Season's Greetings!

I hope everyone has all the hustle and bustle behind them now! I wish you all a relaxing and Merry Christmas and hope to visit you soon.

My dad as a little boy with a hand painted wax old world Santa.

I love my pink bride's bowl with the old ornaments.

An old Victorian blue feather tree...

                                       

My favorite childhood nativity scene.

Is there anything prettier than red toile at Christmas? I love decorating with it in my pie safe.

And in our guest bedroom....

We painted this room Benjamin Moore's Wilmington Tan this past summer. It warmed it

up so much and I love it with the toile and red shades.

My grandfather's old tin Santa plate is back up in the kitchen...

The old postcards are displayed...

My 21 year old son is home for Christmas, but sure do miss him at this age!

Loved when my kids believed in Santa!

Thankful my mom is still here this year...as frail as she is...I am blessed to have her and my dad at the age of 91....soon to be 92~

London

I have been remiss at blogging lately. I just don't find the time I guess. I was in London for ten days with my son Kyle. He was accpeted there to attend Grad school at the London School of Economics.

 

I never thought we'd get there....8 hours of flying is a lot for me! Then we had to live through Customs and the TUBE...somehow I survived but it made me feel OLD....We got there at rush hour and it was so crowded....no one looks at each other, no one smiles, everyone is just walking or running up the stairs, even on the elevators....just to get on that tube as soon as possible to get wherever they are going. Then of course you must have your ticket or Oyster card ready to get in and out of there...it took me a few days to catch on but I did figure it all out. Oh another thing....there are very very few fat or chubby people on the tube. It really must keep them all in great shape! I did find myself walking a lot and naturally I wore my CROCS...I must have been the only one there wearing them too. Most wear flat boots or sneakers or pretty shoes...nothing as ugly as my crocs!!! I let that go and decided my comfort was more important than having pretty feet. I did love the fashions though and wished I were at least 20 years younger. My son fit right in being a student....London is made for his age group.

It took us so long to find a "flat" for my son to live for nine months. He did find two flatmates, both girls...and a day before I was to leave, we found a 3 bedroom flat.   London is not cheap...but oh my.....the architecture is to die for....

                                                                  Tower of London

                                   I couldn't stop snapping pics of the doorways and windows!

and I found that the Brits are very polite....also I like how they are very environmental conscious....they charge you in some places for a paper bag and they don't give out gobs of napkins like we do here. I loved their little store called PRET...lots of fresh healthier foods than our fast food places. We ate there a lot.

I went to see Phantom of the Opera by myself....it was in this gorgeous old theater.....just wonderful.
Saw Buckingham Palace..loved the grounds around it and the swans. Went to the Tower of London...

Saw the Cabinet War Rooms, the Eye of London, Westminster Abby...

Buckingham Palace gate

 Look how even the Subway stores are gorgeous! 

My favorite place was a little toy museum I had to walk and walk and WALK to find.

 I wasn't so impressed with Oxford Street....just so so crowded and I felt lost there like a fish out of water. 

Here's an Apple Computer store....I mean, they are artworks in and of themselves!

A few days we sat in the hotel room looking for flats on my son's computer and calling agents.....peak season there for students and everyone had already either found one or was looking like we were....not easy.

I loved the museums and churches....you could spend days and days looking in them.

My son loved the nightlife but I was happy to stay home and rest my feet! 

It was lonely coming home by myself... I pray Kyle is happy there and stays safe.