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Why I Shouldn’t Read Bedtime Stories when I’m Tired
The kidlings have amassed quite a collection of story books. Of course, I had quite a collection before they were even born, one way of clinging on to an old dream of being a children’s picture book illustrator. (These days I rarely sketch, and if Pea asks me to draw something for her, inevitably, it’s not what she wanted….so…) Anyhoo. Back to the books. We do have quite a few, and it’s a rather diverse lot. Boo, of course, has quite a few dedicated to airplanes, trucks, and trains, and a broad collection of “Sam” books. Pea has the usual amount of Fancy Nancy, Pinkalicious, and princess-related books. Curious George,…
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Fill in the Blank Friday
Welcome to my “I-didn’t-finish-this-on-Friday-so-now-it’s-the-Saturday” version of Fill In The Blank Friday! The Hubs was back in the States all week and returned home mid-day yesterday, so I didn’t quite get to finish this in a timely manner. It’s really great to have him home again. I’m also pleased to see that Blogger is cooperating again and Lauren was able to put up a set of blanks. *yay* That said, let’s get to it: 1. People always tell me I look like my mom. Which wouldn’t be wrong, although in certain photos I am seeing some resemblance to my dad for the first time ever. 2. Friends don’t let friends drink…
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You Want Me to Eat…What?????
One exciting thing about moving to a different country is the opportunity to try new foods. Granted, British cuisine has historically been panned (particularly by the French) as being plain and bland. This is definitely not the case, although I will say that much of the food we traditionally associate with the United Kingdom falls in the category of comfort foods. There was, of course, a learning curve as many foods we eat in the US are known by different names here: eggplant = aubergine zucchini = courgette french fries = chips Whereas (potato and other) chips = crisps gelatin = jelly (and don’t think that doesn’t cause puzzled looks…
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A Path That Shouldn’t Have Been Traveled, or I Hate Cows
In a few weeks we will be moving to a new house here in town, as our lovely landlords will be returning from Australia and need their house back. And as much as I love the quirkiness of this house, the garden, the great location, the fab neighbors and – my favorite, the amazing Stoves range*, the next house has double-paned glass, insulation and a two-car garage. This is an upgrade, to say the least. I know how difficult it can be to find an upgraded house that has all your needs in one and matches your style. You can click here to see a wide variety of homes if…
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Fill in the Blank Friday
Another Friday, another week draws to a close. Thank the good Lord. (It’s been a really tough week with a certain 5-year old here.) *ahem* And while I have some ideas churning in my head, I’m more in the mood to fill in some blanks, and let those ideas cook a bit more. Many thanks to Courtney at My So Called Denver for jumping in and posting some blanks, since Blogger’s uncooperativeness meant that Lauren was unable to. Thanks, Courtney!!! And so now it is time to Fill in the Blanks! 1. If I had to use 3 words why I am undoubtedly a Type-A they would be control-freak, perfectionist, and…
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The Gallery: Chillin’ Out
I’m a Type-A kinda gal. I probably need to “chill out” a bit more than I do. When I do need to take a break, my FAV place is my big, comfy chair. Curled up with a book, a cuppa, and a biscuit. Or two. (Don’t judge.) Add an afghan if its chilly, and maybe the puppy draped over my feet on the footstool. Perfect. However, my ultimate chill out (which we won’t quite get this year) is on the beach at the Outer Banks, with a book in hand. Not the prettiest self-portrait ever, but at that particular moment, I just didn’t care. Now THAT is chillin’ out.…
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I Miss That D*mm Car
I think we all have a story or two to tell about our first car. But which car: the one I drove when the State of Illinois granted me my first license? That car technically belonged to my mom. It was a little white Chevy Cavalier, in which my Dad had so thoughtfully installed a CB radio. (don’t ask me why; it was before mobile phones were popular and weighed less than 5 pounds, so maybe it was a safety thing.) Whatever. Along with the CB was a PA system with a speaker under the hood. Cruisin’ on Friday nights had a certain “Mr. microphone” element to it, I will…
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Wordless Wednesday: After the Rain
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Losin’ It
Yesterday was a big day for me. A good day. See, I went to my first Weight Watchers meeting in 3 weeks – I was away on holiday for the first two, and it was a Bank Holiday on the third Monday. I had a lot to face up to: while we DID walk for miles in Vienna, I also indulged on a latte or two each day, and I’m pretty sure they weren’t made with skimmed milk. Oh, and one of those lattes was partaken with a piece of cake. Lovely cake. And I didn’t see a proper veggie until the last dinner there. I ate some of mine…
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Project We: When In Vienna
When in Rome, do as the Romans do, correct? So I assume it follows that when in Vienna, do as the Viennese. Which, apparently, is drink coffee and eat cake. Lots of cake. Lots and LOTS of cake. And ice cream. And not just a simple scoop of ice cream, but masterpieces of sundaes. Or banana splits. And strudel. Oh. My. The strudel. I could eat this every single day. But then I’d be as big as a house. Yes, we had a lovely time in Vienna. We saw palaces. We walked and walked. And when we needed a break? Coffee. And Cake. And no, I didn’t Weight…