Just a tip.

Taking a break from the past two days of writing about London, I would like to offer some advice to the man-folk that might stumble upon my page.

How NOT to get a second date: An 8 step process

• First date: take her to a pub with loud music and lots of people drinking. *Extra points if you have to yell at her for her to understand you.
• Ask her really loaded questions like, "have you ever been in love?" "Aww come on, you had to have been in love at least once - I have!"
• Make her smile from ear to ear about how pretty she is, and then wipe that grin off by telling her about your ex-girlfriend that was really a friend with benefits first..
• In great detail.
• When she cuts you off mid sentence to "go get a drink" (Read: Run the hell away) tower over her and refuse to get out of the way and let her out stating, "I'm the guy - I'm taking you out on our first date - let me get you a drink" in the most dominating voice you can muster. (Make sure at least 5 people hear you.)
• Ignore the fact that you were just a total jerk, and stand at the bar like you're a freaking gift to women when really you're struggggglin.
• At this point you just need to get hammered and stumble out the door with her later.
• She'll take care of the rest.

True story.

Continuation of our time in London...

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Sixteen hours later....literally. Nate and I woke up from our serious jet lag. In hindsight I'm really glad that we decided to sleep in like that because we were able to actually enjoy our time without being in a zombie-like state for the rest of the trip.

We hopped the tube to Tower of London where they are currently hosting a "Henry the VIII - Dressed to Kill" exhibition. This showcases the armor for both men and horses from good ol' Henry's day in the White Tower (which is to the left in this picture where the construction is happening.)

Tower of London

It is here that they also showcase the crown jewels home to an over 500 carat diamond placed in the purple hat-thing the queen wears during the coronation ceremony. Yeah - it's freaking huge. We tagged along on a tour and I must say - British people are just funnier than we are. They just are. (At least in most cases.) Our guide was hilarious and very knowledgeable about the history of the Tower and all that was in it.

After spending nearly 3 hours there, we walked out the side entrance to my favorite London snapshot. Tower Bridge. Would you look at those blue skies! The Lord sure was good to us! It did not rain one. single. time. while we were there, which is totally unheard of in rainy London.

Nate and I in front of Tower Bridge.

Next stop - crowded Trafalgar Square with ever so tall and large Nelson's Column front and center. I think this man may have had somewhat of a Napoleon complex. Ya think? We did see a wedding party walking through the Square - on Thursday. Which is odd, because there was a wedding group the day before in front of Big Ben. I guess you don't need a sunny Saturday to get married in London!

We viewed artwork from the likes of Renoir, Rubens, Monet and Manet in The National Gallery and then headed to Piccadilly Circus (the Times Square of London) for dinner and some drinks. Enter tourist photo here:

Silly tourist.

The night life of London (or anywhere for that matter) has never been my thing. It's not that I don't feel safe or whatever, I just don't like to go out to clubs. So, we opted for a trip back to Westminster at dusk to catch some of the best views of the mammoth buildings and that huge farriswheel they call the Eye.

Big Ben at dusk

This is an abbreviated version of the travel journal that I kept while in London. A lot of you had requested "more details! more details!" Well put away your pitchforks and torches! Here is an account of our adventure in London day by day.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009.

Last night Nate and I took the 6:15 p.m. direct flight from Charlotte to London Gatwick Airport. The flight, though nearly 8 hours, didn't seem nearly as bad as I had remembered. I was able to sleep for a few hours, but mostly attribute that to the fact that I wasn't nearly as nervous this time on the way over - I'm with Nate and I've been there before.

Once we landed at 7:15am London time (2:15am in our heads!), it was off to customs. Hello sexy British accent! We took a freaking beating at the currency exchange counter as the dollar is worth half of the pound! A quick ride on the Gatwick Express to Victoria Station and we're off to our hotel. A pleasant upgrade to a king room and I'm over our currency fail. (Our hotel was the jam. We got a heck of a deal on it and it was super nice!)

At this point we're both exhausted but would not dare succumb to the bed that was calling our names. We must go! go! go! Ahh yes, and then comes the one thing that ailed me the entire time I was in London before - finding food. You see, food and me are thick as thieves - and though I'm sure it's totally my fault, I have the hardest time finding my dear friend overseas. We finally find some sandwiches (a la Pret a Manger) and then I remember the next thing I don't like about London cuisine - NO ICE. It is standard for them not to serve ice with drinks and while I get that they don't like it, I do. I already miss it.

I decided it was time for the Mister to see some real London so he could feel the city. Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament are about as London as you get. Nate's first words were, "wow." Mission accomplished.

Nate and Big Ben

Of course, there was the standard protest in the square in front of Parliament (some really pissed Sri Lankans this time that had been there for some 5 weeks.) Note to the Sri Lankans: calling the British government "terrorists" is nooot exactly the best way to get them on your side - I'm just saying.

We wandered inside Westminster Abbey, and "wow" is all I can say. The ornate detail that is on every square inch of the building is beyond words. You are understandably not allowed to take pictures inside of it, but it would be worth a google search. Stunning. And Huge. With LOTS of DEAD people. Famous. Dead. People. I'm be-bopping along listing to my audio headset that looks like a 1985 cellphone and realize that all of the different shaped floor stones I'm walking on are actually peoples tombstones so to speak, and that I was literally walking through a graveyard. Again, something I'm not used to - but it gave the thousand year old Abbey an eerie feeling which made it seem really cool. Weird - but cool.

Me in front of Westminster Abbey

In an almost zombie state (24 hours in to my continuing day) I didn't feel like we should do too much that would require a lot of thought or walking - so we visited where I used to live in St. Johns Wood and then took a quick walk across the Abbey Road crosswalk (ya know, the one from The Beatles album cover) which is just around the corner from my old flat. Some fish and chips at Wetherspoons served up with a cold glass of Strongbow (alcoholic cider) and I'm about to die.

We headed back to our hotel at the Hyde Park Corner station (via the London Underground) and fell into a deep, deep sleep...

Home!

Hey everyone!

We're back :) It was a wonderful trip and we had a great time. Since a lot of you have requested it, I think I'm going to give a day to day account of the trip through my blog (kinda like the journal I wrote in while over there) and include pics and stories for your enjoyment.

I have a cake to make today for a lady at work, but I'll start it tomorrow night. I hope y'all had a wonderful week last week!

And we're off!

Tomorrow...

This time tomorrow night I'll be flying up and over the north pole to the United Kingdom! Our flight leaves around 6:15 p.m. so say a prayer for us! I'll post lots of pictures and tell stories when we get back!

On our list of things to do:

• Visit where I used to live!
• See Big Ben & all that jazz
• Trafalger Square
• London Eye
• See a play

Much, much more. I'm sooo excited :) See ya next week!

What now!?

So when I mentioned in earlier posts that I had a dog that seemed to be like Marley, I had no idea that she would be an accident prone version of this goofy character.

Tuesday night, the chocolate Bailey and her dad were playing fetch with their favorite stick in the back yard like they do every single day. Nate throws the stick, it stands up while Bailey runs toward it, and ouch! it pierced right through Bailey's back left thigh/stomach area.

Grrreat. (Another) emergency trip to the vet. The two of us tripped all over each other trying to get our most valuable possession to the Mint Hill Clinic as soon as possible. I throw all of the groceries in the refrigerator (and all hopes of dinner with it) and we jump in the car. Half way down the road, with me holding my baby in the back seat I make the simple comment, "We're going to be absolute idiots over our kids."

Mind you, that while Nate and I are panicking, running, tripping and scurrying, Bailey is nothing but happy. Sure, she cried when it happened, but the full attention of Mom & Dad is more than she can bare and she has pretty much forgotten the gaping hole.

We arrive at the vet approximately 30 minutes after the accident (not bad considering all that was done and the fact that we live 15 minutes away) and the veterinarian says, "ohh yeah, she got herself good - we're going to need to do surgery and stitch that up"

Long story short - Bailey had a fist (Nate size fist) pocket in the little pooch of her belly from where the seemingly harmless stick jabbed her. (We are holding a ceremonial burning of the stick when Bailey gets better if you would like to attend!)

The following day, my dog goes under the knife AGAIN and has to be sedated and stitched up complete with drain tubes and a lamp shade. A little over 12 hours later and Bailey feels completely normal. Try telling an overly excited lab that she can't run or jump for 10 days, and must keep this 25 in" lampshade thing on her head until Monday. It's not all that easy. Bless, she has no peripheral vision and has run into everything.

Through it all, she remains the happiest, easy-go-lucky Houdini of a dog that we have come to love so very much. I absolutely, positively can NOT wait until Monday when we can take this damn pestering shade off of her head.

Never, ever, a dull moment with her. Ever.

The Little Things.

Amber recently posted a blog about the tradition/ritual that she and her hubs-to-be will be having at their wedding ceremony this December. It is one that I have never heard of before, called The Wooden Box. If you're curious, go over to her page and read all about it.

Basically, it's a modern twist on the unity candle but offers a long-term meaning. If one day she finds her marriage in trouble, their little wooden box which they will seal on their wedding day, holds un-read letters they wrote to each other pre-marriage in an effort to remind them how they once felt and to rekindle their flame. I think it is a precious idea.

When Nate and I were planning our wedding (in the short six months we did it in!) we went with the traditional unity candle. I actually had not even heard of people doing anything different until about 2 weeks before our wedding. And though it was still symbolic and really sweet, I wish we would have thought to write letters to each other. (Amber, you won't regret that!)

We didn't sell ourselves short, though. The most (tangible) sentimental thing we took away from our wedding day is wrapped around our left fourth finger. On the inside of our bands, rather than opting for the traditional wedding date "11-10-07" or "always and forever" or what have you, ours simply says, "It'll be fun."

When we first started dating, my Mom had coined the phrase, "it'll be fun" when she talked about just about anything. "Let's go to the mall - it'll be fun," "Let's clean the house - it'll be fun." Just silly little things. It wasn't long before I started saying it, and in turn Nate started saying it. So after he proposed it was, "Let's get married - it'll be fun!" While we took this committment a little more seriously than the phrase may sound, if ever Nate is on my last nerve (love you, dear!) or we are just having a tough time, I can remember the happiness and insane, blind love that was so strong and it truly does make everything seem a little brighter.

Marriage isn't always a walk in the park, and though mine has been mostly bliss thus far, we all have our moments where we need pick-me-ups. Whether it's in the form of a wooden box, a wedding ring or sand in a jar, it's about what brings you two together and helps you get through the tough times.

This has been my tip for marriage of the day. Those of you who aren't married yet - remember this because the day will come, my friends!

Update on Life.

I, once again, must apologize for my absence. I have just been stuck in a funk - just dull, drab, boring, no fun, blah-ness for like a week and I did not want to subject you, the lovely reader, to that! :) I think I'm on my way out of it so things should get better.

Umm - we leave for London in EIGHT days. To my surprise, I have done a fantastic job at not thinking about it. It really just occurred to me how soon it is. Nate and I started our list of things-to-do while eating dinner tonight, but we haven't even considered packing or random things we might need. (Can we say a electrical plug converter so I can actually straighten my hair??)

In landscaping news: the homeowners association approved our fence! So we'll finally be able to let our dog run free at home without a leash! She's going to be in a chocolate dog's heaven. Bailey's doing well, growing like crazy - she did chew her Dad's favorite hat to shreds two nights ago, but he forgave her without too much groveling on her part.

Now, House and 24 are coming on! Everyone have a great week!

8 things.

Bandwagoneere, here.

8 Things I Look Forward to:
1. Our trip to London
2. Having a family
3. Saturday
4. Owning my own cake business
5. That Day
6. Tonight, actually
7. Harry Potter movie
8. New Moon movie

8 Things I Did Yesterday:
1. Sat outside at lunch and got a tan
2. Cooked dinner
3. Went through things to sell at the yard sale
4. Hugged my husband
5. Petted my dog
6. Called my Mom
7. Worked
8. Drove

8 Things I Love
1. God
2. Nate
3. My family
4. My Mom
5. Bailey
6. Good food
7. nice warm spring days
8. decorating cakes

8 Things I Wish I Could Do
1. Apparate (for you non-Harry Potter fans, appear quickly from one place to another.)
2. Make lots of money out of the comfort of my home
3. Travel to a new place every few weeks
4. Finish the book I'm writing
5. Dance
6. Live closer to my Mom (even closer)
7. I can't think of 2 more.
8. --

8 Shows I Watch
1. 24
2. House
3. Deadliest Catch
4. Spongebob Squarepants
5. What Not to Wear
6. Myth Busters
7. Planet Earth
8. Weather on the 8s. haha

Drinks all around.

Last night I made a rare appearance to the downtown Charlotte "scene." While my initial plan was to write a negative review of this so called scene, I realized that quiet a few, if not all of my friends/readers like to go out. It's just not my thing, but you go right ahead and party til' six in tha moanin'.

Instead, I shall outline a few of the infamous people that can be found at nearly all bars/clubs. For your sake, I'm going to hope that you've never been one of these people.

Snooty Girl - Yeah you know her. She's the one standing with her vodka tonic staring seethingly at the birthday party, bachleorette clan or people who just need a good drink with her nose in the air. This girl makes comments like, "She really needs to pull her dress up." or "She must not get a lot of attention at home." or "Some people are just so trashy."

Dear Ms. Snooty Girl: You are at a bar. People come here to drink alcohol and forget their problems, and unless they're hitting on your man or stepping on your toe repeatedly, simmer down.

That Girl - Yes, that one. The one on the bar with her dress falling down, or up, that everyone is staring at with laughing or mocking (see Snooty Girl) eyes. You drink your sex on the beach like it's nobody's business and don't give a damn who your 1970s dance moves offend (hit, knock down, maim or paralyze)

Dear That Girl: Most of the time you are just awesome and provide entertainment for all to see. Only advice, try not to be That Girl in place where you know more than 5 people.

Resident Drunk - Here's the guy that has been drinking since about 1 p.m. and is in full black out mode. Anything said or done in your time near him will not register in his short term memory section of the brain tomorrow morning - or in 30 seconds. He's the one that gets overly offended when you tell him, "maybe you should have a water next," and is escorted out by an entourage of men with big muscles and black shirts. "See ya tomorrow, Johnny."

Dear Resident Drunk: Try not to touch anything or anyone as it will be perceived as offensive, and maybe pace yourself next time.

The Designated Driver - I commend you as I often find myself playing this role. Bless your heart, you stand there and try SO hard to dance, but it's just so hard to find the rhythm when you are keenly aware of Resident Drunk, That Girl and Snooty Britches.

Dear Designated Driver - Keep up the good work and try to have fun.

The Married Bartender/Bouncer - He's good looking, charming and can make a hell of a drink. You think you've fallen in love until your eyes move to the left hand, fourth finger and oh! he's married. Whoops. I take back all that stuff about us living happily ever after. It was just a joke.

Dear Married Bartender/Bouncer - You're awesome, and your wife should be proud of how you handled That Girl. Why are you working at a bar again?

I challenge you: look around next time you go out. They are all out there and they aren't that hard to find!