The Wonderland Suite



This day, 07.16 am, I landed in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

My new home.

The sun had just risen and I watched it do so as we made the approach. Most symbolic I thought.

Hubster was there. After what seems like an eternity of keeping my nerve, being strong, pinning on the grin and digging deep through this whole process, with all it's highs and lows, I dissolved.

Like a lost puppy who had found its owner, I let him scoop me up and I was safe once more. It felt good to relinquish all power and responsibility and let him take hold of my reigns and lead me.

..........to the Blackman.

An oddly named hotel, which will be home for a little while. A brave name too I thought. The name has nothing to do with ethnicity however and everything to do with figurative art.

Named after the extremely famous Australian artist Charles Blackman. Every true Aussie knows him and his work which is widely recognised the continent over but it's all new to me.

Alice on the bathroom door!

Not to my taste, but then I don't class myself as a great purveyor or judge of art. What do you think?

Our suite is fabulous, inspite of the bizarre artwork. Named after a series of "Alice" themed works by Blackman, I think it is very apt indeed.

I feel a bit like Alice right now setting foot into a wonderland with all the trepidation and curiosity that she must have felt.

But the picture I love best of all is this one, from the balcony.

Back to the Blackman though, I love the concept don't you? What an honour and tribute to the man, his work and his life, he must be so proud of it.

If I was to open such a place it would have to be called The Radish, of course and I would have no problem at all in filling it with appropriate artwork and pictures.............now there's a thought!

Would you come and stay?

In that still and settled place!

In that still and settled place there is nobody but you.
You're where I breathe my oxygen.
You're where I see my view.
And when the world feels full of noise my heart knows what to do, it finds that still and settled place and dances there with you.
Edward Monkton

But I have to go and dance a new dance now for a little while, in another place, create some new threads on my life's tapestry and be with the one for whom I breathe my oxygen.

For the next blog you might have to turn the screen upside down.

Love and light always, Mrs T-J

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The time has come...the little bird is about to take flight!

Today is my birthday, 42 big uns!

Its a strange one.

Hubster has been squirrelling away my birthday cards all week so I had a lovely and surprising clutch to open in bed this morning.

However, among the birthday ones, we had Bon Voyage ones too. So heartfelt and special words....

There were tears.

There was this one, beautiful words, inside the card too but they are for my eyes only.

So true and it resonated so much with me.

I recall that little bird started tweeting about 3 years ago to be honest.

You see I am not really a routine kind of gal I have decided. Definitely not your "Fish on a Friday and cottage pie on a Wednesday" every week sort at all.

I love spontaneous most of all and if I feel things are getting too samey, I start to feel trapped and a tad rebellious (in a non-anarchic way)

Anyway when my inner bird started getting restless, I threw some thoughts up to the universe.

Time for a little change me thinks, what do you reckon you lot up there?

YOU WANT CHANGE? WE CAN SHOW YOU CHANGE!

And so it is and here we are.

That little bird is now squawking like a native Ozzie Cocatoo. Let me at em!

Will you share our adventure too? xxx

Breaking the no pressie rule, Hubster bought me some beautiful Australian Opal earrings. Chuffed to little pieces really and happy that he broke the rules, thats why we make 'em eh?

It's still home

Stone walls do not make a prison, nor iron bars a cage.

Yes that is true; and something more I find, sumptuous antiques and gilded walls can never make a home either.

Well its not quite as we knew it but it's still home. A house where love abides and friendship is a guest is still surely a home.

....and that will always be the case - wherever we are.

Radders temporary bedding situation!

No Mama, you might just have to explain this one to me again, I am not impressed.

Our 9th move in 17 years! You would think we might be used to it by now wouldn't you?

Simple answer is, no, its always a tough process.

But none as dramatic and so long drawn out as this one. Oh yes we had to go the whole hog didn't we?

Lets just how see how big a move we can do this time? God help us if they do create a living habitat on the moon!

I am beginning to apologise in answer to that question:

"Haven't you gone yet?"

"Sorry no we haven't but it wont be long now!"

But it really isn't long now. Two weeks today in fact. Two weeks! (well less than a week for the Hubster)

The first one arrived in the post this morning. Goodbye, hmm no, we don't like that but

Toodle Pip?

Bon voyage?

Yes we can cope with those can't we?

Really relishing the garden, hosting the last of British spring times we will enjoy for a little while.

The plum blossom is particularly lovely.

The fish have woken up too after their long sleep during the winter months

I might let Hubster break the news

Remember where love abides and friendship is a guest, is all that's ever required

A taste of things to come

Less than a month to go now until our antipodean adventure begins... I keep trying to think of the life that lies ahead.

Goodbye rural idyll, hello city living. I feel like we are doing this turn about face. Dont you do the city living in your sapling years and the rural kind in your maturing ones? Well never one for convention, this is how it's going to be.

The shipping company arrive next week to pack up our belongings and pop them in seafaring container. Just one insignificant little box among hundreds on a vessel like this. Could take 3 months to reach us. The most travelled leather sofas in the world!

There is much to do to get us there still and there is of course the ongoing matter of finding a home!

We could be there though, but I am not divulging too much, after 2 failed attempts there will be no joyous domicile declarations until the ink has dried..................

however....................

if all goes to plan, this could be the view we have from the balcony.

Its only an ikkle picture because I only want to whisper it under my breath..............just in case

You just have to go with the flow!

Today we have been sifting through shelves of well thumbed books, photo albums, maps and treasures from times past, collected menus, travel tickets, little souvenirs etc....

Shall we take that, store this, charity shop that or bin the other?

Its quite a tough call letting go of some things that evoke some wonderful memories of great times shared but with our move just weeks away now it is a necessary task.

Whenever we have had a special holiday I have always tried to keep a journal, yes you always remember the over all experience but you do forget the detail and today I picked up a journal I had written back in 2005.

I opened a page and read an extract, it instantly transported me back there. There was one especially  poignant detail, that I now remember being a little bitter sweet at the time. If I could have gone back and told my 35 year old me, it will work out just fine I would have done.

I would like to share this excerpt with you.

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11th - 23rd November 2005 - Coco Palm, Maldives

 ".........we woke up this morning to grey skies and rain clouds but it was still very hot. We really hoped the rain would pass, firstly because we had booked a private BBQ on the terrace of our villa over looking the Indian ocean, just the two of us, well almost, a Chef and Waiter too! Secondly we hoped the rain would pass because a Japanese couple were to be married today and we wanted the sun to come out and bless their union.

It did. We watched the bride embark the Maldovian Dhoni boat to sail off to married life where the ceremony was to be held on the nearby Embudhoo Atoll. Her dress was a rich creamy silk and she had orchids in her hair. The only odd thing about her attire were the Abba style white, patent platform boots she wore beneath her dress!

As we returned to the villa our Chef, Indiga and out Waiter, Jackson were politely waiting for us by the door. We cleaned our sandy feet in the water urn and padded barefoot into the villa.

Walking out onto the terrace, a truly lovely sight unfolded before our eyes. A table delicately dressed with candles, orchids and foliage from the tulip tree, leaves entwined in a twirling pattern around the circumference of white cloth.

Then we noticed the BBQ tucked away on some decking just below the splash pool. It was throwing eager, dancing orange flames and our Chef, Indiga, stood proud in his pristine starched whites with a smile as bright and clearly relishing his moment on stage. Jackson, our Waiter was equally as smiley, asking us the same questions that every staff member does here.

"Where you from?"

"First time Maldives?"

"How long you stay?"

"You like?"

Conversing with mirth in truncated pigeon English, we all got along fine, Jackson cracked open a bottle of ice cold Chablis, we clinked, lent back into our chairs and gazed dreamily out to the watery horizon and bid the sun goodnight.

Jolted from my reverie, Jackson handed me our evenings menu, the words jumped off the page.

"In Villa BBQ for Mr & Mrs Tamble"

I smiled inwardly at their charming typo of our name and at the same time felt a little sting of tears too. Why? Because I was no longer a Mrs, not a Mrs T-J and not even a Mrs Tamble.

"Name right?" Jackson enquired

"Just perfect" I smiled.......................................

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I did wonder at the time if that holiday would produce the question ensuring a future reinstatement of Mrs T-J. But it didn't.

I had to wait another 2 years for that and it was worth every second for that holiday in Botswana 2007 not only saw a popping of the question but a surprise wedding too!

So where is the moral in the story?

I think looking back at my journal the lesson that constantly reinforces itself in my life is this:

Let life flow just as it should. If you try to force things, you push your life down tributaries it isn't meant to go down and you lose the flow and direction of the mighty river of life.

Be patient and go with the flow and things just work out fine in the end.

With love and light. Mrs Tamble xxx

What is your secret?

"Well what is your secret?" she inquired

"I really would never have known that about you, you just dont exude that stuff"

Well its no big secret at all, truly. For me it is a choice, a conscious one and actually very, very simple to practice, that is once you have decided you want to.

However hurt you're feeling, no matter how much you have been hurt, - hide the secret scar because time really does bring it's healing. Just see things for what they are.

I try to be forgiving, - loving more, not less. Life after all is for living and for packing in happiness.

Thats it, my secret, simple really, although I do have to remind myself of my own mantra because life is testing.

A word of caution, just because some people make it look easy, doesnt mean it is! No-one has it easy.

Untitled, just is!

The best time to make friends is well before you need them, so they say, so I suppose that means, all of the time really. I have always tried to open the door to friendship, some doors I have quickly closed again, some doors eventually and some never............ever.

A true friendship cant be broken, weakened or strained but it can be tested. Life is a test tho isnt it? I am not sure what the final qualification is or when we know we have achieved it. All I know is one thing and one thing I strive for in this life above all else is, to love and be loved. To know truly what both of those things mean and know I lived my life that way is the essence for me. I know this is important, my Dad told me so.

The last few weeks have been quite tough on a personal level, no need to elaborate further, as its all a bit tedious and of course relative, whats tough for me would not be tough for many of you, or indeed many in plight all over the world.

Funny how you learn who come forth to turn the difficult pages with you and those that retreat into the shadows....for whatever reason. Its all purposeful.

I still marvel at this journey, no experience is wasted. None.

My love is home tomorrow.

Think of what one heart is capable of, then be amazed at what two together can achieve.

I am ready for the adventure baby.

Officially need to be an Air Head!

Its not that I dont have anything to say.

I have too much to say.

Lots going on, lovely things, fun things, challenging things, emotional things, practical things and plenty more of to-do things......... The head is busy.

I need the seeds of creativity to germinate and unfurl through the vestiges of my thoughts, feelings, sights, sounds, smells and taste. With no head room they sit there, in hope of ..... not water but air. Air is space and space is room and there is none in my head.

Our new home is directly opposite here!

When I have so much going on, it leaves no head room.

I love writing but I now realise I need head room to do it.

So I am going to confirm a long held impression of blondes and prove it right, in order to function at optimum, I have to be an AIR HEAD innit!

"20 years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didnt do than the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbour, catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover"
Mark Twain

Believe there is another dimension

Cast your mind back, its 5th September 2010, Coco Palm Bodhu Hithi, the Maldives the day after I heard the news my Father had passed away

My Father had always wanted to try scuba diving, in fact he had booked a holiday in Egypt to do just that in the February but sadly that was one trip he was never going to make.

Keen to keep busy, Gareth and I went out for an early morning snorkel, a good time to do it before the sun becomes too fierce.

Within minutes of reaching the edge of the reef before dropping away to the deep blue, I was aware of a large and beautiful fish, resplendent in vibrant electric blue and gold stripes. It swam very close to me, and nose to nose we looked at each other. Gareth looked on the encounter.

Emperor Angel Fish, Just like the one that stalked me!

It had the sweetest face and it's mouth looked like it was permanently puckered for a kiss. This very fish continued to follow me closely for 40 minutes, I was amazed as was Gareth, as I have never experienced this before ever but I was very happy to have him with me!

Just for fun, I tried to shake him off by striking out with my flippers at full pelt but every time I thought I had lost him I would look left, then right and there he was again. Unbelievable.

It didnt want to follow Gareth. It was clearly following me.

Now shoals of fish are know to follow you when you are in scuba gear because they adore playing in the bubbles from your regulator and that is such a wonderful interaction to experience. But I wasnt in scuba gear, I was just snorkelling.

Shoals of fish love to play in a diver's bubbles from his regulator

Once back in the villa, I produced my book "Fish of the Maldives" and identified my stalker as an Emperor Angel Fish.

That afternoon we did go scuba diving and as we headed out on the boat with the dive master, I told him about my encounter with the Emperor Angel Fish.

"Oh no I dont think that would have been an Emperor" he said "You must have that wrong, they are very shy"

"Well this one was far from shy he followed me for 40 minutes"

The Dive Master laughed and said "Erm I dont think so!"

Gareth also supported my story and I described the fish to him.

"Well I am not saying your story isnt true but what I am saying is that it couldnt have been an Emperor" he insisted a tad irritated. ( well who am I to question his authority and knowledge)

We left it at that. But we both know it was and I felt that if this fish really was so shy by nature then surely I had been given a very special gift.

Now let me remind you of the date of this encounter. The day after my Father's death.

Then that night at dinner I had a EUREKA moment!!!

"Gareth, Gareth"  I gulped "That fish was either my Dad or a message from my Dad!"

"How much wine have you had Debbie?"

"No listen, I have just remembered Emperor in Tarot means Father. Today my Father was with me "The Father Angel". He never got to dive with the tropical fish as he so wanted to do so he was with me there and he is happy at peace, all is ok"

Call it coincidence, call it what you like but I know what I believe and remember what the Dive Master said, these fish are shy, well my Dad never was!

Getting rid of Dreams

I’ve been cleaning out my wardrobe.

And I’m getting rid of a lot.

Of dreams.

Not because they are too big.

Not because they are too small either.

But because they aren’t right for me.

Here we are, at the beginning of a new year. Arguably, we begin a new year every day dont we?

So, in this week of celebration and contemplation I have spent some time reviewing my dreams.

They looked a lot like my wardrobe often looks – some areas on the rail crowded with bright colors  while other spots show gaps where my favorite wear-so-often-they-never-make-it-back-to-the-rail pieces are supposed to be.

Fancy-cocktail dresses are hung at the far end where they are seldom noticed, while walk-the-dog hoodies snuggle up to comfy sofa day jumpers and joggers.

I gave myself the same challenge I periodically use to clean out my wardrobe – “If you haven’t worn it in a year, if you don’t like the way it looks on you, if it worked for that one occasion but that occasion won’t ever come again, should it be taking up space in here?”


But the time comes – I have to let them go.

Because, really, that burnt orange shade is hideous on me.

That flouncy cocktail dress is pretty, but I don’t know where I would wear it.

That jacket looks good, but I’m always fussing with the sleeves.

That old thing really IS an old thing – it’s worn thin now and no miracle will make it look good again.

When I purge my wardrobe I let go of anything that doesn’t serve me, whether it fits me or doesn’t.

Time to do the same with my dreams.

That dream that someone else thought was perfect for me? Gone.

The one I so wanted to believe was real, until I saw the “faux” on the label? (That’s okay for leather and fur, but NOT okay for dreams.) Gone.

So what is left?

The true dreams. Not the dreams already come true, but the dreams that are truly mine.

Are some of them too big for me now? Probably. But I love them enough to try and grow into them.

Are some of them so bright and bold that I have a moment of doubt, wondering if others will judge me for choosing them? Of course. But I love how I feel when I wear them, and that is the only judgment that matters.

..............by Debbie Tamblyn-Jones

Are some of them a little revealing? Sure. But I have nothing to hide.

I’m keeping only the dreams that make me feel good, that make me feel like the me I like best. I’m keeping the dreams that make me feel like dancing, like running, like jumping for joy.


Everything else has to go.

Because when you choose your dreams, it isn’t about dreaming big.

It’s about dreaming true.

For you.