Danny and Annie

This is the sweetest!!! Expand the video to fit the entire screen so you can read the text.

I was probably the only person walking past Leicester (pronounced Lester) Square and Chinatown with two bags of groceries in my hands. Everyone else was either in front of a camera, behind a camera, at bar or restaurant or wearing a miniskirt heading to the club...basically having a Saturday night out. I was buying groceries and being busy at home writing a paper that's due Monday.

How mundane for a weekend night in London!

This past week was half-term - so no school. However, I was at the school EVERY SINGLE DAY working on my project that is also due Monday. Some people in the class had it done before the break started, others got it done early on in the week or part way through. Some were there until the end like I was and it was only today that I finished it! Except, now that I think about it - I have a few things to write...but it's just a sentence here and there. No big deal.

It's okay that my "free" week wasn't free. I wanted to explore the process rather than just get the assignment done...so more work for me. Yeahhh.......trailing off.

So I have good news. There are four rooms in this flat - three decent sized rooms (quite large for around here) and then there is my room. The baby bear of the bunch. The other day Tanvir, my flatmate and also owner of this flat, told me that they weren't going to worry about finding a 4th flatmate for now and that if I ever needed to use the table in the spare room for my projects I could!!! I went into the room to check it out and the table is big! Big enough to easily fit a plan that I would be working on! I am so happy about this! He told me I could use that room anytime for reading or studying or whatever. How awesome is that. (I think he feels bad about me being holed in this room when I do school work). And it looks out over Shaftesbury Avenue...pop some popcorn and pull up a chair. People watching out that window...

Other good news. I found a new artist that I really like! I have just posted some of her work on the right hand side where Michael Honnor's art work used to be. So enjoy that!

Another thing that makes me happy is this image that my sister took at Rivendell today! Ah! I love it! It is now the wallpaper on my phone.

I will be happy to be going to bed very soon. I still have 500 words to write that I really wanted to get done today, but my head is going to roll.

Last happy happy of the day (no I didn't type too many happys there) is that I live in London and I love it here and I feel so at home here. Even if I am stressed or tired, or if  my makeup isn't working (today) or my hair is hopeless (today) or my face is bleh (today) I am always happy. I laugh all the time when I see what I am surrounded by. These city streets bring me delight!

Hope you are happy wherever you are.

Sunday

Not a very creative post title, but my lower back is hurting from sitting at my desk so I can't think of anything else except for which day it is. In front of me I have watched the rain come and go. Blue skies are out for the evening, but I am sitting on the inside of my window - catching up on correspondence...although I am not doing a very good job.

Next week is half-term. So no classes. Just A LOT of school work. Yeah, when I think of all that has to be done by the time school starts again a week from tomorrow - well, I don't want to think about it so nevermind.

It's ten to 6 o'clock but I think I will take a 15 minute power nap. Then knock out the email I need to send. Then maybe some vegetables and hopefully an early bedtime.

Last night the flat directly above my bedroom partied until well past 2 am - you can image my sleep quality...

...15 minutes turned into....more than that.

Oh - and I have posted several things over at my other blog lately... Lorien Hall Everyday

Birthday Party for John Brooks!

Okay all - I just published a fantastic post of my adventurous night out! It revolves around attending the 80th birthday party for one of the most influential garden designers of the late 20th century - John Brooks.

Post can be found HERE

More personal stuff coming to Wheaties soon.

Yeah!!!

Kew Gardens on a Saturday

I went to Kew Gardens from late afternoon til early evening. I have two posts up about the experience, but one is only half-way finished (though still published).

Here's a link to the completed post: The Blind Man and the Tree

I'll post a link to the other post once it's finished...but if you just can't wait!: A Saturday Afternoon at Kew Gardens

*******

I finally gave in and bought a small printer today. I had been thinking I could just get by using the school printer as I am trying not to overspend. But with the building hours being as limited as they are (open one hour before school and one hour after - closed on weekends)... I decided that having the option to print at home would be important. Good thing it fits nicely under my short bed. 

What I did't buy today was a dress and smart trousers. I need outfits that don't require jeans because that's pretty much all I have! There are certain places and/or occassions you can't go with jeans. They will lock you out. So I will try to do that Monday eve before some crucial events next week. 

Cheers.

Friday Night

All I want to do is write about garden design and eat shortbread cookies.

Anthony Paul Talks

Okay - well I just posted over on my other blog - you will want to check it out. Anthony Paul came to the Inchbald today and it was enlightening, hopeful, encouraging and insightful. That's what the post is about - and there's even pictures.

Cheers. Going to bed now.

Make No Little Plans

Make no little plans. They have no magic to stir men's blood and probably themselves will not be realized. Make big plans; aim high in hope and work, remembering that a noble, logical diagram once recorded will never die, but long after we are gone will be a living thing, asserting itself with ever-growing insistency. Remember that out sons and grandsons are going to do things that would stagger us. Let your watchword be order and your beacon beauty. Think big. - Daniel Burnham.

It's Wednesday, which means no class. I am here at the school regardless, organizing my brain, files, calendars, papers, and due dates. For me, Wednesday's are the best days to come to school! Very few people are here to interrupt my thoughts and I can work on what I need to for as long as I need to. It's very productive.

The weather has been GORGEOUS lately...not much rain at all and fairly warm. All you really need is a jacket and maybe a scarf, which is my preferred setting.

I can't believe I have been here over a month. School started 1 month ago today and I can't hardly believe that the time has passed so quickly. Kind of makes me nervous for how quickly the other months will go by.

Here is an excerpt of an email I wrote to a friend last night...

This post is continued on my other blog....Lorien Hall Everyday 

All To Myself*

*Originally written Octboer 3rd, 2013

My flat is a very particular one.

For example: I can't have house guests. Ever. Really. Oh - I want to invite a new friend over for dinner? Sorry, but no. What if my friends stop by and need a drink of water? Sorry, stay thirsty or buy a bottle from the corner market. Okay...so I am getting ready when they're gong to wait for me in my bedroom. Sorry, I said no, do you know what that means? Oaky...last one - they are visiting from overseas? I am not talking to you anymore.

Yes, this is my place (but I still love it here).

Also - there's never a dirty dish - you must clean it right away (which I actually like).

There's a squeegee in the bathroom so you can squeegee down the entire shower stall after you shower. Do it or else (I feel this is also a good habit, especially since there is lime scale in the water here. Yuck.)

Oh yes - shoes off at the entrance.

Cleaning rota.

A very particular, only-use-this-here-and-that-there cleaning rota.

BUT - both my flatmates are gone right now - does this ever happen? (Probably, but I am rarely home myself really). Sarah has left for work at the hospital for the night and Tanvir is at a party - he left with a few bottles of vino...and I have the entire flat to myself...whaa haa haa has a.

I have left my bedroom door wide open (which usually is shut tight) with Katy Perry's Part of Me and Wide Awake "blasting: as loud as my MacBook will let it.

*******

I did come home to dinner being prepared in the kitchen by both mates and was offered a plate of shrimp stir fry. I gratefully accepted, then was grilled about this whole Mormon bit.

Early To Bed, Early To Rise...Makes Me Awesome

So much for my 8:30pm bedtime!

I even took 4 "magic" sleeping pills just after 8:00pm as preparation.

I have this dream of going to bed early (not 8:30 early, but I am trying to catch up on sleep and avoid getting sick) and rising early which would surely lead to a very productive day, which surely leads to me being awesome. I don't have time for unproductive days. I just don't. 

At least tonight I will be in bed by 10:30pm - that's progress.

Next...

No breakfast.
Nachos for lunch.
A coke for dinner.
Late night bowl of cereal.
4 "natural" sleeping pills.

Can't say I'm winning this day.

Next...

I Don't Even Want To Title This Post

Coming back to a blog after being gone for a very long time is part anticipation, part trepidation.

To start with the trepidation: I hate having a post where you say (we all have them), "Oh, I'll be better at posting from now on....Oh, it's been so long, sorry.....blah blah blah - I have read so many - "I haven't posted in so long" posts I pretty much just think they are (super) annoying...in fact, some blogs are just those posts, I swear.

...and yeah, I am annoyed right now at my own blog post for being one of these. Normally I would just want to carry on as if it doesn't matter that it's been since...whenever I posted last (definitely not this year - or last?) But whatever - lots has changed since I was a regular on here. So I need some kind of post to break the ice. Although I could be more clever about it.

To continue on with the anticipation: I am (I think I am) excited to be back writing freely...no agenda, no particular audience, no image to keep up. Just me and my bowl of wheaties. You see, I thought I had buried this blog. And that it would be a piece of my history that was meant to collect dust. I have a new blog now where I am sharing stories and such, but it has more of a professional tone, I do believe - so some things, which I would write here - or used to write here - I probably wouldn't write there. And so there is no where to put it.

I have a massive headache - even though I tried to cure it with a coke...it worked for a little while, but now it's back with a vengeance...maybe the little detail of not-having-eaten-dinner-yet should matter? Not overrated, dinner.

Okay so here's what's changed.

I live in London currently. Not Orem, not Salt Lake City.
I am studying for my Postgraduate Diploma in Garden Design from the Inchbald School of Design, though I still maintain my landscape design business (now landscape & garden design, hee hee) back in Utah.
I am 32 almost 33, not 31 or 30 or however old I was last time I was here.
I am pleased with my hair currently, although the limescale in the London water is crap. Although, I believe I am mostly always pleased with my hair - so that really hasn't changed.
What else...
I haven't been able to write for several years. Really, though. As I have tried, I physically have been unable to write. Which actually, has devastated me. But I feel, with this move across seas, I am coming back to myself and words are coming to me again.

So that's what's really changed. And this is why I am back.

I can write again.

*******

Hey Dawn, what's up? Wink, wink.