and all that mighty heart

I had visions before we went to London, that captured me as if enveloped in a golden haze, whiling away the hours drawing in cafes, swanning around Notting Hill and enjoying a joke at the wedding party.
Ha, ha.
HA.

There was no mention in the visions of the wilting temperatures in the apartment we were (kindly! I do mean it) loaned. It was on the top floor and the (frankly mad, or cold-blooded, like geckos?) owners had left the towel racks ON (!) so temperatures were in the body-melting hot to hellfire range. You could cook meringues in the bathroom, if you wanted to. Also (ehem - not to be ungrateful, again) Farringdon tube trains/buses/entire public transport system seemed to be rattling right through the flat, shaking the walls as they went. Not to mention the fact the three bathrooms were being re-tiled and the tiler was coming and going and by the way there's no quiet way to cut a tile. And, slightly exasperating experiences with chronically modest communistic-type cousin, who didn't want to put me out by inviting me to the wedding, and kept leaving me with five minutes to dash across town to the registry office, and the like.

So, you know! Eh. How can I sew this up without seeming like an ungrateful wretch?

I know!

THINGS TO REMEMBER

• Meeting she who writes at Womb for Improvement and she who writes at Nuts in May. They were so lovely, friendly and brilliant. It is SO nice to meet the people who've patiently supported and kept you company over months and months. I believe that far from being a distopic, isolating invention, the internet can be a shortcut through the dross and conventions to the real person, a person who you would never otherwise have met. I don't know what I would have done without you, internet. [Hugging laptop to chest, tearfully, as if it was an Oscar].

• Hearing Cousin's daughter sing at the wedding party. She's eleven, a sweetheart. Who wouldn't like a kid that tells everyone: Aiii thiiiink you're preeeeetty! Aii think's it's wrooong that some peeeeople have so much and soome peoplee have noooothing. (Bit of a pinko, the apple not falling far from the tree. See above.) Not sure if all the kids in Adelaide, (Australia. Not Texas, or any other) talk like that, all elongated? Could be just this one? Please advise. A dooooote, she is, in any case.

• Nice Eric Estrada look-alike who found all our money on the train and handed it in. Thank you, Eric. Karmic blessings on your CHiPs helmet.

• "Flight" on London Eye. Vast and amazing views of the city, stretching to the edge of the world:

View of Thames from party locale

Time for a sit-down, after all that.

T

Comments

[a]

The pictures are beautiful! I'm sorry that the wedding trip was not all that you envisioned, though. I've found that wedding trips end up being more about the other things that you do to fill time than all that wedding nonsense. :)

[Hairy Farmer Family]

Ohhh, love the Eye too! AND the bloggysphere! *mops tears in empathy*

[Amanda]

Laughing at the accent of your cousin's kiddo. .... Listen to our current PM speak - she's from Adelaide and possess one of the most nasal, bogan voices in the country.

[Adele]

Sounds like a very full visit. And the flat sounds like the ninth circle of hell:) Towel racks ON in wilting weather? Clearly they were experimenting with turning their place into a sauna for that sweaty yoga business. But I'm glad you had a good time otherwise, and I love the pictures.

Eric Estrada. I always knew he had a heart of gold (and, bless you for your CHiPs reference:)

[Womb For Improvement]

I'm so glad we met! I now read your blog with an Irish accent (probably about as authentic as Nicole Kidman's in Far and Away) and it makes me smile even more than usual 'cause you know, you a lovely fully-rounded person to me now. I hope the flat debarcle hasn't put you off coming again (maybe aim for winter next time).

[bunny]

Mmmm, bathroom meringues! I'll be sure to include those in my Busted Annoying Apartment cookery book, along with radiator scones. Sounds like a lovely, lovely visit.

[Bionic Baby Mama]

towel racks can be on? and i thought it was americans who had a gadget for everything.

(aside: i've started using mostly google chrome for my bloggery, so that i can have my real identity open in firefox and not have to log in and out all the time. somehow, your blog does not like me to comment in chrome. will sort it out, but do not feel forgotten. xo)

[Twangypearl]

Boo hiss, chrome! Really, Typepad should fix that. I will create a ticket, or whatever it is you have to do.

[Bionic Mama]

tested again..."sorry, we cannot accept this data"

now signed into typepad with google id, testing ho!

[Bionic Mama]

aha! perhaps this will last.

[Bionic Mama]

well now i'm just showing off. commenting JUST BEACUSE I CAN.

look out world!

[Twangypearl]

You are the BIONIC COMMENTATOR!
Hurray!

[Ladybirdgirl]

Hey!! I am all caught up. Have really enjoyed reading from beginning and having lots to read every time......no pressure or anything!!! We have the same birthday and I also have a bionic nose, I'm sure I was meant to work as a perfume "nose" . So continue, continue.

[Twangypearl]

Oooh, thanks. Encouragement! 'Tis grist to my mill.

I continue.