London in Bloom

March is here, and it was an incredibly gorgeous day in London town with clear, blue skies and sunshine like I haven't seen before here.

Living in constant grey skies, you forget how the sun feels on your skin; how it warms your whole body within seconds and instantly improves your mood. I wish I could bottle it and keep it in my purse for daily use.

March marks the 4th month of my life in England, and the beginning of spring.
Goodbye, winter - I can't say I'm sorry to see you're frosty winds and chilly nights pack up and head for the hills for the duration of my time in the UK.

I love spring. I love the slow shedding of wool coats, knitted scarves, and pom-pom topped hats that it brings.
I love the sight of flowers popping up where you never knew they were, and cheerful pinks and greens appearing in the shop windows - even though they replace giant SALE signs.
My shopping sights shift to bikinis and sandals, even though it will be months still before I can wear them, and I have a sudden desire to freshen my blonde highlights, wear oversized sunglasses, and fake bake.

I have so much to look forward to this Spring, that I find myself especially excited for what's in store.
Starting with weekend at a manor home in Baisingstoke, complete with a 20s-themed fancy dress party. My boss from New York visits afterwards - which sounds like a weird thing to be excited about but since I adore her I am thrilled, and I foresee a lot of fun while she's in town. Then my sister comes, and we head to Germany to have pretzel-eating adventures as we skip all over Munich with our hair in braids and our arms linked.
My parents will be here to welcome the month of April, and off we will fly to Holland, where I will fullfill my lifelong dream of frolicing through the Keukenhof Gardens in full bloom, wearing wooden shoes and a bonnet and a belly full of panoekoen!! Bring on spring!

I'm excited to see the life that Spring brings in London too. To explore Hyde Park in sunny splendor instead of winter wrath. To see outdoor tables appear on the quaint streets and drink my Strongbow at the wooden benches outside the pub instead of snuggled near the fireplace inside.

I am also looking forward to spring because I am already dreaming of the end of lent.
I have chosen to give up sweets of all kinds this year, and thank goodness I did because some recent events would have usually sent me straight into several pints of Ben n Jerrys, but I resisted and went for soothing tea instead. I am totally becoming English.

I am officially 10 days sugar-sober. Don't ask me how I'm doing it - because I honestly have no idea.
I survived in France by just eating absurd amounts of cheese in lieu of sweets, but since I have been back in England I have been eating as I normally do, just without dessert. I have found rice cakes helpful in my withdrawl. I think this is mostly because they have the word "cake" in them so I on some level I can trick myself into thinking it is a dessert, even though it tastes like air. But it's been a daily struggle.

I had a meeting in South Kensington yesterday around lunch time, so I was excited to go somewhere exciting to get a tasty, healthy lunch. I wandered into a lovely little spot called "Muriel's Kitchen," which is known for healthy, homemade food, and found myself starring at the following....

homemade berry meringues

warm raisin scones

banofee and chocolate chip cupcakes

jam-filled "duffins" which stands for a donut/muffin

Raspberry and cream cupcakes

Heavenly looking Victoria Sponge Cake

mini lemon meringue pies

Can you imagine how I felt leaving with a salad instead of one of everything above?

Empowered, yes. But also extremely depressed.

Today at the Borough Market things weren't any easier. Not only was I surrounded by drool-worthy brownies, ice cream, fudge, and turkish delight, but everyone was giving free samples! Shoving bits of sponge in my wide-eyed face and loudly shouting, "fancy a tester miss?"

And I had to say no, thank - really, no I don't want any free chocolate- covered things, when inside I was screaming, "YES I FANCY A TESTER!!!!"

Instead I left with loads of fresh fruit, and a rather tasty Veggie Burger, and walked all the way along the Embankment home to Chelsea, which took nearly two hours but was so lovely it felt like 2 minutes. I stopped at the Satchi Gallery for a taste of some culture - attempting to curb my sugar craving with art. It worked for a few minutes.

After living here for nearly 4 months now, I feel like I really know my way around and I've come find a lot of the staples of British life essential. I wonder how I ever did without them...

Like amazing, free museums on every corner that you can pop into for a dose of culture.

Like the hot water bottle I purchased a month ago at Boots, that may well be the best £7 I have ever spent, and is the only reason I didn't get frostbite in my sleep in my freezing flat.

Like a hot cup of tea with a splash of milk and sugar cube or 4, drank with your pinky out, of course.

Like the friendly phrase, "cheers!" which is the perfect way to say thank you.

Like Marks & Spencer. Where one can buy perfectly portioned little meals (and sticky toffee puddings) for every night of the week. I have not cooked a single thing, or had to do dishes in 4 glorious months.

Like the local pub, where you go after every event in life here to bond over pints and chit chat with strangers who are quite literally mad.

Like living with flatmates, who have become a sort of mix-matched family to me when my own is so terribly far away.

Even the Chemist, who's knowledge of "capsules" is un-riveled, and who has sold me so many various pills in the past 4 month, that I had to convince him for a full 20 minutes that I am not a drug addict before he would sell me some Nyquil. Slightly irritating - but it's good to know that people are looking out for you.

And most of all I've found essential the wonderful phrase, "Keep Calm and Carry On," which is applicable to nearly every situation in life.
Chin up, pinky out, carry on through the chaos.

And so I do.