Treasure Hunting

This morning I awoke and saw the day was dry, so I stumbled out of bed, dressed warmly and was soon ready to set out for the nearest car boot sale. David teased me about this and I grumblingly complained about getting up early and heading out into the cold. "Go on, you love it"  he replied. As I drove to the sale I started to ponder and this post is the result.
I have realised the truth in what he said. Some of my greatest moments of enjoyment and pleasure are when I am treasure hunting. I love the search, the intense contemplation and the feeling that I have to have all my wits about me and my senses alert, to spot that wonderful, hidden gem. It is in essence a solitary pursuit, and in fact I get quite grumpy if I'm interrupted and am expected to talk to somebody whilst on the prowl. I'm only sociable after the hunt when I'm proud and ready to show off my finds!

Flea markets, charity shops and car-boot sales call to me and I will spend hours rootling and delving.

I also love to beach-comb and field-comb, so my home is filled with the little piles of delicate shells, unusual pebbles and sea glass I have garnered.

Another unfailing joy is the chance to wander around a garden, snipping a bud here, a blossom there, a scented leaf or sprig and make myself a perfect little posy to place by my bed or in the little book-room. I then have many hours of pleasure looking at the individual flowers and sniffing their scents.

I don't only search for physical treasures, I try to celebrate with friends and family whenever I can so to create a treasure trove of happy memories which refresh and delight. Last Solstice we held a small party for my local friends. I was not due to spend Christmas with my children and I was trying to be brave but missing Emily, as she now lives away from home. There was a flurry of activity and arrivals and suddenly there was Emmie, with some of her best and dearest friends from her childhood, all here to surprise me. I love this picture of her greeting my friend Terri (who was in on the secret). It's the joy on both her face and her friend Clare that makes my heart lift.

I feel lucky in that I live in an age when I can have a camera always with me. Recently we were having a family pub lunch and I snapped this shot of Sam and his beloved camera. When I look at it, I am reminded of the great surge of love and pride I felt as I watched him: his quiet and dexterous movements and his happy absorption in his art.

Wherever I am, I like to look for treasure. Whether it is in the smile of one of my guests at the day centre who arrived feeling sad from a week spent alone

but left us happy and refreshed by our friendship and fun, or when I spot some tiny quirky thing of beauty, hidden from many people's passing gaze

If you stay hopeful and keep looking, you can usually find a cloth of gold.