England ~ Part One

That's me age eight stuffing my face on holiday.  How amazing was my shell suit?? & that headband? Fabulous!  Clearly I have always been fashionable!!

When I saw this picture today I realized I haven't really talked about my life in England much.  Which is a shame because England has a huge part of my heart & makes me feel complete.  From now on I am dedicating Wednesdays posts to England.  Whether it is about my life there, favorite places, foods or tips for travelers, I want to give you a glimpse in something I love so much.

To catch you up I was born in England & moved to America at 17 when my Step Dad got a job over here.  At first I thought brilliant, it will be just like the movies. NYC, LA, Florida.  Ummm then we moved to Roanoke VA, the middle of nowhere.  Ok, the middle of nowhere is dramatic but it really felt like that for the first few years.  Yes, I came from a small village but I was only a short train ride away from towns & major cities.  Here it is a four hours drive to D.C & back then, four hours was a lifetime in the car.

So the move was not so much the American Dream that this girl wanted. I mean who didn't want live Cher's life after watching Clueless??  The closest was genius for 1994!!  

* holiday = vacation

* Shell suit = leisure suit

* chocolate all over your face is acceptable right?

Snail Mail

As outdated as snail mail is it's so lovely to receive a hand written letter or package, luckily I have some amazing people in my life who pop little treats in the post for me. I however am the worst at responding. I have the best intentions & ideas but with my jobs I never get around to it.

Recently, I found an old box full of letters from friends in England sent after I moved to America.  Reading those letters flooded my mind of memories & emotions. Then I discovered letters that had never been opened. They had been stored while in College & never seen until now!! Ridiculous I tell you ridiculous!  Only would this happen in my life!

Reading them was so bitter sweet. I was extremely thankful for the sweet notes from people I love & miss yet I am upset that I never read or responded to them.  For many reasons; work, money, greencards & visa processing, I have not been able to spend a lot of time in England over the years & it has broken down my friendships. I can’t help but think that if I had spent more time communicating through letters in the pre-facebook world that we would still be close friends today.

The letters made it more apparent to me that I have placed importance on the wrong things in life like work, which lets be honest that hasn't got me where I want to be in life.  My choices clearly have held be back.  As I continue to create a life of intention friendship has to be at the top of the list.  I need to spend more time reaching out even if it’s been years since I have seen someone & actively following through. I may have the best intentions to send a note/text/call/visit but how does that person know I care if I never follow through?  I know part of the distance is insecurity that the friendship will not be the same & that I am not happy with where I am in life, but the longer I wait the more awkward it becomes. 

ok moving on! I'll stop the "im feeling sorry for myself" part & onto something superficial, cause superficial is more fun.  Writing letters means I definitely need new stationary! Which one do you like best?

You all know I love some glitter so the Jess LC ones are perfect & I love the elegance & humor in the "holla back yo" lol

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 

What's in Your Phone?

The other day I was looking through my mobile and noticed all of the random photographs I have saved.  Some funny, some sentimental, some I have no idea why I took them 

In an effort to enjoy the little thing's in life I am sharing with you my eclectic collection of pics in a weekly post called "What's in Your Phone?", creative name huh?

Imagine passing this little beauty every morning when you were 15! Creepy huh?  My Mum's celebrity crush has always been Mr. Bowie and one Sunday my childhood best friend's hilarious Mum, Sue, bought this master piece from a yard sale for her.

As creepy and as dated as this picture it is, it makes me very nostalgic and giggle at how horrid the 80's were!!

Next week I hope you link up with me and share a picture!

The Motherland

I haven't been back to England since 2006.  I can't believe its been that long, working 9-5 in the corporate world kind of messed me up when it comes to gallivanting all over the country/world.  Not because I don't get time off but its a lot harder to take a few weeks together with my job now as it was when I was younger.   Anyway I digress, this summer I am going home for 3 weeks and I cannot wait!! I feel complete when I am home! I love living in America most of the time but there is just a sense of belonging when I go home that I don't have here.

A few reasons I am counting the days until I'm home:

1.  I get to see my childhood best friend get married!

2.  Catching up with long lost friends.

3.  Real Fish and Chips!

4.  I get to see my family!

5.  Going to a Pub, there is something about a Pub that no bar here has.

6.  Shopping in Manchester ~ I miss shopping there, the mall in Roanoke just doesn't cut it.

7.  Childhood memories ~ visiting places that I loved when I was little is always a good feeling.

8.  London ~ some friends from here are meeting up with me to visit London.  I can't wait to show them why I love my motherland :)  The museums, palaces, stores, restaurants, clubs.  I can't wait.

9.  English Chocolate and candy!

10.  Having my accent back for a few weeks lol.

 * 10 over the last 12 yrs my accent has almost disappeared. Unless I'm with my family, upset or maybe a little tipsy.   Some of this is on purpose, my job requires me to talk a lot and its really annoying when people say you talk to fast, I don't understand you or make fun of the way you say can't.  So I try to slow it down, use American words like soda instead of pop.  Unfortunately, I can't change the way I say CAN'T and many people think I'm saying "c*nt* lol 

            *yourlocalweb.co.uk

The manor above is Astley Hall, it is now a museum on the edge of my old Village.  I have visited the Hall probably hundred's of time.  When I was eight I had my Ballet pictures taken there, my mum used to hold events their and my friends I walked past it everyday walking to and from school.  This place is not the most exciting place in the world but I have great memories and it is full of history from hundreds of years ago.  They have a shoe that Oliver Cromwell left there when he was travelling and they filmed Moll Flanders their when I was in High School.