Livin’

The days are moving fast! My work days are the fastest I’ve ever experienced and that might be something you wish for but I need to slow down a bit because I’m not getting enough done and I’m learning at a pace that’s too fast for me and therefore retaining next to nothing.

On our days as a family, we wake up at 7 (that is, me and the boys wake at 7; Mike is up much earlier and bikes a solid 15 miles before we’re ready to eat breakfast). After breakfast, it’s lunch before we know it and for the past month, we’re lucky if we see Greyson more than 2 collective hours in a day. He’s made so many friends in the neighbourhood that we barely see him. We have to remind him to check in from time to time and to stop in for some lunch or a snack.

Graham, who called Greyson “Nn” for the past year (as in the sound of the letter, nothing else) now says “Gayson” and only saves “Nn” for the times when he really needs to get his attention. Graham’s 2.5 year old vocabulary is amazing and he’s already using a bit of British (garage = “gare-ridge” and backyard = garden). The funny thing is, we can’t tell if he’s picking up the accent because he can’t say his R’s anyway.

Our household goods arrived a week ago Thursday and after the 2nd full weekend of unpacking, organizing and otherwise performing duties that require a daily dose of ibuprofen, we are feeling like home in this place.

47 St. David’s VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

We spent a beautiful sunny Mother’s Day in the city where the boys got to see the Buckingham Palace guards for the first time. They got especially excited over the guards’ marching band which was likely a rehearsal for the Queen’s Jubilee- a celebration of the 60th year she’s been on the throne which is being commemorated on June 4th and 5th with a load of pomp and circumstance including 2 bank holidays (i.e. no one works in the UK).

Mother’s Day in London VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

So, a few big milestones in recent weeks but none more enjoyable than yesterday and today- two 80+ degree days with home cooked BGE meals reminiscent of home.  I do miss my food processor though- pesto is not easy with a £20 hand blender!

Remember our neighbours? The guy whose BMW Grey crashed into? Well, after they brought us a nice bottle of wine to thank Greyson for the scratches, they invited us to dinner twice and Mike and Ben go cycling together whenever they can; thus the early morning bike rides which Mike takes with or without Ben.  These photos were from his solo ride at 5:30am today. The Copper Horse statue is King George III. The path is called “The Long Walk” and leads to the King George IV gate at Windsor Castle.  It was paved during Queen Anne’s era apparently to make it easier for coaches to get to the castle.

The Long Walk VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

Quote of the week:

(Knock on the door on Monday @ ~10am)

Fede: “Can Greyson come out to play?”

Mike: “Don’t you have school today?”

Fede: “I forgot to wake up”

(Mike’s last line in his email to me: “They must run a pretty tight ship”)

Alive and well

Greyson, who lost his 1st tooth last Saturday, has made a “best friend” in our neighbourhood named Feday (not sure how to spell it but it’s pronounced “feh-day” with emphasis on the first syllable).  He’s a great kid, around 8 years old, and the two boys have been riding their bikes all over the place, running amid the gardens (yards to you Yanks) and bothering the older kids.

Yesterday as I chatted with a fellow expat named Mary Beth, Greyson proceeded to crash into a really nice black BMW sedan at mock-10 breaking the reflector light off of the front of his bike and leaving 2 big gashes in the front left panel of the shiny car. I looked at the woman, whom I’d just met and said with a bit of trepidation “whose car is this"?”

“Oh, it’s my husband’s. It’s OK as long as your son isn’t hurt!”

I proceed to apologize profusely and ask her to let me know what the damages are as I’m simultaneously willing my son not to add stress to an already stressful situation by breaking down in tears from either pain, fear, embarrassment or some combination. I’m telling you, he smoked this car hard. God smiled on me a little bit and willed Greyson to shake it off. So off he and Feday rode into the…OK, it wasn’t a sunset.  Mary Beth continued to be gracious for a few more minutes until her husband, who doesn’t yet know his car has acquired some character, called her into dinner somewhat sternly.

Fast forward about 20 minutes and the husband and his two daughters are standing in front of his car looking at it closely, rubbing the panel then looking at it again.  Greyson is still riding and he stops and the man says something to him that I can’t hear and Greyson rides off and then the man and the girls start *gasp* walking toward our house!  I’m literally in a panic in the front room picking up wayward Legos and calling frantically to Mike who is hiding (yes hiding) in the garage.  I am prepared to pay for the damages but I do not want to get scolded by a guy I’ve never met in a country I’ve only lived in for a month!

The door bell rings.  I open it and say hello.  He says (or at least this is what I think he says) “Hi, my name is Ben. I’m the guy who was yelling at your son…” but what he actually did say was “I’m the guy who was yelling at his wife to come to dinner but I just wanted to stop by and welcome you to the neighbourhood” and he hands me a bottle of wine and a bottle opener in a little gift bag and I’m so shocked all I have the wherewithal to say is “I can’t believe you’re giving me a bottle of wine after my son crashed into your car!”

10 minutes later we’re in his living room with his lovely wife sharing a bottle of wine and getting wonderful advice on life in the UK along with invitations to Legoland, the Olympics and a future dinner along with babysitting services from their very mature and polite 14 year old daughter Kathleen.

We are settling in and counting the days until our household goods arrive (into port on 10 May; pray for a quick customs process). The air shipment brought our clothing, some kitchen essentials and, of course, Greyson’s bike. The sea shipment will bring comfort that we’ve been missing since March 27th (but who’s counting?)

Here’s a few pics from recent weeks.  We’ve already had visitors and are looking forward to more. Come soon!

Graham after getting “attacked” by mud in a tree

Mike sent me an email with this picture that said “this is the life…watch the landscapers take care of the back yard while I drink coffee”.  And he says he’s bored.

And the after picture:

GRAHAM*isms*

G: (to me, while taking a bath by himself) “Pweese can u weave? I need to be awone. Pweese cwose the door”