Tudor Lovin'

Henry the 8th looking awfully handsome at HCP

As part of my thesis, I get to explore three Tudor-era places: a palace, a home and a manor. Honestly, it is the best part of this whole shin-dig! I've loved being able to be a 'kid again' and wander around looking at the institutions through the eyes of a child... Below are just a few pictures of my fun at Hampton Court Palace and Kentwell Hall!

The entrance to Wolsey's Hampton Court Palace

The gardens at Kentwell Hall are some of the most beautiful I've ever seen!

The entrance to Kentwell Hall,
a manor that has been on this site since the year 1040!

A couple of Tudor ladies at KWH spinning wool

The research for this dissertation has been an adventure so far - at times, fun and at times, painful. Now, I am currently in the throes of writing the 12,000 words needed by September. It is a bit more grueling and to be honest, sometimes I just feel a bit like this:

Just another day, trapped in the stocks at Kentwell Hall!

So cheers to experiencing more cold, rainy weekends that don't tempt me to go outside and enjoy the summer as most people are do in June and July!

Cheers y'all, Lis

The GrisWaugh's in London

Momma and Daddy came to visit and we.... pub-ed, ate, Shard-ed, drank, Eye-ed, ate, Churchill-ed, West End-ed, drank, bus-ed, Covent Garden-ed, Greenwich-ed, drank, Brewery Tour-ed, High Tea-ed, park-ed, football-ed, cheer-ed, Da Mario's-ed, ate, drank, Tube-ed, ate, drank and slept.

It was an awesome week and I feel quite honored that Dad said, "This is one of the best weeks of my life" as I got in the cab to leave them at the hotel. Now, this overzealous statement may have been largely influenced by a long and amazingly delicious wine and steak dinner at The Wolsey, but hey - I'll take what I can get! I love my parents now more than ever (love ya, mean it) and to share London with them for a few days was unreal. They got to be tourist for a bit but mainly, I was able to cart them around 'my world' and show them every reason why I am so obsessed with this city.

Obviously, we really missed my two sweet, hairy and hilarious siblings!

Most important thing that happened with the GrisWaugh's in town? The revelation that it is time to come home...to which, Gloria Jean responds with "It is about d@mn time!" I'm in love with London and my last year has really been the best experience but I am juuuust about sick of five hour time differences, fuzzy Facetime calls, lack of Chick-fil-a, no sweet tea and over $1,000 and thousands of miles standing in between me and my people. I can sense it as I'm starting to get slightly annoyed at British phrases, the exchange rate is about to send me over the edge and even pies and pints don't have the same taste. But truly, I couldn't be happier that I've got three more months with my girls in my city! I've got time to relish every last bit of London and as I slowly look towards the future and my next move (figuratively and literally) I will be able to look with a clear head and a clean conscious that I'm moving home without one regret.

In about two months, when I'm freaking out about leaving and claim that I'd like to change citizenships and live in London forever..... please feel free to email me this post.

Cheers y'all, Lisa

PS:

Momma's lookin' pretty much like a City Girl to me!