In Fashion :: Black & Tan

I love this black & tan Polyvore created by Cary Randolph. Chic and comfortable - a rare combination.

This brunch has turned into dinner. by caryrandolph featuring opaque tights


Happy weekend to you!

x, Beth

Mother's Day

My Mother's Day was a sunny Sunday at Charlecote Park. You never know what you are going to find just down the road from your house in this country! See for yourself ... 

The National Trust has taken care of this gorgeous estate ever since it was given to them in 1946 by the Lucy family who had owned it since the 12th century. The Lucys arrived here in England with William the Conquerer (did he have a last name I wonder?). The massive country house was originally built in 1558. Queen Elizabeth I visited soon after. These days much of it, including the interior, is Victorian. The gatehouse, and most of the outbuildings are Elizabethan. There is a small parterre just above where the house sits on the River Avon. The grounds are a huge deer park with very non-skittish deer (though too skittish to touch, because, of course, I tried). We wandered around for quite a while, just happy to soak up some sun and be surrounded by the beauty. At the Orangery, we had tea and something Will said was a scone, but I think maybe it was a teacake.

It was a very good day. And I got the best Mother's Day card EVER from my amazing daughter. She has set the bar very high indeed with this homemade treat full of humor, wisdom and uncharacteristic sweetness. I love that kid. Did everybody have a good Sunday?

Sunny Sunday

I saw this on Pinterest and had to pop over to Etsy and check it out. I LOVE this! I think I have to get it for my daughter's room - it's just perfect.

From The Wallaroo on Etsy in lots of colors.

Happy Mother's Day all you American Mommas!

x, Beth

Happy Weekend y'all. I am so sorry about that fussy post a few days ago - NOT what you came here for, I'm sure. As the lovely Annie pointed out - way too scary of a picture for a design/lifestyle blog! To make it up to you, I have a sweet little sunporch designed by Lindsey Ellis Beatty. I love the combination of color, pattern and texture.

Some detail:

and, here is a 'before' shot:

all photos by Laurey W. Glenn from Southern Living

It looks like a great place to hang out doesn't it? I'm dying to have a bar cart. It can't be very practical, but it looks way cool during non-use.

Anybody have big plans for the weekend? We will celebrate American Mother's Day. England's Mother's Day was last month, and my family was clearly caught off guard, but backed it up by claiming they thought we were still on "American" holidays. What does that even mean?! I argued that we should celebrate both in order to live the full expat experience, but they were not buying it.

So, a full report on celebrating American Mother's Day in England next week. Hope you all have a good one wherever you are!

x, Beth

Beware: Cranky Expat Blogger

Photo: PA

Hi everyone! I'm baaaaaack. Sorry, I have been such a super lame blogger as of late. I am biz-ee with the money paying gig right now. I've had a few days break with the Bank holiday, so I thought I would catch up and check in. I'm not much fun these days, as I'm super cranky about our whole visa situation. The UKBA has had our visa applications (and passports) since January and they are really taking their sweet time getting them back to us. We had to postpone our trip to the US and I missed my brother's wedding. NOT happy about this at all. We held out some hope to be there for Easter, but no. What's worse is that I am now paranoid that they will attempt to deliver the package with our passports and we won't be here and they will be returned to the UKBA and I don't ever want the UKBA to have my passport again. Ever. We were going to go to Wales for a few days, but then we were all "What if we are in Wales and our passports come!" Could you imagine!? I miss getting my passport and it ends up BACK in the black hole that is the UKBA, just so I could go to Wales and get rained on for a few days?!! Hail no.  God help the world if that happens, because I'm not sure what goes on over there at the UKBA, but it would appear to have little to do with processing visas. I'm beginning to wonder if they are taking turns traveling the world using our passports. So, this is the not fun part of living the glamorous expat life. Actually this is the reality of living the glamorous expat life. If you do not like it when horrible government agencies take your passport and don't give it back for 4 months and you cannot even ask them "Why?!", then this is not the life for you. See how cranky I am?! Don't you wish I had just stayed on my blogging break?!

Sheesh.