"Attack me, Woman!"

...shit-talks Henry to me during our game of checkers.

Sat 130am

Oh man. My body hates me. Jet lag: like a thousand, me: 0

Friday morning I never went back to sleep. Thank God for Girl on the Train. She's kept me highly entertained so I don't just drown in the internet while I lie in bed. However, at this rate I'll need another book in about 4 hours. 

Speaking of the internet... (I buckle into a puddle of fury and disgust.) Every time I go online, I'm struck dumb by political news. I can't even put words to the boil of anger I feel at every way this administration is basically trying to annihilate anything that isn't old, rich, white and male. These last few months have turned me from someone who refused to speak politics out of respect for other people's beliefs to an emotional, marching, rallying, Twitter devouring mess who likes to troll John Cornyn and makes calls to my TX representatives (I say I'm my mom. She agrees with me and gave me her permission so, shhhh!) despite my stupid, yet petrifying phone anxiety. 

I feel so privileged in ways I never felt or realized before, and it's important to me to fight for people who aren't as lucky as I am. I also feel minimized in ways I've never felt before, and that fucking pisses me off. All of this has me at a fever pitch to fight the patriarchy. 

However. I want and need a vacation and that makes me feel like a spoiled brat. So when I hopped online last night and read about Pence breaking the tie to end Title X funding to clinics that include abortion services and about Breitbart targeting Kamala Harris (fingers crossed, our future President!), I decided that every day of my vacation I would donate to a progressive candidate or group. Last night was Kamala Harris. Tonight it was DSCC. Tomorrow it will be Beto O'Rourke. Shut up, Guilt, I'll be back on the phone April 19.

"To die will be an awfully big adventure."

Back to London, Friday am. I leave the house after hours of puttering and head to Hyde Park. The air is crisp and damp so that it feels like Fall but it looks like Spring. Trees are just now budding and Spring flowers look as if they've literally just birthed themselves from the damp, dark soil. It's stunning! I'm excited to be here a few weeks so I can come back and watch Spring bloom more and more. 

The park is full of people, dogs and ducks. One thing I love to notice about places I travel is the differences in native species, particularly the birds. When you can walk through a park and see four other types of ducks OTHER than the regular white or brown ducks you see all the time, I thinks that's just the coolest thing ever. It makes the world feel exotic and special. 

I seek out two specific destinations in the park to pay homage: Princess Diana's Memorial Fountain and the Peter Pan Statue.  I see Peter first. My jaw drops. He's gorgeous. The statue is of Peter on the rock as the water is rising, and the water is made of different characters and moments in the story. It's the moment when Peter's daring heart overcomes his fear and it beats to him, "To die will be an awfully big adventure." I have this quote tattooed on my ribs. For my favorite quote from my favorite story to be in front of me in such a stunning representation takes my breath away. 

Princess Diana of Wales Memorial Fountain

Princess Diana's memorial is similarly poignant. It's not a fountain you would picture in your mind. It's far too large to get a decent picture, but it's not showy in any way. I become emotional when I read the  info placard on how the swirling and cascading of water that meets in a calm pool represents her life, and how the bridges giving people the opportunity to meet at the heart of the fountain represents her openness. Once I read that, I walk all three access bridges, crossing the heart of the fountain each time to honor Princess Diana's legacy. 

Mummy & Maisie

Henry the Destroyer

In the afternoon I meet my old friend Crockett and go with her to pick up her kids, Henry & Maisie, from school to take them to the park. Sounds like no big whoop, right? It's actually a big whoop! The nicest parents, the cutest kids with THE CUTEST ACCENTS, and crisps! (That's chips to us Yanks. I'll talk about crisps a lot on this trip. The U.K. has the best flavors.) Crockett's friends are beyond lovely with city suggestions for me, and a random surprise free ticket to see The Glass Menagerie that evening! Free. Ticket. To Tennessee Williams!! 

Thai or die

After the park, the bulk of us go to the local pub for pints & dinner. I have fantastic pad Thai (Thai or die!) ("Stop trying to make fetch happen!") and get my ass slammed in checkers by Henry. He's seven. He mocks me without mercy. It's so fun. 

Whimper...

I head to the theatre for The Glass Menagerie and I'm beyond excited. The main thing I want to do this trip is try to see some theater. Scoring a ticket in my first 24 hours feels like a giant win and a great omen for the rest of my theater going! 

Except. JET LAG. The play starts and my head immediately falls as I fight passing out with everything I have. It's. Torture. I lose and sleep until intermission. Feeling sacrilegious, I go home at intermission and pass out dead. 

Stupid jet lag.