Saturday, June 6, 2009

The Rain in... London?

I feel like I should stop being surprised when I wake up and it is below 50 degrees, raining and just miserable looking outside. It is London. Jet Lag is still on my tail and woke me up just after 7am this morning- but it made for a relaxing morning of calm reading before the big day of my pseudo brother- Kyle's graduation! Congratulations on graduation (outside) on the coldest day in June with the longest graduation ceremony I think I have EVER been too! It was only 6 hours later, plenty of nice British and American new friendships, Champagne on the soggy lawn, surrounded by TASIS (The American School in Switzerland- London) graduates, pictures and memories... that I realized I was so numb from the weather and beyond cold that I was finally able to have a conversation without my lips chattering. In all though, it was a wonderful ceremony, Ky-guy got the highest award the school gives (who's surprised) and we all cried.... Congratulations!

But as I was de-thawing back home in Ascot... my big passed on to me Gwyneth Paltrow's website and it seemed to make everything better... check out http://goop.com and I hope you are as delighted as I was...

Hopefully pictures to come!

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

badmiton in ascot...

June in London is beautiful... at least it was yesterday! Arriving after noon, I made my way from Heathrow to the Wyper Resident's tucked away in Ascot outside the city. It was a gorgeous summer day in Surrey- one that all Englishmen and women stop what they are doing to sit outside and simply soak up every ounce of sunlight that covers their body. Life shuts down as the sun comes out. It is that very afternoon that I learned how to play English Badminton in the backyard- a game I quickly became addicted too!

Today was a different story however... the sunshine was only a hint in our imagination as the typical, dreary, English countryside was splashed with the ever so horrible liquid sunshine- as the Scot's would say. Luckily, it never rained, but it made us exchange our swimsuits and tans for TOMS and jeans. Quiet the change. However, it was a nice change to the Texan... I embraced the cool weather and opportunity for a fleece in exchange for the Texas summer weather I so happily left!

We kept today simply- in all efforts to battle Jet Lag- I slept over 12 hours and stayed up past 10pm last night...quite the accomplishment! Yet somehow today I still felt dragging as we shopped the high streets of Windsor and scaled the castle walls with guards looking on...

But in the end, I am simply enjoying my summer home and other family.. it is good to be in Ascot. The Ascot Royal races start in a little over a week- no doubt we will be entertained with royal and fashion alike!