Life in England Update

So, for those of you just tuning in, Somehow I have deleted my blog site. Pressed the one, little, wrong button. If it was a notebook, I could just turn back the page! After sitting for an hour, and deleting my last blog update, I shall begin again and maybe this time it will be shorter. Yes, all the other writings, updates, pictures, are all gone for those of you just joining us. MMMMMMMMMMMMMM. I am not happy!!!! So, here I go again.

Last Saturday was the Burghley Proms. About 6,000 people go to these. It is a huge concert on the grounds of the Burghley House. This is the house where they filmed some of "Pride and Prejudice". They have jousting tournaments, cannon fire, fireworks, opera singing and a fine orchestra up front. We all brought something to share and the Cat families (17 of them) shared dinner together. We visiting and just enjoyed the night. The kids were entertained with old time carnival rides and games. We are glad we went since next year we will be home for the month of July. It was a good time.

Belle missed two days of her last 4 days of school this week. She had a sore throat and cough. It is the first illness that anyone one of us has had since arriving here. We started on the Pond this week. Ben decided that it would be a "project" for him. We decided to remove the grass/sod that has grown all around the pond, covering the beautiful flagstones that they layed when they put the pond in. I will include a before and after photo so you can see it.
Caleb had a Disco with Kylee this week and a lady on a horse stopped by to give me an estimate for some painting I need done. We also fit in two movies at the theaters. One was Shreck III and the other, Hairspray. I highly recommend Hairspray. You can't help but fall in love with Tracy Turnblad, and she just makes you want to get up and dance with her! I hope all young people can learn from this film that it is about what is inside, not the picture on the outside. Great film.

Luuuuuuuuuuuke, Ben's friend is arriving on Thursday. Ben will go down on the train and then take the tube across England to pick up Luuuuuuuuuke at the airport. I can't help but say "Luuuuuuuuuke" "I am your father". Ben hates this and we have been warned that we cannot say Lukes name like this to him. Ha, Ha, Ha. We can't wait until Luke is here! We will be off to Cornwall for the weekend. We are staying at a Hotel that has three ghosts. I just found this out this week when I stumbled upon some information about haunted hotels. I couldn't believe it! We are not telling the kids about it. Are you kidding, I am going to have enough trouble sleeping! One of the ghosts is a nurse whom people wake up to while she is trying to give them a bath in bed! Another ghost throws pictures off the walls and the other ghost walks between the hotel and Tintagel Castle in the early morning. This is between you and me and Dan of course.

Before I go, some things that I know about England:

- Hiya, Are you all right then? (means, how ya doing?)
- Words with "z" are spelled with "s". Like, realized is realised.
- When your child is invited for "Tea" that means dinner also.
- Whenever you are invited to "a gathering" alcohol is always involved. I found this out when I was handed a pretty drink with fruit in it, at Belles school bar-b-q, called a Pimms. This is a drink with Gin, sprite and fruit in it. It was good, but imagine my surprise when I found out I had downed a glass! Dan even drank mine, and didn't realize what it was until I told him. Luckily we weren't driving! Just joking. Just a little Gin.
- When Belle tells me she feels "poorly" this mean she doesn't feel well.
- I love the village life. Everyone knows everyone else. Like our neighborhood but bigger.
- Never, ever eat "blood pudding". Filtered blood of animals through bread, meat, whatever, and you eat it. Globs.

So I will leave you with those thoughts, and what my week was like. Until next time!

An American Mom in England