Barb n Shinny at Aroma, naturally 

sunset, breeze and bliss 

Tan and happy parents in Florida 

Mary's artistry  

Mary Mar, KQ, and Babs U on our picnic in G-town 

Oliver, my adorable host 

back in the US of A

How happy am I?

I've got that 'bar voice' when you've been talking loud in smoky crowds, I am watching Barefoot Contessa make home made granola from Helena & Michael's guest quarters, I am about to go get a pedicure and I just had a terrific coaching session.

Ahh, America.

Blog readers, I have so much to update you on, and I will...

For now, just know I have a great big smile on my face.

what? no bugging?

People -- I thought you CARED! I haven 't written for 19 days and no one has even NOTICED. Wah.

Ok, maybe you were being polite because I was 'in the soup' awaiting word from the old UK Home office on the old visa. Well, I heard. And the answer was a nice fat no.

Needless to say, there are other details to be made, but suffice it to say, I'll be visiting my homeland in May. Sushi, burritos, dollars, NPR, local phone calls, Fresh Fields, beaches of Florida, siblings, parents, beloved friends, margaritas, the metro, loud Americans, cheerful Americans, HBO, right hand side-drivers... bring it on.

in the soup

yeah... I haven't been very inspired the last few weeks. Seems like when a lot is swirling in one's head that it would make sense to write some of it down. I secretly must enjoy the fullness of it because I know once you start writing, that it will start making sense. And that's not always whatya want.

What's happening:

1. I am awaiting news of my student visa. Should hear anyday now. My passport and my future living is in flux, waiting for an answer. (Cue finger drumming and watching kettle boil)
2. Mark is on the West coast of the US for 10 (!) days.
3. Solo living takes some time to get used to
4. I am messy
5. I am not brushing my teeth at night
6. I haven't made the bed
7. I am watching too much TV
8. I have giant spurts of activity, followed by hours of reading quietly
9. I am not eating balanced meals
10. I am going to plant flowers this weekend
11. I bought a book on the basics of gardening
12. And another novel
13. And some diet coke
14. The pope is sick
15. And MOST riveting, I've been working on an Excel worksheet for tracking clients

See -- not remotely interesting. Which is why I have been a bit quiet. I guess I've been waiting for some news that I could broadcast. I DO appreciate the demands for updates, proving to me that people other than my Mom read this.

Readers- are you out there? Tell me what YOU are doing. I need some entertainment and company.

you know spring is coming when

1. the birds are chirping like crazy at 3:00 a.m.
2. you see one person in hat, scarf & big coat, and in the next minute, another person in shorts
3. suddenly, people are EVERYWHERE
4. the night buzzes
5. teenagers seem more mischievous
6. you feel more mischievous
7. planting flowers seems very important thing to do
8. you hate all your winter clothes
9. your limbs are very, very pale and scared to be exposed outside
10. you want to hang clean sheets on the clothes line
11. margaritas call to you
12. you regret every cookie in the last 4 months and wonder why you didn't make getting REALLY fit your winter project so you would be excited to wear small amounts of clothes instead of dreading it
13. Easter bonnets seem cute
14. you spot blooms on trees and are totally surprised
15. all your windows are filthy
16. you sense that the world is not all lost after all

life insight coaching LIVE, baby

My coaching site is live and well! I am well glad it is Out There and I have a shingle to hang.

I want to publicly thank these fine folks for help in getting it into the world:

1. Mike "Cynical G" Bateman, for his cheery and clever design. Able to take the Network Solutions templates and successfully put lipstick on the pig without complaint.

2. Heather Roberts, for lending her artistic muscle and creative eye to help me with my web photo.

3. Lexie/Lexington/Lexicon Bebbington, for her immediate and enthusiastic feedback on content, images, and her impromptu gender polling of Martin for the male view, and loving support.

4. Barbara Faculjak, my all time favourite editor, always able to make it clean and clear and real within 10 minutes, while driving or on a conference call.

5. Mark Johnston, for endless name brainstorming ideas, for getting excited with and for me, reviewing every step of the way, and bankrolling my domain name and web registration.

6. Friend and Family Network, for encouragement and 'YAY' e-mails, and letting me know what you think.


Now you know a life coach. For whenever you want to work on something. Or know someone who does. Or just want to see what it is about. (and in 6 months the price goes up :-) )

www.lifeinsightcoaching.com

Dears Martin and Lexie. Out for Italian when I was visiting them in their sea side town near Bournemouth.  

means to an end

I thought I'd ride a bike here in Cambridge. I had visions of me (with long, flowing hair) pedaling through the streets on a one-speeder with a basket with fresh flowers and a baguette -- sun shining -- perhaps singing and practicing going no-handed. Oh so misguided.

People don't ride their bikes here for sport or pleasure. Is is transportation -- getting to work, the shops, the pub, school. And I have seen death and gravity defying riders -- the mother with one toddler behind, one in front and shopping bags on the handle bars, talking on a cell phone, without breaking stride. No one has helmets on. They aren't wearing sporting clothes. People regularly smoke while riding. Or smoke AND talk on the phone while riding.

It is not like we have all dedicated bike lanes either. Many roads are really not meant for travel in both directions for cars -- and then add bikers on top of that and it is squishy. Lots of bikers. And of course, bikes don't have to obey traffic laws. Everyone knows that. Stop lights are for suckers in the cars.

The bikes are ratty- with Sainsbury bags on the seats because it almost always likely to rain here. They are old and rusty and banged up and it seems they are locked up with shoelaces or not at all. I think of how many friend's bikes have been stolen in DC with heavyduty state-of-the-art locks and wheels taken off and whatnot. Seems like it is no biggie here.

I frankly think I'd be better off learning to DRIVE on the left here than bike. At least then I;d have doors and a roof protecting me. I'll admit it, I am a little chicken. Or maybe since the leisurely wheel down the street is out of the question, I'll just stick to hoofing it. The joy is in the journey, isn't it??

I hate the bus

Now that I 'commute' in Cambridge on the Citi 2 several times a week, I have come to several realisations/realizations.

1. I hate the bus
2. Every 10 minutes means "very occasionally" especially when you have to pee, it is raining, or cold or if you are in a hurry.
3. Some drivers are mean
4. Some drivers hum
5. Old ladies and young mothers ride the bus a lot
6. The crazy/smelly person will always sit next to you if you silently pray "please don't sit next to me"
7. Kids are loud
8. People have no issue taking up more of the seat then is rightly their share
9. Sometimes kids are really cute
10. If you are tired of waiting and start walking, the bus will pass you as you try to make it to the next stop.
11. They advertise for Women Drivers to be bus drivers here.
12. If you get on a very crowded bus after waiting for 30 minutes, 3 empty ones will be right behind it.
13. When you are in a hurry, someone gets on the bus and asks the driver many many questions about the bus system.
14. You see the same people all the time and they see you and you have an unspoken Bus People relationship
15. You learn to walk 3 blocks to get the 25p cheaper fare.
16. There are 15x more of the other bus lines on the road than the one you are looking for. "That is the 3rd Number 7 that has gone past in the last 10 minutes and NO number 2s"
17. I am not a big fan of the bus

yay 

taking away the February gray 

on a roll

• skived = played hooked, as in "Mark skived off of work on Wednesday and we watched daytime TV" (totally hypothetical of course)
• having a laugh = you are joking
• revision = reviewing/studying
• private school = public school -- open to everyone -- cheaper
• public school = private, more exclusive (I know, what?)
• A Levels = I can't even explain when you get these, but I know there also used to be 'O' Levels too
• Qualifications = what you leave school with. You need them to really get any job. If you leave school without them, you can pretty much be promised a life of manually crappy jobs and low pay
• chemist= drugstore
• plaster = bandaid
• jacket potato = baked potato (and they put weird things on as toppings, like corn and tuna)
• threw a wobbly = got mad
• porridge = oatmeal
• Hen night = Bachelorette party
• prawns = shrimp. Never see the word shrimp here. Not that I can eat them.
• programme = program
• estate car = station wagon
• overtake = pass
• motorway = expressway/freeway
• roundabout = driving circle, except people know how to navigate them, unlike DuPont Circle

truth

I saw two (!) women wearing leg warmers today.

how COULD I have forgotten?

So integrated that I have simply swallowed them without notice.

washing up = doing the dishes
washing up liquid - dishwashing soap
kitchen roll= paper towels
cling film = saran wrap
loo = toilet
in a tick = in a mo, in a minute, shortly
postman = mailman
Bob's your uncle = there you are
fancy = like , as in "I fancy a coffee, do you?" Or "she does not fancy him."

more englishisms

• chav = white trash/ghetto cool, but trying too hard. Like too much Burberry with a gold chain or your low riders riding so low people see your thong in full view. Also trucker caps. See J Lo. Also B Spear's hubby
• travelers = not like gypsies, Mark declares, as I try to write "gypsies". People who choose to live in vans and buses on the outskirts of villages and "travel about" when the farmers who own the land kick them off. They do odd jobs and so not participate in regular society. Note: I am fascinated with these people and am constantly asking Mark the difference between the UK homeless, the yobs and the travelers (you know, gypsies) and he is sick of answering questions, so if any of you have any intelligence on the subtle differences, please write in.
• dinner ladies = lunch ladies (even though they call it lunch here)
• Sloane girls = IT girls
• working class= blue collar workers
• leisure center = gym
• nail varnish = nail polish
• fag = ciggie, cigarette
• government artist = people on the dole -- who live on social security (welfare)
• spotted dick = sponge with currents, a.k.a cake with raisins

A correction

• kit= uniform, as opposed to my previous definition of undies. " Get your kit off"