Though I am methodical, I didn’t begin by checking off the first item on my “All the Things I Can Possibly Do with My Unscheduled Time While Living in London For the Next Two Years” list because on Day 1 in the U.K., I met a neighbor. As I was exiting our building with our beagle Lox, a Mini Cooper approached. It stopped and the passenger’s side window opened. There, a woman with dark brown hair appeared. Surprised, I took a step back! First, because I didn’t expect to see a driver on that side of the car and second, not knowing anyone, I wondered who would stop to talk to me? She said her name was Patty and she and her husband lived directly across the hall. She said she saw us – meaning me and Lox – arrive the night before, although she was aware that a man had been living in our flat for a few months. She also said not to let our dog eat anything along the Thames that fronted our new home at the Richmond Bridge Estates, because it ended in her dog’s demise, and then she asked me to lunch the following day. Meeting Patty was item number five on my list, Join Groups, specifically an ex-pat group in our complex.
Carluccio’s, a casual, white-walled Italian café on Kew Road in nearby Richmond, about a 25-minute walk from our place was a comfortable spot for a light lunch and coffee. I learned Patty and Ed had been there for 3 years and planned to move back to Atlanta, Georgia at year’s end. He worked for UPS and she spent time with a nice group of ladies, mostly ex-pats.
One thing always leads to another and gratefully so. Patty kindly introduced me to Connie, another American ex-pat neighbor, Gail, a British woman who actually met “The Queen”(!), and Amanda, a British actress who lived in the penthouse of our building. From them, I connected with ex-pats Najet, Lillian, Linda, and Jan. Out walking with Lox one day, I met a British neighbor, Marette who then introduced me to Joy and Janet. While Patty also intended to connect me with Genean over coffee, I ended up meeting her at our vet clinic! And through Robert’s work, I met Neldie and Lainey. Lucky for me, most of these amazing women became my new circle of friends.
Together we spent time traveling into London, going to the theatre, seeing sights, visiting museums, viewing exhibits, shopping, grabbing a bite to eat or coffee, taking Epsom bus trips outside of London, having group dinners with our husbands, attending the British Ladies Supper Club get togethers, savoring tea and snacks at local cafes, practicing yoga, gardening at the Orleans House, walking through Richmond Park and Kew Gardens, enjoying craft Fridays, seeing Wednesday afternoon movies, and participating in a book club, just to name a few!
Outside of this group, I joined the American Women’s Club of London and worked on their monthly newsletter. I learned to play Mah Jongg. I wrote letters, short stories, poems, and detailed my life in journals each day. I read and reread classics and works by British authors such as Ian McEwan and Kate Atkinson. I discovered the music of Amy Winehouse and Rumer, and much to my surprise I became a fan of EastEnders, a long-time running British soap opera! I also took a watercolor class, and I began flute lessons.
The balance of my time was filled traveling with Robert. Many weekends we found ourselves flying or driving to new destinations. Among them, Ireland, Scotland, France, Switzerland, Germany, Israel, Poland, Italy, Spain, and South Africa. We were so fortunate to have had these opportunities! And when friends and family came to visit, we got to play tour guides. Such fun!
As year two was coming to an end, I reviewed my list. Everything was ticked off. I wrote, read, created art, took classes, joined groups, exercised, saw London sights, traveled, volunteered, and learned some new activities.
From my journal, September 13, 2008, E. Twickenham, England
“Is there anything else I or we should see or do before going home?…I’ll miss living here and everyone… Did I make the most of my time here?”
And as it turned out, there was no need to worry about missing anyone or missing out on anything. Because it was then that we learned our stay in London was being extended for… two more years! That meant, 24 months, 104 weeks, 730 days, 17,520 hours, 1,051,200 minutes, or 63,072,000 seconds more to spend there. It also meant…time to start a new list!
A Journal Journey 