these boots are made for walkin' and that's just what they'll do...

i woke up this morning to the sound of what i thought was a hailstorm. i leapt out of bed, and looked out the window to find not a winter storm, but horses, at least a dozen trotting down the street! 

topshop. + h&m.+ faith shoes. - christmas shopping crowds. = success.

i hailed a cab on oxford street, and put on my new boots in the back. along with my jacket. and i'm gloriously toasty. =)

back in the studio, after a management meeting. writing writing writing. recording recording recording. and getting butterflies about tomorrow's gig. 

the song we're working on right now, can be taken many ways...but, paul is specifically writing it about his dad who has lung cancer, and has just been given two weeks to live.  i, having been there, myself, am revisiting my grandad in this writing process. the song is so hauntingly beautiful and just...gorgeous. i want to start crying. i think we all do.

it reminds us all why we do this. why it's all important. 

more soon... hopefully including photos.

i've been a busy busy bee. 

buzz buzz buzz.

lock yourself indoors and plan a getaway...

today was such a good sunday. good and long and full:

• went to spitalfields market with gemma (fun. but so crowded.)
• had a really tasty almond croissant!
• a random band was covering katy perry. hmm.
• tried on some burberry & chanel boots.
• still haven't gotten the december british vogue. oh, but i have january now, thanks.
• met up with danny in camden.
• couldn't find the place, so i walked from camden town station to chalk farm station and back.
• ate 1 random sandwich from tescos express while watching the antique road show. hahaha
• made the acquaintence of one of the st. john's wood station workers. she's so great!
• went to liverpool st. (for the 2nd time today)
• was stalked outside by a creepy little man trying to chat me up by saying i sound like britney spears when i talk, and giving me pointers on places to go.
• arran rescued me. and took me to a pub to meet some friends.
• then we went to a gig, where he was playing with some more friends.
• at which point i developed a massive crush on a band called the onlookers.
• was stalked by a second random man who also sabbotaged the stage on the last song with his singing techniques. ahem.
• had a very long talk with jonny about all kinds of things including space blankets. which work.
• faced my fear of riding the bus...with arran escorting me to the right one. i took it to my destination... knew precisely where the taxi stand was, and got the cab the rest of the way. i am pleased with myself.
• it's 915 body clock time. but it's 2.15 greenwich mean time. which means, i need to sleep.
• i'm hungry like a wolf, cold, and i'm in dire need of a full body massage.

gemma and some others have said the phrase, "you belong here!" and everyone asks me if i live here because of my weird sense of ease with everything.
i want to call this home. after home, obviously, you know what i mean.
hopin and prayin and wishin... please oh please.

just trying to shake you off...

i am crazy and most definitely needed to calm down.
so, i went from being really unsure of where i was staying/commuting to hertford...
and now, i'm sitting cozy in 'my flat' for the week. all to myself. =)
well, gemma's here tonight. which is absolutely perfect.

i arrived, met a cartoonish little bumbling lady with squinty eyes and a bright smile with paddington bear on her sweater, and then had the best cab driver i've ever ever had when i left paddington station. he told me all sorts of little anecdotes about musicians and things. (like pointing out the street where jimmy hendrix lived/died). when we arrived at canalot studios, the driver then, asked where he could get my music, got out and opened my door, and helped me with my bags...then left only when completely sure that i was alright and headed to the right place. i was. ash led me through a tiny blue door beneath some massive iron dragons, was introduced to justin and paul and within 2 hours of being in the country, i starting recording and working on a new song. a bit later there we were sidetracked by a beautiful rainbow on one side of the sky while there was a gorgeous sunset over london on the other side.
after working on tunes most of the day, i went to meet clive & jim at a pub. we then had the saltiest bacon & cheese thing ever...and went to this crazy club. i think we spent the majority of the time checking bags in and out of the coat-check. from there we got the train back to hertford, and we met the second loveliest cab-driver. like a sweet little 'gran'. she was absolutely lovely. she turned to me and said, "are you warm enough little one?" ...i melted. met clive's house-mate, chris and sister, claire...who are amazing. chris is hilarious. and claire is just the loveliest person...and so incredibly gorgeous, it's overwhelming. we had some wine, and laughed until we were all literally in tears at a flight of the conchords stand-up show. i finally fell asleep a little after midnight. =)
drove into town today, and tried to find my coveted boots on oxford street. aka. hades.
yes.
i said it.
it was christmas shopping day, apparently. and a saturday. the roads were even blocked off. it was out of control.
went to the studio to meet ash and got the key to the flat...(which i'm staying in for free. i mean, what?!) met up with gemma and friends...tom came out (yay!)...and then gemma and i headed to the grotbags christmas party. there was a massive line outside, but we sauntered up to the front and got in 'on the guestlist' which we weren't. but we got in for the discounted rate and walked right in. hehehe thanks to lou's trickery. found danny & lou and we danced to mariah carey and other such things. then, heard this band called exlovers. refreshingly good.
so on the last song, some people went mental dancing around and falling out on the floor. this jamaican security guy gave the 'boy' involved a little talking to, i guess. i know he was jamaican because after that, he then proceeded to come over to me and try to chat me up. it was so skanky and hilarious. i was like, 'ummmm. i'll be back!' and went far far away.
we walked from tottenham court road and made it to oxford street before we found a taxi. gemma and i held onto each other and shivered back to the flat...as i'd forgotten the street name AND the name of the studio. ugh. what good am i?! showered and snuggled down in bed where i'm writing you now.
and now for the photofun...(i'll take more)
sunsets...

tom...

lucky... saved from the arcade.

paparazzi in training....

a vacuum/hoover playing a saxophone

ladbrook grove station. (location of kate moss' rimmel ad. yep.)

tomorrow is sunday...goodnight.

you look so tired happy...

i'm sitting in the airport. flight has been delayed. and i'm oh so very sleepy. and filled with worry and anxious thoughts... silly girl.
but.

'when anxiety is great within me, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer'

tick.tock.tick.tock

a thimble full of whiskey and i'll be as right as rain.

(i dont even drink whiskey. just like the line.)



this morning wasn't so good. but it would be dull to expound on that fact. so i'll tell you how much i enjoyed this little boy who had bright eyes and a smile that i couldn't resist. i'd hold him and whisper in his ear and he'd laugh every time...but come closer for more. and there was a little girl not feeling so very well. but after i rocked her to sleep and she had a good nap, she was a glorious sight to behold. we played all sorts of games. and then she and her older brother (who was probably 2) played this little game making the 'stereotypical-i'm-an-indian' sound back and forth. it was pretty much amazing.
i miss jordan and aaron.
i want a boy and girl.
someday. farther away.

countdown. 2.5 days?!
gah!
after a couple of conversations with clive, i fully realise that i need to calm down.

p.s.
has anyone else noticed how incredibly weird people are? not bad, necessarily. not good, obviously. just weird. hmm.