The Myth of the Perfect Student and Perfect Teacher

Somewhere, there is a teacher on a road trip with her mom on the way to her first year of teaching in a place she’s never been. There is a curriculum agent trying to figure out if they have all the right books. There are moms showing up for contacting for the first time, wondering how to keep the contact paper from bubbling or just sticking to itself. There are cleaning days being planned, welcomes being wondered about, school supplies being bought. And among it all, there are high hopes for a good school year.
 
What makes a good year? I’m not going into that, but I will mention one thing I’ve been thinking about that contributes to a bad year, and that is the myth of the perfect student and perfect teacher.
 
Some of us are more susceptible to this myth than others. I am among that number. Through the years I have slowly been loosening my grip on this perception, but it’s not been easy.
 
We all know on some level that children will be children. They are not converted, they have free will, they will make mistakes and bad choices, no matter how good their training has been. But on another level, teachers and parents fall prey to the false belief that if we have trained them well enough, they will be perfect. And that’s what I want to talk about.
 
I have been there myself, walking into a classroom as a brand-new teacher filled with high ideals, reveling in the feel of a smooth red pen making flourishes on a paper, delighting in the bulletin board that actually turned out, excited to greet my pupils on the first day.
 
But it doesn’t take long for reality to come crashing down. Whispers, paper wads, messy handwriting, children out of their seats without permission, shoving in line at the water fountain, disrespectful answers. And standing in front of the class in complete shame, the new teacher who internalizes each correction she has to make as being a failure.
 
At after-school hashing out sessions, the new teacher might only confide in other teachers who have the same amount of experience she does because it’s too intimidating to share problems with the more experienced teacher who clearly has attained perfection. Please don’t go down this line of thought. Every teacher is a unique individual. Each one has a different style of working with children. If you talk to the experienced teacher, you’ll likely be amazed at how well she understands the problem you’re facing. She’s probably had to work through it herself. She will, in all likelihood, tell you that you are dealing with imperfect students. You are not necessarily the problem.
 
So when the first board meeting comes around, or the third or the fourth, and the schoolboard chairman asks how things are going, she says, “Fine! It’s going OK,” because admitting that she’s not sure how to handle the problem makes her feel like she’s a disaster, that maybe she shouldn’t be teaching in the first place. When the parents show up for PTM, she tells them the same thing. “Jared is doing just fine!” And when they leave, she tells herself that Jared is doing fine. It’s she who is the failure. If she could just do everything well enough, Jared would have no problems at all. And if she admits to having a problem with him, the whole world will know that she can’t do her job.
 
It's important for a teacher to realize that she is absolutely right. That she is in charge of the class. That the students’ behavior is contingent upon her own ability to take responsibility for what she allows them. That she needs to be consistent, loving, and worthy of respect. But it’s also important to be open with your schoolboard about the problems you are facing. It is not strange to have struggles in your classroom, but those struggles cannot be helped as long as you keep letting your schoolboard believe that you have perfect students.
 
PTM is just as scary for the parents as it is for the teachers. I am a believer that it is important to tell the parents all the things their child is succeeding in, but it’s also important to be honest about where they are struggling. I’m not sure if parents are fully cognizant of how intimidating it is for a new teacher to tell them negative things about their child. Most have to work up tremendous courage to mention small things. This often applies more to behaviors than to academics. But being transparent about the things you are working on with a student is important for the good of the child. I have heard horror stories from teachers about dramatic and terrifying reactions from parents, but in all my years of teaching I have not once had a parent become angry and defensive at me when I have tremblingly brought up a problem I’m experiencing with their child. What we imagine in our heads is usually much worse than the reality.
 
And so we as teachers build up the idea of the perfect school, the perfect class, the perfect student because our own fear of vulnerability keeps us from admitting the problems. Our own ideas of perfection insist that we are the reason things aren’t working. Maybe we are, but if we aren’t open about the hard stuff, it’s even harder for others to know how to help us. And there are many, many times when it isn’t anything we’re doing wrong. It’s just the normal problems of dealing with human nature. For some teachers, it takes years to learn how to differentiate between whether it is a teacher problem or a student problem. Humbly sharing what’s actually going on with our support group of co-teachers and board and parents is an incredible help in sorting out how to proceed.
 
I’d like to make a mention of appreciation to my schoolboards throughout the years who have made notes when I’ve mentioned a problem I’m having with a student and brought it up at the next meeting and asked how it’s going now. Sometimes a problem is brought up that isn’t a big deal, just because the teacher needs something to say at board meeting. Sometimes the problem is ongoing, but there is no obvious answer, and the teacher doesn't bring it up again because what is the point of mulling the same thing over and over every single time? But it is helpful for everyone involved to be current on the situation. I’ve had schoolboards ask before if I need a solution, or if I’m just sharing, and I’ve appreciated the clarity and perception of this question. Also, a note of thanks to the parents who check in after PTM and ask how their child is doing in the areas we discussed. This open relationship makes working through anything that comes up much easier.
 
And while we need to accept that no student is perfect, it’s also important to love them with their imperfections. Admit to yourself that there are days they drive you to the point of pulling out your hair, but look for the things you love about them, too. Write down a physical list. Drop notes in your students’ workbooks saying what you appreciate about them. Call out the good choices they make on the playground or while standing in line. Thank them for being responsible in little ways.
 
You might have students that are hard to love. Don’t be deterred. Pray for love for them. Kneel by their desk, breathe a prayer over the paper you’re having a hard time deciphering, whisper a plea to the Father amidst the chaos on the playground. He knows the students in your care are human and you are, too. He will let their faults smooth the edges off your own. There is no shame in not having a perfect class, there is no embarrassment in having imperfect students. There is also no disgrace in admitting you, too, are a real, genuine, imperfect human.
 
So I’m telling you what I wish someone had told me my first years of teaching. Don’t be fooled by the myths of perfection. Don’t assume that everyone around you believes that the students in your room are ideal and you are the failure. Don’t believe that you have to perform perfection.
 
Be humble, be open, be vulnerable, and lean into your relationship with the Lord as you enter your classroom.
 
Wishing each one of you a truly great year!

What I'm Reading: July Recap

	$	$$	$$$	$$$$	$$$$$
Recommend-ability	I highly recommend not reading this book.	Don't bother.	You might enjoy it.	Would definitely recommend	Absolutely loved it. I will likely recommend to every person I talk to for the next month.
Writing Style	Extremely poor	Well, they know how to spell and what a period is.	Average. Just… Average.	Good job. I might be a little envious of their way with words.	I stand amazed.
Likelihood of Reading Again	Are you kidding? I lost enough brain cells the first time.	Nope.	Maybe, but doubtful.	Probably will read again.	I will definitely re-read. Way too many things I found fascinating.
Thought-Provoking	What thoughts?	I think there was a thought somewhere.	Sort of basic thoughts, but accurate.	Some lingering thoughts. That's a good sign.	So much to think about. My brain is on fire!
Subject Matter of General Interest	There should not have been ink and paper wasted on this book. I now understand tree-huggers.	Not my style, personally, but might be interesting to someone of a different temperament.	Interesting, but may be specific to my personal tastes.	Fun things to think about. May be quotable. Likely to appeal to a variety of personalities.	Positively fascinating. I will be quoting this for years. Absolutely everyone should read this book.

 
 
Ten Days in a Mad House
By Nellie Bly
Narrative Journalism, Nonfiction; 98 pages, 2 hrs. 56 min.
Audible
 
Have I read it before?
Yes. Read it and enjoyed it.
 
How did I find it?
I honestly don’t know. I think I was searching for books on immersion journalism several years ago and discovered this one. The exposé brought Nellie overnight fame when it was first published in 1887.
 
What is it about?
In a time when the 19^th Amendment, guaranteeing women the right to vote, had not yet been adopted by Congress, Nellie Bly was truly an unusual woman. At only 23, she was asked by her newspaper to go undercover as an insane woman in order to gain access to the infamous Women’s Lunatic Asylum on Blackwell’s Island. Her boss told her that in ten days he would get her out, although he didn’t know how. Bly managed to convince those around her that she was insane and was soon given passage into the Asylum. Once there, she claims to have dropped all pretense of insanity and simply presented as herself. She mentions several women who were as sane as she, but had no way of being released. After the ten days had passed, Bly wrote this book, a stunning tell-all that detailed the abuse, poor food, and lack of proper clothing endured by the inmates of the Asylum. She states that two months in the place would have made even a perfectly sane woman lose her mind. The book angered its readers, prompted an investigation by a grand jury, and saw New York City increase its annual budget for the asylums by approximately $1,000,000, which would be around $35.28 billion today.
 
Any warnings?
Cruel treatment, but nothing terribly gory or untoward. Bly writes with a sense of decorum suitable for the era.
 
What’s a quote?
“The insane asylum on Blackwell’s Island is a human rat-trap. It is easy to get in, but once there it is impossible to get out.”
“I have watched patients stand and gaze longingly toward the city they in all likelihood will never enter again. It means liberty and life; it seems so near, and yet heaven is not further from hell.”
 
Recommendability: $$$$
Writing Style: $$$$
Likelihood of Reading Again: $$$$
Thought Provoking: $$$$
Subject Matter of General Interest: $$$$
 
 
Sorry I’m Late, I Didn’t Want to Come: One Introvert’s Year of Saying Yes
By Jessica Pan
Journalism, Nonfiction; 272 pages, 8 hrs. 52 min.
Audible
 
Have I read it before?
No.
 
How did I find it?
Yet another person did not believe me when I said I was an introvert. Nonetheless in the course of conversation this book was mentioned.
 
What is it about?
The author is a solid, bona fide introvert who is also shy. In the midst of what she calls a quarter-life crisis, she decides to challenge herself to a year of living as an extrovert. This includes many attempts at making new friends—some online, most in person. She tries to strike up conversations on the tube or in random shops. Along the way she signs up for all sorts of adventures—public speaking, improv and stand-up comedy, and a book club among them. At one point she takes a “Surprise Me” tour alone to a different country, finding out only a couple hours before departing for the airport where she is going. The culmination of the year is celebrated by Jessica hosting her first-ever dinner party: a Thanksgiving feast where she invites many of the people she has met along the way throughout her experimental year. Is it possible to change from an introvert to an extrovert? You’ll have to see for yourself. Whether you read the book or not, I’m interested in what you think.
 
Any warnings?
Some bad language. I suppose I should tell you there is a chapter about magic mushrooms. Also a few sentences here and there containing adult content.
 
What’s a quote?
“Some people are great at talking to strangers, building new relationships, and making friends at parties. I’m really good at other things, like loitering palely in dark doorways. Disappearing into couch corners. Leaving early. Feigning sleep on public transportation.”
 
Recommendability: $$$
Writing Style: $$$$
Likelihood of Reading Again: $$$$
Thought Provoking: $$$$
Subject Matter of General Interest: $$$
 
 
 
The Prince and Betty
By P. G. Wodehouse
Fiction, Comedy; 154 pages, Not available on Audible
Physical Copy
 
Have I read it before?
Not that I remember.
 
How did I find it?
I have been a fan of P. G. Wodehouse for years. I’ve listened to many, many of his books, though I’ve read relatively few physical copies. By which I mean almost none. But how could I travel to London and peruse bookstores there without coming away with at least one or two by the quintessential British humorist?
 
What is it about?
The Prince and Betty was published in 1912, the same year as the sinking of the Titanic. It follows typical P. G. Wodehouse tropes—wealthy heirs and heiresses, a character struck penniless, someone somewhere falling madly in love, unusual situations, a person taking on a pseudonym in an effort to hide their identity, and a grand resolution, usually brought about by some unusual circumstance. This particular book involves a young lord who is proposing marriage to Betty, the girl of the Prince’s dreams, being thrust outside on a window ledge and having the window closed on his coat tails so he dangled there in an undignified way whilst the lover proceeded to propose himself. I would not say this is my favorite book by Wodehouse, but any Wodehouse is worth reading.
 
Any warnings?
Nope. Part of the reason I love this author is that his work is always clean and it’s safe to just relax and read.
 
What’s a quote?
“Defending her conduct later, she said that the laugh was hysterical. It may have been so, but to the uninformed listener there is no substantial difference between a hysterical laugh and one of the more ordinary kind. Lord Arthur was no connoisseur of guffaws, able to note and classify. To him a laugh was a laugh. And Della’s, ringing out in the silence, conveyed but one impression to him—namely, that he amused Della.”
 
Recommendability: $$$$
Writing Style: $$$$$
Likelihood of Reading Again: $$$$
Thought Provoking: $$$
Subject Matter of General Interest: $$$$
 
 

What I'm Reading: April through June Recap

I find this rather horrifying, that in three months I have consumed only three books, all on Audible. However, I think perchance my life is calming back down to a reasonable speed which will allow me to continue pursuing all types of literature, hopefully much in a more tactile form.

	$	$$	$$$	$$$$	$$$$$
Recommend-ability	I highly recommend not reading this book.	Don't bother.	You might enjoy it.	Would definitely recommend	Absolutely loved it. I will likely recommend to every person I talk to for the next month.
Writing Style	Extremely poor	Well, they know how to spell and what a period is.	Average. Just… Average.	Good job. I might be a little envious of their way with words.	I stand amazed.
Likelihood of Reading Again	Are you kidding? I lost enough brain cells the first time.	Nope.	Maybe, but doubtful.	Probably will read again.	I will definitely re-read. Way too many things I found fascinating.
Thought-Provoking	What thoughts?	I think there was a thought somewhere.	Sort of basic thoughts, but accurate.	Some lingering thoughts. That's a good sign.	So much to think about. My brain is on fire!
Subject Matter of General Interest	There should not have been ink and paper wasted on this book. I now understand tree-huggers.	Not my style, personally, but might be interesting to someone of a different temperament.	Interesting, but may be specific to my personal tastes.	Fun things to think about. May be quotable. Likely to appeal to a variety of personalities.	Positively fascinating. I will be quoting this for years. Absolutely everyone should read this book.

 

Killdozer
By Patrick Brower
Nonfiction; 316 pages, 7 hrs. 15 min.
Audible
 
Have I read it before?
No. I don’t even remember hearing anything about it at all.
 
How did I find it?
The story got brought up over Easter in a conversation with my brother-in-law. Apparently, I was the last person on the planet unfamiliar with the happening. When he explained a bit about it, I became instantly intrigued. Such stories are often fascinating to me from a psychological standpoint.
 
What is it about?
The book tells about a man with a grudge in the small town of Granby, Colorado. Marvin Heeymeyer modified a dozer with welded steel plates, bullet proof glass, and weaponry, turning it into a tank which he used to exact his revenge on perceived wrong-doings from the city. He destroyed a number of businesses and, although he didn’t kill any onlookers, definitely endangered lives. The author, an editor and publisher of a local paper, was one of the victims who observed part of the mayhem that day in 2004. I appreciate his quest to stick with the facts and not make a lot of conjectures about the reasons, emotions, or mental health conditions that may have influenced the act of malice. He also seeks to understand his own part in the drama and the reaction of others around the world in the wake of the event, as Marvin turned into a folk hero and the Killdozer was celebrated as a symbol of fighting against government. The bitterness that would lead to such demolition is beyond my comprehension.
 
Any warnings?
A little language and suicide; if this isn’t your type of book, don’t read it.
 
What’s a quote?
“I was always willing to be reasonable until I had to be unreasonable. Sometimes reasonable men must do unreasonable things.” –Marvin Heemeyer
 
Recommendability: $$$
Writing Style: $$$
Likelihood of Reading Again: $$$$
Thought Provoking: $$$$
Subject Matter of General Interest: $$$
 
 
Get It Done
By Gretchen Rubin
Self Help, Creativity; 4 hrs. 17 min.
Audible Original Only
 
Have I read it before?
No.
 
How did I find it?
As you know, sites such as Audible base recommendations on past history. I have definitely listened to things by Gretchen Rubin before.
 
What is it about?
Get It Done goes step by step through the process needed to accomplish goals. Rubin has included herself in the process, taking the reader with her as she examines why she has failed to learn to watercolor, though it’s something she’s wanted to do for years, then finding a method that helps her reach her goal. One interesting aspect of the book is finding your tendency. People, Rubin explains, tend to be Upholders, Obligers, Rebels, or Questioners. This affects how they approach reaching their goals, and why something that works well for one personality—say, expectation in the case of an upholder or obliger—may not work at all for someone with a rebel tendency. If you are curious about yourself, you can look up The Four Tendencies Quiz by Gretchen Rubin. I, not surprisingly, am apparently an Obliger. This annoys me, as I think I would rather enjoy being a Rebel.
 
Any warnings?
The book doesn’t count God into the picture in any way.
 
What’s a quote?
“Setting small daily tasks that are consistently executed is more effective than attempting spasmodic Herculean efforts.”
 
Recommendability: $$$
Writing Style: $$$$
Likelihood of Reading Again: $$$
Thought Provoking: $$$$
Subject Matter of General Interest: $$$$
 
 
Around the World in 72 Days
By Nellie Bly
Narrative Journalism, Nonfiction; 156 pages, 5 hrs. 34 min.
Audible
 
Have I read it before?
Yes. I should probably be embarrassed to admit it, but I’ve never even read the famous Jules Vernes Around the World in 80 Days. This book, however, unlike the classic, is completely true.
 
How did I find it?
I’m not sure how I came across Nellie Bly’s book, Ten Days in a Mad-House, but I was tremendously impressed by what had gone into that effort and looked for other works by her, which led me to Around the World in 72 Days. Something got brought up in my writing group that reminded me of this book, and I decided to listen again.
 
What is it about?
In an era when women weren’t supposed to travel alone, Nellie Bly sets out on a fantastic journey funded by the newspaper she reports for to prove that the popular novel by Jules Vernes is not portraying an impossible speed record for travel. She packs only one small bag, and only the dress she is wearing, she ventures forth to round the globe. She shares her candid impressions of the people and places she visits while traveling mostly by train and ocean liner. Along the way, she discovers another woman, working for another paper, is trying to beat her around the world.
 
Any warnings?
No, I think not.
 
What’s a quote?
“It will be seen that if one is traveling simply for the sake of traveling and not for the purpose of impressing one’s fellow passengers, the problem of baggage becomes a very simple one.”

Recommendability: $$$$

Writing Style: $$$$
Likelihood of Reading Again: $$$$
Thought Provoking: $$$$
Subject Matter of General Interest: $$$$

Tips for Riding the Tube and Other Tidbits

I'm not here to give you advice on how to navigate the tube. That was firmly in Gloria and Lindsay's department. Although I must say I did figure out how to follow signs once I knew which station we were headed to. I just never downloaded the needed app for figuring out routes and things. So this little piece is going to give you some advice for how to present yourself on the tube.

One of the most important things to understand is that you should absolutely not make eye contact with any other human as that could be catastrophically awkward. If possible, be on your phone or have your nose in a book. 

Part of the standard equipment for tube transport is earbuds or headphones. Or maybe some of them were simple silencing headphones, I have no idea. One could certainly use such with the way some of those trains screeched along the track.

Do not act bothered. Whatever happens, carry on. If the train is suddenly terminated or delayed continue reading your book or listening to your music with absolutely no change in facial expression.

Only talk to other people if you know them or if you are graciously offering them your seat because they look like they could use it.

Do not wear your backpack in the tube if it is crowded. This causes serious manueverability problems. Also, accept that you will at some point be squished up next to someone that has a distinctive odor emanating off them that may not be pleasant to the nostrils. I'm not certain why nose plugs are not part of the standard tube equipment as well.

You will need to realize that there are parts of riding the tube that never will make sense. No one knows why one station is suddenly closed or why the train is suddenly terminated and the engineer leaves for the day.

Have your tap and go payment method ready. Do not hold up progress. Be quick exiting and entering. Stand to the right on escalators and climb to the right on stairways. If someone offers to carry your suitcase up the stairs, it's OK to let them. 

If you are American, do put a little extra effort into being quiet. Also, if you are me, break all apparent social rules and study your fellow passengers like you're learning them for an exam. 

You might notice bits of poetry or funny advertisements in the tube. I caught a bit of a poem by Glyn Maxwell posted in one train, and saw a lady carrying a bag with some of my favorite lines from Sarah Williams on it:

"Though my soul may set in darkness, it will rise in perfect light. I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night."

You may see a few homeless people in the stations, but not nearly so many as I expected. 

It is advisable to stay with the group if possible, for sure if not everyone in the group has figured out how the tube system works. If you do happen to get on a train without the rest of the party, get off at the next station and wait on them. They will find you. We never permanently lost anyone, so there's that.

Do not expect to find trash bins on every corner like we are used to in the States. 

Do expect to walk and walk and walk. For sure if the tube workers are on strike. If you're lucky, you might find out what it feels like for a salmon to go upstream. I'm convinced we met half the business sector going the opposite way as us on one street. I don't think it's exagerating to say we were headed one way and literally thousands of people were going the other.

English food is rather bland. As you likely know, "England is the country that conquered the world for spices, but then refused to use any of them." Brits also eat an astonishing amount of carbs, yet they are not an obese people. I'm suspecting this has to do with two things: They have a lot more regulations in regards to what kind of preservatives go into their foods, and then there is also the walking. Have I mentioned the walking?

Supposedly I logged a total of about 104,000 steps during our seven days in London. This is approximately 45 miles according to Google.

There are so many historical things to do and see in Britain I could have spent several weeks there, not just one. My current dream is to go back and do a literature tour, exploring A.A. Milne, Jane Austen, Charles Dickinson, the Bronte sisters, C.S. Lewis, and many more. But that dream is just one in a thousand. I've also dreamed of doing a literature tour in the States. The problem with that is just that the authors are much more spread out.

Nearly every one of the guides and shop owners we interacted with were brilliantly funny. But then again, I have always enjoyed the dry British humor.

The scenery is so picturesque, so laden with the feeling of a million stories on every hill and in every stone cottage, I just wanted to sit under a tree somewhere or in a garden and write a novel. 

Our group were a funny bunch as well. There were some we could always depend on for laughter or just conversation. There was the person who asked lots of interesting questions. There were those who had facts on hand. And me? 

Well, I just got the absolute pleasure of getting to be with everyone and soak up beauty and knowledge and new ideas.

I don't know where my next adventure will take me, or who I'll travel with, but I'm already looking forward to it. Once I save up some money, of course. 

And so I've come to the end. Our flight is fixing to touch down in Atlanta in another 15 minutes or so. Crazy how time flies.

It's lovely to travel, but lovely to come home.

Until next time!

London: Day 7

 Wednesday, June 3

The first order of the day was to walk over to Café D’ Horizon for a proper full English Breakfast. This consists of eggs, toast, beans, sausage, mushrooms, and tomato. 

The next stop of the day was the biggest bookstore in Europe. It is a chain, but we visited the grandest of them all, the Picadilly Waterstones. Gloria had an advantage, having been there several times previously. There are four floors of books with a cafe on the fifth floor. For any true lover of literature, this is a disaster when you have limited time. I think I had made it to the second floor when I saw Leann, Nedra, and Katie on their way out already. And I was hurrying. 

I suppose hurrying might be a relative term, but I was definitely not browsing every book I could have. The problem with the situation is that as normal, when faced with many things that I love, such as a fascinating museum, an antique store, or, in this case, a book store, I get overwhelmed quite easily and can't make any decisions at all.

Thankfully the others didn't complain too much about standing on the sidewalk in the rain while Lindsay and I shopped. 

When we finally managed to pull ourselves away from Waterstones, we headed to one of the hilights of our entire trip, in my opinion: an afternoon tea. Gloria booked us into the most adorable little tea shop, called Tea Darling. It is a one-woman show, and there was only seating there for ten to twelve people, so it was a very one-on-one custom dining experience. 

The owner was a cheerful woman who greeted us at the door and seated us at a lovely table arrayed with lacy cloths, teacups, and flowers, the latter which she promptly removed, saying we would need the space for food.

First, of course, came the tea. I elected to drink Earl Grey, though I often prefer English Breakfast. Our hostess asked if I would like milk with it. When responded that I would, she informed me that I really ought to try it without because this Earl Grey was exceptionally smooth and nice, though she wouldn't judge me if I chose to add milk. 

I took her advice, and tried it plain first. It was the best Earl Grey I've ever tasted. I did try the last little dab in my cup with milk, and found that indeed, I preferred it without. 

The first course to arrive was sandwiches. There were four different kinds: English ham and mustard, cheese and chutney, cucumber, and egg salad. The cheese and chutney was my favorite by far, but there was mildly heated debate on that topic around the table.

After the sandwiches were cleared away, the scones appeared. Lovely, high rise mounds of goodness to top with clotted cream and four different types of jam. The owner told us it depended where one was from whether the jam or the cream was applied first.

We finished the scones off in an astonishingly short time. She offered to give us a breather before bringing out the next course. She also refilled our tea orders at this point. I switched to peppermint, but honestly should have probably stuck with the Earl Grey. She had a great time making jokes about how much sugar was being used at our table. I'm sure there are a couple of the girls who would like it to be known they did not partake in sugar, but I shan't give them the satisfaction of a mention.

The desserts arrived, a lovely array of macarons, tiramisou, chocolate cake, lemon cake, and some other things I likely don't remember or have names for. Everything was incredible.

The entire experience felt like something out of a story book. Tea lasted about two and a half hours, after which we also perused her shop downstairs. If you go to London, do visit Tea Darling. It's pricey, but I think worth every pound.

We moved on next to Hyde Park. It is a lovely, spacious expanse of green. Anyone who has read any novels from the regency era will know this was once the place to see and be seen, where ladies put on their finest walking gowns and paraded the pathway of Rotten Row, which still exists, by the way.

I was delighted with the Kensington gardens, right behind Kensington Palace, that contain a statue of Princess Diana. You can't enter the garden itself, but there is a vine-covered walkway all around it with viewing windows cut through  so you can see what is inside. 

While we were there, we were quite sure we saw the royal helicoptor take off. It returned perhaps fifteen minutes later. The palace is currently mostly used as offices and meeting rooms at the moment.

We continued traversing the many paths of Hyde Park and stopped for a bit by the creatively named Round Pond. There were so many different kinds of water fowl there, including ducks, geese, Egyptian geese, and swans. I was delighted to watch a swan come in for a water landing. It was the neatest thing, watching his feet come down as he skiied in for a landing, his large wings outstretched. It was pure science and poetry in motion, and I was completely enamoured.

On our way out, we spotted the Peter Pan statue which Nedra had really wanted (not) to see.

We then decided that wisdom would dictate heading back to the flat to start packing and such unsavory things, so that's what we did. A couple people grabbed Thai and Chinese take-away near the flat, while others snacked around. It did seem that peach rings and biscoff items were very popular in the group.

Slowly, everyone faded off to their bedrooms to be responsible and pack and go to bed. I think everyone was gone by 1:00 a.m. or so. Lindsay, Gloria, and I sat in the bedroom and talked for another hour about important topics, many of them school-related, but at last we, too, capitulated to the knowledge that morning was coming.

Step count for this last day was only a hair over 14,000, so not too bad.

I plan to write up one more little post with some odds and ends, and maybe a total step count, too. We'll see how that goes. I'm currently on my flight to Atlanta and I see the cart coming down the aisle to serve supper. 

So long for now!

London: Day 6

 Tuesday, June 2

On Tuesday we headed to Brighton. Someone reminded me of the Jane Austen quote from Pride and Prejudice that goes this way: "They  must all go to Brighton. That is the place to get husbands." While that was certainly not the point of our visit, it must be said that Brighton is still considered a party town. After meeting our guide, Kevin, at the train station, we joined three other women in a sixteen passenger van and headed out into the countryside.

Kevin was an absolute wealth of knowledge. I very much enjoyed his narration as we drove about. We headed first to South Downs National Park. The view stretched for miles and he told us we could see into five different counties from there. From there you could get a glimpse of the forest where A.A. Milne based the Winnie the Pooh stories. It is also a popular area for paragliding.

As we drove, Kevin rattled off name after name of stars from the music and acting industry who had visited or lived in Sussex county where we spent the day. He also threw out random information related to agriculture. Sheep have been a big thing until recent years when the wool price has dropped. He explained that the cost of shearing is half of the price you can get when you sell the wool, so farmers are beginning to experiment with sheep who shed the wool naturally. A lot of cattle are also raised on the rolling hills. He mentioned in particular the Aberdeen Angus, which I believe originated in Scotland, and the local breed of cattle, known as the Sussex Red. 

He also pointed out the fields of canola, which the Brits actually call rapeseed. He told us that currently prices are at 800 pounds per ton of canola, about double what wheat or barley is bringing in. That's a little over $1,000 USD.

We arrived next at Middle Farm. This is a a farm that is open to visitors, with a little cafe, a gift shop, opportunities to interact with animals, and shops to buy things for gardens or feed for your livestock. We were told we must try the scones there. 

I am a little confused where we Americans came up with the idea of scones being shaped like a triangle. Every scone I encountered in England was more like a large biscuit. At any rate, I can vouch for the scones at Middle Farm. Add clotted cream and jam to them, and they were incredible with a spot of tea.

We were there perhaps an hour, and it was just about the right amount of time to eat and spend just a few minutes in the shops. Then we piled back into the van and headed off to see the Long Man.

It is believed the Long Man is around 485 years old. He measures 226 feet tall and is actually located on top of an ancient burial ground. No one seems to really know what the significance is. Kevin told us the grade of the hill is about forty degrees.

Now I'd like to mention just a little bit about how he was created. The hills in this area are mostly chalk, starting about a foot or two below the grass. Whoever first designed the long man (and other chalk figures across England) did so by carefully digging trenches through the grass and into the limestone. The bright white you see in the picture above is actually white blocks that the caretakers of the figure have laid out beside the orginal lines because the upkeep costs too much to keep the actual chalk lines in that good of shape. 

The other stone plentiful in the area is flint. Many homes and fences are built of it. The chalk can also be used for many other purposes, one of which is to make mortar. 

After admiring the Long Man for as long as seemed reasonable, we hopped back aboard the van and headed over to Devil's Dyke.

The word dyke to the Brits is the equivalent of ditch. This is a dry riverbed, we were told. Because chalk is so porous, it can rain and rain and water will never collect in the ditch.

As you can see in the picture, there are hiking trails all over in this country, some of them still there from medeival times.

I suppose you would like to know the legend behind how the Dyke got its name. I can't tell it in the same dramatic fashion as Kevin, but I'll try to tell you a bit.

Supposedly, some king or another came into the area and started building churches and spreading religion. The Devil heard of these doings and came over to Sussex to have a look around. When he found the stories were true, he made a plan. He would dig a ditch to the sea and water would rush in to flood the countryside. So he set to work, digging away with his two bare hands.

No one in the village knew he was the Devil. He didn't look like the Devil, just like a man. And although they were very curious about what he was doing, no one came to ask him. Except one. A woman who lived at the top of the hill overlooking the project. She made him tea one day and brought it down. She said she had noticed him working so hard and wondered what he was doing.

The Devil told her. He explained his plan to flood the country. The woman was apparently a thinker who was quick on her toes, because she immediately told him that she thought that was a brilliant idea he had. She asked him how long it would take. He told her he could finish whenever he liked.

The woman asked him if he could be done by morning. Of course, he replied. "Oh, I don't see how you can," she countered, "there's a lot to be done yet." Well, the Devil got angry and told her that he could finish by then. Eventually he promised her that if he wasn't finished by the time the sun rose and the cock crowed, that he would leave and never come back.

And so he continued working steadily. An hour or two after midnight, the woman lit a huge bonfire on the hill and kicked her rooster awake. When the rooster saw the fire, he began to crow. When the Devil heard the cock crowing, he looked up and saw the fire, believed it to be the rising of the sun, and disappeared from the valley, never to be seen in Sussex again.

We continued our tour at Beachy Head Cliffs. These are stunning white chalk cliffs that remind one of the White Cliffs of Dover. There was a little lighthouse visible way down below. The scenery again seemed completely surreal. 

There is a little stone set in the hill with scripture on it reading, "Mightier than the thunders of many waters, mightier than the waves of the sea, the Lord on high is mighty. (Psalm 91:4) God is always greater than all our troubles."

There were no guardrails or any such thing. You could walk as close to the cliff edge as you desired. Kevin told us, however, that the cliffs are eroding at a rate of one meter per year. He pointed out an old lighthouse visible in the distance that is now used for a boutique, and said that it had been moved inland or it would surely have tumbled off the cliff face by now. 

We then proceeded on to view the Seven Sisters, so called because they reminded someone of the headgear worn by a particular order of nuns. We stood first at the edge of the Seven Sisters' cliffs, then drove around to get a view of them from a different angle. At the first stop there was a set of steps you could take to go down to the rocky beach and stand right at the water's edge. There were people out there surfing, and we also glimpsed a large seal in the water. 

The view was completely breathtaking. At our first stop atop the Sisters, Kevin again impressed upon us the rate of erosioin. He explained there had been a number of cottages there, but many of them had already succumbed to the erosion. 

On the far side view (above) we walked through a few cattle and past some sheep. Again, Kevin rattled off names of movies and music videos that had been shot here, but frankly the only one I actually had any real knowledge of was Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.  There was also a plaque to Canadian soldiers who had lost their lives there during WWII.

On the way back to the train station we saw a ship just headed out to cross to Normandy, about a 4 hour journey.

I failed to mention at the beginning, but some of the tube employees had gone on strike, something to do with not wanting to switch to a four day work week. This made traveling about slightly more difficult, but we did manage. We ended up grabbing Chinese take-away from next door for supper.

My step count for the day was only a little shy of 20,000, but I'm guessing it did hit that with all the going up and down of stairs at the flat.