Valentine’s Day doesn’t mean much to me, as the best holiday for romance is Beltane/Mayday; however, because we will 4,000 miles apart in May, my fiancé and I decided to do something for Valentine’s Day-ish. We had dinner at our favorite French bistro yesterday, and we will visit York later this week, enjoying its ancient and Medieval historical landmarks. Can’t wait. I will take lots of pictures. If you’re like me and prefer Mayday to Valentine’s Day, wait until the 15th when everything goes on clearance and buy any little gifts you want to give your significant other. I buy holiday wrapping paper around New Year’s Day, using the same logic. I’m all about saving money. Imagine my delight when an Aldi opened up near where I live now. So many markdowns!
London is very unlike New Orleans. I thought it would be fun to look at some of the differences. There are plenty, so I will undoubtedly revisit this topic from time to time. In London blocks of buildings are connected. This includes residences and shops. No wonder the Great Fire of London wreaked such havoc. The grocery stores in the area don’t have parking lots, so you really have to walk or bus places. Speaking of grocery stores… They don’t bag your items for you, and they charge for each bag they provide. This means people bring their own bags and reuse good, strong bags. I really like this. Less waste. In the U.S., I might bring home forty tissue-thin bags with my groceries. As I said before, people walk everywhere here, which is nice. And when they don’t walk, they use public transport, which runs like clockwork. Very reliable, which I dig. I must admit that not having a car can be a challenge at times because driving back home was a great way to be alone and have a place to sing really loudly. Because of all the walking and providing of one’s own bags, lots of people either wear backpacks or pull trolleys or rolling suitcases. It was strange to see everyone so encumbered at first, but I’ve grown accustomed to it now. Finally (for now), stairs here are slightly smaller both in height and depth, which renders my walking-on-stairs autopilot useless. I never even realized I had such a setting. Overall, I am really enjoying life in London.
Here are this week’s suggestions for fun and enriching activities:
- Relaxing Music: “Dream Catcher” by Ah Nee Mah. You can listen to the album here or find it on Amazon or streaming.
- Soothing Sounds: “Memories from an Old Chest” by Moonlight Cottage ASMR. Her videos are so lovely.
- Puzzle: Mahjongg. Just match the tiles to remove them all.
- Movie: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937). You can find it on Amazon or on a streaming service.
- Creative Prompt (write, draw, paint, sculpt, photograph, or collage something based on this subject): beauty
- Mythology Lesson: Aphrodite. Read about her here, and do a little further research if the mood takes you!
- Short Reading: “Little Snow-White.” You can read it here, or you can listen to it on YouTube.
Try one per day or everything every day, and you’ll be well on your way to enjoying a more vibrant daily round.
Do you celebrate a holiday of romance?
Magical Musings 