That Time I Hung Out With The Duchess of Cambridge

I read several blogs devoted to the life and movements of my friend The Duchess of Cambridge and the British Royal Family.  That is typically how I learn pertinent information about my beloved Royals.  Since The Duchess is due to give birth sometime in April, I was prepared for the blog chatter to go dark quite soon. 

It was these sources that mentioned The Duchess' visit to Ealing Studios to see where they film the downstairs scenes for Downton Abbey.  I made certain that I found a way to get there.  Despite feeling a bit sheepish on the day for actually going out of my way to see The Duchess with my own eyes, I'm glad I went.  

The crowd outside the gate was small, comprised of a group of kids from the local school, a few photogs, and about 15 adults.  The security staff were jovial, and talked with the waiting onlookers.  One man kept us updated on the timing of her arrival and what we could expect.    

Her arrival was swift to the gates of Ealing Studios.  Once out of the car, she took time to speak to the welcoming people, including the creator of Downton Abbey, Julian  Fellowes.  Since this was not an official Royal Family appearance, Katherine didn't do a meet & greet with the waiting crowd.  However one man did collect some of the flowers from the school children and took the name of the school; I suspect they will receive a lovely note of thanks from Katherine.

Talking with the boy that plays George Crawley

Then she was gone; her tour comprised the actors' trailers and the sets.  She even had the chance to listen in while they filmed some scenes.  The Duchess was scheduled to spend approximately 90 minutes inside Ealing Studios, and the photos I saw later indicated she had a lovely visit.  

Maybe Mr. Fellowes will send Katherine the new series to watch whilst on maternity leave.  Lucky lady.

Ok On The Outside

I had one of the most interesting experiences of my life the other day.  It was a beautiful sunny day, and I had just finished touring the beautiful Wallace Collection, which is a short walk from the always busy Oxford Street.

I stopped to grab a sandwich before making my way back for school pick up.  At the cafe, I asked a woman if I could sit in the empty chair at her table.  She appeared to be almost finished, so I wouldn't cramp her space for long.  She picked up on my accent and asked where I was from in her heavy European accent.  When I shared that Chicago was home, she correctly mentioned that there are a lot of Polish people in Chicago.  She was absolutely correct that Chicago has one of the largest concentration of Polish people outside of Kraków (at least the last time I checked it was true).   

Then things got weird.  

Fast.   

Her small talk turned into a puzzling rant about the images that are burned into her retinas.  Apparently she was also tested by the doctor, and the results indicated that she emits some amount of megahertz.  And she knows that there are people on the street that are paid £100/hr to watch her.  They pinch her and put tags on her arms. 

I had no idea what to say.  It was clear that engaging in further conversation would only prolong the awkwardness.  My best bet was to get out the situation as quickly as possible.  I was so very thankful that I had my earbuds with me, and I told her I needed to make a phone call. As I plugged in the earbuds she asked that if I talked to her doctor I could tell him that she's ready to sign the contracts.  Then she took her belongings and was out on the street. 

This whole scene lasted approximately three minutes.  The statements she made were something that I've only seen on TV, and even some time after the encounter I am still shaking my head about it.  The thing that struck me is that from the outset nothing appeared odd when I sat down.  I've seen my share of lets say, interesting folks in London, and I've got a pretty good radar for when to steer clear.  This lady didn't fit the mold at all.  At the end of the day, I hope the woman finds peace in her days and the help she needs to stay safe.  

Dubai - Touring Tuesday

We spent the February half-term break in Dubai.  Why Dubai?  Other than the Caribbean it was the only place that guaranteed us sunshine and warmth.  Dubai and the Caribbean are approximately the same distance from London via airplane, so we chose to visit somewhere new.

With only four full days to explore a completely different corner of the world, I created a big list of things for us to see.  However, things do not always go according to plan.  Here's why....

1.  The selection of flights to Dubai did not provide us convenient flying times.  We left London on a 12pm flight Monday, and we did not arrive to the front desk of our hotel until 4am Tuesday morning Dubai time, which is +4 hours from London, Tuesday morning.  Not a big deal - we knew this going into the holiday.  An interesting experience in passport control is something I'll never forget.... 

2.  To accommodate our late arrival Monday night/Tuesday morning, we planned for Tuesday to be a pool day.  The kiddos had not had a fun holiday with pools and beaches in a long time so we knew this would be well received by all four of us.  A little time at the pool and at the Gulf beach filled our day, along with a lot of sunscreen and sunshine.

3.  Tuesday night Youngest Kiddo's body decided that everything he ate that day needed an immediate jettison from his stomach.  So thankful both kids can make it to the bathroom in these situations.  He did not feel better until Wednesday night.    

4.  Oldest Kiddo and Matt spent Wednesday morning at the pool while I hung back to snuggle with a not 100% Youngest Kiddo.  We watched TV dubbed into Arabic and appreciated the sunshine from our 18th floor windows.    

5.  Wednesday night Matt's body took the same route as Youngest Kiddo the night before.  And I will spare you the details.  It was my turn to spend the afternoon at the pool with the kids.  

6.  Late Thursday afternoon Matt was feeling well enough to navigate the Dubai Metro to find dinner.  The bonus of our adventure was to see the world's tallest building, the Burj Khalifa.

7.  We had big hopes for Friday as it was our last day in Dubai, and the boys were feeling pretty good.  But we woke up to a dust storm.  At least we called it a dust storm, the locals might just call it dusty.  However, we knew it was bad when the hotel restaurant would not sit anyone outside.  So on Friday the family hung out in our hotel watching out the window hoping the sand would subside while we consumed the internet & watched movies from 2004 on the TV.  At least they were in English.

8.  We hoped that the storm would die down by dinnertime, but no such luck.  We had to call it a day around 7pm because our taxi was scheduled for a 4am Dubai time pick up to head back home.  

I still have my list of things to see and do in Dubai, and I hope to share that with you soon.  I hope that we can plan another trip if time allows while we are in London.  We've affectionately called this half-term trip - Dubai, the trip that really tried.  

Not For The Squeamish

Back in the fall there was a story in the papers about an increase in the number of gigantic spiders seen around London.  The kids and I came across many of these spiders on our walks to school and even in our own backyard as you can see in the photo below.  Isn't that an impressive web?

Once I read the stories about the spiders, I was on the hunt for spider repellent.  All I could find in the shops was non-harmful deterrent spray.  What?!  I didn't want to deter the arachnids, I wanted them d-e-a-d.  Full stop.  Yes, yes spiders are a part of the food chain, and extermination of this species would have a devastating impact on the world.  But for goodness sakes look at the size of them!

So, I bought the all-natural spray and immediately sprayed every window opening or vent the little buggers could possibly use to gain entry to The Manor.  I felt better knowing that the spiders would walk on by our house for another that was not protected.

I was wrong.

One night after I put the kids to bed (and Matt was out of town), I saw something out the corner of my eye.  At first I thought it was a mouse, but after I jumped I saw this nasty beast in the middle of my kitchen.  

Thank the heavens that this bowl was within easy reach to capture this beast.  Once I captured it, I was not sure what to do next.  No way in hell did I plan to squash it.  Blech, that would be a gooey mess.  Instead I grabbed a piece of cardstock which I slid under the bowl.  That did not make it happy.  It started running and jumping off the sides.  Once it calmed down, I called to Oldest Kiddo out of bed for some help.  She opened the front door and I walked into the street and threw the bowl and paper.  I watched it scurry into the storm drain while I gathered my household goods.  

Both kids were now wide awake during this excitement, and they were as thrilled as I that it was gone.  In the end we could all sleep well knowing it was back outside where it belonged.

This is not the only time we've been visited by one of these buggers.  Three in total (that we know of!) have made visits to The Manor.  The last two only made it as far as the conservatory before capture & release back to nature.  Once the blasted rain stops I shall make another round of the all-natural spray.  

That's Not My Name

I've changed my name.  My name is no longer Holly.  

It was lovely name.  It frequently spurred conversations over the years.  Is my birthday around Christmas?  Is that a family name since it's uncommon?  A weird coincidence occurred during my undergraduate studies; there were three girls named Holly in my program?  That was fun.

However, I decided that in order for anyone to properly spell or say my name in this country it had to change.  The "ah" in Holly is not a natural sound to the Brits.  They are never sure of how to spell it.  So after almost one year living in the UK it was time to give them a break.  

Henceforth I shall be known as Holly.  

No, it's not the same name.  You see, my former name Holly was pronounced as you would the horticultural plant.  My new name Holly rhymes with Pauley.  It may seem a subtle change, but it's huge for me.  

Just because my name has changed does not mean that I have changed.  I still laugh loudly at bad jokes.  I still can't bake a batch of brownies.  I still speak my mind a bit too freely.

You can still call me Holly, if you wish.  

You Never Know Who You'll Meet - Touring Tuesday

Long time readers will remember that Youngest Kiddo loves transportation.  When we ascended from the metro into the heart of Lisbon he saw the 28 Tram.  He immediately knew what he wanted to do on his holiday.  

The 28 Tram is a popular attraction in the city for good reason.  Its route takes riders past many major sites.  Each time we saw the tram it was jammed with people, so we were reluctant to get on not knowing if we'd be sardined in a group of pickpockets (always my fear) or if we'd get lucky and find a seat.  

Youngest Kiddo waited quite patiently until day two for a ride on the 28 Tram.  Matt thought it would be best if our ride started where the route started for the best chance of getting a seat.

We were not the only ones with this idea.  

The shelter was full of people and the queue began to snake down the sidewalk.  We were committed to ride and stood in line.

After a few minutes the couple in front of us recognized our accent and struck up a conversation.  Over the next hour wait for the tram, we proceeded to talk, and talk, and talk.  

It turned out that we had many things to talk about.  The Californian couple (D&S we will call them) were in Lisbon as part of an anniversary cruise.  At that time they were a bit out of sorts as their luggage had not arrived on their flight.  We felt some compassion for them as it is no fun to wear the same clothes for 24+ hours.  They made the best of the situation and got out into the city.  D&S entertained our kids (and us) with games and stories about their many years of marriage and grandchildren.

When we finally made our way onto the tram, we found spots to sit near each other.  As predicted, the tram became uncomfortably jammed with people.  I held my purse super close and tried to get the man in the photo below to stop speaking to me in Portuguese even after saying, "No Português."  The only words I could understand from him were, "Charles & Camilla."  He had a sour face and made a thumbs down when he said their names over and over.  Apparently he's not a fan.  

Before we morphed to sardines

Eventually Matt and the kids ended up near D&S, and they got to talk for the duration of the ride.  When we reached the termination, we parted ways with an added wish for the expedient return of their luggage.  For such a short time together, we sure had a good time.

A few days later we took a walk down the Avendia de Liberdade toward Parque Eduardo VII.  We chuckled as the kids continued to play the games they learned from D&S while walking among the über fancy shops.  Oldest Kiddo had just mentioned how nice D&S were for showing her the game they were playing.

 

Just a few short minutes later, who do we see walking the toward us on the Avendia de Liberdade?  Yes, D&S.

I'm not kidding.

They were doing a quick bit of shopping because S's luggage arrived, but D's luggage was still missing.  Their cruise ship was scheduled to leave that day, and he could not get on the ship without some clothes to wear.  It was a super short chat, but it was a lovely surprise.  

In the months that have passed D&S creep into conversation now and again.  Mostly wondering if D's luggage ever showed up :)

#our41daysofsummer

Our first summer in London, affectionately known as #our41daysofsummer, is over.  The kids went back to school on September 2.  They were both so happy to play with their friends again.  It was surreal how everyone seemed to scatter across the continent the moment school let out.  On a personal note, I was thrilled to see their friends' parents again to catch up on the summer.  I sure missed spending leisurely mornings with them at the coffee shops.  

Our summer was only 41 days compared to the 79 days our American compadres scored (but who is counting).  No one can tell us we didn't try to squeeze 79 days worth of fun into our 41 days.

Sometimes our fun was in London

Other times it was outside of the city

For just a bit more fun, we took trip to Lisbon & Barcelona

And then there were just some days we had to be home

We made many memories during #our41daysofsummer.  Now it's back to real life and plan the next trip!

Do Men Really Need Their Own Tissues?

I frequently have groceries delivered to The Manor.  It is a huge time saver to me, and it's just gosh darn convenient.  

As you know you, when shopping online you don't always get the whole idea of what you are getting based on the photo.  Maybe the color is not quite what you expected.  Maybe the quality is better than you gathered from the description.  The item might be quite smaller than you anticipated from the photo.  

Well, I had an interesting experience with tissues.  My grocery store provides many options from the Kleenex brand.  In an attempt to be a savvy shopper, I compared the unit prices to find the best value.    

According to the unit prices the Kleenex Mansize was the best value at £1.25 per 100 sheets.  At no point did it cross my mind to scour the description - come on it's a box of tissues.  Herein lies the comedy.   

After I submitted my order, I began to wonder why Kleenex made a mansize tissue.  I can only imagine the creative session when these were invented.

"I think the male segment of our customer base is grossly under appreciated.  The boxes for the tissues we make have flowers and frilly swirls, and I think the bachelors are looking for something to match their decor."

"I also think the size of our tissues does not properly provide for the amount of snot men expel."

"I know!  Let's make a Mansize line of Kleenex.  We'll design the box to fit into every bachelor's grey & black decor, and the size of the tissue will rival a cloth diaper!!!"

Fast forward to delivery day.  The driver handed me this huge stack of boxes.  It was the Mansize Kleenex.  I've placed the typical box we get next to these behemoths for comparison.  They look more like a shirt box than a tissue box.  

These are more than mansize, they are Hagrid size.  

The diagonal measurement is more than a foot long!

I suppose some take two regular-sized tissues to contain their nasal needs, and this product will take care of that.  However, where the heck am I going to put the box?  Not a chance it will fit in the window sill or on the back of the toilet.
    

  I mean, look at the size of that tissue!