Week 1

The week before we moved, in a tearful blink of an eye, we packed boxes for storage, packed beloved items for London, sold one car, arranged the movement of another car across the country, drank goodbye cocktails with friends, contracted a rental tenant for our little house on Norvell, arranged cleaning and lawn maintenance, drank more goodbye cocktails with friends, fit in one last MRI for my continuing ailing knee (because, you know, I had nothing else to do...), rented a van, and drove ourselves and our panicked cats to the airports for butts in seat, 7:20 p.m. departure, SFO to LHR.  Thank goodness that flight was 2 hours delayed . . . we would've never made it otherwise!!  Needless to say, I needed a large glass of wine by the time the dust had settled.  Or 2.  Either way, the tears had not subsided.

Somehow, heads a spinning, we arrived in this foreign country for the next chapter of our lives.  The unpacking ironically took half a day given we brought only what could come on the plane for free.  The rest of the next few days were spent recovering from jet lag, getting to know our new little Flat, exploring a few of the local pubs for dinner, and acquiring just a few very basic items needed to function . . . and by basic, I am talking basic here.  To date, we still do not have a table from which to eat our meals!  Just as soon as the jet lag seemed to wear off, I turned right back around the next weekend to return to California to photograph one last wedding!  I was hesitant to keep the contract, but in the end, of course, I was so glad I went.  I was able to spend some much needed quality time with two of my most favorite people in this world, to say goodbye properly without the cloud of stress that is moving hovering above my head, to reflect on the change and this new life ahead, and to ultimately, get back on that plane headed for LHR without the tears.  Because, afterall, London is Calling!

British beer is indeed said basic item needed to function.  True story.

We had such beautiful weather when we arrived.  We spent a lovely Saturday evening having a picnic in the Heath, an enormous park overlooking central London.

On a last minute whim, I threw Liam's scooter in one of the boxes of said beloved items to be taken to London.  And thank goodness I did.  We would be nowhere, literally, without it.  EVERY child his age is scooting around town on one of these and given our 2 mile roundtrip walk to school everyday, we will be fitting right in.

Two of three little pieces of outdoor space for our Flat.  Every little piece of sky counts here.  What may look like a side alley to some is actually a fantastic soccer kicking tunnel to others.  As an aside, this British Tea Time is definitely a custom I could get used to.

Our first official dinner at home.  Gee, only took, let's see, 5 days ....

Liam getting over some serious jet lag.  We woke up no earlier than 11 am for 3 days straight . . .

From one home sweet home to another . . .