today was for wandering.

i checked the weather forecast before leaving my london flat, decided against an umbrella, and set out with my laptop, a pocketful of mixed nuts, plastic baggies, and my keepcup in tow.

{ i love my keepcup. it’s the snazzy one in this picture, and it feels so much better to get my coffee in this as opposed to a paper cup that i will throw away just minutes, if not seconds later. }

alas, today was also a day for rain. as soon as i popped above ground in st. james park, sporadic raindrops began to slowly penetrate every square inch of my previously dry head. they were chilly, and methodical in their gradual saturation. i don’t remember a single moment of today when i was outdoors and not being rained on, but for one reason or another, it felt nice. i wasn’t glad for the rain, but the wetness was never bothersome. i could even say it was refreshing.

today was a day for wandering, and feeding squirrels, and balancing pigeons, and visiting garden museums, and drinking coffee, and walking, and royal parks, and rain. lots and lots of rain.

today i played the role of tourist.

today i spent time with some friendly squirrels…

and birds of all kinds.

today i visited a museum.

{ “The Museum was set up in 1977 in order to rescue from demolition the abandoned ancient church of St Mary’s which is the burial place of John Tradescant (c1570 – 1638), the first great gardener and plant-hunter in British history. His magnificent and enigmatic tomb is the centrepiece of a knot garden planted with the flowers which grew in his London garden four centuries ago.” – from the garden museum website }

{ because i arrived later in the day, i wasn’t able to see everything i would have liked to see. i did purchase a few plants from the garden trolley, and eat some delicious cake, and browse through the beautiful books in the gift shop. i will be returning very, very soon. }

i have to be careful not to get frustrated when out-of-towners, the tourists, walk much more slowly than me, or stall in a crowded sea of people thus keeping me from getting to wherever i’m going by a few seconds more.

i have to remember to become a tourist myself sometimes. to walk slowly, stand in the constant drizzle from above and not care that my wrists are cold and my hair is wet. i should feed the birds, and stall on the walkway for long enough to take it all in, and remember that no one is forcing me to be here. i could pack up tomorrow and settle down elsewhere, somewhere with open fields and room to breathe, but i am here.

i’m doing my best not to take it for granted.