Is less really more?

For many reasons, I am in a "less is more" (LIM) phase right now. Maybe it is that this Type A has finally hit a wall and has said enough....what do I mean? Read on.

Perhaps it is inversely proportional to the size of London houses, but the lack of storage (and our home has more storage than most) seems to eat paper, clothing, stuff. The more you give it, the more it wants. I, for one, am declaring war on unnecessary paper, clothing, books, and useless bric-a-brac that never gets accessed, worn, read, or used. In my multiple roles, the "cleaning lady" in me has had enough of "no room in the inn" closets, bookshelves, and drawers. A new sheriff is in town: buy a book, donate a book. Make that charming Michael Kors clothing purchase, pull something that you've not worn out of the closet and donate it to charity. File a paper, shred a paper. To quote George Carlin: "A house is just a place to keep your stuff while you go out and get more stuff". Amen, brother.

Don't be deceived, it is not me being driven to "be green", although the upside is that I am becoming an expert in West London recycling. I love that you can recycle pretty much everything curbside and if not, the recycling center is a stone's throw from the house. It is also not my altrusitic nature that wants to save the planet from excess, although that is a by-product of the LIM approach. It is just that now that I am in the routine of recycling, it is simply another means for purging unneccesary stuff. Of course, there would be less to recycle or purge if I acquired less...that is a part of the plan I am still working on but am happy to report some success on that front as well.

Moving on, in my second unofficial role as the Home Office PA, the "Can you please file this for future reference" is getting a bit tiresome. Only critical, need-to-know stuff gets filed from now on. That kills two birds with one stone: cuts down on any unnecessary papers that needs purging at some future date, and saves the Home Office PA time. Gotta love it when a plan comes together.

Or, perhaps it is because I am officially working from home (WFH) now that my company has closed its London office, and I am here 24 x7. The rooms just seem a bit smaller, the piles of paper on the desk or dining room table seem a bit larger, the closets a bit more full. So, less is more because the visual appeal of a decluttered space is becoming more attractive, physically and metaphorically, with each day that passes.

This LIM plan long ago translated into the travel arena. Hachie Gal and Budman swore off kitschy tourist souvenirs years ago.... Now, our purchases revolve around experiences to be had, rather than mementos to store in your house while you go off and get more mementos. Today, it is more about embracing things like the food of the region (bring home some olive oil, cheese, wine, etc. instead), the personal products of a region intended for use (beautiful stationery from Japan, spa products from Iceland, wool blankets from Scotland) and the artistic experiences of a city or country (a painting or piece of artwork from that area). Of course, there is still some residual purging of previous purchases to be completed.

And then, there is clothing and shoes. I still have some therapy in this area to do, but the simple premise: "have not worn it in over a year, do not like it anymore, or it no longer looks good" has been kicked into high gear. Even as I write, the charity shop bag gets a daily item placed in it. The goal: one large bag of donations per week. Seems a tangible and worthwhile goal that can benefit everyone: the giver, the charity shop, and the recipient.

Sadly, the Budman is having trouble with the some of the aspects of the simple LIM plan. That's probably because the Maid and the Home Office PA (both me) are striking against the working conditions and the hours of tedious tasks related to stuff. It also requires a new way of dealing with stuff - he looks up and an item he has been working with has been purged, pitched, shredded, or donated. Don't worry, he'll come around. He really has no choice.

Given recent events with a family member who has taken suddenly ill and is unable to care for herself and her affairs, I have been reminded me that personally we all need our affairs to be in order and easily accessed and that our home environments should constantly be cleared of unused items as well as junk. Not to get heavy on you or anything!

And here is a scary thought. In the 10 years of living abroad, we have seen our small shipment that we sent to Seoul in 2001 grow exponentially with each year and subsequent move that passes. At some point, we will eventually move back to the US, and where we'll put this stuff in the US house is an utter mystery to me.... Scarlett will simply have to think about that one on another day.

Bottom line, purging stuff can be liberating. The simple answer to the question is, "Yes, less is more!" Join me, won't you?

26th Anniversary

OK...so the photos are a few months old...as you can tell by the fact that it is clearly wintertime. That said, the Budman and I spent a lovely little weekend celebrating our special day amidst those charming cottages in the Cotswolds.

For posterity sake...the photos...

Summer has arrived

One minute you are wearing jackets and the next minute you are trying to catch a breeze in the house! If the recent weekend (BTW, which was gorgeous but was a hot one) is any indication of the summer ahead, it is going to be a hot one in London this year.

Having now successfully relocated my office to a home office working environment, I do have the luxury of wearing summer appropriate apparel (a.k.a. shorts, sleeveless tops, and sun dresses) in the home office. This is a godsend as evidenced yesterday by the west London high temperatures of 29-30 degrees C. Converted, that equates to approximately 88 - 90 degrees Farenheit.

"Not so bad", you say? Normally I would agree but I must stipulate two additional points for your consideration:

(1) without A/C, the interior house temperature as 84 degrees yesterday at its height...which meant every window was open to catch a good cross breeze

(2) which can be problematic given hayfever season is going on in earnest right at this very moment.

So, when you Texans are visualizing the glamour of living in London right at this very moment, remember the no A/C-hot temperature part. Unless that concept somehow appeals to you.

Note: At the time of this blogpost, this sweaty and sneezing blogger was happy to report that the Tuesday morning temperatures had dropped by 15 degree C, and it was a lovely cool 60 degrees F.

London Spring Top Ten List: Apsley House

Working down the spring top ten tourist list, the Budman and I spent an incredibly enjoyable couple of hours last weekend at Apsley House and the Wellington Arch.  Both are located at the Hyde Park corner tube station, making the ease of access to these two sites way too easy.

Note to self:  There are WAY TOO many places like this in London proper to check out...shameful that we have only scratched the surface.

First on the list:  Apsley House, home of the first Duke of Wellington and his descendants, has for over 200 years been known as "Number 1 London" because it was the first house encountered after passing the tollgates at the top of Knightsbridge. 





Originally, the house was built by Robert Adam (that guy apparently was the only architect in London because he designed everything) between 1771 and 1778 for Baron Apsley. It passed to the Wellesley family in 1807, and then the younder brother, Arthur Wellesley - the Duke of Wellington. For those whose knowledge of history may be lacking, the Duke of Wellington defeated Napolean at the Battle of Waterloo as well as becoming one of Britain's Prime Ministers later in life.



The house is filled with many original furnishings, fabrics, and artwork that were collected throughout the Duke's lifetime, either as gifts from various countries and its rulers, or through the spoils of war.  Of particular note, is the sword the Duke of Wellington used at Waterloo, the magnificent china room which contains the Wellington shield, the giant Canova nude statue of Napolean, and various paintings, including a Caravaggio...just to name a few. 



Today, the house is owned by the nation but the current Duke of Wellington and his family live in private quarters in the house.  No, we were not offered a cup of tea and look-see into this area.

For more information on Apsley House, check out http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/apsley-house/

Literally, right across the street is the companion site, the Wellington Arch.



Wellington Arch was originally built outside Buckingham Palace; however, due to its massive size and traffic congestion the arch was causing , it was moved to its present location in 1882.  The impressive bronze Quadriga sculpture (a.k.a. Angel of Peace descending on the chariot of war and drawn by 4 horses) that sits atop the arch was not afixed to the original structure. 







Rather, the monument to the Duke of Wellington was the original sculpture placed on top of the arch but due to its size, it was relocated to the left of the arch.



You are allowed to climb to the top of the arch for a view of Hyde Park, Apsley House, as well as Buckingham Palace and palace grounds (from the other side of the arch).







Two sites down...eight to go!

Michael B

Guilty as charged...the Budman and I attended the Michael Buble concert last Sunday and truly enjoyed it.  Maybe it is because I am a sucker for the songs he sings, probably more so than being an obsessive fan of his  Still, we both enjoy his work as an entertainer (does this age us?).....

So, even with tube line closures, we trooped off to the O2 to enojy a few hours of Mr. B's company.  Well worth the price of admission.

Wenlock and Mandeville...sorry, but no

Call me crazy but I am never on board with the selection of inanimate mascots for sporting events.  I just can't get jazzed at all by goof-ball, alien-like characters that are supposed to enthuse me about an upcoming sporting event....even something as world-renowned as the 2012 London Olympics.

I awoke this morning to "exciting" news on the London Olympics front, or so I was led to believe by the BBC AM sports journalist.  Given I am an Olympics junkie, I quickly thought, "OK, I am ready."  Perhaps it was some revelation about more tickets being made available, or something else about the upcoming games that being a Londoner (at least for the timebeing) I could be tempted by. 

Simply put..ummm...no, not exciting at all.  Today was the day that the 2012 London Olympics Mascots, named Wenlock (left) and Mandeville (right), were unveiled. 



(Photo credit:   Johnny Green/PA Wire)

What is to like about them?  I am a bit hard pressed as my comments below outline:

(1)  They look like tel-a-tubby cyclops....why am I going to get a mug, cap, or t-shirts with these two yahoo creatures on it?  Short answer: not!

(2)  Where did these names come from?  Are they some classic British names that are supposed to embody all things English?  Short answer:  never heard of them before.  Guess they are supposed to be as abstract as the creatures.

(3) UK children were a part of focus groups to determine the look of these mascots; apparently animals or human mascots were a "no-go".  Good to know that now that Wenlock and Mandeville are on the scene, they can help drive the fundraising efforts for 2 billion GBP from the private sector.  Short answer:  yea, right.

Check them out and judge for yourself.

http://www.london2012.com/mascots

London Spring Top Ten List: Enchanted Palace

Let’s preface this by saying, “No, Princess Diana’s dresses are no longer on display at Kensington Palace.”

If I heard this question once, I heard it 5-7 times during my recent tour of Kensington Palace’s Exhibit entitled Enchanted Palace. I realize it is a bummer for those people who have come a long way to visit London, but perhaps a little forward planning on their parts would have minimized their disappointment at the ticket counter. Truthfully, on the day I visited, I thought a mini revolt was going to place.



So, before I provide a quick summary of the current exhibit, which was a bit more avant-garde than was clearly expected by most attending, a few comments:

• Kensington Palace (for purposes of this post, now referred to as KP) no longer has the rights to Di’s dresses as they were either bought by an American (who after 2 years of loaning them to KP wants them back) or the others were sold in a charity auction. Before KP takes it on the chin, it is not their fault.

• KP has attempted to provide a totally different exhibit on the history of seven of the royal princesses who have lived in the palace – which was quite cleverly curated in my opinion.

• Hachie Gal gave it a thumbs-up!

Upon arrival, the gardens of KP never looked lovely…although it was a cloudy day:





The basic premise is that the through looking at the lives of these seven featured princesses (Mary, Anne, Caroline, Charlotte, Victoria, Margaret, and Diana), recurring themes emerge: Loves won and lost, tragedy, illness, and death were known to all, glamour abounded during their tenure at KP, and perhaps most interestingly, art, fashion, and theatre flourished.

The latter was evidenced by the Stephen Jones millinery (hats to us common folk) and the Vivienne Westwood original gown…



… as well as an interesting display of the very room in which Princess Victoria learned she would be queen.



As I left the palace, I found myself slightly more informed about these women and the main events of their lives that shaped Kensington Palace. If this has sparked your interest, check out the following link. Just remember, it is not your average exhibition.

http://www.hrp.org.uk/KensingtonPalace/stories/palacehighlights/EnchantedPalace.aspx

So, 1 out of 10 top ten spring tourist items down; 9 to go.

Hachie Gal's London Spring 2010 Top Ten Tourist List

After that whirlwind trip to Texas (not much to report new on my aunt’s health, except that progress is steady but slow – thanks for those continued prayers), the Budman and I will try to take a few days this spring to decompress and relax. What better way to do just this than to enjoy the virtual treasure trove of all that London has to offer.

My current top ten London Spring 2010 list of things to see and do includes the following (in no particular order):
• V&A Museum’s Grace Kelly exhibit
• National Gallery’s Irving Penn Portraits
• Tour of Apsley House
• West End productions of Sweet Charity and Hair
• Kensington Palace’s exhibit, Enchanted Palace
• Weekends runs in Hampstead Heath, Greenwich Park, and Regent’s Park
• Any production at Shakespeare’s Globe Theater
• Dinner at Gordon Ramsay’s new restaurant, Petrus
• Swan Lake at the Royal Albert Hall
• Queen’s Gallery exhibit: Victoria & Albert: Art & Love

It appears that there is much debate on what the actual “last day of spring” is…depending on where you love, what hemisphere you hail from, who you ask, etc. Without getting caught up in that maelstrom of controversy, I am more than happy to use May 31st as the then of spring for my purposes. With this time goal in mind, I am looking forward to checking in out these cultural highlights that the city has to offer.

Of course, much of this will be depending on when the next trip to Austin will be as I will need to check in on my aunt and her progress. Given that this trip would represent a significant chunk of time in May/early June, I will keep you Texans updated on the next voyage stateside. A trip happily made although its circumstances are sad ones...

For those of you coming to London this summer, some of these events will still be on; check back to inquire what we thought or alternatively you can read the blog.
One thing is apparent...so much to see, so little time.

Virgin London Marathon 2010

Well, the big race day arrived...and all in all, it was a great day.  First, the summary stats:

(1)  Low 60s for temperature, partly cloudly, humidity and rain at start, but clearing with cool breeze
(2)  Great crowd support along the course, with the Hachie Gal Road Crew in full support mode
(3)  Calf injury was a non issue during the race
(4)  Greater fatique during marathon #13 than in previous races; I chalk that up to loss of endurance due to training injury
(5)  A finish time of 5:17 and over £3200 (or $4700) raised for my charity, Guide Dogs for the Blind, UK

For those of you who are only interested in the facts, no need to read further.  For those interested in more detail from race day...read on.

Marathon Week
The week leading up to the marathon was full of activities to get me into that road warrior mentality.  Thanks to colleagues at the office and their baking acumen, a potpourri of baked goods were brought in each day to further raise funds for Guide Dogs.  Sales were brisk as the week's earnings totalled more than £140 being raised in food stuffs alone.  Never underestimate the power of sweets and their pull on the pocketbook.  Thanks to Cyn and Christina for their support!  (the Confused Swiss is basking in their photo glory!)



London Marathon Expo
Besides the satisfaction of completion of the race, I always enjoy the London Marathon Expo.  On Wednesday, Cyn accompanied me on a field trip to the expo where I picked up that all important race number and timing chip, made my obligatory marathon souvenir purchase (red trainer jacket), and checked out the stalls of running exhibitors hocking their running apparel, trinkets, races, and charity causes.  My leisurely day would not have been complete without a pit stop at my charity sponsor booth, Guide Dogs for the Blind. 





Of course, I needed a little one on one coaching from a running afficionada!



Guide Dogs play at their exhibit at the London marathon expo.



Sadly, many runners as well as exhibitors were unable to make it to the week long expo courtesy of the volcanic ash.  In this photo, the Swiss Marathon folks, like many others, were a no show but their race brochures made it. (Side note:  the Iceland Marathon reps were there in full force - irony to say the least).



Pre race celebration
To top off the festivities, my road crew graciously met up with me for Friday night pre-race dinner!  Thanks guys....you are the best!









Race Day
There is nothing like it in the world....call me crazy, but I get excited just thinking about it.  First order of business was to don those Lone Star shorts...."You can take the girl out of Texas but you can't take Texas out of the girl!"



Budman captures me at the start of the race in Greenwich.





Rain, rain go away....starting out in Greenwich before the race.



Waiting in the rain for the race to commence at the start line.



And what can I say about that fabulous road crew!  They outdid themselves this year in support, planning, and encouragement.  I am blessed with the dearest friends and family in my life.   Thanks to:  Budman, M&M, Cyn, Paulster, Drama, Blondie, Christina, Katalin and Hubby, Confused Swiss, and Martini. I love you guys!













And then, there was the race itself (side note:  Richard Branson, CEO of Virgin, is running in the butterfly wings).



Hachie Gal is still fresh in the run.







There I am in those shorts!



13 miles down, 13 more miles to go...halfway point at Tower Bridge.





My work colleague, Claire, runs her first race!  Kudos on your finish....







Running down Embankment, past Big Ben and down Birdcage Walk.







Finish Line
Coming down the last 200 meters...



The end is in sight!



Crossing the finish line.









Family and friends help me celebrate another marathon!







Days like this one remind me of the blessings in life: 

*  friends and family who can share in your passions and who encourage you to reach for your dreams, whether in person on race day, through kind emails and cards, and/or through donations to my charity
*  health to compete in such a grueling endeavor
*  given my chosen charity, eyesight to do the things I want to do every day of my life
*  the self determination to put one foot in front of the other in whatever I do

Although the finish time was not what I wanted, I cherish the memory and the experience.  Life does not get any better than this.

And yes, although place and date are still TBD, I am looking to do #14.  Any takers to join in the fun?