London Nutters

This week was a busy one. I pounded the pavement everyday at working trying to get a new story to print and spent every night ironing out details for my 2 week trip post London. But I did have a few notable experiences this week too.

I've been needing to go to the post office since I got here but my work schedule seemed to be making it impossible. But one Thursday, I decided to brave the lunch time rush and go anyway. Wow, my co-workers were not kidding about the nutters that inhabit the post office on any given day. First, I got in line behind a small old woman who smelled like she had showered in Chanel #5, although it immediately set off my sensitive nose, that wasn't the most overwhelming this about this woman. After accidentally stepping on my foot, she turned around to apologize and I had to consciously force myself not to verbally react to what I saw. Again she was a very small, ordinary looking woman from the back, I would guess about 60-65. She tuned around and revealed to me a most unusual make-up job. She had eighties blue eye shadow on, covering her whole eyelid all the way up past her eye brows, going out to a point at her temples, and coming down to her cheek bones and back to the inside corner of her eye. In basic terms, a full on raccoon face in day glow blue!! I couldn't believe it at first and thought it must have just been an accident, maybe she had bad eyes. But the lines were perfect, totally purposeful. I resorted to simply trying not to stare...easier said than done

Today was my day off, and of course the first thing on my agenda was to sleep in. I do so love to sleep! After a late morning and a long shower, I set out for Westminster Abby. This building is one of the faces of London, and rightfully so, it is incredible. The architecture and grandeur of it all was overwhelming. There are so many notable people buried there, not just kings and queens but authors, scientists, artists, and war heroes. I couldn't''t help but imagine what attending a wedding or coronation there would be like, certainly one of the most regal settings anywhere in the world. Since I was there so late, I decided to stay for the evening worship service or the "Evensong." It was amazing. We sat in the nave of the Abby and had a program to help us know when to stand or to sit, how to respond to the clergy and when to pray. Then there was the world famous Westminster Choir. They were in arguably the best voices I have ever heard. They were so beautiful and perfect, I closed my eyes and almost cried. It really was one of the most incredible church experiences I've ever had. My dad would have loved it.

Tomorrow, Summer and I fly to Frankfurt Germany for a weekend with her friend from college. I'm nervous about not knowing any German, but everyone keeps telling me that they all speak better English than Britons do and that the beer makes it all worth it, I really hope that's true. I promise pictures and stories when I return. Here are a few from today...

The Front Entance

The Side View

Amen.

Mmm...Ice cream

The only picture I managed inside before they yelled at me to put the camera away.