House of Lloyd

After leaving Westminster Abbey we took a short walk and looked at Big Ben and the London Eye. While we did not go into these landmarks it was interesting to view them up close.

Once we were exhausted we headed out in search of something to eat since it was dinner time and we had skipped lunch. We ended up at a local pub- I had the traditional London dinner of Fish and Chips with Mashed peas. After dinner we made our way to Hamleys Toy Store to find a doll for Madilyn. We made it back to our hotel early enough to order some dessert and wine from room service. All in all Day 2 of our trip was pretty awesome.

Started the morning with a breakfast buffet in the hotel. The food was fresh and pretty good. We decided that we would make the most of the day by seeing as much of the city as possible via a “Big Bus Tour.” This was a hop on hop off tour, that allowed us to pick and choose which landmarks we would like to visit for a longer time. The tour also offered a water cruise that allowed us to see all of the landmarks along the river banks.

Riding through the city on top of the open bus was amazing. The buildings were so beautiful and artful. We have nothing that compares to them here in the states. Our first hop off was at Westminster Abbey. It is unfortunate that photography is not permitted within the Abbey so I can not share with you the beauty that lie within its walls. The artifacts within the building were created by craftsmen and artist from many generations. It was amazing to me that so many artist contributed to the creations that are housed at the Abbey. The building is designed in the shape of a cross which makes it even more interesting to tour. Through out the buildings and on almost every tomb you can see relics of religious beliefs.

The building itself was a marvel to behold. The rich history that the building contains is also amazing. So many leaders entombed there, so much has survived for generations. We were also able to view part of the Abbey that was damaged during WWII.

I was glad that an audio tour was provided so that we would know what we were looking at along the way. We were also able to see the Coronation Chair that has been used for every coronation since King Edward the II in 1308. The chair is no longer ornate and beautiful but it is still a site to behold.

As I wondered the building and the outside grounds I wondered if the “locals” have an appreciation for the beauty that surrounds them or if it is a point of frustration in their lives because of all the visitors the area brings. I could spend days in Westminster alone and probably continue to discover new things each time I visit. This was David’s second visit to the Abbey and he seemed to enjoy it even though he had already “been there and done that.”

David and I got up early and were in the car headed to the Atlanta airport by 4 am. We arrived early and went through check-in and security in a fairly painless way. However, as usual the TSA uneducated bully employees ticked me off. I was wearing a pull over sweater and they made me take it off. I saw many other walk through the check point wearing hoodies, muslim robes and other baggy clothing items and NOT 1 of them were required to remove the “baggy” garments. I did not let it get to me because I did not want to ruin the trip at the very start.

We had a short flight to Washington, DC where we switched planes for a 8 hour flight to London. Once arriving in Washington we found our terminal and relaxed during our 2 hour lay over. About 30 minutes before boarding the flight the gate waiting area was over run with TSA employees. It seems that our flight to London was tagged to have additional searches of passengers prior to boarding. Lucky for both David and I we were not tagged for the additional pat downs and carry on baggage searches.

Our flight to London was uneventful. They had a very good movie selection so we watched “The Invention of Lying,” “Up in the Air” and “The Box.” We missed the last 5 minutes of The Box because they cut off the movie system so that we could prepare for landing. We did notice that 1st class passengers did not have their video systems cut off. Guess that’s one reason they pay more for their seats.

Upon arriving in London we had to go through customs. Since we arrived around 10 pm London time the airport was not very busy so the security checks and customs went very quickly. Our hotel was a 15 minute ride from the airport. We passed by Windsor Castle- Which by the way was able to be seen from our hotel window. With it being so late London time, we crashed as soon as we got settled into the hotel. We planned it that way so that we could make the most of our time in London on Friday and it worked out well.

However, I must say I passed through the ATL airport with an ILLEGAL item in my book bag. The items were then again missed at the New Jersey Airport and again in London. So it makes me wonder what are we paying these people to do? I went through security at 3 airports and no one questioned the larger bottle of liquid I had in my bag. According the the TSA rules on 2oz bottles are permitted. My bottle was 6 ounces and was missed by all three security checks. I guess it is a good thing it was contact solution and not some kind of poison. Guess its a good thing that I am not a terrorist. I will say that this item was not packed on purpose. It was in a side pocket of the book bag, and I simply forgot to remove it when I unpacked all of my school stuff. I always carry extra contacts and liquid contact cleaner because of all of my allergy issues.

I was scheduled to go to the doctor for a recheck and ultrasounds next week. However, I called and made an appointment for today because I can tell the infection is back. The doctor was able to fit me in and was surprised to find that the infection was back. The ultrasound shows that there is nothing left from the D&C, so that is not the source of the infection. The lab work that was sent off two weeks ago all came back normal. Additional samples were taken today and will be sent to a different lab for analysis. Between the infections and other symptoms I think I may go crazy. I am trying to go on about life, but sometimes all I want to do is crawl in bed, but it won’t help so I just keep trying to truck along. Don’t get me wrong, I am resting more and taking it easy at home and at work (don’t tell anyone).

After David and I get back from London I will have another appointment to see what our next steps should be in trying to get answers because the current situation is NOT WORKING for me or my doctor.

I just want all of this to be OVER. I am so done with these problems.

Prior to October I had gotten all of Madilyn’s baby stuff together to give away. Well then we found out we were expecting which was so unexpected. I put everything back where it belonged so it could be used for the new baby. Then I had a miscarriage and I have been putting off packing the stuff up again. It was just too painful to even face anything baby related.

When was the last time your heart skipped a beat when you saw your spouse? When was the last time you laughed like a teenager on a first date? When was the last time your spouse made you feel like you were the only other person in the world? I am lucky enough to have a wonderful husband that knows my needs and does everything within his power to love me and take my breath away daily. I can only hope that I have the same effect on him.

Yesterday, I was minding my own business, when my husband surprised me. I was leaving the GYM and as I walked out the door I saw his truck. I was a bit confused but felt like a school girl walking across the parking lot to see him. Just the sight of him standing there lifted my heart and made me smile. It’s not like I have not seen him for months. I had just seen him that very same morning but my heart leaped at the sight of him just standing there. It’s the little things like showing up when unexpected, or sending a loving dirct message through twitter that shows me each and every day that I am still the love of his life.

Romantic Marriage is about being sensitive to the wants, needs and desire of your spouse. We have been married almost 19 years and I am happy that he still does little things to show that he cares and loves me. I am thankful that he does not take my love or me for granted. I am thankful that after 19 years he still amazes me almost daily with his demostrations of love for me. We don’t just show our love on Valentine’s Day, but every day of the year. I really wish everyone could have a spouse like mine.