Relaxing at Devonport House
Wednesday, March 20th, 2013

Hi Auntie,

We are just an hour out from Noelle going to her evening class.  We had a good day.

After getting into London at noon yesterday, I fell asleep around 10 pm, London time and woke up at midnight.  I watched TV until 2 am when Noelle said, "you should take the melatonin dad sent with you because I think it makes you stay asleep".  She also mentioned that Steve is always looking out for is.  This is true.  So I took the melatonin and I woke up 9 hours later.  I haven't had such a good nights sleep in a long time.

Noey and I went to the Starbucks where she goes regularly, and she worked on her school work.  I proof-read some of her work, as she has me do this from time to time.   Then Noelle went for a run in Greenwich Park -- I walked briskly, in the park, for 45 minutes.  It was very nice -- cold, crisp -- but has the layer of fog than covers the sky here.    I think that is why it is colder here.  Even if the temperature says it's 52, I don't think it is.  It actually 'looks like snow'.

I think that a cool thing about here is that all the dogs are off leash in the park and they behave nicely.  It must be a British thing.  Everyone is polite (especially yesterday when Noelle and I had my big suitcases on the train and some train-line was down so people were crowding (stressful) but I thought to myself that I was glad the Brits are polite. And helpful.  And they were.

Anyway, after our run/walk we went to the Kings Arms pub where we had a bite to eat and I had an 'old speckled hen' ale. I had forgotten that British Pubs serve beer somewhat warm and that the beer seems flat.  I adjusted.

King's Arms Pub

Reading the novel at the Pub

Queen Mary's House
(where some of Noey's classes are held)

Noelle read me the first part of her novel, based on Bickleton, and we discussed some of it and she now is going to re-write a certain part.  That's what some say is the way of writing novels--you re-write and re-write.  Anyway, as Noey says,  this was a product of reading it to someone and their take on it.   It was good and fun.
So, it's been a great day.  Noelle prefers to spend most of her time in my company (at this point, anyway) as it has been a bit lonely here for her.  In fact, she wondered if I wanted me to go to class with her -- but showing my true "Clark Roots" I said:

Pub? or Class?
hmmmm…..
Pub? or Class?
well….
Pub?  or Pub?

She laughed.

That's all for now.

Just so you know, I have decided to try a blog and I am calling it "Notes to Auntie".  I am only going to put my emails, to you, in it.  That way if it's too hard for you to get online for the photos that I will include, you won't miss anything.  I hope this works.

I'll be in touch tomorrow.
How is the weather -- as I said, it is cold here and looks like snow.

Lu