The weather has been cold in London, as it has in the US this past week. It seems that when it’s cold here, the sunshine is out in all its glory. I love brisk, sunny days. As a result, several walks in the area have had me outside enjoying it. I spent one day walking from West Hampstead back home, as I enjoyed a new route by foot for me. I wandered by a cemetery with a plaque noting “Commonwealth War Graves”, so I naturally had to meander through to have a look. It was a peaceful place with many headstones weathered through the years, making them virtually unreadable. On an equally fabulous blue sky day, walking this time through the heath (and some mud), led a friend and I to Kenwood House. I have yet to visit the inside of the house, but today we enjoyed the coffee shop and outdoor tables in the sun.

Another teacher’s strike this week left us with a day off school, free to explore. We jumped in the car and went to our old neighbourhood park/playground for a little stroll down memory lane. The kids couldn’t believe how small the equipment looked as compared to the height they remembered. It’s funny how we remember things exactly as they were in time, but time moves on and we all grow taller and older. While in North Kensington, we also made sure to visit our old school, La Petite Ecole Bilingue. Ah, ghosts of memories around every single corner.

I’ve applied for a job at my son’s school as an invigilator. This is the first time in my life that I have ever even heard that word before. We always called them exam monitors. Leave it to the British to make it sound so serious. Anyway, the school was in need and I am available. I had an interview and it was much more serious than expected. I walked in thinking I was helping them out, doing them a solid, and I was surprised by a formal interview with HR. What would I do in these 3 scenarios, what do I bring to the table that this role requires, what experiences can I share that make me qualified for this type of role, how will I create boundaries separating my role as a parent from one who works at the school, etc. I’m thinking, don’t I just walk up and down the aisles all serious, discouraging any thoughts of cheating? We’ll see how it goes. My kids tell me that I’m too nice all the time. Maybe I don’t have what takes to crush a kid’s dreams just for cheating on a test. To be continued…

My eldest skipped a day of school to perform at her acting class’s showcase which was being viewed by studio agents. She was anxious and super excited. What fun the acting classes have been for her in London. In the last 4 months, she’s been able to work with professional actors, directors, stuntmen and casting agents. A bit of a step up to the one she took in Melbs, which was lovely, but a much smaller operation. She was scheduled to be at school for “mock” exams today despite the strike. We made the choice to let her attend the showcase as the the exams didn’t count toward anything, they were just for practice. The school called me, despite, my attendance email describing her sudden stomach virus. haha! As you know dear reader, the school has zero tolerance for weakness and/or illness. They were calling me within the hour asking that she make her way to school to sit her exam. Commence eye rolling.

Had a super duper catch up with my old neighbour and the best massage therapist on the planet. A superb coffee date in Kensal Rise followed by a walk along the Regent’s Canal.

My two rock climbers attended their first “friendly” boulder comp in London at Vauxwall East. A casual (two week long) “scramble” to top 15 climbs set by the gym. It is one of three events over the next few months that ends with someone winning a year’s gym membership and sponsorship from the climbing centre. It would be cool to win but we are in it just for fun.

I volunteered at a Girl Guiding event that hosted over 8,000 competitors racing around central London playing a live version of Monopoly. Our little local unit of 8, managed to walk a good 19 kilometres and attended around 80% of the locations over 7 hours. It was good fun to be outside (in the bitter cold) walking all over town. Sign me up any day for an outing like this.

We completed our second section of the Capital Ring Trail, Hendon to Highgate. This portion was just over 5 miles and incorporated wooded trails along a brook and also street walking. It was cold and grey outside but walking is always a good idea. Despite the frigid temps, there were signs of spring everywhere with flowers blooming and cherry blossoms scattered all around.