Hola ???

Last night Spanish was SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO confusing!
Since we have passed the half way (5 week) mark now - he has started adding more new things rather than just verbs and vocab. Last night we started on - The Past! I know - doesn't sound like a big deal. But - oh - my - gosh - confusing!!! I started to get it a bit after we went through practice exercises in class though.

However, he started by doing a very quick explanation (mostly in Spanish) then told us to complete 3 exercises. I stared at the paper - feeling like I was back in advanced Math class in high school. I didn't know where to start - or how - oh my. I looked over at my friend and said 'I'm just pretending to work here - I don't know what I'm doing.' He agreed that he was doing the same - and when I glanced around the room I saw nearly everyone had the same deer in the headlights look. The teacher noticed as well, so started very slowly going through it out loud with all of us - thank goodness!

My head felt so full of new information last night that I felt like I could barely speak. (Hey - I did do a full day's work as well - it was a long day)!

Then at the bus stop, as I stood in the cold waiting for my ride home, a group of 6 eighteen year olds loudly approached. They were all dressed up - wearing no coats (burrrr) and very loud. One of them said loudly to the few of us standing at the stop 'When is the 93 coming.' We looked at them like 'what?' - someone finally said 'I don't know - I've been waiting here 5 minutes.' Hmmmm as if we know? A few minutes later the bus came - and they stood in a group blocking the way to the bus - but not getting on themselves. I gently pushed the shoulder one of them saying 'Excuse me, I need to get on' I thought maybe they had changed their minds or something. You can't just stand there - either get on or get out of the way - bus drivers do NOT stay at stops for long. I got on first, then a few other people got on the bus. Which allowed me to have a prime view for when they actually did get on. Turns out they were actually scamming - only a few of them had money - or at least WANTED to pay for a fare. So the others squeezed by saying 'oh I'll just go borrow two pounds from a friend' or 'where's my bus pass hmmmmm' as they quickly ran upstairs to the upper deck. Of course the driver didn't care and let them. That made me mad. Just yesterday I read an article about how much fare dodgers are costing the rest of us in fare increases every year. If they had been boys, or older, he wouldn't have let them get away with that. I have seen it happen before where the driver will shut off the bus, and say he won't drive on until they come back to him and pay the fare for their journey.

Anyhow, so once they all got in - I looked at the lady across from me - she rolled her eyes and we had a little chat.

Lady: 'They were blocking my way to get on.'
Me: 'I know - so rude.'
Lady: 'They are all dressed up like they think it's Saturday night'
Me: 'I know - it's TUESDAY! geez'

Ok yes - I officially feel old - I know I'm only 28 next week - but geez - it's Tuesday people. Not a night to go out and annoy people on public transport. A night to come home and collapse after work and relax. Last night I read a funny thing in my book, about how young people think of the week as the time to recover from the weekend, and older people think of it in the opposite way - SO true!

Counting down - only 6 more days until - hmmmm well I can't really say late 20's can I? Since I'm already there. Well I guess it's 6 more days until I'm only 2 years away from 30 - oh dear!

Food Glorious Fooooooooooooooooood

OH this is making me hungry just LOOKING at these photos!

Sweet potato parcels - they were SO yummy!

Amazing little taco like Thai appetizer - it was FABULOUS!

Steak pie - yummmmmmmmmmmm!

(this is the pub lunch now - not Thai - just in case you were wondering:)
And my lamb Sunday roast lunch - gotta love the Yorkshire Pudding!
Richmond...... Lovely:)

Monday Monday

When is it going to warm up? This weather has made me sick - again. Feeling awfully woozy today. The cold medicine had subdued my symptoms, but causes the screen to go a bit fuzzy. And I lost my gloves this morning - again - great.

Saturday we had a lovely day - even though the weather was dreadful. Cold, windy, and overcast with sprinkles. By the time we got to the Wetland Centre we had just given up - not a good day for an outdoor adventure. It DOES look like a really nice place though - we will definitely be going back!

We were going to go out to dinner at this nice little French place just down the road from us Saturday night, but then we decided it might be more fun to go somewhere completely new. So we went to Sukho in Parsons Green. It's a lovely little Thai restaurant - where they run up to the table every time your glass is even a quarter empty to refill it and bow as they are leaving! WOW WOW WOW was the food amazing. Stunning presentation, spectacular food - overall a great meal! It was so nice to go somewhere new too, and to spend an evening reflecting on the last 7 years of our relationship. Fun to think back to our 'dating' days:)

Sunday we caught up with friends for a very yummy pub lunch, then we headed home and caught up on American Idol. I am beginning to really dislike Cat Deeley. For our (UK) version of the show - rather than showing us the 'call this number to vote' bit they instead show us a British presenter who rehashes the performances with the contestants. This is the first year they have done this - usually we just get the entire US show. It adds nothing, and is annoying, and they even cut short the last performance of the night for her to ask him a few questions??? WHAT? I wonder if there's an email I can write into to complain. I did enjoy the show though - the girls were GREAT, the boys were average, and Paula was pretty out of it (and that hair - why Paula why? please go back to dark and no bangs. i.e. fringe - it does not look good). I LOVE that show:)

M&M Day !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well tomorrow is M&M Day (Murray & Monique Day). Our made up holiday that we celebrate instead of Valentines Days. It's the anniversary of when we officially started dating. Wow is this really our 8th M&M Day??? Wow! All I know if that I love him more every day, he's my best friend and my soul mate. I couldn't ask for a greater guy:)

Oh NOW I remember what I was going to talk about today!

This morning as I was going through the barriers to get on the tube, I went too quickly after the person in front of me so the gates closed and wouldn't let me through. Then of course none of the barriers would let me through because me 'oyster' card was telling the gates I had already passed through. So I went up to the ticket counter and asked the guy to please check if there was anything wrong with my card. He said that yes the gate was just confused, thinking I had already gone through, as I thought, and that I should just go through the side gate for now. BUT THEN he gave me a little receipt which listed every single time I have gone in or out of a tube station, when I have got on buses, the times these journeys happened, the stations I visited, the bus numbers, etc. I guess I knew that since I was using a credit card like swipe card that they would have that information. But it did kind of freak me out to see that London Underground knows that I boarded a certain bus at 11:30 last night (after the movie) and that I got on the bus at 07:26 this morning - kinda creepy!!!!!!!!!!

Hmmmmm Thursday?

Yesterday it felt like the weekend was a million miles away, and now it's Thursday - and I can see Friday on the horizon and that makes me happy :)

I have nothing much to say other than that. It's chilly here - nearly 12c (54f), but the rain and wind make it feel CHILLY!

BRING ON SUMMER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jack, Nina, CTU, etc

Spanish went well last night.

Although it's getting a bit more difficult now! Last night he had us spend the first half an hour writing out what our favourite meal to cook is, why we like it, and how to make it. Needless to say it was difficult with my limited vocabulary. I described lasagna. The class did laugh a bit though when I described how to put the pasta, cheese and meet and veggie layers in a dish and then 'repeat many times.' It was the only way I could think of to describe layering, ha ha.

Next week we will start learning how to use verbs in the past and future - EKKKKKK! I think I am going to go and buy a verb dictionary this week. My little dictionary gives me the definitions of the verbs, but not the conjugations. How am I supposed to know which ones are irregular - and if I am doing it right without a book to assure me?

Anyhow, I'm enjoying it! The class is officially half way done now - 5 more classes to go!

Last night we managed to fit in 1 episode of '24' (after watching the newest episode of 'The OC' of course). The OC was great last night though - I loved how they had Ryan deal with his grief about Marissa by having him and Taylor in a type of alternate reality. Totally out there - but funny and interesting!

24 was GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!! Wow we are totally addicted to that show. However I think from now on we should not discuss the show on the bus anymore. I turned to Murray this morning and said 'Oh my gosh, can you believe Nina cut the throat of that guy with a credit card!' Then (not surprisingly I guess) I got a LOT of strange looks from people sitting near me - oops! Ha ha, it is a great show though!

The buses were against me this morning. As I turned the corner to walk towards the bus stop I saw it just pulling away TEN MINUTES EARLY!!!! This is a big deal, because the bus only comes once every half an hour. Traffic must have been light because school kids in our area are on holiday this week. Still though - coming that early is just NOT fair :( So I caught a different bus to the bridge, and just as I was getting off I saw that the bus in front of us was the bus I needed to be on to get to the station. I quickly starting running towards it just as it pulled away - great. Oh well, I was only 15 minutes late to work, but still! So annoying!

Tuesday I guess

Nothing much to report

We watched a bit more of '24' season 2 last night - ohhhhh it's getting GOOD!

Spanish class tonight - should be fun! I actually did my homework this week (well most of it, some of it I didn't understand).

I may actually leave slightly earlier today as well so I can have a bit of study time before the class starts, I can always make up that hour tomorrow!

Adios chicos!

OUCH

Had a lovely weekend.

Friday night we headed into the city to catch up with some South African friends. We ended up at a really yummy tapas bar - I love tapas!!!! So fun to be able to get so many different kinds of food in one meal!

Saturday I had loads of errands to run, but still managed to fit in a bit of shop browsing in our little local shopping centre. Saturday night we met up with some American friends for a meal at a 'Gastro pub' in Regents Park. YUMMY food and a very cute place - great company too - was a fun night:)

I also popped into the post office on Saturday to pick up my 'secret cupid' gift. I belong to a group of 'international' girls who support each other with day to day life overseas (or girls who are married to international guys). We decided to do a 'secret cupid' and send each other a surprise for Valentines Day. My gift came from a lovely girl in Brisbane - always fun to get things in the mail!

Sunday I met up with a bunch of American friends at a pub in Covent Garden. So so fun to meet up with people who understand when you gripe about visas, and exchange rates, and missing your family. They really are a great group of girls - I always have a fantastic time when we get together! Actually we're meeting again in a few weeks because we're going to start a monthly sewing group. Some of us know how to crochet (I can do ONE stitch only) some know how to knit, and many of us want to learn. So we're going to find somewhere that doesn't mind us dragging bags of yarn in with us and meet for a few hours to learn something new and chat at the same time - should be fun!!!!

This morning I had to go to the dentist - not fun. I did get there 45 minutes early though (for once the trains were running REALLY early) which meant I was out the door by the time I was due to arrive! However I must say I think that hygienist had it out for me. It was SO painful, actually while she was scraping my enamel off with an ice pick (well at least that's what it felt like) she said 'I'm sorry darling for hurting you, but it's necessary.' I think maybe she was punishing me for not flossing enough. Ok - lesson learned. However it was a good visit, no cavities - YAY!

And I thought I'd include this picture cause I think it's funny. This is Murray's water stockpile at work. He had been carrying one of these 2 litre bottles in every day, but it was just such a pain! So last week he went to a grocery store near his work and stocked up - I just think it's hilarious that this is piled up behind his desk though!

Oh - last night we went and saw 'The Last King of Scotland' as well. Great movie! I cannot believe that was based on a true story - WOW!!!!! Then I went home and watched the episode of ER that I had missed last week and there was Forest Whitaker again - he really is a good actor!

Ahhh Funny Little London

As I was walking to the bus this morning I was thinking about all the little things that I have become used to in this city.

I love walking in the mornings and looking around to see into people's windows. I never really experienced that in Minnesota because we drove everywhere, and most people have houses, not flats with windows facing main roads. I smiled as I saw the couple I see every day having breakfast in their kitchen, I could hear an alarm going off in someone's bedroom, and I saw a woman quickly ironing her clothes for the work day.

I am one of those people who always stands on a certain part of the platform - so that I can get on the carriage that will drop me off right by the exit of my destination. I guess that's what happens when you take the same train every day - so nice though. I always hurry to get the seat on the end of the row - so I only have to have a person next to me on one side. Also on the way home it's nice to be able to lean my head on the barrier. In the mornings I am on the look out for a discarded newspaper - as there are no places to pick up a fresh one on my way to the train.

I'm used to not talking to strangers. In 5 years of going to the gym I have never made a friend there! It always shocks me when someone talks to me - it's just not done! sort of like on the train)! Last night a girl asked me what she needed for the class (it was her first time) and I was a bit startled and stumbled over my explanation!

And funny little things - like when I moved here I thought pointy toed shoes were SO SO ugly (I remember saying this to Murray). Now I own many many pairs and I LOVE them! I also NEVER wore those small little gym socks at home - I always wore longer socks that I pulled up to my calves - it was just what we did! Isn't funny how little things like that, what you consider 'normal' can change over time?

I no longer convert pound prices in dollars to my head - it's just TOO shocking! I accept that the high London prices are normal and just live with it.

I don't know where this rambling came from. Just that it was a lovely warm morning (10 c - 50 f) and it got me all 'ahhhh I love London today.'

:)

Thursday

Last night we met up with our friend Debs and saw the movie 'Notes of a Scandal.' It was very well written. A clever, interesting and a bit distrubing story. However the acting was supurb - Cate Blanchett & Judi Dench were both great!

We got some 'Yo Sushi' afterwards. I do love the idea of picking your food out as it goes by on a conveyor. So odd - but kinda fun!

The other day on the tube a group of six ticket inspectors crowded into the carriage I was on. They went through and checked everyone's ticket. It just struck me as funny because I haven't seen that in a long time. And really, how do people even cheat the system anymore these days? I buy a monthly - so it's beyond me really. I guess it's those people who squish themselves up against the person in front of them while going through the barriers so they don't have to pay. So dishonest - I just can't imagine! They did catch one guy on my carriage and wrote him out a ticket and gave him a fine - shame.

Last night while walking down the platform at Earl's Court towards the District line elevators I glanced over at the departing train and it made me smile to see so many people with huge boquets of flowers on their laps. Flowers are not something you often see on public transport, kinda nice:)

Happy Valentines Day!

Happy Valentines Day everyone:)

Murray and I don't celebrate Valentines day, so we'll just go to a movie tonight - our usual Wednesday night treat! We decided back in 2001 that we would celebrate our own holiday instead - M&M day - on our dating anniversary February 24th. I like that we have our own holiday - but I also like getting the chance today to say I LOVE YOU Murray - and I couldn't be happier to share my life with you :)

HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Not much to say today other than

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!!!!

and

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HEATHER!!!!

Ohhhhh PHOTOS!

Oh ok - Murray just emailed me some photos! YAY!

Abby being entertained by her new finger puppet from Helen

We asked her what his name was and she said 'Pink Pig'

Decorating Valentines Day heart cookies

Intense concentration going on here

Sprinkles & everything!

Check out our cookies!

AND............... some belated photos..... from a week ago Friday

Blue Cheese pasta a la Murray

Blue Cheese Pasta!

Me & Heather - chillin' with our lapdesks (we don't have a table - ha ha)

When Will I be FAMOUS?

Saturday we had a lovely last day of having Abby over for the afternoon. I took her in the morning to the post office and the library (my usual Saturday haunts) and then we popped into Starbucks. Abby picked out a very rich frosted chocolate muffin, I had my YUMMY Chai latte, and Abby had a babychino (steamed milk in an espresso cup topped with sprinkled chocolate). It was SO nice!!!! Reminded me of when she used to come over on Saturdays to our old flat. We used to go out in the mornings to Starbucks so as not to wake the other flat mates (the living room in that flat shared a wall with one of the bedrooms, so wasn't as quiet & secluded as in the current flat). But it was even better this time. Because she is old enough now to sit still, and can sit and chat to me! She came over and gave me big hugs and I hugged her back and told how much I care about her & how much I'm going to miss seeing her every weekend. When we got back to the flat she played with Murray, and we decorated some Valentines day cookies. Lorraine came by around lunch time and helped me out by feeding Abby while I prepared lunch for us.

I have some great pictures, but don't have them with me today - will try to get them uploaded tomorrow.


Eva, Ben & Abby - I hope your move goes REALLY smoothly today!!!! And I hope you LOVE your new flat - but really it's a house not a flat isn't it - how exciting! We can't wait to come down one weekend and stay with you and see your fab new place. But gosh we're gonna miss you guys!


Eva has become such a good friend. And I tell ya I really do love Abby as if she were my own - she is such a sweet little thing!!!! But I KNOW there's nothing to be sad about. They are moving to SUCH a great place that'll be so fantastic for them, and we'll still see them. They'll come to London and we'll head out the country to visit too!

Saturday evening Lorraine and I went to the BBC studios to watch a live taping of Graham Norton's new show When Will I be Famous. We were given FANTASTIC second row seats in the audience which made us REALLY excited! Then a producer came and asked us to move to the FRONT ROW to fill in empty spaces - very very exciting! However, it was too good to be true. Then another producer came and told us we were in seats reserved for family members of the performers and would have to be moved to the balcony seats. We protested, saying we HAD been sitting just one row back and that we had been moved. :( :( But we understood that we couldn't stay. Didn't mean we didn't grumble how unfair it was though that they had put other people into our old seats!! We got seated up in the balcony with big bars right in our line of site, big big bummer. BUT due to our grumbling, the head producer felt bad for us and asked for my name. He called up the audience booking company and told them to mark priority against my name, so next time we book we get front row YAY!

The show itself was pretty darn entertaining! The difficult to set up acts were prerecorded, but the rest was broadcast live on TV, very fun! The best acts of the night were the roller skaters who spun unbelievably fast on a small round platform, and the beat boxer from Brighton 'Beardy Man.' The skaters won, but we thought Beardy Man was the better!!!

(I got the tickets from the free audience booking agency - SRO audience - which is listed in my London links on the sidebar)

Later that evening we caught up with Murray and explored the Shoreditch / Hoxton Square area. It was fun to go somewhere new, and we went to a few unique places.


Sunday Murray and I went to the Natural History Museum to check out the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition. WOW - fantastic - we spent a lot of time there - really really amazing photos!

These are our favourites.....
(click on the title below the photo for more details about the photos)

Turtle Grooming

Coconut crab going up


Snowy landing


The great mimic

(I love this one)
Rival Kings

(can you believe THIS amazing photo was in the 15-17 year old category!)
Eagle Snatch


Ahhhhhhh isn't he cute!!!

Human encounter

Ghost Frog
STUNNING photo!

It's FRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIDAY!

Not much to report.

I feel great today. Probably partly due to the fact that I went to the gym last night. Although I felt incredibly weak (it's been awhile since I've gone properly since I've been so busy) it still felt great and I slept really well because of it.

Also ER was great last night - I really like that show. Although I'm not sure about John Stamos being the new 'good looking' guy on the show. I just can't look at him without thinking about the show Full House. To me he will always be dorky uncle Jessi.

Looking forward to the weekend!!!! Turns out we do actually get Abby tomorrow for one last time before they pack up and move this weekend. I think we'll have a fun day of going to the post office, the library, and MAYBE the toy store - ha ha! It seems like EVERY weekend I go to the post office & the library as Saturdays are the only day I can make it during opening hours:)

Oh and.....

Last night had yet another fabulous evening at casa de Heather. Andrea, Heather and I laughed, gossiped and chatted until the wee hours of the night - so fun! Ok, it was 10 pm when we left - but darn it that's late for me on a work night! Thus why I forgot to post about this in my FIRST post of the day (below). I'm tired ok? But it was SO worth it. Between Heather's Valentinis and amazing artichoke dip, I may just have to pop over there more often - yummmm! (Oh and yes - I am trying to fatten you up Heather - always a good thing on these cold winter days to have a bit more meat on the bones! Just kidding - I just LOVE desserts!!! and I feel less guilty when everyone around me is having some too!!)

Oh and it's snowing today. My shoes are still damp, it's slushy and wet outside and I was half an hour late to work due to the late bus and delayed tube. But those giant snowflakes falling on me as I walked to my last bus of the morning made it worth it - gorgeous! I am still a Minnesota girl at heart - I love snow:)

10,000!!!! WOW!

Yesterday I hit a blog milestone - 10,000 hits!

WOW ! I started blogging in April of last year, and now it has become an addiction!

I have a little tracker that lets me know where people who are reading about me are from - and I was amazed when I counted up that people from 65 countries have visited this blog!!!!

Isn't that amazing?

UK, USA, Australia, Ireland, Germany, South Africa, France, Canda, Sweden, Italy, Netherlands, Switzerland, Spain, Mexico, Singapore, New Zealand, India, Albania, Belgium, China, Slovakia, Finland, Denmark, Turkey, Greece, Portugal, Norway, Malaysai, Argentina, Japan, Thailand, Hungary, Russia, Brazil, Ghana, Indonesia, United Arab Emitrates, Taiwan, Iceland, Austria, Korea, Egypt, China, Poland, Phillippines, Solvenia, Israel, Iran, Guatemala, Latvia, Romania, Morocco, Angola, Lebanon, Domenican Republic, Czech Republic, Gabon, Saudi Arabia, Nepal, Kenya, Venezuela, Peru, Bulgaria, Croatia and Chile.


AND HAPPY 2nd BIRTHDAY AMELIA!!!!

Hola!

Well, a little catch up blog today since I've been pretty slack the last few days.

Last Friday Heather came over for some 'American Idol' action - that was fun! I have some great food photos (as you know my husband loves taking pictures of food). I just haven't had time to post them yet - will try to get them up asap.

Monday night I went to a pub to meet up with 4 American girls. That was really fun. Great to hear all the stories of how everyone ended up in the UK, and always nice to meet new people (especially those with similar yank accents)!

Last night was Spanish class number tres (3). Gosh I like this class- the teach is FANTASTIC! He does fill our heads with SO much information though. I feel like when I leave I'm just mumbling Spanish words to myself - so much to remember!!! I'm going to try REALLY hard to make some time to study this weekend - I need to work on my verbs and do some memorizing!

Now - back to work - my 'to do' list is HUGE!

Blog? what's a blog?

Oh gosh I've been busy today - it's nearly 4pm and I just rememberd that I forgot to blog today!

I've been busy busy at work, and have to leave soon for Spanish class - whoo hooo!

More tomorrow.....

Ahhhhh my Murray

We had a wonderful Saturday with Abby. Eva & Ben & Abby are moving out of London next week :(

They are moving to a fabulous cottage an hour out of London (we are SO coming to visit)! We are very happy for them - new & exciting things - great jobs, gorgeous home, big lovely garden!!! Although we are going to miss them terribly! It has been SO fantastic the last 6 months since we have been living just down the road from them. It's been great to get to see them more, and to really get to know this little person who's personality is starting to come out. Eva & Ben have done a great job - she is such a lovely little girl - and really fun now that she can talk to us and understand conversations.

When she first came in in the morning she looked at me and asked (as she always does) 'Where's Mooree'?' I answered 'he's sleeping' she said 'oh ok.' Then tiptoed into the living room - too cute.

Since this was our last big Saturday alone with her we thought we'd take her out to the Science Museum.

'Mooree's red shoes'

'I see my Mooree' (saying My Mooree was new this week, but I'm still just Neek)
Silly girl - riding on the bus
Abby & Murray in the 'inventions hall' at the Science Museum.


Checking out some of the hands on experiences in the children's area

Drawing on the kaleidoscope creator

The under 8 area was FUN!

Silly girl - waiting in line for lunch

Goofy faces
I think she likes the camera
This is a VERY Abigail pose - ha ha - so cute!

Yummm some freshly squeezed juice
And ice cream! (this is how we bribed her to eat her meal - the promise of ice cream!)
Yummmmm (she saw the ice cream man truck on the way to the restaurant and from then on whenever we saw ANY truck she was convinced it was the ice cream man - so we had to keep our promise - ice cream for dessert - YUMM)


She was very good about sharing 'One for Abigail, one for Moreeee, one for Neek'
The nose biting game was funny until Murray's nose did get a bit of a nip - ha ha!
Kisses
Cool sunglasses girl on the train

Chilling out on the train
And play time back at the flat!

When we got back to the flat we curled up on the couch to watch the movie 'Ice Age' (for the billionth time - it's the only kid's dvd we have). But not before Abby took control of Mooree's camera and took about 50 pictures of him, it was hilarious! She really was so funny this weekend, really had a lot of personality and so so sweet.