Month: July 2007

  • Ooh, There’s Gonna Be Fireworks…

    I love that song. (Remember Schoolhouse Rock? Click on the title!)  State College (basically where I live) has the 4th or 5th best fireworks show in the nation. However, we had a wonderful show sitting in our backyard. Two of our neighbors spent thousands of dollars on fireworks, so we got to ooh and aah and use our own bathroom.  Plus, when it started to rain, we all just ducked into the screened porch!  The B’s came to join us for a cook-in: hot dogs on the stove, pasta salad, chips, and cookies. A made her delicious Butterfinger pudding thing. Mmmm!

    The rest of the day passed in rather unpatriotic fashion. I watered plants (not knowing if the cloudy day would finally produce some much-needed rain. Can you send some to me, you Texas gals?), reviewed my list of things to do and both added and eliminated items, covered my England for Dummies in wrapping paper so I can read it in public without embarrassment, washed and folded much laundry, and packed most of my suitcase.  How exciting! I think TGD and I will have a suitcase each for clothes, shoes, etc., a carry-on bag each, and one “extra” suitcase for toiletries, souvenirs, and so forth to share. We wanted to travel without that extra suitcase, and we can, but I fear the weight limit per bag will be too close. So, why not take one extra bag?

    Tomorrow is my last day of errands (library books, etc.), and we go to dinner at the home of the noble Cheese Puff and BlueSmurfGirl.  I have to take a salad. I’m not a very good salad maker.  But, really, how can one be a bad salad maker?  Do you have some simple food that’s tough for you to make?

  • Ack! Ack! Too Many Things!

    I have discovered that I’ve not planned very well for this trip to England. We leave Saturday, and most normal people would have all their ducks in a row at this point.  Usually I’d have all my downy friends lined up as well, but not this time. What was I thinking?  Last night my mind was in a swirl and my stomach spinning to match while I thought of all I’d not done.  But, this evening shines differently as I’ve got our 8 day flexipass Britrail tickets, train tickets from London to Reading, travel cards for while in London, the LondonPass which allows us free/reduced admission to museums, etc. in London, changed our hotel reservations (I eliminated going to the Bronte museum and plan to go with the kids when we go back for our four month stay February-May 2008. We now have a day with yanniesue and an extra day in London.)  The nice thing is that even though I waited until the last minute, I only wound up paying an extra $10 American for expedited shipping. 


    There is absolutely no reason for me to insert this picture. I just wanted to do so.  Nodding, orange marigold…



    Tonight, poor TGD doesn’t get to relax as he has a project (math review thing) that MUST be done before we leave. I, in my unemployed bliss, am heading off for a hot bath.  My toughest choices tonight will be which BBW bubble bath to use (pineapple? cherry blossom? raspberry vanilla?), which book to read (the dull P&P sequel? England for Dummies?), and whether or not I should eat a bowl of Jax cheese twists (I already had ice cream. How many snacks can one have in an evening before growing a pink, curly tail?)

    They’re actually Shasta daisies and hyssop in my garden, but let’s pretend they are English daisies and English heather.

     


    What
    are your best travel tips, especially for long trips and for airplanes?
    Also, my Anglophile friends, what should I definitely NOT miss?