a visit downtown..

Sammy smiling in front of Trafalgar Square fountain

Abby looking out at Trafalgar Square

Abby hanging out by the WWI memorial near St. James Park

Mama and Sammy (self portrait) at Trafalgar Square

The other day we ventured down to Trafalgar Square, mainly so Abby could ride on the train (the tube). I also wanted to see the Rembrandt exhibit currently going on at the National Gallery. About five minutes after we arrived at the museum and started admiring paintings, they started closing down various galleries. Apparently, the museum workers were going on strike. What a bummer! Abby was just starting to point out various paintings and things that she saw in them and I was just starting to feel the pride of having a cultured child. Well, it was not to be... We decided to go hang out in Trafalgar Square instead and then walk over to St. James park to see the birds. It was a nice day out and the most important thing was accomplished; Abby got to ride the train...

The Ants Go Marching In...

So, I just finished making a mass grave in my backyard for the bodies of thousands of dead flying ants. Yesterday, was a beautiful day but of course we did have one massive cloud burst as part of our daily reminder that we live in England. The ants in our backyard did not seem to be prepared for the rain (even though it has been raining daily for the past two months, as I have mentioned previously). So as a result of the torrential rain fall, the ants were swept by the floods into our conservatory. We got home from church, looked at the window and saw what looked like thousands of ants crawling all over the floor and up the walls and windows of the conservatory. Naturally, I freaked out! I called the landlord thinking we had a major ant crisis on our hands and expecting her to call the exterminator. Instead, she calmly reassured me that it was a result of the storm and told me to dump powder on them. So I took to the task. I grabbed a giant bottle of baby powder as well as a bottle of ant powder killer that I found under the sink. I dumped gobs of powder on every individual ant, repeating in my mind, "take that you stupid ant" or "die sucker, die!" After a very few minutes, I looked around to see the entire conservatory covered in a thick layer of white powder and the ants moving ever slower. I thought if I dumped enough, the spiders who would possibly eat the dead ants would also ingest the powder and would kill over as well. This thought was very gratifying. After dumping what I felt, a sufficient amount of the deadly white toxin, I returned to preparing dinner for our guests who were to arrive within the hour. Needless to say, our guests and Charles were horrified at the sight but I was very content knowing that not one of those ants entered my house...

More English Than I'd Like to Admit

So, reading over my last two blog entries, I realize that I talk/complain about the weather a lot. I am obsessed! I think that I have become more English than I imagined. I read a book recently called "Watching the English" by Kate Fox. She is a social anthropologist who instead of conducting research on the rural tribes of the South African bush she does a thorough study of English behavior and conversation. The first chapter focuses on the weather, where the author quotes Dr. Johnson's famous quote, "When two Englishmen meet, their first talk is of the weather," to which the author adds, "this observation is as accurate now as it was over two hundred years ago." However, she argues that remarks like "Ooh isn't it cold," or "Still raining eh?" and other variations are "ritual greetings, conversation-starters or default fillers. In other words, English weather-speak is a form of 'grooming-talk.'" While I agree with this argument, I also believe that people here are REALLY obsessed with the weather because it is never exactly what we want. Living on the edge of an ocean and close to an entire continent means we get all kinds of unexpected weather. Of course, there is a lot more to her analysis than I am going to go into here but for now I guess I will try harder to focus my thoughts on other things and not let the weather dictate my mood...

Compare and Contrast

Here is a picture I took of Sammy today. Below, I have uploaded some pictures of Abby when she was around Sammy's age. Take a look at them and see how much they look alike or differ.

Abby at 9 or 10 months.

Abby at 9 or 10 months

Abby at one year.

Abby at 9 or 10 months

I've been looking through all our old pictures lately because we finally bought an external hard drive so they are more accessible to me. I am amazed at how much Abby and Sam look alike in some pictures and not so much in others.

Yesterday, we went to a place here in London called Topsy Turvy where the kids can climb all over this giant jungle gym. Sam decided then that she preferred "assisted" (holding onto mama's fingers) walking to crawling because she could keep up with Abby better that way. She did climb on her own very well too. She just wanted assistance when it was flat and she was in a hurry to get somewhere. It was fun to see her chasing after her older sister and making her little excited noises. Abby loved to encourage her as well. They both loved going down the huge slides.

So, it is still pouring rain, overcast and miserable here. Today was the last straw for me. I decided I was no longer tolerating the rain and trying to be happy. I decided today to be grumpy and complain and curse a lot!!! Is all this rain some kind of sick joke? It is really destroying my mood and my ambition to do ANYTHING! Fortunately, we did get out to a friend's house today so I feel slightly better or perhaps I am just saving my anger to explode again tomorrow when I wake up and it is dark and dreary once more.

I am reading a good book that should help my mind stay off of the weather a bit (but perhaps not). It is "Atonement" by Ian McEwan. I must say, it is quite good and helps me to escape into a more peaceful, serene time. It takes place in Surrey, England during the year 1935 when apparently it was the hottest summer in recent memory...

Lazy Days

Sammy's favorite pastime of getting into the cupboards while I am cooking...
Here's Sammy just being lazy in her pretty, pink, princess dress. She has issues crawling in it because her knees get caught up in the dress.
Abby is modeling her crown we made her one Saturday morning while waiting for Daddy to get out of the shower. Abby loves head accessories i.e. crowns, headbands, clips, hats etc.

This is a picture taken when Dan and Patrice were here in May. I just found it and love the beautiful garden in the background and thought it was a good picture of Sammy and I.

There is not much to report these days. It has been raining for the past two months or more and I must say, I am not amused. I have frequently asked myself and Charles lately, why we live in this dark, wet, dreary country. It truly is depressing when it is July and you have to remind yourself that it is summer and not December!! On July 4th (yesterday) I repeated over and over to myself, "stupid England, stupid, stupid England!"

The only thing that gets my mind off the weather are my driving lessons. I have been working on getting my U.K. driver's license. The theory (written) part of the test was a piece of cake but the practical (driving) part is not so easy. However, I have done all I can by taking hours and hours of driving lessons with an instructor who is an old, proper English gentleman and very anal about every tiny mistake I make. Hopefully, his nazi-like instruction will help me pass. I need everyone to send me good carma and wish me luck!

In other news, Abby has become quite the little babysitter and helper these days. A friend of ours brought her baby (9 mos.) over to be watched by our babysitter the other day. Abby wanted the babysitter to make her popcorn but the baby was crying and crying. Abby kept asking but the babysitter said she could not make the popcorn until after the baby stopped crying. Finally, Abby told the babysitter to go make the popcorn and she would watch the baby. That she did! She got out every book we own and started reading to the baby. The baby calmed down and was happy and Abby got her popcorn! Abby also loves to help me cook. She loves making pasta shells with trees (broccoli). She also is quite the little mother to Sammy and is very good about making sure Sammy does not get into Abby's potty or the bathroom. That's yucky! Abby also LOVES dancing. She dances to any and every kind of music and always wants us to join in.

Sammy is as cute as ever. Charles came home from work the other day and she quickly crawled across the whole living room floor toward him. She then pulled herself up on his pant (trouser) leg to say hello. Charles loved to see her so excited to see him. She also LOVES bathtime. We just need to turn on the bath water and she starts kicking her legs and doing her little excited laugh. We got a video of her doing it. It is pretty funny. She especially loves sharing the bath with her big sister and the two of them splash until the bathroom rugs are soaked.

Well, that's all from here. I hope everyone else is dryer and warmer. I hope to see the sun someday....

O.k., I know it is pathetic to blog twice in one day but I just have to post the recipe for this soup I just made. Abby loved it and ate almost her whole bowl. I have been sick with a fever and sore throat so it made me just feel better about life. I don't always do this mind you, last night I was feeling miserable so I ordered sushi (apparently, Sammy is crazy for edamame, who knew!) and man did that make me feel better about life. One because I didn't make it and two, it's sushi, and there ain't nothin' better! Anyway, here is the recipe with my additions.

Lentil Lemon Soup

Original recipe yield:6 servings
1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
6 cups water
1 large onion, peeled and diced
1 bay leaf
2 bunches fresh parsley, chopped (you can put less but I love fresh herbs so I go a little overboard)
several sprigs fresh thyme

1 1/2 cups dried brown lentils, rinsed and drained
4 cloves garlic, crushed
chopped fresh cilantro (again I add a lot but you can add as much as you like)
1/2 cup lemon juice
salt to taste
1 lemon, cut into wedges

DIRECTIONS
In a large saucepan, combine the chicken broth, 6 cups of water, onion, bay leaf, parsley and thyme. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for about 30 minutes. Add the lentils, and bring to a boil again. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for another 30 minutes. Disgard bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Add the garlic. Stir in the cilantro and lemon juice. Season with salt and additional lemon if desired. Simmer covered for an additional 15 minutes before serving. Serve with lemon wedges.

(The cooking times on the original recipe were much longer but I am an impatient cook so I reduced them significantly and it still came out great!)

Enjoy! We sure did...

Not sure about this...

It has been a very long time since I have posted anything on our blog. Abby is now 3 years old and Sam is almost a year. They are so cute and so much fun. We are still living in London with no plans of leaving as of yet. We have been doing a lot of traveling this year. We have been to Spain, South Africa, Scotland, Croatia and Italy. I will post some pictures of our trips soon (or not).


Gangster Abby riding the bus in the big city of London.


A funny close-up of Abby and her dimples...