the london diaries. feeling better today.

I took Susan Branch to dinner with me tonight, and she really said it marvelously:
"Traveling is hard work. Everything is ALWAYS strange; staying home IS much easier; but this you do for inspiration, for challenge, for beauty, for growth, but most of all, for the memories."

Some good things happened today.

1. My training at House of Colour headquarters started in earnest.  I was deeply inspired and my passion for sharing the power of color is growing even greater.  I am in class from 9-5pm everyday, or on my clock back home 3am-11am. (smile)  More about my training later.

2. I found a grand grocery market in the neighborhood which will be perfect for shopping for fresh goodies for my lunches. In other words, I now have a source for wine, chocolate, amazing cheeses and very fresh fruits. Things are looking up.

And I HAD to buy this... because I could!

3. I felt my head start to clear late in the afternoon.

4. I made a decision to go out to dinner every night with my journal, my book and the notes from the day's classwork.  It was a very relaxing way to study and ponder all that I am learning.

Hannah also gave me a gift today with another great perspective "Mom, it is like you are studying abroad!... in your 50's."

the london diaries. breakfast with the queen.

Look at the lovely scene that greeted me at breakfast.  They don't call them Bed & Breakfasts for nothing.  My darling proprietress is a fellow House of Colour consultant in Rickmansworth, and she has exquisite taste.  The greek yogurt and fresh berries that were waiting for me this morning really hit the spot.  She also put out some lovely ham and cheese which made for the perfect breakfast, with hot tea of course.

It was all the more perfect when I perused the room and who should I see looking my way but THE QUEEN.  She sat in the china hutch and smiled while I finished breakfast. It was a nice way to start the day.

the london diaries. there have been tears.

I am not sure why this trip have been heart wrenching for me so far.  For one, I am not used to being so far from home ALONE.  I miss my wonderful travel companion husband so much it aches... and for some reason being so far away from my bunnies feels painful.  I literally had tears running down my cheeks when my plane took off, and I cried myself to sleep today when I napped after landing at my B&B. I have honestly been a mess. And my heart hurts.

It did help that 1.) I got a wifi connection figured out so that FaceTime communications can commence with the hubby and the bunnies 2.) I found some food and 3.) I took a walk in the neighborhood with my camera and it fed my soul.  Evidenced in the photos above.  After our hard, hard winter in the Midwest I had almost forgotten the thrill of green budding plants and spring blossoms.  I plan to walk around my neighborhood everyday after my training to soak up the blissful way that the English do flowers.

We have established that I am not a fan of traveling this far from home alone, and that I can't remember crying so many tears at-the-drop-of-a-hat, but it didn't help that today was Mothers Day in the UK.  Everywhere I looked was a grandma cuddling a grandbaby or a family gathered to celebrate mom with pink-wrapped gifts and flowers. I loved seeing it, but my own heart strings were stretched too tight.

I would covet your prayers because even though my surroundings are so beautiful (as the photos attest) I am a bit of a mess. I know that God has called me to pursue this work & training, which I hope to be a ministry to women to well,  but I have got to stop the crying.  My sweet USMC, retired Michael J. Blanc wisely said "You need to consider it like a deployment. The first few days suck, but then you need to get about doing the work that you came there for."  Those are my new marching orders.

the london dairies.

 Look at the charming front door that welcoming me to England.

My new business venture with House of Colour has taken me to London for training.  I am currently jet-lagged, travel weary and can barely see straight but I want to get my first post up.  I have decided that Mother Rabbit will share her English adventures here as The London Dairies, thanks for the prompting of Inspired Living editor & friend, Chris Christen.

I have much I want to say already... about plane travel and getting your bearings in a new place... but since it is 3am across the pond, I am going to refrain from writing more than that I landed at Heathrow and then I landed at my B&B at 78 Nightingale Road in Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, England.  I begin my two week training tomorrow in nearby Watford at the House of Colour headquarters.

I am about 20 miles north of London and am happy to be nestled outside the city where what I call English charm really shows. If you look closely at the bottom photo you can see a window propped open on the top floor.  That is my room and what I will call home for the next two weeks.