A lot of freakin' water!

So on Sunday it started raining, and it finally stopped at 10pm last night. We had one month's worth of rain in 24 hours, and most of Yorkshire is underwater. My neighbors' houses flooded yesterday, but for some reason this end of the street was spared. There is a dam about 15 miles away which is about to burst, and if it does a lot of water will come streaming up the River Don and then we will be flooded. My hairdresser came for our appointment at 4:00, and not long after her husband arrived to say that she needed to come home, because the police had given them an hour to evacuate. They live around the corner from us. Georgia went to school today and was sent home at 11:00, because the road to the school was becoming impassable. There are some pictures of what's happening. Cross your fingers, toes, and all other appendages that we stay dry.

Love Those '80s!

We went to an 80's themed party last night. Did the big hair, leggings, high heels (me, not John). A lot of people came in costume, and it was fantastic! The guests included:
Freddie Mercury
Tina Turner
Adam Ant
J.R. and Sue Ellen Ewing
Various punk rockers and/or skinheads
Toni Basil (who did a great dance when the DJ played "Micky")
Indiana Jones
Michael Jackson (before plastic surgery)
Daphne (from Scooby Doo)
There were others but it's a bit hazy at the moment! I'll have to look at the pictures again. There was a lot of Flashdancing and Footloosing. We danced alot and reminisced about how great the 80s were!

And Another Thing...

that I miss about the U.S.A. is the fact that summer vacation has already started over there. After this week, we have four - count 'em - FOUR MORE WEEKS. Okay, my last week is spent on the 8th Grade trip to Paris, but still, it's three more weeks. I can think of better things I could do with those three weeks. Georgia asked me last Sunday if this was the last week of school. I wish.

Those of you that have time off in the summer - how do you spend your summer vacation? I know El Presidente watches Gordon Ramsay and hugs his barbecue.

Fairs and Carnivals?

I don't know about you, but I used to love all the fairs and carnivals that took place in our area when we were young.

Why is it so hard to find them now? Is it just where I'm at or have they lost their popularity?

In Florida, there was nothing. Here in Virginia, there are a few, but it just doesn't have the same feel. Maybe I'm just being nostalgic.

Is there still a Firefighter's Carnival on Race Street? I miss the food at the St. Lawrence festival. I'd kill for a good halupki or pierogie this summer.

I think I need to plan my next visit home to coincide with anything that still goes on around town. If there's anything left...

How Does Your Garden Grow?

I would like to introduce you to my pumpkins.
Since watching The River Cottage Treatment earlier this year, I realized that I wanted to feed my family better food, and I wanted to have less of an impact on the environment. So this year we called our local Council and got an allotment. Not many people in Britain have backyards big enough to hold a vegetable patch (imagine the whole population of the U.S. living in Texas. It's crowded!) So, local councils set aside an area of land which they rent to people (for a nominal fee - mine costs about $50/year) for growing veggies. We've been working since March, and I'm pleased to say that the only thing we've planted so far that hasn't sprouted or grown in any way, shape or form, is cabbage. That's okay. No one in the house but me likes cabbage anyway.
Having an allotment is like being part of a whole other community. We've gotten to know other allotment holders who share plants, tips, seeds and information. We've started buying our eggs from a lady who keeps chickens on her patch. Someone else had a greenhouse they wanted to get rid of, and they just gave it to us. It's fun. We're all gardening nerds together.
John has turned into a vegetable maniac. He's joined an allotment forum, he reads all kinds of books and articles on the subject, and he's already planning next year's vegetable layout. "We did alright this year. Not bad for allotment virgins," he says to me. "But next year..." And he's not watching Judge Judy or Divorce Court so much anymore!

New Season

I love this show. I am nearly done with school, and this is the show that let's me know that summer has arrived. Now that House is over for the season, King of Queens is over for good (thank God for syndication and re-runs), and AI has come to another season end, I will look to Gordon for "inspiration". At times, I wish I could say to my students what he says to his. He is all real, and the show is one of the better reality shows around.

I remember the first Survivor, but have not watched since. I remember AI when Kelly and Justin were on, but it's starting to get out of hand at times (also, I can't watch AI rewind, just does nothing for me).

I enjoy this show and am glad it's back for another season of Gordon telling his students, "You've got to be kidding me; you call that chicken." and "Get out of my kitchen, NOW!".

So, what's everyone else think? Let's blog folks.