Home again, home again, jiggety jig; pix 6/19; post #20

[Medusa]

I'm still brain dead, though, but we had a killer time! I have plenty of house cleaning to tend to so I won't be on PT too much until I get it done. The boy is cropping, etc. all the pix we took so I'll post a few later. This vacation exceeded my expectations; it was the trip of a lifetime. Historically, England rules; architecturally it's Paris. But there's no place like the USA. We watched the soccer match between England and the U.S. while in an English pub. When the English anthem was played, nobody stood up and no attention was paid, which I thought was odd. When the American anthem was played, my son and I were the only Americans there. We stood up and put our hands over our hearts. I sang the Anthem and a table full of women pointed to me and laughed. Like I cared. It made me proud. So many good memories. Can't wait to share a few w/you all.

I see that RICHARD reminded you of the LOA and new moon. Thanx, bud. I totally forgot about it.

[RICHARD]

I'm still brain dead, though, but we had a killer time! I have plenty of house cleaning to tend to so I won't be on PT too much until I get it done. The boy is cropping, etc. all the pix we took so I'll post a few later. This vacation exceeded my expectations; it was the trip of a lifetime. Historically, England rules; architecturally it's Paris. But there's no place like the USA. We watched the soccer match between England and the U.S. while in an English pub. When the English anthem was played, nobody stood up and no attention was paid, which I thought was odd. When the American anthem was played, my son and I were the only Americans there. We stood up and put our hands over our hearts. I sang the Anthem and a table full of women pointed to me and laughed. Like I cared. It made me proud. So many good memories. Can't wait to share a few w/you all.

I see that RICHARD reminded you of the LOA and new moon. Thanx, bud. I totally forgot about it.

Good for you!


Patriotic snobs we all are, eh?

You have to tell us what the atmosphere was like when the goalie muffed that ball!

That was our payback for the oil spill?

[lvpets2002]

Well so glad to hear you are home safe & sound.. Glad to hear you had a great experience.. Yes we will be waiting for some pics to be posted..

[Pinot's Mom]

I know it was a great trip - how could you miss? Glad you're home, glad you had a great time, looking forward to pictures!

[MoonandBean]

I love picturing you guys standing in your American pride

I recently saw a Stanley Cup playoff game between a USA team and a Canadian team. Now THERE was some patriotism on display

[krazyaboutkatz]

Welcome back! I'm glad to hear that you had a great trip/vacation. I look forward to seeing pictures too. I bet your cats are glad that you're home.

[Medusa]

Good for you!


Patriotic snobs we all are, eh?

You have to tell us what the atmosphere was like when the goalie muffed that ball!

That was our payback for the oil spill?

It got deathly quiet when we scored. My son and I high-fived each other and everyone looked away. He knows how to work a crowd, though, b/c he had his pic taken w/a bunch of ladies my age who were all dressed up in their England hats, etc. I forgot to pack our USA pins so we figured that we buy a couple of Tshirts there. No way. They had every country but America. One vendor just rolled his eyes when we asked if he had any American soccer team Tshirts. We searched everywhere; there were none to be found. I asked each vendor if they were sold out and they told me that they never even ordered any. My English friend Clare, though, said that the US outplayed them.

[Queen of Poop]

No one has asked yet, so I will. How are the furkids?

Sounds like you had an awesome trip! Can't wait for the photos!

[Medusa]

No one has asked yet, so I will. How are the furkids?

Sounds like you had an awesome trip! Can't wait for the photos!

I was going to start another thread but since you asked, I'll post it here.
Yodie ran from me as though she was scared to death of me. She didn't warm up to me until this morning. Specs only came out to eat today; otherwise, he's stayed in the basement. Creamsicle and Coco Puff came right over to me and meowed their furry heads off. Boo took his time but he's on my lap right now.

I had a real "mewtiny" on my hands, though. My catsitter wasn't able to give Specs the Clomicalm so he had a real pee fest and I guess a few followed suit. It smelled like a giant litter box in here. I've done nothing but clean since I came home. Boo made eye contact w/me and sprayed on the wall as if to say "That's what you get for being gone so long". The last time he did that was when I didn't bring RB Pidgie home. Things have calmed down now, though. I've scrubbed every inch of the downstairs. The upstairs was closed off. Thank goodness or I'd still be cleaning.

We averaged 10 miles a day of walking for several of the days. I usually gain weight on vacation b/c I eat too much and don't exercise. I actually lost inches on this trip. My jeans kept falling down. LOL

[Freedom]

I actually lost inches on this trip. My jeans kept falling down. LOL

Oh yes, great walkers, I remember I was exhausted trying to keep up with my cousins, lol. Actually broke the soles across on one pair of shoes!

Glad to hear you had such a wonderful time!

Oh dear, I AM sorry to read the fur kids weren't too happy, while you were gone or now you are back. They will come around.

[Marigold2]

Sorry the furbabies are a bit upset. Shows how much they love you.
So I have to ask, can you tell me your favorite part I know it's tough?
For me it was Westminster and The Tower.

[chocolatepuppy]

Good to have you back Mary! Happy to hear you had a good time!

[carole]

Welcome home Mary, can't wait to see the pics, my gosh time has flown, all good things have to come to an end sadly, i am so happy it was everything you imagined it to be, and yes i would have to say Americans are really patriotic people, we are probably slack as the Brits in that department, it really is not taught enough in schools and i think maybe it is in America, correct me if i am wrong.but good for you ,be proud of who you are.

[Medusa]

Sorry the furbabies are a bit upset. Shows how much they love you.
So I have to ask, can you tell me your favorite part I know it's tough?
For me it was Westminster and The Tower.

Actually, that's easy. It's Hampton Court and Hever Castle. I cried at both places. There was a reenactment of Henry VIII's marriage to Catherine Parr and ladies had to curtsy and men had to get down on one knee. Brought back memories of my childhood b/c we were taught to do that in school except that the boys bowed. The magnificence of that place is just overwhelming! I couldn't feel Henry at all there but I sure could feel Cardinal Wolsey. Such sadness, especially while walking through the gardens, which were so beautiful that you couldn't be anything but impressed.

My friend captured a pic of me looking out one of the windows at Hever Castle. It gave me chills to think that Anne Boleyn looked out that same window. I'm going to have the pic enlarged, matted and framed. This place was impressive as well. I mean, who lives in a castle w/a double sided moat and a draw bridge? C'mon!

At the Tower there was a reenactment of Anne Boleyn's farce of a trial and I snapped a pic of the swordsman just as he was about to behead her. That gave me chills as well. Westminster Abbey was huge and majestic but a priest was unbelievably rude to me and I was so shocked that it left a bad taste in my mouth. My friend was so outraged that she went back inside and chastised him. I blew it off b/c I didn't want it to color my entire trip; I figured that there are good and bad in every profession, even priests. Stone Henge was impressive, too, but it's unfortunate that we couldn't get close enough to be amongst the stones. Only during the summer solstice is it allowed if you are part of a worship group. That's b/c some idiots kept chipping off pieces of it, so they had to rope it off. Hard to believe that someone would be so disrespectful but there it is.

I promise to post some pix later. The boy leaves tomorrow, I have to give myself time to get over my depression (happens every time he leaves), then I'll post some.

[Marigold2]

I cried at Hampton as well. I am a big Anne Bolyne fan and her trial and the death of her brother George must have just broken her heart. Such pain. I did not get to go inside Hampton, did you? I did not get to go to Hever which I know is her childhood home but will on my next visit. So looking forward to your pictures.
I saw the reenactment of Anne's trail as well as I was there on May 19 2008 the day she was killed, it was also my mom's birth date. I said a prayer at Tower Green which I found much too modern.
So glad you had a great time with your son. Did you do any shopping at Harrods?
Sorry about the man at Westminsters, what a bummer.