with my english accent

We returned from our English vacation on Saturday. The trip was indeed a magical one and I'm so overwhelmed by what to write about first. So I think I'll try to do it over a few different posts. For this week's Eat Peas, I decided to write about the English roast dinners we had just about every night once we got to the country. London was a different story all together. Then there's Marston Magna and the Illingworth clan, staying in Minette Walters' cottage, many sheep and other animals, pasties and cider, Butter Boots, and more... I'll try to get to all or most of them over the next few days. For now, there's the bit on English roasts. And photos—all 800 or so of them. Enjoy :-)

England 2008 - London

England 2008 - Dorset

england bound

I know I've mentioned this before, but since this is now the only thing I can think about right now, I'll mention it again: we're going to England. We leave in just two days! The only thing that lies between now and then is one day of work. Oh, and the packing. I detest packing. I always fear that I'll forget something. Or pack too much. Or pack something too soon. What if I need it?

But the whole packing thing isn't enough to deter me from travel. Especially if it means we get to see our long lost cousins. Our aunties and uncles. To taste Marmite in the mother's mother land. And for Col and the whole family to be there with me.

Anyways, I just wanted to mention it one more time, because—in the true spirit of vacation—I'm leaving my laptop behind. So... now you know. That's where I'll be for the next week or so. Not here. Not blogging. Just enjoying life. And I'll have lots of stories and pictures for you when I return.

Speak soon!

real estate

I've been watching a lot of those reality real estate shows on TLC lately. Flip that House. Moving Up. Property Ladder. They suck you in. The people—happy couples—desperately searching for the perfect home. Always on a deadline. Always maxing the budget. Wanting more.

I wonder about that. Everyone aspires for the perfect home, don't they? Everyone has the right to. In its rudimentary form, a good home offers security and protection. To the lost and nomadic, it offers permanence. A perfect home is where you want to stay, where you feel good and happy and contained. And it proclaims this in all its physical luster to the outside world.

Even the origins of the term real estate refer to property that is immovable—that is planted to the land. The French call it immobilier.

Every human has the innate right to aspire for a home. But sometimes I wonder about the wanting more, and more, and more. We attach bits of our personal property to the house like flashy ornaments onto a Christmas tree. Adding new things/ornaments each year. Buying bigger and better houses to hold all of the things we've accumulated. The old things pile up in the basement getting mouldy. They get hauled out to the dumpster during renovation.

We do find comfort in those material possessions. I certainly do. I can't bear to get rid of my books, though they gather dust. The shiny new things are physical proof of our successes in life. But possessions can also be a burden. With each gratification, you lose a little bit of inspiration. Isn't that true? The more you build yourself up, the further you are from solid ground.

Sometimes, I wish I could just give it all away. But I'm not that strong.

foggy day

Col and I headed to Stowe today. The mountain was totally socked in thick fog. I've never seen it so bad. We could barely see the ground, let alone the edge of the trails. And we were getting all dizzy. It was like swimming under water with your eyes closed. Which way was up, which way was down? Needless to say, we didn't stay long, which really bummed me out, cause I've been wanting to show Col how good I've been getting on the jumps. Oh well. We bought some jelly beans on the way home to cheer us up. Here's a picture of Col in the fog...

orange roses

Here's what's sitting on my kitchen counter right now. How pretty...