My Party People

Sometimes its hard to believe I'm here. I find myself telling Jodi and Jonathon 'I'm here in England' or 'I came to see you!' and they just laugh and say yes you did. Being here with them and the girls is amazing. Planning my trip to London, getting to know the people they introduce me to, listening to these amazing girls talk about everything and anything that is of utmost importance. I feel so blessed to be here. 

Upon the arrival of my host back to their home we went out and ate at Nandos. Shame on me, I didn't get the chicken. We'll have to go again before I leave. Twas a lovely place and we had a blast. The girls kept trying to escape and that was hilarious to watch. After we ate, we

walked around town and like a tourist I took pictures of everything...like...everything. Statues, pipes with cloves growing on them, more statues, the girls running about, and more statues. 

Next day we went out and ventured to the park, the girls, Jodi, and I. This was quite the event. I realized that child socializing is a stressful thing for me. I become very concerned with their social experiences and how they will scar them for life. The girls had a blast though, they eventually(after careful consideration) found friends and played with them. It even got to the point where there was a bit of screaming about lack of fairness when one of the new friends had to leave. 

This brought us to the swings where I stood by while Jodi pushed tiny princess on the swing. There was another mother pushing her darling baby on the swing. This neighboring mother was noticing bigger princess being a bit shy trying to find new friends. We got to talking, the three of us adults, and then the question was asked. 
" So...how did you two...I mean...how did you guys get two mixed babies between the two of you" Said the interested neighboring momma
" Huh?" Said Jodi and I in confusion
" I mean, how did you guys have two mixed raced babies together?" She asked again, looking a little less sure in her questioning
" They're not mine." I said laughing
" They're mine." Jodi says with a laugh
" Oh! I just thought, you(pointing at me) were so invested in them. Oh goodness. Can we just forget I ever asked that?(not on your life)" 

We all had a good laugh about that. Probably a story I'll tell for the rest of my life. So far I've flashed half of Aylesbury my bum, been confused for a lesbian, and have had tea and pudding which had nothing to do with actual tea and actual pudding! This has been amazing. 

It has been asked how this whole adventure began, why did I come to England. Well, its simple, I missed my peeps. They moved to England so I saved up and it was either buy a ticket to England or buy a car. I got the ticket, told my job I'd be gone for three months, got on the plane and here I am! No man, no kids, no responsibilities. Off I went and I'm so glad I did. 

Today found me in a pub for the first time in my life. It was pretty awesome, the bar tender ladies were nice. They talked slowly to me after they found out that I was from America. First time that has happened. Usually they just laugh at me and then ask me how I'm liking England. Didn't end up getting a drink but I got some fish and chips which Jodi and Jonathan said was sub par in comparison to where I could get real fish and chips. Which I find funny since they're both vegetarian. 
 
Went to the library and inquired about books on the last Russian empire, the Romanov family. The librarian was very confused about that. A walk around downtown brought us to a little mall where these two walking advertisements were holding hawk like birds and directing people to the Aylesbury exhibit with dress up! The market street was covered in little tents with nick knacks and clothes and fresh fruits and vegetables. There was also a random guy selling Native American stuff in a not so authentic Native American garb and pretending to play a flute.

Very random day. I loved it. I'm gonna call it Freddy.

Happy Sabbath Adventure!

Be warned my sweet atheist friends of wonder, this post has lots of loving on my Lord and savior Jesus Christ. Skip it if you want.

So we went to church today and that was actually really nice. I haven't been to church in a long time, kinda been avoiding the whole scene since my last church went for the long sleep and everyone I went to church with kinda moved away. I think its easier to go to church when you're just visiting cause you know its not a commitment. Hopefully this will start me back in the habit of getting myself to church on sabbath. 

After church, the lovely family that gave me a lift took me to their place and we had "tea" cause it wasn't quite lunch time and it wasn't quite dinner time. Sadly there wasn't exactly any tea involved. Just...the word "tea". It did however involve a lovely meal and "pudding" which isn't exactly pudding. It was however a great cake like thing with jam and some kind of custard in the middle. It was really good. 

Turns out I'm an answer to prayer. This lovely couple were looking for someone to baby sit their amazingly funny son and here I am with a long history of working with children. It all works out wonderfully. I of course said yes, it would really be an answer to my prayers as well! So its possible that I could have a little working gig thing while I'm here which would be nice for a few more pounds(currency, not weight....I don't need more weight). Another plus, out their kitchen window is a gate that I'm in love with and I could stare at it all day if I baby sat for them. 

Their child, who is so funny and quick with a come back has this painting that he did. Story is that there was a penguin in the background, but the child has named the painting "the penguin is gone" since you can no longer see the penguin. I personally believe its genius and I agree with the mom that its gonna be worth millions when this kid is a professional painter.

Back to the adventure, we drove all over town and saw lots of houses that looked like little story book houses, a taxi cab that had the funniest name, and more of the strange driving habits of the citizens of Aylesbury

Anyhoo, it was a great day and I really felt that God touched the hearts of everyone at that church today. There was a wonderful speaker there today and she gave a great message about seeing God again soon. I'm so grateful to be here and I'm loving every minute of it. I thank God for being here today and all the opportunities that come with it. I'm so excited to see what happens tomorrow. 





Also, this soap is the truth. I need it in America. Like, yesterday. 

It has an amazing spicy smell and it sticks with you for hours after you use it. I usually only smell soap on me for a little bit but then I dry off. I smell this for so long. I love it. Also, it has a crown on it. 

They aren't paying me to post this soap...but they should...cause I love it.

World's Longest Panini

Just as I can't prove that these are pterodactyls I'm seeing flying around town, I also can't prove that I ingested the world's longest panini today. Maybe I'm just really American and didn't know that a panini can be a foot long. Twas a delicious panini though.

I walked down to the tiny shopping area again and went into some stores I hadn't the last time. Found this adorable little coffee place and I was called 'Love' more times than I ever had been in my entire life. Felt much more confident this time with the purchasing and being handed coins instead of paper bills. Had some interesting lemon drink from Italy. The lady at the store made an amazing face while explaining to me how this lemony goodness would taste.

This building be so close to where my host of wonders live, I'm sure I'll stop here a few more times. Must have more ridiculously long panini goodness. 

More awesome things learned about England! Cars actually stop when you approach a crossing lane. Like...they just stop and stare at you like you should just expect the ability to cross to be available to you. Its awesome. 

No wardrobe malfunctions today which is great. I was brave enough to take a picture of someone's roses. I was afraid some old lady would come out with a cane and beat me if she caught me canoodling with her beautiful roses. 

Mama, I found the hair salon for me. Be super proud of me.  

Church tomorrow. Time to figure out what to wear and await the return of my dear Burnetts. Gonna squeeze those little princess. 

Also got the bus route times. Shall be interesting to follow up with that on Monday(they don't go out on sunday and I shall be busy on Sabbath).

First Day(awake) in Aylesbury

I spent most of day one in Aylesbury asleep cause jetlag will always get you. I'm not sure if I slept in till 12 or 2 today but whatever. First thing I did was try to take a shower. This didn't go so well. I figured out the monster shower head thing but then I spent fifteen minutes picking everything up around me asking "Is this soap?". I figured out that nothing in the bathroom was soap since my host had to travel and most likely took it with them, like sane people do. I decided not to do this when I traveled for reasons unknown to me. 

So I got dressed, thought I was looking cute, made myself all purty to go walking about the town. Its drizzling, not to worry, I stole my mother's umbrella. I'll be fine. My hair had retained some of the straight properties from my friend flat ironing it and I thought, 'what the hay, lets wear it down'. My hair now stands three inches all around my head in poof and my umbrella is inside out. Not to worry I forgot all my hair bands at home! So I twisted my hair into a bun in an alley way that I found by a fish and chips shop that I shall visit tomorrow. 



On my walk of wonders I found a few awesome things. Roses! Roses everywhere. Every other house had rose bushes. I thought that was awesome. I'm pretty sure I saw a pterodactyl, can't be certain cause it flew by really fast but....it was a pterodactyl. Found a pub, really big building. It was across the street from a church, little building. Found that hilarious. All the shop keep boys were adorable and I was sweating like someone has dumped a bucket of water on me. 


Found out they don't bag your stuff for you. I was staring, smiling sweetly at the cashier guy after he rung up my food and soap, waiting for him to bag my stuff. He just stared back. Then I realized...I bag it. So I laughed and told him that this is my second day in this country and I am still figuring it out. He told me I'd get the hang of it. Then he handed me my change. I expected one pound bills but apparently not. I got coins and I stared at him again making strange meow sounds. He laughed and said we have coins here too. So I stammered about and said that I shall stop acting like a tourist any moment now and ran laughing out the store. 

After walking around a bit, going into a thrift store and a martins which turned out to be a pharmacy, I started on my journey home. This eluded me to a very funny fact(one that I will laugh about later...not now), my dress that I was so excited to wear has a slip under a lace part. I had been tugging at the lace part all during my adventure but apparently that's all I had been tugging at. The slip part had ridden up to my underwear and had been up there for God knows how long. This might be why I was honked at, people where staring at my dress funny and a old lady grumbled saying cheeky as she walked past me. 

(the stove almost won)

I have flashed all of the Queen's England half my bottom and my entire left leg. And what a leg it was. I always liked my left leg best, which is funny cause I love my right hand. Any hoo, I'll laugh about that one day. Now I'm going to eat pizza(since I finally figured out the stove, see picture to the left for rare sight of me dying by a strange stove monster beast), drink a whole jug of cranberry juice and have a proper shower. (Don't worry mom, they were very clean undies that so many sweet innocent bystanders got to see)


I'll have to venture out there again. Maybe take the bus to downtown Aylesbury. I will wear a dress that requires less tugging. Maybe something with leggings. Up side. I found a flower on the street. It had fallen off the bush so I thought it was okay to take it with me.
So all in all, I think this was a successful adventure! I'm pretty sure that I exceeded my own expectations and usual abilities when it comes to outgoingness(not a word). I'm excited to see what happens tomorrow.

I Go Bitter

Could be the weather, could also be cause I’m home alone in a home that isn’t exactly my home. More like I’m being extendedly cat sat. Surely it not because I’m 27 and have never been kissed, still… been a little fixated on that lately… Gonna try not to focus on that for the rest of the entry, don’t hold your breath though.

Pretty sure it’s a character flaw of mine. Mix in the sexually charged music I listen to, stories I read, TV shows I watch, and the slew of married people I tend to hang around showing how much they love each other… ugh. I have a bad habit of internalizing everything I see.

Billboard of a pretty lady eating an apple quickly turns into “I’m sure she’s married or has at least dated, I should eat more apples, and this is why you’re fat”. Couple showing affection to one another quickly becomes “Look at how much he loves her, she obviously has something you don’t have, let us point out the ways you’re different from her and will never be her for the rest of the day”. Cute clothes on a commercial or ad in a magazine rolls around in my brain like “None of these will look good on you, you’re a potato, go back to your tee-shirts and jeans”.

My therapist has assigned me with the slightly challenging task of doing one nice thing for myself everyday since I can’t seem to make my brain be nice to myself. Moments of silence today where I’m crocheting, watching a TV show (Younger, cute show, I should not watch it in the mind set that I had today), and am completely alone with a dog I hate seem to send me spiraling down a path of internal bitterness.

Perhaps bitter isn’t a good word. I’m not sure what the best word is. I can feel myself sagging, melting into this pile of why bother and everything sucks. I’m sure its just the depression but there is another word for it… It doesn’t matter what the word is I guess, all that matters is that I don’t like it. Feeling like I’m in the passenger seat to my own emotions, watching my ability to smile or continue to function like an adult slip away at the drop of a careless word or a kiss given to a loved one in my presence.

Guess I should lead with happy sometimes, I’m going to England soon, August actually. I hope that will help my current disposition. I am happening to go to the gloomiest looking country in the world with rain every other hour but I’m excited for a change of scenery. I will be around yet another married couple but I will also venture out into the world, try and see it one step at a time, lots of pictures to be taken for sure.

Shouldn’t be like this, shouldn’t be so easy for me to fall apart at the drop of the hat. Even with the prospect of glorious adventure in my future, I can’t even remember it in my random times of despair. What am I going to do with myself? I was on meds, but I hated how they made me feel. I’d be fine during the day and a zombie at night. Hoping to get that fixed very soon, not looking forward to my doctor’s disappointed face and going back on meds. Just wish I had some kind of even playing field, like normal people who can function day to day without wanting to stay in bed and cry over simple things.

Oh to not be completely ridiculous all the time, that would be a welcomed change.

Song: Long Long Way by Damien Rice

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5yRKJ-gU48