First days in London...

When I last wrote, I was boarding a plane to London.  I didn't post while I was there because I couldn't get my photos to add correctly from my phone.   When I got home, I was ready to update on my wonderful trip, but woke up the next morning feeling really terrible.  Steve was headed out of town so I napped hoping it would pass before he left.  Instead, I started feeling worse.  We had to double up on nursing duty for Max and Abbey stayed home from school to help.  The next morning when my fever was 103.5, I drove myself to the doctor to see if it was strep, justavirus, or flu.  It was in fact the flu, confirmed by them sticking a long q-tip up my nose and testing.  That knocked me down for a week.  I'm finally feeling better, but still tired.

So, here we are....time for an update on my trip! Grab a cuppa...it's going to be long!

When I arrived in London, I had to get my phone hooked up to work over there.  Steve gave me specific instructions of where to get the sim card, how to insert it, what to pay, etc.  Only the place he told me to get it was gone.  So, I spent far more time handling that at the airport than I wanted. But, since I needed that so I could find my hotel on maps I took a deep breath and asked around until I got it figured out.  I finally got it sorted and my train ticket bought and sat down for the relaxing ride in to London.

Steve booked my hotel in the Victoria area, in fact across the road from Victoria station...one of the busiest train stations in London.  He loves it.  He loves the hustle and bustle.  And I was utterly overwhelmed.  I just looked up and hoped the signs were clear enough to get out of there and on the street.  Then I could find my bearings.

I followed the stairs outside and started following my map to the hotel. I should say I am the world's worst navigator. Even with google maps leading the way, I got turned around a couple of times and a pigeon flew right into my face while I was paying attention to my phone and not the flying rat charging me.  I gave the men at the pub a show with flailing arms and a trip to the ground when that happened.  Not very dignified, but I was exhausted from my long flight and just really, really wanted to get to my hotel!

I finally got to the hotel and checked in.  Again, chosen by Steve as it's somewhere he's stayed before. It's right up his ally.  It was the smallest hotel room I've ever been in!  It's as if Ikea made a hotel to show just how small they could make a room and it still be functional.  That said, it was a very nice hotel. It was clean, and close to the station and quiet.  I reminded myself it was only for sleeping - so my plan was to get out and enjoy what I was there for....LONDON!

The bathroom from the door of the room.  The wall of the shower is the foot of the bed. 

My first stop was to find Notting Hill and the Portabello Market.  I've never been to either area and it is only really busy on the weekends.  The area of Notting Hill was very colorful, and eclectic.  It felt more like I was walking around San Francisco than in London.  They were just starting to close down the markets and I was so tired, so I wandered just a bit and headed to find food before getting back to my hotel. 

A purple door complete with Victorian door knocker.

Colorful houses in Notting Hill.

Now I can say I've been there!

More colorful houses. 

I wandered my way to a tube station to get back by my hotel and found I knew where I was.  I stopped in the Whole Foods in Kensington to get some food and drinks...and chocolate to fuel my journey back to the hotel and get ready for meeting up with my friends the next morning. 

Saturday morning I woke up and got ready for a visit to Buckingham Palace with my friends and their daughters.  One of these daughters happens to be my god-daughter whom I hadn't met yet! We saw the beginning of the changing of the guard from inside the palace walls, something I had never seen before.   

The palace itself was.........a palace.  Not to sound so unimpressed, but it is just a palace.  Unrealistic living quarters for anyone.  Who needs that many rooms?!  But, there were some neat bits.  We weren't allowed any photography.  If we were, I would have been able to show you the ripped fabric on a chair in the throne room, the dust on the velvet wallpaper, the hidden door the workers went in and out of, and the tea stain on one of the chairs in the picture gallery...I guess you're meant to look at the paintings and not the furniture. But because these are the types of things I pay attention to in palaces, I really wished I could take photos of them.  Seriously, every country I've visited I've been to a palace and my eyes gravitate toward what makes them like me.  I've got dust, and ripped furniture and coffee stains.  I do not have a hidden door though.  I could do with one of those.   

All kidding aside, there were some bits I really liked.  It was interesting to see  the rooms I've seen on tv. I really liked the carriage, it looked very Cindarella-like.  And to see the kitchen things and the Queen's hats and dresses.  And the banquet room was really pretty too. My favorite part of it all was the gardens behind the palace.  The sun decided to duck behind the clouds as we were having our picnic, so out came the jacket! 

The gardens at Buckingham Palace.

Just hanging out on the Queen's lawn. 

A pond behind the palace. 

Imogen was enjoying running along the path and tripped up and hurt her little leg.  First aid came along and patched her up.  What is it with me and meeting first aid at palaces?  Note to anyone visiting a palace around the world with me, there will be first aid involved. 

Our English girls, have loved them from day one and was so happy to get to spend time with them!

It took a bit for her to warm to me, but eventually I got to hold hands with Imogen.

 After the palace tour, and our picnic in the garden we walked through the park beside the palace on our way to Piccadilly Circus.

It was about at this point I remembered I was doing a half marathon that evening and tried to conserve energy while walking.  We got the things we needed to get shopping, and then had an early dinner before heading back to the hotel to get ready for our big half marathon for Cancer Research UK. 

This is where I'll stop this post and start one for the walk on it's own.  It deserves it's own post because it was that full of wonderfulness. 

Away I go....

I'm sitting down to eat at before my flight.  My plan is to fill up on good food before getting on an airplane for 9 hours and not wanting to eat anything.

Max had therapy and school today, and of course I waited until today to pack.  I am not afraid of flying, but ugh do I ever get anxious leading up to a flight...especially for such a big trip as this is.

Steve did a good job of talking me down most of the day and when he said goodbye to me at security I couldn't turn around for fear that a day full of pent up emotion would come spilling out of my eyes.

I think the part that has me so anxious is this is the first solo trip I have ever made.  Like in my whoooole life.  I've always traveled with someone, or met up halfway with someone, or had a friend or family member meeting me at the receiving end.  This time it's just me.  

Now I'm people watching.  Mostly the baggage handlers out the window as the sun sets over Denver.  The next time I serve sunlight will be in London.

I finished eating and am now waiting to board my flight.  Steve posted this photo of me heading to security on his Facebook. I'm braver than I think I am. Away I go....

Finished...

Since I wrote the last post, I've been working on my crochet project every evening.  I got a good deal done about a week ago...only to find I was about five stitches short towards the middle and ended up unraveling it.

This left a huge mess of yarn I had to ball back up, much to my frustration.  It took me all afternoon, but once I was back at the start I went slower and made better progress going forward.

 I still don't know how she got her stitches looser than mine were.  I'll keep practicing that tension on my next project.

Tonight, I finished it!  But what was it?

I love the little ribbon marking where Momma stopped the project and I picked it up. 

I got out Grandma's button jar for inspiration.  It always brings me creative inspiration.  Look at all those lovely jewels.  I love buttons. 

Yes....a few buttons is what it needed.  Along with the teal yarn I used to make my long single chain while Momma was in hospice. 

 And this is what I ended up with....Taaaaa-Daaaaaaaaa!

Here's how it works out.  Don't mind my "concentrating faces", Abbey helped me with the pictures and I didn't have a mirror in front of me.

I liked making it.  I thought of Momma so often through the whole project.  I would talk out loud to her..."What am I doing wrong here?"...and yes, I would hear her answer.  Sure it wasn't actually her, but how I thought she would answer me.  Either way it was comforting to be doing this project. 

It's a heavy and warm scarf-thing.  And will work out perfectly for our cold days coming up.  I know this, she would not have made it into this as a final project.  She would have loved it, but it wouldn't have been where she went with it.  And I love that about it, a little of me, and a little of her. 

Holding on too tight...

Momma left many unfinished crafty projects in her house when she passed away in August.

There were only a few unfinished crochet projects.  She tried all through my childhood to teach me how to do it right..."you're holding the slack too tight"..."just one loop, not two"...and it just never clicked with me.  So as she would make her countless projects over my life I would sit beside her and make one long chain with my hook and yarn.  She could spin out blankets, and doilies and hats and scarves, and I would sit with my long chain 'crocheting with momma'.  I would let it all out and start again with her next project.

Before she lost the use of her right hand, she was working on a blanket for me.  She was still in Oklahoma, and would show me her progress over video chat.  I bought a beautiful teal yarn and started my long chain and would show her along the way.

"You're still holding the yarn too tight, I'll show you when I get there."

Life was full of just being together when she got here.  I wanted to visit with her, and make her all of her favorite foods and hold her hand.  I didn't bring out the crochet until she needed to go to the hospice center the first time.  That was two weeks before she passed away.

The nurses would come in and ask me what I was working on and I would say, "I'm just making a chain.  I never learned how to connect it."  And Momma would open her eyes and say, "I'll show you how."

In the weeks that followed, I would sit by her bed and continue my chain.  She never did show me how to start another row.  And the chain sits unfinished...or finished...I haven't decided yet.

When we went to clear out the last of her things from her house, I came home with the yarn and needles and hooks.  Since she taught Abbey how to knit and that was something they shared together, Abbey got those projects.  But the few projects that are crochet are mine.

This evening I sat down with a few rows she had started and studied it.  I tied a ribbon - a bookmark from one of her books - to mark where she ended and where I would start.  This way if I had to let it out I wouldn't let out what she had done.

George sat close as I started.  

The first row was messy, but I soon got the idea.  Down, loop, through one, through two.  And as I started to make progress I thought of her and of course missed her telling me if I was doing it right, or wrong. 

I don't know what she had in mind for it, but I'm thinking some kind of scarf.  Or it will be the world's skinniest blanket.  

I tried a few times and had to let it out a few times, but I think I may be getting the hang of it.  It is not going to look as perfect as she could have done it, but I will finish it.  And whatever it becomes, I will treasure it.

 

It was January 2013 when mom called to tell me she had found a lump in her right breast while taking a shower.  She went to the doctor, they did a biopsy, and it came back as malignant.

That was almost 2 years ago.

It's been a hurricane of life events since then.  Most of the time I try to push back in my mind that mom has cancer.  Most of the time these days, it's hard to be hopeful.  Most nights I wake up dreaming of her death.  Or thinking of her funeral.  It's not a place I thought I would be at in this time of life.  I just never thought she would be dying so young.

Day 6, and 7: London

This kids have started school this week, and as it turns out, that has taken away from my hanging on to the last moments of my holiday.  I guess it's time to wrap up the journal of my trip.

Day 6 in London started with us greeting the last of our party, my friend Shona, from Belfast.  We all got around and headed out for a day of shopping.  Yes, that was the entire plan for the day.

We went to Covent Garden and hit a tea shop, and a toy store.  Then stopped for lunch.  The pictures from this day are seriously lacking...but that's because I was so busy visiting.  I wanted to squeeze every last ounce out of my visit with friends who I don't know when I'll see again.

A couple of times, though, Kris or Gwen grabbed my phone to get a photo for me.  I think they must have known I would want pictures to remember.


After lunch, we hit Paperchase, which used to sell their products in Border's Bookstores in the States, but don't sell anywhere that I know of now.  It's one of my favorite shops in the UK!  But the store I was most looking forward to in Covent Garden was Cath Kidston.  Shona, Rachel and I have been planning a trip to Cath Kidston for a while, and this was our chance.  I'm glad I had them there to talk me into buying a new bag!




We stopped in a clothing store, and then on to Harrod's.  And FINALLY it started raining.


It's just not a visit to London without the rain.

In Harrod's, we had a drink of lemonade, and then looked around at the audacious prices on everything!


We found our way back towards the apartment after Harrod's and stopped for dinner at a Jamie Oliver restaurant.  I had a chicken and tomato dish, but the best bit was dessert, lemon pie.




( I snagged this photo from Kris)

We ended the evening watching some telly, packing our bags, then one by one dropped off to bed.  

I can't believe I've already been home two weeks.  It seems like we were just all together visiting! 

The next morning we all said goodbye, and headed to the airport to our different terminals to leave.  I was there the longest, and first found myself in a stall in the bathrooms crying my eyes out about leaving.  Ridiculous? maybe...but I just love it there.  It's hard to say goodbye each time.  I am so thankful for the opportunity to go, every time I get to go. But I do so dislike saying goodbye.  The flight was overbooked, and they offered me a ticket for the next day, and a hotel to stay on one more day.  I was terribly tempted...but I had a few people at home who were very anxiously awaiting my arrival.  So, I pulled myself together and wandered around the new terminal in Heathrow, shopping for my final gifts.  

I hopped in to get a picture of the Doctor's booth for my brother in law...

And found myself at another Cath Kidston, with items that weren't in Covent Garden!

I ate lunch at Wagamama before making my way to my gate. 

Then endured another long flight home.  I got through customs quickly, and was greeted by the three who mean the most.  We got home and I handed out gifts all around, then found my own bed, and slept hard for the first time in a week, surrounded by my people, and dreamt of London. 

Day 5: London

Day five was a beautiful Sunday in London.  It really was just the most beautiful weather day we had. Warm enough to not need a jacket, but cool enough to not feel exhausted!

We found our way easily to the tube station, and away we went to church.



I have been to St. Paul's Cathedral before, to see it from the outside, and just to peek inside, because I haven't wanted to pay the fee to see it all.  On Sunday, however, you can see the inside as a place of worship.  That was more my speed anyway.  There were no photos allowed, so I don't have a lot to show you, but, I'll try to paint a picture with my words.

We went in and there were seats lined up for visitors to sit quietly.  Service was not going on, but the organist was preparing for the evening concert.  We found three seats together and sat and listened to the pipe organ fill the huge cathedral.  It's not as big as it looks on tv, once you're inside.  But, it is still a grand building.  I was glad to have had a rare treat like that to sit and listen to the music in such a historical place of worship.

We decided to go downstairs, as there were more monuments to Earls, and Lords, and other tombs there.  But, they were closed up...I suppose for the paying crowd to see on Monday.  We looked through the gift shop, and sat to listen to the organ play a bit more.  You could hear it through the ceiling vents, which were the sanctuary floor.


It was around lunch time when we left St. Paul's, so we started looking for something to eat.  People were standing outside their restaurants offering little samples.  We turned a few corners, and stumbled upon The Happenstance.  We saw there were plenty of gluten free options, so we agreed on to try it out.   And we were all happy we did!


The Happenstance A Happy Coincidence



I had a gluten free flat-bread with butternut squash, pecans, spinach, onions, and a pesto.


I think everyone really enjoyed their lunch.  I thought more than once I wished we had a similar restaurant at home!  This is just my kind of place!


From lunch, we moseyed our way around some streets and alleys to the Millennium Bridge over The Thames.




(A pub we passed by...what a name.)

You can see the Tower Bridge in the distance, and the tall building is The Shard.


I've been reading a series of books about a woman private investigator set in the early 1900's called, Maisie Dobbs, which has it's setting mostly in London.  The book I was reading while on my vacation, was set mostly in this part of London, so it was fun picturing the sites first hand as I read.

Once across the bridge, we saw Shakespeare's Globe.  Well, just the outside, as it turned out to be one of the busiest areas we had seen so far.  We continued on along the bankside of the Thames, which led us to this excavated palace.





We saw a lot of old and new side by side.

We got a closer view of Tower Bridge, from London Bridge.




A couple of tube rides later, we made our way to Trafalgar Square.  We saw Nelson's Column, and the large lions surrounding it.




And then there was this guy.



The latest art installment on the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square.

Having seen as much as we wanted on that end of London, we made our way back towards "our end of town" to see Kensignton Gardens.






We walked through a beautiful residential area, where photographs were not allowed.  My guess is because of all the embassies around, including the heavily machine gunned out Israel Embassy.  It was still a beautiful walk, and one I would like to do again.

Since the Whole Foods was closed once we got to it, we decided to make another plan for dinner, one of my favorite restaurants in London, Masala Zone!  I love to get the thali plate and try all the different dishes!



Steve called the restaurant and asked for one of his many names for me while we were eating.  The manager came over and asked if one of us was the person in question and it didn't click with me then, so I said no.  A few minutes later, I knew it was him.  And once I got home, he told me it was.  Just a little way for us to enjoy the memories together.

The evening ended rather uneventfully, as we went to the grocery store to pick up a few snacky and breakfast things before heading back to the apartment.  My friend Rachel was joining up with us that evening, and I was anxiously awaiting her arrival, and my other friend Shona the next morning.  Rachel got in late, but that didn't stop us from staying up even later catching up on everything we've missed out on in the past three years of visiting in the same room!  Rachel and I will often message each other and say we wish we could just pop around for tea to visit.  This evening visiting will be another thing I will often wish for.