I Want to Go to Brighton!

If one could but go to Brighton (P&P 171).

Maybe I didn't have the same urgency as Lydia in Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice to go to Brighton (I've already got my man.  And anyway, there aren't many men in uniforms there anymore . . .) but it is an hour train ride from London and boasts the seashore and lots of kid stuff.  Though trying to find the fun where it is, I recognize that we've been doing a lot of more grown-up focused outings on the weekends.  I thought a kid-centered day was in order.  The Brighton scene during the day is very family and young child friendly.  (I hear it gets a little . . . interesting . . . after dark.  It's a hub of alternative lifestyle.) So, in search of the ocean and childhood dreams we headed to Brighton.

The architecture of the Royal Pavilion was incredible.  During Miss Austen's time George IV built it as a sumptuous retreat.  Queen Victoria didn't really enjoy using the palace and after only a few visits sold it to the city of Brighton.  During WWI it was a hospital and place of recuperation for soldiers who had been badly injured and were transitioning back into mainstream culture.

Yes, that would be a delightful scheme indeed, and completely do for us at once (P&P 164).

The pier was just like any other pier we might find in Southern California, but fun for all that.  The kids got wristbands to be able to go on as many rides as often as they wanted.  There were no lines, which they took full advantage of.  I could see a slightly manic look in their eyes as they ran from ride to ride and after an hour I knew it was time to head to the calming shoreline.

A little sea-bathing would set me up forever (P&P 171).

The beach was all rocks.  Surprisingly, I found that lovely.  I love sand beaches for many reasons.  However, the rocks were amazingly comfortable to sit on and there was absolutely no mess.

And in search of treats, we found Cloud 9 for some really yummy ice cream and some lovely cakes.

Davy's perspective captured a sweet mama moment with Eddy, then later Eddy taking some notes in the guide book and proudly worn ride wristband.

As if ice cream and cake weren't enough, we passed a real French bakery on the way back to the train station and my eyes literally widened as I caught sight of an assortment of meringues in the window.  They were incredible.  Truly incredible.

And finishing up our sugar-doused kid day was a Brighton sweet specialty, so-called Brighton Rocks.  I don't even know how to explain them, as they were a strange mix of candy canes, nougat, taffy and none of them.  They kept the Lambourne children quite quiet on the train ride home.  Success!

A visit to Brighton comprised every possibility of earthly happiness (P&P 173).

Dover Castle and White Cliffs

So far we've had a few really wonderful weekends of exploration.  (That patchy phase notwithstanding.)  I'd say yesterday at Dover was one of my favorites up until now.  We took the high speed train down from London and within an hour we were at the foot of a fantastic fortress on the coast.  There is at least two thousand years of history on the site, with a Roman fortress and a keep in the middle built by Henry II in the early 1000s.

A couple weeks back we started loading up on memberships to get us into places.  I think we will especially love the English Heritage membership.  It got us in Stonehenge, there are some palaces and mansions close by in London to discover, and it also allowed us access to Dover Castle.

The castle was alive with performers juggling and playing music and clanking around in armor.  Children with wooden medieval weapons were play fighting all over the lawns.  The passages and corridors were open for exploration and nothing was too precious.  By that I mean that we wandered through old tunnels and up and down scary staircases with no sense that we were unwelcome in the old fortress.  After all, the buildings have been through thousands of years of war and peace and weather, and I suppose a bunch of modern visitors couldn't do too much harm.

From the top of the keep, peering in between the crenelations, we could see across the English channel to France.

We totally overspent on the swords at the gift shop and within seconds of purchase Davy was crying over some hurt knuckles.   Once we instituted the idea of slaying weeds and hunting for dragons and jabberwockies, the swords became the best souvenir and distraction for the rest of the trip. 

In order to see the White Cliffs of Dover one has to venture one of two ways.  For a view from the top one must walk quite far to the trails that follow the cliff edge.  For a view from the bottom one must find their way down to the shore.  We chose to take the bus to St. Margaret's at Cliffe to see from below.  The bus dropped us off at the top of the town and we had to find our way through a great tree-tunneled stairway to the beach. Our second "stairs of death" of the day.  First those steep and narrow spiral stairwells in the castle.  Then the uneven shallow slippery stairs to the beach.  There were some tense moments but we're still alive.

Once we finally reached the water's edge and saw the black rocky beach contrasted against the lush green plants poking out of the chalky white cliffs it was all worth it.  I had built up a rather high expectation of the cliffs after years of reading romantic novels with mentions of the cliffs of Dover.  I rather thought that their description must be poetic exaggeration.  But no, they really are white.  I'd love to see them from the sea someday.  From up close, though, they were spectacular enough.

We found small pieces of white stone on the beach among the black smooth rocks.  It was actual chalk and we followed the example of so many before us and gratified our names (or initials, since we are so many) on the wall.  It washes away in the rain or high tide, so I don't think it was a bad thing to do . . .

I can't seem to stop saying how difficult it is to travel--even day outings--with small kids.  Our little children are great sports most of the time.  We keep the snacks coming (crisps at the bus stop, grapes on the train, candy for really big bribes).  We point out things we find interesting and find it adorable when the kids point out things of their own.  We practice waiting patiently.  We relish those moments of true discovery.  We get to teach and learn together.  We pull out the electronics as a last resort.  We smile and laugh when we can and roll our eyes when we can't.  We watch the wonder in their eyes and feel our minds and hearts growing as well.  It's always worth it. 

Catch Up on Goings On (snapshots galore)

Helping with the laundry and making sandwich mustaches.  Evidence that we're starting to feel mostly settled.  Our lives are beginning to have a nice cadence.

For a while there I felt like we were at IKEA or drowning in their catalog all the time.  Two times Collin and I (and the kids of course) went, then later I took the children on my own twice.  That was insanity.  The first time we took the tube.  I had paced myself so that I would be able to manage the loaded stroller myself, but nice people jumped in to help lug it up and down stairs.  One British gentleman said (add in accent), "It feels like we're carrying an automobile."  And indeed it did.  The second time we took buses.  It was much easier with the stroller and kids but took much longer.  On the way home Eliza had fallen asleep in the carrier (as the stroller was loaded with stuff) and Eddy started to fall asleep in his seat.  I didn't know how I was going to manage getting off the bus with a stroller and two sleeping kids so I had him come stand by me.  That kept him awake for all of five minutes, but before I knew it I looked down and he had slumped to the ground and was sleeping sitting up in the most uncomfortable position.  The kid can sleep anywhere and is impossible to wake up.  My hands were quite full getting off that bus, I'm sure we looked a sight.

Collin has commented that it looks like IKEA exploded in our house.  And it does.  However, it is much better than before.  Ready for us to add our personal--non Swedish--touches.

Davy has the Underground map imprinted on his mind.  Seriously, ask him anything.  He sits and stares at the map while we're on the train and he can tell you any stations that connect to other lines.  He knows all the stops and names of stations we've ever been to.  He can figure out alternative routes in a second.  Quite the handy person to have around when navigating our way to places.

I wasn't sure whether I should get this selfie.  It's so awkward.  I can't decide if Miss Austen would roll over in her grave before or after mocking our modern cultural mores.

Baker Street blitz.  If you want your picture right in front of the Sherlock Holmes "museum" however, you had better get there at the crack of dawn to wait in line.  Craziness.

Regent's Park has a lovely lake and paddle boats for rent.  When we walked through a few weekends ago the boys were wild to go out on the water.  We couldn't fit it in then, but this past weekend we went for the purpose of paddling around the lake and admiring the water fowl.

Eliza kissing everything these days.  The little bear in the frozen yogurt places (appropriately named Snog) and the lion statue outside a pub.  She just makes a bee-line (haha!  Bee-line!) for what she's interested in and we follow or not, as we choose.

Down by the waterfront/docklands near our temporary housing.  Mudchute farm was a favorite haunt, as well as the great parks along the river.  Greenwich also has a great playground.  We've found such fun play structures at almost every turn.  There are pros to city life.

We're getting more in a mode of kid jobs and loving it.  The kids really take pride in helping.  Of course they don't always want to do it, or get halfway through and want to stop.  Me too!  But more and more we're working better at working.  Just some of their jobs are:  getting ready in the morning including getting dressed, putting laundry in the basket, folding clothes neatly and putting away in their drawers, washing dishes (each has a meal), making bed, vacuuming, putting dirty dishes in sink, wiping table, cleaning toys, helping when mommy asks, piano practicing.  Right now we're not doing paying for jobs, though they do get buttons in their jar for happily and quickly doing jobs.  Rewarding attitude more than the job, as the job has to be done regardless.  I think we'll start doing money practicing kind of separately from jobs soon, at least for a while.  It gets so complicated for me to try and assign certain jobs to be worth certain amounts and then PAY OUT.  I'm not that organized.  Or rich on petty cash.

Olympic Park and Opera House.  Both fun places, naturally.

So, long story on the church thing.  First Sunday we found Hyde Park, as it was easiest to find.  Then, when we had an address (though not moved in yet), we went to the Whitechapel ward.  It was a lovely ward and we were ready to make ourselves at home.  Only after two months there did someone finally say (after we kept wondering why our records hadn't been moved from Belmont yet) that we were supposed to go to the North London ward.  At last, yesterday, we went to our real ward.  It'll be a great one, I'm sure.  Nice people.  Desperate for a family.  Yikes.  Don't know what expectations they have for us . . .

I'm so grateful for our scooters.  Kids start young here.  I'm ready to get Eliza her own asap.  They make the cutest ones with handle bar and seats just her size!  In pink, too!  :)

I was just talking about the awesome play equipment we get to use here.  But . . . the closest playground is a joke.  It has this sign that says it was designed for children ages 6-11.  (Roll eyes here.)

We're already feeling autumn approach.  Summer is short here!  I'll remember that next year and seize the day much better than we've done this go round.  There have been great moments, though.  We've been to the zoo a couple times and loved it.  The boys are constantly begging for checkers.  I can't play when Eliza is awake, it's a nightmare.  But they sometimes will make up their own rules with chess and checker pieces.  I remember doing the same in my own childhood summers.  Monopoly, too.  (I kind of hope we never have Monopoly in our house.)

Want to entertain Eliza for a long time with minimal effort?  Turn on the teeniest trickle of water and let her splash away in the sink.

I'm so grateful that things are smoothing out and a new normal is seeping in.  It's a good one.  Sparkly moments feel even clearer after a bit of storm.