Remembrance Day in London

We have had the most glorious autumn weather! We took the boys into London on the Sunday of Remembrance Day. The weather was a perfect cool, crisp and sunny. We drove in and parked on Bayeswater Road next to Kensington Gardens where artists set up along the sidewalk to sell their work. The boys are dying to buy something. We took them to the Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Playground to start the day, then we walked through Kensington Gardens, Hyde Park, and past Green Park to Buckingham Palace.

There was a lot of Remembrance Day celebration activity. Everywhere there were elderly men dressed in decorated uniforms. We saw lots of medals, and we also saw a uniformed Prince Charles in a very fancy car pulling into a very fancy building! After Buckingham Palace we walked down the mall to Trafalgar Square and watched two young guys play Amazing Grace in front of the National Gallery.

Our boys were troopers and were entertained with leaves and sticks and sight seeing. Mike gave each a shoulder ride or two.

Around the corner in Covent Garden Mike navigated us to Café Pacífico, a MEXICAN RESTAURANT!

One of three signs outside restaurant reminding us we are in England.

After lunch we walked east to St. Paul's Cathedral and then north to the Museum of London.

There were protesters camped out next to the cathedral, chilly work.

The museum tells the story of London from prehistory, to the Romans, Saxons and medieval, Tudor and Stuart. We watched a video about the plague of 1665, and then another about the Fire of London, 1666. This link has information and a game for children about the fire.

The boys are intrigued by the plague, and so am I. 100,000 London residents died, about 20% of the population. I just finished Daniel Defoe's A Journal of the Plague Year and I also want to ask my mommy over and over if this can happen to me.

To the boy's delight, the museum has examples of clothing which children wore in olden days.

Leather jerkin.

I happily ignored the many heads that share these items, hoping that optimism will keep us safe from a more likely plague of lice...


Liripipe hood has pointed end that can wrap around neck for extra warmth.
Wooden shoe covers are called pattens.

Bring out yer dead!

Sneaky Burger

Tucson, I love you so much! Leaving makes us appreciate our hometown so much more. It looks so good from here. Watch the video to see a charming annual Tucson event.


Amazing Grace

 Now, back to England!

An associate of Mike told him about a great burger place..."Next to the American Embassy is a brilliant spot where all the smart Americans nip in for a sneaky burger."

Wolverine pausing for a sniffy sniff on blankie.

Smart means well dressed, and our boys use it all of the time. "Do I look smart?''

Note to self, wash windows before next photo op.

Melina, Rolle, Iggy and Mimi came over for dinner. We had pies from Sweeny and Todd Pie Shop!

Sweeney and Todd
10 Castle St
Reading, RG1 7RD
0118 958 6466

We had a lot of fun at Oaklands School Guy Fawkes fireworks. The burgers were so much better, I have to shout it from the rooftops. Last year they were frightening hockey pucks. This year, Dopsons Butcher shop provided the meat. Hurray!

The Guy Fawkes Day is a pretty interesting holiday. Every year on November 5th since 1605, England commemorates The Gunpowder Plot by burning Guy Fawkes in effigy and going absolutely bonkers with fireworks. Fireworks explode for weeks from every backyard in the country.

Guy Fawkes belonged to a group of provincial Catholics and in 1604 he became involved in a plot to assasinate the protestant King James, and replace him with his daughter, Princess Elizabeth.

Following an annonymous tip, authorities searched Westminster Palace and Guy Fawkes was caught guarding a bunch of gunpowder. He was tortured and came clean. He jumped from the scaffold at the moment of his execution and broke his neck, avoiding being hung, drawn and quartered.

Dominic and Archie, one year older!

Dominic's reading book. Dad is getting a yellow card.

Jack-o-lantern

These are the people I am missing so much. Aren't they dreamy?

Early morning chess game with vampire spectator nestled in coffee table bed.

Count Dominic rising from his blankey filled tomb.

Trying to replicate Pollo Feliz, Mike and I made roast chicken, corn tortillas and salsa.

It was satisfactory.

London Pride

 I have to include these, because I think they are so adorable.

The first photo shows detail from a drawing by Michael of different animal bullies. Featured here is the shark bully.

This next photo shows Dominic's version of Michael's shark bully. Admiration for a big brother.

Happy Halloween! We had a fun night with our American friends and our neighbors. First pizza and veggie party.

Followed by traditional trick or treating.

Our American babies were forgetting the rules, shouting "Happy Halloween!" as people opened their doors.

Mike and I hissed, "It's trick or treat!"

Best neighborhood pumpkin!

There is a shortage of pumpkins in England (perhaps elsewhere as well?). I subjected myself to a grocery store search the day before, which is stupid, I know.

Pumpkins were not to be had, but watermellons did the trick!

I think they make smashing jack-o-lanterns!



Lastly, a peek at Anna in her halloween getup as Devendra Banhart.

In case you're wondering, here is the real fellow.



Milk Mustache

Michael had his eighth birthday!

Birthday breakfast.



Wishes and smoke.

 His birthday wish was to go to Toys R Us and choose his presents.

I was amazed by the free-for-all at We Be Toys. Children were yelling, chasing each other, and riding bicycles and scooters that were for sale all over the store. With our cart we pushed through abandoned vehicles left in aisles. Seemed so un-British, as they are often concerned with being quiet, rules, and health and safety.

The next day we took Michael, Dominic and three friends to an indoor water park called the Corral Reef. It was interesting to see the difference in water skills between our desert dwellers and the little Brits. They had a super time maneuvering through the rapids and going down water slides. Precious babies!

At the suggestion of my cousin Ellen I decided to climb a magnificent oak tree that grows along the River Blackwater near Horseshoe Lake.

I'm not strong enough to haul myself from this position onto the branch. The day after trying this for the first time I was nearly incapacitated with sore muscles.

Mike and Michael are in tree-climbing shape.

Something I can aim for.

The Golden Rules of 3S Class.

This next photo illustrates how Mike and I are feeling about getting our driver's licenses here in the UK. It's more than a little frustrating. And expensive, we estimate it will cost us at least £1000 including all license and test fees and instructor fees. I failed my first practical exam, which is a 38 minute driving test. I sobbed all the way home; my driving instructor Chris was very comforting and called me "love" a few times. I was left feeling grateful for the kindness of strangers.

Michael had a cross country meet later that same day in Marlow. It was a beautiful day, and I loved seeing 170 year 3 and 4 boys in their school colors dashing across fields and woods that line the Thames. It's good to get knocked down now and then.

Anna's kitty original, this totally cheers me up.

I've been to London recently on my own. Once to see the Treasures of Heaven exhibition at the British Museum.

Man of Sorrows.

This is a photo of my favorite. The image of Jesus is constructed from tiny mosaic tiles set in wax. The small boxes surrounding the image contain relics from 200 saints.

And the other day I was massively excited to meet my friend Carrie who was in London for business. She invited me to an over the top champagne afternoon tea fest at The Connaught Hotel in Mayfair.

She knows her way around much better than I do and I loved exploring with her.

On my way home through Paddington Station there was a band of old men playing Light Calvary.

It was rousing.

These coupons come regularly in the mail, a romantic dinner for two made personally by Domino's Pizza. In the past they have repulsed me and I cannot get them into the recycling fast enough.

 I have to admit they are looking better and better all the time, just to give you an idea of my current standards.

Other things I want to remember...

Riding bikes with Dominic today up to the Crowthorne High Street he pointed to the Crowthorne Baptist Church and asked, "Mom, is this a school for old ladies?"

Seeing ginger baby girl cow with white eye lashes at Horseshoe lake almost as big as her black mama enjoying num nums. So delicious! She had a foamy milk mustache and tiny pink udders.