I finally went back to Britain!!

[mollyringle]

 Hello all,

I have been not getting a lot of work done lately, since our household was on vacation for two weeks in England and Wales! I had not been there since 2004 and it was fabulous to be back, despite the heat wave. (Luckily a "heat wave" in Britain only means temperatures around 85 F/ 29 C. Still, I would have preferred a bit of iconic British rain or mist.) 

If you're the kind of person who enjoys trip photos, I spammed Instagram with mine:

https://www.instagram.com/writermollyringle/

At this point you'll have to scroll down a little to get to the Britain ones, but I'm sure you'll be able to find them. For those unfamiliar with Instagram: you then click on each one to bring up the post, and click on the arrows on the photo itself (not on the edges of the window) to see the other photos in that post.

Nonetheless, writing work does progress: 

The audiobook for Summer Term is in production and should be ready in a few weeks. 

I should also be having more editorial discussions about Dramatically Inclined in the fall, and will keep you informed on news there too. Part of that story takes place in London, which made me especially happy to see that city again in person!

And I'm deep into the writing of my next book, which involves fae and royals and a fictional country and a male/male love story, and I'm quite taken with it at the moment.

For now, feel free to retaliate with your own vacation photos--after all, I need ideas for where to go in future years.
Take care and enjoy the summer!

Comments

[archaeologist_d]

Great pictures. Sounds like you had a wonderful time. I love England. Avebury doesn't get enough love with Stonehenge close. Plus Glastonbury!

[mollyringle]

Yes - Avebury's nice since you can get right up close to the stones! And I loved Glastonbury. For those who like the abbey ruins, Wenlock Priory was also a fabulous find.

[pith]

Luckily a "heat wave" in Britain only means temperatures around 85 F/ 29 C

Respectfully, when you aren't used to those temperatures and you aren't equipped for a long run of them, it IS a heat wave. We've had similar heat waves in Canada this year and they are horrible. Maybe for people used to those temperatures, it's not a big deal, but it's not the norm here. (Nor in England.)

But yay for England! I'm still sad that I didn't get to Glastonbury when I went (tour cancelled due to rain), but it's on my list. Since I can't afford to travel, I'm just watching a lot of Escape to the Country episodes. :)

[mollyringle]

Oh, anything above 80F is a "hell no" for me--I was just trying not to complain too much. :) It's the same here in Seattle; we have that going on all this week and we have no central A/C. I am making huge Grumpy Cat faces about it and I want our rain back. I also feel sad we didn't get one bit of Britain's legendary mist or rain while we were there--I honestly wanted that.

The difference was in the reporting, though; it was specifically called a heat wave, which temps in the 80s might not be called here, and definitely wouldn't be in, say, central California; it takes more like 100 to get that label there. (Which is why I never ever want to live there again.)

At least in England there was usually still a breeze, so it was pleasant to be in the shade, and it did cool down at night.

Glastonbury was lovely! I wish we had gone into the Chalice Well, but still, the Abbey ruins and the Tor were very cool. And the hippie vibe of the town was 100% familiar to someone like me who grew up in Oregon college towns. :D Now I wish we'd had time to go to Scotland. There's still plenty up there I haven't seen and want to.

I haven't watched any of Escape to the Country! Sounds like I'd better.

Happy writing!!

[pith]

Yeah, temperature is all relative. My family lived in Vancouver before I was born and the teachers would call my mom complaining that she hadn't dressed my siblings "for the weather": what this teacher thought was freezing was like a mild spring day where my family had last lived.

Personally, I'm more baffled by the fact that screens for windows don't seem to be a thing in England (not sure about the rest of Europe). I would like my breeze without the invading bugs, thanks.

And thank you! This Camp NaNoWriMo session is kicking my ass, but at least there's only a week left to go.

[mollyringle]

Haha, I wrote the same thing about window screens in the journal I brought on my trip! Why do none of the windows have screens? Do they LIKE having bugs inside??

Similarly, no top sheets on the beds. Just a sheet-encased duvet. Which is probably fine most of the time, but in hot weather like that, you want merely a sheet. Which is nowhere to be found in any of the rooms.