Murphy's Law

Why is it that when your hubby is out of town, THAT'S when your car gets a flat and your bathroom faucet springs a leak?

Everything is fine, under control. I drove the car on the rim down to a nearby tire center and, thankfully, it could be repaired; so £20 and 30 minutes later, we were back on track for our day. Off to ASDA (the Wal-Mart of Europe). Note to self, don't ever, ever, ever go to ASDA on the first Saturday morning after payday. Oh my gosh, it was a madhouse. 

Yes, I'm shopping at ASDA. What about the sweet little butcher shop, bakery, and produce stand in my town? Not to worry, I still go there for fresh foods. My weekly shop at ASDA is to get the good deals on laundry detergent, light bulbs, paper towels, and so forth.

After the chaos of the Saturday morning shop, we stopped in for a little fundraising tea and coffee morning that a friend had invited us to attend. 

Kids in bathing suits kept running inside from the back-yard kiddie pool
to raid the cake table. Everything was homemade! I tried the lemon cake
with chocolate swirl icing and the mini mincemeat pie. Mmmm.

We got there just as the party was wrapping up, so lots
of the treats were already eaten, but we did get sent home
with a small bag of goodies. I love this cake stand!

This family has a rather large back garden with a small
greenhouse, a vegetable garden, lots of flower borders
and a lawn. Still small by American standards, but it
was very pretty. 

There were actually loads of people and kids at this little
fundraiser, but I was trying to crop them out of my pics.

The fundraiser was for a group called Macmillan. They sponsor a campaign each year called "The World's Biggest Coffee Morning" and that's what my friend was hosting. Macmillan is a group that provides practical and emotional support for cancer patients and their families. 

Oh, and the leaky bathroom sink? I called the landlord and we'll see if she gets back to me. (She's not the most responsive landlord on the planet.) For now, I have two pots and a 9x13 lasagna pan catching drips that are coming through the ceiling below into the back office of our rental house. 

Goodbyes Are Hard

 
I just read Gypsy Mama's post entitled A Quick Crash Course in Surviving Good-bye and it was such good timing, given the fact that we only said goodbye to our precious family and friends mere days ago. 

It's true. Goodbyes are hard. I definitely agree with Gypsy Mama that it's easier to say, "See you next week," instead of "See you next year." (Gotta love Skype.) When we left back in February for our big move to the UK, it was one tearful goodbye after another. I only cried twice this trip--when I watched Page walk to her car, knowing I'd miss the birth of her baby boy and when I happened to be at my friend Ann's house at bedtime and her kids wanted to me to tuck them in. TEARS! Ugh, I have a lump in my throat right now!

If you are new to Gypsy Mama, spend a few minutes on her site. She always has amazing insights and encouragement, that somehow always seems to be right on time.

What I'm Missing Most...

...is this pregnancy. Meet my niece, Page. When I first started dating her "Uncle Mikey" she was just six years old.

I thought she was the sweetest little kid, and she was. She even forgave me when I accidentally shut the car door on her hand as we were leaving to go to the park one day. And she seemed genuinely happy with a Christmas present I gave her once...a little black purse filled with colorful paperclips and various coins. (What was that about anyway? I can't imagine that it even seemed like a good idea at the time. Hello, choking hazard.)

She's told me that when Uncle Mikey and I broke up after our first year of college--she would have been about eight or so, I guess--she cried about it. [Sidenote: Mike, you should be ashamed of yourself, breaking both my heart and Page's heart at the same time!]

When Mike and I got back together a couple of years later, it was great to be back in Page's life. She was a tween then, and she and I spent "girl time" together...it was different, but cool. We had a tradition for a few years running of me taking her Christmas shopping at the mall. And when Mike and I married in 1996, of course she was my flower girl, though I kept telling her that if she grew taller than me before the wedding day, I'd have to kick her out of the wedding party. She was growing up, and our friendship changed. We talked about school, and mean girls, and books we liked, and eventually, boys.

Now she's out of school, she's married, she's expecting her first baby. And I'm not there to pat her baby bump and shop for nursery bedding and all the rest of it. This is what I'm missing most.

I love you, Page!

Pass the Germ Around

First Ollie had a fever on Monday. Then I had a fever on Tuesday. Then Merrit on Thursday afternoon. Mike? He's been sleeping on the couch and, knock on wood, hasn't picked up the germ yet. Maybe we are uber-susceptible to colds here because we're being exposed all new varieties of bugs...? Life of an expat, I guess.

Speaking of the downsides to living overseas, I read this interesting post on another expat site the otheir day. Can't say I relate to all of it, since Mike's company has done handsprings to help our transition go smoothly, but it was eye-opening to see what other peoples' experiences can be like.

Meanwhile, we're loading up on the Vitamin C and immune-boosting herbs. Hopefully we will all be in top form for the weekend!

I Picked Up a Stomach Bug...in Scotland!

Sorry, Tina, I had to steal your joke! It was just too funny not to!

Yes, it's true. I spent all day yesterday curled over the potty. Feeling better today. Thank God!