Easter To Me = Family Time

Missing all my family today.

Yes, even my dad whom I just saw - hahaha!

(Okay - maybe not as much as my nieces and nephews!)

I hope everyone enjoyed hiding some EASTER eggs this morning?

or

if you are like me living in a foreign country and have a housekeeper,

trying to find particular clothing is like going on an Easter egg hunt.

Perhaps with more purpose (I had no SOCKS this morning)

and 

a lot more swearing (it took me 30 minutes to locate a particular pair - ugh!).

STOP!

I can hear you all groaning from here, it's JOKE!

(I know I am spoiled rotten, don't worry)

Wishing you all have a great Easter weekend with 

lots of DARK-chocolate Easter eggs to STUFF down your gullet ~ !

(smiling)

Me and little Malcolm.

(a.k.a. Mr. Happy)

Errrr - Are You Sure We Are Related?

This is Evelyn (Evie for short), my newest little niece!

Cutieeee - pie, no?

On second thought.....

...yes, definitely a Wells!

Boom.

Why I Love My Dad, period.

My Dad and I have been in London for almost two weeks together.

Although I am thoroughly enjoying my last two days 

alone in London while he is visiting family up North - I can't help but be grateful

for the small amount of time we had together.

For the last eight years my dad has been suffering from Parkinson's 

and to his credit, has been dealing with his disease brilliantly!

For example? 

"Lauren, guess what? I no longer need an electric toothbrush 

(showing me his shaking hand)"

One, of many examples of his humor....Ohhh British humor!

By accidentally really, I captured some moments of our London trip together.

(thought I was taking a picture then realized it was set on video - OPPSIE!)

And of course, I had to share with everyone.

Brag really.

Brag because it's my dad and how quickly I forget that he is the most

sarcastic, honest, and caring father a daughter could ask for.

(even if I know I'm not his favourite - screw you RHIANNON! I know your secret!)

Hahah!

If you have ever had the privileged to meet Sir John 

then hopefully these videos make you smile and roll your eyes and say.....

...Ohhh Sir John!

Bahaha - we did not end up going to see a show but he DID buy me another bar of 

DARK chocolate...so he clearly made up for it!

Windy day in Hyde Park, too windy to probably sit by the lake but 

the sun was so lovely and well, 

we didn't want to leave those warm, wonderful sun-rays!

Cool little park that had once been a graveyard in Beverly - beautiful.

A wonderful afternoon walk, coming back from having a coffee and a 

GLUTEN free piece of carrot cake - Shhhhh!

He didn't even notice - MOUAHAHAH!

Me and my dad arguing on the long walk back to Auntie Joyce's.

Gaaaawd I miss that conversations like these...hahah!

Loved this trip.

Loved the memories.

Love my Dad.

(even if you drove me CRAZY at times).

Let's do it again NEXT year...or better yet, get your BUTT to the Desh Dad!

Love always.

Lauren

The Waiting Games continue....

When you have TONES of time to kill and no book to read....

You practice taking pictures and selfies of COURSE!!!

Oh for gawd sakes Lauren...smile like YOU MEAN IT!

Tree are make for a better model.

Ohhh and that is nice too...tower thingy!

Smiling after only an hour waiting because let's face it, I got the

pretty tower thingy, blue skies and nothing else to do....

...literally, I couldn't even find an old paper in the garbage beside me!

Yup....this is how bored I got.

It's been two hours now....the worry has settled in.

Ummm, have you seen my dad (insert question mark)

(button does not function on Aunty Joyce computer)

The bar is soooo close...if only I could leave these bags and just have

ONE PINT! I almost gave meee money to someone to ask THEM

if they could go in and get me a REAL, STRONG, DRINK!

On second thought, make it a double!

The sun is setting....pretending not to notice how cold I am.

Dad is back but with no good news.

This is my reaction to his return.

Now I am thinking - how long do you wait for family?

What is your "limit" of waiting time?

My MAX time is coming SOON!

Just keep swimming, just keep swimming....

I decide to leave these STUPID bags and get me a coffee....HUMBUG!

Yes, I came back and they were all still there....although I wish someone would have pinched 

that old VHS camera Dad has been lugging around!

What a day to ALWAYS remember but ALWAYS WANT to forget!

Luv my old FART of a dad.

sigh*

Patience is a Virtue I DO HAVE; True story!

My father and I took the train to Hull from London.

Our instructions were clear; wait in station for Aunty Joyce to come and pick us up.

Twenty minutes went by and I finally asked my dad - maybe try and give her a call?

He then came back, said he had spoken to her and 

that we were to walk to the nearest bus stop and wait THERE for her.

I didn't ask any questions.

That was MISTAKE number ONE!

We waited for an hour and that's when the videos started...

Was I worried about my dad being nowhere?

 A little.

Even after the second hour of losing my dad, I thought,

"Well, HEY...maybe he found my aunt and they are having a cuppa coffee to warm up?

Mmmmm - coffeeee!

That would be nice.

By the third hour I was getting silly-angry-astounded

My lips were so dry and sore because of the wind and my arse starting to freeze from in the outside in!

My dad DID returned only to say he did NOT find my aunt and that 

he has no cellphone number to contact her, no address, no address to their business

(they do kitchens and bathrooms - lovely!)

and the payphones weren't working very well

(he  could only leave messages and hear what my aunt was saying 

(which is stay where you are, we will find you) 

but

they couldn't hear HIS REPLY!

FOR GAWD SAKES!!!

In the end?

We were suppose to stay in the train station but wait at the 

BUS exit of the the TRAIN STATION!

My dad had gotten a little mixed up!

Thank goodness after 5 hours of sitting, I finally said - YUP!

That's enough patience for me and asked a stranger off the streets to 

use their cellphone, called my aunt at home and well, 

figured out the mix-up!

TO SAY THE LEAST - it wasn't the best day but a good

story to laugh about now.

Ha-ha-ha.....errrr, yeah.

I spy something that is...

Paddington Station, my new hood. 

Just thought it was another regular day coming home from some sightseeing downtown.
(was a long day of looking for a watch to buy under 100 pounds with GPS - *sigh
tough life when all you got is money....errr, no worries! Didn't buy a thing...good old google maps will
just have to do the trick for another two years)

I looked down one of those MEWS that are everywhere in this area
AND
as my 92 year-old-granny would say
HOLY SHIT!
I spy with my little EYE something that is
BROWN AND BLACK AND HAS A WHOOSHY TAIL!?!?!
Nooooo WAY! What-what-what??? Can this be true?

OH MY GAWD - OH MY GAWD!
London truly IS a magical place where all my dreams can come true!
What's my dream?
Well, to ride a REAL LIVE HORSE/PONY in Hyde Park OF COURSE!
And it actually happens, for REAL! In London, I KNOW! Right?!?!
Yeah, in this is the PLACE! Right where I am, RIGHT NOW!
(I think some people would call that HEAVEN!!!!!!)

I might move and work in this country for the wrong reasons but I just don't care.
I can and want to be able to ride horses in the afternoon sunshine and well, in the park
where all those other morons (like myself recently) run when I can pass them on my PONY!
MOU-ahahahhahah!
Are you laughing at me?
Fine, be that way but some people make their dreams come true and
BABY THIS STAR IS ABOUT TO SHINE!!!!

So...yeah.

Sometimes A Fedora Is All You Need

It happened first thing when I woke up.

Bed HEAD! With a dreadful middle part - EW!

Maybe I could do the side part thingy?

Nawwww - that looks like s*** Lauren!

How about a small bun?

What part of that "bun" is suppose to be small?

Looks more like a freaking birds nest Lauren - SICK!

HOLD THE PHONE - I got it!

Did someone say FEDORA?!?!

Justin Timberlake

had is flown in to the U.K. especially for me - gosh, what a guy!

What are friends for?

Okay - okay. 

That's a lie, Justin and I aren't really friends.

(he has no idea what he's missing)

I got it this delightful fedora
from a second hand store in downtown Hull, the men's section to be exact.
(I was TICKLED PINK!)

Stunning, I know but you wanna know the best part?

CURES BED HEAD EVERY TIME!

(to you haters...don't hate the thing that hides BEDHEAD, okay?)
Enough said.

Boom.