Awkward Family Photos

It's Monday.  Been kind of a tough day.

Wishing Jennie were here to take stupid pictures together.

I think I saw royalty today

I wish Jen had pictures from the festival.  Her weekend was more interesting than mine.

However, if the woman in the second picture is someone royal, then just maybe I have something to rival her.

After watching this busker make giant bubbles in the shopping area of Windsor, I saw a fancy car drive where you are not suppose to drive.  Out came a couple dressed very regally.  People flocked around them.  They made a bit of a production out of talking to the local artisans, which gave me the impression that they were on a mission to mingle with some commoners.  

Is this woman royalty?  I should have asked someone, but I didn't.  Sorry Jennie.

Us non-royals had laundry to finish before Jen got home.

Passing the time in London waiting for Sausage

As I type this Jennie is closing out another Newburyport Literary Festival.  While I sleep tonight she will be partying at the house of Andre Dubus III.

Jen has become so efficient at running the festival that it's easy to miss how hard it is to plan this event.  Congratulations, Sausage, on another wonderful festivus.

Meanwhile, back in London ...

I went to an art show at the university of Westminster.  The picture below was a 100 portraits of mothers.  They were asking 100,000 pounds for the entire collection.  The money would go to the charity of the buyers choice.  I thought about buying them and giving the money to the Newburyport Literary Festival, but I only had 300 pounds on me.

I ate lunch outside at a local pub.  After a week in Brussels, Paris and Nancy I missed an English pub.  The girl in the tutu took my picture, so I returned the gesture.

 

After wandering aimlessly around East London I had a drink on a rooftop bar.  Without my navigator I resort to beer and cigars in London.  Actually with my navigator I resort to beer and cigars in London, too.

This is the best festival in the world, neigh, the universe!

It's Newburyport Literary Festival time!  That means it's time for Andre Dubus' party, Jen dragging heavy sandwich signs around town, Vickie (no more description necessary) and lost authors wandering around late for their venue.

What it won't mean this year is me taking pictures throughout the weekend.  I'm stuck over in England, wishing I were back home with Jen and our friends.

Have a great festival everyone.  Please take many pictures of Jen.

I wore my fancy pants to Nancy, France

Nancy - worst cartoon ever, but a beautiful city

 (Hate this Nancy)

We made it to Nancy France in four hours.  We drove from Belgium through Luxembourg.  Another country visited.  Of course I only saw sheep and rolling hills, but I've been to Luxembourg.  The borders were a little sad.  Before the European union the borders were watched closely.  Long lines of cars backed up while inspectors harassed visitors.  Now rows and rows of booths are empty collecting dust.  I wonder what a border guard does after his or her job has been made redundant?   I would have said a Department of Motor Vehicles clerk, but their jobs are pretty much redundant with everything being online.  I am going to go with Meter Maid.

Katia got me a Belgium cap.  I'm posing with the Nancy cock.

Katia is my teammate who works in Belgium.  She speaks three languages and is learning Spanish to better support her team in Mexico.  I am still learning the nuances of one language.  Jen will tell you, based on my Scrabble play, I am fluent in no language.

Katia laughed when I told her that his is what the poo of swan's looks like.  Poo humor crosses all borders.

  It was 10:00pm before we headed into the city center.  It was very much worth it.  Fantastic old city.  Here is a little write up from their tourist board.

Delightful Nancy has an air of refinement found nowhere else in Lorraine. With a magnificent central square, several fine museums and sparkling shop windows, the former capital of the dukes of Lorraine seems as opulent today as it did in the 16th to 18th centuries, when much of the city centre was built.

Nancy has long thrived on a combination of innovation and sophistication. The Art Nouveau movement flourished here (as the Nancy School) thanks to the rebellious spirit of local artists, including Émile Gallé (1846–1904), who set out to prove that everyday objects could be drop-dead gorgeous. As you walk around, keep an eye out for the stained-glass windows and dreamlike, sinuous grillwork that grace the entrances to many offices, shops and private homes

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I wore my fancy pants in Nancy, France.  I am going to keep saying that in every blog post.

Why does Brussels smell like urine?

Katia took me out to the streets of Brussels for a lovely evening.  A highlight in Brussels is
the peeing boy.  I should Google why there is a peeing boy, but I've told that there is a peeing girl and a peeing dog.  And this is in the tourist area.
What happens when you travel to the outskirts of Brussels?  Is there a pooing boy?
     Anyway,  a beautiful city.  Worth a visit.  On my way to Nancy, France tonight.  I may wear my fancy pants in Nancy, France.  (I am beginning to sound like my mother in law)

 

Sofie's Choice

 

Last night I went for dinner in Brussels fish market.  I had a lovely lobster while sitting outside on a clear, brisk night.  A woman walked up to the restaurant, inspecting the menu.  I decided to help out the restaurant by giving the woman my favorable opinion of my meal.  It tipped her over and she went inside to eat.  She sat in the window overlooking my table and at one point made a gesture to ask if she could join me.  Sure, I nodded.

Jen worries that when I make small talk with strangers while traveling about that they will cling onto us.  This time she was right.  

Sofie, from the Eremites,  tried to teach me a little French.  She said she was going to bake me cookies.  It was one of those unpredictable random interactions that I love about this assignment. 

But before I knew what was happening I was paying for her.  It wasn't until she left the table for home that I realized I was played.  A day later I'm still trying figure out her schtick.  Was this an odd form of prostitution.  In return for getting someone to pay for her chocolate cake she offered....what?  French lessons?  False promises of baked goods?

I told the story at work and was told to watch out for the Brussels prostitutes.  Apparently there are a few flourishing Brussels brothels.  Who knew?

Brussels prostitutes are the draw of Belgium red light districts, and with good reason. With an increasing number of Eastern European immigrants available, Brussels prostitutes and brothels continue to draw thousands of men for pleasure each year. Ladies of the night in Belgium brothels aren’t the same for tourist as they are for locals though. Everyone who knows Brussels is aware there are two distinct classes of pleasure houses; touristy, and local. The differences are many, both in prices and quality. Prostitution in Brussels has a rich history and is a big part of the Belgian culture. But if you’re new in town, the best thing you can do is educate yourself before taking part in any action. Not only will you stay safe, you’ll save hundreds & enjoy a much higher class of ladies than any tourist can imagine.

Mother ....

This scary baby-in-glass is on display at the hotel in Paris I stayed at.  I do enjoy when someone makes the effort to entertain me in an odd way.  

I may not have chosen to decorate my home with drawer pulls made of spoons (I'm talking to you, Andy Entwistle!), but good on you for daring to try something different.

When Jen and I stayed at the Gunton Arms one of my favorite things was its quirky art.  I found the wall model of the female reproductive system disturbing, but I love the sick mind that went into it.

This reminds me of the time we visited a friend who wanted us to help pick out paint colors.  We got to select from four versions of the same off white.  The poor thing was paralyzed with the decision.  

I just watched Mr Deeds goes to town.  Gary Cooper plays a guy who inherits millions.  At the heart of the story is how this odd ball handles his sudden riches. (This was my first Gary Cooper movie.  He's excellent.  I must watch more Gary Cooper.)

Which brings me to my main point.  I love my mother in law.

Her strangeness is her greatest attribute.  Her house is filled with rat-centric oddities.  Her humor is a dry and sarcastic.  If I were to change something about her I would tell her to ramp up the aberrant behavior.  Really embrace it.

Wear a rat onesie outside the house.

Start a book club with drag queens.

Train a flock of attack crows to scare the neighborhood kids.

 Cheers, Mother Entwistle

The Annual Atwood Tree Post

I think we post one of these every year around this time...the weeping cherry in the front of the house is putting on it's annual show.  I didn't get a chance to take a picture yesterday since I spent much of it in the car coming home from Albany and Bill is off to Paris on business so I went out in my pj's this morning and snapped this.  I'm glad I was home this year to see the bloom.

Albany!

 A fun night with the family in Albany with Noelle as my side kick. I talked her into make the trip by promising Thelma and Louise style action and adventure (without the murder, kiss, and double suicide etc.  Ok, there really wasn't much T&L involved - We stopped for a very civilized lunch and shopping in the Berkshires.)

First dinner out at a Belgian style pub serving up lots of beers on tap and moules-frites.  Heather is always picking the restaurants.  She is the only one I trust to get us to a cool location rather than an all you can eat Chinese/American buffet.    Check out Lil's 'Bill-influenced' hat!

Then we got started on planking.  Noelle planked with Elaine the stuffed rat.

Lil planked with her hat and a native figure my mother has had forever.

 Then we got a flute concert....I never thought of Katy Perry's Firework as a song for flute before. 

Meanwhile I did a sideways plank.  Is there a name for planking sideways?  Must google it.

All of that probably sounds like more excitement than any family should really have in one night.  And yet, the night had just begun!!!  Lil showed us her talent from a recent talent show - a cup slapping song that Noelle and I instantly insisted on learning and spent 2 hours clapping, slapping cups and singing.  I tried to upload the video but it gave me an error so you just get this still and have to imagine the action.  All I can say is hilarity ensued.

Golf Fashion a la Bill

If I were in charge of golf I'd change the Masters jacket to the hip retro look I'm sporting.

(Note from Jen:  Jessica only recently said to me that she finds it ironic that Bill dresses like a golfer when he is off the links but then seems to tone it down to go play.   So here he is trying to blend his two fashion worlds, Jessica!

I have no pictures from yesterday since I spent the entire day glued to the news about the manhunt in Watertown.  SO happy to go to bed knowing the suspect was caught!)

We miss Grampa Bill!

These are the faces of little boys who really miss their Grampa Bill.   Clearly much more than they miss Gramma Jen because he is the first thing they ask for when they come in the door.  I try to be fun; Malikai and I wore post it note strips on our face - pink for pimples and green for boogers.  But I'm still chopped liver.  Although I think Bill and I are both usurped by Uncle Joey!

 It as nice to have pizza night with all the boys and Trudi.  Here she is showing off her ankle tat.  Don't say she doesn't know it exposed - I'm sure she hiked up her pants leg on purpose for the photo.  We all know what a show off she is.