Polygamist? Me?

We live on the edge of a large village in England north of London. Our children go to school in the next village over which is small. I have absolutely loved living here. I feel like I have the best of all worlds. I have the tiny village, where my children go to school, where for the past three years it seems I have gotten to know everyone who lives there. It feels quaint and small town. There is only two primary schools there. Ours, the Church of England school and the state school. Each school has about 200 kids. The high street is a small strip of Tudor-looking buildings with a post office, tiny grocery store and a few other boutiques shops. I love it. Then there is our village, which is bigger but still considered a "village." It has 7-8 primary schools and two secondary schools. There are four grocery stores which are all small but good for picking up a few things. There are a lot of high end boutique shops and restaurants etc.

If you can't find what you need in our village, you can go to one of the nearest mid-size cities. St. Albans is one of those cities located near us (population as of 2011 was 57, 795). It has great shopping, restaurants, large grocery stores, huge parks, theaters and many schools etc. But if St. Albans isn't exciting enough for you, then of course we are a 30 minute train ride or 20-30 minute (car ride - depending on where exactly you are going) to London where of course everything is exciting and big and, and, and....

I love, love, love living in England and nothing will change that! I don't even mind that the nearest big grocery store to me is a 15 minute drive away because in that drive, I pass rolling fields that are bright and yellow in the summer and lush and green all the rest of the year. Hedges edge the fields and there is always some lovely old church steeple in the distance or old stately home that catches your eye. The narrow country lanes covered and dripping with greenery are gorgeous and will never get old for me. So I am happy to give up my convenience for beauty and besides, I order all my groceries online and have them delivered anyway...

Ok now I will get to the point. The other day, I found out that a rumor has been going around that lovely small village in which my children go to school. Do you want to know what that rumor is? Well, the rumor is that Charles and I are polygamists! Yes, Mormon polygamists! Can you believe it?! It really took me by surprise. 

In a small village, word gets around! Yesterday my friend from India (we'll call her Nina) came to my house to pick up her daughters from their piano lessons. She sat me down and asked me if it was true that we are polygamists though she did not think it was. I was shocked! She said that several mums had been talking about it and one mum asked Nina (who knows us the best of all the ladies in the group) if she thought it was true. Wow! I grabbed our family photo and said "Look! Do you see another woman in this picture?" No, we are not polygamists! There are no secret tunnels in this house either, we rent! I don't think my landlord would appreciate us digging secret tunnels or expanding the house for Charles' harem. But let me tell you one thing, if we were, I would certainly send the "other wife" to school pickup and drop off because I hate doing that everyday. Nina laughed and agreed that would be nice. 

Apparently, one of Sammy's friend's mums is the one who started the rumor, as far as I can tell. Let's call her Sue. When I found out Sue has been telling people she thinks we are polygamists, things started to make sense for me. For instance, I have been trying to get her daughter to come and have a play date with Sammy at our house. She never can but often invites Sammy to HER house for a play date with her daughter. I can never reciprocate. (She is the only person in the village who refused play dates at our house fortunately.) 

Secondly, I think Sue got this whole "polygamy" idea from the Vietnamese university student who stayed with us for about six months, a year ago. Her name was Annie. Annie used to always do Abby and Sammy's hair for school in amazing braids and hair styles etc. Sue always commented on their hair and how lovely it was and wondered if I did it. I told her I did not do it but a friend who is staying with us. However, Sue never actually saw Annie. This is probably where she got her suspicion of us being polygamists as far as I can figure. But now Sue has told other people in the village that we have another woman living in the house and therefore we are polygamists. Like I said, Annie moved out a year ago and was only living with us because she was in a bad living situation at the university she goes to. She lived with us until she was able to find some good room mates and a good place to stay.These mums all asked Nina if she has ever seen another woman at our house when she has been here. Seriously??


I guess I am mostly shocked because when Sue told this information to the other mums. They seem to have simply believed her instead of actually looking it up and doing some research on the Mormon faith. They take such information at face value that since Sue says it is true, than it must be.  I was proud to hear that Nina was skeptical when she heard the rumor and googled "Mormons and polygamy" to see if the religion even practices such things anymore.

Of course, I told all of this to Charles and he couldn't stop laughing all night. He finds it hilarious that I am known as the "polygamist lady of the village" (because its not like he is ever at school pickup or drop off).  I must say, after the initial shock of the first day, I actually find it funny too. I now at least have some insight into what people might be thinking when I ask if their daughter can come to our house for a play date... oh you mean the "polygamist house?" ...uh, I think we are busy or sick that day...but you are welcome to come to our house...

Bonfire Night

The weekend after Halloween, we went up to our friend's house about an hour north of where we live. We slept over on Friday night and had a big bonfire party on Saturday night. The men started early in the day on Saturday building the great pile of dried branches, wood and rubbish for the bonfire. Something about building enormous fires gets men really excited. Even Charles was over piling up branches and strutting around being masculine. Charles needs these opportunities though because after all, he is stuck in a house of FOUR girls! Go be manly Charles, build your little fire, you big, burly man you!

The men pondering the best way to pile the rubbish in with the branches...It was a team "thinking" effort...

Sammy and Abby loved to watch.

More manly fire building...meanwhile the ladies were in the kitchen turning out loads and loads of food (not me mind you I was learning the art of fire building). My friend is Vietnamese and her entire large family came which includes many women who just take over the kitchen making spring rolls, Vietnamese stews, fresh prawn crackers, and all sorts of other stuff that I am not sure of the name, but boy could I ever indulge in the deliciousness! These women never stopped, they just kept cooking all day and night and we all just kept eating between fire building of course...I got no pictures of the food...too bad!

There were tons of lanterns hung throughout the apple orchard, which made it all feel kind of magical. 

Sammy excited for the festivities..

The bonfire was a success! It was huge! The men folk were proud!

Here is the Guy Fawkes effigy getting ready to be thrown in the fire...

Accccckkkk! His head has exploded!

Abby keepin' it cool but toasty.

We also let off so many fireworks, I almost got tired of them. But it never stopped being exciting for Alex. She got to do so many sparklers and loved every minute...

More Spookiness...

Here is another post from the week of Halloween. The girls had the whole week off school for half term so one of the days some friends of ours came over and we did an entire day of Halloween crafts and treats. The girls had fun dressing up too. 

The girls made ghosts and spiders in a big web across our dining room. I guess I never took a picture of them all hanging up but it was cute and very spooky!

Alex and her ghostie!

We made cake pops with spooky words written on them and several we decorated to look like a witch's cauldron but somehow I didn't get pictures of those.

We also made chocolate rats.

And of course, Halloween shaped sugar cookies...

No one could eat more than one cake pop because they were so sweet and too rich. I felt sick after the day was over from all the sugar but it was fun and I think we made the most of our Halloween.