The simple pleasures of a good book, a good game and good company

I wish more Mondays were like the one I had yesterday. Nothing special, but filled with unexpected (good) surprises. I started reading a book by Mike Yaconelli called Dangerous Wonder. It was recommended by and lent to me from Lori. I began in the morning, had to take a break to go to an appointment, then started back up again when I returned home. I decided to lay on the glider on the back porch since for some odd reason it was actually quite pleasant outside. There was a "cool" breeze. Mind you, in Texas lingo, that means anything under 90 degrees. At one point I got up, thinking I should make my bed this morning, and noticed a car pulled up in my driveway. It was Steve. He came over to use the air compressor to fill up the tires in Mish's car. One of his chores for the day. We chatted briefly. It was good to see him. After he left, I weighed my options. Do I do something constructive? Or do I sit back down and finish the book? For those of you that know me well, that might be a tough choice. But I decided to throw caution to the wind (is that right Bob?) and take the afternoon to finish the book. And that's what I did. Now I read for the moment. Unfortunately, that's how I've been trained since my younger school days. I thoroughly enjoy reading. Get totally engrossed in a book. But then I move on to another. Sometimes it's difficult for me to explain the book to someone. I just know if I liked it or not, and why. Well, I liked this book. It took me a few chapters to understand where Yaconelli was going with it. The premise of the book is that we should all have a childlike faith when it comes to God. We tend to lose that childlike aspect as we grow older and our faith can become dull and uninspiring. I particularly liked the last four chapters of the book. It all came together for me then. Thanks Lori for lending this book to me. Now I'm going to read another one of his books. Anyway...just after I finished the book, Steve and Mish came over. They stopped in while on one of their bike rides. Mish needed some bug anti-itch cream as she had been bit while riding and it was getting red and itchy. Mom to the rescue. I like being able to help out. I guess they weren't in a rush to get back on the bikes because Mish started chanting "Rumikub, rumikub." It's been our game of choice these days. We may be addicted. Bob suggested we just keep it as a centerpiece on the kitchen table. Well, we played two games and finished up just as Bob walked in from work. Steve won both games. He's been crowned the Rumikub King lately. Mish and I think its going to his head. We're determined to dethrone him. They left with the open invitation to drop in anytime to start up a game. They know how to get into the house, so we may come home some night and see them sitting at the kitchen table ready to go. Unexpected surprises. Well, Bob and I finished off the day at dance class. As I stood back and watched Bob with our dance instructor Cyndi, trying so hard to figure out some more difficult moves with the foxtrot, his feet all twisted like a pretzel, I smiled. Life is good when you have the good company of your children, and a partner in life who enjoys spending time with you.

25 Things I would like to do...within the next 10 years (this idea stolen from Brent, but modified)

I want to be fluent in Spanish.

I want to be "fluent" in ballroom and latin dancing. Meaning I want to be able to dance smoothly.
I want to be able to make a positive difference in the lives of my students.

I want to be a better friend.

I want to be a grandma who's fun. (No pressure. I said within 10 years.)

I want to go to Italy with my family (including parents and brothers).

I want to have another family reunion that's not a wedding or a funeral.

I want my garage to be clean.

I want to go on a real vacation with my husband where work is not an option.

I want the school year to be shorter and summers to be longer. (I'm a teacher.)

I want to exercise more. (without my back hurting)

I want to go back to London and Paris with Bob even if he has to work on the trip.

I want to be used by God to bring someone into a relationship with Him.

I want to get all my photographs organized before I forget who the people are in the pictures.

I want to be free of debt. (oh, this might take a little longer.)

I want to remodel my master bathroom. (see why the previous point might not happen?)

I want to save some money for retirement. (should have thought of that a while ago. the bathroom remodel may not happen.)

I want to see my children playing music together. (The girls on the piano and Steve on the guitar.)

I want to have Lasik, but I'll let Bob go first.

I want to be computer-savvy. Technology-competent.

I want to go on a mission trip.

I want to see my parents turn 80 and have four generations present at a reunion.

I want to make a difference in the lives of the high school girls I teach in small group bible study.

I want to grow my hair long again. (shades of the 70's)

And...I want to finish this blog!

I Love Pine Cove!

On Saturday, Bob and I went to visit Becca (Greece Monkey) at Pine Cove. It was parents' weekend and we wanted to be up there for closing ceremonies at Ranch Camp. That meant we needed to be there by 9:00 am. So we got an early start and made it there just before the rain poured down. We "surprised" Becca, as she wasn't entirely sure we were coming. Communication with counselors is difficult since cell phone service is not great, and they are limited on the time they can make calls. Pam had been up to see Becca the weekend before and told her we probably would be coming.

It was great to see Becca in action with her campers. This week she had 9 seventh-graders. That's a big cabin. And of all weeks, Becca had been sick. There's something about Pine Cove that makes counselors get sick. Orientation week is intense. And weeks with the campers are activity-filled and emotionally draining. So you can understand why the counselors get hoarse and have sore throats. Becca needed a steroid shot, a Z-pac and an inhaler. Yea, she was feeling pretty puny. But she was hanging in there. She wanted to be up for her girls. We watched and listened while she gave out her "CQ's" (character qualities) to each of her campers. We watched as parents came up and thanked her for being a spiritual leader for their daughter. We even saw one father grab Becca's hand and place a $20 bill in it, squeezing it tight as he hugged her. I was extremely proud as I thought how God was using Becca to make a difference.

During closing ceremonies, one of the directors gave a short talk to the parents. He made a point that stuck with me. He said we need to raise our children "for greatness, not for success." We need to raise them to do great things for God, not for success as the world sees success. It made me ask myself, have I been raising my children to be successful in the world's eyes? Have I encouraged them to make a difference for Christ? Have I myself been enough of a role model for them?

I love Pine Cove. I see what it has done for my children and other youth (and now, adults) from our church. It's a great ministry, not only for the campers, but for the counselors. AND for the parents (me included). The Lord is using Pine Cove in wondrous ways!

Something different for us...

Yesterday Bob and I did something out of the ordinary for us...we sat down and watched a video at 5:30 in the afternoon. Now, it wasn't the whole video watching that was unusual. We do that alot. Cheaper than the movies. No, it was the time of the day that we decided to stop everything and sit down for the next 2 hours or so to watch the movie. Usually at 5:30 Bob is sitting in traffic on LBJ Freeway on his way home from work. But yesterday he had stayed at home, still feeling the effects of a whopping sinus infection that thankfully waited until we got home from our trip. He was dragging, trying hard to get up enough energy to do some things, but he really needed to rest some more. So around 5:30 I said, "Let's watch a movie." His response, "Right now??" with this expression of unbelief on his face. But he quickly agreed. The thought of just sitting down in the big red (formerly green) chair appealed to him. So in went the video (The Producers). I have to say, the whole experience reminded me of a time, years ago when Steve was a baby. He was taking a nap (great napper!!) and it was 3:00 in the afternoon. I was finished with whatever household chores I had for that day and had some time to relax. I decided I wanted ice cream. So as I was sitting on my sofa, eating a bowl of ice cream, I thought at that moment that this is what it must be like as an adult. To be able to eat ice cream at 3:00 in the afternoon! Wow. I know that sounds silly, but at the time it was very liberating!

I think I need to live outside the box a little more if I think watching a video at 5:30 in the afternoon is out of the ordinary. What do you think??

Day 13 - Home!

Yes, we are home, safe and...tired. Though not too tired. We had a very smooth flight home. The leg from London to Raleigh-Durham was very pleasant. Bob was smart and got us the seats in the first row of the main cabin where we had no one in front of us and plenty of leg room. I had my feet propped up on pillows resting on our computer bag. Made the long flight much more comfortable. The plane was not full at all, so it was a relatively quiet flight. Now the leg from Raleigh-Durham to DFW was not as comfortable, but thankfully shorter. We actually got in 30 minutes early. It was 8:30 pm Dallas time, but 2:30 am London time. I was okay until that last hour of the flight. Then I got really tired. I'm the lucky one. I didn't have to go to work the next day.

Well, just a few last observations from the trip. Though we share the same English language as the Brits, there's enough differences in sayings to make it interesting. I found it somewhat difficult "whilst" reading the UK paper to understand the writers. They use expressions I'm not familiar with. Bob and I had fun pointing out the differences and trying to use them like we knew what we were saying! Here's a few:
"Way out" instead of exit
"Tube or underground" instead of subway
"Take away" instead of take-out (as in food)
"still" water instead of just plain water, or as opposed to "sparkling" water
"sorry" instead of excuse me (Bob always thought Hugh Grant was wimpy in his movies when he was always saying "sorry". Now he knows what it means. Everyone says it in the UK.)

London IS the place to shop. Though expensive, it has ALOT to choose from. We did go into Harrod's, but I could only go up to the second floor before I knew we needed to leave. It was way too overwhelming for this Texas girl who grew up going into New York City to shop. It might have been because we walked right into the designer section of women's fashion and I knew I was not in the right place.

I never did eat fish and chips. But we ate alot of international food. Italian food is really good in London. So is Indian.

Sometimes you get a good taxi driver, and sometimes you don't. Don't expect all of them to get out of the cab to help you with your bags. Even when they see you struggling. They may just sit in their seat and wait. Won't even open the cab door. Then they grumble if you don't tip them enough. That was like the last driver we had. He asked us where we were from and Bob said Texas. He then replied "They must not tip in Texas!" as he drove off. Yea, that was our send off. Fortunately, "blokes" like that were rare.

More often than not, we found the British to be very friendly and helpful. London is a place I would definitely like to visit again. We've got the maps, know the tube routes, understand the buses, just need the money...Oh well. But right now, I'm happy just to be home in Flower Mound, seeing my family (Pam's coming home this weekend and we are going to see Becca at Pine Cove!), and chillin' with some ICED tea. Lots of ice.

Day 12 - I forgot a few steps

Monday, our last sightseeing day in London. We leave tomorrow on a 1:00 pm flight. I'll be glad to get home. It's been exciting and fun seeing new sights, but the city is really busy and I long for the quietness of my house and backyard. And I miss my family.

Today we visited St. Paul's Cathedral. It is incredibly beautiful. We had a wonderful tour guide who took extra time with us and showed us much more than he had to. It was the most grand cathedral I have ever seen, and I would think that only St. Peter's in Rome would top it. We took the stairs (yes, more steps! Over 400 in all!) to almost the top to get a great view of the city. I didn't go an extra 152 steps to the very top. Bob had already been to the top on a previous visit to London, so I didn't think I was cheating him out of it. My legs were shaky by the time we got to the very end. But it was worth it. The tour was extremely interesting and at times, evangelistic. The guide referenced paintings around the cathedral that depicted the gospel story. Very moving. After St. Paul's, we went over to Shakespeare's Globe Theatre. Another good tour. Then on to the Tower of London again where we finally got a "Beefeaters'" tour of the Bloody Tower and all the gory stories. We then went back to Buckingham Palace for a closer view. We couldn't get in, but did get some better pictures. We were all over town on the tube and buses. Oh, and up and down, more steps! Back at the hotel, we had some complimentary drinks and snacks. Feeling a craving for something sweet, we hopped on a bus and went to, of all places, McDonalds! For a McFlurry. Yes, the last night in London and we go to McDonalds. But this was a nice McDonalds, complete with cushy, arm chairs (like Starbucks). I know, it was still McDonalds, but it was in Notting Hill. Then back on a bus to the hotel. So tomorrow, farewell to London. It's been a blast. I'd definitely come back. Hey, we know the tubes and buses now! And my calves have quit burning. See ya!

Day 11 - Back in London

Two more days left in London. So much yet to see. This city is huge and so busy. We picked up a two-day London pass and a travel card. The travel card gets you on to all the trains, tubes and buses. We walked through Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens. Beautiful and the place to be on a weekend in the city. Since most people don't have backyards here, the park is their back yard. So it was filled with people! There's a lake with rowboats and paddle boats. There's even a swimming area. The gardens were beautiful! Everything grows here with minimal care. It's incredible. I pamper my plants with organic potting soil and fertilizer and they die, while a plant can grow and flower in the smallest crack in the concrete here in England. The English do love their gardens and it shows. After we walked through the parks, we went to Kensington Palace. it was the home of Princess Margaret until she died and also Princess Diana. It was very pretty, but not on the grand scale as some French palaces. Some interesting facts. Lord Snowdon, Princess Margaret's husband, loved going to garage sales. He actually bought some things for the palace from these sales. Both he and Margaret didn't spend too much on redecorating the palace. In fact, Lord Snowdon did some remodeling work of his own in order to save on costs! After our tour of the palace, we headed on the tube to the Westminister Pier to catch a ride on a catamaran cruise on the Thames River. It was nice and relaxing, and no steps! After the cruise, we came back to the hotel, relaxed in the lounge on the top floor (table on the balcony with nice view - we love the views!), then went off to find a place for dinner. We were looking for some place quiet since the noise of the city was with us all day. London's been a lot of fun, but we are looking forward to coming home and staying in one place for awhile.

Day 10 - Steps, steps and more steps

Edinburgh is a city of steps. My calves haven't had such a work out in a long time. Our second day in the city was lovely. The weather was sunny, but actually a little too warm. But we took in some magnificent sights. Saw some authentic bagpipers too. The city has really preserved its old buildings. Walking down the Royal Mile, we felt like we were in some Charles Dickens novel. The cobblestone streets are hard on the feet though. The park was filled with people, just sunning themelves and relaxing. It was Saturday and the streets were busy. Lots of shoppers! We took in what we could before we had to catch our flight to London. We flew back into Gatwick airport, then had to catch a train into the city. Then a taxi to the Hilton. We got to the Hilton only to find out that they gave us a room with two twin beds. Not too pleased since we booked a double bed. The hotel was full due to the Nigerian futbol/rugby team annual ball (you should have seen the national outfits and gowns!) so we were told they would move us the next day to an upgraded room. We had to say we were spoiled by the Hilton Park B & B we had stayed in the first part of the trip. But here we were on the tail end of a busy week or so, and all we wanted was a nice room and bed. One that fit both of us, at the same time! Hopefully things will work out tomorrow...in the meantime, my calves are cramping! No more steps, please.

Day 9 Continued

Scotland's weather decided to be normal today, so Bob and I needed jackets. It was cool, windy and damp. The misty fog never really lifted. But we toured Edinburgh Castle nontheless. We tooked a guided tour and it was very interesting. Some of my European History from high school was trying to come through the recesses of my mind. The earliest part of the castle was built in the 1200's. Other parts were built up until the early 1900's. It was pretty amazing as castles go. Anyway...after that we walked down the Royal Mile, a street lined with some very old buildings and lots of shops with Scottish items and memorabilia. At the other end of the Royal Mile is another castle, the Palace of Holyrood. (I wanted to say Hollywood.) But we didn't get over in time before closing. Maybe tomorrow...

Day 9 - Edinburgh

We woke up this morning to what we've been told is pretty typical in Edinburgh, a cloudy fog moving through the city. This is the first cloudy day of our trip. Apparently we've been very fortunate. But it should be lifted by noon. Bob's off with Phil and Paul to visit another customer and then he's done with "business" for this trip! Unfortunately for Bob, this last visit will probably not be as smooth as Marlow has had some difficulty with this customer. Bob's visit will hopefully work out some of the issues and restore some good relationships. Anway...I'm sitting with my laptop in the hotel restaurant, enjoying yet another cup of tea, overlooking the busy street below. I'm going to venture out in a bit. Looks like I may need a jacket for the first time this trip. One thing we noticed on our walk last night are painted statues of cows all over town. Same sculpture, different paint and designs. And they are everywhere. Very colorful. Very fun. We're not sure what the significance is. We'll have to ask.

Does anyone in the U.S. realize that something huge is happening over here in Europe right now? It's the same thing that was happening when Bob and I went to Europe eight years ago. The biggest sporting event in the world. Yes, it's the World Cup. And it is BIG business. It's all over. It's being played in Germany if you aren't a follower of "futbol." And England has gone wild for it. Every pub in the country will be filled with fans come this Saturday when England plays its first game. So when we are back in London for the weekend, it should be quite lively. Trivia: Do you know what "pub" stands for? Short for public house.

Well, I'm off to do some sights before Bob gets back. He should be finished by noon and then he can relax for the remaining part of our trip. I have a feeling he's going to be doing quite a bit of traveling from now on. I'm hoping to be able to accompany him on more trips. Mental note to self: get passport renewed. Learn a language. AND get a lighter suitcase!

Day 8 - More Shopping, More Traveling

While Bob was visiting a customer of Marlow's, I explored the town of Torquey. It's a great pedestrian-friendly town with lots of fun shopping. I only had 2 and 1/2 hours by the time I left the hotel, and had I had more time, and more room in my suitcase, I could have done some damage. But since my suitcase was already over the limit, I knew I couldn't bring back anything with weight. One of my next purchases back in the states, is a better, LIGHTER, suticase! I brought my bigger bag since we were going to be here two weeks. Well, the bag is heavy in itself. We've had difficulty with it being over the 20 kilo limit every time we've checked the bag. So there we are, at the check-in counter, taking things out and trying to place them elsewhere to make the limit. Very frustrating. But a lesson learned about traveling overseas. I'll know better next time. Anway...shopping was fun. They have some different stores here that I enjoyed browsing in. Lots of stores I know Becca and Pam would have loved. They have a "T.K. Maxx" here. Same store as our T.J. Maxx. They just changed the initial.

After Bob's visit, we checked out of the hotel and headed to Bristol Airport to catch a flight to Edinburgh, Scotland. It was only a 50 minute flight on EasyJet airline. It was another beautiful weather day which gave us great sights in Edinburgh. We are staying in a hotel right on one of the busiest city streets with a great view of Edinburgh Castle across a park. We walked over to the castle area to find a place to eat dinner. It's quite a hike up as this area sits high up above the city. The castle was closed for the evening, but Bob and I will visit it either Friday afternoon or Saturday morning. The streets in this area are all cobblestones. The buildings are all very old (I mean, really old!) We've already seen some Scots in kilts. Bob threatened to go into one of the kilt stores and get fitted. I won't tell you what my response was! We ate dinner in a Scottish restaurant. It was a second floor walkup with windows overlooking the street. Very nice meal. Bob tried the tradional dish of "haggis". I was hesitant at first. You have to know what it's made up of. Let's just say it's the leftover parts of an animal. Ground up. But I have to say, it was actually tasty. Bob loves trying new dishes when he's traveling. So the end to another day. Talk later!

Day 7 - The English Riviera

Our 5 hour drive to the town of Torquey was beautiful. England is so green, with rolling hills, lots of cattle and sheep farms. We actually even saw our very first pig farm! We headed west toward the southwest coast that's called the "English Riviera." Now the gentleman we were with, Paul, joked that it's nothing like the French Riviera. But Torquey is a lovely, seaside town that's been a big retirement place. An ecletic mix of people, both young and old. It's a beach town, with lots of tourist-type stores. The weather's been awesome, so you saw alot of sunburned people. Someone told Bob that all the "lobsters" come out now. We stayed in a very nice hotel called the Imperial. It was perched on a hill overlooking the water. Great views. It was a very old hotel, built around 1910. You could see the elegance of the place and just get a feel for what it must have been like many years ago. In fact, as we were taking our bags up to our room, an older gentleman, probably in his 80's, dressed very sharply in what looked like a uniform, stopped us to say that "in the old days" someone would have offered to take our bags up to the room. Bob told him that the people at the desk had offered, but we declined the help. He then went on to tell us how he used to come here when he was much younger and how much more formal the place was. You could get the idea that he wasn't happy about things have changed. As we went on up to our room, I told Bob that next time someone asked to take our bags up, he was to say yes! This hotel was beautiful, but the "lifts" (elevators) were small and hallways narrow, so carrying all our bags was not easy.

After unpacking the bags, we went down to meet our fellow travelers, Paul and Phil, and relaxed with some drinks on the deck of the hotel. It was a lovely evening. After a while, we went out looking for a bite to eat. It was after 9:00 pm already. We decided on Thai food (my first time) and had a delicious meal at a place in town. Heading back to the hotel, it was nearly midnight. The young people were still out and about the town. But for Bob, tomorrow was another work day.

Day 6 - Good Food, Good Conversation

I spent the day in the hotel restaurant's sitting area, catching up on emails, blogs and other "stuff." The people here have been very accomodating, making sure I had enough tea to float me out of here. The food has been very good, not at all what I would call "hotel food." The menu is fairly limited, though, and if we stay here any longer, we may end up eating everything on the menu! (not really) At last night's dinner, Bob and I were sitting with the group from the conference. Three Brits, two Frenchmen, one German and one Israeli. An eclectic group. Everyone spoke English, though for a few it was limiting. But still, I was impressed and again felt ignorant that I only knew one language. We really have no excuse as Americans not to know another language. Is it because we don't see its utility? Anyone doing business internationally should be able to converse in a language other than his or her native language. It makes great business sense. Relationships can be forged much more easily. And really, isn't all about relationships? People respond so much better when they are in their "comfort zone." We can help people feel comfortable by speaking their language. So what's holding us back?

Well, today we get into a car and drive 5 or 6 hours to a town in the southwest part of England. Hopefully we'll get to see some of the countryside (unless I'm napping in the back seat). Bob will visit a customer tomorrow and then we fly to Edinburgh. Well, I'm going to have another cup of tea...talk later!

Day 5 - A Working/Shopping Day

Bob went into the Marlow office today. While he was working, I was sitting on the deck of this lovely B & B, sipping tea, taking in the sun, listening to the birds, and watching the squirrels. Yeah, I'd say I had the better morning. It was very relaxing and we hated to leave this place. The people here have been extremely hospitable. But we had to check out and move on. After lunch, Bob went back to work in the office while I explored the shopping in the village. I found a few shops in which I could have done some major damage if I had any room in my suitcase. Bob was very glad I had no more room. My bag was already too heavy (and I'm not sure why!).

We found some things very interesting as we observed and asked on this trip. Because much shopping was being moved to larger "mall" areas, the store spaces in the villages were being left empty. To fill the spaces, "thrift" stores came in, each with their own charity. So you could have several thrift stores up and down the street, with the money going to different organizations. Apparently this is quite common in the UK. I know my children would love this! We also noticed several large vegetable garden areas in the villages as we traveled on the train. Since yards are so small for those living closer to the city, people can rent out garden space from the local government and tend their own gardens right along side another person's garden. It's not a co-op, just a large group of individual gardens.

I have drank more hot tea on this trip than I have all year. I am craving Chick-Fil-A sweet tea!!! At lunch yesterday, an Israeli gentleman that was with us asked the waitress for iced tea. She gave him this look like, "what, are you crazy?" and shook her head "Oh no. No iced." Apparently I'm not the only one wanting iced tea.

Talking with this man from Israel was very interesting. He gave us some insights on what life is like right now in Israel. Very safe. Not at all how the American media makes it sound. The youth are all required to go into the army right after high school. The men for three years, the women for two. If they continue after that, they are highly paid. The cost of living there is a lot less than Europe. For the last 10 years or so, there has been a huge influx of Russian Jews to Israel. And now the Russian Mafia has enormous influence. Our talk at dinner was very enlightening. This is a part about traveling to different areas that I enjoy. Getting to see how other people live. What I have decided (I really already knew this, but it gets confirmed often) is that Americans are very spoiled. We have so many comforts that we just expect. Taxes over here take a big bite out of people's income, well over 50%. In Israel it is worse, over 60%. And they aren't making the income that Americans do. And yes, they have socialized medicine, but there are drawbacks to that. You don't always get the best medical care. Also, here in England, a university undergraduate degree only takes 3 years, and a masters degree only takes one year. How that works, I'm not sure. So why does it take 4-5 years to complete a first degree in the U.S.?

Well, after work, we headed off to our next hotel near Gatwick Airport. Bob has a conference there on Tuesday and Wednesday. Not much going on for me. Just relaxing. Catching up with some reading. I'm okay with that as my legs are a little sore from all the walking! Can't walk in heels. Talk later...

Day 4 - London One More Time

Well, we got an earlier start to the day and headed into London by train feeling a little more organized. We finally figured out the buses and the "tubes" and were determined to use them more confidently. The weather was gorgeous again today and we took in some great sights.
Here's a picture of the Tower Bridge. We went up one side, walked through to the other side and down.













This is the Tower of London. It's one of the oldest buildings in London. The Crown Jewels have been here since the 14th century. Lots of bling in this place.

This is the House of Parliament. Big Ben is in the background. It's situated right on the Thames River bank. Lots of gold along the top and the spires.










Apparently the British didn't think we Americans could adjust to driving on the opposite side of the road and had these directions painted on all the crosswalks. Just a "courtesy" reminder that you need to look before crossing the street. London drivers are fast drivers. The streets are rather crazy here. You are better off sticking to the buses or the tubes. It does seem like a rather safe city. There seem to be more tourists than residents. Even the Brits seem to be tourists. We didn't hear many Americans talking. Lots of Europeans here. The architecture is a mix of very old and new. It was so strange to see the Tower of London built in the 1100's, with a new, all glass building just next door to it. Very odd sight. There is so much to see here. In the two days we've had in London, we just skimmed the surface. We're hoping to get in a little more next weekend. Tomorrow's a work day for Bob, and we have to leave this nice B & B. It's been fun!

Day 3 - London!

We slept in and almost missed breakfast this morning. So much for getting an early start, but we are on "vacation." Well sort of. Atleast for Saturday and Sunday. No work agendas for Bob. Well, we took the train into London and immediately knew we needed a street map. London is not as easy to get around as New York. We quickly found out that you need to know how the buses and tubes run. We didn't really do our homework before this trip, so we had to do a quick study course. It took us a bit of time, but we managed. Our first stop was Buckingham Palace. It was extremely crowded. People were lining the sides of the roads and we asked a "bobby" what was going on. Apparently there was going to be a practice procession for the Queen's birthday on the 17th of June. So we stayed to view the procession. It was pretty elaborate. We couldn't get very close to the palace. Hoping to see it better on another day.We then walked over to Westminister Cathedral and Westminister Abbey. Very beautiful on the outside. We didn't go in either as yet. Everything in London is VERY expensive. Some sights are free (and we are taking in those!), but most cost about 10 pounds a person to get in, which is roughly $20 a person. Food is extremely high also. An average lunch for two people is about $24 - $36 for just a sandwich and water. Water comes as either sparkling (carbonated) or still (plain). People here start drinking alcoholic beverages before noon. London is very international. People from everywhere! Anything goes as far as dress here. We've seen it all. We walked alot today, across the Thames River and back. Saw Big Ben and the London Eye, which is the largest ferris wheel in the world. We went by St. Paul's Cathedral (another 10 pounds to get in). Then we decided to take the tube to Portobello Road to visit the flea market that is there every Saturday. That was a very interesting sight! Great place to people watch. Booths lined both sides of the road for a few miles. The road was narrow and the crowds were many. Antiques, jewelry, clothing, fresh produce, lots of stuff. But prices were not bargains. I could do better at Sam Moon's. I'm sure that those who come on a regular basis would know which booths had the best prices. But for a first timer, it was a little overwhelming. But it was a fun experience. The weather has been gorgeous, so that made it a good day. We hopped on a bus back to the train station, and went to dinner at an Italian restaurant nearby before we headed back to our "village." It was a nice respite from the hustle and bustle of the city. We sat outside on the deck, sipping tea and eating shortbread cookies, taking in the quietness of the English countryside. We're resting up for another trek back into London tomorrow. We've got our maps and hopefully have a better idea of where we are headed. Here's some pictures from today!

The Hilton Park Hotel, our B&B.

Buckingham Palace

The Queen's Birthday Procession Big Ben Westminister Abbey

A Continuation of Day 2

We're so excited! This bed and breakfast just put in wireless internet. Is it wrong to be excited about that while you're on "vacation?" Anyway...yesterday we flew back to London from Belfast on "Flybe" airlines, a low-cost commuter airline that flies throughout Western Europe and the UK. Something they do over here for security that we haven't seen (yet) in the states, is that they take a picture of you before you board the plane and when you get off the plane, and also give you a card which you have to hand back to a gate agent. Also, they are really picky about the weight of your bags. Anything over a certain amount and you have to pay extra. If you want to check a bag, which we didn't thankfully, you have to pay for the bags. It's not included in the price of the ticket. While we were in Belfast, we ate lunch at this restaurant called The Apartment. Steve and Mish would have loved it. Very retro. We only took one picture - that of the Belfast City Hall building. After landing back in London, we drove to the B & B, changed and went into Brighton. The seashore there is very rocky, no sand from what we saw. The water was somewhat calm. Kieran said it doesn't get any waves much. There's a wide cement promenade (like a boardwalk, only cement) that stretches the whole length of the town. About 400,000 people live in Brighton. Apparently years ago it used to be the place to come for the summer. Then it seemed to become rundown. However, "new" money has come into the area now and buildings are being renovated and restored to their previous grandeur. There's an amusement pier that's also under going some renovation and the place sort of reminds me of some areas down the New Jersey shore. We were told that Brighton is comparable to San Francisco in its demographics. The row houses and hilly streets also reminded us of SF. We ate at an Italian restaurant right on the beach. Kieran's wife, Joanne, joined us. The place had a great view. Expensive, and presentation was everything. I think that may be our most indulgent dinner on this trip. After dinner, we took the train back to the village, hailed a cab to the hotel and crashed for the night. Long day!

Day Two of UK Trip

Day Two started off very early. Around 4:00 am. We had to catch a 7:00 am flight to Belfast to make a customer visit. It was a 15-minute taxi ride to Gatwick Airport where we met Kieran, another Marlow employee, who was traveling with us to the site. We flew "EasyJet" airline. First time in a very long time where I had to walk outside from the gate to board the airplane. On and off. It was a short, one hour flight. As I was showing the gate attendant my boarding pass, he asked me if I was planning on drinking the two bottles of water that I was carrying on the plane. I looked at him with a puzzled look, thinking maybe I wasn't allowed to bring the water on board. He laughed and said, "Because you'll be spending the whole time in the loo!" Not sure if I spelled that right, but I knew what it meant since I saw "Notting Hill!" I guess that was a bit of British humor. Well, he might have thought he was funny, but the flight attendant on the plane was not. Bob was talking across the aisle with Kieran as the flight attendant was giving the lowdown on the safety procedures. Who really listens to those after all? Well, she apparently didn't like the fact that Bob and Kieran weren't listening, so she walked back to them (it was a packed flight) and gave them a pop quiz on the emergency exits. They were busted. After landing we took a cab (another Ford), to the company site. The countryside was very green and I was pleased to see all the sheep. Sheep are to Ireland as cows are to Texas. Belfast is in a valley surrounded by some mountains, near the sea. The day was beautiful, fortunately for us, as it had been raining much lately.The cab driver pointed out the "Catholic" areas and the "Protestant" areas. He said that people just want to get on with their lives and put the divisions behind. But apparently there are some deep-rooted feelings still very much alive. When we got to the company, we were greeted with some very warm Irish hospitality. I had intended on staying in the lobby while Bob and Kieran met with some people at the company. I had my laptop and thought I'd just work in Word and transfer to my blog when I finally got internet access. Well, they moved me to a nice reception area. Brought me tea, complete with cup and saucer. Asked if I wanted it "white", meaning with milk. When I realized that my adapter would not work (it was one that we brought and it did work other places), they had two different people going all over the building looking to find one to accomodate me. The one gentleman finally came with a power strip that worked. He said, in a lovely Irish accent, that he didn't want to be beat by this. After he left, another gentleman came by to ask if I was all set up and if there was anything else I needed. With a laugh (and a smile), I said, "Well, quite possibly internet access." The next thing I knew, someone else had come by and I was on the internet. Such hospitality. So here I am, sitting on a sofa, looking out a window with a great view of Belfast, Ireland, writing on a blog. Life can be such an adventure.
After this, we will go get a "spot" of lunch in the city, and then head to the airport for a 2:00 flight back to London. Kieran lives in Brighton, about a 40 minute drive from where we are staying. It's supposed to be a lovely seaside village, so we may have dinner there.

Started my summer reading on this trip. Read "Five People You'll Meet in Heaven". Finished it on the flight from DFW to JFK. Great book. I'll probably read it again. Made me think, which is always good. Started "Velvet Elvis" today. Another book that's making me think. I like the way Rob Bell writes. Thanks to those who recommended this book.

Well, it's just 11:15 in the morning and I'm feeling the affects of flying and little sleep. If this sofa wasn't so out in the open, I might just want to curl up and nap a little. Not sure that would look very good. So I think I'll just get up and walk to the loo. Talk later. Good day!

Day One of UK Trip

I am writing this on actually the second day of the trip. It was the first chance of getting on the internet. And that's a story in itself which I will relate on Day Two.

We flew into London after a stop and change of plans in New York. The flight was packed with a very international mix of people. It was a little scary when as we were getting to our seats the flight attendant made the following announcement: "Would a Mr. Mohammed... please come get your baggage that you left unattended at the entrance to the plane!" Bob and I just looked at each other and sat down. We tried to get some sleep since we were flying through the night and landing in London at 11:20 in the morning. But the cramped conditions and occasional turbulence made it very difficult. At Heathrow we were greeted by Tim, the manager of the Marlow European office. He brought us to our "hotel" for the next four nights, a quaint, old English home in the village of Haywards Heath, that is now a bed and breakfast. It was in a very quiet and serene setting, down a half-mile path from the main road. The room had a lovely view of the countryside. But best of all, it had a queen-size bed with a nice heavy down comforter. Just what I wanted to fall into at the end of a long flight. And that's just what we did after dinner in the village. We chose an Italian restaurant from a number of different ethnic choices. Indian food is big here, but I wanted to give my stomach a chance to adjust before I indulged in the spicy stuff. Here's some observations I made after Day One:

- The countryside coming from the airport reminded Bob and I of New Jersey. We didn't tell our host, Tim, for fear of insulting him.

- It's a lot easier traveling internationally when English is the main language. Go figure.

- The only coffee the English drink is fully-loaded. No real decaf, only the horrible instant kind.

- Somehow tea tastes better in England.

- Gas here is VERY expensive. You don't see any SUV's on the road. Now I know where all the Ford Focus cars are being exported. The roads are all very narrow and winding. There's roundabouts everywhere which make driving very interesting. I don't think we'll rent a car here. I love the road signs that say "Queues likely". That means be prepared for traffic lines. Oh, and you really need to know to look in the other direction when crossing a street. I automatically looked to my left for oncoming traffic before I was told to look to the right. Oops. So sorry.

- I just love listening to the accents. It's very strange though when in your own thoughts you start pretending you have an British accent yourself. I have to catch myself that I don't make a fool of myself by accidently attempting to sound British!

Well, enough for Day One. Got to catch up to Day Two. While I still have the internet.