Absolutely thrilling

I can't show pictures from the even this morning (it was a non-media event and we have been instructed not to post any photo to a social media outlet) and I don't have one that I would want to per se -- but this morning was a complete thrill.  A meet and greet had been set up this morning for Embassy workers and their families to meet the First Lady.  I went to the event with two other TDYers.  We got in line at 9:00 and the doors opened at 9:30.  We were able to get the last places at the front against the waist high barriers.  And we waited until they shut the doors at 10:30, effectively locking us in.  The area was secured and just after 11:00, Ambassador Susman came in, followed by Michelle Obama and Gabe, one of our USA ex-military, current para-Olympians. 

In her remarks, she thanked us for our service to country and then thanked the family members for their support of us.  So to my family, the First Lady thanks you for supporting me in being here.  She was warm, gracious and stunning in her cream with black piping outfit.  Then she worked the line.  She started at our end first.  She spoke for quite a while with a kid who had been standing in the second row.  Then she thanked the two TDYers that I came with and then me.  She took both my hands in hers and thanked me for coming.  I was tongue-tied.  All I could do was thank her.  I felt like crying I was so overwhelmed.  Then she moved on to the next person. 

About half way through the line, people got bold and asked her to pose for pictures.  And she did.  Happily.  So if I had been at the second half of the line, I would have done the same.  She really took the time to talk with the children.  At the very end, she took a group photo with the kids.  It was very sweet.  After she left, we were in a daze.  It felt like an important life moment.  Amazing, really.

The event took place in the St. John's Wood area which is close to Regent's Park.  I decided to go there and continue with my walking campaign to photograph the Olympic mascots.  It was a good idea in theory, but stupid in practice.  I was wearing heals.  And I got confused in the park between all the walking paths, in loop, outer loop, around the lake, by the gardens -- I didn't draw a good enough map of their locations.  And for some reason, rational thought escaped me and I kept at it instead of going back to the hotel for a change of outfit and shoes.  No, that would have been smart.  Instead, I walked and walked and walked.  In heals.  Through the thunder and rain.  And in the sun, I walked.  If there were to be a picture in the dictionary of the crazy woman in Regent's Park, it would have my picture right next to it.  I'll blame my behaviour on the amazing morning and lack of lunch.

There were 11 little mascot statues on this walk.  I started in the middle with #7, the Victoria Park Mandeville:

The Animal Wenlock was next and it was beautiful.  Some of the figures don't have much going on in the back side, but this one was good from all angles.

The Regency Mandeville

Rainbow Mandeville -- now, I was looking for rainbow colors.  I'm not certain what the connection is between rainbow and a map of the British Isles -- but I didn't name these guys.  And I love maps so who cares.

Finally, I discovered the Union Flag Wenlock.  These were all straight forward to find.  I started at the northwest corner, entering the park from Prince Albert Rd.  I took the straight diagonal pathway (right under the Regent's Park Pathway sign on the map below) through the playing fields, to the south east corner and then along the outer circle to the York Gate.

The problem came when I tried to find the Sherlock Wenlock.  It was supposed to be by the entrance in front of the London Business School.  It was, in a way, but on across the Boating Lake and in front of the Inner Circle.  So I walked around the lake until I found a foot bridge that took me across the water.  And there I found (bathrooms, most importantly) the Safari Mandeville

the Birdy Wenlock

Midsummer Night's Dream Wenlock

and the Rose Garden Mandeville.

And then I took a wrong turn.  I ended up close to the pathway that I took to start the morning, north of the Inner Circle.  I was in the grass and ended up back at Chester Road, without finding the way in between the lake and the Inner Circle.  So I walked around the Inner loop, past the Jubilee Gates and the rose gardens until I found the pathway that went to the east side of the water for the last two on the list, the Deckchair Wenlock, which had vandalized with red paint or marker in the "eye"

and the Sherlock Wenlock.

At 2:50, the mission was complete.  The balls of my feet were so sore, that I wobbled very slowly to the Baker Street tube.  It started to rain when I was in front of Madame Tussuad's, but that didn't make me walk any faster.  At least I didn't add any new blisters.  And I saw the First Lady today!  What could be more fantastic?!  (Rhetorical, having my family meet her as well would have been the best.)  Back to work at 7:00 am tomorrow.