October 30, 2006

Good morning and a happy birthday to Ryan, my dad,
Sian, Leanne and Jaci! As I am notoriously bad with
remembering birthdays, but not so bad at remembering
lists, I wish more people would buddy up and share
birthdays like this. It is so much easier for me and,
quite frankly, isn't that what its all about?

We are celebrating Ryan's birthday by eating macaroni
and cheese (his birthday choice) and then off to a
wonderful restaurant for dessert. This influx of
carbs will, no doubt, have all of us crashing into
hypoglycemic despair by 8:00pm, but without trick or
treating the following day, it should all even out.
Halloween, we've been told, is merely a blip here.
The college kids, however, were out celebrating in
costumes over the weekend. Siobhan and I came upon
three "devils" peeing between two cars on our side
street Saturday night. I honked the horn hoping to
startle them and thus have them pee all over each
other, but they must have been fairly numb at that
point, because they hardly reacted. Siobhan asked why
college kids were so irresponsible. I said I didn't
know.

We enjoyed our week long half term break. The first
days were tough. Michael and Ryan produced gym bags
filled with wadded up wet swim suits, towels, rugby
socks, rugby shoes, rugby shirts, rugby shorts, gym
socks, gym shoes, gym shirts and gym shorts. If you
could have only smelled the towel Ryan was using to
"dry" himself off... I thought I had made my point
pretty clear three weeks ago, in a very loud and
animated sort of way, that sweaty and moldy gym bags
weren't my cup of tea, but apparently my message
didn't get through. The mold and mildew smell hung
around for days before all the items could be washed
and the gym bags bleached.

Without any definite plans for half term, I woke
enthusiastically one morning determined to get
everyone out of this very small house. When Aidan
woke up I told him that we'd be going to a castle
later that morning. He looked completely underwhelmed
and said, "Oh. A castle." Amazing that almost six
months to the date of our arrival in this ancient
country everyone is tired of castles. Even the three
year old. Needless to say, I dumped the idea.

We did spend two days in London, however. It was good
fun. We first hit the British Museum which is filled
full with stolen artifacts from countries all over the
world. Each section has a clearly chiseled gratitude
stone where they thank some important person for
"donating" all the items. For instance, in the
ancient Greek section (so large it becomes boring
after awhile) Lord So and So is commended for
securing a letter of permission from the TURKISH
government to go into Greece and take whatever he
wanted from the Acropolis and ship it back to England.
Hmmm. Jim and the kids were in Athens last May. The
Brits have a much more extensive collection of Greek
artifacts than the Greeks do. Most "bits" at the
Parthenon, for example, are reproductions. The Brits
still refuse to give anything back. It actually made
me really mad and plus it was gorgeous outside, so we
left the museum after a short time and headed out into
the warm and sunny weather (The weather report when we
left was calling for 90% chance of rain and cool
temps. We have enjoyed a warm and dry autumn here
mainly because I lug an umbrella around. If I have an
umbrella with me and wear a sweater, the skies clear
and it becomes warm.)

We enjoyed the open air double decker buses, parks and
meals outside. There was an obligatory stop at the
Hard Rock Cafe which didn't thrill Jim and I at first,
but we had the best cheeseburgers! I am not
exaggerating when I say that I have not had a medium
rare anything since moving here. I don't normally
order meat or french fries here because they are
terrible. This burger (cooked medium rare, but with
all sorts of eat-at-your-own-risk warnings) was so
good it made me homesick. I started to get all
sentimental and missing guacamole again. God bless
Eric Clapton for donating a guitar to his favorite
American diner in London. The rest, as they say, is
history.

Halloween will be tough for the kids to miss. I
haven't bought any candy as I am told no one trick or
treats (they don't sell fun sized sweets here). The
Brits are almost apologetic for this (as they are with
just about everything-like the weather), but we are
looking forward to Guy Fawkes night on Saturday.
We'll go to a celebration at school complete with a
huge bonfire, burning effigies, fireworks, hot dogs
(no, thank you) and mulled wine. Is there a better
way to celebrate the foiled gun powder plot? You
know, the one 400 years ago where the Catholics tried
to gain control of the English government by blowing
up the Parliament building but whose plan was
discovered and they were all shot, stabbed or hung?
This is why no one in the royal family can be or be
married to a Catholic to this day. Ahhh, those crazy
Catholics. I'll have another mulled wine, thank you.

I start painting lessons this week with my friend and
personal trainer, Kelly (I'm hoping to get her out of
the gym in order to introduce her to the wonderful
world of gluttony and sloth). The painting lessons
are a part of my elaborate get rich quick scheme that
involves not working evenings or weekends, when Jim is
out of town, half term break, term break and summer
break. Also Fridays.

The boys enjoyed watching the Bears play on Sunday
night. We get the games live, which is pretty
amazing. Jim tried to buy Ryan a Bears jersey for his
birthday while at home last week, but there were none
available. Chicago must be in Bear mania! Have a
wonderful American Halloween and eat an extra Dark
Chocolate Milky Way bar (or 13) for me.

God bless,

T-Ann

October 16, 2006

Hi, everyone!

We are enjoying our first autumn in England. The days
are cool (50's and 60's) and mostly clear.
Cheltenham is such happening place to live. This past
week, the literary festival was in full swing. Jim
and I got tickets to see Frank McCourt at our town
hall (a beautiful venue). Frank was very funny and
witty. He talks just like he writes and shared many
great stories that made us realize just why his
Angela's Ashes, 'Tis and his latest novel, Teacher Man
are so popular.

Aidan started his full days of school last week and
Jim and I celebrated by heading down to London. I
felt kind of guilty, but we dropped off our little
Aidan, jumped in the car and the tires almost squealed
in the parking lot as we raced out!

We bummed around London mainly enjoying the difference
in scenery. We stopped at Selfridges Food Hall, and
feeling a bit full of ourselves, decided to indulge in
some exotic, luxury food items. We left with some
Kraft macaroni and cheese, Hersey's syrup and 2 boxes
of Arm and Hammer baking soda (can't get it here and
my little fridge needs all the help it can get with
the smelly cheeses). At $36, it was a real splurge!

The kids are doing well in school. Aidan is adjusting
slowly but surely. I hear him talking to his toys in
French, so they must be teaching him something. He
sings his patriotic lullabies (like You're a Grand Old
Flag and the preamble to the Constitution from School
House Rock) which makes me happy. The head of upper
school hung an American flag up because there are so
many Americans at the school now (I think its up to 7
in the upper school). It has since fallen (Michael
found it on the floor and like a good citizen, picked
it up and handed it in). The headmaster asked if I'd
help with some kind of Thanksgiving
celebration/education, which I thought was quite sweet
and inclusive of him. After agreeing happily, I am
now struck with fear that it may somehow involve
baking.

Ryan scored a try (a goal) in rugby during his last
game. He was one happy boy! Now, of course, he's
even more puffed up than usual and has no problem
micro-managing the guys on his line. He went to an
all day field trip to a battle reenactment South of
London on Saturday. He loved it (although the French
still won). He is trying to grow his hair out, but is
currently sporting an early Paul McCartney/helmet head
"do" that is hard to look at.

Siobhan was chosen to be a monitor! We are very proud
of her. Responsibilities are that of a prefect, a
student supervisor (without having to purchase new
uniform pieces-she wears a special pin, thank God).
She can boss kids around (a personality trait
perfected by age two), give black entries (those
annoying little marks that bring about certain doom if
enough are amassed) and she is called upon to be a
leader in the school. She had to interview for the
position last year. Her housemaster confided in me
that he highly recommended Siobhan for prefect last
term, based on her leadership qualities, but there
might have been a mutiny if "the new girl" swiped the
much coveted position. There were two girls and two
boys selected to be monitors.

Michael continues to work like a dog at school and
rugby. He prefers rugby. He is really getting good,
although he is black and blue all over. He is
learning the differences between American football and
rugby the hard way. The boots' metal cleats are about
an inch and a half long. He has already gotten one
under the knee cap and was kicked on the side of the
face. In rugby, you don't tackle too low and you get
yourself up and out of the way of boots after a
tackle. All the boys at school look like the walking
wounded!

Jim is doing well and enjoying his work. He makes
quick trips to Paris, Milan and Prague and is home in
a day or two. He will be back and forth to the US
quite a bit before the end of the year, but we can't
complain as he hardly travels like he used to back
home. On a recent trip a funny thing happened to him
in the airport. There was a group of six people
following him everywhere. He'd get into a line,
they'd follow. He'd go up to the desk to ask a
question, they'd follow. He went to the bathroom,
they'd follow. Finally, they got up the nerve to
approach him. They thought Jim was the travel guru,
Rick Steves!

Goodbye from the land void of Holloween decorations!

T-Ann

September 28, 2006

Good afternoon!

We're back from our trip to Sweden and Denmark and
have managed to eat our way through two more
countries! This makes us painfully aware of England's
gastronomic (a word they use all the time here which,
actually, makes me feel sick when I hear it)
inferiority. The food is fresh and creative in
Scandinavia, overcooked and involving too many organs
in England.

Our trip started with two days and a night in
beautiful Copenhagen. Scatter my ashes there, please!
The architecture is breathtaking: old, romantic
buildings next to modern buildings that manage to be
clean and organic without being sterile and cold. How
do they do that? The shopping was phenomenal. The
playgrounds are gorgeous, like enormous hand painted,
wooden toys. I've never seen anything so well crafted
and sweet. Bicycles rule in Copenhagen. Thousands of
bicycles everywhere. Devoted lanes (very spacious) on
all streets make it easy to get anywhere. We were
skeptical that leaving the city on a Friday at 5:00pm
would bring us no delays, but sure enough, we didn't
encounter one traffic delay over the bridge back to
Sweden even with a lane shut down for repair. Cars
aren't the prefered mode of transportation. Hard for
us Yanks to wrap our brains around that...

Sweden was not unlike Wisconsin save the
undecipherable road signs and the courteous drivers
who used the left lane only for passing. Volvos for
everyone!! A day in Lund, where my cousin lives, made
me want to throw everything I own out and start over
with colorful, modern versions. Even in this ancient
town, that bright, Scandinavian simplicity was
everywhere. One day, we took a ferry to the island of
Ven where we rented bikes. Ven (which, loosly
translated, means something like, don't look now, but
if you lose control of the bike on this gravel path,
for sure, you and that boy strapped to the back of the
bike, will careen off the side of the cliff) is a
picturesque island scattered with farms and cottages
and darling gardens. The blue sky was cloudless. The
sea glittered, broken up only by the sailboats. Ahhh.
It took me all of about two minutes upon our arrival
home to check out rental details for next summer!

The highlight, though, was undoubtedly, my cousin
Cheryl's wedding. What does the wedding of two
environmentalists look like? Heaven! Cheryl and her
husband Stephan wanted a wedding with the smallest
footprint possible and they achieved that with
stunning success. The wedding took place in a small
village church with the groom's father presiding. The
beautiful bride walked down the aisle wearing her
mother's wedding gown past pews decorated with a
single rose held in place with garden twine. All the
flowers were collected outside the night before and
arranged (I thought professionally) by the maid of
honor the morning of the wedding! There were readings
both in Swedish and English. A beautiful service, but
we should have snagged seats closer to the front. I
wanted to knock over all the tall Swedes in front of
me (In fact, my cousin, Mike, the father of the bride,
was up and down the aisle talking to his wife, Sue and
looking quite nervous before the ceremony. I didn't
realize it, but, he hadn't seen us amongst all the
tall guests and the wedding was being held up as he
waited for our arrival! Finally, he saw us and the
bride made her entrance.). The reception was
exquisite. I was honored to sit at the head table and
happy to not have to supervise Aidan near all the
candelabras (Candlelight is everywhere in Sweden, even
our hotel restaurant was bathed in candlelight each
morning.) The food served was locally produced and
organic. So delicious. We ate course after course,
sang songs and enjoyed toasts until probably 10:30pm.
As guests mingled in an adjoining room (Eleven
countries were represented! All their friends are
gorgeous and friendly. I think they should start a
match making service...) the reception room was
overhauled for dancing and more food! Dancing began
and light snacks (hot dogs with light beer or milk-I
love that!) were served. We left after Ryan fell
asleep at the table about 11:30pm and the party was
just getting started! Mike and Sue got home at
3:30am!

It's funny where life takes you. I remember holding
Cheryl for an entire day at a family reunion when she
was an infant. Twenty-some years later, there we all
are (Mike still filled full with the blarney) in
Sweden together. Being a mere 1 1/2 hour plane ride
away, Cheryl, in Sweden, is my closest relative.
Whodathunkit?