Back in London

We've been here a month already! In some ways it feels like we've been here so much longer, but then again given the ever-present state of chaos that still plagues us it's hard to believe it's been a full month. Still living out of suitcases waiting for normalcy to strike. Any day now! It's been an intense month. I went to a workshop for new parents at the new school. I was hoping it was an event where I'd meet new people and learn more about the school community. Well the event wasn't exactly accurately advertised. It turned out to be nothing more than a therapy session to help new folks understand the various stages of transition involved with an international move. Once I arrived it took me about two minutes to figure this out as the counsellor (clue number one) flipped through powerpoint slides containing a lot of touchy feely phrases and clipart images of chaotic scenes and tears. Oy. Once seated it would have been too awkward and disruptive to leave, so I had to suffer through every little painful slide. Admittedly this workshop could be very helpful to a family experiencing some lows with their first international move, but my former experience is frankly all the education I need on the topic! But the workshop confirmed that out of the five stages (ah, yes they are named!) of an international move, I am front and centre in the "chaos" stage. Well, thank you Dr. Phil, I had no idea! And having that pointed out is just super helpful!



So where are we a month later? Yesterday our lease ended on our temporary flat. And our tenancy at our new house doesn't begin for 13 days. How convenient is that? So this week we moved our 10 70-pound bags we took with us on the airplane, plus our air frieght, about 600 pounds worth of various belongings and household items into our friends' flat down the road, which highlights one major and critical difference between this move and our last move to London. Friends. It has been amazing to be reunited with the wonderful friends we tearfully said goodbye to a year ago. Picnics in the park, dinners out, outings, lunches, playdates . . . so many great reunions already in our first month. I feel so blessed to have such wonderful friends, and our dear friends who are hosting us in their normally quiet, orderly flat for 13 nights after a big transition of their own are a prime example. But despite their major show of generosity, we are still in the thick of chaos. And in a couple of weeks when we get the keys to our house, chaos will still follow for a while as we wait for our container with our furniture and everything else we own to come across the ocean and as we attempt to get utilities set up (which in this country can take A G E S). Hopefully by early October we will be settled! Hopefully!



I made sure I had my handy-dandy new little compact camera with me everywhere we went the first couple weeks we were here, and snapped photos of random happenings. While I'm still struggling with the poor image quality of this slim little puppy compared to my DSLR, I know most of these photos would not exist without it. And I'm grateful to have them, imperfect as they may be.





Picnic with friends in Hyde Park


Wonderful friend we left behind after our holiday together last year


Finally meeting the beautiful baby she was expecting when we moved away








Flower picking in Hyde Park


We missed our bike-loving friends!


Picking up right where they left off


Picking up right where they left off :)


Day two, a tour through the big sights just for old time's sake


Trafalgar Square










In the year we were away, Olympic fever has taken hold of this city!




Honestly what would Whitehall be without some kind of parade or protestors?




Royal Albert


A visit to an old favourite restaurant




Riding on top of a double decker bus "like we used to"




Princess Di Memorial Fountain with friends on a summer day






Walking down Exhibition Road from Hyde Park to South Ken


Hummingbird Bakery, we meet again at last!




Househunting and carhunting via train




Pick and Mix!


Playdate with Madeleine's BFF, it was so fun to see how these girls reunited and let their creative juices flow that fuels so much of the fun that they have always had together. A Barbie hair salon . . .


The "salon waiting room"


Then lunch at a cafe . . .


Where they continued their creating . . .






The tube!


Kew Gardens with friends








Kew ice-cream break






Picnic between errands in Richmond


Waiting at the park for friends


Summertime fun with friends


It was cold, but in the UK you can't wait for warm weather to play!


BFF's meet again, Chiswick House . . .


So much fun together . . .






New school hoodies!


Evening stroll


Beautiful Richmond




GBK




Awesome girls night out!




An evening with great friends in Richmond Park, the friends we are staying with. And you can tell through these photos how they are like family to us. We are so lucky to have such good friends!



















Blackberry picking . . .






Blackberry hands





I love London!