Ervins, Wells, and Poppy

Monika and Sweet Pea Visit!

Mona and Sweet Pea flew to London and met up with Rachelle in the big city. They had a blast going on the London Eye (Rachelle reportedly stood and looked out of the pod and kept her eyes open the whole time; I wouldn't believe it but there is this apparently un-Photo Shopped picture of her smiling in the pod); visiting the Tower of London where Anne Boleyn, Thomas More, and others were imprisoned and beheaded; seeing Wicked; playing in Hyde park past closing hours and having to climb a fence to avoid slumbering there; and staying in a stark Latvian hotel that is in a tight competition with our stay in Rome for the Hotel Squalor Award (the mouse traps in the Latvian rooms give it a slight edge). Back in Bath, Rachelle and the Ervins did the necessary trip to Lacock and Stonehenge. When I returned from Ireland, we all joined up to visit the Roman Baths in Bath (see picture) and have dinner at a great little pub. The visit was too short and we miss the Ervins already.

Day Date

After dropping off the kids at school, Rachelle and I stole off to Wells. About a 30-minute drive from Bath, Wells houses one of the greatest medieval cathedrals to be experienced. The front, built in 1230, is chock full of sculptures (see the picture of Rachelle). Inside houses rare scissor arches, painted ceiling, and a great ancient working clock. When the clock strikes, some miniature jousting knights pop out and go around in circles knocking each other off their horses. Not only does the clock tells the date, time, and lunar cycle, but it has some pagan symbols, which is not a typical finding in a Christian cathedral. Without having to compromise with the kids on a viewing pace, we had a great tour of the cathedral by an old fellow who shared great insider stories.

Sheffield Talk

Last Friday, I traveled European style (by train) to the University of Sheffield to give a research talk. It was great fun changing trains, pushing through crowds and ejecting squatters out of my reserved seats, and riding a cable car through Sheffield to find the university.

Liv's Birthday

Today (Friday, November 21) is Liv's birthday. She invited 2 of her friends (Lizzie D. and Poppy) over for dinner, cake, and ice-cream, and Poppy is spending the night. Just a side comment, from my perspective, Brit kids are not used to adults joking around with them. Also, the way they speak so properly and with those cute accents, not to mention wearing their little uniforms, I find it terribly difficult not to tease them a bit. Tonight, when I asked Poppy if her middle and last name were Seed and Bagel, she turned her head at an angle, and said, "No, they are not." I expect that if she had been American, she would have rolled her eyes and said to Liv, "Yea, I've never heard that one before."

Poppy is quite a crack-up. When Rachelle asked if she would like to try the ratatouille Rachelle had labored over, Poppy said in her crisp and surprisingly loud British accent, "Ratatouille. I absolutely hate Ratatouille." Also, Poppy was able to pay me back for my taunts. She gave Liv a big box of "Hama Beads", known in America as "Pearla Beads", and known to me as "Annoying tiny plastic things that get into everything." See the video below for a Poppy message.



We picked up a great used bike (see it just behind Poppy in the video) for Liv for her birthday, an Irish soccer jersey, and some new books. Her big party is a week from Sunday, so I'll provide a post blowout update later.

Now I must wrap this up as I agreed to play Tickle Monster with the kids outside before shepherding them to bed.