More of the Haven

My dear Friends
I must be improving as I spent last Saturday night at home, and am in the middle of spending 2 more nights there now. I got to church on Sunday for a vibrant service to commemorate Remembrance Sunday, which in our church took the form of a Requiem Mass. Then on to lunch to Anoshka, my Polish and best friend in Cambridge-she did us proud with chicken soup, turkey escalope and all the trimings with a glass of red wine and a sorbet to finish.

Now as I write this in the university library, I am halfway through my latest leave. Last night Clare came round and we dined on homous, olives, fetta cheese, tomatoes and pitta bread and also a glass of wine, this time white! We talked of many things, how I am still needing some confidence but how other things are slowly coming back. I told how of my plans for next year, perhaps a bit ambitious at the moment, but how I am hoping to go to Provence to see a friend in the Spring and then maybe Toronto in the summer. She pointed out that I needn't worry about Provence as flights were easily booked at the last moment, so perhaps I should take it easy. but how I long to see Canada once more!

Tonight I am going to the Graduate Centre, a university building where they serve food amongst other things and my dear elderly friend James is escorting me. He has been very faithful and came to the hospital several times to see me.At times like these such friends are very precious. He has just published a book entitled.'Toward no Valuation' which, as the title suggests is both fascinating and challenging in the times we live. Let's hope for a great success!

So-onward and upward
Until the next time
Shalom from
Sister Gila

The Haven

My dear Friends

I am happy to tell you that I made an overnight stay at my flat last Monday. As soon as I opened the door I felt warm and cosy and set about making it a good evening. I cooked myself a thre course meal, soup, chicken kiev and some homemade fruit salad, which I really enjoyed. Unfortunately I forgot the wine!

All the while I had some gentle music playing, including some North American masterpieces including Samuel Barber's famous Adagio for strings, the haunting violin piece which was recorded, as far as I know, high up in the mountains. I even put on a little dance music.

All evening I had my companion-the lovely brown pussy cat who came to make his home with me some months ago and who is being looked after by my nice neighbour. He doesn't purr but he sat on my lap quite contentedly and roamed around the flat from time to time. Needless to say it was lovely to have him there.

Popped into Tim, my neighbour for a cup of tea and a chat and that was nice. Made a couple of calls and decided to have a bath and go to bed-my own for a change! After making myself comfy I had quite a good night's sleep if feeling a little strange in the morning, perhaps because I had not been there for a while. But polished off the fruit salad from the previous evening and caught the bus into town, to see my CPN (Community Psychiatric Nurse) whom I now meet in Starbucks.

More later
Love and Shalom
Sister Gila

Autumn

My dear Friends
Autmn leaves have been falling in abundance here. Outside is a real carpet of reds and golds. Taking a walk through the grounds is a real delight adn oftern there are four or five of us. The grounds are extensive, with wooden blocks as 'play' areas designed for walking or climbing.

Recovery is a slow processs but there are hopeful signs, with strength returning day by day. The regular round of meals helps and the food is good.I guess there will be a real improvent very soon.
Bye for now
Sister Gila

Creative wrting

My dear Friend

Life goes on here, with the end not yet in sight. Participated in a creative wrtitng class this morning and wrote some poems about colours and the autumn. This afternoon we had an art class with some modelling clay, not that I am very creative with it but it is fun.

The population keeps changing with new people coming and going always room for Friendship.

Bye for now
Sister Gila

Friends

My dear Friends
One of the most comforting things at the moment is the capacity for Friendship amongst the people here, obviuosly to greater or lesser degrees. There is mainly a kind of camaraderie amongst the patients,usually in the garden round the smokers table! But people look out for each other and that helps the staff too.

One of my greatest friends was an English Muslim, with whom I used to pray sometimes in the day or evening. He was a a bright exuberatnt chap, now gone from the ward and missed by me .One fo the great things he did was to bring in his guitar and we would spend hours playing and singing together.The other patients seemed to enjoy it too. Now the guitar has gone , but at least there is a piano.

Bye for now
Sister Gila

Walking in the countryside

My dear Friends
I have passed the weekend successfully in my new surroundings. Yesterday we went for a lovely walk in the grounds and saw the nature. I had several visitors over the weekend including my Christian 'brother' James who is also my Hebrew student.

One of the patients also suggested that we go to Jerusalem together in the month of November, to make a pilgrimage.
More later
Sister Gila

Change of plan

My dear Friends

Sometimes things do not go quite according to plan. I have suffered a slight nervous breakdown and am in a hospital on the outskirts of Cambridge. Even here there are large grounds and an expanse of sky, and plenty of activites to do during the day, such as drawing, painting and making music. Today someone brought in a guitar and I sang all the old songs, folk and Jewish and of the sixties.
I will give you an update as the days go on.

Always Shalom
Sister Gila