Poppies, pilates, power

I've had a good show of orange Californian Poppies this year already, but I love it when these beauties burst open with a flash of colour. This particular one has come up through the rose we replanted last year.
Pilates with Kelly was full on. She'd been on a weeks pilates retreat so was trying out some new things....glutes!
I then met Cathy for lunch. We were going to try out the new coffee shop Strongs, which is run by a friend's daughter, but sadly the kitchen was not open today. Not a great start for them, but we'll go back another time. We were lucky enough to have the window seat at Small Talk instead and chatted for a couple of hours.
We don't meet up on our own very often, but when we do, it's wonderful.
I felt my new self more today. My reading helped as well as a poem by Donna Ashworth about how to live with sadness and not let it overwhelm you. It's part of who you are ...."so let your sad accompany you, don't think her hard to bear. No need to face her all alone, just pull an extra chair."