Thursday, November 06, 2008

Thoughts Become Things

Twitter Capture

Charm Bracelet: London

Charm Bracelet: London

My London Adoration bracelet was re-spaced and now? from one end to the next I have:

Charm Bracelet: Double Decker

A Double Decker Bus. The .925 is the back licence plate. Adorable.


Charm Bracelet: Parliament

The Houses of Parliament with an oversized Tower-which-houses-Big-Ben.


Charm Bracelet: Bobby's Hat

Policeman's Helmet (Bobby's Hat) which even has an ER on the Shield.


Charm Bracelet: St Christopher

St Christopher. The Patron Saint of travellers. Can't hurt.


Charm Bracelet: Squirrel

A Squirrel!


Charm Bracelet: St Paul's Cathedral

St Paul's Cathedral.


Charm Bracelet: City of London Shield

City of London Shield.
The centre, the focus of the bracelet.
(Focus as in central, focus as in hearth and home)


Charm Bracelet: Tower Bridge

Tower Bridge.
It is open as it's supposed to be good luck.

Charm Bracelet: Crown

Crown
(Keep Calm and Carry On)


Charm Bracelet: Tower of London

Tower of London.


Charm Bracelet: Telephone Booth

A (red) Telephone Booth.


Charm Bracelet: Britannia

Britannia


Charm Bracelet: Black Cab

A (black) Cab.



It's hard to explain adequately how much I adore this bracelet.
In the soft silvery jingling I am reminded of the white noise traffic roar when our double glazed window was opened, Like magic. I am standing at the lights waiting to cross, watching for the lights to go yellow again before going green. I remember the smell of wet cobblestones near St Paul's and the swirl of a priest in a cassock.
I am walking past the garden in Bedford Square on my way to work, looking our for squirrels and the red Royal Mail vans.
I am waiting with Craig for our Yeoman at the gates of the Tower of London, sitting with a magazine at the Statue in front of Buckingham Palace, sitting on the steps at St Paul's waiting for Craig, Lying in sundappled shade in Hyde Park with my head on his hip. Walking hand in hand, glove in glove, along the Thames on a Saturday morning.
Roast chestnuts at the entrance to Tottenham Court Road tube, caramelised nuts near the Millennium bridge, churros and curry at the Thames festival, the wet organic scent of the back roads of Borough Market. The hush of a church or gallery, the silent roar of a cathedral, echoing, warbling sopranos, the muffled rustling of tourists, the err-err-err of wheelie bags on the ridges of the Millennium bridge. It is a sea of french, italian, of cockney, eton, greek, indian, of myriad accents.

My London was seen on foot and remembered in sounds and smells.

And all that from 13 little charms, on one little bracelet, on one little wrist.


P.s. My fav-fav-favourite charm? St Paul's.

Charm Bracelet: St Paul's Cathedral

Because? Well, firstly because I adore St Paul's. It is my moon, my London anchor.


St Paul's at Night


But also! because it opens!


Charm Bracelet: St Paul's: a little open

Eep!


Charm Bracelet: St Paul's: Open!

I think it might be Jesus. Or just a cross. Or Jesus. Or a cross. Or Jesus. Who knows?

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