I’m back in the USA. The kids are running around the house squealing with delight as they rediscover long lost toys and belongings. I, however, am in a bit of a daze. Every time I leave London and my parents, the feeling is heart wrenching. I’ll get over it soon enough and settle into a new rhythm of work and life, but right now I’m in Limbo. This post was very difficult to write, because the sheer volume of things I wanted to write about threatened to turn it into a mammoth rant. So, in the interests of your sanity and my time, I’ve turned it into a series of short lists. I’m never going to fit every little memory, and event that impacted me during my visit into this blog, because my relationship with London is just so very complex, layered and delicious. So here are a few of my favorite things:
The five things I miss about London the most
- Walking everywhere, and never having to drive!
- Always being within throwing distance of a decent cup of tea.
- The BBC
- Being around people who knew me as a snot ridden tot/a silent teenager/an obnoxious twenty-something, and still like me!
- My parents. This should actually be number one.
The five things my kids miss about London the most
- Sitting on the top deck of a double decker bus
- Wimbledon Park
- Tea time with an assortment of English biscuits
- Being spoilt by grandparents
- Corner shops and newsagents
Five Best Discoveries
- David Walliams – my 10 year old is in love with his books
- The Magic garden at Hampton Court. A very, truly magical playground.
- Medieval graffiti at the Tower of London
- The new wing of the Tate Modern. I LOVE the Tate modern.
- The Kikki. K stationery shop in Covent Garden. Stationery heaven.
Medieval graffiti
Five most blissful experiences
- My birthday picnic at Morden Hall Park. The sun was out, the kids stripped off and splashed about in a stream, the food was delicious, and we were surrounded by beautiful rosebushes. Enough said.
- Staying up late with my dad watching Only Fools and Horses, eating beans on toast, and snorting with uncontrollable laughter.
- Watching my daughter learn to play cricket at Wimbledon Park, one of my childhood haunts, and seeing the delight on her face.
- Getting up close with Bridget Riley paintings at the Tate Modern.
- Long tube journeys with my mum, when we couldn’t stop talking and giggling.
Bridget Riley at the Tate Modern
Oh, and one last thing…
The Rosewater and pistachio cupcakes sold from a cart at Blackfriars Station made me so very happy, it would just be wrong to leave them out. Mmmmmm.
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