3. Lots to say. so…
    – I find it no surprise that young Oberon is related to you. I call that “the talent gene.”
    – And yes, bubbles are very uplifting, even more so when you blow them yourself.
    – I love those group feel-good moments. My favorite was a time in a rather elegant restaurant. I looked at the table next to mine, and a guy was hanging a spoon off his nose, his table mates looking decidedly horrified. It went downhill from there, and before I knew it, half the restaurant had spoons hanging from their noses. I don’t think I’ve ever laughed so hard in my life. Oh, and I’m really good at the spoon thing.
    – How lucky are you to have your own personal inspirational skywriter. I want one of those…
    – We live in a town in western Massachusetts that has a lot of historic homes. They were built by wealthy industrialists during the gilded age (around the 1870s-1880s) as “summer cottages.” Doesn’t everyone have a 17-room summer cottage? They all (the houses I mean) had names like Fairleigh and Ashleigh. Our little house was built in the gilded age too… as a gardener’s house on one of the big estates. It was over 100 years old, and in pretty bad shape. I named it Cheapleigh, but we kept that name between me and the house.

    I’m so glad to see you bouncing back!

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    1. Patti, you are far too kind re. the ‘talent gene’ but I will take the compliment because it is a lovely one…so thank you!!

      The spoon on the nose scene is a lovely one. I would have found that hilarious. I have tried to do it myself but find it quite tricky.

      I bet your house is gorgeous. I’ve seen shows about some of those places in Western Massachusetts and it is a part of the States I’d really like to live in. ‘Cheapleigh’ …… *giggle*…. that is a classic!

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  4. I named one of those houses, plus a few more after my wives who all got to keep the house and I got to keep the kids! Hardly fair financially but I’m not complaining. Edna was Edna Sand and I used the name for a character in my second (unfinished) novel.
    Have you noticed sky writing got a whole lot neater after women started commercial flying?
    Great photos, good to see you bouncing!

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    1. You crack me up, Stafford. You really have such a great sense of humour. Sky writing did indeed get a whole lot neater after women started commercial flying …. *chortle*

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  5. Love the photos, it means you are out and about and bouncing along! I’m not surprised your son is so talented, the creative gene runs deep!
    And I knew you’d see your sign in the sky soon enough.

    I’m so glad to see ya back lady, I missed you and your posts and pics
    xoxo

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    1. I missed you too, Cathy. It’s just not the same without you and all my blogging friends. I don’t know what I’d do without you all. I’m definitely back and bouncing….

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  7. Come on Selma, sing with me, you know the words….
    I get knocked, down but I get up again
    You’re never gonna keep me down
    I get knocked, down but I get up again
    You’re never gonna keep me down
    I get knocked, down but I get up again
    You’re never gonna keep me down
    I get knocked, down but I get up again
    You’re never gonna keep me down

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    1. I hope he lasts a bit longer than River too, Roshan. Haha. I loved River, actually. He was one of my fave actors.

      I know the song and I have sung it lately….. “I get knocked down, but I get up again…you’re never gonna keep me down….”

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  9. Wonderful for you to be close to your son and proud of him, Selma 🙂 May this be the start of a rewarding acting life for him. Love Edna and Mavis, They are such wonderful old-fashioned names (and obviously the occupants have a sense of humour, haha (my paternal gradmother’s name was Mavis)

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    1. I hope it is the start of an acting life for him, Bluebee, if it’s what he wants to do. It would be a lot of work but I think he could do it if he tried.

      I love the names too. Crack me up whenever I pass by!!

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  10. Selma, your boy has me enchanted! As does Edna & Mavis! You live in a special place that shows you bubbles & secret messages in the sky and music in the park ~ what’s not to smile about, my dear?

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  11. I have friends called Eric and Carmen Witt. They live in the end house down a narrow lane called … what else? … ‘Witts’ End’!

    And, the school play reminds me of when I played Othello, in our school play. Afterwards, I was in the milk bar with my then girlfriend, Patti, when her mother came in. She introduced me with the rider ‘He played Othello in the school play’

    She looked at me long and hard, then said:

    ‘Oh, you’re not really a (politically incorrect word) then?

    I don’t think she’d have got away with that these days!

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    1. I can’t type for laughing about Witt’sEnd, Travelrat. That is just too funny 😆

      Oh yeah. You can’t get away with any political incorrectness at all these days. I got in trouble for calling someone a Fireman the other day. Apparently, it’s Firefighter now. The world’s gone mad!

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      1. I saw a newspaper report about a race-related trial, in which the accused was reported to have used used the words (and I quote) ‘bastard n*****’. And, I thought it’s not long ago, they’d have blanked the first word, not the second.

        When my Dad was in the Army, he was in the King’s Regiment, in which the lowest rank was Kingsman, not Private. I just looked it up, and it’s still used by the regiment’s successor, the Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment, and it remains Kingsman, not ‘Kingsperson’.

        (In fact, I think our Armed Forces are the last bastion of ‘manship’ … we also have Rifleman, Guardsman, Aircraftsman, Seaman and many others)

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    1. They grow up too fast, don’t they, Meleah? Where have all those years gone? I don’t think I appreciated them enough. I love bubbles. They always make me smile!

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  14. Oh my goodness, Selma, your son looks so much like you! I’m not surprised he’s talented, he gets a lot of it from you. 🙂

    Bouncing. That’s what I need to keep doing, bouncing along. My new assignment just might be my last with the district, not just because of the shop plans, but because the work is like nothing I’ve ever experienced.

    Thank you for sharing the bubbles, the skywriting, the park, and the named houses. They were a lovely respite in a rather bumpy week.

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    1. You are very kind to say that, Karen. Thank you.

      I do sympathise re. your new assignment. It sounds very challenging. I know you can get through it but I do feel for you – that’s hard work. I am so happy I could help you get through a bumpy week ♥

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  15. what delights! your son resembles you, he looks so like a boy, but a selma boy, or selma if she were a boy. amazing how kids have a way of bringing the fine points to the forefront. stuff you didnt know you were teaching them.
    that he is a major part in this play and that it’s amazing how well he does it, that he has the wherewithall to do it with spirit. that he can get up on the stage and give the audience a thrill. that he seems to do it like second-nature. um, well, i’d say it’d be pretty easy to spot your influence in building
    him that way, yup, i think i’d be able to see that even in a crowd, even from far away.
    the photos – you are a wonderful photographer. especially love the question-in-the-sky – my, that sort of question isnt asked every day, especially in the sky haha

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    1. It’s funny you should say that, Tipota, because a lot of people used to say I had cloned him when he was younger. He doesn’t look as much like me now but when he was younger he was the spitting image. It was quite uncanny. I think my husband feels left out sometimes because no one has ever said to him – Gee, your son looks so like you. LOL.

      I am proud of Nick and his interest in drama and the arts. I get so much from literature and writing and it makes me feel good to think that he does too. I hope it enriches his life as it has mine.

      Yeah. That question in the sky was a very interesting and timely one. Made me feel like someone was looking out for me. A very welcome sight!

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    1. Nick is 16 now, Elle. Can you believe it? The years have flown by. He’s definitely settling into his groove. And yes, I am finding solace in the familiar and not so familiar sights. It’s such a relief. Love to you too xxxx

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  17. I would have like to have been there, walking and enjoying the sights, it’s uplifting and sweet. and I like that houses has their own name, just like those austen novels, it’s too bad that’s not something people often do. it’s so much better than remember numbers and odd street names.

    hope you are having a sunny day.

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    1. Yes Lissa, they are like the Austen novels. I hadn’t thought of that before, but they are. How awesome of you to point that out. I am having a sunny day. Hope you are too xxxx

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    1. Katherine, you are so right. It was a flash bike mob. That is really cool. I didn’t think of it that way before. AWESOME!!!!!

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