I'll be home tomorrow

the most delicious gelato. Ever. Paris.

don't I look European?

they have Jackalope in London?

Before "The Cherry Orchard"

This is me by the Putney Street Bridge in Bath.




This is me at Stonehenge.



I saw this on the architectural walking tour of Bloomsbury.

Pints

This is a pint of Thatcher's Heritage, a cider. I drank this at Earth & Stars in Brighton.
















This is a pint of Deuchar's IPA. I drank this at Albert's near Victoria Station after Evensong at Westminster Abbey. We saw a man in a pinstripe suit with medals on his chest.
After this pint, I had a Greene King IPA.

You know how blogger uploads photos...so here they are, randomly.
This is my "outstanding value" which is a towel I got at Marks and Spencer so that I could shower. Yes, no towels at the hostel. Oh well. Now I have a bath towel and a hand towel and all is right in the universe.






This is the buffalo representing "America" in the Prince Albert Memorial in Hyde Park. You may not be able to see it, but the buffalo is being ridden by a "native American." According to this memorial there are 4 continents. All of them have fascinating animals.








First pub drinks in London (I had a Samuel Smith Old something Bitter). The other girls had cider, which was dry and delicious.












Parliment (blurry...). We saw a protest by Sri Lankans (?) about the recent deaths. It stopped traffic and there were many many police there. An educational experience to be sure.

Cheers!

Greetings from London. At the insistence of Otterbutt and Hightouch, I am blogging.
The trip was uneventful, except for the sporadic sleeping. Yesterday, we walked all over Kensington, found the park ("you know how I love the park!"), found where T.S. Eliot lived and died (accidentally), went to TK Maxx (that's right, not TJ, but TK), found Whole Foods and another store with delicious prepackaged food stuffs. Paid WAY too much for a coffee. Had Indian Food (delicious!).
I have been in London less than 24 hours. Have not yet had a pint, but will today, so don't worry. We're going to do a walk along the Thames to orient ourselves and, if I have my way, a trip to the Tate Modern, which might not be chronological, but will, nonetheless, be lovely.
Cheerio, chaps! I'm off to have my free breakfast or a protein bar.

Because

I am not a religious person. You know that.
You may not know that my grandfather was a Reformed Presbyterian preacher. They don't have accompaniment in church (no organ, piano). But what I most remember about the times I spent with my grandparent are the Psalms they sang. Before meals at camp. At church. Sometimes when I listen to Garrison Keillor I get a bit of what I remember from those days.
Today when I found out that my friend Craig had most likely died, the words of some of those songs came back. I think when we don't know what to say or do, familiar words return to us most strongly.
I thought of this "I lift mine eyes unto the hills."
Maybe they will make you feel better also.

Lon-Don

Yeah, I know I'm lame and about to get lamer. I haven't been posting, because I've been so busy, and now I'm not going to post. At all.
On Saturday I'm leaving for London where I will, no doubt, eat and drink too much and get sick of museums and then, just in time, flee for a weekend in Paris.
Before you know it, I'll be back.
Be good. I promise to bring pictures and trinkets and lovely stories.
I promise to seize the day.
You do so as well.