Tuesday 29th August 2006

I arrived at Joan Smee's house as arranged at 10.30 a.m. After making a mug of tea for each of us we sat in the lounge while she spent some time showing me several of her other pictures and portraits, explaining how they had come about, that she had a son-in-law who was a photographer and sign writer who scanned them and printed them for her, etc.

Joan's portraits were on A2 paper, in pastel and were life size; full colour, except for the quick ones she produced at various events she attended.

In due course Joan brought out the portrait of Lorelei and propped it against the fireplace. It was a straight on portrait; I could see something in it but did not really like it, there was not much of a likeness to Lorelei as I knew her. Joan was looking for my reaction and sensed my feelings before I voiced them.

At that point, Lorelei said, "That's the best you will get."

I did not know quite what to make of that, though, given Lorelei's sense of humour, I should have done.

Joan then brought out a second portrait, one with a view of her that was more to the side. The appearance was very different to the first portrait. I had not been sure what to expect, or how I would react. My very detailed recollection of Lorelei was a fifteen year memory, though the description in the text of "Remembering Lorelei" is quite thorough, written immediately after the event. over the intervening years what i have seen of her has been very frequent but much more "subdued".

I am extremely self critical and most of my writing goes through numerous gestations. On that basis I felt that Joan's second portrait was about 95% to 98% of the way there. I was quite pleased with it and was looking forward to showing my Healer Colleagues, particularly Judy Diaper, who was sufficiently visual and in tune to have seen Lorelei herself; others, such as Lene Foot, had felt her presence, had conversations with her, etc.

The more I looked at the protrait, the more it grew on me and the better I felt about it.

Joan had taken a couple of digital photos of the portraits. I took a few myself but left them with her to be scanned by her son-in-law.


Monday 28th August 2006

In the evening I received a 'phone call from Joan Smee to say she had a completed portrait. It had taken me a little by surprise as she had done it relatively quickly, at least compared with what I had expected. I arranged to go to see Joan on the following morning.


Saturday 26th August 2006 - Havant Town Fair

Although Jo and I were attending a barbecue at a friend's house in the afternoon, I wanted to go to the Havant Town Fair in the morning. The Town Fair is held annually and centred on St Faith Church.

I had forgotten that the Town Fair is usually opened by the Mayor, who, this year, is Councillor Richard Brown. I caught up with him in the grounds of the Church; he remembered me and was his usual friendly self. Councillor Brown is Labour, rather than the ruling Conservative faction, and, essentially, one of the "good guys"; few and far between in Havant Council.

Richard Brown said that he became a Councillor to change things. However, it seems that he then realised he could not, though, in that, he was no different to anyone else. As I had found, as well as an experienced retiring Councillor having told me, the Council Officers determine how Havant Council is run, not the Councillors; warped "democracy" but that is how it is.

Councillor Brown is a Mayor with a difference, preferring to be known as Richard rather than bothering with any titles. Also, since he has a young family, his wife is not his Mayoress; Richard invites various other people, including children, to accompany him instead.

However, Richard Brown did say he regularly visited my Web Sites.

Councillor Richard Brown was present at a public meeting in Havant Borough Council Offices in September 2004 when the then Mayor, Councillor June Fulcher, prevented me from speaking; I was the only person to be denied their right to do so; maybe that has something to do with his interest in my Web Sites.

(Councillor Fulcher was one of my Ward Councillors who, I thought, were supposed to defend the rights of Residents; she was also well aware of my esoteric side; since 1993, or thereabouts, when we were both Governors at Bosmere School, Havant.)

Councillor Ray Bolton was also there, along with a presentation of plans for Havant Town Centre. As someone else remarked, that was a very odd role for a Councillor; surely that was a job for a Council Officer.


Friday 11th August 2006

I arrived at Joan Smee's house at about 11.00 a.m. We had a long conversation about our mutual backgrounds, particularly our experiences involving esoteric matters. In particular, I told Joan about Lorelei and the book, leaving a copy of the Book Proposal, the Introduction, and sample Chapters. Joan had told me about her approach to producing psychic portraits and said she would let me know when she came up with something.


Thursday 10th August 2006

Having received and E-mail from Tony Ashenden of the Joseph Carey Foundation giving me the telephone number for Joan Smee, the psychic artist recommended to me by fellow Healer Sue Bosiecki, I 'phoned Joan for what I thought might be a brief preliminary chat; our conversation stretched to well over an hour. I explained that Sue had suggested I contact her with a view to her, hopefully, being able to produce a portrait of Lorelei. We arranged to meet the following morning for a couple of hours, before iI went to see a client not far away from where she lived.


Sunday 9st August 2006

Sylvie, my Editor, Proof Reader, arrived at 10.00 a.m., as arranged, to discuss the text of my book, "Remembering Lorelei". It was the first time that Jo had met Sylvie.

As it had been decided that the relationship between Jo and Lorelei would have to go into the public domain with the book,or ahead of it, I asked Sylvie what she sensed from Jo's aura. Sylvie said she did not really see auras but felt them more; Jo's to her. was gentle and loving. Later, while at lounge table with final stages of the manuscript, Sylvie said that thinking of Lorelei being very strong and quite capable of doing what she wanted, if the colours of Lorelei's aura were bright, Jo's were pastel; broadly equals but Jo much more laid back.

Our discussions on the manuscript were fairly detailed and very useful, constructive, though we did wander into connected areas at times. the morning was interrupted by a large B&Q lorry parked outside our house for some time. It transpired that Sylvie's car was blocking its path, though it took us some time to realise that as her car was hidden by the tall hedge in our front garden. Sylvie had parked to leave plenty of room for cars to get past but, as she said, did not think about having to allow for such large vehicles in a residential road.

Thursday 10th August 2006

There was a Breakfast Briefing at the Langstone Hotel, organised by Portsmouth and South East Hampshire Chamber of Commerce; a Presentation on E-mail Etiquette by The Really Helpful IT Company. I thought it might be about somewhat more than just the etiquette of E-mails and that is just how it turned out; overall very useful.

The down side, from the Hotel point of view, was the poor catering for those of us of a vegetarian persuasion. The only alternative to bacon roles was yogurt and fresh fruit. that did not seem very good for such a large hotel. Apparently that was not what the Chamber Staff had ordered.

On a more positive note, the Presentation itself was very helpful, though the presenters were as unsure as myself about the exact legalities of E-mails being blocked, as E-mails of mine to Havant Borough Councillors had been blocked by Havant Borough Council Officers.

Wednesday 9th August 2006

Emma, our daughter, had paid for a horse riding experience with a difference; it was a Christmas present but I had waited for the better whether to take it up. Last year Jo and I had a bad experience at a New Forest Equestrian Centre; that had also been a present.

Emma found out about Russell's Equestrian Centre which takes a very different approach to horse riding, more "Horse Whisperer" style, being one with the horse, or as close as possible, and the ride being a mutual experience, hopefully a mutually enjoyable one. That approach was especially appealing considering my non-physical side and involvement as a Healer (Psychic Engineer).

My instructor turned out to be Carol Boulton, a Hampshire County Councillor. She introduced me to the horse, Cookie, a white mare. In view of my Healing background, Carol said Cookie had a hole in her energy and asked if I could see it. I did; there was not one but two, on Cookie's left side, head and flank, which I told carol about after the riding. She said that was correct and that Cookie had a weak muscle on her left flank; also they were sure that Cookie had been involved in an accident, while in harness.

The riding session itself was fascinating; only round in circles in a paddock but more worthwhile that a couple of hours across the New Forest the year before as I was connecting with the horse. Given my non-physical abilities, I was not only able to see the holes in Cookie's energy but also saw her aura, like green flames, two to three inches in length, around her physical body.

I looked at the horizon, rather than follow the movement of Cookie's head, that making it easier to resist he horse's motion. It was even easier when I Followed Carol's suggestion and closed my eyes; riding that way was fascinating and made it much easier to connect with the horse.


Tuesday 1st August 2006

In “The News” (Portsmouth), today, there was an article by reporter Jenny Haworth, “Petition over plan to close key town route”, “Hundreds protest at proposal to block traffic aimed at heavy lorries”, on page 14. It was about proposal to block off Brockhampton Lane, a road on a trading estate in Havant. Blocking off the road at both ends would make it difficult for motorists to gain access to Havant Spiritualist Church, the Ex-Servicemen’s Club and CJH Tyres.

Councillor David Gillett was quoted as saying that the Council had to act because the road was unsuitable for heavy traffic but, following the outcry, officers are now considering just narrowing the north end of the road rather than completely blocking it.

I live in a road that is unsuitable for heavy traffic. However, we regularly have vehicles up to forty tonnes using it to gain access to Copsey’s Nursery. The Council has not only did nothing about it, they had tarmac put over areas of grass between the road and the pavement to encourage heavy vehicles up onto the pavement on a bend and, almost, into the gardens on the other side of the path, whereas, in other parts of Havant bollards have been erect to prevent such incursions on footpaths.

The only restriction is an overnight ban on such vehicles which is regularly broken with no enforcement by either the Council or the Police.

Meanwhile the road is being progressively damaged.

So, the Council wishes to prevent heavy vehicles using a road in a trading estate that they consider is not suitable for heavy traffic, while doing nothing about such vehicles using a residential road which is unsuitable and actually putting in facilities to encourage them to use it.

As far as Brockhampton Lane is concerned, Councillor Nigel Tarrant, Head of Transport for Havant Borough Council, is quoted as saying, "The plans have been deferred while officers look at all the possibilities at the West Street end of the road.”

Sometimes, the Council listens, or at least begins to do so, if enough people protest, and just might, in the end, act differently; though not in the Denvilles part of Havant, it seems.

It is rare for the Havant Council to take much, if any, notice of residents, unless forced to do so; the outcome of this particular saga could go either way.