Oona

Sorry for the lack of posts last week.  I would offer a feeble excuse but Fabbie Lisa taught me to "never explain" so I'm just going to move on.

And I thought that you might forgive me if I overloaded you with cuteness in the form of Oona.

We usually say that all babies look like Winston Churchill.  It was certainly true of the first two grandkids.  But I actually think Oona looks more like Curly from the Three Stooges.  (I mean that in a very loving grandmotherly way!!)

This looks like Oona's already rockin' out.  Do you think she's listening to The Stones?  Pink Floyd?  I actually think these are just noise canceling to protect her delicate ears. 

Meanwhile, she looks a little craft here, doesn't she?  What sort of sinister plot is she dreaming up?

Laughing with Mom.  I know I'm biased but I think she is pretty adorable.

A Good Day

DiDi and I spent a lovely Sunday afternoon having lunch and going to a play in Watertown at the New Rep theater

The theater had a lot of art on display.  I liked this "dripping paint" in the lobby.

The play was about a German professor who slowly gets pulled into the Nazi party…at first he rationalizes what is going on around him.  He considers himself a good person, he has Jewish friends….but by the end of the play he's putting on the Nazi uniform and you see how each little rationalization was a step toward acceptance.  There was a Q&A afterwards that we stayed for and of course there was plenty of allusion to today's political climate.  

We considered ourselves quite intellectual until one of the actors explained how the mother in the play represented Germany after WWI and the wife represented the current day stagnant Germany etc.  Di and I looked at each other….maybe we weren't quite intellectual enough. Ok, so maybe we didn't get every nuance and symbol but it was really Good.

Happy Birthday Bill!!

While we were posting all our UK updates, it was Bill's birthday!!  We had the family over to celebrate.

Even though it was Bill's birthday, Oona was really the star of the show.

I'm introducing her to the world of selfies.  This is just one of many Oona and Gramma Jen selfies that will be taken over her lifetime.  

Meanwhile, Joey brought his evil twin Angry Jeffrey.    (Joey has been honing this character for a few years now…telling his small fry campers that Joey is sick so Jeffrey was covering.  Angry Jeffrey even has his own Instagram account)

What does a middle aged man who has everything want for his birthday?

Pressed shirts.

He asked us all to iron 1 shirt for him and he made a little competition out of it.  

I told Trudi to look miserable for the shot.

But she was actually quite pleased about it.  She loves to iron!  She obviously was the top ironer of the night and even took a bundle of shirts home with her to press for her favorite offspring.  

Meanwhile, Angry Joey wanted her to iron faster!!  Work harder old woman!!!

Bret struggled a bit but Gramma came to the rescue.    There are no pictures of me but I didn't try very hard -  better that Bill thinks I can't iron.  I am happy to let Trudi win this one and become Bill's new laundry service.  

And here is the birthday boy!!!  Only Bill would make family ironing fun.  We love you!! xox

Sunday Roast

On Sunday we took the tube up to Hampstead and strolled around the church yard.

I liked this tombstone….I think if I ever wrote a book my heroine would be called Hetty Dangers.

This one is for DiDi…the gravestone of Richard Head.

Two strange men were following me….Bill and Jerry!

We were headed to The Holly bush for Sunday Roast.

Look at that Yorkshire pudding!!  I had the veggie option which was a veggie pie of some sort.  It was all delicious.

Ann-Maria joined us!

She posed with Travel Monkey.

While Bill and Jerry had a mock argument.   Jerry looks like the cat that ate the canary.

By the time we left we were stuffed - but happy!

I told Jules that looking away from the camera makes you look pensive.  This is us looking pensive.  I think Jules looks suspicious and I look mischievous.  

A happy Sunday afternoon.

Saturday Stroll in the City

It's hard to believe that London was several weeks ago now…although its fun for us to relive it here.  That Saturday was a beautiful sunny day.  Bill and I didn't have an agenda - we just wanted to walk all over the city in our favorite areas.  Of course, what usually happens when we walk is that we also shop.

The little market in Marylebone had a vendor selling bespoke belts.  Put the word "bespoke" in front of anything and we will buy it.  The belts were made for your measurements and your initials could be burned into the underside of the buckle.

Look how happy Bill is to buy a bespoke belt!!

We didn't get far before it was lunch time.  It was nice enough to eat outside - charcuterie for two, please!

This was the front window of a gallery off of Regent Street.

Great for an autumnal photo op.

No trip to London is complete without a turn through Liberty.

One of the reasons I wanted to go in was because they were advertising their Christmas store….in September!! Even I think this is too early and yet….I had to go in!  

I had to have a Liberty Christmas bauble and I wasn't going to be back before the holidays so September it is.

At least it was only the top floor that was seasonally decked  - the rest of the floors were in synch with the calendar.

I loved this plate wall - with blue plate versions of the blue plaques on historic homes.  

We wanted a sweet treat so on the way home we stopped at cutter & squidge.  

I got a caramel, marshmallow s'more biscuit called a "biskie".  It all sounded a lot better than it was - - each element was pretty good but it certainly wasn't easy to eat and it sort of lacked the overall caramel flavor.  I feel that after watching 3 seasons of the Great British Baking Show I am qualified to judge it.

After a lot of walking we decided to take a taxi home…but we're never too tired for one last selfie!!

From Hay to London

Our last breakfast in Hay.  I'm reading an old yellowed edition of Agatha Christie.

Seen on my walk - quite an enterprising young person although they need a lesson in pronouns.  I particularly like the line about if the dog might bite.  You'd think the Dog Walker might want to avoid those but him/she is still game for a walk as long as there is a muzzle involved.  I hope him/she got some business!!

Jams for sale  - take a jar, leave the money.  There is something about these honesty sales that restore my faith in humanity.

Ok - so we hit the road…and also hit some traffic.  And decided we needed to make a quick stop in Bath.

Our last stop - London!!  We settled into a new flat behind the Edgeware Road tube stop (not far from our old neighborhood).

Living room.

Bedroom with outdoor porch.

Friday night at the Vic with Jerry and Jules.  So happy to be back "home".