I loved my "Anglo-American cousin's" comment in response to my plight of having to scale Everest in heels in order to get a latte. I think the sneakers are an excellent idea...but I'm slightly nervous at the thought of the Segueway!
I was in fits of laughter (in the middle of the Farnborough canteen - they probably think I'm insane!) when I read the comment...I had a mental image of me reaching Mach 5 on the downhill slope and staggering back into the office with clothes smouldering from the friction and hair resembling a birds nest perched atop my head...but at least I would have had a skinny latte!
Sunday, 12 April 2009
Saturday, 11 April 2009
Rain rain go away....
Friday was a Bank Holiday and, true to form for the British weather, it was absolutely peeing down. I think we're going to miss terribly the general reliability of the weather in Washington DC and the spot on accurate forecasts of the Weather Channel. Usually the only concern for a holiday weekend was whether the temperature was going to be 80 or 100 degrees!! I'm sure there is some rose-coloured specs thing going on, but I don't remember a holiday weekend where we were rained out...
We popped in to see Mr + Mrs ex-POQI and the kids for a coffee on Friday morning on our way back to Malvern. The kids were in fine form! Josh giggled a lot and then dashed off to the kitchen. He came back in with a freezer pack - obviously Stephen will be forever associated with putting ice down peoples backs! Katie was delighted that I worked out how to make the shower work in her dolls house and wanted me to stay for a week!
Paul gave us some good tips on car dealers in the area and when we left we spent a good hour or so trawling round them. Yawn!!
As the M4 was at a standstill we peeled off and drove up through Oxford. We passed through some lovely countryside. It was such a shame about the weather though. It was just very wet and gray.
We popped in to see Mr + Mrs ex-POQI and the kids for a coffee on Friday morning on our way back to Malvern. The kids were in fine form! Josh giggled a lot and then dashed off to the kitchen. He came back in with a freezer pack - obviously Stephen will be forever associated with putting ice down peoples backs! Katie was delighted that I worked out how to make the shower work in her dolls house and wanted me to stay for a week!
Paul gave us some good tips on car dealers in the area and when we left we spent a good hour or so trawling round them. Yawn!!
As the M4 was at a standstill we peeled off and drove up through Oxford. We passed through some lovely countryside. It was such a shame about the weather though. It was just very wet and gray.
Our night at Tylney Hall
We tootled off down to Farnborough on Thursday. Stephen was taking part in a meeting with Greg whom we'd met during our California tour. We had arranged to go out for dinner with him that evening, so we booked into Tylney Hall. It was the first time I had been - I usually only get to book the place for everyone else! They knew I was coming too, so they upgraded us to a suite. It was very swish indeed and had the most fantastic views over the park. The hotel and grounds were beautiful. I really felt I should be swishing down the stairs in a Jane Austen style Empire waisted dress.
The only (very) slight disadvantages were the price of the drinks and the sauna like atmosphere of our bathroom! The bathroom radiator was fully on and the knob for adjusting it had been removed. Once you had drawn a bath and added steam to the mix you could only last about 5 minutes without the urge to pass out!
The drinks were kinda pricey - we were 32 quid for 2 glasses of wine and 2 G&T's. And these were UK G&T's...in other words they wet the bottom of the glass with gin and then add gallons of tonic. We've become entirely accustomed to US style "G&T tops"... this was a severe culture shock! We had a really superb stay though. The beautiful surroundings more than made up for the minuteness of the measures!!
We had a really fun dinner with Greg....and saw a lot of the English countryside! We dropped him off at his hotel, drove 30 minutes to our hotel, checked in, got changed, had a swift look round, got back in the car, drove the shorter route (20 minutes) back to collect Greg, drove 20 minutes to he restaurant, had a nice Indian meal in Hartney Witney, drove 20 minutes back to Greg's hotel, then 20 minutes back to ours. There are some really beautiful villages in that area - and we got to see plenty of them!
Crossing the road coming out of the restaurant could have been hairy! In our party of 3 we had one American and two newly-repatriated ex-US dwellers....every one of us looked the wrong way as we launched ourselves into the road!!
Our suite
The view from the window - shame about the rain
The front of Tylney Hall
Stephen beside our oh-so-petite rental car
All he needs is the shotgun, the cap and the Labrador....
The only (very) slight disadvantages were the price of the drinks and the sauna like atmosphere of our bathroom! The bathroom radiator was fully on and the knob for adjusting it had been removed. Once you had drawn a bath and added steam to the mix you could only last about 5 minutes without the urge to pass out!
The drinks were kinda pricey - we were 32 quid for 2 glasses of wine and 2 G&T's. And these were UK G&T's...in other words they wet the bottom of the glass with gin and then add gallons of tonic. We've become entirely accustomed to US style "G&T tops"... this was a severe culture shock! We had a really superb stay though. The beautiful surroundings more than made up for the minuteness of the measures!!
We had a really fun dinner with Greg....and saw a lot of the English countryside! We dropped him off at his hotel, drove 30 minutes to our hotel, checked in, got changed, had a swift look round, got back in the car, drove the shorter route (20 minutes) back to collect Greg, drove 20 minutes to he restaurant, had a nice Indian meal in Hartney Witney, drove 20 minutes back to Greg's hotel, then 20 minutes back to ours. There are some really beautiful villages in that area - and we got to see plenty of them!
Crossing the road coming out of the restaurant could have been hairy! In our party of 3 we had one American and two newly-repatriated ex-US dwellers....every one of us looked the wrong way as we launched ourselves into the road!!
Our suite 
The view from the window - shame about the rain
The front of Tylney Hall
Stephen beside our oh-so-petite rental carAll he needs is the shotgun, the cap and the Labrador....
Tuesday, 7 April 2009
Hi ho, hi ho, its off to work we go...
We've been back at work for a couple of days now and are both enjoying the challenges of getting to grips with our new roles. Stephen has lucked out in terms of his location on site. He's right next to the staff restaurant and coffee shop...whereas I am down at the bottom end of the site. Its a good 10 mile uphill yomp from our office to the coffee shop - and in towering heels it is blooming hard going!
Well maybe its not quite 10 miles...although it certainly felt like it! I thought going up was hard going until I began the descent....I almost came a cropper twice - once on each trip (yes I did it twice today - I am THAT desparate for latte!). I must keep a pair of trainers in the office that I can put on for the walk. I feel ankles might be broken otherwise! I was having real problems when the pavement sloped both downwards and also to the right. My ankles atop the 3 1/2" heels didn't know which way to wobble first!!
Well maybe its not quite 10 miles...although it certainly felt like it! I thought going up was hard going until I began the descent....I almost came a cropper twice - once on each trip (yes I did it twice today - I am THAT desparate for latte!). I must keep a pair of trainers in the office that I can put on for the walk. I feel ankles might be broken otherwise! I was having real problems when the pavement sloped both downwards and also to the right. My ankles atop the 3 1/2" heels didn't know which way to wobble first!!
Monday, 6 April 2009
Springtime in Malvern
We have picked a lovely time of the year to make our UK return. Spring has sprung! Our garden was looking quite lovely yesterday so I took a few snaps. Although...in Clueless parlance it would be something of a "Monet"...it looks great from a distance, but is a bit mess close up!! Nothing a couple of hours being ruthless with the secateurs won't fix though!
I spent a good couple of hours with the power washer getting the dirt off the paving. It looks so much brighter now - positively glowing! I'd forgotten just how big the garden is. Its positively huge compared to the tiny yard we had in Alexandria!!
I spent a good couple of hours with the power washer getting the dirt off the paving. It looks so much brighter now - positively glowing! I'd forgotten just how big the garden is. Its positively huge compared to the tiny yard we had in Alexandria!!
Saturday, 4 April 2009
Return to the Royal Oak
We swapped the bars of Old Town for the local pub this week. We popped into the Royal Oak for a drink last night and caught up with some of the locals. We got a good welcome back - there were a few familiar faces and one or two new ones too. It seems that young James (who I could swear was only about 14) has now taken over running the pub and restaurant with Martin (former owner/chef) as advisor.
It was the first time that I'd been in there since the smoking ban and I have to say it was a nicer place to sit in! It is so tiny that it soon filled up with fug before. I used to have a special pub fleece which could be stuffed in the washing machine when it was particularly smoky. No need for that now!
We didn't stay long - one drink only. We need to ration the excitement!!
It was the first time that I'd been in there since the smoking ban and I have to say it was a nicer place to sit in! It is so tiny that it soon filled up with fug before. I used to have a special pub fleece which could be stuffed in the washing machine when it was particularly smoky. No need for that now!
We didn't stay long - one drink only. We need to ration the excitement!!
Happy Day are Hair Again!
I had my hair de-Americanised today. Poor Dave. He fixed it in November when I was back, then I had the bad cut with the bangs and the Laura Bush bouffantness. He groaned in despair when he looked at it today..."I don't believe it! They've cut the front bit short again. That's going to take about 3 months to grow out. We'll do what we can, but it's going to be one step back to take two steps forward". It looks a whole lot better now! Its probably true what they say....its easier to find a new husband than to find a new hairdresser!
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