When I started this blog last week I told friends that I would be posting one entry per day - Chris laughed. “Yah, right!” I think were his exact words. It’s been a few days since my last entry, so Chris, you were right. (He loves hearing that phrase.)
He’s also right that I own too many clothes. Our air shipment came today, seven large boxes full of mostly clothes and shoes, mostly mine. Right now I am in our new flat, (in our lovely bright and big kitchen because that’s the only place I can get the outlets to work!) and I am staring out into a living room full of clothes. Spilling over couches, chairs, all over the floor, an endless pile of stuff which I have to hide somewhere. You see, the Brits didn’t build closets in their homes back in the day – and so our lovely period conversion has cathedral ceilings, huge bay windows that throw in the sunshine, and generally oodles of charm – but no closets.
No matter. Ikea will once again prove our savior. (Thank goodness for international Swedish chains.)
Speaking of saviors… today is Fat Tuesday. Otherwise known as Mardi Gras. And here in Britain known as Shrove Tuesday… or Pancake Day! Yes, Pancake. Day. To celebrate Pancake Day, Brits eat lots of pancakes, and they have pancake races. Now, I am so sorry and so very sad to say that I missed said pancake races in order to be at our new home to receive the above-mentioned catastrophe of clothing, BUT I’ve been looking at pictures and it looks hilarious. I think next year I’m going to try very hard to enter one of these races. Running a relay race while flipping pancakes in a ridiculous outfit? What a brilliant idea! Anyone want to fly over and be on a team with me?
Although, I must just say, that these are not pancakes, no, no, no, actually, they are crepes. Just add it to the list of food products that go by a different (wrong) name here!
And now, I am off to go explore Hampstead Heath in the brilliant, mesmerizing, un-hazy, bright-blue-sky sunshine!!! Yes that’s right folks, it’s really, truly SUNNY! I think London read my post on the weather and decided she better prove me wrong. I hope this is what spring has in store for us. Regardless, spring is turning out to be glorious here, with or without the yellow rays. See below for a sampling of early spring flowers – pictures taken from the day after we arrived up through yesterday. (Yah, you heard me right, there were flowers blooming in FEBRUARY! How’s that snow treating y’all?)
Isn’t it funny how the crocuses just spring up in the middle of the park
with no rhyme or reason? It’s like they’re poking up to play peek-a-boo.
Cadogan Place gardens in Chelsea
Exotic flowers flourishing in Hyde Park Gardens despite the February chill.
I’ve never seen such beautiful and abundant crocuses as the ones I’ve seen sprouting up all over London these past two weeks. The daffodils are lovely as well, of course, but the colors of the crocuses are really catching. I met a friend of a friend last week; we were exploring Islington, and I kept on saying “oh oh oh! Look! How beautiful!” whenever we saw a patch of flowers (which was frequently.) I think she thought I was quite silly. Like a five-year-old. What can I say? I just love the beauty in the everyday. And I am so lucky and blessed to be in such an extra-ordinarily beautiful place with my Chris, who is always right, and who always pretends to be interested in flowers.
later in the day...
Report from Hampstead Heath
Where do the waning remainds of the day find me? Why, perched in a tree on Hampstead Heath of course! I don’t have my camera, which is a shame because it is achingly beautiful from where I sit, my body comfortably ensconced by four perfectly arranged limbs of what must be a very ancient tree. The heath spreads before me: wild, untamed grasses – mower-virgin lawn spattered with trees, singly or in pairs – ponds behind me, hilly forest to the side. From my tree-top vantage point, I can just see in the very far distances the roof of a tall building which serves as my only reminder that I am near the heart of one of the world’s greatest metropolises. A man passing on the rough dirt path behind me serves as my only reminder of humanity. What futher is needed to complete this idyllic scene? Why myriads of birds chirping prettily in the background of course.
Well, maybe I am not as far removed from mankind as I’d like to think. An elderly couple just passed by and the lady remarked, “Why, you look quite comfy!”
Why yes indeed mam, I am quite so.
A blissfully enchanted romantic signing off,
because it’s getting a tad chilly
and now I have to figure out how to get down!
Yours,
Olivia
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