British Library Tour

<br /><div style="text-align: center;">Interesting<br />that in the world's largest holding library</div><div style="text-align: center;">you are unable to check out a book</div><div style="text-align: center;">and need special permission to touch one</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">While I had visited this library before,</div><div style="text-align: center;">I went back for a proper tour just a few weeks ago<br />(there isn't much to see on your own, so a tour is a must)<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiileLig5Y0oPxwmIKSC6y0vWxVojoWl_WDjg-FPu4AJDbbEUXPPFQMmNY6vrZ1t359WAiCBNVmHDHscp_7Lh93TBZKB67CIshKFUz_PGKe0jdhu7KVSahjtMQDLZxHJUdZajmvYgcY7znV/s1600/photo+4-041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiileLig5Y0oPxwmIKSC6y0vWxVojoWl_WDjg-FPu4AJDbbEUXPPFQMmNY6vrZ1t359WAiCBNVmHDHscp_7Lh93TBZKB67CIshKFUz_PGKe0jdhu7KVSahjtMQDLZxHJUdZajmvYgcY7znV/s1600/photo+4-041.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">In the UK and Ireland</div><div style="text-align: center;">a copy of every publication is donated to the British Library</div><div style="text-align: center;">for the sake of archiving the printed word</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Besides books, the British Library archives</div><div style="text-align: center;">store catalogs, maps, games, stamps, playscripts, and musical scores</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Moving images as well as sound recordings</div><div style="text-align: center;">such as music, animal sounds, and regional accent samples are stored as well</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Three million new items are added to the collection each year,</div><div style="text-align: center;">some of which are donated from other countries in different languages</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Miles of shelving are added annually to accommodate new additions</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">While the main library is in London</div><div style="text-align: center;">other branches are in Oxford, Cambridge, Yorkshire, Scotland, Wales, and Dublin</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Contrary to most libraries,</div><div style="text-align: center;">the British Library organizes their books according to book size</div><div style="text-align: center;">because the Dewey Decimal System would be too time consuming for reshelving books</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">When a book is returned</div><div style="text-align: center;">it is placed at the end of the shelf next to books the same size</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFpHS_AnMR2fjcTGIwxGpTjdMthHegY7f7BtOyGMyN0aKCpwWqu1rmGPl348BVmr7CsckuyF_rtOXxacp2vfK4Olf8i04VJKHb8VXSeMuVOPWTZ86Fg1F0eB2yFlTg9xk26DabDVN30ryV/s1600/photo+5-038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFpHS_AnMR2fjcTGIwxGpTjdMthHegY7f7BtOyGMyN0aKCpwWqu1rmGPl348BVmr7CsckuyF_rtOXxacp2vfK4Olf8i04VJKHb8VXSeMuVOPWTZ86Fg1F0eB2yFlTg9xk26DabDVN30ryV/s1600/photo+5-038.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">King's Library and public tables</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">If one wants to look at a particular item,</div><div style="text-align: center;">a registration process must be completed</div><div style="text-align: center;">and permission is granted based on genuine scholarly purpose</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">It is mostly university students, professors, </div><div style="text-align: center;">and industry researchers who are granted access</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">As nothing can be checked out,</div><div style="text-align: center;">items only can be viewed in monitored reading rooms</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The Magna Carta is the most requested item (and denied)<br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw5tt0sm5AHxms0wJDOAwqvFyt9bwtX2dbq0YnlwfTwJIYIWD5_sxYZAeB7-MfdViDwEyB0yj75SVBkZNPn3autWvnTBp47PXw61hTy2xzEC3PIUEJcwF9caYm4U7dkCND3mg3hwtRtH7U/s1600/photo+3-035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw5tt0sm5AHxms0wJDOAwqvFyt9bwtX2dbq0YnlwfTwJIYIWD5_sxYZAeB7-MfdViDwEyB0yj75SVBkZNPn3autWvnTBp47PXw61hTy2xzEC3PIUEJcwF9caYm4U7dkCND3mg3hwtRtH7U/s1600/photo+3-035.JPG" width="502" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Reading Room</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">When an item is requested, it goes through a system between the walls that reminded me</div><div style="text-align: center;">of luggage at an airport with trays on automated tracks<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5BG3BLPLKPvhdX9KDe7RB7BlRkc0JNHVP5sXdlOYsbNnK-MO_ItPQk3WJ0yjrqHhI27ju-7TCjBHrGefBu9sq143ws6hVX8EvzsuPmpiwjI2igtXka7p3MGs3wdDEva3qRg5qY3obujXU/s1600/photo+1-046.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5BG3BLPLKPvhdX9KDe7RB7BlRkc0JNHVP5sXdlOYsbNnK-MO_ItPQk3WJ0yjrqHhI27ju-7TCjBHrGefBu9sq143ws6hVX8EvzsuPmpiwjI2igtXka7p3MGs3wdDEva3qRg5qY3obujXU/s1600/photo+1-046.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Seventy people work in the basement 80 feet below ground</div><div style="text-align: center;">where items are stored on 20-foot high bookshelves</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The lowest level of the building is filled with pumps</div><div style="text-align: center;">since the basement rests below the water table and River Thames<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The King's Library holds King George III's collection</div><div style="text-align: center;">which is considered one of the most important from his era</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Originally donated to the library when it was part of the British Museum,</div><div style="text-align: center;">the collection is now housed in a customized area with a clever fire plan<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN3txxsWDu6ixEjYuV_fcumzR7JPnj8J3fv2X7MdyhlqaSFr-Lhqmmk5AVUNMMwK2EQRm6WA4Jnd4DqX3AwkRzjE9pFtoF6h9l-Uue6Pk7TZi99DJo1WcL8UmGEn2aR4mlBtLesUjeYb1z/s1600/photo+5-041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN3txxsWDu6ixEjYuV_fcumzR7JPnj8J3fv2X7MdyhlqaSFr-Lhqmmk5AVUNMMwK2EQRm6WA4Jnd4DqX3AwkRzjE9pFtoF6h9l-Uue6Pk7TZi99DJo1WcL8UmGEn2aR4mlBtLesUjeYb1z/s1600/photo+5-041.JPG" width="586" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">King's Library</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">In case of fire elsewhere in the library,</div><div style="text-align: center;">a fire retardant gel would fill the space between the double glass panes</div><div style="text-align: center;">and King George's collection would be pulled out of the skylight to safety</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Since water would create a lot of damage to books in case of fire,</div><div style="text-align: center;">other precious books are stored in an emergency blast freezer corridor</div><div style="text-align: center;">This means a vacuum sucks out air and blasts the area with cold air (-18<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 19.200000762939453px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #444444;">°</span></span>C) to freeze books</div><div style="text-align: center;">Then those books are transported to freezer holds in area grocery stores for safekeeping<br />Sounds like a movie!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Next time I would love to attend Conservation Studio: Behind The Scenes Tour</div><div style="text-align: center;">Offered monthly, this will be on my list for next time :)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>- all images my own -</i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Link: <a href="http://www.bl.uk/whatson/tours/index.html">British Library Tour</a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(an unsponsored tour)</span></div><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/35/2FD701A88E1AB920883327F28E3E4BF9.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>

British Library Tour

Interesting that in the world's largest holding library you are unable to check out a book and need special permission to touch one Whil...

Read more »

The Lake District

<br /><div style="text-align: center;">For the long holiday weekend</div><div style="text-align: center;">we took a quick zip to the Lake District, </div><div style="text-align: center;">the largest and most visited National Park in England </div><div style="text-align: center;">located near the Scottish border</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdPCEAuKW7eBGrAkkrhyeRUbP7Uhat9TUQCTY7y8nfjRBRmuZSOQqi81WfKpcVhoPmElHq0lbCc4Se68do_Rb8JckPUQd-kmgWD6qng4ZT5LylF15ZnScFrPr8Gyi0zwHc4QgS_4AbSVVn/s1600/DSC01358-002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdPCEAuKW7eBGrAkkrhyeRUbP7Uhat9TUQCTY7y8nfjRBRmuZSOQqi81WfKpcVhoPmElHq0lbCc4Se68do_Rb8JckPUQd-kmgWD6qng4ZT5LylF15ZnScFrPr8Gyi0zwHc4QgS_4AbSVVn/s1600/DSC01358-002.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">You can see how this area has inspired so many authors</div><div style="text-align: center;">including William Wordsworth and Arthur Ransome</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguTdCRcUBEYxsj2wbYATOGFnuqnhraJcGu9T1_dWJF5lYdJ5LnDVPHaA9dioupsqbtmoKUJiJdELOHGo8f9HYR8MLEamHvAKT2PRaCSzGnJ9RcxjwwrIccaVlZ9wbpgWz2xwXx67JdbTNy/s1600/DSC01325-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguTdCRcUBEYxsj2wbYATOGFnuqnhraJcGu9T1_dWJF5lYdJ5LnDVPHaA9dioupsqbtmoKUJiJdELOHGo8f9HYR8MLEamHvAKT2PRaCSzGnJ9RcxjwwrIccaVlZ9wbpgWz2xwXx67JdbTNy/s1600/DSC01325-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The area is known for its </div><div style="text-align: center;">long, thin lakes</div><div style="text-align: center;">hills (known as 'fells')</div><div style="text-align: center;">verdant countryside (indicating it rains a lot) </div><div style="text-align: center;">and hardy Herdwick & Swaledale sheep</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-GVkbUwKQuv3buCH_0UWn9qvV7JG4l8OHT71UgiXXLIIkDVBJuBn0tr0zjxEar8dZhGk56wwkr0AQMd2jPNnOVJG7HgE6a9pFuhG3rxUpWrlBD-bl9cUwjY0zkPsddc2VigiabNUpC9OB/s1600/DSC01383-002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-GVkbUwKQuv3buCH_0UWn9qvV7JG4l8OHT71UgiXXLIIkDVBJuBn0tr0zjxEar8dZhGk56wwkr0AQMd2jPNnOVJG7HgE6a9pFuhG3rxUpWrlBD-bl9cUwjY0zkPsddc2VigiabNUpC9OB/s1600/DSC01383-002.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Aren't you in love already?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJLxOtuIY2ZVH70L1dvvWb0GZ-YGhUQSKaTRmjUdApM1EA80c_-5CCDm_WcyB_nKq1iFPSExsikM_ip6QWeeSFa1xrDfLsns0oaNG_xuxQWFp6fFAt1GIbk9J_yCWIGWioeAhy0iyopJZ1/s1600/DSC01574-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJLxOtuIY2ZVH70L1dvvWb0GZ-YGhUQSKaTRmjUdApM1EA80c_-5CCDm_WcyB_nKq1iFPSExsikM_ip6QWeeSFa1xrDfLsns0oaNG_xuxQWFp6fFAt1GIbk9J_yCWIGWioeAhy0iyopJZ1/s1600/DSC01574-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1TTUI3OIRNOzdXQ3ZP67lLHHIwGg6DR3pPWTzB8RTZXIRECR3w21ORVCWSS0mDvDYDOPsz9W9EQMhlkboFaMgtRjxk0wQRWuVIxgHVzsxwgC01WgTnJ2uApf7h9_rQFU-kPzkN_BgWKZv/s1600/DSC01443-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1TTUI3OIRNOzdXQ3ZP67lLHHIwGg6DR3pPWTzB8RTZXIRECR3w21ORVCWSS0mDvDYDOPsz9W9EQMhlkboFaMgtRjxk0wQRWuVIxgHVzsxwgC01WgTnJ2uApf7h9_rQFU-kPzkN_BgWKZv/s1600/DSC01443-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsALpgV-6GqVKgmmrdDzI6mCHMT3fBsHxdF_6x5BqXNDfUCbjDSMVZitUtzvSjr1_-S4QdsVmJ9RZbMSl9TfJ6FaoM12zbwpRf9UqLNthwqURRwoaafggXqc09otPOVKX1D5IHfbewMfiU/s1600/DSC01413-003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="344" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsALpgV-6GqVKgmmrdDzI6mCHMT3fBsHxdF_6x5BqXNDfUCbjDSMVZitUtzvSjr1_-S4QdsVmJ9RZbMSl9TfJ6FaoM12zbwpRf9UqLNthwqURRwoaafggXqc09otPOVKX1D5IHfbewMfiU/s1600/DSC01413-003.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">We visited Beatrix Potter's 17th-century farmhouse, <a href="http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/hill-top/">Hill Top</a>,</div><div style="text-align: center;">which was a real highlight</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">We saw local village locations that appear in her books</div><div style="text-align: center;">such as this letter box</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVrnacTBmvA76RLJzlfbpJ8j0shBUMfnMaBIFZ5wZS7c0p4zRTi0GNULdQhcBEiAzfAqHM9salsLQelIgj0LP5N0M-B7KAiT-0Mn8F8RMHmVKhBvyupWoG0RoQQhx4QfFLtE1obYT8XC1O/s1600/DSC01455-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVrnacTBmvA76RLJzlfbpJ8j0shBUMfnMaBIFZ5wZS7c0p4zRTi0GNULdQhcBEiAzfAqHM9salsLQelIgj0LP5N0M-B7KAiT-0Mn8F8RMHmVKhBvyupWoG0RoQQhx4QfFLtE1obYT8XC1O/s1600/DSC01455-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Queen Victoria was the first to put her 'royal cypher' on new postboxes<br />Here, 'GR' indicates this letterbox was placed during the reign of King George V (<i>George Rex</i>)<br />Queen Elizabeth II's royal cypher is EIIR (<i>Elizabeth II Regina</i>)<br /><i>Rex/Regina</i> is Latin for king/queen</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br />So glad we fit in this last trip!</div><div style="text-align: center;">Well worth the five hour drive :)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">- all images my own -</span></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(an unsponsored post)</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/35/2FD701A88E1AB920883327F28E3E4BF9.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>

The Lake District

For the long holiday weekend we took a quick zip to the Lake District,  the largest and most visited National Park in England  located near ...

Read more »

Living In The Space Between

<br /><div style="text-align: center;">Last week the movers packed up the container</div><div style="text-align: center;">and took everything we own to the dock to be shipped out tomorrow</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I admit I was a bit misty-eyed as the truck's doors were locked and secured</div><div style="text-align: center;">with homemade artwork and favorite acquired treasures inside</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">So many memories packed into one container!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQv4cSO9oEY5OHgjb1pBIzSudSwCg-ZTowr8mSQJXhEHl4ktIRo5AYv4SROwZdC93s-2GSIOuktvi0zOdYnSzwkoTpDAnh4x70GHjLKaO71EGDLn8HM1wq9MoubUpYIEbLfCEXnIMce42O/s1600/photo+4-042.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQv4cSO9oEY5OHgjb1pBIzSudSwCg-ZTowr8mSQJXhEHl4ktIRo5AYv4SROwZdC93s-2GSIOuktvi0zOdYnSzwkoTpDAnh4x70GHjLKaO71EGDLn8HM1wq9MoubUpYIEbLfCEXnIMce42O/s1600/photo+4-042.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Appropriately</div><div style="text-align: center;">the shipment is due to arrive the US port on the 4th of July</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">In advance</div><div style="text-align: center;">we had to power wash our bikes to remove all dirt</div><div style="text-align: center;">and rid of items that were raw, untreated wood</div><div style="text-align: center;">in order to pass successfully through US Customs</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">We are hoping for a speedy customs clearance </div><div style="text-align: center;">so we can get our lives unpacked and settled in quickly</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">With our furniture gone,</div><div style="text-align: center;">we are living like university students once more</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Using moving boxes as night stands</div><div style="text-align: center;">Two twin beds pushed together</div><div style="text-align: center;">Interior design magazines for ideas in our future home :)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJNK6nzhrbM52MJcNOE77TP-6Gj4vxDmy0eSucqfsuAsODGmNcDJ-vAcLgH2VZ7O4LilpkPnqUBf2TyrOWRM6XyE0VtfGB0DUFxI0ux82vWLMj627koU77X5cd-N0Ts_rJmxTS-uY0k41N/s1600/photo+5-040.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJNK6nzhrbM52MJcNOE77TP-6Gj4vxDmy0eSucqfsuAsODGmNcDJ-vAcLgH2VZ7O4LilpkPnqUBf2TyrOWRM6XyE0VtfGB0DUFxI0ux82vWLMj627koU77X5cd-N0Ts_rJmxTS-uY0k41N/s1600/photo+5-040.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">For a few more weeks we'll use rental furniture</div><div style="text-align: center;">- 3 beds, 1 sofa, 1 table with chairs -</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">We sold all electrical items with UK plugs,<br />got rid of our light bulbs, </div><div style="text-align: center;">purged liquids</div><div style="text-align: center;">(incl nail polish remover, cleaning supplies, liquid medicines),</div><div style="text-align: center;">and soon our cupboards will be bare<br /><br />We'll do some creative cooking with the few ingredients we do have on hand</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">It has been a monumental clean out</div><div style="text-align: center;">performed previously just 4 years ago</div><div style="text-align: center;">It is exhausting but then somewhat liberating<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKksNr71fCKY0ZaX9V-k8tEo0H-zgTQa6PDwyGDP5urGHMDlDeU3YDtdK_CiS1BwIoCUlUzPCjgnohi_DjiG8ZkT3rPAtlswn6DQQBhJPqN97T9X_fTsUAEvRqzCRayxeM6I5wt2YDNH_5/s1600/2014-05-16+02-17-024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKksNr71fCKY0ZaX9V-k8tEo0H-zgTQa6PDwyGDP5urGHMDlDeU3YDtdK_CiS1BwIoCUlUzPCjgnohi_DjiG8ZkT3rPAtlswn6DQQBhJPqN97T9X_fTsUAEvRqzCRayxeM6I5wt2YDNH_5/s1600/2014-05-16+02-17-024.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">For our last days in England<br />we will sleep in a hotel, and the pets will be in boarding</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The house gets a required 3-day professional cleaning</div><div style="text-align: center;">before an inspector comes through with her check-list</div><div style="text-align: center;">(always a daunting day when she comes through)<br /><br />Feels so strange...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Cheese in the frig will expire after I leave</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Fliers announce events I cannot attend</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Leaves grow on trees that I won't see fall this autumn<br /><br />I will miss my beloved toadstool and conker season<br />Guy Fawkes Night too<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuOGEGcz4V9zzw0cgI66Znv0lYP-eiQ1BDjk-Prupept7F3qwLcWAeQ6jsvBS1a8PMFT9ptBNu9ZSzIQrysRdwkvPTQvO6VoGSZoVMD21WpTzyDAU0oKLrjgBZt4CpKNMFQnfmMtsPfMSp/s1600/DSC01146-002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuOGEGcz4V9zzw0cgI66Znv0lYP-eiQ1BDjk-Prupept7F3qwLcWAeQ6jsvBS1a8PMFT9ptBNu9ZSzIQrysRdwkvPTQvO6VoGSZoVMD21WpTzyDAU0oKLrjgBZt4CpKNMFQnfmMtsPfMSp/s1600/DSC01146-002.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />Oddly, my calendar is empty from the next month on<br /><br />Once we return to the US</div><div style="text-align: center;">we will attend events we aren't even aware of yet<br />and we'll fill the refrigerator with food once more</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />Thanksgiving will be celebrated traditionally once again</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />It's hard to stay in the moment</div><div style="text-align: center;">when the moment feels so unstable</div><div style="text-align: center;">- I'm neither here nor there -<br /><br />Passionately<br />missing my friends and my life here already<br />while excited to be reunited with friends & family back home<br />and set up our new life</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">This is the space between<br /><br /><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">- all photos my own -</span></i></div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/35/2FD701A88E1AB920883327F28E3E4BF9.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>

Living In The Space Between

Last week the movers packed up the container and took everything we own to the dock to be shipped out tomorrow I admit I was a bit misty-eye...

Read more »