I'm foregoing Wordless Wednesdays only for my week abroad so I can continue with my British musings.
I talked to my kids last night. Did I mention I have no cell phone access so I only get to talk to them a couple of times because I'm calling from my very expensive hotel phone at night? So I woke up homesick. Wishing I could walk down the hall and see their sweet little sleeping faces.
Despite that, I've gathered a few Day 3 observations:
1. Smoking? I don't think it's as frowned upon across the pond as I keep passing people billowing smoke like a smokestack. Ack. I need to drop all my suits at the cleaners.
2. Everything sounds more polite with a British accent. It doesn't matter what they're informing you, or how loony they think you are, or if they're just telling you to take a flying leap, they do it quite elegantly and appropriately without loss of restraint. Impressive.
3. There is a TERRIBLE television system here. What on Earth can you watch??? There's a handful of "mainstream" British television stations, I assume the equivalent of ABC/NBC, a handful of news stations, and that's about IT. No HGTV, no Bravo or TLC, no History or Weather, no TNT or TBS, NOTHING even close. I just wanted to watch t.v. for an hour tonight, order room service, and head to bed early. When there were no choices on my hotel television, I went to an American website to watch my favorite guilty pleasure and you CAN NOT WATCH IT OVERSEAS! Seriously, there wasn't even a bootleg you could catch (not that I endorse that), but I was hoping for some mindless entertainment to no avail. What a brainless American I've become.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
London, Day 2: Learning Curve
So yesterday I highlighted a few of my observations from out and about town and I have continued to collect them for your enjoyment. First let me say at least I got a little sleep. My body clock is still wobbly (to use my English vernacular), but better, and I slept from 9 pm to 4:30 am - for some bizarre reason I could not go back to sleep. Of course, I was dead dog tired by 7 am but by then it was too late to do anything but put my make up on and go. Additionally, just because it says the deposition will start at 8:30 on the notice, doesn't mean you'll be there in enough time if you arrive at 8:15. By that point (15 mins early), the room was full and all the chairs around the table were taken and I was relegated to a chair on the periphery with my laptop literally being a "lap" top........Ah well, c'est la vie (I guess I shouldn't use French when in England.) The only highlight was that a friend of mine who I'd lost touch with was in depositions in the adjacent room in the same office building and so we got to have a fabulous dinner out! I assume the majority of the people in MY room were not Texans because no one was too friendly and I didn't meet any dinner buddies so this was my one night to venture out on the town.
Day 2 Observations:
1. Just because you order fish and chips in England doesn't mean it will be good. I LOVE fish and chips. I've had a taste for it since my time studying in Oxford. But I've had better fish and chips in HOUSTON than I did last night - absolutely terrible fish, I couldn't eat it (which was sad because I also missed breakfast which made me ravenous for my stale, off-the-shelf lunch sandwich - can you tell I love food?).
2. A swan crossing the carriage road caused quite a muddle in morning traffic. Not exactly what you hear in the Houston 7:30 traffic report.
3. Why do they HIDE everything here? Where are the trash cans? Where do you change money? The British reserve coupled with instinct to disguise where things might be located makes me wonder how they ever figure things out around here.
4. Husbands are often right, no matter how hard it is to admit. For example, on my New Orleans anniversary trip my husband suggested we acquire sunscreen for my fair skin before heading out to Jazz Fest. I, of course, told him it was unnecessary. Ten minutes into Jazz Fest he was offering to pay people to let me borrow their sunscreen because I was frying so terribly. Well, in more recent news, he suggested that $50 might not be enough cash to take to England. I said, "pish-posh" (or the American equivalent) - I'll use my credit card. Well...since my credit card company decided to decline charges thinking my card was abducted by some identity thief because London charges were so atypical, and since $40 dollars converts to about $22 pounds, he might have been right again........
Day 2 Observations:
1. Just because you order fish and chips in England doesn't mean it will be good. I LOVE fish and chips. I've had a taste for it since my time studying in Oxford. But I've had better fish and chips in HOUSTON than I did last night - absolutely terrible fish, I couldn't eat it (which was sad because I also missed breakfast which made me ravenous for my stale, off-the-shelf lunch sandwich - can you tell I love food?).
2. A swan crossing the carriage road caused quite a muddle in morning traffic. Not exactly what you hear in the Houston 7:30 traffic report.
3. Why do they HIDE everything here? Where are the trash cans? Where do you change money? The British reserve coupled with instinct to disguise where things might be located makes me wonder how they ever figure things out around here.
4. Husbands are often right, no matter how hard it is to admit. For example, on my New Orleans anniversary trip my husband suggested we acquire sunscreen for my fair skin before heading out to Jazz Fest. I, of course, told him it was unnecessary. Ten minutes into Jazz Fest he was offering to pay people to let me borrow their sunscreen because I was frying so terribly. Well, in more recent news, he suggested that $50 might not be enough cash to take to England. I said, "pish-posh" (or the American equivalent) - I'll use my credit card. Well...since my credit card company decided to decline charges thinking my card was abducted by some identity thief because London charges were so atypical, and since $40 dollars converts to about $22 pounds, he might have been right again........
Monday, June 20, 2011
London, Day 1: Fatigued
So for those of you following me as a result of my being completely sans Verizon access this week, Cheerio! (That's not cheerios, as in what my trio inhales, but cheerio like me trying to put a bright British spin on me having to leave my family for a week...)
Last Thursday night, at 10:30 pm, I was informed I'd need to hop on a Trans-Atlantic flight to be in London Monday to cover depositions. The me of several years ago would have loved it - single in the city. The me of a couple of years ago would have said, "okay, fine, I'll miss Bray but I'll manage." The me of this year cried on the plane about leaving my children through Friday - a record in my home, 20 months old and I've only been away from them for two weekends.
So we zipped home early from the farm in Louisiana on Father's Day (feeling guilty for that too!) so I could catch an evening British Airways flight out - at least I was flying business class so I presumed I'd get some rest and be ready to be on British time. I presumed incorrectly. After catching The King's Speech on the small screen while I ate my airplane dinner (what better to put me in a British mood, right?), I reclined my seat into a bed around 11 pm to catch what I hoped would be 5 hours of sleep. Wrong. The flight was bumpy, so with every bump, I said a little prayer for a safe return to my loving family & remained wide awake. Then when I finally dozed off shortly after 2 am, it got hot. And then they turned all the cabin lights on & began to serve breakfast at 3:30 am in preparation for our 5:15 am landing (11:15 am in London).
So my ex.hau.sted. self trapesed like a zombie (with bad breath) through the checkpoints, grabbed my luggage, and enjoyed an HOUR AND A HALF ride from the airport to my hotel. Seriously? Agh. The hotel is lovely, a little modern for my British expectations, but fully functional for a business trip. Without access to any Verizon service here in jolly old England, something about their platform not being compatible, I proceeded to place what I can only guess was a very expensive hotel call to my husband. I plan to place a few of those to my kiddos as well, but not being able to talk to them every day while I'm gone is going to be wretched. At least Bray and I can email.
So every day I'll do a short post, much shorter now that I've downloaded all the background, about funny little things I'm observing or doing or just musing about. I've not been back to England since the late '90s so I'd forgotten a lot.
Day 1 Observations:
1. If you wear canary yellow on the street in London's central business district, expect to stick out like, well, a yellow canary. The attire here is blacker than Manhattan.
2. Just because it's in English, doesn't mean it makes any sense to an American. There are so many examples, but one of the best is my room thermostat. It either goes up or down to -3 or +3 Celsius. What the heck am I supposed to do about that? It is freezing in my room! I've tried the + and - and I can't get the room to warm up.
3. The English make precious children's clothing. I just acquired one new item per child as part of my penance (they'd rather have a ball or tractor mind you) and was in a quandary over how to pick only one. They've left tacky and garish to the Americans and have beautiful and creative items here which I couldn't wait to take home.
4. Everything is expensive, or more expensive than you think. Watch out, that whole pound thing will kick you in the rear. I decided to take tea this afternoon before the work all day/all week kicks in, and while it wasn't at the Landmark like I'd hoped (too far for me to venture over), it was lovely and relaxing at the traditional English restaurant the hotel offered. Though $18 pounds for my afternoon tea sounded reasonable, I know that the approximately $35 dollars it will turn into when my credit card statement arrives is going to hurt if I do much shopping/eating/spending here.
5. It's very nice that the lovely British people painted their roads to remind ignorant Americans to "look left" when they are instinctively looking right and to "look right" whilst they're looking left (don't you love the interjection of whilst, it's such a great Jane Austen word, I'm going to try to write a blog in all Jane Austen-speak in honor of my time in England). Otherwise, said Americans would get mowed down by the double decker buses careening their way on the completely wrong side of the road.
So Good Afternoon - and I'll see you back here tomorrow.
Last Thursday night, at 10:30 pm, I was informed I'd need to hop on a Trans-Atlantic flight to be in London Monday to cover depositions. The me of several years ago would have loved it - single in the city. The me of a couple of years ago would have said, "okay, fine, I'll miss Bray but I'll manage." The me of this year cried on the plane about leaving my children through Friday - a record in my home, 20 months old and I've only been away from them for two weekends.
So we zipped home early from the farm in Louisiana on Father's Day (feeling guilty for that too!) so I could catch an evening British Airways flight out - at least I was flying business class so I presumed I'd get some rest and be ready to be on British time. I presumed incorrectly. After catching The King's Speech on the small screen while I ate my airplane dinner (what better to put me in a British mood, right?), I reclined my seat into a bed around 11 pm to catch what I hoped would be 5 hours of sleep. Wrong. The flight was bumpy, so with every bump, I said a little prayer for a safe return to my loving family & remained wide awake. Then when I finally dozed off shortly after 2 am, it got hot. And then they turned all the cabin lights on & began to serve breakfast at 3:30 am in preparation for our 5:15 am landing (11:15 am in London).
So my ex.hau.sted. self trapesed like a zombie (with bad breath) through the checkpoints, grabbed my luggage, and enjoyed an HOUR AND A HALF ride from the airport to my hotel. Seriously? Agh. The hotel is lovely, a little modern for my British expectations, but fully functional for a business trip. Without access to any Verizon service here in jolly old England, something about their platform not being compatible, I proceeded to place what I can only guess was a very expensive hotel call to my husband. I plan to place a few of those to my kiddos as well, but not being able to talk to them every day while I'm gone is going to be wretched. At least Bray and I can email.
So every day I'll do a short post, much shorter now that I've downloaded all the background, about funny little things I'm observing or doing or just musing about. I've not been back to England since the late '90s so I'd forgotten a lot.
Day 1 Observations:
1. If you wear canary yellow on the street in London's central business district, expect to stick out like, well, a yellow canary. The attire here is blacker than Manhattan.
2. Just because it's in English, doesn't mean it makes any sense to an American. There are so many examples, but one of the best is my room thermostat. It either goes up or down to -3 or +3 Celsius. What the heck am I supposed to do about that? It is freezing in my room! I've tried the + and - and I can't get the room to warm up.
3. The English make precious children's clothing. I just acquired one new item per child as part of my penance (they'd rather have a ball or tractor mind you) and was in a quandary over how to pick only one. They've left tacky and garish to the Americans and have beautiful and creative items here which I couldn't wait to take home.
4. Everything is expensive, or more expensive than you think. Watch out, that whole pound thing will kick you in the rear. I decided to take tea this afternoon before the work all day/all week kicks in, and while it wasn't at the Landmark like I'd hoped (too far for me to venture over), it was lovely and relaxing at the traditional English restaurant the hotel offered. Though $18 pounds for my afternoon tea sounded reasonable, I know that the approximately $35 dollars it will turn into when my credit card statement arrives is going to hurt if I do much shopping/eating/spending here.
5. It's very nice that the lovely British people painted their roads to remind ignorant Americans to "look left" when they are instinctively looking right and to "look right" whilst they're looking left (don't you love the interjection of whilst, it's such a great Jane Austen word, I'm going to try to write a blog in all Jane Austen-speak in honor of my time in England). Otherwise, said Americans would get mowed down by the double decker buses careening their way on the completely wrong side of the road.
So Good Afternoon - and I'll see you back here tomorrow.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Monday, June 13, 2011
Mommy Meltdown
How do you entertain three 20 month olds all day in June in Houston when it's 100 degrees outside and they love the outdoors? Silly, if you know anything, you should know that is a rhetorical question and can not be answered because you can NOT entertain three 20 month olds that love the outdoors all day in Houston's summer heat. It is IM.POSS.IBLE.
I just had an email from another triplet mommy asking this question - her words nearly screamed, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING????" And my response was: drowning! My kids love, love, love being outside. But short of our walks and outdoor backyard time from 8 am to 10 am and our post dinner swims at 7 pm, we can't go outside. Heck, I was panicked yesterday when I put the kids in the car for an outing after the AC had been running nearly 10 minutes because the car was still too hot! And I have three more months to survive. They stand with their little faces pressed up against the wall of windows in our playroom like sad little puppies with a mommy that doesn't get their pain. Oh I get it, trust me wee ones, I get it. And they are teething again. What the heck is that? And Bray's gone this week on a fishing vacation. And I'm buried up at the office so that if I start digging out now I should be done by Christmas. And I'm representing the family in a land dispute. And I gained three pounds.
Do you just ever have one of those weeks? Where you just say, "seriously?!?!" I totally realize that each of these issues is so entirely minor. And that there are a million people that would love my problems. The kids climbing the walls is really a blessing because I have kids and they can climb the walls. The husband taking a vacation means I have a husband and we had the money in the bank so he could go fishing. The overworked frenzy means I have a job. The three pounds means I enjoyed some insanely yummy red velvet cupcakes last week (yes, that was plural). All blessings. Thank you Lord. But.........(couldn't you hear that coming!)
Thank you for my blessings, but I'm tired. But I'm out of ideas. But I'm running around like a chicken with my head cut off. Please don't take my exasperation as ingratitude, it's not I promise. But I'm a little frayed. If you could find a moment, in between all your work on world hunger and bringing peace to the Middle East, to just throw a little extra peace and patience my way, I would be inexpressibly appreciative.
Until then my fellow Houstonian moms, hang in there, the end of September is only 15 weeks away........
I just had an email from another triplet mommy asking this question - her words nearly screamed, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING????" And my response was: drowning! My kids love, love, love being outside. But short of our walks and outdoor backyard time from 8 am to 10 am and our post dinner swims at 7 pm, we can't go outside. Heck, I was panicked yesterday when I put the kids in the car for an outing after the AC had been running nearly 10 minutes because the car was still too hot! And I have three more months to survive. They stand with their little faces pressed up against the wall of windows in our playroom like sad little puppies with a mommy that doesn't get their pain. Oh I get it, trust me wee ones, I get it. And they are teething again. What the heck is that? And Bray's gone this week on a fishing vacation. And I'm buried up at the office so that if I start digging out now I should be done by Christmas. And I'm representing the family in a land dispute. And I gained three pounds.
Do you just ever have one of those weeks? Where you just say, "seriously?!?!" I totally realize that each of these issues is so entirely minor. And that there are a million people that would love my problems. The kids climbing the walls is really a blessing because I have kids and they can climb the walls. The husband taking a vacation means I have a husband and we had the money in the bank so he could go fishing. The overworked frenzy means I have a job. The three pounds means I enjoyed some insanely yummy red velvet cupcakes last week (yes, that was plural). All blessings. Thank you Lord. But.........(couldn't you hear that coming!)
Thank you for my blessings, but I'm tired. But I'm out of ideas. But I'm running around like a chicken with my head cut off. Please don't take my exasperation as ingratitude, it's not I promise. But I'm a little frayed. If you could find a moment, in between all your work on world hunger and bringing peace to the Middle East, to just throw a little extra peace and patience my way, I would be inexpressibly appreciative.
Until then my fellow Houstonian moms, hang in there, the end of September is only 15 weeks away........
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Surrounded
Do you have those times in your life when you are surrounded by one message? As if everyone received a memo from God saying if you encounter Gindi in your audience make sure you stay on point? Regardless if that audience is the radio, television, Internet, blogs, or church. How does God get these memos out?
I am going through such a season. Though the words used are different, and the speakers vary, the message is the same and I am surrounded by it: YOU. ARE. BEING. CALLED. You are being called. Into an unknown. Into a brand new frontier. Into a place that may result in you being seriously uncomfortable. But don't miss it - you are being called.
Let me just recap the highlights. First, I heard a sermon by a guest pastor about being called to do something uncomfortable. That pastor recommended a book which I've written about a couple of times. As I have been reading that, I'm getting kicked upside the head about my calling. My pastor preached this last Sunday on being called. Oprah's final show (which I recorded for posterity) spent a whole segment on the idea of your calling and the need to listen to God whispering His directions to you before you get kicked upside the head (I wasn't even safe with Oprah). Lysa TerKeurst's blog which I follow has been talking ALL WEEK about "The Cause Within You" and a man who wrote a book of that same title (all about finding the one great thing you were created to do in this world). A couple of weeks ago Jonathan Acuff, a very funny Christian writer and blogger, came out with a book called Quitter which I now own but am terrified to read because it's subtitle is, "Closing the Gap Between Your Day Job and Your Dream Job."
Seriously??? I mean enough is enough. I get it. I'm being called. Can you just give me a sec to get a hold of this news before I'm supposed to act!?!!?!? I am a planner. I grew up with uncertainty at times in my life and it makes me love the KNOWN. The comfortable. The expected. I am married to a planner. We have very scheduled children. I've done my job for 13 years (he's done his for 16). It pays well. It allows me to contribute to our family lifestyle which is comfortable. What I'm being asked to do upends all this. It gives me heartburn. It makes me dizzy.
I don't know what this all means right now, but I do know if you are being "surrounded" right now by a message, by God's memo to you, listen. It may not be easy to hear, but at least listen. Don't drown it out. There's a reason that you and I are getting a message over and over and over again right now. Let's try to avoid getting swallowed by a whale in our attempts to avoid it.
Jeremiah 29 - For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
Jonah 1 - The word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.” But Jonah ran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the LORD...Then they took Jonah and threw him overboard, and the raging sea grew calm. At this the men greatly feared the LORD, and they offered a sacrifice to the LORD and made vows to him. Now the LORD provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.
I Samuel 3 - Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”
I am going through such a season. Though the words used are different, and the speakers vary, the message is the same and I am surrounded by it: YOU. ARE. BEING. CALLED. You are being called. Into an unknown. Into a brand new frontier. Into a place that may result in you being seriously uncomfortable. But don't miss it - you are being called.
Let me just recap the highlights. First, I heard a sermon by a guest pastor about being called to do something uncomfortable. That pastor recommended a book which I've written about a couple of times. As I have been reading that, I'm getting kicked upside the head about my calling. My pastor preached this last Sunday on being called. Oprah's final show (which I recorded for posterity) spent a whole segment on the idea of your calling and the need to listen to God whispering His directions to you before you get kicked upside the head (I wasn't even safe with Oprah). Lysa TerKeurst's blog which I follow has been talking ALL WEEK about "The Cause Within You" and a man who wrote a book of that same title (all about finding the one great thing you were created to do in this world). A couple of weeks ago Jonathan Acuff, a very funny Christian writer and blogger, came out with a book called Quitter which I now own but am terrified to read because it's subtitle is, "Closing the Gap Between Your Day Job and Your Dream Job."
Seriously??? I mean enough is enough. I get it. I'm being called. Can you just give me a sec to get a hold of this news before I'm supposed to act!?!!?!? I am a planner. I grew up with uncertainty at times in my life and it makes me love the KNOWN. The comfortable. The expected. I am married to a planner. We have very scheduled children. I've done my job for 13 years (he's done his for 16). It pays well. It allows me to contribute to our family lifestyle which is comfortable. What I'm being asked to do upends all this. It gives me heartburn. It makes me dizzy.
I don't know what this all means right now, but I do know if you are being "surrounded" right now by a message, by God's memo to you, listen. It may not be easy to hear, but at least listen. Don't drown it out. There's a reason that you and I are getting a message over and over and over again right now. Let's try to avoid getting swallowed by a whale in our attempts to avoid it.
Jeremiah 29 - For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
Jonah 1 - The word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.” But Jonah ran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the LORD...Then they took Jonah and threw him overboard, and the raging sea grew calm. At this the men greatly feared the LORD, and they offered a sacrifice to the LORD and made vows to him. Now the LORD provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.
I Samuel 3 - Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)