A Wedding, Four Graduates and a Funeral

The first night in London was magical. Everything was new and after we ate at a local pub, then explored the city. 

In January, it rained quite a bit. But we were on vacation. What did we care?

The bus below is one of the many 
double-decker buses that we rode on to see the sites. A great way to get around.



The snowflake decorations were still up in Soho and we truly enjoyed the atmosphere as we walked through this area.

Now to writing. I haven't. Isn't that terrible to say when I devote this blog to writing. My back is still out. I work the best that I can during the day and then at night exercise or lay flat on my back watching TV. The pain is less then. I tried to go for a walk a couple nights ago and told my husband after only a few houses away that I had had enough.  But day by day, I know it is getting better. By 8 weeks, I should be back to normal. I'm only on week 2. This week is going to be busy. A funeral on Saturday and a wedding the following Thursday. Two family college graduation parties on the 4th of July and two eighth grade graduation letters to write.  

39 Steps

On our first full day in London, we bought tickets to the play, 39 Steps. 

That evening we had high hopes to see the Alfred Hitchcock spy thriller. Four actors playing 130 roles in 100 minutes. It was wonderful.

We happened to meet a tour group from Alabama. Our seats were in the balcony. But it made no difference. The actors were amazing in their ability to be believable in each role they layed.sometimes even two at a time.

I've not been able to write anything new this week. I threw my back out again, so I've just been in pain. It is amazing that when you are in pain, it is hard to focus on anything else but just getting through the next moment. I know it will get better and yet in the back of my mind, I think, what if it doesn't. What if I am in pain like this for the rest of my life?  What if I never write again?  

Burlington House

Looking outside from within Burlington House's courtyard was surreal. It was after 9 p.m. and my sister and I had taken a walk when we stumbled upon this magnificent piece of architecture. Less than a block away from our hotel we entered the courtyard. The only standing square left in place. It now houses the Royal Society, the Linnean Society and the Royal Society of Chemistry as well as the Royal Academy.  

This is where I am re-writing my 5th novel to take place. After seeing this structure and loving everything Regency, I am plotting their every move based upon the location of this building and the areas surrounding it. Which sounds easy. But it's like being there. I have to check the map every time my characters go outside. Which direction do they take and what is there. Not only there but would have been there back in the early 1800's.  

Summer time or I guess we are still in spring, is a hard time to write. There is so much to do. My family and I went for a day trip to our favorite spot in the mountains on Saturday. We enjoyed a picnic, fishing, playing cards and then a downpour of rain. It always rains in the mountains, but Colorado this spring seems to be rainier than ever. I don't mind the rain so much now since the sun has decided to come out every day.

      

Views of London

The sun is shining, and as I scan the skies and see only white clouds I am refreshed. But it will take some time for me to warm up. A month of greyness and rain has taken its toll. However, it has caused the backyard lawn and my flowers to flourish. The snow and hail left marks, but the sunshine is repairing it all. Little leaves are beginning to form on my geraniums and I feel the same way. Little by little I am coming alive. Although it was not a harsh winter by any means, the greyness lasted longer than I can remember .

         

This view is from our hotel room. And the next one is the side view from outside the Cavendish Hotel. I wish I would have taken a picture of the front of the Cavendish. But going through my pictures found I must not have taken any of it.

Along the streets of London, one minute we were walking and enjoying the scenery and in the next we had  become ensconsed in a protest. Fighting our way to become free of the route the protest was taking, we emerged to take this picture of the tail end of the procession.  The last picture is another wonderful example of great architecture from days gone by.   

My editor/sister believes my regency novel is ready to send out to publishers. And so this week also brings optimism that perhaps all the work we have done on this book may have brought it to a level that others might enjoy reading. To enter the world we've created and for a few minutes in time be transported back to a time of romance, intrigue and murder. 

She assures me it is a long process, but I'm ever hopeful.