The beautiful sound of laughter

This has been the first week the girls have been in London and I have been back to work. They seem to be settling in well and are even doing their chores daily - not that they have a lot of them.

They seem to be getting along fairly well - although on Monday I think I got about 8 calls saying "Mom, she's being mean to me!" or "She's not listening to me!" They have become less and less. Today I only got one that said, "I am cold and she won't go home with me!" I said, "Work it out" and they did. Bet you would never hear that in Texas in late July.

We have rented a few movies this week after dinner and had fun just hanging out. Tonight, I rented an 80's movie for them while I finished up some work. It was so great to hear their laughter floating up to me as I worked. I have really missed that sound.

Here's a movie quote - let me know if you know what movie they watched tonight:
"Calvin? Why do you keep calling me Calvin?"
"Well, that's your name isn't it? Calvin Klein? It's written all over your underwear."

Brighton, UK

We had so much fun in Brighton. What a great time!

Family Portrait

We finally had a family photo taken…

They're here!

Richard, Amber & Alexa arrived yesterday. We are all so happy to be together.

We took a walk down the Queen's Promenade to get some lunch and snapped a few pictures.

In case anyone is in the market for a boat - here is one you can buy on e-bay. It is just down the road from us.

Here is what the sign states:

For Sale

Fit for purpose, steward was envy of the world.

Possible leak, damp is due to global issue.

Bailout should not exceed 20 billion pounds.

Reward for the hardworking family -

Owner retires June 2010 to live off your pensions.

Interested?

Sale starts Monday

Search "Envy of the world" on e-bay.

Speed bumps

This is just a strange blog to point out that speed bumps are called sleeping policemen in the UK.

Looking for a vacation destination?

A new ad appeared in the tube station this week for an ideal travel destination.

Makes me want to go to Pennsylvania - how about you?

Unstuck Headboard

Yay - our headboard is no longer stuck in the stairwell!

I forgot to tell you that the moving company came back out to the house last Thursday and took away all of the boxes. It was a different crew this time made up of three Polish guys. (There is a large Polish population here - similar to the Hispanic population in Houston.) In any case, I asked them to move the partially dis-assembled headboard from the staircase landing and put it in the garage. The lead guy thought he could find a way to get it up the stairs.

So they tried and tried and even asked my permission to speak in Polish to strategize better. In the end we all agreed that it needed to be taken apart before it would go up the stairs. I signed a waver and the hammering began. After 90 minutes of hacking away at the very well put together headboard, they finally got the top portion off and the whole thing up the two flights of stairs. Another hour later and the headboard was back together, a little worse for wear - but functional and the bed is finally off of the floor.

In the midst of it all, they learned that my grandparents were from Poland and I mentioned the name Kurzynowski. They became very excited. Come to find out, there is a very popular Polish Olympian named Kurzynowski - he won 2 gold medals in walking. Who knew? Well - come to find out - it's too good to be true - the real Olympian is Robert Korzeniowski. Close - but no cigar.

International London

I went to a pub near my office with a group of co-workers last night. It was so strange to me that there were more international patrons to this pub than actual Brits. In our group alone, there were two Americans, an Australian, a Columbian, two Scots and two Brits. Over the course of the evening, others in the pub drifted in and out of our group and conversations. One was a English, one Scottish, another Australian, and an Irishman.

But the strangest of all was a group of 8 guys. They were tourists and found the Americans in London to be unique and kept snapping pictures of Sarah and me. What was strange though is that they were all Finnish Air Traffic Controllers. I guess it is just as stressful a job as Air Traffic Controllers anywhere else and they were definitely letting off some steam. They were very funny.

Good friends & synchronized swimming

I think I have told you all about my friend Sharon here in the UK. She helped me set up my flat when I first arrived here and has been wonderfully supportive. We have been trying to get together for dinner for ages, but it just hasn't happened due to our conflicting schedules.

Finally we were able to arrange a time to get together. I met her and her family in Ascot tonight to attend a synchronized swimming event. Sharon's daughter, Leander, is very involved with a synchronized swimming club and actually competes in the sport. The event tonight was sort of like a dance recital for synchronized swimmers. It was really interesting and I truly respect the girls who do this. I am amazed at what they can do.

On an interesting note, there was one girl there who is a master at the sport and competes on an international level. She ended the show with a tribute to Michael Jackson. I think it is safe to say I never thought I would be able to say I saw a tribute to MJ in synchronized swimming - but I actually can. It was actually pretty good too.

Pictures, pictures and more pictures

Man - we have so many pictures! I love them when they are on the wall - but deciding where they all should be hung and then doing it is endless!

With that said, I can proudly say I have hung up 90% of our artwork. The only ones I have left are massive and require special hardware and two people to lift them. I have to say - I really like how the place is coming together.

I was so glad to hear it rained in Houston today! It rained in London as well - big surprise. Actually, the surprise was that is was a true thunderstorm - not just a drizzle. The rain actually poured down with loud rumbling thunder and even pea size hail. By the time I walked home, it had to be close to 60 degrees outside. I really hope the rain in Houston brought a little respite from the heat as well.

Happy Independence Day!

You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies die from happiness. You may think you have overeaten, but it is patriotism. ~Erma Bombeck

London Museums

Last night I attended an industry presentation on underwater technology (ROV's and AUV's) in the Museum District in London at Imperial College. (I was the only female to attend which was unexpected - but I learned a lot.) The actual college was really not too different from an American university - it felt very institutional. The surrounding Museum buildings were absolutely gorgeous. Most were massive and very old, but then there would be a modern section added on that also looks great. I just love it!

Here is the Natural History Museum

Here is the Science Museum

Here is a bit of Imperial College

When Richard and the girls get here, I think we may spend a day there and see both the outside and the inside of the museums.

Trash day

Here is the UK, they are very good about recycling. I have a special bag for cardboard, 3 bins for plastic, cans and glass, a food bin that is sent for composting and a regular trash bin (garbage can). All get picked up every other Wednesday. Then the recycling is picked up again on the in-between Wednesdays. So not having been in the house that long, this was the first Wednesday when I had to get everything out to the sidewalk.

None of this was really on my mind when I got home Tuesday night around 9:30 PM from work. I came in the house exhausted and put on my pajamas (a tank top and silky shorts because it was hot). I walked back downstairs to get a quick bite and a drink and remembered that I needed to take the trash out for the next day. I contemplated going back upstairs and changing and decided it was definitely too much effort for just taking the trash quickly to the sidewalk. I then contemplated just running out as I was and doing it really quickly. It was dark out already and late - so who would see me? Then I thought, maybe I should just cover up a little. So I grabbed my apron and threw it on over my pajamas. I figured no one would probably see me, but at least I would be somewhat covered up.

I opened the door and started dragging the big bin to the sidewalk when my next door neighbor came out and began taking out his trash too. Then he started talking with me and asking me questions about how long I have lived in London, my family, Texas, and on and on. While this is typically really nice and friendly, I kept thinking he must think I am really strange for wearing pajamas and an apron while putting out the trash barefoot and talking with my neighbor. I tried to act like nothing was out of the ordinary.

Looking back, I think I must have looked like someone that American TV always seems to interview after a tornado hits. How embarrassing! Lesson learned - trust that there is always someone who will see you on the street - and who will want to talk.