It all started Friday. The festive ending to a long week of school inspections. First, my school bought any teacher/staff/administration who went to the Red Lion Pub a drink - another first for me here. I talked and laughed, and everyone was smiling, relieved, exhausted, and happy. Then, I went to a benefit for the Acton Homeless Shelter, which my friend Ian manages. The benefit was held in a social club inside an old Abbey - there were waltzes, Irish step dancing, and dancing circa Jane Austen. I won a toaster in a raffle, and chatted with some of the people there - all of whom were over the age of 65, most of whom were Irish. My friends Ian, Antonio, Terry and Brian insisted on walking me home at 1:00am - for no other reason than I was a young woman unaccompanied (which is to say, no, I wasn't THAT tipsy) - we skipped most of the way, singing, regaling, and spotted a fox on the green in front of my flat.
Saturday I woke late, feeling a bit fuzzy, made myself breakfast, napped, then went to see Round Heeled Woman, a West End play starring Sharon Gless (QAF, Cagney and Lacey). I immediately wanted my mom to be there, and the humor, longing, and in-you-face boldness of the character Sharon Gless played made me think of her constantly. The play was funny, well acted and written, and so moving. I had to get myself together quickly to meet my colleague Kara - a Western Aussie wild child, and her friend Nicole to go to the biggest London Guy Fawkes celebration. For those of you I haven't bored with the historical aspect, Guy Fawkes was the man, who on the 5th of November, 1605, attempted to blow up Parliment. Every year there is a celebration of his failure with bonfires and fireworks - the irony is a bit humorous. I was a little sad to walk through Battersea Park, because it was so dark, and poorly lit - The dogs would have loved it in the daylight. I hadn't been in a crowd that big in a very long time (like 30,000). I haven't been a fan of fireworks in years (oh, Liam - my sensitive boy who HATED fireworks), but I found myself staring up in awe and wonder, and even for a second or two, felt transported to an unearthly realm, as so many colors permeated the sky. It was made more amazing by standing between two little boys, each no older than 4, perched on their father's shoulders, yelling, "Yeah!, Oh Wow!" I can only imagine how amazing fireworks are to a child. Is there anything more exciting?
We must have walked for 2 miles in a thick crowd to get to a bus stop that would take us to the tube. Our search for food that late at night ended with the three of us, two Aussies and an American hovered over a bag of crisps (chips) and peanuts. I was happy yet exhausted glad to get home, change into my new soft pajamas (jim jams to the Brits) and crawl into bed.
I cleaned the flat this morning - probably the first real cleaning I've done in the two months there (don't judge!), then decided just to walk the Chiswick High Road in search of breakfast. I had the best breakfast out since I've been here - it was even a "full English breakfast", meaning there were baked beans and veggie sausages included. The veggie sausages were TO DIE FOR! And I immediately wanted Em with me to enjoy them. Soon. I walked the back streets home, admiring the small front gardens of the row houses here.
So here I am, enjoying the crisp evening on this Sunday. Home soon to my sourdough pizza from Franco Manca - tomorrow to see John Leguizamo stand-up downtown!
In much gratitude and love,
Jp
