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| Belgian Cafe - Eastbourne Pier in the background |
I follow BK’s “Symphony of Love” blog as I love connecting with people around the world and BK lives in Singapore, but spends quite a lot of time in Malaysia ... so sometimes I can follow him on his tours, while his blog is inspirational.
Just saw a video of a talent competition from Korea and there is this man who had lived in the street alone for about 10 years, from a young age, selling gums and energy drinks for a living. And yet he moved on bravely; just doing what he likes to do – sing.
He not only sings, he touches the hearts of the audiences and the judges. A lot of times, it takes someone like him to remind us of how fortunate we have been and how we may have taken a lot of things for granted.
Quoting something from John Gokongwei, Jr., “The important thing to know is that life will always deal us a few bad cards. But we have to play those cards the best we can. And we can play to win!”
No matter how hard life may be for you right now. Continue to move forward courageously with faith that one day all will get better; it will surely get better!
It is the same thing; no matter what our situation is today, we can always choose to do the best with the situation and we can play it to win.
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A thatched country pub, near Braunton, North Devon |
Where’s your hidden talent? This is just such an extraordinary video – and just check that judge’s face – I hate to think what Simon Cowell’s face would be like! Not pretty!
Let me know your thoughts ..... You Tube: Korea's Got Talent (It is 8 minutes - but seriously this is so well worth it ....)
Joylene Butler who lives on that magnificently named island – Cluculz Lake, British Columbia ... always fascinates me that name! Joylene has a winter/spring bet – when will the lake be completely frozen, and by what date will it completely thaw ... one of those seemingly endless questions!
By the way this link is for her blog – takes you to a recent article by Katherine Swarts – a good one on Social Networking for the Business Writer ... check it out ...
... as well as this link where Joylene blows her own trumpet .... well: two authors blow that trumpet for her with reviews of her new book “Broken But Not Dead” – definitely seems like a good read.
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| Sharnfold Farm Shop |
I’ve had some friends here for Eastbourne tennis .. they stayed in a B and B, theoretically leaving me free to do my thing, visit my Ma, and catch up in the evenings. I was the chauffeur as Jan broke her neck a long time ago and now struggles to walk ...
All was well organised – except for the wondrous English weather ... which stopped us all in our tracks ... the first day .. we had to go off and get socks, vests etc!! Then just after 6.00 pm – please come and fetch us – we are FREEZING ... and off to the pub we went! – long pub!
Friday – it just rained ... no tennis at all. So we had breakfast, shopped, visited a Farm Shop, got some fresh fish for supper ... went to another pub – can you see the link here?!
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| Cask Beers |
... we’re freezing ... let’s go to a pub!!! It is summer in England – and my windows are just open, but they told me they were warm enough before I went to Mum’s ... I said to myself .. we’ll see ....... !
So to another pub for supper we went ... we’d had lunch, but still .... then to the B and B to drop stuff off, back to previous night’s pub ... because they didn’t want to spend the latter part of the evening in a ‘dingy’ B and B ... I then came home!!
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| Marine Pub - covered garden |
I’ve known Laurel for over 25 years and ‘of Jan’ .. but she was married and lived out on the mines at that stage. About 15 years ago I’d meet up with them both in London, and Jan has since remarried and they spend half their life here and half in Cape Town ... last year was a bad year for us both – so we never caught up. Long standing friends, with lots of mutual contacts from my days in Johannesburg, the squash scene, while working for Edgars and the Chamber of Mines.
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| Christmas Lights at Marine Pub! |
So to whet your appetite ... Old Sussex sausages with chips or mash; good old fashioned pie, chips and veg; Cod, mushy peas and chips ... all very tasty. Pints of beer, some wine and just good old tonic water for the chauffeur!
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| Moules Mariniere |
Our supper here ... nibbles –olives various, sun-dried tomatoes in oil, pork scratching, prawns ... then fresh sea trout – that was delicious, with spinach and broad beans, asparagus, and new potatoes, followed by raspberries and Cornish cream ... and champers, which we all rather like!
Then I made sure they left town on Sunday! .. via the Fish Shack – where you can get fresh fish (but no beer!) ... which they took with them ... they followed me so I could direct them to the west onto the road to Chichester, via Lewes, Brighton and on ...
Dear Mr Postman - such is life in Eastbourne once in a blue moon; My mother has been awake for some of the time and enjoys the tennis, and my stories of times in pubs!!
Hilary Melton-Butcher
Positive Letters Inspirational Stories
