Mercedes-Benz world

While I was on a scavenger hunt through London with the girl scouts, DA and L had their own plan for fun. They went to the Mercedes-Benz world nearby in Brooklands. It's a museum and driving test track. L didn't do any driving lessons that day, but they do let kids get in a smaller Mercedes with an instructor (with his own brake petal, I hope) and they let the kids drive around a smaller test track. L was apparently glued to the guys who were "drifting" on the big track and wanted that driving lesson. HA. Here he is in his dream car.

I think this is a McClaren? or a Mercedes with McClaren engine??? I'm not sure.

Here is one of the approved used cars for sale. Notice the 94,995 GBP price tag. Dream on, kid.
DA really enjoyed it too.

L's fun times

I've written a lot about B lately and all the fun she's been having. Here's a little update on L.
He just finished a really good basketball season. They had a winning record of 9 -3.
He got to meet and hear a presentation from one of our local townspeople who has climbed Mt. Everest 3 times and is leaving in 2 weeks to start his next Everest climb without supplemental oxygen. L was so interested in all the details, but thankfully told me that he would never want to climb Everest himself. whew. The guy is supposed to be filmed by the Discovery Channel on his climb, so I'm sure L will get a kick out of following him online during his adventure. ( www.davidtait.com )
Tomorrow he has an in school field trip where he and 9 other kids in his grade get to have a day with a Pixar animator. L has done lots with animation since we've been here and this guy is going to teach them as well as give them the low down on real world animation. I think it's cool for him to have those experiences. I'm not so sure that the make-up work in his real classes will be so much fun, but how can you pass up a day working with an animator.
My personal fun includes taking the girl scout troop to the city this weekend for a sleepover at the girl guide center as well as a 3 hour scavenger hunt through the city. They must ride a bus and the Tube (subway system). It's gonna be fun... can you see the smile on my face?????!!!!!??????

Barcelona

LET THE SUN SHINE!!!

We had the great opportunity to visit Barcelona, Spain over the weekend. The sun was shining and the temperatures were perfect (70's) which added up to a winner of a trip. In case I haven't mentioned it lately - there are lots of grey, dark days here in England, so the shining sun makes a HUGE difference to us.

L was also in Barcelona with his classmates and Spanish teacher for a culture/language trip. We decided to go at the same time so that we wouldn't have to pay to take him back again.

Barcelona is such a different place than I imagined. I pictured a sticky hot -lots of concrete- peddlers everywhere bugging you - kind of place. Boy, was I wrong! It might be sticky hot in the summer, but other than that, it is really an artist's playground.

Barcelona lies in Catalonia and it's residents are "Catalans" who were at one time independent of Spain. Apparently that independence is still an issue for the residents, and they consider themselves more Catalans than Spanish. They even have their own language. I kept seeing all the signs written in 2 languages - thinking they were Spanish and French, but not so. They were their native language AND Spanish. Most people speak both.

I had imagined lots of English speakers too, but there were very few things written in English, and the natives only spoke a very broken English. Not that it matters, but it might be the European country we've visited that spoke the least English. However, much to their credit, they have a very easy to use train and subway system.
I imagine their independence issue much like us native Texans in that we almost classify ourselves "Texans" first before we say "Americans". Who am I kidding? we are always Texans first!

B was very enthusiastic about visiting Barcelona. She is not normally an agreeable traveler, but Barcelona was featured in one of the Cheetah Girls movies and ever since she saw that movie, she had wanted to visit there. We watched that movie again the night before we left just to refresh our memories. I guess her thrills over the Cheetah Girls in Barcelona is like me and my Sound of Music in Saltzburg.

B where the Cheetah girls sang.

Place is also known as the steps where Queen Isabella welcomed Columbus back from the New World. To Brinley, it's just where the Cheetah Girls sang.

(notice my bloody knee - story below!)

Barcelona is also dripping in art. What unique and fantastical art and architecture they have around the city. Pablo Picasso spent many formative years in Barcelona. I have never considered myself a Picasso fan, but the Picasso Museum was one of my favorite sites. A very well done art exhibit. B even got inspired and has been drawing Picasso influenced art all weekend!

Gaudi also heavily influenced the city. His work is .....hmm... interesting. Odd shapes, unusual textures, lots of mosaics and hard to describe. Just note that our English word "gaudy" comes from his work. 'nuff said! Below are Gaudi buildings. So crazy to me that they are over 100 years old and were built around 1900. This look is considered "modernism", but to me 'modern' is recent. Shows what I know!

Gaudi's Sagrada Familia. This looks like a melting cathedral to me.

Gaudi's Casa Mila.

Gaudi's Casa Batllo.

One favorite of the trip was the 4 hour bicycle tour we did. Rode all over the old part of town. Funny that our tour guide was a kid from East Texas. Never thought I'd meet someone in Barcelona that was familiar with my tiny home town in Texas!!!

DA and Brinley on the bikes.

The Barcelona Arc De Triumph.

One major boo -boo though, of course! On our bike tour, we were all doing great, taking in the sights, enjoying the sun when suddenly our tour guide took a sharp left turn immediately upon entering the park that had slippery gravel. In order to keep up with him, I turned too sharply and had a wonderful bike wreck right there in the smack - dab -middle of the entrance in front of all these people. I was fine. Only dirty clothes, a bruised ego, and a skinned up knee to show for it. B was very nervous at first, I guess remembering her eventful bike wreck, but when she saw I was OK, she shared that I looked really funny falling flat out on the ground. Thanks, sweetie.

This is the market on La Rambla. Produce was beautiful, but the meat market was a sight to behold. I think they cut up and sell every single inch of a goat. Heads, eyes, stomachs, brains, intestines, feet, etc. A real learning experience.

I'll spare you the photo of the goat's heads - skinned with their eyes staring at you.

As part of one of L's cultural experiences, they were given a recipe and some Euro and they had to go into the market and buy all of their ingredients. I think he enjoyed that.

They also had to ask directions to places...library, museum, etc and L said in asking directions he met people from Norway, Germany, Italy, etc, but hardly any Spanish people. Oops. Wonder if his Spanish improved any??

Olympic flame. Barcelona 1992

Olympic Stadium. Barcelona 1992.

Walkin' the streets of Barcelona. This area really looked like Venice, Italy and the bridge of sighs.

The beach right in the city. Beach was built for the Olympics. You just have to ignore the shipping lane just out on the horizon. Not too sure of that water!

I loved this sculpture on the beach. A huge copper "fish" looking thing. It shines in the sunlight.

Columbus...Is he pointing the way to the New World?

Sign reads, "Barcelona Rocks". This is B's last comment on the subject.

Picasso's influence

Today I was kidding B after school about her choice of attire. She had on light blue polka dot shoes, royal blue tights, pale blue capris, tie-dye turquoise blue top, blue bike helmet along with her natural blue eyes. She was covering the entire spectrum of blue from head to toe. As I was kidding her, she replied with a big smile on her face, "since you told me we were moving last night, this is my blue period. Just like Picasso"
Ha. I guess she did pay attention at the museum in Barcelona! Our little artist.

Take me Home... Country Road... to the place... I belong...

In the words of John Denver - We've decided that we ARE taking that country road to the place we belong. We are moving back home this summer!!!!!! Just 6 months behind our original schedule.
The kids and I will definitely be moving back to Dallas sometime late summer. DA may exercise his opportunity to stay in London a bit longer depending on how long it takes to find a job in Dallas. We hear the job market is booming. ha. If you hear of any job leads, please give him a call. We'd really appreciate it.
We told the kids tonight to a mixed reception. If you can believe it, they are both sad to leave. Even B!!!! I think change must be hard and stressful no matter how much fore knowledge you have. On the other hand, they are happy. It is such a mixture that we are all feeling.
Several of our London friends are also moving this summer, so I know there would be big changes even if we stayed.
I had a long talk with the kids about how we had met our goals of introducing them to the world. They will now sit in history classes knowing they've walked the streets, seen the buildings and witnessed the sites of historical events all over Europe. AND I HAVE THE PICTURES TO PROVE IT! All gazillion of them. They also can empathize and sympathize with cultures they never knew existed before.
B and L don't really care about that at this point, but we hope they will appreciate it in time much like 2 years ago when B insisted that she would NEVER ever like anything here in England.
L is disappointed he wont get to finish Middle school here. I told him he can do semesters abroad when he's in university and he can be assured that he has the capabilities to live anywhere in the world when he is an adult. If he wants his own children to be 3rd culture kids, have at it, babe!
Finally making the decision means that I now feel so much pressure to fit every single thing in - even more than before, and I think we've done a lot as it is. Yikes. I for see lots of packing and traveling over our last few months.
So we look forward to seeing you all later this year. Since you didn't all make it to visit us, I guess we will just have to visit you. (It takes 6 weeks for our things to ship - we've got to sleep somewhere, right?)

Seussical the Musical

B with the Cat in the Hat.

B has spent the last 3 months preparing for her performance in the first all school musical that was performed by her school - Seussical, The Musical. It's based on characters and story lines in Dr. Seuss books. They practiced hours upon hours and were finally able to show off their hard work this week. Had 5 performances since Tuesday and they are running on fumes at this point. The show was great. So energetic and entertaining. We were very proud that all their hard work really showed.

Even the videographer who normally films all the professional shows that are performed at the theater noted that it was better than most shows he films.

I also spent hours and hours sewing costumes.

Here is B in her Jungle Of Nool costume. She is a jungle animal - Dr. Seuss style.

I think her favorite part might have been the stage makeup....

...can you tell?????

Tonight the entire 55 member cast is at a cast party. I'm sure she will be walking on clouds when she gets home.

lunch choices

What was on your lunch menu today?
My choices ranged from the rabbit stew special (ick!)
to the Deviled Lamb's liver (double ick!!)
to my choice - the club sandwich.

Thought I couldn't go wrong with that simple sounding choice - 1st club sandwich I've ordered in my 2+ years in the UK. However, my club sandwich was delivered to my table with a soft boiled egg sticking out of the top. they even cut a cute little hole in the top piece of bread to show case the yolk of the egg. I just wanted to laugh out loud, but I didn't want to insult the chef.
Our next-door table mates (An elderly English couple) asked what we had ordered as they have never seen a club sandwich. I asked what they ordered - answers: rabbit special and the deviled lamb's liver!!! They actually ordered both of those things.
The joys of British culinary delights never end.

Oh, I must report that the egg on the sandwich was very tasty. I might even make myself one day although I have no idea how to cut the hole in the bread to match where the egg yolk will poke through.