Richmond and the Old Victorian....

We pulled up outside a house that looked a lot like the sweet little doll house every darling girl wants to play with when they are small.  I ring the bell and am greated by Michael, the husband who will be heading to America during the 6 weeks I am here, and Rudi, the precious little 18month old I will be tending to.  As soon as I am through the breeze way and bright blue front door Rudi toddles over with his curly ringlets, points his chubby little finger at me and says "Sa-wa" is his adorable english accent.  My heart melts immediately.  He proceeds to give me a tour of the "garden" which is what he calls his back yard.  They then show me around the house ending in my quaint little room which has a beautiful view of the famous Kew Gardens.  This home has more character then the little apartment I left behind although I do miss that sunset view occasionally.  In the true victorian style there is an "outside loo"  It does have plumbing but can be a bit chilly to use at night....Seriously does it get any better then that...a working outhouse!!!
Belinda (Mom and my partner in crime the next 6 weeks) and George (8 yr old) return home and we all spend the evening getting to know each other.  It's just lovely...we laugh and share stories over dinner like we have known each other much longer then just a few hours.  I sleep like a baby that night in my new home with my 6 week family.
The next day was filled with lots of "getting to know" the area outings. The full time nanny Lauren takes me under her wing and shows me the ropes.  We walked through downtown Richmond and along the Thames river with Rudi who was trying to figure out just the right way to lick an ice cream cone.  I suppose that is quite tricky if you've never really done it before.  As we walk I am just in constant awe of the beauty and history around every corner.  
A highlight of this day is was going with Belinda and George to his riding lessons (side note...I still tried to get in on the wrong side of the car again)  As we drove into the place where his riding lesson is I realize it is nothing like we are used to in the states.  No barns and farm houses....it's like you have stepped back into the 1600's as you drive-up to a huge castle/house called Ham House.  The horses live in true brick stables and a stable house that the woman who gives the lessons actually lives in.  Come to find out this house, which is really the size of little italy with land around it that stretches past the airport and up into bankers hill, has been passed down in the same family since it was built in the 1600's.  It was only given to the historical society in the 1950's.  Can you even imagine a house now a days being passed down from parent to child let alone through all those generations over hundreds of years.  It's just so amazing!

View From My Room

The weekend was a bit of a blur....unfortunately I spent Saturday very ill do to a recently famous english flu bug thats been all over the news (maybe I should have checked on that).  Sunday was a bit of recovery and some short walks around the neighborhood and into Kew Gardens.

Tomorrow starts regular work days which will be good...Working Early Mornings (PJ style), Afternoons off, and working evenings......and so it continues!

My Lovely Street