Last night, Saturday, November 19th, we were standing on the steps of St. Martins in the Field Church which is on Trafalgar Square watching the hoards of people and traffic jam of unbelievable proportions--mix in about 75 buses--and we both had the thought, "this is where we live now". It was like a revelation that we are not just visiting or stopping by this is our current "home". I don't know if it made me sad or made me realize that we have been here long enough to accept the traffic, noise, crowds and transportation as our way of life. Even when I drive it is beginning to feel normal to drive on the wrong side of the street and drive from the passengers side--which by the way Dad says I always did anyway. We were meeting friends there to go to the DaVinci show at the National Gallery. It was really thrilling to see his works and sketches and writings--it was a once in a life time collection of his works--so now in addition to studying WWI and II and the history of England we are reading and studying the life and career of Leonardo--it is fun to study just wish that I could retain everything that I read.
Did I mention to you that as I have been driving I have had to learn how to parallel park--a real challenge because you have to do it on streets where the cars are coming fast and not very patiently. So the other night when we got to our flat location Dad sees an opening and tells me to park there. What he didn't mention was that it was a rather limited space between a Maserati and a BMW. After some direction and guidance and a lot of upper arm straining as I cramped the steering wheel got the car in place and no damage was done to either of the other cars--but our little Vauxhal compact looked very out of place.
It is getting chillier and chillier here but it is fun to see the fashionistas--their favorite outfit is to wear black tights called leggings here with denim short-shorts with a low cut tee shirt and a short leather jacket and always a long scarf draped around their necks and tall leather boots usually with very high heels. I guess that it is important to have your neck warm even if nothing else is covered. Also, always a large expensive leather purse--I have seen brands and prices here that I have never seen before--of course I look and stifle my impulse to buy another bag, but maybe by the time we come home I will have weakened or I will have gone shopping without Dad to be my conscience.
Christmas here is going to be a little different. We are going to a number of concerts and Christmas presentations with our missionary group. On Christmas Eve we are going to dinner then to Albert Hall for a Christmas Concert. On Christmas Day Dad and I are driving up to the Leeds area and staying at a Marriott Resort for a few days with another couple. It will be a fun change of scenery and we will see the Leeds Castle and Canterbury while there. Also the resort has a heated pool and a spa so I will probably indulge--Dad will probably read and walk. I have put up a few decorations--a little table piece that at this time is very gaudy because I have hung beads and balls and bells and lights and bows on this t-shaped stand--but it does look Christmasy--yes, we did find a little Nativity--nothing special just an ornament but it works.
I love you and miss each of you--I love hearing what everyone is doing even if you think that it is just mundane and ordinary. Love M
I give Joyce full credit. She is doing a great job of driving us around. We can even manage, usually, to find the correct exit for a six possible roundabout. Love the weather. Crisp, cool Fall with leaves everywhere. It really is beautiful. I may not sing this same song when winter storms and rain hit us. The natives tell us that it has been an unusually warm, long, very pleasant Fall. So be it, we will take it as a blessing and enjoy it. It is interesting to work with those seeking employment. So often they have not recognized themselves what there true strengths are. In our Career Workshop class this last Wed and Thur it slowly became clear that two of my older participants were trying to sell the wrong strengths. One thought he was an expert on heavy equipment - true, but his real strength was his absolute reliability. Anyone employing him would have absolute comfort that the job would be done and done right. The other was trying to sell himself as a salesman, which he was; but his real strength was his ability to train others to do as well as he did. Anyone hiring him would get an excellent sales leader. I wonder how often this is true of all of us. We see ourselves too narrowly and fail to recognize the depth of strengths we have developed primarily through Church callings and training. As I attend other stakes, two this weekend; it is fun to see how their leaders work to teach and train and motivate. This weekend it ranged from a well organized, very soft spoken African President to a near hyper US salesman President. Our own stake leadership here in Hyde Park is capable, but for me uncomfortably emotional. I understand he has a record for never having gone through a major meeting with out breaking into tears at some point. Good young man. I suppose I have a few too many memories about speakers using emotion to imitate the Spirit, both can be there of course; but they are not synonymous.
The da Vinci exhibit was extremely interesting. An incredible mind and talent. He literally changed portrait painting for everyone. All most all had some sort of religious tie, and interestingly enough he constantly attributed his talent as a painter to God; viewing it as means given to him by God so he could better glorify God. This was probably the greatest single exhibit of his paintings and drawings every assembled. The faces are really beautiful, except for babies. Joyce and I couldn't decide if it was because he used such old faces for them, or if he really hadn't studied them as a father would. No explanation, and he isn't unusual in this; few of these painters really capture the beauty or joy of a baby. Probably couldn't get them to sit still long enough to get a good drawing.
As I've noted before, the English are not the reserved quiet, won't speak to you types, we have imagined. They are friendly and helpful and very willing to step forward and lend a hand. There are still those that I don't quickly understand, but most of these people are a mixture of two or three cultures with all the pronunciation problems that creates. Combine that with all the dropped consonants and different word usage and it isn't unusual to need them to say it the third time. Hopefully I'll get better.
Love you all, and miss seeing you, though it is a joy to be here. Dad/Grandpa
