Everything is so calm...
After an INSANE couple of weeks at work, where I found myself having to de-stress several times a day, it was suddenly arrival date for Em and the boys. It's been a long time since I lived with that level of anxiety, anticipation, hypervigilance - I forgot how much it can mess with you... Saturday the 10th felt so long! I arrived at Heathrow at about 4:30am to pick Emily up. She and the boys arrived safe and sound, though all were exhausted and the boys were understandably unsettled when they arrived at the flat, a few hours after Emily. I burst into tears when I saw all three of them (Em, Shadow, and Charlie respectively). Within a couple of hours, a few treats and some lovin' from the mommies, both boys settled in nicely. Shadow is showing his age more and more, but is otherwise doing very well.
I have this week and the following week off of work, which has been wonderful so far. I feel extremely fortunate to be able to sleep in, have a leisure morning, and go explore with Em and the boys. We have been able to go around London a bit, meet some new friends, and explore even more of Chiswick.
Today we went to Stonehenge - I misremembered the actual day of the solstice, but only by a day.. It is really a holy place, as there is a calm and reverent quiet that washes over people when they approach the stones. Although the weather when we left was warmer, sunny, etc., by the time we got to Wiltshire (where Stonehenge is), it was a positively English afternoon - cloudy, windy, with a moist slightly biting cold. It seemed really fitting though. The rolling grey sky made the green of the grass that much brighter, and thus the stones, more stunning. Mom had wanted to see Stonehenge when she was alive, and I felt her there with me/us. I managed to scatter a little of her remaining ashes near a bench, facing the winter solstice stone. What an extraordinary experience, and now a lovely memory....
Pictures to follow...
Merry Christmas, Happy Solstice, Happy Hanukkah, and Happy New Year to you all - may your season be safe, warm and abundant...
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