Three blogs in one

Okay, this blog and the two after it all go together... Read this one, then look at the pictures in the next and then read the last one. Then laugh at me and have a good day :)

The outfit

See pictures :) So cute...

Thanksgiving and the day after...

For Thanksgiving this year, I worked... How fun is that? The day was pretty much like any other working day, but to make it special, I decided to have one of my favorite things to eat here in the UK as my Thanksgiving dinner. So, after getting home from work at about 8:30, I walked down to the kebab stand in town center and bought myself a mixed meet kabob and chips. Let me tell you it was just as good as any turkey dinner I have ever had, and it left me feeling just as stuffed... See the picture of my meal... Yummy!

The delight of this meal sent me straight to bed as it was rather late when I finished... In the excitement of it all, I forgot to turn on my alarm clock, only I didn't realize that until this morning...

So, there I was lying in bed, fast asleep when I woke up... a natural, well rested waking up. I actually felt really good, then I looked at the clock... it was 7:00 a.m. To give you a taste of how odd that is, my alarm is set for 5:00 a.m.... So, there I was having slept in two extra hours. Instead of freaking out, which is a normal response from me, I thanked God for the extra sleep and decided to take my time getting ready. After all, even with the delays, I would be able to get to work before 9:00 a.m. Well, little did I know that was only the beginning of my movie comedy morning...

This past weekend, I bought a cute little outfit. A black top, a black and white almost mini-skirt with pleats etc (Super cute!) and a pair of knee high black boots. Now, if you know me, you know that I am no slave to fashion, so having a super cute outfit is not something I normally have... Well, I decided I would wear this new outfit today. Unfortunately I didn't realize that this outfit was a standing still outfit. By that I mean, it is only practical when you are standing still. Try walking or sitting down and you've got yourself a problem...

Anyway, anyway, anyway... This morning I put on my new outfit. The only difference between today and when I had tried it on at the store, is that today I decided to wear some shaping undergarments to make the outfit look nicer on... and indeed, it does look nicer with these things. The problem with all of that being that these shaping undergarments are practically made of lycra meaning that they are pretty slick on the surface. Well, I am dressed and out the door, but on my walk to the train station, I realize that the fabric of the skirt and the lycra of my shapewear are posing a problem... The skirt is actually sliding up my body with every step making it shorter and shorter and shorter. Now, if you know me, you also know that I tend to be rather modest and wearing the skirt at all left me feel a bit like I was going to a tarts and vicars party, but with the additional rise of the skirt I was feeling horrified. Luckily I had on my long pink rain coat today which covered up the progress of my skirt. Had it not been there I would have been giving all drivers on Monument Hill a very embarrasing show this morning. As I first started walking I thought that a tug here and there would leave the skirt in place and me covered, but as I continued walking I realize this was an entirely lost cause... Finally I just plain gave up. I had on my rain coat that was covering all of the important bits and I would just adjust the skirt when I got to the station... So, new plan in hand, I continue to the station... By the time I reached the station, the skirt was practically up to my armpits. Okay, so that is an exageration, but it had certain slid up way too far for comfort. I was left with the predicament of what to do... There was literally no graceful way to pull it down without giving everyone a show, so I remained dignified and just road into London with it riding high. I had to continue this way until I reached work and could sort things out in the restroom.

I think it's a good thing I have a sense of humor. And funnily enough as I was experiencing it, I was practically writing the screen play for the movie in my head. Surely this is the stuff of true comedy... I will do my best to snag a picture of me in this outfit so you can see how cute it is... But perhaps I will be thinking more carefully about when and how to wear it in the future. :-)

Reality Strikes

Yesterday it hit me for the first time. I will not be celebrating the "holidays" at home this year. I am excited to have the adventure of spending these holidays somewhere new and exciting , but naturally my heart will be with my family and friends...

Thursday will be the first of these holidays spent far away. Here in England there is no Thanksgiving and so I will be missing out all together. Perhaps if I am lucky I will find a specialty shop that sells pumpkin pie, but I doubt that I will be lucky enough to celebrate the holiday in that way. I will however be taking the time to make a list of all of the things I am thankful for this year. To be sure, if you are reading this blog... you are on the list.

I am so blessed to have some many people to love, and who love me in return. You are the characters in the story of my life and you have made the plot an adventure. Naturally, I am thankful this year also for being in the UK. This is surely a gift from God and I think has brought some beneficial changes in me.

I want to wish everyone a really Happy Thanksgiving. Watch extra football and eat extra turkey for me. Light up your Christmas trees and begin your celebration.

Not great pictures... but pictures none the less

Hey folks,

As promised, here are the pictures from the cerimony at Lloyd's.
They aren't very good as they were taken from the 7th floor... Enjoy anyway. :)

Lloyd's Pomp and Cerimony

Just moments ago, while I work, I noticed that several people straight across the building from me were looking out their windows and down to the ground floor of the Lloyd's building. Unless you have been inside, it's hard to describe the architecture of this building, but never the less from where I am on the 7th floor, I can see straight down to the main underwriting floor.

Anyway. Upon noticing these folks looking out the window, my first thought was... Don't jump! Obviously I thought this was comical because the entire wall is made of glass therefore you would have to break the window to jump. Joking aside, I began to notice that they were not the only ones looking down, and then my focus changed to the event occurring downstairs. Soon the sound of a bagpipe was ringing through the entire building. I could hear it distinctly and clearly through the glass. With all the pomp, ceremony and even costumary (not sure if that’s a word) that one would expect from England, a wreath laying ceremony unfolded before my eyes. I even got to hear the Lloyd's bell rung.

If you are not familiar with the history of Lloyd's this probably doesn't mean a lot to you, but for an insurance nerd like me, this was pretty remarkable... Let me explain. Lloyd's was originally a coffee shop here in London and folks used to gather there to hear news of merchant ships coming back and forth. Eventually, they began guaranteeing the risk or contents of these ships among one another and thus the idea of modern insurance was born. Well, at the old coffee shop, there was a bell that was wrung whenever a ship went down in transit. This bell is now housed on the main underwriting floor of the Lloyd's building and is wrung when major tragic events occur, such as the terrorist attach of 911. Inevitably it is a solemn occasion.

After asking my customer, I was told that Sunday is Remembrance Sunday here in the UK, much like Veteran’s Day in the U.S. As a part of that and the history of Lloyd’s, the ceremony took place today to honor all of those who have died in military service. I know that watching this ceremony will be something to mark my time here in London. I was able to participate in something most people never see in a lifetime. Because I was 7 floors up and through a thick plate of glass, I could not hear anything from this ceremony save the bagpipe music, the sound of buglers trumping and the single ring of the afore mentioned bell... I wish you could have been here to experience it with me. Hopefully I will be able to post a few of the quick photos I took through the window later today.

Finished my scarf

Today I finished my scarf. I started knitting it last winter to go with my new coat, but didn't actually get it finished. With the weather here getting colder, I decided it was time I finished it. And it is with great pleasure I announce that it is done. Hurray!