Museum Stroll

Recently I have been listening to some travel podcasts about London, I guess to see if anything that is recommended to the vacationer is something I haven’t seen yet. It was a gorgeous day and A decided to join me as we wandered through some museums. She was okay until I made her go through the iron works exhibit at the V&A Museum.

A's Turn to Cook

Well, sometimes punishment can bring about good things. A decided she was going to cook dinner Saturday since she was grounded. All I did on Saturday was wash some dishes and clothes and they did the rest. I was very impressed at her ravioli making skills. H helped her make a chicken mousse for the filling and he made some zucchini sliced like spaghetti that complemented the pasta perfectly. She also made some chocolate crème brulee.

War Memorial

This beautiful war memorial was in a gated and locked green in Shepherd's Bush.

A Contradiction

I spent the day in Shepherd’s Bush on Saturday. Not what I expected to do but A. thought that she and her buddy were going to go off to West London alone without supervision to a mall that none of us have been to to meet a friend from camp. After reaching our destination, I walked around and found that the people that live in Shepherd’s Bush probably don’t shop in the new mall which has all of the top designers and a champagne bar in the middle. Here are some pics that show both sides of the area. The economy looks alive and well in Westfield Centre.

A funny, my nephews love the clothing store Hollister. I’ve only been in the store in the U.S. once after my sister-in-law told me I must experience it. The music is loud and it’s dark with random spotlights, like a nightclub. We are obviously not the target audience. Having that image in my mind, I thought it was funny to see the Hollister store (yes, they’ve gone global) with a velvet rope and a lengthy line outside as kids queued up to get in.

You Always Hurt the One You Love

It’s officially been a year since H and A got to England. And when backed into a corner, A throws out the “I hate England” among other things as she did this week in an act of defiance. It always upsets me. When talking to one of her teachers I mentioned this and she very calmly said, “Well of course she says that to you, that’s an easy one, isn’t it?” I think I needed to hear that today. It took the sting right out of it.

I feel like I’ve been living this episode of Roseanne these days. It seemed a heck of a lot funnier when it was just a tv show! I guess I can find solace in the fact that enough people could relate to it to make it good tv.

It’s funny, when kids are small the line between you and them isn’t clear. There are days now that I feel like there’s a chasm between us, and it’s new and uncomfortable.

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

Lots going on that’s making me nervous. H is graduating in a few weeks so job hunting is starting. Work is changing in some unexpected ways making look for signs of what was there when I got here and Monday I got a call from our letting agent telling me that while we are wonderful tenants, the homeowner, because of change in family situation, needs the house back in two months. Since our year lease ends this week, she has every right to do this but it is totally unexpected as we were digging up a garden plot in the backyard and settling in. H keeps saying we need to think about the positive in this but all I can think about is the expense and the pain of moving. I’ve decided that the only change I truly enjoy is change that I personally initiate and sometimes that’s not even my cup of tea, LOL.

The positive – the weather has been stunning and I’ve been doing a lot of walking. With the sun so bright, the fields I walk through look unreal, a fluorescent green I’ve only ever seen in the crayon box.

Skype and People

My friend Mel and I had a quick internet chat yesterday thanks to Skype. She had just mailed me some U.S. mail and included a few of the latest copies of People magazine, my favorite guilty pleasure. The conversation went something like this:

Mel – Hey did the Peoples arrive yet?

Me – I love you! They arrived today!

Mel – I don’t want you to embarrass yourself during watercooler conversation by saying something like, “Hey, did you hear Kirstie Alley lost 65 pounds?” only for someone to look pitifully at you and say, “Yeah and she gained it all back. Where have you been?”

Hahaha.

While I flipped through an issue last night it made me realize how out of touch I am with things back home. Not that this is always a bad thing. I haven't had to care yet about who Jon and Kate are, but they're on the cover of People!