Ever been Church hopping....on Guy Fawkes Day?

So, I have been bar hopping before, but two Sundays ago was my first chance to try "church hopping." In other words, going from church to church on a Sunday morning to sample the available masses and venues. Well, when a friend from Japan came through London, she (Leanna), Izzy and I did exactly that - starting at Westminster Abbey and proceeding to Westminster Cathedral...then on to a pub for beer and brunch - of course!

....oh yeah, and it was Guy Fawkes day too....whatever that means!!!

It was a bright, clear, beautiful Sunday morning. Perfect for sitting inside a building with loads of stained glass.

Oh, those silly church crawlers!!!!

After mass and beer we did a mini photo shoot in front of Big Ben (referring to the bell, not the tower, just a little trivia for you there).

Nice, Izzy - way to show us that new winter look for '06-'07!

Who is the American dork in front of Big Ben? :p

Jack-O-Lantern

For Halloween we carved a mighty cute looking pumpkin. But he disintegrated within 3 days...poor guy! Let the carving begin!

Naoto takes a stab at it...


The finished product! Pretty cute, eh?

Welcome Shannon Marie O'Brien - October 22nd, 2006

Congratulations Ed & Bridget on #7, little Miss Shannon Marie....what a beautiful child. Mom and baby are healthy and the older sibs seem to all want to get their hands on her!

Shannon joins her older siblings and Dad - what a crew!!!

Reunions II....etc.

That's Russell, Rusty, Coach. Still the same haircut as he had in Japan. And this is about what we looked like when we used to hang out in Japan...except the beers came in pitchers then I think.

Naoto poses above the river Thames on a typical cool, windy, grey London day.

Reunions

So, I arrived in London 3 weeks ago and the theme has been reunions. I reunited with pal Izzy (we met 3 years ago when we both started the JET program in Nagoya together), pal Russell (we met 5 years ago while both working for AEON in Nagoya) and of course Naoto who arrived the day after I did but from the other side of the globe. We have done a lot of settling in. Quite a bit of walking around the town and getting our bearings and for the most part just trying to get our bearings. What follows are some of the highlights. Hope you likey!

King's Cross/St. Pancras Station: home to the famous platform where Harry Potter and other Hogwarts students board the Hogwart's Express

Naoto's first day in town, friend Izzy (who works for the London Philharmonia) was busy at work promoting music with the "virtual symphony" down on the Thames in front of Royal Albert Hall. We paid a visit.....and we weren't the only ones who did!!!!!!

That's right. Our dear friend, Ms. Thompson also stopped by. That thing she is sitting on is a speaker. When sat on it plays the part of a particular instrument in an orchestra for the piece that is playing. When loads of people sit down at the same time it sounds like a live concert. She loved it!**

Izzy and Naoto in her kitchen. She was lovely and let us stay with her for 10 days. We cooked several meals there including green Thai curry and tempura! We love Izzy!

** Don't ask what Emma Thompson was like. We didn't actually meet her. Izzy took that picture the FOLLOWING weekend when Naoto and I weren't there....DOH!**

returning to my roots

Before heading to London to live, I am spending a few days in my nation's capital visiting my dear friend Cindy and chilling out. I also had a chance to visit my Grandma, Aunt Amy and two of her kids and swing by the house where I was born. What an adventure!


Cindy Chilling on her Couch

Yummy Ethiopian Food in Adam's Morgan, central D.C.

8809 Vernon View Dr., where it all began for Paddy

Paddy, AJ and Mandy after lunch with GrandmaPaddy and Cindy after enjoying some DELICIOUS Ethiopian food!Aunt Amy, Paddy and Grandma posing for posterity!