All Things British Day!

I was just visiting Flea's blog, leaving comments for Bessie, when I realized that it's time for more views of England from an American in Norfolk.


I took a trip up through Scotland (the first summer we were here) to ride on the Hogwarts Express (right across the Glenfinnan viaduct you see in the movies), and there I got my first look at a Hairy Coo. Aren't they cute?
There are post cards available with a Hairy Coo standing next to a red phone Box,
and he should count himself fortunate to have that moment forever documented since for some strange reason, the U.K. has started replacing them with boring glass BT boxes (imagine an AT&T box but even less complimentary to this dreamy landscape). They sold them off for nothing, but now if you find one at an auction, you could pay close to £1000.00.

On that same trip, I also had an opportunity to try (and passed on it) a Haggis. Those of you with weak stomachs should scroll down now.
It's basically a sheep's organs minced with spices and boiled in the same creature's stomach. Mmmm, yummy.
Haggis and Blood Sausage from Portugal will fall far below Escargot on my list of things to eat, you know, when the world has ended.


You could skip the eating part and just participate in the Haggis Hunt. My kids did. It's alot like Snipe hunting in the states.

Harry Potter and My new Love

my new love

Here's the rest of the photos I promised. I took 305, be glad that I am not putting them all on!

I love a parade.... This was so exciting (well, it was to me). We had taken the Tube from the Tower of London to The Clock Tower. I have to admit, between all of our anti-terror training we get as a military family and July 7 being etched into my brain, climbing out of the underground to the acrid smell we were greeted by made my heart flip. The exit was blocked by Bobbies who herded us like cattle to another exit. Outside, there was NO traffic on the street, but lots of people heading to my left.

Then I heard it:
Beautiful bells chiming and a parade commentator. I was off like a flash! Never mind that we were in downtown London with thousands of other people and J1 had no cell phone on him-- I had to see it!

Years of food service paid off as I wove in and out of people never losing sight of the area I had

the best chance of a good view. I climbed up onto a wrought-iron fence, held on with one hand and started snapping away. I did stop taking pictures long enough to call my husband to tell him to look for me on TV ("I'm on the fence!") (do you see the humor in this?). Anyway, Son #1 did manage to keep up with me but was NOT happy that we were watching a parade. "You can see a parade any time". (?!)

Funny thing is, he was wanting to get on with seeing Big Ben, and the tower was fenced inside the wrought-iron fortress I was holding on to.

Need I say more? And yes, I did pose for a shot pushing the trolley through the wall. (NERD ALERT!)