America is a tune. It must be sung together.

~ Gerald Stanley Lee, Crowds

This is the first of many images from the archives I will be posting here in the days to follow.  Finally got around to carry out a massive backup project, and I would like to share my favorite candid photos.  

I took this one in the winter of 2008.  John and I still lived in London at the time and since we got married earlier that year, the California trip served us as a Honeymoon as well as a visit to John's parents.  We has a swell time - rode horses, (sort of) swam with dolphins, had a Chinese Tea Ceremony, and drove all the way down to LA to see the sights.

The Golden Gate is something to behold, and seeing it for the first time was quite a memorable experience.  So it was for these Tibetan monks, I believe.

Taken with my old point and shoot Kodak.

The Londonist

I'm almost, almost ready to post a bunch of forgotten but quite awesome archive images from all over the place before I disappear into obscurity (read: have that baby and go into hibernation mode) for awhile, and then return with a vengeance and about a million newborn photos.

These are from London, and judging by the fact they were taken with my old point and shoot Kodak, they date from 2007 and 2008.  Just a few random street shots I find funny!  And no, I have no idea why the profane graffiti in the last one seemed so hilarious to me.

Hope you all are having a wonderful weekend!

 

The Six-Year Engagement

John proposed to me on a Valentine's Day six years ago, and god, he was so nervous!  I was nervous too as I suspected that he was up to something, but he was literally shaking.  It was very awkward and sweet and awesome and exciting, and above all - it felt right.  We started off at St. James Park where we met after my classes and we just walked around in the mist and fed squirrels and swans and posed with the horses of the Royal Guard.  

Then we went on top of the world i.e. The London Eye, overlooking a very grey and overcast and grumpy city, and there were another 20 tourists in the pod with us.  John told me to put the camera away and to be serious, went down on one knee, and asked me to marry him.  I asked him if he was serious...about 7 times, and then said yes.  I think we kissed and proceeded to laugh hysterically until we finally landed.  It was pretty much like being on drugs, only a thousand times nicer.

John proposed with a huge plastic ring he bought at Top Shop and I still keep that ring.  That same afternoon we walked down to Hatton Garden and ge got me the pretty little diamond band I wear today.  Man, I was so proud!  It was such a great big deal, the whole thing!

And still is.

John, you are the love of my life, baby.  And I will keep saying yes, forever.

Happy Valentine's Day to you all and remember - LOVE IS ALL WE NEED!

P.S. I am glad that we had this little Kodak camera with us that day.  More favorite images with it here.