Home Sweet Home! I got back yesterday about 11 a.m. and although my flight was fine, with no major discomforts (and significantly less alcohol than last time), I am so relieved my traveling is over for the foreseeable future. We've decided to spend Spring Break here in London, so my feet will be on the ground for a while.
I didn't sleep on the flight at all. Sometimes I can but this time, no. So my mission yesterday was to keep myself as busy as possible in order to stay awake. I did laundry, I vacuumed, I cleaned the bathrooms, I took care of some minor stuff in the garden. If I tried to read or do anything on the computer my eyelids would sag like bargain-basement window blinds. Finally I went to bed at about 9 p.m. and slept soundly all night. Hopefully I'm more or less back on London time now, since I wasn't away for long.
It's funny that I spent all of yesterday cleaning, because that's also what I did in Florida the day before. Everyone else had gone home so I cleaned up our guesthouse and did all the laundry before getting on the plane.
That's the state of the garden, above. It will be time to mow the lawn soon! The wildlife cam is back in place so we'll be able to reacquaint ourselves with the local foxes.
The forsythia has burst into bloom...
...and indoors, the Rhipsalis or bird's-foot cactus has more flowers than ever before, I believe.
This is the one item (aside from some loose pictures and my dad's Europe slides) that I took from their house. It sat on some shelves above their TV for years. I believe my dad got it when he lived in the La Place Apartments in Tampa right after his divorce from my mom and before he married June. I seem to remember it came from an art show. It's quite heavy, and signed and dated 1974. I can't quite make out the signature but I'll give it a closer look one of these days.
I've always believed this vase to be black, but it's clearly blue. It was in such a dark location in their house that I've never perceived the color correctly!
Welcome home. Thank goodness you got a good night's sleep, one more like that and you should be back to normal.
ReplyDeleteFoxes on the camera are going to seem so tame after raccoons and armadillos. 😄
Tame but also comforting in a routine way.
DeleteBack home and all is well.
ReplyDeleteI like the vase; although clearly a product of the 70s it still looks timeless.
Yeah, I think it's really nice! I like it more that I'm seeing some color in it.
DeleteLove that vase.
ReplyDeleteIt was a good buy, 52 years ago (!).
DeleteWelcome back, and what a beautiful vase.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteWhatever the colour, it's a lovely vase.
ReplyDeleteThanks -- I agree.
DeleteGlad to see you back and I think staying close to home in the future is not such a bad idea.
ReplyDeleteYeah, it sounds great to just hang around for a while.
DeleteGlad you’re home. Hope the jet lag is minimal. I love that vase. We collected art glass. Maybe it’s an artist name we’d recognize if you zoomed in.
ReplyDeleteI'll try to look more closely at it!!
DeleteGlad you had a easy trip home, and came with gifts ... I love the color of the vase.
ReplyDeleteI'm especially glad to get the slides. I've been worried about them for years and whether my stepmother would throw them out!
DeleteThat is so Steve, to leave the guesthouse clean and orderly after everyone had left! I should think you've done enough jetting about for now.
ReplyDeleteYeah, for a while, anyway! Cleaning the guesthouse gave me something to do on that last day.
DeleteIt takes a lot of willpower to fight jet lag effectively. My MIL has no willpower and whenever she arrives from a long visit overseas, it effectively takes her a month or better to get back on schedule. I'm more like you, I power through a day just to get back on the same schedule quickly.
ReplyDeleteYeah, it's a struggle that first day but it pays off!
DeleteThe vase is really lovely. Isn't it amazing what a few days difference can make in a garden. That forsythia is a wow. You are exactly the kind of person I'd love to have renting the cottage -- you'd leave it in better shape than when you arrived!
ReplyDeleteIt really IS amazing how much the garden has changed in such a short time. More and different flowers have appeared in just days!
DeleteWelcome Home Brother Man - Next Stop , Retirement - Nice
ReplyDeleteStay Hip ,
Cheers
I think that really IS the next major life event. (Hopefully!)
DeleteWelcome home Steve. That vase is beautiful and a wonderful reminder of those you loved.
ReplyDeleteThanks! And yes, I'll think of Dad and June every time I see it.
DeleteThe items slipped into our bags on that last visit to the family home, hold special meaning that likely no one else understands. I have a few of those from my father's house.
ReplyDeleteIt's important to save the things that will remind you of times past!
DeleteYou wrote on my blog post that you feel guilty about not answering comments while you've been away and it struck me once again how both you and I really are, at heart, still trying to be the good children. You cleaning up that guest cottage and then coming home to clean your own nest is so indicative of your innate goodness. We should not feel guilty if we don't get around to answering comments or even (god forbid!) if we don't always comment on other blogs.
ReplyDeleteAnd yet of course we do.
Well, anyway, welcome home and your garden is lovely.
And how did you get that vase home safely?
You're right -- I am trying to be a "good child." I've always had a strong "pleaser" impulse, which is probably not the healthiest thing. I wrapped the vase in a t-shirt and put it into my hard-sided suitcase, and it was fine. It's pretty heavy glass.
DeleteI think that vase is beautiful! All of these trips must cost a pretty penny or pound ... as the case may be! Being grounded for awhile will give your bank account a rest!
ReplyDeleteRetirement is right around the corner!
Yeah, we've spent a fair amount of money on all this!
DeleteThat's a lovely vase that will remind you of your Dad. Glad you had a safe trip home and are catching up on your sleep. No begins the countdown to your last day at the library! I bet it will go quickly now...
ReplyDeleteI think I have 18 days left, by my count!
DeleteI can see why your Dad bought this Vase. He had a good eye.
ReplyDeleteI can too. I wish he'd kept it in better light all this time!
DeleteWelcome home. You were far too industrious for me on your day back. I'd have just wandered around looking at stuff and then take a nap.
ReplyDeleteIf I rested I'd fall asleep and I didn't want to do that. It's harder to get back on schedule once that happens.
DeleteI like that vase you brought home with you and the garden is looking very nice. I bet it feels great to be home.
ReplyDeleteIt does indeed!
DeleteThe vase is lovely, such a beautiful deep blue. It looks very like Moorcroft. Xx
ReplyDeleteExcept it's glass rather than pottery. But it does have a similar vibe.
DeleteI do love that vase. I look forward to hearing more about it. Welcome home.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Debby!
DeleteThat's a beautiful vase; I would have wanted it too! I handle time changes the same way you do--keep busy until a normal bed time. It worked except for Korea; that one was just too much. I felt like I'd been run over by a truck for a week.
ReplyDeleteYeah, really long flights like that are hard to bounce back from. I remember when I flew from New York to India and back, adapting took a while!
Deletewelcome home- lovely chunk of glass brought back in your carry on!
ReplyDeleteIn my checked bag, actually!
DeleteGlad you made it home safe and sound. Not sure if it is easier or harder to adjust from jet lag after a relatively quick trip. I'll be heading over the Pond tonight, solo as usual, and, like you, I will power through staying awake tomorrow. Doubt I'll get much sleep on board. Have a ticket for the Seurat exhibition at the Courtauld Friday morning (one of my favorite places--have had good luck with their special exhibits and they have a good array of art on permanent view). Otherwise I don't have other set plans. Though the old Routemaster buses (#38 route Victoria) will be doing free rounds on Saturday so might trek over there from Kensington. Great memories of my childhood hoping on and off those buses. Grew up in London so I simply like walking places and enjoying the architecture. Heading to Venice to meet friends on Monday.
ReplyDeleteNice! Hopefully we'll have good weather! I love the Courtauld. Haven't been there in ages.
DeleteYour garden burst into color with all the forsythia in full bloom. What a nice greeting and welcome home for you.
ReplyDeletePowering through time differences after a trip abroad is my solution as well. It's not easy but it's always better to adjust quickly.
The vase is lovely and it will have a good home with you.
Yes, the forsythia was a warm welcome!
DeleteThat is a gorgeous vase! I love its moody colors. Glad you're back home!
ReplyDeleteThanks! And yes, moody -- appropriate for the decade of the mood ring. :)
DeleteA lovely vase...just right for some spring flower arranging.
ReplyDeleteYou are right to stay home..there is so much going on in London with not so much travelling to get to it
Yeah, we usually try to alternate "staycations" with traveling, but the last few breaks we've traveled, so now I'm ready to put my feet up.
DeleteThe vase is beautiful. It's a nice remembrance to bring home.
ReplyDeleteIt is indeed. I've always wanted it, from the time I was very young.
DeleteThat's a lovely vase and looks very solid. It's nice to see the forsythia, one of Spring's first showboats! And I like the name of the bird's foot cactus. It really does look like little bird feet. I don't know if I could keep going all day if I was that tired. I'm more of a crawl into bed and figure the sleep schedule out later kind of person.
ReplyDeleteI've found the best thing to do is just stay busy. That keeps me from feeling TOO tired, paradoxically.
DeleteIf you shine a light into that vase, can it be seen from outside? I think a good place to start your research is Duncan McClellan. He has a gallery in St Petersburg that features many different artists. There was an amethyst vase that shared characteristics with yours. It was an early work attributed to him. He was really hitting his stride in the early 80s.
ReplyDeleteHmmmm...I'll take a closer look at the name when I get home tonight. (I'm at work now.) The vase is pretty much opaque, though up near the lip some light gets through the dark blue glass.
DeleteGood to know you are back, and after a good night's sleep I am sure you're back to normal.
ReplyDeleteThe vase is beautiful, and I'm glad it survived the trip in one piece.
So am I! I wasn't too worried, though -- it's very solid and I had a lot of stuff in my bag to pad it.
DeleteThat vase is SO beautiful! I should confess I have stopped watching the garden cam videos.
ReplyDeleteOh, I'm sure you're not the only one! I just put them here for people who like keeping track of our critters. (Mainly me, probably!)
Delete