{quotable thursdays}

This weekend I'm travelling to Edinburgh to celebrate a dear friend's wedding...
So, I've chosen two quotes from a 19th-century Scottish poet:

'Books are a finer world within the world.'

'In life there is nothing more unexpected and surprising than the arrivals and departures of pleasure. If we find it in one place today, it is vain to seek it there tomorrow. You can not lay a trap for it.'

                      -both by Alexander Smith (more from him here)

I was in Edinburgh a few years ago, and here are some pics I took (more here):

& some Scottish wedding inspiration:

{church pews}

{double decker trouble}

{golden mile true love}

& these are some of the fun guests who will be attending the wedding:

I'm staying in a lovely boutique hotel, which was once the home of the 19th-century essayist Christopher North...

{the facade}

pictures to follow for sure, 

x

L

{quotable thursdays}

{cats & home & soul}

I know what you're thinking...I'm becoming a crazy cat lady. But I have to dedicate this week's quote to this tiny feline friend of mine because being confined to this flat with this recovering knee means my only companion is Simla. And she is keeping me sane!

She also really makes this flat feel like a home.
We've been having some lovely sunny warm weather here & I've been enjoying meals in the back garden. This bank holiday weekend I'm *hoping* the sun will shine as I'm planning a very small do with croquet & a bbq...

{croquet?}

{vintage croquet}

& hoping we can eat outside: 

{fancy dining}

well, in reality it'll look more like this:

the forecast calls for rain, but let's cross our fingers it doesn't come!

Happy Bank Holiday weekend!!!

xo, 

L

{quotable thursdays}

{patience}

I'm in serious need of some patience around here. I'm at the almost 3-week mark of post-surgery, and while the knee is much better than it was two weeks ago, it's still slightly swollen and slightly painful and I can't do much. I'm sick of trying to walk properly, trying to do my exercises and still not feeling like things are right in there... I know it'll take time, and I need to change my attitude...but I just want to get out and not be scared of being knocked...I'm scared to take the tube, scared to deal with London crowds, and just frankly bored, even though I'm back to work & working hard from home.

There's my rant, now I need to have the calm acceptance that this knee won't heal as fast as I want it to, because nature has its way of healing.

serenity now

{running with birds}

Here's hoping I'm walking & skipping soon...

{playing footie with my niece & nephew at my brother-in-law's cabin at Buccaneer}

& here's hoping I have some more patience!

xo

L

{UK anniversary-1 year!}

A year ago today I arrived here in the UK for a permanent move. As many of you know, I've spent a lot of time in the UK, and used to live here years ago...and my dream was to move back. Last May it was realised.
Lots has happened in the last year--I started my new job, and took on a lot of responsibility right away: within the first 3 months, I authored my first OU text, took on the role as Module Chair for our department's newest and biggest module, and adapted to life in at a new university. I travelled a lot for work: I gave 5 talks in Germany, Portugal, London, Norwich, and Chicago; chaired a panel in London at AAH; and travelled to Italy for research.
In my personal life, I spent time with family here, met up with friends, hosted parties, travelled for fun (including Paris & Athens), welcomed a little cat into my life...and had knee surgery. I've also eaten at some fab restaurants, featured in tasty morsels.
 It's been a bit of a whirlwind, but I'm happier than I have been in years. That's not to say that it hasn't come with its trials: dealing with the NHS and a bad knee for 10 months of that time, moving, learning the ropes at work etc... etc... but I'm happy.
Here are some highlights from the last year:

{I left Vermont...where I had lived for 2 years}

{with a big send off party...}

{a warm welcome in merry england from my cousins}

{bluebell walks}

{a fancy dinner at Cambridge}

{walks in wye}

{Basildon Park (aka Netherfield)}

{many a pimm's o'clock}

{moved into my flat}

{Masterpiece London, red carpet}

{entertaining in the flat}

{trip to Athens}

{Kathi's wedding in Athens}

{the wedding}

{Clark holiday to Houghton Hall}

{visits to historic homes}

{trip back to Vancouver}

{conference in Bamberg}

{loads of time spent in the air, travelling!}

{first dinner hosted in the flat}

{portuguese trip for a conference}

{Christmas in the flat}

{boxes arrived!}

{covent garden at Christmas}

{a truly English Christmas}

{boxing day meet}

{flatwarming party}

{research trip to Modena}

{Simla joins my life}

{country walks}

{trip to Chicago}

{trip to Paris}

{hen party in Filey}

{knee surgery recovery with mum}

Here's to a great many more years here in merry ol'!

xo

L