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On a recent trip (pictures coming soon) to Provence with our friends, I found a lovely store filled with French linens and housewares.

This is a our table (with kitchen to the left and living room to the right.) This is where we set up the laptop, drink coffee and eat peanut butter, pile groceries and occasionally...not nearly as often as I'd like...sit down together for dinner.

I have a love, now boarding on obsession, for aprons. It started by Kerry passing on an apron worn by her and TJ's grandmother. I love the idea of us both wearing it - during times of preparation and creation or food for those we love.

Then we wore aprons for our first Thanksgiving with both families at our house on Gates street, followed by some New Years eve preparations.

I love them and my hook for them is now overflowing. It makes me happy to put one on, and a bit silly too. A nice way to start a task.

This is a part of our living room, (you can see TJ on his laptop in the reflection.) There was a bakery giving out balloons one Saturday. It became a couch-companion!

Just a little update on 'where we live'!

I am horribly behind on posts....

Clarence House

Each Summer the royal family open their London homes, (Buckingham Palace, St. James Palace, Clarence House,) to the public. This is in part a way for them to raise money, and to allow the public to see these places that are normally both working offices and private homes.

We've been to Buckingham Palace a few times. Each year it has a different theme. I've seen the Queen and Prince's wedding, (her wedding dress, their presents, films) all set in Buckingham Palace. Last year we saw the palace dining room set with china, crystal and silver for a state banquet.

We just recently went to Clarence House, where Charles and Camilla live and where the Queen Mum spent her later years. It is stunning - elegant, but in a lived in way. Tables of books, art, views to gardens that Charles built. It is just a beautiful design experience and made me think repeatedly, "when we get a house (again)..." We went on a private tour with our friends John and Melissa on a Friday night. We had the tour then a glass of champagne.

The best fact we learned is that Charles has a custom Aston Martin. Although all of his cars run on bio-dynamic fuels, this one is even better. It runs on red wine. After all of the banquets that occur at Clarence House, the empty all of the bits of red wine to help the car run.

A bit fanciful....but definitely makes me smile.

Deauville - Normandy

Earlier this summer we took a trip to Paris and Deauville (on the Normandy coast.) After two nights in hot summer Paris, we welcomed coming to the beach.





Although the heat continued, we ate well (due to TJ's colleague Francois' recommendations...)

had some lovely wines...

took a little ferry to Trouville...

and stayed at a lovely hotel - all pictures are here!

Moment of Zen...

I spent some time on Long Island this past month. A week of which was spent between Brookhaven and Stony Brook hospitals with my dad.

I had some time on one of my last days there, to grab lunch in the Stony Brook cafeteria. It was beautifully hot and sunny and I was desperate for some fresh air. I grabbed my vegan dumplings (yeah, that's right...hospital food has come into its own,) and made out for the patio.

In the corner of the 3rd floor roof, sat a metal swing. A metal porch swing is the best way to describe it. Why metal? Cleanliness...efficiency....who knows but definitely not for the peaceful sound.

I scrambled onto it and started swinging. Creeeekkkkkk....squeeeaaakkkk....I swung like I was back on Barton Elementary's playground. Creeeekkkkkk......squeeeaaakkkkk....my smile started. Creeeekkkkkk......squeeeaaakkkkk.....I started laughing.

I knew that there were dozens of people in my life my parents, aunts and uncles, TJ, Karen, friends, Lauri, Alyssa, Stacia, Laura, Christine, Jen, Ami, Shannon, Kathy and Sparky, Kerry and Kevin, brothers and sisters in law, and cousins who would laugh with me and that they were right there with me enjoying the heck out of that 5 minute breath of fresh air on a squeaky, metal porch swing on a roof of a hospital.

They were there with me.

Thank you.

Novices No More...

To follow on Rach's post about her (and her 7 boatmates) triumphant result at Peterborough...

They may not have rowed their best technical race... but that does not mater... they beat two other crews and gained a point each - which means they are no longer classified as 'novices'.

A great result - (it was almost a photo finish) - and the confusion at the end was down to the fact that lane 2 was announced as the winners (where the Sons of the Thames boat was) - but for the spectators they were in the outside lane closest to us... (perhaps I and the others on the bank are no longer novice spectators after that..)

this is not the best video - especially at the end where I try to walk on the bank and then do my best cinemetographically dramatic pan to the 500m finish line marker... but it does capture the moment well


and here are some photos from both bberry and camera (camera battery was nearly dead - good planning by me):

many boats participated in the regatta - which was a good one all around for Rachel's club - the Sons of the Thames

the winning boat that will no longer be called 'Women's Novice VIII':

celebration after getting the boat out of the water:

team chat after the win(s) with their pots that will soon be delivered due to an unforeseen 'technicality':

putting the oars away after a good afternoon:

well done!

chronologically incorrect #2: Football Tourism - Champions League Semifinals Away Style

Way out of date - but I wanted to post the photos... especially now that the 2009-10 Champions league qualifying has officially started...

The UEFA Champions League might be the most fun football to watch (until the final, which gives up the home and away match aggregate score format for a one match final that is usually a defensive, plodding, careful match). Every team wants to qualify for the prestigious event (and the $$ that comes with it)... the only downside for me is that i have to hear this at least 5,349 times over a 8 month period.



seriously...

I found the following:
The UEFA Champions League theme song was performed by Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and sung by the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields chorus. It is an arrangement by Tony Britten of Georg Frideric Handel's "Zadok the Priest" from the Coronation Anthems.

so good for them... it still gets on my nerves.

The matches are great though. Last year my buddy Ben & I were able to see Chelsea v Juventus (Italy) at Stamford Bridge - and Chelsea v Barcelona at the famous Camp Nou (one of the most visited spots by tourists to the city)

-- We were given al of the traditional warnings before going (don't wear an away jersey in the streets (I do not have any jerseys - away or otherwise - so tick that box...), the environment will be 'charged' (see flares and smoke here):

the welcoming committee:

and that the stadium was large...and the away supporters seats were very high up (all true)

The stadium itself is pretty central Barcelona - we walked from the hotel... you go through a neighborhood and then it is just right there in the middle of it:

the away seats are so far away from the pitch to try to eliminate them from having any vocal impact that you get a great view of the surrounding hills, sea, airport... pretty much everything:

Drogba! - its a bit like saying "Newman" from Seinfeld...

We witnessed Chelsea clamping down on the prolific Barcelona offensive side to a 0-0 draw... Barcelona was dominant- however an away draw goes a long way in these events because the team was going home now with an advantage - and both sides supporters believed they were on their way to Rome for the final:
this is after they made us wait for at least 45 minutes after the game to allow 89,200 or so Barca fans leave... I call it "we're going to Rooooome"



We indeed were going to go to Rome to watch the final if Chelsea won the next one... instead Drogba was suspended for several 09-10 UEFA matches in the aftermath of that match... and we did not go to Rome (nor did Chelsea..)

Novice - Schmovice

WE WON!

It has been 2 years of early Saturday mornings, many outings in the pouring rain, lugging around a heavy, heavy boat, and countless hours post-outing on the couch with a hot water bottle on my back....but we won our race on Sunday.

I was not originally chosen for the boat, but due to a team member's injury I made it in at bow. It didn't feel like an elegant race, and we finished so closely that we had to have TJ run back to the scoring tent to check the results.

We are novices no longer, we've earned both a point and a 'pot' (the tankard trophies.) It was a beautiful way to end a season! I have a month off, and will enjoy the sleep!

Fancy Dress

The term 'fancy dress' here means something very different than it does 'in the states.'

Our friend was told, while packing for a ski trip he was going on that one of the evenings would be 'fancy dress.'

He packed his tux and was amazed on the 'fancy dress' night that everyone else was wearing a costume. Standing next to a cowboy....he realized that 'fancy dress' really meant 'fanciful dress'.

One of the things I love most about London is its plethora of black tie occasions. They seem to occur most often during the holidays, when the tube is packed with men in black tie, or during the Ascot season when morning suits are the choice.

I tried to capture TJ, getting home from a 'work-do' is his finest. Not too sure he was happy being photographed...but I love the formality.

chronologically incorrect, more golf - The Players

its mid July and Sunday of the Open Championship... so thought it the right context to go back to the beginning of May and our very fun visit to PVB to highlight the Players Championship practice rounds that we attended.

I am now more of the mindset that the practice rounds are the most fun to attend, and then watching the 'main' event on television provides the best coverage and feel of an event (except perhaps Augusta) - as you are able to see more players, and in a semi casual setting - and also get to see how they prepare.

Some look very serious and practice in solitude, some are elusive and out early in the morning (Tiger & Phil - but on separate parts of the course), and others look like they are genuinely having fun, playing side matches with friends, and trying out shots that they might not play when under the pressure of a Sunday final round.

and they allow cameras:

one of the 'home course' contestants
the island green 17th (with netting to protect the tee and collect divots so that it looks good on tv)
Rory McIlroy, Graeme McDowell, and Padraig Harrington (and a bag of trail mix)
Couples, Love, Stewart Cink, and Zach Johnson playing a match:
Davis keeping his head down
glamorous spectators:
impatient commentators:
Camillo Villegas on the range (not sure why the caddie is staring at me)
the UK Contingent
Ross Fischer, Oliver Wilson, Luke Donald, Paul Casey
the new clubhouse - a (5th) major improvement over the old

We spent more time enjoying the beach, family, and our own struggles and successes on the golf course than paying attention to the action across the street - which was exactly what we were looking to do with this holiday!

me on the left... 'attempting' to surf - I guarantee that building wave beat me up

Old Fold Manor

It is the Open Championship week - and if anyone is wondering if we have the same weather in London... either those guys are all weenies, or the climate really is that different between coastal Scotland and south east England... The latter is probably most likely (it feels like summer here) even if they seem to be overreacting with winter hats, etc up there...

I had been thinking that I needed to bring a camera out on the course for months, and never did - but then when the adjacent farm decided to attack me with airborne allergens, I thought I might as well capture the cause because while it caused me to sneeze maybe more than I ever have over a two week period, it looked great (when I was able to see through my itchy eyes)...

a small gorse bush in bloom (nice to look at, but evil when the ball ends up near/in them):

the green at the 5th... a short hole, but with a brutal green (I recently fired a second shot right off of the gate in the brick wall just behind the green (and made par)).

Bridgman hitting his second into the 8th from the right hand side of the rough:


the 8th green he was targeting:


the 'all-clear' bell on the 9th fairway:
the 11th, a downhill dogleg right par 4:


and I think it is great that all water hazards in the UK must have life preservers... par tof 'Health & Safety" regulations:


no trophies to hoist yet in the 09 campaign... but I'll keep at it.