Sunday, November 30, 2014

Weekend wrap up

 Since this is my last weekend here before I leave for the holidays, it was time for a Christmas Lunch date at my favorite restaurant Winteringham Fields.  I will really miss this place when I leave for good!!

Champagne by the roaring fire

Roasted partridge, smoked pancetta, parsnips, brussel sprouts and truffle polenta

Rum and raisin panna cotta, Christmas beignet, nutmeg ice cream


Today we are going over to the Graffs for a post-Thanksgiving feast.  I was asked to bring 2 pumpkin pies.  Luckily I had brought back 2 cans of pumpkin last time I was in Houston.  I have never seen pumpkin on the shelves here.  Then I panicked that my pie plates were still in Houston.  They are here, no need for panic.

Since I don't enjoy making pie crust, I has very happy to find what I thought was ready-made crust.

They are rectangles!!  Another bit of panic!  Nothing that a seam and a rolling pin can't fix!


I think my crimping looks brilliant!!

Even added a bit of chocolate to the small one

Cool whip doesn't exist here.  Yeah, yeah, I know I could use whipping cream.  But let's see if I can "make it special"

The Brits had never heard of pumpkin pie but liked it, at least they said they did

Friday, November 28, 2014

#expatproblems

Time for some product testing
Who will be the winner, small & mighty, or clean & compact?

 Another sad goodbye, the last bit of the Charmin Ultra Soft

The winner will be announced later

What a turkey!!

So yesterday was Thanksgiving.  Here it was just Thursday.  Thought I'd watch the Macy's parade but it was not to be.  I think it was probably a sign that I had work to do instead.


Now I have to figure out how to bribe one of my children to go to the house and reset the modem.

Sunday, November 23, 2014

A sad day, a happy day

First the sad, my year's supply of Tide has run out!!


The happy


35, 34, 33, 32, 31....

To market, to market

We spent yesterday back in Manchester walking the German Christmas Market.  It was a  gorgeous day to be outside! And Larry continued with his mission to not get his haircut within a 100 mile radius of our village.


A lil pork

Chocolate covered marshmallows



REAL barbecue at Red's True Barbecue

 Larry sporting his fresh haircut
Yum!!

Monday, November 17, 2014

Work and play

 When you don't have a tall ladder, climb out the window

After all his hard work, he went for a cyclocross bike ride. Came back pretty darn muddy (although the full extent doesn't show up well in the photo)

Fall always reminds me that my Mother used to buy me pomegranates when I was growing up.  So glad that I don't have to deconstruct them anymore

Sunday, November 9, 2014

Weekend wrap up

 We spent Friday night in Manchester with War on Drugs
(another thank you to Tyler)

Last Wednesday was Guy Fawkes Day so Saturday was Bonfire night.  Here they are lighting the bonfire (in the mud)

He's hard to see but "Guy Fawkes" is there in the middle of the fire



After Guy was fully engulfed, the fireworks started.  Unlike last year, there was a perfect wind to keep the firework bits from landing on us!

And since there has been a slight chill in the air, time for some chicken and andouille gumbo

Friday, November 7, 2014

The price for being a gentleman

Gotta love CCTV!!!

So last Friday at the airport on our way to Amsterdam, the lot where we normally park and the drop off area were closed for construction.  Larry, being the gentleman that he always is, dropped me off past the terminal as the weather wasn't particularly nice.

Yesterday we got this in the mail!

The fine is £100 ($158) but a reduced sum of £60 ($94.80) will be accepted if paid within 14 days!  A bit excessive!!  There will be a protest filed!!

Monday, November 3, 2014

Happy anniversary!!

As of yesterday,  Nov. 2nd, I have officially been in England for a year!  I think the time has gone by pretty fast although every now and then it does feel like it's been forever.  I have been enjoying all the traveling, thanks to my wonderful husband, but I do miss Houston and my family very much.  I don't like to wish the time to go faster but I can't wait until we are back home for good.

Just a few things I have learned:

1. England is overgrown with ivy, holly, weeds and moss
2.  England is overpopulated with spiders
3.  The weather isn't as bad as I expected
4.  European men love to wear red pants and pointy shoes
5.  European men don't have the same manners as most American men
6. I am from America, not the United States, not the States

I reserve the right to change my mind on items 3 and 5, if I experience differently and I will be adding to the list though out the next year



We spent Halloween in Amsterdam.  Even though a Friday night in Amsterdam always seems a bit Halloweenish, didn't see too many people dressed in costumes.

They've already started decorating for Christmas


On Saturday we took the train to Delft for a little shopping.  Here's my energetic shopping partner and bag boy




Oh look, a market!!

A square


The weather was gorgeous so the cafes were packed


We ended the night with Spoon



 Just wandering the streets before our flight
Best ice cream in Amsterdam


Trick or treat