But her friend is nowhere to be seen. Now she walks through her sunken dream, to the seat with the clearest view (Life on Mars - David Bowie)

So the month has come to an end and I have really enjoyed the Bowie songs. I found it so difficult to chose the last one.  There were so many I wanted to use, but eventually I thought I could not go without using Life on Mars.  I still cannot believe David Bowie is no longer with us.  I know icons have to die; we all have to go eventually, but I guess I wish some of us could just last a little bit longer. Also, it reminds me that being 29 is really hard work. As always, enjoy!

Saturday:  I must have woken up three times during the night.  I managed to get back straight to sleep but I mean really!  At 3.00am the birds were singing. I guess it is the light pollution and the poor little things do not know if it is day or night. I was awake at 8.00am and made a cup of tea and snuggled back with my book ... bliss.

The builder was suppose to be coming to day to look at an ongoing issue in the flat.  I know builders; I lived with one!  Needless to say he did not turn up! We had to do some food shopping and and as soon as we went out I could not believe how cold and grey it was! Shopping done and back home.  Andy has gone to the Secret Cinema today.  This happens annually in London. For around £65 a ticket you go to the Secret Cinema.  You have no idea what the film is. Last year it was Star Wars.  The company that organise it send you details of how to dress and what the theme is but you do not know what the film is.

Last night he was sitting at the table making up a dossier of reconnaissance photos, maps and the phonetic alphabet ..  bless him!  It was like watching a child do his homework.  So this afternoon he left looking very smart in an Airforce jumper and shirt. I said to him that I do like a man in uniform ...... here ends a beautiful relationship!  I spent the afternoon completing some paperwork, but all good.  So a quiet night tonight, home alone, listening to the radio and reading. The song the Girl from Ipanema come on the radio. Oh how I like this song, it must makes me giggle. Years ago I watched an episode of An Idiot Abroad (if you have not seen any of them watch them, they are hysterical and just fuel my love of travelling). Needless to say, every time I hear this song this is the image that comes to mind.  As always, enjoy the total madness that resides in my head!

Sunday: Off to meditation first thing.  It was another cold morning in London. Only a couple of the 'usual' suspects there. Lovely warm welcome from the staff at the Trew Era Cafe, oh how I love that place. The normal demographics of the group appear to be changing, but I guess that is London.   Afterwards, I walked to catch a bus to take me to Euston. I went to the Wellcome Collection which is a museum, which in their words, invites you to explore what it means to be human. It was manic. Full of children. I went and had something to eat as by this time I found myself to be hungry.  That done I went to look at the exhibition I was there to see 'Tibet's Secret Temple' and today was the last day.  It is my fault, I was going to go last week when I was off work, but took myself off to Belgium instead.  I did start to queue but it was ridiculous.  It transpires that shortly after I gave up and left that they started to issue timed tickets.  It is a shame I did not get to see it, but that is London.  So much going on and not enough time to see everything.  The picture of the statue is taken in the entrance hall of the Collection and to be honest, with all the children being children and the sheer number of people, I felt like hanging upside down from the ceiling.


I made my way outside and took myself of to one of my favourite places in London: Tavistock Square.  If I won the lottery (yes, yes I know that is not going to happen but you never know, well you do actually ....) I would buy a small flat here.  I had a walk around the gardens in the square. I love it here, it is so peaceful.  In fact, the garden is dedicated to peace in the world. There is a statue of Gandi there and many of the benches have inscriptions on them. Also, there are a number of trees that have been planted there in commemoration of world peace. I guess my kind of place.  I sat, reading my book and freezing. I got thinking that it was ironically sad that this area as one of the places of the 7/7 bombings. You may recall, the number 30 bus exploded right by the BMA HQ at Tavistock Square. So terribly sad.  I did try to sit and read my book but eventually my fingers felt as if they were going to drop off.  Oh sunshine, where are you.  My whole day was not panning out how I intended.  I hopped on a bus and made my way down to Kingsway. Got off and walked over my favourite bridge: Waterloo Bridge.

One of the benches in the square

My apartment .......... in my dreams at least!

Waterloo Bridge is wonderful.  You can stand there, as I did holding my hat on as I thought any minute now it would blow off, and see so many of London's famous landmarks.  The sun was shining (but it was even more cold on the bridge), the tourists were out and I thought to myself, Spring is coming.  I continued over the bridge and popped into the Southbank Centre and picked up there catalogue for the next month. So much going on and I really do not know if or how I will fit it all in as I have a busy March as it is already planned.  By now I was thirsty and cold so went to Le Pain Quotidien which again, in their words, serves elegant boulangerie, serving simple fare.  I went to one last week in Brussels and enjoyed it and I have visited one previously in Kensington. I sat with a pot of coffee reading my book and was so pleased just to be warm. However, once again the place was full of children. I can't believe how intolerant of other people's children I have become.  All I wanted was a little bit of peace and quiet to read my book. Anyway, I enjoyed the warmth of the place and managed to read a chapter of my book, oh and the coffee was good. However, saying that, someone showed me a photo of the coffee shop they frequent ....... in Boston. No not the one in Lincolnshire, but the one in the States.  It looked beautiful.  I did say to them that if I had that on my door stop I would never leave.  You know me my friends and my Afternoon Tea thing. Note to self: go to the Tate Britain soon and treat yourself to the afternoon tea there, just like you did on your birthday.  Went to see the skateboarders who have returned and just sat for a while, on my favourite bench, watching the world go by. London is starting to come alive again.  You can tell things are starting to change and that excites me.  Spring is coming but I have missed my annual dose of winter sunshine.  

So back home now, in the warm and so ends another weekend.  Things did not pan out how I intended, but not bad considering.

As always, with my love x