I can't believe we leave in 1-1/2 weeks! Not enough time to do everything.

Today I went to the Foundling Museum located in Brunswick Square. Thank goodness for good souls like Thomas Coram, a retired shipbuilder who was horrified by the plight of young children who were being abandoned on the streets of London. He spent almost twenty years in the first half of the eighteenth century raising money to establish a foundling hospital to house babies. It was approved in 1739, and was opened in 1741, with the support of William Hogarth and George Frideric Handel. It was actually the first public art museum in the country because Hogarth encouraged other artists to donate their artwork. And Handel held annual performances of the Messiah in the hospital's chapel to help raise funds.

On display were record books with entries for the children admitted (with new names assigned), the schedule, meals, photographs and very touching mementos that mothers had left with their babies (and which the babies never received). Only babies under the age of one year were admitted and there was only room enough for about one-third of the applicants. You really got the sense of how difficult life was for many people and how desperate they were.

Upstairs was a collection of paintings by Hogarth, Gainsborough, Reynolds, and other lesser known artists. And the top floor was dedicated to Handel. In the basement was a special exhibition on Handel at the Crystal Palace, and the commemorative concerts held there.

Then I had to rush to the British Library to meet Gord who had been working there all day. We went in to see their wonderful collection of "treasures": illuminated manuscripts, bibles (Gutenberg included), Magna Carta, Beatles' songs, letters from Jane Austen to her sister Cassandra, scores by Beethoven, Handel, and Mozart, and so much more. I also had to revisit the very cool Patrick Hughes painting in their basement (by the coat check).

From there we walked and walked, down to Oxford Street and pretty much the length of that street, stopping into three music stores (Gord later found the CD he wanted online) and the Primark--the sweater (that I saw when we stopped in with Carole but I couldn't buy because they were closing) was sold out. It was going to be a gift, but not anymore.

I wondered why my legs were so tired, but realized that I had been walking (or standing) for seven hours straight. How am I going to be able to continue this exercise when I get back? It's going to be a challenge I think.

I don't care if it does block the view of St. Paul's Cathedral from the river, I LIKE the Millenium Bridge. I walked across it to the Louise Bourgeois exhibition (finally!) at the Tate Modern. It was a wonderful exhibition and the audio guide, which included Bourgeois speaking about her work, was especially good. There was also a captivating, 54-minute film of her by Nigel Finch done for the BBC series Arena in 1994. I, of course, sat and watched the whole thing. Bourgeois will be 96 on Christmas Eve. I had two suggestions, which I entered in their comments book. First, the wall text and label text were peeling off in parts, leaving some letters partly or completely missing. It was difficult to decipher some of the words. No excuse, especially from the Tate. The other issue I had was that the film was shown in the foyer outside the exhibition, making it difficult to hear the film above the noise of people talking (bad acoustics in that area didn't help). Anyway, the exhibition was great. I still think Maman (the spider outside) is my favourite, but I also liked her early Personage sculptures done in the 1940s. The cells were also interesting as were her more recent fabric sculptures. What an interesting childhood she had! And she had just a few issues with her father!

I then walked over to Shakespeare's Globe for a tour and a look at their exhibition which was under construction when Gord and I were there in September. The tour was informative, mostly giving a sense of life in the sixteenth century across the Thames from the City of London. We didn't get to go back stage, because there's not really much of one. So I had already been inside the Globe when we went to the Merchant of Venice. It was still interesting and I'm glad I did it. The exhibition was interesting too.

Walked back across the Millenium Bridge. I never tire of seeing London at night. It's just beautiful, especially when it's not raining.

I've started compiling a list of the places I've visited, the books I've read, and the plays I've seen during my time here. It's pretty long already, and I'm only a third of the way done.

Carole and family left this morning. Spent a quiet day until mid-afternoon when we left for the Fulham Football Club to see Fulham play the Blackburn Rovers. (Sorry, Ira, I know you wanted us to go see the Queen's Park Rangers.) We didn't need directions. Once we got to the Putney Bridge station, we followed the crowds along the river. The first half of the game was really bad. Even I could tell that neither team was playing well. There was an injury within the first minute of play and they almost had to bring the player off the field in a stretcher, but they bandaged up his leg and he was able to hobble off with the help of two others after about ten minutes. That was the extent of the excitement for that half, however. It was interesting to listen to the comments from the people around us and to the chants from the crowds in general, though. Thankfully the second half was much more exciting. Fulham got the first goal and the roar from the crowds was deafening. Unfortunately the Blackburn Rovers followed with a goal right away. Two more goals and the game ended in a 2-2 tie. I'm glad I got to see a game, but I don't need to see another one anytime soon.

Two weeks from today we'll be home! We'll miss our London neighborhood when we leave.

Gord thinks I should do a blog when I get home and call it Forever Wild in Wilton. It's interesting that he said that, because I very briefly considered starting one about my job search (I canned the idea, though, thinking that it might be too depressing!). And frankly I'll be happy to lay this baby to rest and get back to reading more. Speaking of. . .

Reading: The Radiant Way, by Margaret Drabble

Election Results: Well, maybe not as many people are reading this blog as I thought! I only received three votes for the plaque election and they were all different. A big thank you to those who voted. I received one for Virginia Woolf, one for Jacob Epstein, and one for Winston Churchill. So I say it's a three-way tie for first place.

When you see all that we accomplished in the past two days, I think you'll understand why I haven't been so prompt with my entries.

Friday
We raced over to Dickens House and learned as much as we could about Charles Dickens in an hour. The four floors were crammed with information. He lived in this house from 1837 - 1839, completing The Pickwick Papers here and most of Oliver Twist and Nicholas Nickleby. I think it's time to reread his novels.

We then took a taxi over to Buckingham Palace to see the Changing of the Guard. The traffic was horrible and it took much longer to get there than we thought. We arrived twenty minutes into the ceremony, but fortunately were able to catch the last twenty minutes.

We had lunch near Victoria Station and then took the subway to Tower Hill where we headed down to the Tower Pier and caught a boat to Westminster Pier (these tickets were included in our sightseeing bus package). I enjoy the commentary by the crew, and especially enjoy their cockney accents. Most of us stayed in the heated lower level, but some went up on the open deck. Brrrr.

We then took the subway to the British Museum where we tried to see the highlights in two hours. Andrew followed the children's audio tour and seemed to really enjoy it. Every time I go there I find new things--this must be my sixth visit this trip. Gord met up with us and we walked through countless rooms until 5:15 or so.

We then walked past Gord's office and over to Southampton Row to an Italian restaurant. From there we went to the Victoria Palace Theatre to see Billy Elliott. What an enjoyable play that was! And you would not believe the talent of the kids! There are five boys who play Billy Elliott on alternate nights, and one of them was born in Albany, New York! Apparently his Newcastle accent is right on; too bad we didn't get to see him. Actually I was talking to someone on staff during the interval and he told me that that Billy Elliott was just sent over to Australia to replace one of the Billy Elliotts there who was out due to a car accident. It really was a good family show, aside from the language. My eight-year-old nephew got an earful of new expressions.

Saturday
Portobello Market day. We got to sleep in a little, but once we got out it was non-stop walking. The market was particularly crowded. We spent a couple of hours there and then some of us took a detour several blocks east to the original Miller Harris store on Needham Road. Not being a perfume person (what an understatement!) I didn't know anything about perfumer Lyn Harris or her products. I have to admit that I was not overcome with the smells in her store--I could even breathe in there!--and some of the scents were actually not bad. But I didn't buy any. Carole bought two! You can purchase her products at Saks in NYC, but that is the only place in the US. We walked back to Portobello Market and then headed to Costa's Fish Restaurant for fish and chips. We then walked across Kensington Gardens (it was not raining but it was cold and windy), and then "tubed" it to Harrod's where we spent another two hours shopping. Took a bus home, stopping at Whole Foods for some wine and cheese. Had a light dinner of hummus, raw veggies, a selection of cheeses, and of course wine.

Friday's plaque of the day: Charles Dickens

What can I say about the past two days?

Well, aside from a nap when they first arrived early yesterday morning, my sister and her family have been going non-stop. I met them at Victoria Station and we had the pleasure of riding the tube during the morning commuter rush--an interesting way to immerse yourself into a culture! It was a beautiful, sunny day and the rest of the week was looking bad, so the decision was made to visit the Tower of London. I hadn't been since 1996, but I'm happy to report that the Yeomen Warders are as entertaining as ever. We took several buses home rather than a subway so that they could see some sights along the way. Dinner in. Bed early.

Today we were out the door as early as possible considering seven people had to shower (and dress in clothes that we were wearing for Thanksgiving dinner). Did part of a hop-on/hop-off bus tour that goes past our house. Got off at the London Eye and had a beautiful view of the city and beyond on this second glorious day (I'm happy that the weather predictions are often so wrong here). Walked across the Westminster Bridge to Westminster Abbey, then walked down Whitehall past the horse guards and Trafalgar Square to St. Martin-in-the-Fields' crypt to do some brass rubbings. Tired yet? We then walked to Covent Garden for some shopping. My youngest nephew Andrew was picked to be in a busker's act--very cute. Then we "cabbed" it over to our (5:30 PM) Thanksgiving dinner at Villandry where we met up with Gord, other faculty, and the students. It wasn't a bad meal (it was a beautiful restaurant, in fact), but it wasn't like home. I heard the pumpkin pie was good, but the pecan pie just wasn't close to the real thing. My sister and family finished early and left to walk down Oxford Street to see the Christmas decorations (the stores are finally open late-- new holiday hours!). Gord and I finally met up with them in Selfridges about 8:30. Walked around for another half hour, then took the subway home to plan tomorrow's activities. It was a very mild, clear night.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Favourite plaque: J. M. Barrie

I got a new "do" today (as in hair). I was putting it off, letting the gray grow in (did I say gray?), but I couldn't take it any longer. So I went to see Brenda who took it all away. And then Sandie who gave me a new hair style. I'm good as new now. But, for some reason, I have this song stuck in my head--"The old gray mare she ain't what she used to be."

My appointment was in the middle of the day, which did not leave time to go to a museum. But I did have time for a walk. After a library stop, I decided to follow Kensington High Street west, beyond the post office and the Waitrose grocery store for about 3/4 of a mile--almost to Hammersmith. I discovered an interesting Persian restaurant. (It's all about food, isn't it?) And right next to that was an Iranian market where I bought some fresh mint leaves (for my mint tea--they're so much fresher than at the grocery store), a mango, a pomegranate, some special dried figs, some lemon flavored almonds and pistachios. I stopped at the post office to mail a postcard to Roz, and then went to the grocery store to stock up on other groceries. My sister and brother-in-law and their three children are arriving at 7 AM, and they're probably getting ready to board their plane as I write this. Well I overdid it on the purchases and thought I was going to kill myself trying to carry it all home, but I made it and my arms got a good workout. And now I can feed everyone. Well actually I need two more items that will have to wait until tomorrow.

Still reading The Moonstone and enjoying it, but somehow I haven't been able to read my usual book a week. I think it has something to do with this blog. . . . may it rest in peace soon.

Don't forget to vote for your favourite plaque (see November 17 entry).

Missing my girls. :(

I stopped in at the Oxfam store on Kensington High Street and purchased a couple of free trade gifts. They are one of my favorite charities and I do like to support them in their work around the world too. (Coincidentally, tonight I received an email appeal to help the cyclone victims in Bangladesh.)

I then took the Circle Line to the Westminster stop and walked across the Westminster Bridge on my way to Dali Universe. Took yet more photos of Big Ben, and also took one of a bagpipe-playing, kilt-wearing gentleman.

At the Dali Universe, I first went in to view an exhibition of works by (Nasser) Azam. This is someone with no art school experience who painted in the early 1980s while quite young (he was born in 1963) and then gave it up for twenty years or so to pursue his career in business. The early works were much more interesting to me than his new stuff, which I found not very exciting.

I would recommend the main Dali Universe to anyone who likes Dali and can overlook the errors on the wall and label text. I'm not sure that I would recommend it to someone not into surrealism. One of the most enjoyable parts was in the beginning, walking down a long corridor with photos of Dali interspersed with some of his quotes. They were great. (I was hoping to find a book of his quotes in the book store but they didn't have one.) One was, "Modesty is not exactly my specialty." There were something like 500 works on display so it took the better part of an afternoon to get through it all. They had one of his lobster telephones, one of his Mae West Lips sofas, the backdrop for that famous scene in the Alfred Hitchcock movie Spellbound, and many other pieces, some more recognizable than others.

I walked back over the bridge and headed home.

The interesting thing about the Circle Line on the London Underground is that when they announce that there are severe delays I've noticed that there is usually a train arriving within a couple of minutes. And when they say that there is "good service" I find that I have to wait an inordinately long time, as today when trying to get home (I waited fifteen minutes or so). Go figure. Well, it beats walking or, even worse, driving.

Former students Jess and Kasha (one is living here as the RA for the current students and the other is visiting) came over for some wine and cheese, and then we all walked over to the Elephant & Castle for some fish and chips (strange combination, I know).

Rainy today, but not as cold as yesterday.