Monday, April 25, 2011

London Bridge is not falling down

It's Monday and I'm feeling the need for a list. So much has been happening around here in recent weeks and I've not really blogged anything besides the A-Z challenge. I will include today's letter in the list and I've decided you'll have to read the whole thing to find it. You never skim my posts, do you?

1. My girls arrived home Thursday night about 9:30 after their flight was delayed and then delayed again and then delayed one more time for good measure. I cannot remember the last time any of us flew without delay or disruption of some sort. Look who else was happy to see them...


2. Hubs took the 'day off' on Friday which of course means he had a conference call at 8 am.

3. Have I told you we have a patio under construction? Well, we do. It is going to be fabulous but right now it is a mess out back and we have a skip in the drive along with piles of bricks and gravel and dirt which make backing out of the garage extremely tricky.

Every day since they started working hubs comes in from his job and asks me a bajillion questions about why such and such is here and why such and such isn't there and what do they plan to do about abc and did I ask the work crew about xyz. This weekend, as he was wondering about yet one more component to the project and I was happily doing other things he actually asked me this, "Don't you want to know how it's all being put together?" Hmmm...let me think about that. I care about the finished product. I care about the cost. I care about the time table. I'm happy he cares about the detail and am really really happy he was home on Friday to get all his questions answered from the boss man.

4. We went to see Soul Surfer Friday afternoon...such a wonderfully inspiring story. Once we were back home daughter2 made dinner for all of us-lemon garlic shrimp. Yum!


5. Saturday was gray and rainy. We spent most of the morning baking a Robert E. Lee lemon orange cake for our Easter dessert.


It is four layers and very labor intensive.
It may contain a few eggs, ahem.


My patio workers are going to be in for a treat today...the cake is huge and we have a lot of left overs. I do not have four identical cake pans so it looks a teensy bit wonky..


Lopsided you might say but we prefer the term 'whimsical'.
It was delicious.

6. We spent the afternoon dyeing Easter eggs because you are never too old...


7. Easter day was lovely...warm and somewhat sunny for a change. We had baskets before church, a wonderful service with my favorite hymns and a really great message. It makes me extra happy to have my family all together and sitting side by side in the pew. Afterwards we went home to a delicious meal that we all helped prepare. It was my favorite kind of day.


8. Hubs took Daughter1 to the train Sunday evening so she could get to her new city to start her brand new job first thing Monday morning. So exciting! We are not actually moving her furniture and belongings for a couple of weeks so she was loaded down with two ginormous suitcases and a bag to last her until then. She was taking a train followed by a subway and I think she was wishing she had a pack mule to carry all her stuff. Growing up is hard work sometimes.

9. I tried not to cry when my girls hugged each other goodbye. I was semi-successful. They've lived in the same city for the past three years and spend a lot of time together. They are very close and it warms my heart. Growing up is hard work sometimes. Did I say that already? Daughter2 returns to uni Monday afternoon. It's never easy but it's not quite as hard to send them off when I know we'll all be together again in just a couple of weeks.

10. The end of my list....time to awkwardly transition to my A-Z letter of the day challenge...we are all the way up to letter U. Whoohoo!!

U is for Under

Under London Bridge to be more precise and one of my absolute favorite spots in all of London...The Borough Market.


Borough Market is one of the largest food markets in London and is an absolute smorgasbord of deliciousness. A market has existed at the footings of the bridge since before the 12th century. In the mid 1700's a trust was set up to ensure the market's future by providing resources for a fresh produce market on the site and in 1997 Borough Market became a registered charity in the UK.


The market does get crowded but that's part of the fun. Everything wonderful and fresh and delicious you might like to sample can be found somewhere in the Borough Market. There are all sorts of ethnic foods as well as amazing breads and cheeses, seafood and meats, flowers and produce. If all you do is eat a chorizo sandwich from the vendor there you'll leave happy. We tend to nibble our way thru the market but we always end with a chorizo sandwich for lunch.


The market is a fun place to browse and sample and of course buy. It's open Thursday-Saturday and the hours of operation vary so check before you go. If you enjoy fresh foods, international cuisines, cooking, and especially eating, you'll definitely enjoy a morning spent here.

22 comments:

  1. I like your #9: I feel the same way. It is never easy to say goodbye. Its like they came home - you get use to it again - then before you know it is time to go back! I tried to hold it together when Ashley left. I stood in the garage for a minute and pulled myself together before I walked into the house. Now the house is quiet once again.

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  2. Glad you had a nice Easter with the girls. Hope everyone has a good week!

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  3. Moving is always hard ( you remember that right?) but a new start is fun too. Sounds like you had fun and I LOVE the cake! That is one HUGE cake. Hope to see photos of all the projects you have going. Busy house hold at your end.

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  4. What lovely photos of you and your daughters. Having everyone together in the same pew in church is really special and hard to repeat as the years progress. I'm glad you all had this opportunity. Best wishes to your daughter as she starts her new job. Oh, and please take photos of the finished patio for us all to see. I am like you, just show me the final creation. Besides, I never even think to ask the questions my husband wonders about. Glad he was there to get some first-hand info. Your workers must have been pleased to be treated to that luscious cake!

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  5. Sometimes you just need a list. ha!

    That cake my be whimsical, but it sure looks yummy.

    Looks like you all had a wonderful Easter.

    Have a marvelous Monday!

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  6. So happy that both your girls could make it home for Easter. They looked like they still enjoy coloring the Easter Eggs.

    I've never heard of the Robert E Lee Orange Lemon cake, but I am intrigued. Is it worth all those eggs? I'm sure it is. May have to give this a whirl....

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  7. I loved reading your Easter weekend recap! To impress your husband, you should ask the patio workers for some lines you can repeat to your husband. Then you can knock his socks off when he comes home and say,
    "Yay. Buzz had trouble mounting the joists flush with the base wall. You would not believe how many shims they had to use!"
    But don't say that. I don't know if you can tell, but I kind of made it up. And I don't know what it means. But I have heard my husband use all those words from time to time. :)

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  8. I am a day behind in my A-Z posts. Not sure how to catch up...maybe I'll skip U..LOL

    We had such a great time with all the girls being home this weekend. The house was full of laughter again and I so miss that...we still laugh but when I'm here by myself, I'm just laughing at myself so...

    I enjoyed your list- I can tell you enjoyed your time with your girls and, NO, I do not skim your posts. LOL I had some of those tears yesterday as well--but they will all be back in two weeks for Birdie's graduation!

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  9. I always enjoy reading your lists. That deck sounds like it´s going to be put to good use in the summer. But having work crews around all day can be tiring.
    Glad you enjoyed your girls at home and had a good time together.
    Have a good week!

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  10. So glad to hear your Ester was wonderful! That cake looks wonderful!
    I somehow missed that Market in London! Well, now I just have to go back!

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  11. Such a great picture of you and your girls--all so pretty! I never knew there was anything under London Bridge. As a matter of fact, I thought it fell down. ; )

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  12. the lemon orange cake looks like one my grandmother used to make for Easter every year. I hope it was as yummy as it looks.

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  13. Okay, that cake had better be the best tasting thing under the sun for the amount of work that it is. How nice to have a daughter who bakes!

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  14. So glad your girls made it home for Easter! That cake looks divine! In fact, I think I just gained a couple of pounds looking at it!

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  15. So good to hear that you had a nice visit with your girls :) and a happy Easter. That cake looks delicious...and HUGE!

    I've really enjoyed all of your travel posts, but I have a burning question in my mind...Who in the world do you get to take all of the photos of the four of you??? In most of my family vacation photos, one of us is always missing--cause somebody had to take the photo. I'm just curious :)

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  16. your #9 has me completely misty-eyed.

    when hubs has a day off, i find myself wanting to confiscate his phone and laptop. ;)

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  17. My Mom never cries when I pack up and go home...but sometimes I can tell she's "thinking" about it. It sounds like a great weekend!! I might try out that whimsical cake...looks yummy!

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  18. Great way to spend the weekend, the cake looks yummy, we had some great sun here in wembley, haven't been to borough market in years. Really enjoyed reading your post, will be back!
    Stay blessed! Amanda

    Amanda - Realityarts-Creativity
    Art Blog

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  19. Sounds and looks like a perfect weekend regardless of the rain. That cake looks delicious.

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  20. Just loved your list and what a great picture of you with your girls. Awe, how sad that they will no longer live in the same city, but how awesome that they did for a while. Yes, growing up is not for the "faint of heart," it is tough work! Happy week to you!

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  21. Glad you had a good Easter. Your daughters are beautiful. It is so nice having everyone together, isn't it?

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  22. I LOVE how you slip British words into your posts! Always gives me a chuckle!

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