Oh I had a horrible nightmare last night. All giants and zombies, and the Duke of Edinborough and yea, it was horrid. But I’m awake now, so life is better.

Lady M

Growing sideways

Said so long to my mother this morning. Exhale, we are in this both feet and a full jug of wine. Just me and Gran at home now. She’s getting better and brighter each day, though she sleeps most of the day and night. But that’s expected having spent a month in bed in the hospital with all sorts of drugs and pills and surgical procedures. The doctor’s are very happy though, they are not going to put her through chemotherapy; they believe they got the whole tumour one shot. There is something to be said for being stubborn and always right. If she’d been to see the doctor and had an exam even 6 months ago they would have been all lets go through radiation and surgery and all a big deal. Her way she gets instant emergency surgery, takes care of the whole lot one time, and that is that. Still, it is a reckless way to go about it.
So I’ve missed a few days, and missed some big stories on the way. Thursday (the 12th) we drove up to Marlborough by way of Salisbury. We stopped in at Stonehenge, which was weird, but cool none the less. I think it's odd to pay to see such things, and you weren’t allowed within 15 metres of the thing. Plus there were loads of people all gaggling about, so that was weird too…it seems like it should be a solitary experience. The oddest thing about it is that is doesn’t open until nearly 4 hours after sunrise, and like everything in England (apparently) it closes at 5pm. How does a stone megalith have hours of operation…
Anyway, after the walk around the henge (with the handheld audio tour) we went to Marlborough to visit my mum’s cousin, Virginia. She is just something perfect. She was talking about her brother who has just bought a property for £2.5 million, to which she quickly added she would never go and visit him there. I agree. Although property prices are a fair bit inflated here, I say a two bedroom cottage like my Gran’s advertised for £465,000. Which if it was Canadian dollars I could maybe understand as its kind of a high demand area, but that are in pound sterling…that’s close to a million dollars Canadian for a two bedroom bungalow.
Virginia’s two youngest children Jo and John were there, they are just lovely; so bright and inquisitive and gracious. Plus they had absolutely shocking red hair, just lovely.
We did lots more driving, visited Silbury Hill, which is the tallest man made mound in Europe…or at least in England…but I think it was in Europe. And they are just doing examination of it, and the preliminary findings that are coming out say that it was built in similar fashion to the pyramids, so I think they are looking to see if they can find a grave down there somewhere.

Of course when I’m saying we, I mean mum, me and my cousin Joe. Then it was off to Avebury, which is the real oldest stone ring in Europe. And it’s huge, and there is a city right through the middle of it. And the ring and ditch around it is all sheep pasture. That was lovely, and you could go right up and press your face against them.

That’s about all there is to report for now, my hands are getting sore. Just I walked down the high street today and saw this wonderful British sign, so enjoy. Lady M.

Welcome home granny

Happy Birthday Oli! That’s right, my little brother is now legal to drunk everywhere. In the forests of BC (that he is currently building), in the Mexican towns of the united states, in the back alley pubs of England (where he has been legal to drunk for 5 years) and in the beach front shanties of the Caribbean.


Oh that was Granny, she is being released at 2 this afternoon. After 32 days in hospital she is now coming home. She is much happier and healthier than when she went in at least. But boy will she be surprised to see what mum and I have been up to since our arrivals. I’m actually glad to get out of the house soon. We’re going in to South Hampton to do some shopping and walking about and collect Gran.
I’m kind of really missing Canada just now, leaving in such a rush is not advisable, that is for sure. To anyone planning to get away for a year or so, be a bit more organized than I was…I still have to repack all my bags because things for England are in both suitcases.
Last night mum and I went through a whole bunch of letters and photos. There was an entire album it seemed that Shadow would have loved, all sail boats and architecture. My Granddad’s photos from his various adventures.
I’m still very travel fatigued, it’s not really jet lag (even though my computer tells me it is 7:40, and I’ve already been up for hours painting, washing windows, moving furniture, breaking stuff…). But I think that just travelling regardless of facing time zones is tiring, or confusing, my body can quite figure out that time is still passing, it feels like I’ve only been here a day, but already its been 3. Anyway.
Time to go get ready to get Granny. Check in later.

Lady M

Cigarette's and Coffee, hold the coffee

We spent the day washing walls, photographing tattoo’s and cooking. Made an amazing rosemary roast chicken. Jessie, mum’s niece was by for the day and while mum drove Anna back to Littlehampton, we played at granny’s. Played I suppose should be used loosely, cleaned the pond and washed walls is more like it. I can hear my accent shifting a bit already, all my vowels are very long again, its funny to be in England like this. The major thing I find though that makes you sound British, is not the accent but the diction. You call things all sorts of funny stuff, flats, mates, rubbish, lou or lavatory. There are other things too, words you don’t think you know, or wouldn’t think to use normally that just come out. Its very interesting. I think I should like to read about it, about I supposed the psychology of language use, and the compulsion to adopt a diction zone while you habituate it. Its different too, here in the country no one comments on your accent, but I know the cousins in London will be horrid about it. But there are also loads of them, rather than here where there is just Jessie or Joe really. (There’s one…loads…back home I would have said lots or tons, but I wrote loads, it sounded right…anyway). So I’m at Joe’s now (well, Uncle Ian’s really) trying to get on the internet (I’ve been writing in word, since there doesn’t seem to be wireless available at granny’s, but the network won’t recognize me here, I think. It’s weird there are two empty bottles of scotch and an empty Jack Daniel’s in the window. But I swear Joe is just 18…already he is emptying bottles of hard liquor. I suppose its something that comes with much practice, he probably started drinking before I did, even though I think I’m four years older. Well this connection just isn’t going, so I’m going to get on Joe’s computer and try that way. Hope this gets posted eventually. Lady M

Traveling

I was very excited for 7.7.7 and I didn’t get to make an entry on it cause it was only 19h instead of the usual 24. That’s the trouble with travelling east. So yes, the plane was very late taking off, but I did watch most of Seb’s game in the airport as a result. Then once we took off and I finally let myself fall to sleep it was only a couple hours before we arrived at sunrise (by my calculations it was about 3am…bloody time zones). Then we took a lovely tour of England, and Ireland, and France, and the English channel while we queued to get our landing spot. Then of course I followed orders of the signs that said British passports here everyone else in that slow moving line over there. After snaking through an hour of immigration rope I get to the wicket and the lady says, “What’s the purpose of you…oh you were born here, could of taken the other line dear, enjoy you trip.” Stamp. Six month multiple entry visa. So I navigated us to Littlehampton, to pick up mum’s sister Anna. We had some hippy shit there, no not the Canadian kind, it had peas and stuff in it. Hopefully, its not the most deadly thing that I could be eating for dinner, on the news at eleven. Finally we made it to South Hampton to the hospital to visit with granny. She looked very well, she’s hoping to come home tomorrow evening. We could only chat for a bit though, cause visiting hours were almost over and I was falling asleep. Of course, we took the scenic route through the New Forest to see all the horses. Wild horses everywhere, and they have all just foaled so there were tons of fuzzy little monsters running around. Only the kitchen is the same size it used to be in Gran’s house. With the beautiful red walls and tiny little fridge. Okay can’t stay on long, I don’t know about the charger here. Peace Lady M

Travelling, gotta love it.

So I'm all set to go, got just about everything I could before leaving. made it to the airport, my luggage was way over but didnt hav to pay. said my tata got through the sequrity...two hour delay...right. at least i can buy internet access and watch Sebastine's game before i head out...thats pretty nice.

be in touch

m

Au Revoir Canada

So here it is, my last day in Canada. For a while at least. I still have a lot to get done, well some money stuff, ya know. But i think that this morning is for sitting in the garden watching the koi (they are getting big) and drinking tea.

 Thanks Windsor for this and that. For the friends and lovers, for the drinks and rugby, for the writing and publishing, the books books books and books. Thanks for being Windsor and smelling, cause super rat's can respect that! 

 Alright time for tea. Lady M