tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75345637308310348472024-03-18T19:57:25.463-07:00(not) Knowing where you're goingAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03562507686043665780noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7534563730831034847.post-86355732962264180352013-12-25T12:00:00.001-08:002014-01-25T13:04:52.436-08:00Started in Seattle now we're here. Started in Seattle now my whole family's here, sir.<div class="separator" style="text-align: center; clear: both"> </div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: center; clear: both"><a style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVnKrX83o0amvH_FEQDYAH1C-X89wQ7cm1x7uWf9EuM9krUJbRYau9cA-vOO8DbGknYVFtjnJSnEUVur28hMjpOzFrjCqpljd3qrNqa7jlsA3Xhx6MgZYvpcli-MjGKxQ8PGivDtkPYgA/s1600/Merry+Christmas.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVnKrX83o0amvH_FEQDYAH1C-X89wQ7cm1x7uWf9EuM9krUJbRYau9cA-vOO8DbGknYVFtjnJSnEUVur28hMjpOzFrjCqpljd3qrNqa7jlsA3Xhx6MgZYvpcli-MjGKxQ8PGivDtkPYgA/s640/Merry+Christmas.jpg" width="640" height="425"></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif"></span><br><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif">Hello everyone!</span><br><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms">This is our Christmas newsletter! But before reading it, you might want to get in the holiday spirit- London style. Here are a few suggestions for your consideration:</span><br><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms">1. It would be good if you were drinking, and had been everyday: lunch, dinner and dessert for about a month. If you haven't been indulging as the British do at this time of year, your liver thanks you. But seriously, most social events involve lots and lots of drinking. And since today is Christmas, if you really want to do it right, do as our watch repair man suggested and drink so much that you're passed out by about noon. Wake up a few hours later, eat and drink more, pass out again. Repeat the next day.</span><br><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms"><br></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms">2. Turn down the volume on any bright or loud Christmas decorations. Here, there is a much more natural feel to Christmas décor. In fact, I recently walked past a house which was modestly decorated with lights and reindeer with my English friend. She was surprised to see such a thing and exclaimed, "they must be American." </span><br><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms"><br></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms">3. Eat Christmas Pudding (also known as "pud"). Now, there's really no American equivalent to Christmas Pudding, which is a cake that is made with lots of dried fruit, prepared anywhere from a month to a year before Christmas, all the while being routinely basted with Sherry, Rum, Brandy or Cognac. To approximate, I've provided a recipe that just might work in a pinch. First, get a fruitcake and baste it with Cognac, Brandy or Rum- better yet, all of them! Then get some cream and infuse that as well with Brandy and sugar. Steam your fruitcake for 30 minutes, then pour some Brandy (if you have any left) over your fruitcake and set it on fire before eating it. The finished product should look something like this:</span><br><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms"><br></span><br> <div class="separator" style="text-align: center; clear: both"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms"><a style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgti7duSqppaIxiwbtZw4e5Swka422Cqjjr57pn6P6UsYurHdyJBL7YLjzfiJDSZFT7gVg1stKqf3qkcIkAzQ-jbmaK0ipWo4jtDxjvFbnnAsfxVU_3kcRS6BI40iEqgUKQ3HaXpjLdmYI/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgti7duSqppaIxiwbtZw4e5Swka422Cqjjr57pn6P6UsYurHdyJBL7YLjzfiJDSZFT7gVg1stKqf3qkcIkAzQ-jbmaK0ipWo4jtDxjvFbnnAsfxVU_3kcRS6BI40iEqgUKQ3HaXpjLdmYI/s400/images.jpg" width="400" height="400"></a></span></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: left; clear: both"> </div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: left; clear: both"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms">4. Sing Christmas carols British-style, where the words are the same, but the melody may be different. Feel free to add additional syllables to any word to make the lyrics work and remember, coal rhymes with all, grass rhymes with cross and plain rhymes with again.</span></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: left; clear: both"> </div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: left; clear: both"> </div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: left; clear: both"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms">So by now you should have a meal that is about 80% alcohol and be in a sparsely decorate room with your carols. </span></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: left; clear: both"> </div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: left; clear: both"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms">Let's begin!</span></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: left; clear: both"> </div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: left; clear: both"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms">This year has been full of change for us and accommodating those changes has necessitated a lot of adapting. Some of this process has been difficult and some of it quite enjoyable (are you still drinking?).</span></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: left; clear: both"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms">I am very proud of our kids for how well they have adapted to our new life here. In March they said good-bye to all of their friends and family and left the only house they'd ever know to journey with us to London. This required some extreme downsizing of their possessions, living in a semi-furnished house for a few weeks, and putting up with Luke and I as we scrambled to get ready for our trip.</span></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: left; clear: both"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms"></span><a style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbxPFFAM6i3W-9zNvCY1eksszgys66iE9QG_qmbCknOhH1juqZZSV66Q4A4DEATbX855EX-a84QHQp6dpd8-bqMbkJ-xgcM1MY6d8moaQpKi43ZZZj8UDce-F-nv05RrvCL8DCUaVYcIA/s1600/IMG_2528.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbxPFFAM6i3W-9zNvCY1eksszgys66iE9QG_qmbCknOhH1juqZZSV66Q4A4DEATbX855EX-a84QHQp6dpd8-bqMbkJ-xgcM1MY6d8moaQpKi43ZZZj8UDce-F-nv05RrvCL8DCUaVYcIA/s640/IMG_2528.JPG" width="640" height="425"></a></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: left; clear: both"> </div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: left; clear: both"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms"></span></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: left; clear: both"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms">When we arrived in London, they had further adapting to do. We do not have a car, so there's been a lot of walking, long rides on the tube and constant comments from mummy to be careful.</span></div> <div><br></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: center; clear: both"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms"><a style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrfeUgTmnhFYvlIXJXlGqpW-L5r-QSnuTrJZNz8s8oi2n3WCSRTo8VJyq1Zak_DBzirtf254wzk1dn2NP2lL2_4KJTPwF_rydW_PoCfIqxYW2TFKvuhHKGgPTLBNbUN2dCNgbk6suID88/s1600/IMG_3264.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrfeUgTmnhFYvlIXJXlGqpW-L5r-QSnuTrJZNz8s8oi2n3WCSRTo8VJyq1Zak_DBzirtf254wzk1dn2NP2lL2_4KJTPwF_rydW_PoCfIqxYW2TFKvuhHKGgPTLBNbUN2dCNgbk6suID88/s640/IMG_3264.JPG" width="640" height="425"></a></span></div> <div><br></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: center; clear: both"> </div><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms"> After 2 months in temporary housing, we moved again to a more permanent home. This came with its own set of disruption, as you may remember from my previous post about <a href="http://adventuresinnotknowing.blogspot.co.uk/2013_08_01_archive.html">getting settled</a>.</span><br><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms">Then, the kids were in school for the last month of summer term. There were new expectations for dress (uniforms), new food (British school lunch), new sets of expectations for learning (cursive handwriting, spellings and maths) not to mention the change in pronunciation. I know we all speak English, but there are many times when we completely don't understand what someone is saying. </span><br> <div class="separator" style="text-align: center; clear: both"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms"><a style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9_hX6Nq2JXvrGYM08IZVFrX6hTWMf8z_1jXqqVTeoMkVl3gc7P36CinF9ZOE27c9l9wrzCebF0hiyOE2X_KJUGOu5KhljuCbnjCrPqSazNW3SyGBf2s3FK2NZ2iKZuddfDKcTtYR1LV8/s1600/IMG_4575.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9_hX6Nq2JXvrGYM08IZVFrX6hTWMf8z_1jXqqVTeoMkVl3gc7P36CinF9ZOE27c9l9wrzCebF0hiyOE2X_KJUGOu5KhljuCbnjCrPqSazNW3SyGBf2s3FK2NZ2iKZuddfDKcTtYR1LV8/s640/IMG_4575.JPG" width="640" height="425"></a></span></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: center; clear: both"> </div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: left; clear: both"> </div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: left; clear: both"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms">Given all of the new and different of London, the kids have responded admirably. It hasn't always been easy, but they have worked very, very hard to adapt and because of this are now enjoying school, new friends, walking/scootering ...they even like to eat British sausage and mature cheddar cheese, both of which have a very different taste than what they were used to. I'm grateful for them and it's been a joy to see my children's perseverance in the face of many challenges. Below are some pictures of major events for them this year.</span></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: left; clear: both"> </div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: left; clear: both"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif">We've celebrated two family birthdays since being here- Mac and Pearl's:</span></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: left; clear: both"> </div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: left; clear: both"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms">We celebrated Mac's birthday in May. He is a wonderful boy full of lots of energy, silly stunts and affection for his family.</span></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: left; clear: both"> </div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: left; clear: both"></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: center; clear: both"><a style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyUy0Ip_8hSFkOeyrGDZTmjf-liwgLU0xP7lXBgxg1prCod5wpfJrmHp8yjJpw0DtkNmSgkwFzxtPZrVt_g6eGUARPgVX2TRYGVRWBpCxbLixw7nDZHDNkmoyhBFAphcQffEmP-WpkjfE/s1600/IMG_4471.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyUy0Ip_8hSFkOeyrGDZTmjf-liwgLU0xP7lXBgxg1prCod5wpfJrmHp8yjJpw0DtkNmSgkwFzxtPZrVt_g6eGUARPgVX2TRYGVRWBpCxbLixw7nDZHDNkmoyhBFAphcQffEmP-WpkjfE/s640/IMG_4471.JPG" width="640" height="425"></a></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: left; clear: both"> </div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: left; clear: both"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif">We celebrated Pearl's 5th birthday in November and had the good fortune of having Grandma here for the celebration- a double treat! For her birthday, we ventured to high tea at a fancy hotel in London. It was very fun and proper, although at times we got a bit silly. Pearl is so very outgoing, and has become our social liaison here in London- approaching strangers to tell them about her shoes, or fancy dress, or plans for the day. She's also adopted an accent of her own making which is kind of British, but also just a lot Pearl in it's fanciness and dramatics.</span></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: left; clear: both"> </div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: left; clear: both"></div> <div><br></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: left; clear: both"><a style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs15NYO7LICV8vsAs8j22Xrt_T-keCr_wjPNvCvxXA0YuGla-qXFXIdBuBYuj14uwoouJ4bWUrNzzvpMBz7aGTIiDdncNuA4h9B2291sLmM-CnOnNh2zWLl883eEAvUH7R_Vu9_PDo8Zk/s1600/WP_20131116_12_53_48_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs15NYO7LICV8vsAs8j22Xrt_T-keCr_wjPNvCvxXA0YuGla-qXFXIdBuBYuj14uwoouJ4bWUrNzzvpMBz7aGTIiDdncNuA4h9B2291sLmM-CnOnNh2zWLl883eEAvUH7R_Vu9_PDo8Zk/s640/WP_20131116_12_53_48_Pro.jpg" width="640" height="358"></a></div> <div><br></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: center; clear: both"><a style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNNjEHr-I8nEVf712hVNyWgyjB45ShBA7uj3FDqJbNr9xi1OB_ndczLjR2b2u5A-kjeN4Xjz-9LVl119Vex-98LQhO2HIwcFsP7qoUA3FMC_j7iRwKTnmWSgvNE1hVMIswc-JIBE-8qRg/s1600/WP_20131116_13_11_48_Pro+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNNjEHr-I8nEVf712hVNyWgyjB45ShBA7uj3FDqJbNr9xi1OB_ndczLjR2b2u5A-kjeN4Xjz-9LVl119Vex-98LQhO2HIwcFsP7qoUA3FMC_j7iRwKTnmWSgvNE1hVMIswc-JIBE-8qRg/s640/WP_20131116_13_11_48_Pro+%25282%2529.jpg" width="358" height="640"></a></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: center; clear: both"> </div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: center; clear: both"><a style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Q1lO3m3z3sPuozem8SWOwykXN840hlw1c7qOf0fZSyECM1hO1VLErOfaIL6WxqKj8i_lIVPLIdA0_HT_2ooTlzFLnpLrEU0FN_zwM298weilhu_6BE0menJaEw3BTCqxWszpkhPR_aY/s1600/WP_20131116_12_53_10_Pro+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Q1lO3m3z3sPuozem8SWOwykXN840hlw1c7qOf0fZSyECM1hO1VLErOfaIL6WxqKj8i_lIVPLIdA0_HT_2ooTlzFLnpLrEU0FN_zwM298weilhu_6BE0menJaEw3BTCqxWszpkhPR_aY/s640/WP_20131116_12_53_10_Pro+%25283%2529.jpg" width="508" height="640"></a></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: left; clear: both"> </div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: center; clear: both"><a style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiprEcmBfdWXZ6cwna-KjPFoNbgOPJ_VC-aXCoa1LZhLlp_R1kekfJbiuREaSP-BA_OlYo1zhlFF3rt6gMuRP2yJgpvPcZrRqItfMZKgy3gmXX88vkWl7CJDtSbscvMqdEL9zx_ZCrBc7Y/s1600/WP_20131116_13_54_26_Pro+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiprEcmBfdWXZ6cwna-KjPFoNbgOPJ_VC-aXCoa1LZhLlp_R1kekfJbiuREaSP-BA_OlYo1zhlFF3rt6gMuRP2yJgpvPcZrRqItfMZKgy3gmXX88vkWl7CJDtSbscvMqdEL9zx_ZCrBc7Y/s640/WP_20131116_13_54_26_Pro+%25282%2529.jpg" width="640" height="424"></a></div> <div><br></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: center; clear: both"><a style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-eHv0vIbhAxGsWgtU_eCHjQ1CT_6Ai54sLDbNkn9Tn6B283o59vDUADaay_tp4sCWpZxlooCTn7nifzAFD9Jb-WWG3s2cRHYnZOS8UzxHxjKUAjFzQyaR-dF-xCTOXrFRK07FvLoeGM4/s1600/WP_20131116_13_07_40_Pro+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-eHv0vIbhAxGsWgtU_eCHjQ1CT_6Ai54sLDbNkn9Tn6B283o59vDUADaay_tp4sCWpZxlooCTn7nifzAFD9Jb-WWG3s2cRHYnZOS8UzxHxjKUAjFzQyaR-dF-xCTOXrFRK07FvLoeGM4/s640/WP_20131116_13_07_40_Pro+%25282%2529.jpg" width="640" height="356"></a></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: center; clear: both"> </div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: center; clear: both"> </div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: left; clear: both"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif">The kids began their first full year of school in September. I am still so enamoured by the uniforms and how cute they look each morning heading off for school. </span></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: left; clear: both"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif">This year, Mac has been challenged to learn cursive and memorize spelling words- something we did not get to in the States. He has risen to the occasion and been diligent to practice and perfect what is expected of him. He has also joined Chess and Football (soccer) clubs after school and enjoys this very much.</span></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: left; clear: both"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif">Eva is very popular according to her teacher, which she attributes to the novelty of her being from the States. It was a great relief to see her make friends so quickly. She also has had her share of catching-up to do in regards to school. This year she has learned her cursive as well and memorizing her spellings. And like Mac, she has shown an eagerness to do so. Since improving in her reading and writing, she has also begun chronicling various events in her life through stories that she writes. I love reading each one and hope that she continues to write and draw as these are things that she truly loves to do!</span></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: left; clear: both"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms">Pearl is a little firecracker at school. If ever a social butterfly existed, it is Pearl. Everyone at morning drop-off is greeted by her, often hearing the latest news of what she ate for breakfast, what she is wearing, etc. She too is working very hard in school and though she is just 5, all students in her class are expected to be reading.</span> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif">She and Eva have both taken part in dance classes after school. It is a jazzy dance class, so we are often privy to elaborate shows in the evening full of spinning, jumping, rolling on the floor and posing. </span></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: left; clear: both"></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: center; clear: both"><a style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcQxV0WZbHTZlQzg1M_QBz1bATyqaryn_rSamY7LhqXMSEnRrwnlDsUqdhJvmNn4Ydb3zRug0SR8zpfvxleCe9vB0OB3CYsopfBFPlZt8sYq2zFjfRmmTBJ5yVn5iNiw2Qssb0VaDaqpM/s1600/IMG_5277.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcQxV0WZbHTZlQzg1M_QBz1bATyqaryn_rSamY7LhqXMSEnRrwnlDsUqdhJvmNn4Ydb3zRug0SR8zpfvxleCe9vB0OB3CYsopfBFPlZt8sYq2zFjfRmmTBJ5yVn5iNiw2Qssb0VaDaqpM/s400/IMG_5277.JPG" width="265" height="400"></a><a style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyzVhYuzpJ-lExj3VmmC4aMnmHbLePMSMaQ0ucjoxZEBi3DSt8HerVdEmzn9x9zHSwPixXaxLoYHCSyoHoaDNx8-Fi1Ev4jKMhTNUzCFZ58xwLBK3-zoKREOKKeXBXdUGZm__3u5CBNdw/s1600/IMG_5283+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyzVhYuzpJ-lExj3VmmC4aMnmHbLePMSMaQ0ucjoxZEBi3DSt8HerVdEmzn9x9zHSwPixXaxLoYHCSyoHoaDNx8-Fi1Ev4jKMhTNUzCFZ58xwLBK3-zoKREOKKeXBXdUGZm__3u5CBNdw/s400/IMG_5283+-+Copy.JPG" width="266" height="400"></a></div> <div><br></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: center; clear: both"><a style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI-hgrupYI9IzrIoFiLVe-80PqA4LciLh_RewjaxCGp4ucdetqYgpHCi85Er2benwQeFJmM492DyDRjfB6wum10cmv7xiaVRbqTlq88pmObc8JxtoHDbSIf4aE7zojeMeOrcIPIQXYUno/s1600/IMG_5321+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI-hgrupYI9IzrIoFiLVe-80PqA4LciLh_RewjaxCGp4ucdetqYgpHCi85Er2benwQeFJmM492DyDRjfB6wum10cmv7xiaVRbqTlq88pmObc8JxtoHDbSIf4aE7zojeMeOrcIPIQXYUno/s400/IMG_5321+-+Copy.JPG" width="266" height="400"></a><a style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn4TmieKz87lCUjWXzZJj0Y2TBQcsBudyU4a3G3G4vAf7dP9qK-6uoCLL5Gbbk9QUrXJ-6t1hHmVV3UbO-hotceen-6HWAzBKb-kX1MrX4FoIhcZ9X4eB4e2bNg0bM65F-I1s6gmrznpA/s1600/IMG_5323+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn4TmieKz87lCUjWXzZJj0Y2TBQcsBudyU4a3G3G4vAf7dP9qK-6uoCLL5Gbbk9QUrXJ-6t1hHmVV3UbO-hotceen-6HWAzBKb-kX1MrX4FoIhcZ9X4eB4e2bNg0bM65F-I1s6gmrznpA/s400/IMG_5323+-+Copy.JPG" width="266" height="400"></a></div> <div><br></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: left; clear: both"> </div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: left; clear: both"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif">The kids each participated in Christmas plays for the school. Here RE, or religious education, is compulsory, so the result is a very Christian celebration at the school. This year, Pearl was a star in a Nativity play, Eva was an Angel in her own class's play, and Mac a sort of snow-flake. This may go without saying, but 2 out of 3 of our kids loved this. You can examine the pictures to see who was not so pleased to be participating ;)</span></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: center; clear: both"><a style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGG1j7giM_80PGvUKCT9PWsVtdBCKjif_70Mnxz0LgeqJ6gym-b76TAQq7tSinvH9mk1SgwgFMP7JdAb9kfbSHlkG6T7h4Zc4kI81zxW8FBZ5BEeab0MfSN0H0C0_FlDpqjapgscMqmcY/s1600/IMG_5619.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGG1j7giM_80PGvUKCT9PWsVtdBCKjif_70Mnxz0LgeqJ6gym-b76TAQq7tSinvH9mk1SgwgFMP7JdAb9kfbSHlkG6T7h4Zc4kI81zxW8FBZ5BEeab0MfSN0H0C0_FlDpqjapgscMqmcY/s640/IMG_5619.JPG" width="640" height="425"></a></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: left; clear: both"> </div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: center; clear: both"><a style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4JucTN9qeQjFcu1bmxrYo3_reAR217cjY3RIjvtCIO919E-AgQiLQ8r2CttvOU1ziENn1GntDWI_xeQmY4nJ0aYCwisDi0pMrpUHzgNwNH6bFq3ILnx8lzDQ6oA8UUy0KfMANl2u6xfg/s1600/IMG_5729.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4JucTN9qeQjFcu1bmxrYo3_reAR217cjY3RIjvtCIO919E-AgQiLQ8r2CttvOU1ziENn1GntDWI_xeQmY4nJ0aYCwisDi0pMrpUHzgNwNH6bFq3ILnx8lzDQ6oA8UUy0KfMANl2u6xfg/s640/IMG_5729.JPG" width="425" height="640"></a></div> <div><br></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: left; clear: both"><a style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8AsP2XunmXu3da3JPMaZSgQX8md3Z7vdlDeZFRC9AIJxdNRBQ5-zPkARNvKIc7oUZiSVOR9oZVeKfr5ypODUSfulPXXLna2XRh_BpzeP_XVQsPxQ3RfyiKxEnrnRuG9nIvAKy_jvgRsA/s1600/IMG_5664.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8AsP2XunmXu3da3JPMaZSgQX8md3Z7vdlDeZFRC9AIJxdNRBQ5-zPkARNvKIc7oUZiSVOR9oZVeKfr5ypODUSfulPXXLna2XRh_BpzeP_XVQsPxQ3RfyiKxEnrnRuG9nIvAKy_jvgRsA/s640/IMG_5664.JPG" width="640" height="425"></a></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: left; clear: both"> </div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: center; clear: both"><a style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSct6u_QUMCKQq0dS_pr-ZJXJu2MQWsqfLqRE-aaLW1C-0-p_jUJFnAXq-PkQHMbwi5K34BE23twriD4ajcvtY7nIbhXli-NnrfFlNE5SefWRD3oDbZSaH3f4_p6Glvzof7dF4EEPFD0I/s1600/IMG_5675.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSct6u_QUMCKQq0dS_pr-ZJXJu2MQWsqfLqRE-aaLW1C-0-p_jUJFnAXq-PkQHMbwi5K34BE23twriD4ajcvtY7nIbhXli-NnrfFlNE5SefWRD3oDbZSaH3f4_p6Glvzof7dF4EEPFD0I/s640/IMG_5675.JPG" width="426" height="640"></a></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: left; clear: both"> </div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: left; clear: both"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif">We had some rather silly moments this year as well. I'll begin with Mac, who, as it turns out, is not very impressed by bridges themselves (see: <a href="http://adventuresinnotknowing.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/literally-not-knowing-where-youre-going.html">Literally, not knowing where you're going</a>) but loves to stare at the bottom of them. It also turns out that when we're on our 5th trip to IKEA, Mac reverts to a silly state where rubbing his head into carpet samples somehow soothes the monotony. </span></div> <div><br></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: center; clear: both"> </div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: center; clear: both"><a style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0KuoaGmdGPANexAYdvERcw4M4PVyOc1Rq0SFD3Mq8p_-8loqiyRt7MD20JeJNxQed0eIJ3omv7FJ1rIkiDdDWnKGqfpoZwACsWaW2PtGhEChw1EqKHp075KKcla0eE51eMC5MfbpNh10/s1600/IMG_5049.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0KuoaGmdGPANexAYdvERcw4M4PVyOc1Rq0SFD3Mq8p_-8loqiyRt7MD20JeJNxQed0eIJ3omv7FJ1rIkiDdDWnKGqfpoZwACsWaW2PtGhEChw1EqKHp075KKcla0eE51eMC5MfbpNh10/s640/IMG_5049.JPG" width="426" height="640"></a></div> <div><br></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: center; clear: both"><a style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV78dTNYjQxMZsm4ipsMDBsG8kUuLw0arOzxZaq70mXBOlynCYlB0AHhz5Gw8LGLGvClOulMLBBU-zmZ1PlXLOfdr6FomvOkH56gl5HS5l_n2R0UTLoE4Rg_veKzZNKmYaEuy5ruGd5KU/s1600/IMG_4282.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV78dTNYjQxMZsm4ipsMDBsG8kUuLw0arOzxZaq70mXBOlynCYlB0AHhz5Gw8LGLGvClOulMLBBU-zmZ1PlXLOfdr6FomvOkH56gl5HS5l_n2R0UTLoE4Rg_veKzZNKmYaEuy5ruGd5KU/s400/IMG_4282.JPG" width="400" height="266"></a></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: center; clear: both"> </div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: center; clear: both"><a style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvvyMxDzBZ5-rCumO4lhbgMtBqV4eQsIqTXtYCy4ZRMD_1u4UBIywvCje8H5-N4cK7sSAa7mEQqOginZ5UbXJ7Sf32WMSKF-JEd_cUwyefzFoYqH503l_xCRA3KmPF6kzkretbz_veF8A/s1600/IMG_4287.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvvyMxDzBZ5-rCumO4lhbgMtBqV4eQsIqTXtYCy4ZRMD_1u4UBIywvCje8H5-N4cK7sSAa7mEQqOginZ5UbXJ7Sf32WMSKF-JEd_cUwyefzFoYqH503l_xCRA3KmPF6kzkretbz_veF8A/s640/IMG_4287.JPG" width="425" height="640"></a></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: left; clear: both"> </div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: left; clear: both"> </div><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms"> Eva still loves climbing as much as ever, and we've had the privilege of not only climbing play structures and Uncles (thanks Uncle Dan!), but also National Monuments: </span><br> <div class="separator" style="text-align: center; clear: both"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms"><a style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilEihiTnRJ2fOpca0gTA9jn6b0f216PfFpurmi7-tkDoFpWKtsu9QjH8bf5_9nUUUEwR8Xr41gQXIsGqgjxFTipfmT7lK2ib5_9LfeTU49guayk7_yZ38xy0STVTWbBIex0piLKBaBkIU/s1600/IMG_4970.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilEihiTnRJ2fOpca0gTA9jn6b0f216PfFpurmi7-tkDoFpWKtsu9QjH8bf5_9nUUUEwR8Xr41gQXIsGqgjxFTipfmT7lK2ib5_9LfeTU49guayk7_yZ38xy0STVTWbBIex0piLKBaBkIU/s640/IMG_4970.JPG" width="640" height="426"></a></span></div> <div><br></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: center; clear: both"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms"><a style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIWxW_iOlQuVyeUE9cYJ2U5HDIniVQEHsEIczmcIlp1I5aD_bDftrYlKIejZzQ01sZg5S1upsliOvllMF-FMFYaEXa6e6LrWf96HnEmC-_OI0koy-j20QA3OxpH9zuTYxLVBNiX1gjaM4/s1600/WP_001506_1.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIWxW_iOlQuVyeUE9cYJ2U5HDIniVQEHsEIczmcIlp1I5aD_bDftrYlKIejZzQ01sZg5S1upsliOvllMF-FMFYaEXa6e6LrWf96HnEmC-_OI0koy-j20QA3OxpH9zuTYxLVBNiX1gjaM4/s640/WP_001506_1.jpg" width="480" height="640"></a></span></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: center; clear: both"> </div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: center; clear: both"><a style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXXdboWMYDaYlKjXlXQWYqGrTcuts-HX09M2CEW014jWpqrqCfAljbrwpbnts91cdtwYcEqYVE6_AFfrwqPXepOKLF-ACQG1zrmOY3mqMFRn8hM6D8y4Rku5EGEo-5cfYZCymOmbC_o90/s1600/IMG_3873.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXXdboWMYDaYlKjXlXQWYqGrTcuts-HX09M2CEW014jWpqrqCfAljbrwpbnts91cdtwYcEqYVE6_AFfrwqPXepOKLF-ACQG1zrmOY3mqMFRn8hM6D8y4Rku5EGEo-5cfYZCymOmbC_o90/s640/IMG_3873.JPG" width="426" height="640"></a></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: left; clear: both"> </div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: left; clear: both"> </div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: left; clear: both"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms">Pearl sees the world as an opportunity for performance art, and what better location for said performances than Waterloo Station (major transportation hub)? As we ventured home late one night, she decided it was a good place to perform her dance moves to "Walk Like and Egyptian."</span></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: center; clear: both"><a style="margin-bottom: 1em; float: left; clear: left; margin-right: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFzd_EhfBtRT68FP9SuTrgu8Bj_qvyG9JwZjbl5IQO5-oNao76_X69iXx0-7RR-mTOznfXHWXEesu37nbqZm2CONhPA0DPwZ8iGpOKHSFUQcA3vbB2-Hel_d5jwpmOZPKo2ji04A-EkNw/s1600/IMG_5185.JPG" imageanchor="1"></a><a style="margin-bottom: 1em; float: right; margin-left: 1em; clear: right" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh0rLIvel9RLbE8OymLKULmR6B4n5YjcJsibl90v6lgBMBfGXFdQiMGULKUA6nyhI9QOd-oiVYYGXkL6DV-EIb-0TiJFUjmfO7tNJAI4eXgxYOgpanyY4C34QxYIbUGXpG1xLHPhARWVI/s1600/IMG_5183.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh0rLIvel9RLbE8OymLKULmR6B4n5YjcJsibl90v6lgBMBfGXFdQiMGULKUA6nyhI9QOd-oiVYYGXkL6DV-EIb-0TiJFUjmfO7tNJAI4eXgxYOgpanyY4C34QxYIbUGXpG1xLHPhARWVI/s400/IMG_5183.JPG" width="266" height="400"></a> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFzd_EhfBtRT68FP9SuTrgu8Bj_qvyG9JwZjbl5IQO5-oNao76_X69iXx0-7RR-mTOznfXHWXEesu37nbqZm2CONhPA0DPwZ8iGpOKHSFUQcA3vbB2-Hel_d5jwpmOZPKo2ji04A-EkNw/s400/IMG_5185.JPG" width="266" height="400"></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: center; clear: both"><a style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlROKnyZwjEfjbUrOoxBZK0vtVgmXOdswFS5TibAz_dac1ho43u0uRMoEfmyMOAjvBcESirMuXM2wwu80lFFp9DUbINBvV4SmNeC8oaBgnBLKXkzeFa-V9EOOd7v2ombMGzKzno3Bp_oI/s1600/IMG_5181.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlROKnyZwjEfjbUrOoxBZK0vtVgmXOdswFS5TibAz_dac1ho43u0uRMoEfmyMOAjvBcESirMuXM2wwu80lFFp9DUbINBvV4SmNeC8oaBgnBLKXkzeFa-V9EOOd7v2ombMGzKzno3Bp_oI/s640/IMG_5181.JPG" width="426" height="640"></a></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: center; clear: both"> </div><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms">Luke has also had a very eventful year. Upon moving to London, he began work at Skype which has been a great experience for him. I think he's learning a lot from those he works with, not withstanding an education on the London style of dress. It turns out that his Redmond Microsoft office was a bit more...let's call it casual...than here. For the first time since I've known him (excluding our wedding) Luke wore a tie!</span><br><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms">He's also had the opportunity to travel this year for his job, with many trips to Prague. One included a hot air balloon trip with his team, complete with a ceremonial dusting with soil and dousing with champagne on the heads of all balloon goers. These are cultural experiences people!</span><br><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms">In addition to the adjustment of working here, moving and adapting...Luke also underwent a major surgery in October to repair a collar bone injury from this childhood. The good news is, we had a world-class specialist in collar-bone injuries perform the surgery and his recovery has been rapid, with his back immediately feeling better hours after surgery. The not so good news is that English medicine is a bit more conservative than in the States, so 24 hours after re-breaking and setting his collar bone, Luke was sent home with Tylenol and Ibuprofen. We were assured that this was a very powerful combination of drugs for post-operative pain, but pushed to get something a bit stronger, to the dismay of the medical team. Though I didn't hear it, I'm sure there were murmurings of our American-ness.</span><br><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms">Luke has been a consistent trooper in this move, working hard all day and arriving home to a sometimes overwhelmed wife with always energetic children. As things settle here and as he recovers, we look forward to a less eventful schedule with lots of trips to the park (pub).</span><br> <div class="separator" style="text-align: center; clear: both"><a style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNDCMdUaiwKZ4rZa5j3UWH2jxI5ydTvwBk_yqQpPFrZEomHWX7Bz3OVxElJnzh35FVeWGu0PfwidPU54GQk5rXfg30BhDSYapRs_iuE9b8clIH7FFguTAaEGI05GZkUM62UoEk0dPV7U8/s1600/WP_20131030_12_22_53_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNDCMdUaiwKZ4rZa5j3UWH2jxI5ydTvwBk_yqQpPFrZEomHWX7Bz3OVxElJnzh35FVeWGu0PfwidPU54GQk5rXfg30BhDSYapRs_iuE9b8clIH7FFguTAaEGI05GZkUM62UoEk0dPV7U8/s640/WP_20131030_12_22_53_Pro.jpg" width="359" height="640"></a></div><br><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif">I've had an eventful year as well. Events include moving here, entertaining the children for a few months while they were out of school, adapting to life without a vehicle (which by the way has been great!), furnishing our home, etc. I caught myself having a rather surreal thought around October, which was, "Wow, this has been a lot to deal with, I had no idea I could juggle so much." It turns out this was a bit of foreshadowing on behalf of my brain because after Luke's surgery, the composure that once got me through all of this change was exchanged for the feeling of being extremely overwhelmed. I can now accurately state that my ability to adapt ends with surgery on someone I love. There were a few moments of emotional meltdown, combined with a bit of encouragement from our doctor to "worry less." But we've made it. Moving, new schools, new food, new house, new friends, shoulder surgery...we've got through it and I am feeling quite relieved writing all of this because the hardest parts seem behind us. </span><br><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms">There were many encouraging elements to this year for me.</span><br><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms">In June, some dear friends visited me in London. We had experiences that I will treasure for the rest of my life, including trips to Oxford and Hastings, both in England. It made the pain of missing home a bit less severe to have them here. And now when I walk around London, I feel that it is more my home since not only I but my friends have been here.</span><br> <div class="separator" style="text-align: center; clear: both"><a style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKXdVJnVFSYEswvA1MwiRMHtPDMJUcgtABpWJZFee6it5w0i4ihayxJhAGBg6ODo2ze3AcjSAx1WmK3F96ukjIl1k-W60WNLcCHxwxS4NQTUjplZ5qYrdJw873Sx1c70DsH86aqrP34pg/s1600/IMG_4747.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKXdVJnVFSYEswvA1MwiRMHtPDMJUcgtABpWJZFee6it5w0i4ihayxJhAGBg6ODo2ze3AcjSAx1WmK3F96ukjIl1k-W60WNLcCHxwxS4NQTUjplZ5qYrdJw873Sx1c70DsH86aqrP34pg/s640/IMG_4747.JPG" width="640" height="425"></a></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: center; clear: both"> </div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: center; clear: both"><a style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAzhc5zo2ggukNDvdPcAKjenzea6g6G3IR2r89Km-eCJOt68OvuOTIzWV6tUWJUoDSMChZUrtXkEizkgxrQze1bitakmuLX2O9AdpQEiEvgZwbt65lpryAbliJhzzFtbPS_ON3cqc0YAk/s1600/IMG_4726.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAzhc5zo2ggukNDvdPcAKjenzea6g6G3IR2r89Km-eCJOt68OvuOTIzWV6tUWJUoDSMChZUrtXkEizkgxrQze1bitakmuLX2O9AdpQEiEvgZwbt65lpryAbliJhzzFtbPS_ON3cqc0YAk/s640/IMG_4726.JPG" width="424" height="640"></a></div> <div><br></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: center; clear: both"><a style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfTewzXxXqgkRBWKTQPZAG_wUWDCTKWduYILHLniE4IPM0KfT33_BsrOQ1kJZzTRkDU72Uu2lJD8khKIysNYxi88AgZu7GHOXHiX8GnBBBFK0H-vJLmMp5Gg5NvpmPYSW8fhuDPBnFmEM/s1600/IMG_4712.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfTewzXxXqgkRBWKTQPZAG_wUWDCTKWduYILHLniE4IPM0KfT33_BsrOQ1kJZzTRkDU72Uu2lJD8khKIysNYxi88AgZu7GHOXHiX8GnBBBFK0H-vJLmMp5Gg5NvpmPYSW8fhuDPBnFmEM/s640/IMG_4712.JPG" width="640" height="425"></a></div><br><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms">We also had a wonderful visit with my brother Dan and his girlfriend Hong this summer. They were the first family members to visit us and it was a welcome respite from the foreign-ness of life.</span><br><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms"><br></span><br> <div class="separator" style="text-align: left; clear: both"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms"></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms"><a style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4eNzV1Y2CvFNYsxMdVjLYScwwEIxAVMG8OY7eELeOKmdcWkm4nh5L4fZlWhyphenhyphen7g4zXkhaBPPyRVFki7SgGmarQvumJ0sVp2jGhr5rcaDGknXNyFKFOQq7WRc2HOAv7ovGxpOdDGPeWKDM/s1600/IMG_4951.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4eNzV1Y2CvFNYsxMdVjLYScwwEIxAVMG8OY7eELeOKmdcWkm4nh5L4fZlWhyphenhyphen7g4zXkhaBPPyRVFki7SgGmarQvumJ0sVp2jGhr5rcaDGknXNyFKFOQq7WRc2HOAv7ovGxpOdDGPeWKDM/s640/IMG_4951.JPG" width="640" height="424"></a></span></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: left; clear: both"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms"></span></div> <div><br></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: center; clear: both"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms"><a style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgICf-mr93xMgAj236234i2vc3iA-0jhzOpWk7I7BcSrdlfbSDIFbXRQ9CHs5K7gk8ewOmvCKIx1eZ4GcjqMtuCLqTOGfQER9ChqjsgpuRRjMItFeljCR5f0U3yaGKxinklhDJz5xzPY2Q/s1600/IMG_5007.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgICf-mr93xMgAj236234i2vc3iA-0jhzOpWk7I7BcSrdlfbSDIFbXRQ9CHs5K7gk8ewOmvCKIx1eZ4GcjqMtuCLqTOGfQER9ChqjsgpuRRjMItFeljCR5f0U3yaGKxinklhDJz5xzPY2Q/s640/IMG_5007.JPG" width="640" height="426"></a></span></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: center; clear: both"> </div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: center; clear: both"></div> <div><br></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: center; clear: both"><a style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz-bB9UmUhnHQdJ6KzbB6UIRxe5V2CWKQVsDPBvypWOQVe5MW7wrpBSABgaBrf39brJ97Ty_N4uosiq7Qdg7gQpQOx6xrvpQDMVTrLiKTCf0y17doLeuZVuQc5gXVgHzJXGQ8WTPUVbG4/s1600/IMG_5029.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz-bB9UmUhnHQdJ6KzbB6UIRxe5V2CWKQVsDPBvypWOQVe5MW7wrpBSABgaBrf39brJ97Ty_N4uosiq7Qdg7gQpQOx6xrvpQDMVTrLiKTCf0y17doLeuZVuQc5gXVgHzJXGQ8WTPUVbG4/s640/IMG_5029.JPG" width="640" height="426"></a></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: center; clear: both"> </div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: left; clear: both"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif">In October, Luke's mum (mom) Barb visited us to both see the family and also to provide the crucial support we needed with Luke's surgery. We had such a wonderful time with her, and her help and support made it possible for Luke's surgery to be successful, not only for him but our family.</span></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: center; clear: both"><a style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu5YT3Qq1NmxvBFrWEtv0dpUH1R4TUMvlpbpcrDl-lTsWWFNY2SScElerdB9t7t0MyiFFiqg7QRLosCRmfWPWLCP-4y032fncGWjKvb0893V_9epOo3jhbd_98ZWUumCIJgt2RgYMf25s/s1600/WP_20131102_13_48_44_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu5YT3Qq1NmxvBFrWEtv0dpUH1R4TUMvlpbpcrDl-lTsWWFNY2SScElerdB9t7t0MyiFFiqg7QRLosCRmfWPWLCP-4y032fncGWjKvb0893V_9epOo3jhbd_98ZWUumCIJgt2RgYMf25s/s640/WP_20131102_13_48_44_Pro.jpg" width="359" height="640"></a></div> <div><br></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: center; clear: both"><a style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdNFCuDjlmZzV8XoR1LX75KNCdFXrT1iSQoq30UxeL4i4i2lXEMxklNz3RSmYbTcOz-1LGwOehtkXfrlQPkyjpff0PN5DBaP8eBOKrYH__JRGDkG8FwNECqxqG84g5H1DVk3v9Sy4x7NU/s1600/WP_20131115_13_00_31_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdNFCuDjlmZzV8XoR1LX75KNCdFXrT1iSQoq30UxeL4i4i2lXEMxklNz3RSmYbTcOz-1LGwOehtkXfrlQPkyjpff0PN5DBaP8eBOKrYH__JRGDkG8FwNECqxqG84g5H1DVk3v9Sy4x7NU/s640/WP_20131115_13_00_31_Pro.jpg" width="640" height="358"></a></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: center; clear: both"> </div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: center; clear: both"></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: center; clear: both"><a style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP_pPoBBDoEWxVQCbY4i_Tad6uvVx_A2DFaPtTYr31AqB5gE7kADWqjic1VMvJz2ii2F_6mFki9K7I_ORde72D0DWwHsDFqwkDb7URyIwLLYBthRIBqIqrxLH25hLlB0KGVaeHRZBGNeA/s1600/IMG_5484+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP_pPoBBDoEWxVQCbY4i_Tad6uvVx_A2DFaPtTYr31AqB5gE7kADWqjic1VMvJz2ii2F_6mFki9K7I_ORde72D0DWwHsDFqwkDb7URyIwLLYBthRIBqIqrxLH25hLlB0KGVaeHRZBGNeA/s640/IMG_5484+%25282%2529.JPG" width="512" height="640"></a></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: center; clear: both"> </div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: left; clear: both"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif">I have a friend and her name is Kathryn. She is also from the States and has moved here recently, so we have a lot in common. While Barb was here, we all went to visit Windsor Castle which was a highlight for me. I am now quite enamoured with Victorian history. Although, to be fair, all that was required for this was a little, tiny nudge. </span></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: center; clear: both"><a style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT7uFxidwt2sI3qeuEWguI-CdSLhL2Xrr2iF7maHXfoBCxSj837iuINhXSgktuOmHUeOCjsDI_FmDEMf3KGnoQkwz4dKMTtjKNI_vAzs3sv9whpTlPbGwxmxwWAn1wR9oXvl539dozKp0/s1600/WP_20131118_13_56_21_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT7uFxidwt2sI3qeuEWguI-CdSLhL2Xrr2iF7maHXfoBCxSj837iuINhXSgktuOmHUeOCjsDI_FmDEMf3KGnoQkwz4dKMTtjKNI_vAzs3sv9whpTlPbGwxmxwWAn1wR9oXvl539dozKp0/s640/WP_20131118_13_56_21_Pro.jpg" width="640" height="358"></a></div> <div><br></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: center; clear: both"><a style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUpShxrbQ1UDsUlT2dHO_Z971Rl9J8ZzSrkhZNeCU7SnCiATxsUoOJMsBQhaHLpMnsS_vjD5pJXzITZPmrQmD-Cnhdq5Yeo0twNqtzN9nRTbpWL0bathjU_t-pt4IalfUDyqKKfYwDG5w/s1600/WP_20131118_13_57_03_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUpShxrbQ1UDsUlT2dHO_Z971Rl9J8ZzSrkhZNeCU7SnCiATxsUoOJMsBQhaHLpMnsS_vjD5pJXzITZPmrQmD-Cnhdq5Yeo0twNqtzN9nRTbpWL0bathjU_t-pt4IalfUDyqKKfYwDG5w/s640/WP_20131118_13_57_03_Pro.jpg" width="640" height="358"></a></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: left; clear: both"> </div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: left; clear: both"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif">Luke and I have been regretful of all of the concerts we've missed since being here, so we finally made it to a Vampire Weekend concert a few weeks after his surgery. It was fantastic and also happened to be in Greenwich. </span></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: center; clear: both"><a style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz_kcXfc1NWyqdX3IgeSMq2aS8BkB_Vnu_dcIE7enAIRGdCovqzcU4WEtgCMK6-QZT65MPANArVTNm9_i9HXpGJmSl5-3OM_3XNQLjqs_nX5NfE1bPg85V8OlMEPdd-Mk8IS5vn4VZkGM/s1600/WP_20131113_18_54_15_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz_kcXfc1NWyqdX3IgeSMq2aS8BkB_Vnu_dcIE7enAIRGdCovqzcU4WEtgCMK6-QZT65MPANArVTNm9_i9HXpGJmSl5-3OM_3XNQLjqs_nX5NfE1bPg85V8OlMEPdd-Mk8IS5vn4VZkGM/s640/WP_20131113_18_54_15_Pro.jpg" width="640" height="358"></a></div> <div><br></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: center; clear: both"><a style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUiydXnPiyOqZ2UmHEdHGlEFHkBoPxsqeorN52Xwsfk189HYQtSk7MuB48zYUmvsMC-Y9F1tDws7Vkeigoru2T_t5RLyP7rspn3c6A4VCMESPAL6dEwLDnl2-djOE87GjdFm46jvzJepw/s1600/WP_20131113_18_54_28_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUiydXnPiyOqZ2UmHEdHGlEFHkBoPxsqeorN52Xwsfk189HYQtSk7MuB48zYUmvsMC-Y9F1tDws7Vkeigoru2T_t5RLyP7rspn3c6A4VCMESPAL6dEwLDnl2-djOE87GjdFm46jvzJepw/s640/WP_20131113_18_54_28_Pro.jpg" width="640" height="358"></a></div> <div><br></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: center; clear: both"><a style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu1LSzevzp-WRtaffnnyOTD5JwzRt0GCFxD9qAoo7-hqOUZqfoXg8yr0PWywof9O9KRbUaf3NoGaDX5nNde-Kk5O0GmVz55FJEGhxSOBhj_Ivwa2zsWJY2C1p0iMCe_jsSWMuT9yLHmBo/s1600/WP_20131113_22_30_21_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu1LSzevzp-WRtaffnnyOTD5JwzRt0GCFxD9qAoo7-hqOUZqfoXg8yr0PWywof9O9KRbUaf3NoGaDX5nNde-Kk5O0GmVz55FJEGhxSOBhj_Ivwa2zsWJY2C1p0iMCe_jsSWMuT9yLHmBo/s640/WP_20131113_22_30_21_Pro.jpg" width="640" height="358"></a></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: left; clear: both"></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: left; clear: both"></div><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms"> Finally, but very importantly, I got to meet one of my favourite actors of all time- Nathaniel Parker. If you are not familiar with the name, he is the star of a very good British mystery called Inspector Lynley. I have watched the show for years and never thought I would meet him. But by chance he was performing at an event that I attended. I think I behaved in a rather embarrassing manner, but I got a picture and a kiss on the cheek, and he was lovely and very kind. To meet one of your favourite (fictional) detectives and not even have to be murdered, or a suspect...priceless!</span><br> <div class="separator" style="text-align: center; clear: both"><a style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjerLAJLCXRwS6jznatZ8CKHJlrYpPsZPCqmlnhsThw8IucyRoa0GgR5bW0vPlaYEuK3Yr8b3KMXflvB4FkbSt3jNwE_xJFg6vSkT7XCXL0TxRU8w1LrhDhSy1GsX9oFgVUu2rKcPrvwow/s1600/WP_20131004_22_09_58_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjerLAJLCXRwS6jznatZ8CKHJlrYpPsZPCqmlnhsThw8IucyRoa0GgR5bW0vPlaYEuK3Yr8b3KMXflvB4FkbSt3jNwE_xJFg6vSkT7XCXL0TxRU8w1LrhDhSy1GsX9oFgVUu2rKcPrvwow/s640/WP_20131004_22_09_58_Pro.jpg" width="640" height="358"></a></div><br><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms"> This ends my update. I will leave you with a few pictures of our day today, Christmas 2013. We are enjoying our time here but miss our friends and family very, very much. We hope that you've all had a wonderful year and that the next will be full of joy!</span><br><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms"></span><br> <div class="separator" style="text-align: center; clear: both"></div> <div><br></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: center; clear: both"><a style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ7uhuCeuVxcS1s4bfheaw0YrGVwrX3rdSOIom-qjNfteDNaRWVW0oY43gB5ca8IQecKF7UVcbQqlyJjRTC30x8HN_2-Dcv7F203JzQ6Zmia-roaHVaZkdXq6AAFwjzJb9cPnlLn10U4w/s1600/IMG_5801.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ7uhuCeuVxcS1s4bfheaw0YrGVwrX3rdSOIom-qjNfteDNaRWVW0oY43gB5ca8IQecKF7UVcbQqlyJjRTC30x8HN_2-Dcv7F203JzQ6Zmia-roaHVaZkdXq6AAFwjzJb9cPnlLn10U4w/s640/IMG_5801.JPG" width="426" height="640"></a></div> <div><br></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: center; clear: both"><a style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM9WBxD1k9tiXV6LMlfz1grN8-HCUA4Y6YbZWK7OAApd68AvFnm7MtEhHNHxW4xBbqwU8cgVBXbBANwqSyoewiLgdJGspKOEp5L83GNzx6TRSYcIvErMyW3S5EmXYOLz8aBjFG-z73PNs/s1600/IMG_5791.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM9WBxD1k9tiXV6LMlfz1grN8-HCUA4Y6YbZWK7OAApd68AvFnm7MtEhHNHxW4xBbqwU8cgVBXbBANwqSyoewiLgdJGspKOEp5L83GNzx6TRSYcIvErMyW3S5EmXYOLz8aBjFG-z73PNs/s640/IMG_5791.JPG" width="640" height="426"></a></div> <div><br></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: center; 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clear: both"><a style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaelSGAn9KTNVVK70oZDGTaYlce-CegqcWoUKFLAg8tzCYukPlCmCNQBMP0Jil4t_t6MuR6l0rc5ZNtnLtrhC6zxymwsLsdQdjcp_w9a1VIjPX6DVA0bmW01mjujXzdjKAy5Bqlrp9KEg/s1600/IMG_5879.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaelSGAn9KTNVVK70oZDGTaYlce-CegqcWoUKFLAg8tzCYukPlCmCNQBMP0Jil4t_t6MuR6l0rc5ZNtnLtrhC6zxymwsLsdQdjcp_w9a1VIjPX6DVA0bmW01mjujXzdjKAy5Bqlrp9KEg/s640/IMG_5879.JPG" width="640" height="426"></a></div> <div><br></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: center; clear: both"><a style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz0Ug7ZtPtNxb5Q34pNbNyjieWTfu9_OLL8ZnQlZznoZBx0qJa5GeqVV1KAussQZjey1Clx98xPcqudquh_82B25kRnc-p6a7EwMOzXRvjAn6JBQ6vX_e7n3oAZHki8o2PkXgy9c4rzQM/s1600/IMG_5933.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz0Ug7ZtPtNxb5Q34pNbNyjieWTfu9_OLL8ZnQlZznoZBx0qJa5GeqVV1KAussQZjey1Clx98xPcqudquh_82B25kRnc-p6a7EwMOzXRvjAn6JBQ6vX_e7n3oAZHki8o2PkXgy9c4rzQM/s640/IMG_5933.JPG" width="640" height="426"></a></div> <div><br></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: left; clear: both"> </div> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03562507686043665780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7534563730831034847.post-68571920828203540302013-08-04T14:54:00.001-07:002013-08-04T14:54:56.221-07:00Getting settled<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Hello, Friends!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I am happy to inform you that we are still alive and still living here in London, despite my lack of communication. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I find that I am learning a lot about myself through this adventure. For example, when we first arrived, everything was new and exciting and and I wanted to share all of this with you! Interesting signs, funny stories about navigating a new culture and of course pictures. I had the adrenaline rush of just arriving, of everything being new! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Then things got a hard when days in temporary housing turned into weeks, when the kids and I were fatigued from another day of tube travel and "foreign" food, when finding housing became daunting. And I still wanted to share, because it helped me to process all that was happening.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Then, we moved. We moved for the second time in 3 months, first out of our house in Seattle, then out of our temporary housing in London. And I realized that when things are really stressful and hard, instead of sharing, I prefer isolation, burrowing, and true to form for any such creature, a nocturnal schedule. When things are hard, I don't really get tired, I get quiet and full of restlessness. On a side note, the nocturnal schedule also means I get caught-up on a lot of TV episodes ;)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Not that these are all great qualities, but this may explain my lack of communication with the world for the last 2 months. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">After 8 years of parenting, I know that some natural tendencies are good, and others need to be tempered for our own well-being. On this note, I am writing again.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Where to begin?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We moved to Richmond. Here is a map! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The blue squiggly line is the Thames, the city of London is in the middle and we are in the southwest corner.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNoEzyiXuhrSvmFFF61zO2pakJI3j9oTPNatF0fEd2ixVN2dCWj7WP0eZnCUHcEoZ5Xc0F3nESBGE4I6pVH5l1dZgoyErlqC5maAHOT-6VO7V_ch2N6u3FycCsT3DY7yjwpQ_xJ18XEVI/s1600/london_borough_map.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNoEzyiXuhrSvmFFF61zO2pakJI3j9oTPNatF0fEd2ixVN2dCWj7WP0eZnCUHcEoZ5Xc0F3nESBGE4I6pVH5l1dZgoyErlqC5maAHOT-6VO7V_ch2N6u3FycCsT3DY7yjwpQ_xJ18XEVI/s640/london_borough_map.gif" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image borrowed from: <a href="http://www.guidetorichmond.co.uk/london-borough/">http://www.guidetorichmond.co.uk/london-borough/</a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Much of London is very urban, but Richmond is a nice departure from this in that it is more green and sub-urban. The streets are less busy, night time is quiet and there is abundant wildlife. I love it here, it reminds me of Seattle.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In Richmond we live about .3 miles from the train station on a passage called Albany Passage. In an area that is already much quieter than most of London, we are tucked away even more- on a long, narrow sidewalk lined with very old houses.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-AyobhBPf9g_yrwCpCKd9DqBCAkGoiRhFRypvYR3SQaG01fDvrWBc2ZoXGWTGA0aqBQsMdQnPWPmgNPehDfm0hENVjiikmhitWmEcwknZKWiBZrG1tOxVfxAN3P8KJN_Tw9Z3SFlo0Yc/s1600/IMG_4937.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-AyobhBPf9g_yrwCpCKd9DqBCAkGoiRhFRypvYR3SQaG01fDvrWBc2ZoXGWTGA0aqBQsMdQnPWPmgNPehDfm0hENVjiikmhitWmEcwknZKWiBZrG1tOxVfxAN3P8KJN_Tw9Z3SFlo0Yc/s640/IMG_4937.JPG" width="425" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This is our house: </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZCYtKlBXgi6sbm2gCvgInDXufq4v1XOdX8nEqiQ1TSn0y5XRobVYFFHmXLsvY0CxbwJddjvr_5yFxHrJGuxK0RKuTVmXlUv4dGF8M49b102dqVsj7O_L3zHxkqLgrWfSIg1gnyhKgDbY/s1600/IMG_4535.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZCYtKlBXgi6sbm2gCvgInDXufq4v1XOdX8nEqiQ1TSn0y5XRobVYFFHmXLsvY0CxbwJddjvr_5yFxHrJGuxK0RKuTVmXlUv4dGF8M49b102dqVsj7O_L3zHxkqLgrWfSIg1gnyhKgDbY/s400/IMG_4535.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">When we arrived in London, I was confused about where to live. London is such a big and amazing city. I admit that I felt a bit wrong after deciding to live in a quieter suburb of such an cool city. But after being here for 2 months, I am so very glad that we can live in this quiet area. The city is good for visiting, and for us, the suburb is good for living. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So 2 months ago, we walked up this very peaceful passage to our very cute house in Richmond. I was so relieved to finally have a place to call home. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">But home on paper and home in practice are two very different things. Home on paper is an address, a place where you receive mail, pay bills, etc. Home in practice is a place where you sleep, rest, cook meals and raise your family. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The great divide between the two is what has consumed all of our time and energy over the last two months. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In the first few weeks, we accomplished a lot. We received and "unpacked" our shipment of goods from Seattle. We made a few trips to IKEA to get necessities like beds for the kids. We purchased many new appliances (US appliances are not compatible with UK wiring). We enrolled Mac and Eva in school and hurried to gather all of the required uniform components for their first day. Here are some pictures of Mac and Eva in their school gear: </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPjep8_7e46SSEWGFazzxS7uEF1V_3kzGQoZnYUGcr3QzJiibUH1JzrYS-ebZH5S5x7qQrvZs14OfTFJs1O17IOdtOtHyY89NYYvYj-Ys_gYSF7XIDdt5j94Q8kgvcusNlixxX2Y1aiY8/s1600/IMG_4570.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPjep8_7e46SSEWGFazzxS7uEF1V_3kzGQoZnYUGcr3QzJiibUH1JzrYS-ebZH5S5x7qQrvZs14OfTFJs1O17IOdtOtHyY89NYYvYj-Ys_gYSF7XIDdt5j94Q8kgvcusNlixxX2Y1aiY8/s640/IMG_4570.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK7ZD5CAGhNLblNEsfNF56KJoPLHyw8lNoM6WIMQCgjaxVL0fEDINmyI_M1PHu2ZWMvGBEJOX1hjnbC2ft9pc-_-iISOSYbGMKvlq7ay9Lwaou83cX0fEW8klutAvF-I1Lb70eOVwzXpQ/s1600/IMG_4575.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK7ZD5CAGhNLblNEsfNF56KJoPLHyw8lNoM6WIMQCgjaxVL0fEDINmyI_M1PHu2ZWMvGBEJOX1hjnbC2ft9pc-_-iISOSYbGMKvlq7ay9Lwaou83cX0fEW8klutAvF-I1Lb70eOVwzXpQ/s640/IMG_4575.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwoKFaYxx4YRWNZatGeCESsf4XCREHBwm005X8FwOfiX0_c8U9LZI0qDwIXdBy77VMB84554UMHRJ02m11K6dOMKkH1uzKWoL0Ilv3b8lSm49HLcWszAWI-YIfiHFpuSAuKHmSyVEzHu4/s1600/IMG_4599.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwoKFaYxx4YRWNZatGeCESsf4XCREHBwm005X8FwOfiX0_c8U9LZI0qDwIXdBy77VMB84554UMHRJ02m11K6dOMKkH1uzKWoL0Ilv3b8lSm49HLcWszAWI-YIfiHFpuSAuKHmSyVEzHu4/s640/IMG_4599.JPG" width="426" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> I'm sure that each of you has moved at least once and knows how unsettling this can be. Even though we had accomplished a lot by this time, things were still really unsettled. We were still eating dinner at a small folding table, still trying to all fit on a two seat couch to relax, still dealing with piles of books, sheets, clothes, etc waiting to be sorted and still adjusting to a new place and new schedule. By the end of the first few weeks, I was feeling the weight of all this chaos and desperately wanting just one room of our house to be settled. I thought, "if I could just walk into one room and have it sorted, everything would be OK."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The room closest to completion was our living room. All that was lacking was a couch. We ordered one from IKEA the first week we moved but had to wait few weeks for it's arrival.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Finally, it was delivery day! I received our 6! boxes of couch, asked (bribed) the delivery men to take away our small couch from the States ... and a few hours later the police arrived.... </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Let me explain :)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Things are pretty neat and tidy here in London. No matter where you go, the citizens of London have homes and yards that are well tended. The city also does a good job of keeping streets clean and orderly- everything is quite proper. The images of London seen in pictures and postcards are not upset by actually being here. It really is THAT beautiful.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Moving is not pretty or neat or tidy. Nor is a couch from IKEA that comes in 6 different boxes and arrives at a house that has just been moved into. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">On the day our couch arrived, I collected the kids from school, brought everyone home, and began to assemble. The reward of having a place to sit and a completed room overcame any common sense that would have said to wait until the kids were in bed to undertake such a feat.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So at 3:30pm I began assembly and the kids began to get creative with the ample cardboard that accompanied our couch. Mac was a real help. When the girls were hungry, he made them sandwiches and brought them water. Alone in the living room I was making excellent progress toward completion of our couch, and I continued to work away as I listened to the kids having a terrific time with the boxes in our entryway/front yard. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5fqR1547LlqcJCuLKsr6TZVOcCCjtBnoIfzjaBokF9U_wKLWhwzYi68ySzmTqhIAHc7Tbn6nPGHyUoNnzFt_cJagosT6wbfePToVPRSomDHwCpVtErSypCUQgkfGCYo_gKj_2RzW77wE/s1600/IMG_4588.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5fqR1547LlqcJCuLKsr6TZVOcCCjtBnoIfzjaBokF9U_wKLWhwzYi68ySzmTqhIAHc7Tbn6nPGHyUoNnzFt_cJagosT6wbfePToVPRSomDHwCpVtErSypCUQgkfGCYo_gKj_2RzW77wE/s400/IMG_4588.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I didn't really know anything was off until Luke arrived home at 6 pm. He walked in and asked if everything was OK (in the way someone would if you had just inexplicably dumped a bowl of soup on your head). I gave him a thumbs-up as I lay curled-up on our new assembled couch. Without a word, he turned and got our camera.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Here are some pictures of what was going on outside of the living room: </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It turns out that things had gotten a bit...messy? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Then I heard a commotion outside. Conversation, then laughing. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Then Luke came in and said, "Someone called the police because they thought someone broke into our house...so I took a picture!"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So here are the friendly Richmond police, called by our neighbors, who saw the untidiness of our home and thought it had been broken into. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2CJMf2gqHDlPLoxHxOoLAil-SxW5HDpmJHxiVKzORL4QKQmfE5RClHuwszscctXTsIVZxUuVIlTDCn1L5RGYy6A8UedaAmMlcx1aywa0MhLtKp5sYLPGlJR_d3EynVq_MBT-27OBORgA/s1600/IMG_4622.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2CJMf2gqHDlPLoxHxOoLAil-SxW5HDpmJHxiVKzORL4QKQmfE5RClHuwszscctXTsIVZxUuVIlTDCn1L5RGYy6A8UedaAmMlcx1aywa0MhLtKp5sYLPGlJR_d3EynVq_MBT-27OBORgA/s640/IMG_4622.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">They came by, asked if we were OK (like you would if someone had just inexplicably dumped a bowl of soup on their head) and then smiled nervously and left as Luke snapped a picture.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It's enough to make you want to burrow in a cozy little corner till things are settled, yes?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This whole experience has got me thinking about the word "settled" and how briefly it actually applies to anything. Some words, like cold, or wet or young last awhile once applied. The Arctic is cold and has been and will be for a long time. The oceans are wet. My kids are young. They won't be young as long as the Arctic is cold or the oceans are wet, but longer than anything in our lives is actually settled. It's so funny to think of all the work and anxiety on my part that's gone in to getting this one word to finally apply to our lives here. Or how paralyzing it has felt to not have things settled. It's strange to think how one word, one state of order, can feel so good. And it only lasts moments. You finally move. Your new place to live is settled, but now you need to unpack. You finally unpack, but now you need places to put things. You finally have places to put things, then you get more things.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In our adventure of "(not) knowing where you're going" I thought that as time progressed, I would be able to chronicle increasing order in our lives. And this isn't completely wrong. We went from temporary housing to having a home, the kids are enrolled in school, I am sitting on a couch ;) I am grateful for all of this. But each moment of relief has been met with a new area to get "settled." It's hard to enjoy what is good when a new issue to resolve sits on the horizon. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So from now on, I hope to adopt a different point of view. It's not of my own creating, I forget who first mentioned it to me, but thank you whoever you are!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Recently, I am striving not for settled, but for better. I am trying mentally to move the "mark" from perfection to just a bit better than before. Because the truth is, everything is a bit chaotic. Even the neat and tidy gardens of England. And believing that anything I can do will truly get things to a state of being settled is silly. But I can do little things each day. The table may not be clean, but I can make it cleaner. We may not have all the furniture we'd like for our house, but we're closer. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Settled is such a mean word, I suggest that we move to referring to things as settled-er. And here, things are moving in that direction :)</span><br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03562507686043665780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7534563730831034847.post-46195111608208798262013-06-12T18:53:00.001-07:002014-01-14T04:18:25.060-08:00Therapy is expensive<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Hello, and welcome to my blog post about spiders and the fear of them. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I am writing to you from an insect tent in our living room.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We recently moved into a house in Richmond which I am super happy about. Great area, great schools, and really cute 200+ year old house. I can't believe we are actually here!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">But one thing that sobers me as I delight in the beauty and charm of our surroundings is Spiders. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I chose not to research the types of snakes, insects and spiders present in London before we moved because I wanted to spare myself the anxiety of knowing what to expect. And for our first two months here in clean temporary housing, all was well. I think I saw a tiny fly once. No problem.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We moved last Thursday. It has been crazy. Like a few 6 hour trips to IKEA via 3 or 4 trains with the kids crazy. But we are getting settled and I am aggressively trying to unpack and set-up shop for the next two years.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So for the first few days of unpacking, I saw no spiders despite the seriously gigantic holes in the floor. The floors are charming, but also more sieve than floor in some spots...a sieve meant to withhold bigger things like ...I don't know... rats, but totally designed to let through gigantic spiders. yay :(</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Two days ago, Luke casually mentioned that he found a spider in our bed. That's cool, I'm just going to do some quick (4 hours) research on how to get rid of spiders. A sleepless night ensued due to the worry that spiders were going to crawl on me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Yesterday, I found another spider. Today, I found 4.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I feel it relevant to mention that this place was professionally cleaned before we moved-in. Also that I meticulously vacuumed today and sprayed the only deterrent I could find locally all over the house. It is mint oil :( Doesn't pack the punch (death) I was hoping for, but it's something.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So I kid you not, tonight, I am sleeping in a spider-proof tent that I packed in our luggage for our journey to London. I know that sounds crazy. Laying here while the rest of my family sleeps completely unprotected from said 8-legged creatures does sound a bit...ridiculous. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Luke helped me set-up the tent, and is putting up with my phobia because as he puts it, "therapy is expensive." </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And by the way, do you know what the treatment is for arachnophobia? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">"Exposure" ...as in:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Therapist: Hi Jessica, welcome to our therapy session where I will show you pictures of spiders and then bring real ones into the room for you to enjoy. I am certain this will help.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Me: I don't like spiders.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Therapist: I know, but if you'll just look at them and let them crawl all over you I'm sure this will change.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">..<i>.and then later....</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Friend: Hey, what are you up to today?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Me: Nothing much, just got done with a therapy session to help me not be afraid of spiders.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Friend: Spiders are gross!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Me: I know, but apparently if you look at them and let them crawl on you in a "therapy context", they're not gross or creepy anymore.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Friend: You're paid for this?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">But seriously, if you knew there were big, bulky, potentially poisonous (delivery man informed me of this nice fact today) spiders in your house, could you sleep? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Also, if you think I am strange for feeling this way, let me ask you something: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">What creature would you feel comfortable with crawling all over you at night? My guess is cat or dog, not spider. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So friends, tonight I am sleeping in my spider-proof tent. And tomorrow, I will call the pest control people because therapy is expensive, pest control is cheaper, and sleeping by yourself in a tent in the living room is not a good long-term solution. But for tonight...I will actually sleep ;)</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03562507686043665780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7534563730831034847.post-26953681348534910942013-05-22T13:40:00.000-07:002013-05-22T13:42:39.647-07:00Signs<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">When wandering through a foreign location, you rely on signs to navigate, to assess the culture, to figure-out how things work. Here is a collection of what I've observed: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Sign that your child is feeling a little silly due to jet-lag: </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy2AQ5YVjsktVcHmMEHa06KyWBz1sZLZdDxquEAreenqPTOF65Ts8X66ZZWuBp4oIpV0tLyFSjHSsy1m0STa9HrgT5RRfY6OPkH2oaDbk_XpQltwK5pc87_topKgKfv9dKhyphenhyphenB7_nRcW7E/s1600/IMG_3045.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy2AQ5YVjsktVcHmMEHa06KyWBz1sZLZdDxquEAreenqPTOF65Ts8X66ZZWuBp4oIpV0tLyFSjHSsy1m0STa9HrgT5RRfY6OPkH2oaDbk_XpQltwK5pc87_topKgKfv9dKhyphenhyphenB7_nRcW7E/s320/IMG_3045.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Sign that you are drinking super fancy water:</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_DllezMj5b88XM1D6eU9kgI_zMn8mj9CFzSm1dA2VaqfxMMpRHV5TKqSLPdPKwjtlJw-feReeaEH0K05hpsugwioA1npkLi2ZJWhhR5tyUDh_qvKE8PjfFT1DJWf6AClM8zUZ7oFuSmU/s1600/IMG_3317.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_DllezMj5b88XM1D6eU9kgI_zMn8mj9CFzSm1dA2VaqfxMMpRHV5TKqSLPdPKwjtlJw-feReeaEH0K05hpsugwioA1npkLi2ZJWhhR5tyUDh_qvKE8PjfFT1DJWf6AClM8zUZ7oFuSmU/s320/IMG_3317.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Northumbria...sounds pretty fancy ;)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Sign that you have found an amazing high street:</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhObBuxrDhCiJlxLGjXEa1ddyP3N028YlEXTkZiX0kC6CZPXxAuASIIv8UODnbaK0XgML4NclxT199rL6nn_GHN_JTjU0YzaKalewOR3HD8Uyq2M9RmNq9Fg993IJ7FJENYpDNGjOGX5B8/s1600/IMG_3328.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhObBuxrDhCiJlxLGjXEa1ddyP3N028YlEXTkZiX0kC6CZPXxAuASIIv8UODnbaK0XgML4NclxT199rL6nn_GHN_JTjU0YzaKalewOR3HD8Uyq2M9RmNq9Fg993IJ7FJENYpDNGjOGX5B8/s320/IMG_3328.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">If you visit London, you must venture down this street!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Sign that you are home:</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh44Og8zovEB3kE0ePPX-Nwh9n-KcZX1IkVspUvTeUAOaq6W5r3kcjCU2m8eKCI5ZsuO15NavgDSzZqg7Ls9WXbpYbTQ89uEa80pcqYUZLwpysHmtUL9CeA645aqVL_kwXryxKayjZiIE4/s1600/IMG_3343.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh44Og8zovEB3kE0ePPX-Nwh9n-KcZX1IkVspUvTeUAOaq6W5r3kcjCU2m8eKCI5ZsuO15NavgDSzZqg7Ls9WXbpYbTQ89uEa80pcqYUZLwpysHmtUL9CeA645aqVL_kwXryxKayjZiIE4/s400/IMG_3343.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Sanctum Temp. housing...this is where we live</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Sign that you are in London, the tiny WC (wash closet) = toilet and sink all squeezed in to a room the size of a small closet:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO5hyU53Ey5hT9LoUE1rCuE5qkriskyHamO9fT6bPWYxs0tgwRnxNTn3_OKjmaNlpcPsp6dLvNQwzUEwfeOPfIQ10q8gal6li_8zm62_wSPx5sUPzGnLMv8PKatg8gQYlkUFmrjK_HF2M/s1600/IMG_3598.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO5hyU53Ey5hT9LoUE1rCuE5qkriskyHamO9fT6bPWYxs0tgwRnxNTn3_OKjmaNlpcPsp6dLvNQwzUEwfeOPfIQ10q8gal6li_8zm62_wSPx5sUPzGnLMv8PKatg8gQYlkUFmrjK_HF2M/s320/IMG_3598.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Another sign that you are in London- you've purchased a vacuum, his name is Henry, and he is adorable! </span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqnHD8GXu732xsbddyLImIkp5ZS7eMMjhAjTmx9j8yHIrVQxV_-CfG-iJlOlPem8P5USUZD-CphjUM2HL44rbDudLayC5B7rTbcBOPJuO0hS1WNm7BDdZV0iwk3Rf16v-87y7EFUxPfjg/s1600/IMG_3663.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqnHD8GXu732xsbddyLImIkp5ZS7eMMjhAjTmx9j8yHIrVQxV_-CfG-iJlOlPem8P5USUZD-CphjUM2HL44rbDudLayC5B7rTbcBOPJuO0hS1WNm7BDdZV0iwk3Rf16v-87y7EFUxPfjg/s320/IMG_3663.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">When Pearl was vacuuming today, she toted the vacuum around saying, "Come along, Henry!"</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Sign that your are close to home, our nearest tube station:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlK-zxW6STL4F_H9iw-dJPUJNtzIuUZOh3Mw4VHhCixFuG8VKgg9SAVmB1_GAmjGQIsoe9qrZvju_1GHkODyXdjz_nhNorAyPXkP2zRYp0GO492fsZzkNB9ul_uXf3sesjJkwutwemL8M/s1600/IMG_3668.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlK-zxW6STL4F_H9iw-dJPUJNtzIuUZOh3Mw4VHhCixFuG8VKgg9SAVmB1_GAmjGQIsoe9qrZvju_1GHkODyXdjz_nhNorAyPXkP2zRYp0GO492fsZzkNB9ul_uXf3sesjJkwutwemL8M/s400/IMG_3668.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Sign that the kids are excited to be on a double decker bus: </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAVppQwkUsTz6CrrifCt9HfVTOp1Sk5zCXD_4QkC4ij1uVxvyr2AH3JVPHhsel_ouJ4zGUo7tDOQdPShL45u5UYPV4FzXfz5DxvD0eMxJYTI6eWH1negEQSJTH5eMKA5O-luK25zGNo1E/s1600/IMG_3687.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAVppQwkUsTz6CrrifCt9HfVTOp1Sk5zCXD_4QkC4ij1uVxvyr2AH3JVPHhsel_ouJ4zGUo7tDOQdPShL45u5UYPV4FzXfz5DxvD0eMxJYTI6eWH1negEQSJTH5eMKA5O-luK25zGNo1E/s320/IMG_3687.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Sign that you are on South Kensington high street- Lamborghini dealership:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMYLXQ6eUGuMe46jqfAcwzv_WsbOT-kg6KgtL3gindPtq-fyHxYP8uWaAVMWbPT3ctjKaLBu48tXr51izKdPkARoLkDy2GYDb34g2mhDERsUIoWB8dlifYopU9CuoKAISI9h3g09JURqI/s1600/IMG_3793.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMYLXQ6eUGuMe46jqfAcwzv_WsbOT-kg6KgtL3gindPtq-fyHxYP8uWaAVMWbPT3ctjKaLBu48tXr51izKdPkARoLkDy2GYDb34g2mhDERsUIoWB8dlifYopU9CuoKAISI9h3g09JURqI/s320/IMG_3793.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Sign that you are about to enter an epic museum exhibit- Alan Turing...pretty rad dude!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyNoMn8wWy-6ye3OwIlEGrhFa2HYbXbZfE0DqzOxfT3CxMS3gZFAly7s2u9uZhz5ZYF2OybcpxAFcRrO63DQmyOEsJHBvgz4Q-6leVvXHJu0eLDBfS3ud1jNG4d8ESt0EeS9MHqKxK0W4/s1600/IMG_3802.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyNoMn8wWy-6ye3OwIlEGrhFa2HYbXbZfE0DqzOxfT3CxMS3gZFAly7s2u9uZhz5ZYF2OybcpxAFcRrO63DQmyOEsJHBvgz4Q-6leVvXHJu0eLDBfS3ud1jNG4d8ESt0EeS9MHqKxK0W4/s320/IMG_3802.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Sign that your CD player is ancient i.e. there is a model of your CD player in the oldies section of the Science Museum:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdZOoz4_tlKvBF0p_cvddJl7W_Gaxwt7D9v4hyphenhyphenpWfXCNZm0Ma8XJtheQYUfYFOf4ZnZtX6czHc8x-Ad-m8f3-zAD8euZFROmp-3el1wvzOdanSYfVTE_gY2bVJweEc-TQ92DIe-EKQiHY/s1600/IMG_3809.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdZOoz4_tlKvBF0p_cvddJl7W_Gaxwt7D9v4hyphenhyphenpWfXCNZm0Ma8XJtheQYUfYFOf4ZnZtX6czHc8x-Ad-m8f3-zAD8euZFROmp-3el1wvzOdanSYfVTE_gY2bVJweEc-TQ92DIe-EKQiHY/s400/IMG_3809.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Sign that you must stop hoarding by the end of the month:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi7bK_W9po-MlcZi_GP4dXoaEv1OWq6_Ta4AOzWxCMwlftCbVUfekXXPBzB0wizgPoIJPEGxU2Ei7T9SiXNaaLInkiWB8FKDV3VJwiRICU3L3ZHfuINJcN-StdAo57QuNR-yUs3oW3Wzk/s1600/IMG_3881.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi7bK_W9po-MlcZi_GP4dXoaEv1OWq6_Ta4AOzWxCMwlftCbVUfekXXPBzB0wizgPoIJPEGxU2Ei7T9SiXNaaLInkiWB8FKDV3VJwiRICU3L3ZHfuINJcN-StdAo57QuNR-yUs3oW3Wzk/s320/IMG_3881.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I don't know what to say about this one except that it's pretty awesome and hilarious for kids that can read:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3AyOnd9BsIGMTvcyJVnOjsMkOJqIiw0E8dGag4T8ybxehjJZ-Fo6gAZ4idlMirnHdcoPlAprGt0SkbbyRZHsFqEO_CbqvhyphenhyphenR8C8tat9qXqPLV9zH5AoyDvTvWrchtjfOyLtxjLR5HMeE/s1600/IMG_3875.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3AyOnd9BsIGMTvcyJVnOjsMkOJqIiw0E8dGag4T8ybxehjJZ-Fo6gAZ4idlMirnHdcoPlAprGt0SkbbyRZHsFqEO_CbqvhyphenhyphenR8C8tat9qXqPLV9zH5AoyDvTvWrchtjfOyLtxjLR5HMeE/s320/IMG_3875.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Sign that perhaps you've adventured a bit too much for a day:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4lT6iRYq0XOzQ5k05I2zpiIUBfVN-R6D2o_wjtZi-FVP2Y0iHuJ6Wz6OHtf2HuzXiT0Z-J8ZUVKBM26j-e2kO_YQI8A1X6RUo_EttvdinM70RgpoeyrHwqtjq8XH0OUpPtNVchGR8izw/s1600/IMG_4038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4lT6iRYq0XOzQ5k05I2zpiIUBfVN-R6D2o_wjtZi-FVP2Y0iHuJ6Wz6OHtf2HuzXiT0Z-J8ZUVKBM26j-e2kO_YQI8A1X6RUo_EttvdinM70RgpoeyrHwqtjq8XH0OUpPtNVchGR8izw/s320/IMG_4038.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGRd8xjkGoR1HRccq4p38MyQHX2rH5UYuDN4A8mnDaFbqN2dQP1CYn3sW4CD_-oXF5Hun6lwfxsZULGg-22rKIxjvpi85eZod_uSJDlwiFBjYm8IpGgPILX_XYNnjAdgRYHzgXn9nx-Jk/s1600/IMG_4039.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGRd8xjkGoR1HRccq4p38MyQHX2rH5UYuDN4A8mnDaFbqN2dQP1CYn3sW4CD_-oXF5Hun6lwfxsZULGg-22rKIxjvpi85eZod_uSJDlwiFBjYm8IpGgPILX_XYNnjAdgRYHzgXn9nx-Jk/s320/IMG_4039.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Sign that you miss your best friend: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiswW-66jIM_GPTVsv0iZdFAVcVe1KDopqURQZFlDr_yAuOYdrQuQw3UQ60n91D7A6SUQEjCq6oyZ5SE-Unu8XWxEYgM80GaB4HypNHALoCogBJOJERPZu809fatOwtwzPCh-jFNQGhPO8/s1600/IMG_4048.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiswW-66jIM_GPTVsv0iZdFAVcVe1KDopqURQZFlDr_yAuOYdrQuQw3UQ60n91D7A6SUQEjCq6oyZ5SE-Unu8XWxEYgM80GaB4HypNHALoCogBJOJERPZu809fatOwtwzPCh-jFNQGhPO8/s320/IMG_4048.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh02-hUPzzDPD7V-QMakYbqFYATpGGi-YTswngH3tE2ryj1qjoU1trsyIHbF3PqzVHzQj6KnkPIPRZVsFxxKQytARwiun4Q7Eb4qaLuUps4w789SXiFPPwPyt82BV82G30I9tLqCgJC-c4/s1600/IMG_4049.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh02-hUPzzDPD7V-QMakYbqFYATpGGi-YTswngH3tE2ryj1qjoU1trsyIHbF3PqzVHzQj6KnkPIPRZVsFxxKQytARwiun4Q7Eb4qaLuUps4w789SXiFPPwPyt82BV82G30I9tLqCgJC-c4/s320/IMG_4049.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Sign that you are now drinking from a British juice box- jokes that can only be understood if you say the punch-line with a very pronounced, almost Australian accent:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLnboQk7CJgJkT50cwwH6KG1I9mpDJ8K4Jb1C63QfmxJ2Q5J-zHCwBf9mYCka5VooKnH1qw0z54rGbwB8T03VKRU9cQKMtMr8uWCiHpO7SGLbdhW2vM92JQjrWnQFrkXM57Nbkp54MX6k/s1600/IMG_4120.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLnboQk7CJgJkT50cwwH6KG1I9mpDJ8K4Jb1C63QfmxJ2Q5J-zHCwBf9mYCka5VooKnH1qw0z54rGbwB8T03VKRU9cQKMtMr8uWCiHpO7SGLbdhW2vM92JQjrWnQFrkXM57Nbkp54MX6k/s400/IMG_4120.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Sign that you really, really want to be in a home and not in temporary housing: </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Eva creating a picture of a home for us to live in</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNrp_XOj01KmFtAZR3twOdjAOR17JLLL3tsktb4Cw59HNbkC03mE6RhyphenhyphenkDdS1gDSDbpy59rVmCvaPDrRvwQKX8umeK1MiC5SxfPKm7MvZkjAaA8o-i5yNjtTvGrh6AT3dvBSKUSbw3mv8/s1600/IMG_4129.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNrp_XOj01KmFtAZR3twOdjAOR17JLLL3tsktb4Cw59HNbkC03mE6RhyphenhyphenkDdS1gDSDbpy59rVmCvaPDrRvwQKX8umeK1MiC5SxfPKm7MvZkjAaA8o-i5yNjtTvGrh6AT3dvBSKUSbw3mv8/s400/IMG_4129.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Finished product</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We are close to actually having a home, hoping to sign papers by the end of the week :)</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03562507686043665780noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7534563730831034847.post-56244375334507002982013-05-18T04:08:00.000-07:002014-01-08T03:44:58.698-08:00Literally, not knowing where you're going<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I've been meaning to post something for over a week, but Luke left for a business trip to Prague last Monday, and since then it's been kinda bananas. I've got a few posts worth of stuff from that time, but decided I should first set the tone for Luke's departure, starting with last Friday.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We've been here for about 6 weeks. We left our home on March 29th, lived in a hotel until April 3rd, stayed with Luke's parents until April 9th and have since been in temporary housing. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Now, this is a very fun and exciting adventure, and I'm very happy to be here. But one difficult part of this journey has been having the kids out of school, away from friends and family, etc... for this whole time. Each week day since we've been here, Luke goes to work for his own new and exciting adventures and I am here with the kids trying to create new and exciting adventures each day. We've been to countless parks, seen lots of really old stuff, had nuggets and fries at many pubs, visited toy stores, a zoo and a museum. By Friday, I was feeling a bit fatigued and overwhelmed because while being here is great, we have no real schedule outside of what I create-and the scheduler part of my brain threatened to quit.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">But a nice woman comes in to clean on Fridays and for this to happen the kids and I have to leave. So I told Scheduler that we really needed to do something, because we couldn't very well go stand on the street for 2 hours. Scheduler dug deep, threw up her hands, and said, "OK, let's just go walk along the Thames, we don't need to plan too much for that." </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Ha, ha, ha...actually, you do</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The Thames is really long and there is a lot to see, so I narrowed down one area aiming to take the kids to see the Tower Bridge. We took the Tube to get near the bridge and upon departing the station, immediately stumbled upon St. Paul's Cathedral. Things like this happen all of the time while we're exploring London. You look to your left, or look to your right, or just turn in a circle and all around you are beautiful old buildings, monuments and statues. Inevitably, what you set out to do gets side-tracked by exploring (sometimes climbing) these sights. So en-route to the Thames, we explored St. Paul's from the outside (admission is about $80/family so we didn't go in).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> We ate lunch on the steps of St. Paul's and then asked some locals for directions to the Thames. They weren't the best directions, but hey, these kids "love" extra walking.</span><br />
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After a few detours, we made it to the Thames- YAY!!!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Pearl has decided that each picture taken of her needs to involve some sort of fabulous pose!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> What happened next involved a map and a part of my brain that is both enthusiastic and completely wrong most of the time. Her name is Navigator. Navigator consults maps but mostly chooses directions based on feeling, like "I feel like there's a gigantic bridge this way. I've glanced at the map for a moment and I think I'm right. Onward!"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">To help illustrate this particular part of our adventure, I've borrowed a few characters from the toy box. I'm the one with the backpack in hand and sword in the other. Sword, because we're in London and I'm pretty sure there were some Roman soldiers hundreds of years ago traversing the Thames. Backpack, because I'm always carrying at least 2 bags of stuff.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">So we reached the water and Navigator, feeling confident, pointed the sword and said, "this way!"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">But after about 10 minutes of walking, I didn't see the Tower bridge which I expected was close so I apologized to the kids (still loving all the walking) and we turned around to go the opposite direction...which I now know was away from the Tower Bridge.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Now we're walking in the opposite direction and Navigator is still feeling a disproportionate amount of confidence despite a minor set back. Mac lets me know, "this bridge better be worth it."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">After walking for another 10 minutes, I am seeing the Waterloo Bridge, not the Tower Bridge and I realize we've got a problem.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The kids no longer love walking, Mac is saying, "I don't think this bridge is worth it," and Navigator is now feeling a bit of panic and remembering the lesson learned over a lifetime of trying to find places - Navigator...you don't know what you're doing :(</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">So we're on the Thames, 45 minutes from home, tired and hungry.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Then Navigator remembered that she should turn the map so that it's pointing the direction she's facing. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">So I turned the map around and realized that we were going the right way from the start. I apologized once again, told the kids that the bridge was actually back the other way and that mommy was looking at the map the wrong way. They weren't pleased.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">But we carried on and walked for a really long time, because Navigator also didn't realize that the Tower Bridge was about a 25 minute walk from where we started.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> After a lot of walking, we finally saw the bridge off in the distance.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> But we were tired and Mac was still unconvinced that our walk was worth it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">More walking and we finally made it to the Tower of London! It looks really cool from the outside, but once again, family admission is about $80 so we opted for a quick trip to the gift shop (which always miraculously gives the kids more energy).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Then we danced and played on the carefully manicured landscaping.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> Eva even found a snail, just like home. The kids are now beginning to enjoy themselves and forget the hour or so of walking it took to get here.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Then we crossed the beautiful Tower Bridge. I didn't ask if it was worth it, but I think all the kids were enjoying themselves, even Mac.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> After crossing the bridge and spending a bit of time in Southwark, we took the Tube back across the river to meet Luke for dinner. By this time, Navigator and Scheduler are completely exhausted. We need a break. But first, Navigator has one more job and that is to tell Luke where to meet us. Seems easy enough, we are at Bank station, just outside. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Luke gets on the Tube and departs at Bank. But there is a problem, he doesn't see us. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">After our 4 hour adventure, the kids are tired, restless and climbing the buildings in their now soot covered clothing - they look like chimney sweeps right out of Mary Poppins. So while this is going on, I'm try to tell Luke where we are:</span><br />
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Me: <em>We're right outside the station.</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Luke: <em>I don't see you.</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Me: <em>OK, we're next to a really big monument.</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Luke: <em>(a bit exasperated) There are a lot of really big monuments.</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Me: <em>I know (now I'm getting a bit silly from exhaustion) but this one is really big and has like a golden flame thing on the top!</em></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Fire monument</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Luke: <em>I see a horse and some soldiers.</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Me: <em>No, this one is cubical at the base and has a long column like a pillar and on the top there's a big gold thing that represents fire for the big fire that happened here a long time ago.</em></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
Luke:<em> Are you sure you're at Bank?</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Me: <em>(Navigator feels offended) Yes, I got off at Bank, it says so right here on my map!</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Luke: <em>OK, tell me a business that you're near.</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Me: <em>Boots</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Luke: <em>If I search for Boots it's going to return a bunch of random search results...I need something better.</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Me: <em>OK, The Scottish Bespoke House of Lords Bank (I made that up, I don't remember the name).</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Luke: <em>OK, that's about a 10 minute walk from where I am.</em></span><br />
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So we waited 10 minutes, kids continuing to Swiffer every dirty surface on the buildings around us. Then Luke arrived and informed me that we were at Monument Station, not Bank. </span><br />
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Bank is in the financial district, which closes down almost completely after 6pm. After wandering around for another hour looking for an affordable meal, we took the tube home, ate a quick snack and crashed.</span><br />
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I found a greeting card that I think best describes us. When I look at it, I can laugh at all of the ups and downs and wrong directions that happen each day:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03562507686043665780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7534563730831034847.post-55609409339995666882013-05-06T17:40:00.002-07:002013-05-07T03:03:29.869-07:00Bits and Bobs<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We've been in London for almost a month! Hard to believe that time has passes so quickly. While I'm no expert in London or the people or culture, I thought I'd do a quick post on what we've discovered so far- great things, curious things and not so great things. Also a bunch of pictures of the kids- because let's face it, watching the kids enjoy the city is pretty much the best part...and the pubs ;)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I think we've been to a park almost every single day we've been here. With no school and very little structure, it is a way to both see the city and give the kids time to wiggle. London is huge and busy, but breaking-up all this busyness are many, many parks- and they are all awesome!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">They're awesome because: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1. They are completely fenced-in. Now I don't mean a tiny little wooden fence, or a partial fence, or a fence that could be scaled by say, a 6 year old who loves to climb. I'm talking 8 ft. tall stone wall surrounding the entire park with gated entries. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">2. They have something for everyone. There are vast expanses of green grass for lounging and enjoying the weather (when it's nice). There are play areas, fountains, statues, wildlife, lots of dogs and maps to help you navigate. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">3. The play areas are completely fenced-in. There is only one way to get in, there is a large fence surrounding the play area that is usually composed of tall iron fencing combined with a prickly hedge that no child would dare tackle. That means that as a parent you can sit on a bench in an unfamiliar city, watch your children play and have no fear of them escaping the play area and no fear of the running into traffic.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">4. Londoners take their play areas seriously. They are amazing and creative and well kept. Want to climb a gigantic life-size pirate ship? There's a park for that! Want to play in a gigantic tree house? There's a park for that! Want to climb trees with a backdrop of Buckingham Palace, there's a park for that too! Want to walk up to an entire herd of wild deer- yep...go for it! Want a zoo in your park...let's do it!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Here are some pictures of the parks we've visited: </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgegw31nav-vVVf8maChtplyPwngo8eiFtFE6r48QmyeisXYKZuVj0P_auw8HnzY44RK7NsIZ6dg0LWx-QnTtHIsXYYGW-3N3489uWuQb-G27kGjazQ9VkLvD2Gto8idEwIUW3E2o8Pa9w/s1600/IMG_3824.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgegw31nav-vVVf8maChtplyPwngo8eiFtFE6r48QmyeisXYKZuVj0P_auw8HnzY44RK7NsIZ6dg0LWx-QnTtHIsXYYGW-3N3489uWuQb-G27kGjazQ9VkLvD2Gto8idEwIUW3E2o8Pa9w/s320/IMG_3824.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Park with a beautiful old church in the backdrop</span></td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBT7H3g3CRoeb8ZZMRzxsGmHnKRNGzsYzlP-SXUsxloFBEQjxoRiPavEBHoErp30dI_Gqx3EgeKwp_7kghhVhOkuFSYTpr2I6incGqLKSz_ItpriiPuUDBzKzz99U1-J8oQ1WWHFtqwbE/s1600/IMG_3831.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBT7H3g3CRoeb8ZZMRzxsGmHnKRNGzsYzlP-SXUsxloFBEQjxoRiPavEBHoErp30dI_Gqx3EgeKwp_7kghhVhOkuFSYTpr2I6incGqLKSz_ItpriiPuUDBzKzz99U1-J8oQ1WWHFtqwbE/s320/IMG_3831.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Notice the fence/hedge</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKe-hQZUzAsCMzCpNc4SAxMIE1iAEXMD6wEFlcDAs_D0TnWZkWhOQgHzYEnuWRuq_-VZDDFzN6XhaqQq5yMAug-T9N4voBD-eEB0Zl6X244gEESkDtJofegvxPj6cr92qOPLltQZ13KsQ/s1600/IMG_3136.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKe-hQZUzAsCMzCpNc4SAxMIE1iAEXMD6wEFlcDAs_D0TnWZkWhOQgHzYEnuWRuq_-VZDDFzN6XhaqQq5yMAug-T9N4voBD-eEB0Zl6X244gEESkDtJofegvxPj6cr92qOPLltQZ13KsQ/s320/IMG_3136.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Those are real deer, there are about 20 of them, and we are really close. Richmond Deer Park!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGN6pBV9drO38nTocGrRDVAaUMnCg4Swoir31KIz7OIzmUrT2w0kN-kwdneGPmBwS4_YSBN9G35jJ3dTDkwBF-O5H9rYnZBF9LX785TnER9BkE473hVfRZ1Q2k3ZsoaxBvcV67l9mP-dU/s1600/IMG_3236.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGN6pBV9drO38nTocGrRDVAaUMnCg4Swoir31KIz7OIzmUrT2w0kN-kwdneGPmBwS4_YSBN9G35jJ3dTDkwBF-O5H9rYnZBF9LX785TnER9BkE473hVfRZ1Q2k3ZsoaxBvcV67l9mP-dU/s320/IMG_3236.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Buckingham Palace in the background</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSOmDiZmeJj-1qswR0dJlxu8J3QI8g_o8iycsBcf_LL34aq7V8mny0J8wDXiDLUi1yFoJKpj3Dn9QTExAwBE6F9kAqWiu1OCfoXYqJT-MrDI_Yzgzy5gfDxuj9nTy2HkKmKIgAhrYObq8/s1600/IMG_3252.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSOmDiZmeJj-1qswR0dJlxu8J3QI8g_o8iycsBcf_LL34aq7V8mny0J8wDXiDLUi1yFoJKpj3Dn9QTExAwBE6F9kAqWiu1OCfoXYqJT-MrDI_Yzgzy5gfDxuj9nTy2HkKmKIgAhrYObq8/s320/IMG_3252.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Canada put this installation in St. James park. Your're not supposed to play on it, but.....com'on...it's basically a gigantic granite slide with maple leaves ;)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwNz_E_QarpylFaLH_ZIZ0HJz4h2_MKRclBvwabpZ_BmjW8fPaQdBS4M2Bl3hkbJgjf6pLRuTSB96jIbbi4izLEZPkoqq8HQyEGJBPaUfohq-2N9rtwSPUAOOoBEOMuxF4x_za9zOPcCo/s1600/IMG_3678.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwNz_E_QarpylFaLH_ZIZ0HJz4h2_MKRclBvwabpZ_BmjW8fPaQdBS4M2Bl3hkbJgjf6pLRuTSB96jIbbi4izLEZPkoqq8HQyEGJBPaUfohq-2N9rtwSPUAOOoBEOMuxF4x_za9zOPcCo/s320/IMG_3678.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Iron gated wall around the park. Tried to climb, but couldn't pass over. Parents FTW!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTQj65zmdBJT2yFEp2CcWrZ0GbCcC72iHOwTSRNdz4m_s-9KLTMzvUgxkWsseAId-qC8On2v3XlbrE0T4rGBV1d5iEZafvZFQIV0DlOiC9CXWHSR0hTzy-0QrpNnvh1UNR_fFP2zverxk/s1600/IMG_3697.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTQj65zmdBJT2yFEp2CcWrZ0GbCcC72iHOwTSRNdz4m_s-9KLTMzvUgxkWsseAId-qC8On2v3XlbrE0T4rGBV1d5iEZafvZFQIV0DlOiC9CXWHSR0hTzy-0QrpNnvh1UNR_fFP2zverxk/s320/IMG_3697.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Tree climbing!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHZTmPN-mEgsWrYg47Lf1ei8d-OxjG_tH5qomFPM4r1iyepJ-vAOhB99paZiJmPWFg22lLtECtYFIZ8zHBqT2D_dhqU3VEu9C7eOSHE67YxEt9whXXzXeAneQDGUXlvhAjb3-IOsKw1rU/s1600/IMG_3715.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHZTmPN-mEgsWrYg47Lf1ei8d-OxjG_tH5qomFPM4r1iyepJ-vAOhB99paZiJmPWFg22lLtECtYFIZ8zHBqT2D_dhqU3VEu9C7eOSHE67YxEt9whXXzXeAneQDGUXlvhAjb3-IOsKw1rU/s320/IMG_3715.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Meerkat zoo at Battersea Park</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMbTKKfo1LVTUUpR0ApHQ6pigciARNVOMmEyGZT6gk7LiAnkBRRxuYtHxYyEyHJ8olMyA2CC2w7veNl6u4EqaQOC0HCDFQuPIVFoYo5Xf-ODRupq6BBiCyW0DBLVPT1yDVpOGEWLxMjPw/s1600/IMG_3725.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMbTKKfo1LVTUUpR0ApHQ6pigciARNVOMmEyGZT6gk7LiAnkBRRxuYtHxYyEyHJ8olMyA2CC2w7veNl6u4EqaQOC0HCDFQuPIVFoYo5Xf-ODRupq6BBiCyW0DBLVPT1yDVpOGEWLxMjPw/s320/IMG_3725.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Perfectly manicured lawn. Girls stand in awe...</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF2eu7DczIrWAADpS22qb2_Yat11ulDhv4Y_dmyRjmAlaeswozF_fJkFHKWxdcpojmGirOj7j0lPmhgPaICzCDJLSo3IZ2apgYxqDNKzX900AxDPziKFiZue_HftJk4vH9rU6PAP3zq8E/s1600/IMG_3727.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF2eu7DczIrWAADpS22qb2_Yat11ulDhv4Y_dmyRjmAlaeswozF_fJkFHKWxdcpojmGirOj7j0lPmhgPaICzCDJLSo3IZ2apgYxqDNKzX900AxDPziKFiZue_HftJk4vH9rU6PAP3zq8E/s320/IMG_3727.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Gigantic bird play structure!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBvPmNKCZZ594doLiHorJApQHUl9tdZ9J2ou6jvarzaT7dZR2zLBs2N2NCms4xAMVVQB0wnP6aDfTpgzSddl7PVRa5YhCeS8DAlHK-Jb0OKPKY497xTtkKJ4Ca5AZSzn1Vp_JLF7gEGIg/s1600/IMG_3728.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBvPmNKCZZ594doLiHorJApQHUl9tdZ9J2ou6jvarzaT7dZR2zLBs2N2NCms4xAMVVQB0wnP6aDfTpgzSddl7PVRa5YhCeS8DAlHK-Jb0OKPKY497xTtkKJ4Ca5AZSzn1Vp_JLF7gEGIg/s320/IMG_3728.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Fencing!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDsOqr3WC702FpsomcvPzetQ0EVBYA2oQ0z3mlD7vi_bG-lzlKv1E_f51Jzr7D-P_plDSEZjBOP4T7uXHmKVsUtWkEIMiudn7-Py-qNmWfpiBK2BrKAXlggO6qkx8STZdCRVRtzvBdX1g/s1600/IMG_3192.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDsOqr3WC702FpsomcvPzetQ0EVBYA2oQ0z3mlD7vi_bG-lzlKv1E_f51Jzr7D-P_plDSEZjBOP4T7uXHmKVsUtWkEIMiudn7-Py-qNmWfpiBK2BrKAXlggO6qkx8STZdCRVRtzvBdX1g/s320/IMG_3192.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Jumping through fields of daffodils!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Next up: Food!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">More specifically, grocery shopping. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We are currently in Kilburn Park. Not a source of the largest or greatest grocery stores, but an abundant source of good, fresh food.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">What's been surprising to me is how little frozen food there is here. Even our version of a mini-mart (Tesco Express), has a substantial fresh food section. It's hard to find frozen food here at all. If you want a pizza, it's fresh. If you want curry, it's fresh. If you want a sandwich, or 2 or 3 or 10, they're all fresh! This is amazing, especially since our kitchen is a super depressing place to cook (dark, dark, dark). Some of the best curry we've have has been from the Tesco Express. A lot of the food is also local and marked as such. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We've been hungry, especially the kids. This seems normal for the amount of walking and playing we do each day. For awhile I couldn't figure-out what was missing from their diet, but then it struck me. There are no crackers here. Ritz-no, Goldfish-no, Triscuit-no! The snack-time staple of salty, cheezy carackers is not available here. What you can find are aisles and aisles of biscuits (cookies). I feel bad giving the kids what I would consider dessert for a snack, but I think that's the direction we'll need to go, because there are seriously no crackers!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFGV_lYIrAcPaZEf_PoW1tEFiCwSdVxh1iwo1N5P1-i2u9T7q091Fwd2mxqs_oar2rIcutrxxg4FvC-PHpcoe6mXNQKkLAkQyq5rNMpypGSnrkmmpShMG-gdugR_RVJOJaSIyvg8wPDOQ/s1600/IMG_3642+-+Copy+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFGV_lYIrAcPaZEf_PoW1tEFiCwSdVxh1iwo1N5P1-i2u9T7q091Fwd2mxqs_oar2rIcutrxxg4FvC-PHpcoe6mXNQKkLAkQyq5rNMpypGSnrkmmpShMG-gdugR_RVJOJaSIyvg8wPDOQ/s320/IMG_3642+-+Copy+-+Copy.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Yummy and affordable fresh fruit and veggies!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Ditto prepared food</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The Isle of Biscuits</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcGZompvAskNhuO-6H-QUD8WvwLrrQMqeTItcsT-U3HwCfEGCDd34L7OeOmKcTrWHLpu39g0SR8j-ZF6rv57DJELIz9tXylxS9x1WWolJdsKEocJ5tSx2izBLQCudBnFOnc44lWrc7LV8/s1600/IMG_3652+-+Copy+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcGZompvAskNhuO-6H-QUD8WvwLrrQMqeTItcsT-U3HwCfEGCDd34L7OeOmKcTrWHLpu39g0SR8j-ZF6rv57DJELIz9tXylxS9x1WWolJdsKEocJ5tSx2izBLQCudBnFOnc44lWrc7LV8/s320/IMG_3652+-+Copy+-+Copy.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Another Isle of Biscuits!</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJk6PbihwYVMNOJtYZxW1D47lCOmM46Dw77WT-dn_QJSM0uUGX593JhR4gjbVfCUykj02a7oc4zeBqaGkxwwDOFMY8cfLKr_-iZr6s2L3Nv-F3MJdm8XlVjp9NJA2nF0NG9gL_-YM3PRw/s1600/IMG_3649+-+Copy+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJk6PbihwYVMNOJtYZxW1D47lCOmM46Dw77WT-dn_QJSM0uUGX593JhR4gjbVfCUykj02a7oc4zeBqaGkxwwDOFMY8cfLKr_-iZr6s2L3Nv-F3MJdm8XlVjp9NJA2nF0NG9gL_-YM3PRw/s320/IMG_3649+-+Copy+-+Copy.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Tiny section of crackers :(</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUVcvQ3Q3Kx4PzPjpRLgRu_b_1PGkOZzE3nD5UpnWLZgOeMBcz7CYUUowgyEB2M7g2leVASGhHMQUimYcryvlEh_MWcLCdO3ox_f8fCIRmpm0O7T1tmXlGEMDfsKiu3nfzzDBr0Ybq2Ek/s1600/IMG_3647+-+Copy+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUVcvQ3Q3Kx4PzPjpRLgRu_b_1PGkOZzE3nD5UpnWLZgOeMBcz7CYUUowgyEB2M7g2leVASGhHMQUimYcryvlEh_MWcLCdO3ox_f8fCIRmpm0O7T1tmXlGEMDfsKiu3nfzzDBr0Ybq2Ek/s320/IMG_3647+-+Copy+-+Copy.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Doritoes-no, Lays-no...but Sweet Thai Chili crisps, Ham crisps, Chicken and Thyme crisps- YES!!!</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh5u0C3meR3B4v846Hlj9E5x7DFb0sIdaZaThspN2ONYk5ymnOsj0-pzfboF4cvmh1xrqms1TYprmE0OoZXwK6dhVVNiRU-sfi90q5r_lnliPn82famEJ9XPoTIQyAt60WH8MSApbHtCs/s1600/IMG_3650+-+Copy+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh5u0C3meR3B4v846Hlj9E5x7DFb0sIdaZaThspN2ONYk5ymnOsj0-pzfboF4cvmh1xrqms1TYprmE0OoZXwK6dhVVNiRU-sfi90q5r_lnliPn82famEJ9XPoTIQyAt60WH8MSApbHtCs/s320/IMG_3650+-+Copy+-+Copy.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">No Ranch dressing! Not cool London, not cool</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAVthLIJR97DjlrjShpNXd_Di3b5Mp1LA6haIE6IbCAK1E6OgOmQ3NhUPiyzy6-VQ4kZpcydnV9BVhi6YxTsUTd78jR_4pcF_iBhkjywxLkxIk5tMXQU4caH5VkbTnRTU0LTylhqpJ4so/s1600/IMG_3651+-+Copy+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAVthLIJR97DjlrjShpNXd_Di3b5Mp1LA6haIE6IbCAK1E6OgOmQ3NhUPiyzy6-VQ4kZpcydnV9BVhi6YxTsUTd78jR_4pcF_iBhkjywxLkxIk5tMXQU4caH5VkbTnRTU0LTylhqpJ4so/s320/IMG_3651+-+Copy+-+Copy.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Mac is surprised and excited to find the cake aisle :)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEickmn3d_Dq5sE3Yk2Hh7MVN7NeBA5ztECvrh_pTfLifW9aqfb57PRrqbFoNAbGMv0Q3YiQhRdHR2CoUpPekNGbiFDlNZc4JvXEtLoxSZ5tr9IJyD_md4QQjsx1mU6j8fcEsDs78pODEdo/s1600/IMG_3653+-+Copy+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEickmn3d_Dq5sE3Yk2Hh7MVN7NeBA5ztECvrh_pTfLifW9aqfb57PRrqbFoNAbGMv0Q3YiQhRdHR2CoUpPekNGbiFDlNZc4JvXEtLoxSZ5tr9IJyD_md4QQjsx1mU6j8fcEsDs78pODEdo/s320/IMG_3653+-+Copy+-+Copy.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Pizza!</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidkY46DgpIk-nzIMnBvyit72-Bx_Qb1527CokZgWxOarUqeNlU6zkt6yCUPdVEmWWIdrFSGqXnISyNACs86aspqzt9Yvug9LxTq159mS9BoIZ4K5iG8JQDcfy4suU8LAmKlNMtuENJlm8/s1600/IMG_3655+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidkY46DgpIk-nzIMnBvyit72-Bx_Qb1527CokZgWxOarUqeNlU6zkt6yCUPdVEmWWIdrFSGqXnISyNACs86aspqzt9Yvug9LxTq159mS9BoIZ4K5iG8JQDcfy4suU8LAmKlNMtuENJlm8/s320/IMG_3655+-+Copy.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Basil, where did it come from? West Sussex. Who grew it? Stewart Ross :) Thanks Stewart!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6nBw3qjukxlO7wL0ccxwkrVg3KCSAKXW-Ml4y9kopzwZTFZ6AIlGJRUAZLgwOt3x3xNN7Y8hk7pZ2Ac1gJmwEYAKf_W0pmth4LIhQLiZfocuoE_YIXQTl6fBCDnIkP75Bwj54NBcYBRQ/s1600/IMG_3313.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6nBw3qjukxlO7wL0ccxwkrVg3KCSAKXW-Ml4y9kopzwZTFZ6AIlGJRUAZLgwOt3x3xNN7Y8hk7pZ2Ac1gJmwEYAKf_W0pmth4LIhQLiZfocuoE_YIXQTl6fBCDnIkP75Bwj54NBcYBRQ/s320/IMG_3313.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Our grocery bags also have the Queen and Prince's stamp of approval- very proper!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Now there are a few things that are sub-optimal. Certainly not awful, but they'll take some getting used to. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">First off, our washer/dryer. I say washer/dryer because it is just that, a washer and dryer in one! Sounds great, right? Except that it has heard more swear words from me (and management) than all other appliances in the flat. It is mean and confusing and likes to play games with me...like holding wet clothes hostage behind locked door until IT feels ready to unlock the door. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Meet evil washer/dryer:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht85nLU7tDLr_Zmo1cL9Q6C7F3J-36rEJqCpktDq5CtWOce2vi9YRSZiAwdEB4oAnSRDkBBZJGnt6aTqo7fBZtGwcfjWOpVC93xNaCNTrEYhsi1Awk7FaIV-C28GPr12F4Kldj7CMeiUE/s1600/IMG_3659+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht85nLU7tDLr_Zmo1cL9Q6C7F3J-36rEJqCpktDq5CtWOce2vi9YRSZiAwdEB4oAnSRDkBBZJGnt6aTqo7fBZtGwcfjWOpVC93xNaCNTrEYhsi1Awk7FaIV-C28GPr12F4Kldj7CMeiUE/s320/IMG_3659+-+Copy.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Washer/Dryer does wash clothes, when you can figure-out the elaborate system of buttons, and when you've pressed said buttons in the correct order. If not, Washer/Dryer will hold your clothes hostage until you swear at it, push even more buttons, and eventually call maintenance so they can swear at Washer/Dryer and press more buttons.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI4haVEXtagVFejXVOFanv4S5EOLfv2FyUk9qokXLegt0VWlX7iVTqBtGGtZOBpTIdAynCUbHkHTKkOo4zXba-b_szHO66GwrsoO1QMASAZeedgf9pB27obsMJuh_lcSPSWzg8jY3HETw/s1600/IMG_3660.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI4haVEXtagVFejXVOFanv4S5EOLfv2FyUk9qokXLegt0VWlX7iVTqBtGGtZOBpTIdAynCUbHkHTKkOo4zXba-b_szHO66GwrsoO1QMASAZeedgf9pB27obsMJuh_lcSPSWzg8jY3HETw/s320/IMG_3660.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Washer/Dryer also only holds about 2 loaves of bread and a bag of crisps worth of laundry...not nice :(</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">When Washer/Dryer says the clothes are dried, it's lying. They are not dry. They have shrunk considerably, but are still damp. There are not many appliances we miss from home, but our Washer and Dryer (happy, healthy, friendly, functional) are some of them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">These are a few bits and bobs. There are many more, but these were the most entertaining that I could think of right now. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We have been in London for almost a month and we are still just taking it all in- the food, the grocery stores, the parks, the appliances. We're enjoying each day for all of the fun and minor frustration that it presents and overall we're very excited to be here. </span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03562507686043665780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7534563730831034847.post-21806750947882945612013-05-03T17:02:00.000-07:002013-05-03T17:02:59.675-07:00Exploring Richmond<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Here are some photos of the kids and I exploring Richmond.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We began by riding our scooters down a lovely hill near the water. Scooters make navigating London with the kids a lot easier!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg1ivXplHsYJWEyOXqbG2JIJiIqJypdCqnsF-Bevxk6g5pvlKc3iCUXROpH_isbdQ32x-x7yeXidffr6r5jHOl6BTi6yI_QEsdgc-kcdRyE9K_suK3t3ZBB92k-uFhbErSuw2-tJxjtB4/s1600/IMG_3745+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg1ivXplHsYJWEyOXqbG2JIJiIqJypdCqnsF-Bevxk6g5pvlKc3iCUXROpH_isbdQ32x-x7yeXidffr6r5jHOl6BTi6yI_QEsdgc-kcdRyE9K_suK3t3ZBB92k-uFhbErSuw2-tJxjtB4/s320/IMG_3745+-+Copy.JPG" width="213" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> We arrived at the Thames in search of food and a sunny spot to relax.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTJAeIXiukAerjtYpd3ZgGMwCFuzMXPF09PsDWvwLlNcPRx5XaXA4Qiv7xFpEYMCl8rg0pgoRYW96MkqCfZEFBtpY8qTbk_aV-zTi0Z0iMmekH9563e2QpIJ9fszH55E2MyoSGFIuliG4/s1600/IMG_3750+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTJAeIXiukAerjtYpd3ZgGMwCFuzMXPF09PsDWvwLlNcPRx5XaXA4Qiv7xFpEYMCl8rg0pgoRYW96MkqCfZEFBtpY8qTbk_aV-zTi0Z0iMmekH9563e2QpIJ9fszH55E2MyoSGFIuliG4/s320/IMG_3750+-+Copy.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> We found a spot at a place called the Slug and Lettuce...the name doesn't evoke the happiest feelings about eating, but the food was good! Pearl took my picture here.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYthQUNYJd4h_y9P_ZNoa7qx9Gt0eYHCzmNDWXA4tQgxPjWiGtx8_sLllEOWQjaR7RkKhmC7vBtZvEjiUO64zymudk1Y9sierdikjBbk5AtWy9u2HIAKIeKFe5On8CYHFvmMNf28XN8Z4/s1600/IMG_3752+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYthQUNYJd4h_y9P_ZNoa7qx9Gt0eYHCzmNDWXA4tQgxPjWiGtx8_sLllEOWQjaR7RkKhmC7vBtZvEjiUO64zymudk1Y9sierdikjBbk5AtWy9u2HIAKIeKFe5On8CYHFvmMNf28XN8Z4/s320/IMG_3752+-+Copy.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> When arriving at a beautiful place, some kids like to sit near the water and observe the wildlife...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTnGsp1MV2tSZu9nadj_Tb3EQRYa9-aQQBYE1Up3bi3Fkw_TcMOzJNqUx7jnCpiWuahlFQVfAKDF1YESiYnZroxf6fBJpQHdNIUV_M_Lgtkumr5vfEetYh0LD75hOrNTE1TAT8TrSn6xs/s1600/IMG_3773.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTnGsp1MV2tSZu9nadj_Tb3EQRYa9-aQQBYE1Up3bi3Fkw_TcMOzJNqUx7jnCpiWuahlFQVfAKDF1YESiYnZroxf6fBJpQHdNIUV_M_Lgtkumr5vfEetYh0LD75hOrNTE1TAT8TrSn6xs/s320/IMG_3773.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Some kids like to start a photo shoot...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaMKR-ZAC4OFHDOs9cyNSXdIxrTvU-OmwvQK8GxR_5ZHBghhK2PEnJhEWag63h0F8bELZ7Qf96IzOBayAq3E62jjysNqygS6D2sebZph6lN7kPv5_VCmaEuaSUPU5LrQz0ImjXdFaUsek/s1600/IMG_3759+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaMKR-ZAC4OFHDOs9cyNSXdIxrTvU-OmwvQK8GxR_5ZHBghhK2PEnJhEWag63h0F8bELZ7Qf96IzOBayAq3E62jjysNqygS6D2sebZph6lN7kPv5_VCmaEuaSUPU5LrQz0ImjXdFaUsek/s320/IMG_3759+-+Copy.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">...and are ready to employ many different fabulous poses when given the opportunity!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> And some prefer to sit under a table so the sun doesn't interfere with the visibility of their screen ;)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> In the end, we had a terrific time. I hope the kids remember this day when they are older. I know I will!</span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03562507686043665780noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7534563730831034847.post-11631878118737287872013-05-03T16:46:00.000-07:002013-05-03T19:09:28.116-07:00I wish there were an adult here to make this decision<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I don't know about you, but for the most part I often feel like an 18 year old masquerading as an adult. Part of this may have to do with looking younger than I am and being treated as such, but another part is just an undercurrent of feeling under-qualified and out of place in certain contexts. For example, when Mac began kindergarten, I remember walking through the school and feeling more like a student than a mom. All of the other moms looked way more, I don't know, official? Meanwhile, I just felt like, "Ok, Mac is in kindergarten, I am a mom of a kindergartner, how do you do that?" </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">As I wrote recently, we are house/flat hunting and we have a relocation agent to help with this. Whenever we meet with her, I try to have all my ducks in a row and look put together because seriously, I didn't even know they existed before we thought about moving, and it seems like such a fancy thing to have, for people that are adults and do things like ride around in cars with relocation agents. To add a further layer of discomfort, Clare kind of needs us to be adults and have all of our ducks in a row, because we can't just wander aimlessly around London looking at pretty houses (though that would be lovely!). There needs to be focus and direction. We need to know what we want and be decisive- a weak point for me. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I am given to distraction, I can get lost in minute details or enamored with pretty things and lose focus. And we're in London! So everything is new, unfamiliar and pretty. If you asked me where I want to live in Seattle, that would be easy. But here there is so much unfamiliar to consider- neighborhoods, schools, budgets, etc. And then there are timelines, like we need to move out of our temporary housing by June 6th. There is no time to be leisurely, we just need to decide. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">After 2 days of looking for a place to live, we re-assessed priorities which I thought I was very adult thing to do (Luke gets the credit for this one). We focused and sent poor Clare scrambling to look for places with a different budget and different size. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">On Wednesday we went out to see properties that fit these priorities and at the end of the day, I still felt very conflicted and uncertain. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We found two places that would work:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">One is a flat in Richmond, very...hotel feeling and we would have to use the furniture there and get rid of almost everything we brought with us- not much, but things that are important to us. It wouldn't feel like home, it would feel transitional, but it would work. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The other is a 2 bedroom attached house that feels way more like a home, but is pretty tiny. If we put all the kids in one room, there would be about 2ft. of space between two sets of beds and about 4 extra feet for everything else. The house is about 800 sq. ft., a big change from the 2,400 that we're used to.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">How do I decide between these two things? How do I quantify the importance of an extra room vs. our home actually feeling like home? Is it superficial and snobby to value how a place "feels?" Is it silly to want some remnant of familiar things (furniture, books, etc). We are already living in LONDON, amazing and miraculous. Maybe we should just get rid of everything for the 3rd bedroom.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">But our family has just experienced a large degree of disruption. We moved away from family, friends, schools, church. We've been in travel limbo for 7 weeks and I desperately want to provide a familiar and comfortable environment for our family, to make a new home here. We may have a 3rd bedroom, but it will feel like a continuation of limbo. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And it is at this moment that I told Luke that I wished there were an adult here to make this decision for us. Like an official adult who uses relocation agents and knows what they want and doesn't have 20 different variables swimming in their brain each demanding to be the most important. We are adults and do many adult things. Luke is a decisive adult which is helpful. But we make decisions together and I believe my feelings and input are critical to making a good choice- it just takes me a lot longer to arrive at decisive. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">If you've ever had a baby, I'm sure you can relate. In the hospital there are lots of sympathetic nurses and family to ease the transition from being responsible for yourself to responsibility for another human being. There is a false sense of feeling capable. Then your are home for the first day and your sweet baby who seems so fragile and perfect is screaming and inconsolable all night, and nothing you can think of will fix it. You look around for the nurse, doctor or expert of some sort and realize that all your baby has is you and you don't know what your doing and their life depends on you. Terrifying.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This is not exactly the same, but there are 3 sweet kids to think of, who are depending on us to make good choices on behalf of our family. This is terrifying too!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I connected with a few dear friends with my dilemma who encouraged me to trust my instincts. My instincts prefer home over hotel, so </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I took the kids to Richmond on Thursday, measuring tape in hand. We walked to all of the places that we would need to from the house I mentioned, and I measured the rooms to truly assess if we could fit our family in the house. We also spent some time on the Thames in Richmond which was lovely (photos are in my next post).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Result: 3 kids in that small room just won't work.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">So it is May 4th, and we've decided to keep looking. I don't know if we've made the right choice, I still feel overwhelmed by the uncertainty of this, but we're moving forward and trusting that God will provide the right place for our family. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03562507686043665780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7534563730831034847.post-26193406334351916612013-04-26T15:02:00.000-07:002014-01-15T08:59:19.238-08:00House hunting and life in London<span style="background-color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It's 9pm here in London and we are in a pretty great routine where Luke puts the kids to bed and I get to sit and unwind. We've had a long but productive past 3 days.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">As you may or may not know, Luke works for Skype. Part of our relocation package included a relocation specialist who will drive us around London for 3 days worth of house hunting. It's a real treat, especially since we don't have a car, and London is large and hard to take in on foot.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">To prepare, we needed to find a babysitter for our house hunting days. With no family or close friends in the area, I was a bit overwhelmed with the idea. However, one element of the culture here, is that childminding is a profession. Childminders have to be certified by the government, they have to take various courses, and they are overseen. The profession gets the respect and oversight it deserves here, and that is comforting. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Given that it is a profession, it was hard to find someone willing to do just a few days work. Most people are looking for full-time or part-time work. But after contacting 6 or 7 potential candidates, we found Helen. She is wonderful and gentle and kind. She also has a puppy named Jaunty and a hamster named Mousey. So though we are in a foreign place surrounded by strangers, Helen and her animals have been a great treat for the kids- so much so that they are asking us to go on dates so they can see them again :) Here are some photos that Helen took of the kids:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlHkroh8fMkH3Yt13Scb8V904E2ff5xOLtToEiQws_WTaKoD5l7a6tcl2FcyuCXD2PWuqCMkNbEoy1O1g0FwUvp5RPmUWsAmTT9UVfkuslOJwPCgDO-ytRp7-ic7BI7Ya8QxcCQwxoG-k/s1600/mac+eva+pearl+and+mouse.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: #444444; color: black;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlHkroh8fMkH3Yt13Scb8V904E2ff5xOLtToEiQws_WTaKoD5l7a6tcl2FcyuCXD2PWuqCMkNbEoy1O1g0FwUvp5RPmUWsAmTT9UVfkuslOJwPCgDO-ytRp7-ic7BI7Ya8QxcCQwxoG-k/s320/mac+eva+pearl+and+mouse.jpeg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMlQIkX7acFVSVc4qjtyFMw7G9ShSpQMrHdIxHuwK17D5ksj7wHViCaHLzrOZAe-35hOWx58-p-hd8yOzkJAbBa4f8suIZHlj5fgaMezwRZ34lj6XAeUm44XZSVw6VsAB2N8DC_nLX-yU/s1600/pearl+jaunty.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: #444444; color: black;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMlQIkX7acFVSVc4qjtyFMw7G9ShSpQMrHdIxHuwK17D5ksj7wHViCaHLzrOZAe-35hOWx58-p-hd8yOzkJAbBa4f8suIZHlj5fgaMezwRZ34lj6XAeUm44XZSVw6VsAB2N8DC_nLX-yU/s320/pearl+jaunty.jpeg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">On Wednesday, the kids and I met with her to introduce ourselves.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">On Thursday, she came by and we went house hunting with Claire, our relocation specialist. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Claire is lovely! She is very British and has the wit and presence of Mary Poppins! I can't imagine a better help for our task :)</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHhmwhv0z0KD1OYLB44iypHHiw6CrNAZbS9GFgPQKaqifZDwAkAkqOAfdrwlQub3lfPNurb5wxBFYazEOdn_5RQIJjv1RbIrgh7MbUMXTsdfNGqPcy2XwEtcWFyqRDoPM6zjKIU-fCIMs/s1600/IMG_3556.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="background-color: #444444; color: black;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHhmwhv0z0KD1OYLB44iypHHiw6CrNAZbS9GFgPQKaqifZDwAkAkqOAfdrwlQub3lfPNurb5wxBFYazEOdn_5RQIJjv1RbIrgh7MbUMXTsdfNGqPcy2XwEtcWFyqRDoPM6zjKIU-fCIMs/s320/IMG_3556.JPG" width="213" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This is Claire</span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Drivers in London are a lot more assertive than the states. It is also completely normal to stop in the middle of a four lane road and turn around..so it's taken some getting used to being in the car with Claire, on the wrong side of the road, maneuvering in ways that would get you many, many fines in the US. Fun though, and lots of beauty to see on our drives and great conversation.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Thursday we focused our house hunting in the area of South Woodford (North East London) and Hampstead (North London). Here are a few images of the properties we viewed: </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn40jYG79_FUDCIyBpYkvlOFRmSjlOV4yCEh1NjYDGRvztUWDXlo2lS8DQT17y0iAfKPSnpr3ZHieuGHG83_Hw4ttDWmm_hl0fKoMWGyf7ABNX-i_hsaY62iNUoGQcRLvefTajq7T4KPk/s1600/IMG_3352.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="background-color: #444444; color: black;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn40jYG79_FUDCIyBpYkvlOFRmSjlOV4yCEh1NjYDGRvztUWDXlo2lS8DQT17y0iAfKPSnpr3ZHieuGHG83_Hw4ttDWmm_hl0fKoMWGyf7ABNX-i_hsaY62iNUoGQcRLvefTajq7T4KPk/s320/IMG_3352.JPG" width="213" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">One of the homes we liked in South Woodford</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinL8D-8HNstm_HvhFsM-u9DCy9ASacKj-ddciGAXvJRI0kGm1TIX0Kf4E4DMmBV_5cMtyWzSBKQYX6_dE69oL_lR95hZh9Hd-mNBr9HDSj5T7J5i7KVLhEd1BreKDbiFUpV4F1NsyiFBs/s1600/IMG_3355.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="background-color: #444444; color: black;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinL8D-8HNstm_HvhFsM-u9DCy9ASacKj-ddciGAXvJRI0kGm1TIX0Kf4E4DMmBV_5cMtyWzSBKQYX6_dE69oL_lR95hZh9Hd-mNBr9HDSj5T7J5i7KVLhEd1BreKDbiFUpV4F1NsyiFBs/s320/IMG_3355.JPG" width="213" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Same home, beautiful windows and pine floors.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNkSX7xracDbyz5YlBN8vaRS3DjozDliumGcNh7L9gS8fdvEA_t4E1PaIArov2FXcJKN2MUM8NltA3NU7yGHmL0MdEFD0BHqvranYp9nLkGnzKljybc8mrcTw8WBWxD1h00gQC5KMqJhA/s1600/IMG_3377.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="background-color: #444444; color: black;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNkSX7xracDbyz5YlBN8vaRS3DjozDliumGcNh7L9gS8fdvEA_t4E1PaIArov2FXcJKN2MUM8NltA3NU7yGHmL0MdEFD0BHqvranYp9nLkGnzKljybc8mrcTw8WBWxD1h00gQC5KMqJhA/s320/IMG_3377.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Lovely streets signs, but hard to figure out what street you're on unless you happen to glance down at the right place, right time</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio-KbCEtrcj9X2qhHD7YGZM1r4e-eLr1QQUka_zgWjXL9WKwfRhpOu8o6qpfTOD8TKKqpR60Xn8eRAS6obBbugA-BH8KxWy_ZDnb2JXUWhoDYrGY73C0a-HnhVkCA_zx9r4C6B_gjUTbc/s1600/IMG_3441.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="background-color: #444444; color: black;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio-KbCEtrcj9X2qhHD7YGZM1r4e-eLr1QQUka_zgWjXL9WKwfRhpOu8o6qpfTOD8TKKqpR60Xn8eRAS6obBbugA-BH8KxWy_ZDnb2JXUWhoDYrGY73C0a-HnhVkCA_zx9r4C6B_gjUTbc/s320/IMG_3441.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Typical amount of garden space, though many homes don't have a garden </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOXqJcfIpDykMUNCce3ca7QqfXKMYJh_mzJB0OBUEzBV-rvYWqQG7Tum7oGV_Ch9NofN2aMoGB_E3xgpltcuzRZHhnfD4ZDVfTrbNDOI9eT2iizcIL4jLTHSSWQIUBAVn-K9p6Xi9rONc/s1600/IMG_3450.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="background-color: #444444; color: black;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOXqJcfIpDykMUNCce3ca7QqfXKMYJh_mzJB0OBUEzBV-rvYWqQG7Tum7oGV_Ch9NofN2aMoGB_E3xgpltcuzRZHhnfD4ZDVfTrbNDOI9eT2iizcIL4jLTHSSWQIUBAVn-K9p6Xi9rONc/s320/IMG_3450.JPG" width="213" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Street in South Woodford</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPKGGzwqTIyCQXuZf4DmTW04UBQChG3QGARdZq7Hi2A1Q4-kQnxr4oJJ5jgV8jv5VTL_il2KtR1z9z801N7Fsr22q_u1bM7ZCjjH4czGAwOCnJKizQPw3NhnBu0NggO2oFM9ovUPHvlZg/s1600/IMG_3459.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="background-color: #444444; color: black;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPKGGzwqTIyCQXuZf4DmTW04UBQChG3QGARdZq7Hi2A1Q4-kQnxr4oJJ5jgV8jv5VTL_il2KtR1z9z801N7Fsr22q_u1bM7ZCjjH4czGAwOCnJKizQPw3NhnBu0NggO2oFM9ovUPHvlZg/s320/IMG_3459.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Luke whose expression perhaps suggests that I am taking too many pictures ;)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWXHygfmGus4U3ZH4PTCyx5Mg_quNqRgifFubrbdp4aLYgUsmPA3SxE-fWd6GF2SvEicgcCQqilVHHZcC22anHPaeRhr8jJp9wBqBo515DjU-ycAq0wDivY3XHfu_CWuwvrJcsDHsBayU/s1600/IMG_3465.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="background-color: #444444; color: black;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWXHygfmGus4U3ZH4PTCyx5Mg_quNqRgifFubrbdp4aLYgUsmPA3SxE-fWd6GF2SvEicgcCQqilVHHZcC22anHPaeRhr8jJp9wBqBo515DjU-ycAq0wDivY3XHfu_CWuwvrJcsDHsBayU/s320/IMG_3465.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Set of flats on Hampstead Heath. Very beautiful, but also very tiny :(</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOM-R5lZat9hDP4yBD5vHlNCMWh2aaqIBInvkyuiWSDKGWOK8qHanrGvSX5-2uUIL-WnVddOxBMMF-aPcKI3XxgMXcXNzDh5ecUJPokOrtZqeOt376suck2rZWB_M_Eu3K40HVqGdAUlo/s1600/IMG_3476.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="background-color: #444444; color: black;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOM-R5lZat9hDP4yBD5vHlNCMWh2aaqIBInvkyuiWSDKGWOK8qHanrGvSX5-2uUIL-WnVddOxBMMF-aPcKI3XxgMXcXNzDh5ecUJPokOrtZqeOt376suck2rZWB_M_Eu3K40HVqGdAUlo/s320/IMG_3476.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Luke crossed the street to check-out the heath</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2yc0g4dTnRWbEOj09LalM4KER6FLOxXCUlHVut1-wxQHc3Y3EP4UGJC440-Rq84g1BW3lq34uFx8xOo1xSKWYmZCi1dk-tnx9FClN26sGi5s-WYy2_SPnYYyajE95ngDrI8SWN6-lInU/s1600/IMG_3478.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="background-color: #444444; color: black;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2yc0g4dTnRWbEOj09LalM4KER6FLOxXCUlHVut1-wxQHc3Y3EP4UGJC440-Rq84g1BW3lq34uFx8xOo1xSKWYmZCi1dk-tnx9FClN26sGi5s-WYy2_SPnYYyajE95ngDrI8SWN6-lInU/s320/IMG_3478.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">High street in Hampstead</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We saw 16 properties on our first day, and seeing these properties happens very differently than in the US.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">First, rental properties are all handled by agents (letting agents) similar to real estate agents for home sales in the States. Also, there are no open houses, so you must contact an agent directly, make an appointment, and then you can view the property. Claire did a terrific job and got us in to see much of the areas and the homes/flats we could afford.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I felt really overwhelmed last night, because there are so many different areas of London. As I thought of moving here, there was excitement to live near the city, but also a desire to be on a charming tree lined street in a Victorian home. It's hard to find both, especially as homes are very pricey and we won't have a car. This home/flat needs to be affordable and also be walking distance from shops, schools and hopefully the tube station. The overwhelmed feeling arose because there are so many variables to consider that I didn't know how to approach the search.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Enter Luke---></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">His job involves considering multiple variables, valuing each and ranking them in terms of priority. Late last night, he walked me through all of the taxiing planes (our term for the multitude of thoughts I was trying to organize) and helped me to land them. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It was so very helpful, and we came up with a really helpful tool for assessing potential homes.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Here it is (in priority order): </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #444444;">1.<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span><u></u>Great schools for the kids<u></u><u></u></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><u></u><span style="background-color: #444444;">2.<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span><u></u>Have enough money to <u>live</u> in London (like eat out once in a while and be able to go do and see things)<u></u></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><u></u><span style="background-color: #444444;">3.<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span><u></u>Functional environment<u></u><u></u></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><u></u><span style="background-color: #444444;">o<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span><u></u>3 bedrooms/1 bathroom<u></u><u></u></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><u></u><span style="background-color: #444444;">o<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span><u></u>Some family/living area<u></u><u></u></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><u></u><span style="background-color: #444444;">o<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span><u></u>Can enjoy while we’re there (rainy months, etc)<u></u><u></u></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><u></u><span style="background-color: #444444;">o<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span><u></u>Kitchen that doesn’t make us depressed (natural light, able to cook)<u></u></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><u></u><span style="background-color: #444444;">o<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span><u></u>A neighbourhood our family can enjoy (British U in neighbourhood :))<u></u></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><u></u><span style="background-color: #444444;">4.<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span><u></u>Daddy has enough time and energy to enjoy London with the family (commute time not energy draining)<u></u></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><u></u><span style="background-color: #444444;">5.<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span><u></u>Can enjoy London within a 5 min bus/tube from our front door (not isolated from the city)<u></u></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #444444;">==============================<wbr></wbr>==============================<wbr></wbr>=======<u></u><u></u></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><u></u><span style="background-color: #444444;">6.<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span><u></u>Have enough money to explore Europe<u></u><u></u></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><u></u><span style="background-color: #444444;">7.<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span><u></u>Can explore London when we walk out our front door (we're not extremely isolated)<u></u><u></u></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><u></u><span style="background-color: #444444;">8.<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span><u></u>Great kitchen (hospitality and cooking for the family)</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The items above the line indicate things that we don't want to compromise, those below are icing on an already amazing cake. This list really helped us out today as we ventured to another area of London to look for housing, Richmond (South West London).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Richmond is...breath-taking! It is on the Thames, charming, family friendly, with great schools, accessible transit and a very concentrated and comprehensive high street area. It is also a very sought-after area of London and thus, quite expensive. Here is one picture of Richmond:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq7AWL04MPaIK5DJAKdYp67KADepvfIiOm2wfSM1CssYZ6cpvCy6Y5TXknK2wK2n0FwXDlwUeNSFxmhfb5fp40x1yvgt3-KQI3L7SO6RFvn8K1RgeXLcYzjCys-syn2aUNGzZB4sbKejs/s1600/richmond-on-thames.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: #444444; color: black;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq7AWL04MPaIK5DJAKdYp67KADepvfIiOm2wfSM1CssYZ6cpvCy6Y5TXknK2wK2n0FwXDlwUeNSFxmhfb5fp40x1yvgt3-KQI3L7SO6RFvn8K1RgeXLcYzjCys-syn2aUNGzZB4sbKejs/s320/richmond-on-thames.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">After exploring the area for a few hours, I was convinced of two things: </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1. This is where I want to live</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">2. We will probably have to compromise even more to live here. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The schools are great (though we may have to bus to schools further away) and to have enough money, we will probably need to live smaller and in a less charming flat. It's been a good learning and unifying process, narrowing down what is really important to us and what we can do without. We found two properties today that were stunning and out of our price-range and we found a very small flat on a very nice street near schools, the high street and station that would work. When we viewed the property it was occupied, and I got a sense walking through it of new habits that we will need to adopt- drying laundry on racks in the hall-way, having bare minimum furniture with lots of hidden storage, buying small amounts of food each day (very small refrigerator). No offensive or bad, just different from what we're used to. On a side note, David Attenborough (British naturalist) would be our neighbor and we can (if we stretch our necks) see his front yard from our kitchen window. He has a lovely yard, so maybe we can get to know each other and introduce 3 additional fauna to the mix :) We haven't decided on it yet, but we're close. I plan to work while we're here which will help with the budget, but we don't want to count chickens before they're hatched.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Here are some photos from our Richmond visit: </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU7d0BeHbchNHCZ1WjZe7DisllV_lntxyFs_c6lNVw4iQuViUupuYCKTO2-gXdTFmjmd2UMfUBoHbliOtPecLL2QBTU7hHFVN5_O_QbCoASVq3Ap9KIgPxWkipySpQvEAwKTkm48CZ5AQ/s1600/IMG_3578.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="background-color: #444444; color: black;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU7d0BeHbchNHCZ1WjZe7DisllV_lntxyFs_c6lNVw4iQuViUupuYCKTO2-gXdTFmjmd2UMfUBoHbliOtPecLL2QBTU7hHFVN5_O_QbCoASVq3Ap9KIgPxWkipySpQvEAwKTkm48CZ5AQ/s320/IMG_3578.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Kitchen from one of the posh properties</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoVvu_fCSTXbGxmpp1HPzfF8xf5srPWDcp9eThOJ5x50B76Lq0KPu8y3Ja2rQ7Ad-x6ZFBLfP-h7LRmwxtpj3VmQvJMsvLvGmX8nr4qOkss1W-JHQsAqro9pvxZp5NafcajYbtQUuQOtE/s1600/IMG_3582.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="background-color: #444444; color: black;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoVvu_fCSTXbGxmpp1HPzfF8xf5srPWDcp9eThOJ5x50B76Lq0KPu8y3Ja2rQ7Ad-x6ZFBLfP-h7LRmwxtpj3VmQvJMsvLvGmX8nr4qOkss1W-JHQsAqro9pvxZp5NafcajYbtQUuQOtE/s320/IMG_3582.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Beautiful decorative detail...also at a very posh property</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh93Vl1Xejbk42nvaKmpfI66GNcZMFzmm9DBjd0xJ_VSMRNimxKg2dnZwh8sN3QTq8dHe4awsgIf_pFU3rfRp52tSzwufH65KGJYJEfm676VpuoXO4QlAk9LksC-QiQiqmYyEv4Bo7Gudc/s1600/IMG_3594.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="background-color: #444444; color: black;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh93Vl1Xejbk42nvaKmpfI66GNcZMFzmm9DBjd0xJ_VSMRNimxKg2dnZwh8sN3QTq8dHe4awsgIf_pFU3rfRp52tSzwufH65KGJYJEfm676VpuoXO4QlAk9LksC-QiQiqmYyEv4Bo7Gudc/s320/IMG_3594.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We had lunch here, at a lovely gathering space in Richmond Park</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnx8hF6JAFRmpbApqi-2mgOyUeoK_TdHxMV6pLcuBhYwGYjMPLwIFV3PEdRHR64-zrpz-OjDV2pK8KtxjGpwFvAF1qe0iF-bHtoboHzdCKl-IIP-oGXN_jkKqgxEKCXexa3vrpcB6pxkU/s1600/IMG_3599.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="background-color: #444444; color: black;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnx8hF6JAFRmpbApqi-2mgOyUeoK_TdHxMV6pLcuBhYwGYjMPLwIFV3PEdRHR64-zrpz-OjDV2pK8KtxjGpwFvAF1qe0iF-bHtoboHzdCKl-IIP-oGXN_jkKqgxEKCXexa3vrpcB6pxkU/s320/IMG_3599.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Another posh kitchen</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBs8qxqdyV9S1uqX5X3OK9lQSgTskNZcsea4LEmEtQd1nemCEo9-nPFWFxS1ToAwcqTc_vK5YY4lqmVlt6BfjY5atIfR-er94wR3g_Ie3jkQNQsXyk1tYSVOiPIADKrhCPqtnUhwB3BEU/s1600/IMG_3600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="background-color: #444444; color: black;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBs8qxqdyV9S1uqX5X3OK9lQSgTskNZcsea4LEmEtQd1nemCEo9-nPFWFxS1ToAwcqTc_vK5YY4lqmVlt6BfjY5atIfR-er94wR3g_Ie3jkQNQsXyk1tYSVOiPIADKrhCPqtnUhwB3BEU/s320/IMG_3600.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Beautiful old pine floors</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIZ0Os5xtLKl04PPlow3Hp_ALKwGm1DnKQ9sP8hUrFkmjePU84r1y4xYyj9z283pr71Z2c8dKm5JLr-6jzeApxY1kIJ7TBRisDarfxnZNeGrxKz59l0N0mMWEVBIrOqvl-PyH6uTN83LI/s1600/IMG_3607.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="background-color: #444444; color: black;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIZ0Os5xtLKl04PPlow3Hp_ALKwGm1DnKQ9sP8hUrFkmjePU84r1y4xYyj9z283pr71Z2c8dKm5JLr-6jzeApxY1kIJ7TBRisDarfxnZNeGrxKz59l0N0mMWEVBIrOqvl-PyH6uTN83LI/s320/IMG_3607.JPG" width="213" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The property I absolutely adored was on this passage way called Albany passage. Think narrow, lined with beautiful flowers</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3fQeSRESgRx2FJMik87cKc5JXqKQN7gjYWC7DriNzRSSITYpzyukEZ60A1D05UKSwsPZuIAG3Sv29vy4Lqv-hrdu0cq2fWV2br7l90Z0cVsCEYhFj0Dm_ZaVdy7TE5BrO32qNOWv4YZI/s1600/IMG_3616.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="background-color: #444444; color: black;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3fQeSRESgRx2FJMik87cKc5JXqKQN7gjYWC7DriNzRSSITYpzyukEZ60A1D05UKSwsPZuIAG3Sv29vy4Lqv-hrdu0cq2fWV2br7l90Z0cVsCEYhFj0Dm_ZaVdy7TE5BrO32qNOWv4YZI/s320/IMG_3616.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Typical size of a single bedroom</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK7i4z9MSq2kj45GdXXJWwvC0VPL0sDgIx5NgaedSc4mdgEyapyMntL0CPn-D0dw7_MZNsjpWfgZIa64Wu64TtK-j_yDMbMhLZiqvASMR4UF7MU895sjkjkQhvS0zwW4ZAFxiJjNlaak0/s1600/IMG_3622.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="background-color: #444444; color: black;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK7i4z9MSq2kj45GdXXJWwvC0VPL0sDgIx5NgaedSc4mdgEyapyMntL0CPn-D0dw7_MZNsjpWfgZIa64Wu64TtK-j_yDMbMhLZiqvASMR4UF7MU895sjkjkQhvS0zwW4ZAFxiJjNlaak0/s320/IMG_3622.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Kitchen of the place we're considering- hi David!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoDiHxQigMTyW6v8NMYuojAfLie-szlLLMnOw4zisU5daD4YfdKI1yI0biiDmfqrWrZ8Ha_bYkOQVmYu2baYYrgn8d759b24r9j-JogN4OA2LSKr4XWUD-hY9yKaOPXzzzgqjmlui1tNM/s1600/IMG_3628.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="background-color: #444444; color: black;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoDiHxQigMTyW6v8NMYuojAfLie-szlLLMnOw4zisU5daD4YfdKI1yI0biiDmfqrWrZ8Ha_bYkOQVmYu2baYYrgn8d759b24r9j-JogN4OA2LSKr4XWUD-hY9yKaOPXzzzgqjmlui1tNM/s320/IMG_3628.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Dining area of the place we're considering. It is a small room separate from the rest of the house, about the size of a bedroom</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9QIBvasXNoP03wo9DccuOuQPZ5EkvI-fZVIlE_ECkq_FZoxOIWPeOIIAURNnqsBcvJDKkVSEJV4Uz3wjbTNLS5jL_1VBY15T5XXMasU-oN4HX3GASlO1xepAxlEfFcfX_KtyPZJWU1ys/s1600/IMG_3629.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="background-color: #444444; color: black;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9QIBvasXNoP03wo9DccuOuQPZ5EkvI-fZVIlE_ECkq_FZoxOIWPeOIIAURNnqsBcvJDKkVSEJV4Uz3wjbTNLS5jL_1VBY15T5XXMasU-oN4HX3GASlO1xepAxlEfFcfX_KtyPZJWU1ys/s320/IMG_3629.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Living room of the place we're considering</span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: #444444;"> <span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I'm not sure where we'll end-up. But I'm hoping that we will know soon. Overall, still can't believe we are here and <u>get</u> to live here. We don't know what the future holds, but we are, as I've said earlier, pushing forward and learning as we go :)</span></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03562507686043665780noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7534563730831034847.post-43628768710588456162013-04-23T13:48:00.002-07:002013-05-22T13:52:00.915-07:00Plan no plan<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I fully planned a terrific post for today detailing where we live, what our neighborhood and tube station look like, etc.-</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">(gigantic) camera in hand, we left our housing for the tube station...me snapping pictures like an overzealous tourist.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">But then I realized half-way through our trip that I had no SD card in my camera...grrr!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So this will be a short post, but hopefully a bit funny!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The kids and I set off for the mall in London. It's called Westfields and it is gigantic!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We spent our first week and a half navigating tube stations to as many parks as I could muster. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">But today, we endeavored to go to the mall.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I think of the mall as a safe place, perhaps in a different sense than you would think.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">After having babies, I would spend a few days a week at the mall. Not to shop, not to walk-off baby weight, but because it was the next easiest place to home- bathrooms, food, play areas, air-conditioned and most importantly a little distraction from the extreme exhaustion and cabin-fever that seemed to arrive about a month after birth. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In addition, my very dear friend, Marin, had her children at similar times as me, so we could both meet there together and congratulate each other that we made it out of the house: dressed, at a respectable hour. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This was not my experience today. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">For us, going out does not involve a vehicle, but a series of buses, tubes, or both. I think it's about a 20 minute drive from where we are, but using the aforementioned forms of transport, it is about 45 minutes away. No problem, we are walking-off excess energy and learning the ropes of transportation in London. And I am definitely committed to public transit after years of living in my mini-van transporting children to and from school, activities, etc. I am happy to be walking!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Anyway, Westfields is gigantic. No problem, I have already mapped out the stores that we need to visit so I can be efficient. What I didn't plan on was the new experience of taking non-infants to the mall. I forgot that I completely stopped doing this about 2 years ago. They are now walking and talking and seeing toy stores, candy stores and cookie shops- and they are now capable of running toward them. Additionally, hiding in racks of clothing in gigantic and unfamiliar stores is fun, and escalators are the urban play area. So my little happy-distraction mall time bubble was burst. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">But there are small victories in this. A large part of my role in these first few weeks is teaching the kids to be wise city kids. Without the protections of familiar places and the mini-van, we all need to be a lot more savvy, careful and aware. We see and navigate new places everyday, and as I kid, this is understandably fun and exciting. It's exciting for me too! But I am trying hard to learn myself how to navigate and be safe, and how to teach the kids to navigate and be safe as well. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We're learning, and it is good and hard, as is with most learning. Today I learned that the mall is a place for adults to visit- and that if I really need something, I should order it on Amazon. The kids learned that stores and escalators are not play areas. They are also learning the being bored is ok, kinda normal and not a reason to complain.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Below are some pictures of previous transit adventures...and a picture of Eva seizing the opportunity to climb at the gates of Buckingham Palace- why not?</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Buckingham Palace</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">South Woodford station, we visited last night and are considering living here :)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">More soon, as soon as I can remember my SD card ;)</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03562507686043665780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7534563730831034847.post-31166850420478059072013-04-22T17:04:00.001-07:002013-04-22T17:07:44.087-07:00Week -1: Before London, we visited North Carolina<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">On our way to London, we stopped in North Carolina for about a week to see Grandma and Grandpa, and my Aunt, Uncle and cousins. It was terrific!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It was warm, and sunny, and beautiful. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We did many distinctly American things, fun things, special things-</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We all got to take a ride in Grandpa's new Corvette. I don't know the model, but it is very fancy and very fast. Grandpa can accelerate and do awesome maneuvers with his car!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcFTSVDVHGSOScvsTyGrkvzKC0e1_jE0G-awmUeQPXrN7Lqno6zC-BVI3iWB8Fri0RRSi4oBoK3MqJTylQIwQXKWX9oJhsPmnW8agvF5RsqvXSn3vvES2HBQxHONw1YOPRSZ1FQYrgodo/s1600/IMG_3017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcFTSVDVHGSOScvsTyGrkvzKC0e1_jE0G-awmUeQPXrN7Lqno6zC-BVI3iWB8Fri0RRSi4oBoK3MqJTylQIwQXKWX9oJhsPmnW8agvF5RsqvXSn3vvES2HBQxHONw1YOPRSZ1FQYrgodo/s320/IMG_3017.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This is Grandpa's Corvettle...it is blue and fast and beautiful</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC6Hxxz7fqNYuqa9vWoccLxVXIoBafAwPSZJgJMyKHHItFsjQaVnA7ls4QydI19ZGOfmuzTwFl49tC4L-CXSRaQefU_l0w_coOkVjXkMsmlCRYoNELorZGCu6ycJqQoVLvKaLnidO16jg/s1600/IMG_3015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC6Hxxz7fqNYuqa9vWoccLxVXIoBafAwPSZJgJMyKHHItFsjQaVnA7ls4QydI19ZGOfmuzTwFl49tC4L-CXSRaQefU_l0w_coOkVjXkMsmlCRYoNELorZGCu6ycJqQoVLvKaLnidO16jg/s320/IMG_3015.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Eva </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Pearl sees a Corvette as an opportunity for some awesome poses...Grandpa is amused :)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Mac is ready to go fast!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I got to have some authentic NC BBQ with my cousin, Laura. It was terrific, she is wonderful, and unfortunately, I have no pictures to prove this to you. You'll have to take my word for it :)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We also did something else distinctly American... visiting South of the Border (South Carolina). Have you been? I am at a loss for how to describe this place...according to one web-site, it is "America's Favorite Highway Oasis." Here is a link: </span><a href="http://www.thesouthoftheborder.com/">http://www.thesouthoftheborder.com/</a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In Seattle (home town) it is illegal to light off fireworks, but in South Carolina, you can light them off (almost) anywhere, anytime. And if you're in the market for fireworks, South of the Border is the place to be:</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdmkAG0gWTBtEqmQhVJVZMMb3at1WxSQAs6NETNr1jqRFZDcX131C4x8IgmIjGZC9ihnOQ5DAQpGTbDgcpbEIcHh0SjhJoy8RPkFYO-iOP3jK6LgkSD3xe8FxXE59LQav-znlNpOgwyqs/s1600/IMG_2900.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdmkAG0gWTBtEqmQhVJVZMMb3at1WxSQAs6NETNr1jqRFZDcX131C4x8IgmIjGZC9ihnOQ5DAQpGTbDgcpbEIcHh0SjhJoy8RPkFYO-iOP3jK6LgkSD3xe8FxXE59LQav-znlNpOgwyqs/s320/IMG_2900.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Notice that this package has the maximum Powder allowed by law...South Carolina doesn't mess around</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsRg38XcTo_t_6WGb0pva_RlQqGr9QzTpavtu1Vc8tFLAxu2H7BqArdjnLxYJ5yEuQh_MZ-gf4A4hqHnBH6DpxY8jHY8eO4AnpnBn8hjv-HQm3zrTd6pW2VRwcQkiCXLhCcd56gFuprGw/s1600/IMG_2945.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsRg38XcTo_t_6WGb0pva_RlQqGr9QzTpavtu1Vc8tFLAxu2H7BqArdjnLxYJ5yEuQh_MZ-gf4A4hqHnBH6DpxY8jHY8eO4AnpnBn8hjv-HQm3zrTd6pW2VRwcQkiCXLhCcd56gFuprGw/s320/IMG_2945.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We found a parking lot nearby to ignite our goods!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">But we are from Seattle, and we didn't want and 3rd degree burns, so our "goods" involved smoke bombs and those weird worms ;)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We also had some great times with Grandma and Grandpa including a paving stone craft project: </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And a super fun meal at a Benihana type place:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We also got to see my Uncle, Aunt and Cousin- good times, always :) We tried to take a group photo...and if you have chidren, you will understand how futile it is to get all members of the family (read: children) cooperating for said photo. But I've included them anyway, because it is hilarious :)</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Notice that Pearl has taken the opportunity to pose in this moment of chaos</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We love our family, we love our extended family. It was a sweet ending to our time in the US and we are grateful.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03562507686043665780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7534563730831034847.post-26774104842771379342013-04-22T16:11:00.005-07:002013-04-22T16:11:59.726-07:00I started a blog...<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I started a blog</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">(I think this would be a good song title to a Maclemore (and Ryan Lewis) song...what else does one do after visiting a thrift shop but write in their blog?)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Anyhoo...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I don't know how to design a blog, but I've tried to be authentic by selecting a font with the word "english" in the description, because we've just moved to London.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My blog will capture little moments in our lives as we navigate a new place, new people, new culture. We are definitely here, in London, but we don't really know where were going...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">-to live</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">-to send our kids to school</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">or what we're going...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">-to know</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">-to like</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">-to dislike</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">-to love</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">so I've titled this blog "(not) knowing where you're going," because we are here, but we don't know what that means yet, or what it will mean in the next days, weeks, months, years. And if you'd like, you can see that unfold.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We are confident that we don't know what we're doing, but that we will poke and prod at London until we figure that out.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03562507686043665780noreply@blogger.com0