Settled isn't exactly how I would describe the current state of things. I arrived on Saturday. Since Monday morning the bathroom has been completely gutted and has been in various stages of reconstruction. We are planning to pull down an old, tired ceiling and put up a new, higher one. In order to do this we need to pull out the closet. This means there is nowhere to put the clothes (and I have many, many of those...).

It is all exciting and things are going to look amazing once we're done the work. Also, it's nice to be able to change things around a little bit so that it doesn't just feel like I'm inhabiting someone's space but that we are making it our own. Things always feel messiest right before they are set right.

I've been surprised every day at the subtle cultural differences between Wales and Canada. I don't think it is ever quite as obvious to me as when I am ordering food in a restaurant and am always hesitant and unsure of whether the server will understand what I'm talking about. A few mornings ago we went for breakfast and I ordered my eggs over easy. It seems they don't do over-easy here and had never heard of it. The server was agreeable and the cooks made a best effort (though the results were more over-hard really) but it just points out how many things I take for granted as obvious and everyday. The UK is likely as similar to North America as anywhere in the world, but there are still these subtle differences that come up in surprising places.

I am learning every day.

XO

I am feeling a little sad.

(image from Jill Greenberg's End Times series)

Last night Miranda organized a going away party for me. There were three rules:

1. No Tequila
2. No Jaggermeister
3. No Can o' Wine from O'Hanlons

We successfully followed two out of three of these.

Today I am cooking a turkey for my family. And I am hungover from my going away party last night.

Stupid.

X

For all the pictures click here.

This.

In 2008 I moved from the Canadian prairies to the UK where I lived, mostly in London, until the spring of 2010. Then I spent a year traveling around the word, visiting places like Laos, Japan and Australia. While traveling, I founded Contentini, a boutique content strategy and web consultancy agency with my husband Dan.

Now I live in San Francisco and work as a Content Strategist for Facebook, which is absolutely as cool as it sounds.

I love language, photography, art, cooking, travel and mid-century antiques. I also enjoy a good dance party every now and then.

You can find me on my other blog, Ephermeralist, Twitter, Flickr, Facebook, Pinterest, Delicious and on LinkedIn.  I can be reached by email at hello[AT]amythibodeau.com.