I am going to be in town next weekend, May 11th through the 13th. Can I get a few people interested in some beverages at a local establishment on friday?

What's for supper?

Just curious.

Yorkshire from above

John took his dad on a vintage flight on Thursday (DC3 Dakota - apparently these planes carried paratroopers in WWII) and I thought I'd share with you some pictures of my adopted country from the air! In the second picture, you're looking at my neighborhood. The building and parking lot on the lower left is my local supermarket. On the other side of the big traffic circle in the middle of the picture is the center of Doncaster.

American Idol

I was very disappointed with last night's show. I really didn't like ANY of the performances, but I had to vote for my favs since each call was worth money to feed the poor.

I always knew Simon had a heart and he showed it last night. It is so hard to imagine that people live in those conditions everyday. It is so nice to see those children smiling, but it breaks your heart at the same time.

I hope this evening's result shows lives up to the hype. I am looking forward to seeing how much money was raised and who is going home.

Pearl the Landlord

click here (funny video)

SANJAYA is GONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry to bump Colin down, but I am so happy that Sanjaya is gone. His singing Tuesday night was so aweful I had to turn the volume down.

Last night, I started getting excited when Jordan was put in the other group. I knew then he was in the bottom 3. However, I was so worried that Latisha was going to be sent home and Rob said that if that happened he was NEVER watching the show again. I loved Simon with his huge grin. Boy did Sanjaya cry like a baby when he was kicked off.

This is now a singing competition and I am looking forward to seeing how the next few weeks play out.

My family and I are ok.

Thank you to all those who called, emailed or posted on this site checking on my family and I. Fortunately we were all some distance from anything that occured on campus. It is awful that this would or could occur anywhere in the world but to have it happen here is obviously very scary. I have come to really enjoy this area and this place, hopefully we will be able to bounce back.

I am sorry that it took me so long to post here and let everyone know we were alright. I tried yesterday but there was a problem either with the website or on my end and I could not get my post to submit. I did see that Andrea was able to get through however.

This is a great place, if you like small college towns, if you ever have a chance to stop by and see it please do. Things here can never be the same, hopefully they will be just as good or better somehow.

A bit lighter...

John always likes to tell me that there are more than four websites on the Internet. I know that, but I have a small list of favorites that I like to visit over and over. I'm a regular at UKUS Forum, which is a forum for expatriates living in the UK. I also read The Morning Call online everyday, and I have a quick look at MSNBC and CBSNews.com. Last year when I got pregnant and John informed me that he wanted to quit his engineering job of 18 years to be a househusband, I started hanging out at Frugal Village and Frugal Families, because I knew we were going to have to tighten things up a little if we were going to go from two incomes to one. I'm a regular e-bayer, since I buy and sell lots of kids' clothes there. Lately I've been spending some time at Creuse Tourism because that's where we're spending our summer vacation. And of course, there's the blog.
What are your cyberhangouts? Discuss.

Shooting At Virginia Tech

I just saw on a CBS News Special Report that there was a shooting this morning at VA Tech. 20 people dead including the gunman. Colin, if you are reading the blog, please let us know you are ok! This sent chills down my spine just like any other time something like this happens, but knowing someone who is at the location of such a tragedy makes it even worse. It was already a year ago since the incident at Northampton where my neice and nephew go. Thankfully, that was nothing like this. But, I can still remember coming out of Giant, hearing the helicopters, and the rush of panic that set in. So, if anyone knows more or has heard from Colin, please update us. Thoughts and prayers!

In Need of Directions?

Try this. Go to google.com...........click on Maps...........click on Get Directions...........type in New York (in the first box(from))........type in London (in the second box(to)).........scroll down to #23...........Happy Travels!

Happy Easter!

I hope you're all having a great Easter, and the Easter Bunny brought you lots of chocolate! It was a beautiful day here today, so we went to Brodsworth Hall for a picnic and to look for some fairies. Every Easter the Hall hosts a fairie hunt for kids. If you find all 10 fairies hidden in the garden (and it's a BIG garden! - it took us 3 hours to find them!) you get a sticker and some chocolate. Here are a couple of pictures of our day out.

Dirty Little Secrets

Everyone has a skeleton in their closet. Everyone has a little secret they don't want anyone to know about. Here's mine.
I'm married to a man who loves to watch Divorce Court and Judge Judy. He's on the sofa right now, giving the boy his breakfast and watching Judge Mablean. He laughs alot, particularly when people get mad and do "that thing with their neck. Why do Americans do that thing with their neck?" These are the sorts of questions I get. I tell him if the neck thing bothers him so much he should turn it off. No, he can't. It's like a car crash. He wants to look away, but he can't.
I'm so ashamed.

He Is His Father's Son

I could not believe how much Chris looks like your husband John. I just had to put the two next to each other to see how much they look alike. It's incredible. I can't believe its been a year. I remember when you went silent for a few days and everyone was abuzz about you giving birth. PS. We never did get to see the labor room webcam. Any chance you still have video? (just kidding. I know, get OUT of the gutter).

Wild Boy

A few pictures of the ginger boy. I can't believe he'll be one soon!

Birthday Coming Up!!!!

Can you believe it was almost 1 year ago that Vicki had the first blog baby???? I hope we get to see birthday pictures - I am especially looking forward to a picture of a baby with cake all over his face!!!!

How are the plans coming for you to come home to the states? I am so hoping I can get up when you are home to meet your entire family.

TEAM WORKS....AGAIN

You knew it was coming (Matt is probably timing me on this post), but I have to say - what a TEAM effort. Even if you aren't a Joakim Noah fan, you have to give this Team credit for what they did -beginning with deciding to return (Noah would have been better off leaving last year -now he'll probably have to return to work on his Game). What impressed me the most about the game (as well as both this season and last season) is how each player fills a role - The Passer (Green), The Shooter (Humphrey), the Slasher (Brewer), the Banger (Horford) and the Scrapper (Noah). Above all, they all play DEFENSE (reminds me of an old adage about Championships!). They had an answer to every run OSU made...and there were plenty of times they cut it to 6-7 points in the second half -which kept me on the edge of my seat! Kudos to Oden -I think he was the MOP of the Final 4. Time to enjoy this one for a while -before Football season and the Tebow watch begins. I have a feeling there will be a lot of changes for next year, including Donovan going to Kentucky?