It takes a lot of concentration:
And is very high tech:
ROCK ON!
Sunday, July 20, 2008
How did this happen?
A couple of days ago I said, "Those Wiis look kind of fun," without really meaning it or realizing the effect it would have on Jim. Today we have a Nintendo Wii. Of course we also had to get guitar hero. After a couple of hours I am longing for a book, but Jim is enthralled. Unfortunately, the only evidence of the Wii involves some embarrassing pictures of me looking like a homeless person with really bad hair and rockin out on guitar hero (I'm actually pretty good for someone who sucks a video games). I still don't understand how a year ago we didn't have a TV and now we have a TV with cable and a video game system. Anyway about the Wii:
It takes a lot of concentration:
And is very high tech:
ROCK ON!
It takes a lot of concentration:
And is very high tech:
ROCK ON!
Dr. Who Madness
Yesterday Jim and I went to the Dr. Who exhibition in London. I have distinct memories of Dr. Who in the 80's but it's quite a phenomenon over here and we are only just beginning to understand the gravity of it all. Because I haven't watch Dr. Who since about 1984 and we only saw the final episode of this season, we didn't really know who any of the characters were, but we still had fun. There were also a few people dressed up in Dr. Who costumes, which is always entertaining.
As you may know, Dr. Who and his compadres fly around multiple universes in a police box called the Tardis. Apparently it used to be able to change into any object, but got stuck as the police box. On the outside it's just a police box, but on the inside it's HUGE, which makes no logical sense, but is possible I guess if you are a sci-fi show about a non-human doctor flying around space. Here is Jim outside of the Tardis.
When we got inside, I was shocked to find that I actually wasn't sure which Dr. Who I remembered from my childhood. I knew it was one or two of these guys:
Fortunately, inside they had the dates, so I was able to identify my Dr. Who's.
Further in, we had a good laugh at the episode that featured killer mannequins. The problem with Dr. Who is that sometimes it is just ridiculous which makes it funny instead of scary. I mean....killer mannequins? Basically Rose is hanging out in this warehouse and these zombie mannequins start chasing her around. Of course the Dr. saved her. Jim, though, was a little startled when the mannequins started moving their arms behind him.
This alien has Posh Spice boobs. I don't.
Jim kisses some big ugly head:
Then he posed next to this fine looking lady. I think her name is Charlotte and I think she took over people's bodies because she didn't have her own. And I think she had to be frequently moisturized. Seriously!
Finally we got to something I recognized: K-9! Dr. Who's trusty robotic canine companion!
Jim, caught on video inside of the Tardis:
Beware of the Daleks! They look like first cousins of R2D2 and they float and say "Exterminate! Exterminate!" with an English accent. Oh yes, they also have really scary looking appendages which resemble a plunger and a mixer.
Jim was supposed to be demonstrating his fear of the Daleks in this video clip. Somehow I'm not convinced:
And here he is in Dalek mode: plunging and mixing in a very scary way:
We had a fun afternoon being Dr. Who fans. I think we'll start watching more carefully when it comes on again. And maybe we'll even look at some previous episodes!
Cutest Cat
Many people may find this boring, but we think Finchley is incredibly cute. Especially when he is in a bag:
Jack comes over to play
Jack the cat came for a visit as a trial run to his temporary stay with us while Dan and Meg travel the world. Despite the luxury accommodations, he definitely did not enjoy himself. We couldn't figure out why he wouldn't come out of his box! I mean, I'm sure that if I was in a new place and everyone was staring at me like that, I would come right out!
He doesn't really like Finchley that much, but Finchley finds him very interesting. In the three days he was with us, mostly Jack stayed under the bed and, when forced out into the open, he huddled in the bathroom. There were no major fights, but he sure was glad to see Dan when it was time for him to go back home again.
He doesn't really like Finchley that much, but Finchley finds him very interesting. In the three days he was with us, mostly Jack stayed under the bed and, when forced out into the open, he huddled in the bathroom. There were no major fights, but he sure was glad to see Dan when it was time for him to go back home again.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Finchley has a girlfriend
Her name is Mao and she is thin and stylish with beautiful blue eyes. They hang out together on the steps:
The potential for treats is more important than girlfriends:
But after the snack, love was in the air....in the yard.
The potential for treats is more important than girlfriends:
But after the snack, love was in the air....in the yard.
East London
All pictures in this blog were taken by Jim!
Today we went to Spitafield's, Brick Lane, and attempted to find some art galleries that were open, but failed at that mission. Despite that, it was a fun day out and about and it wasn't raining (hooray!).
Another fabulously behaved dog in London. They are all so good.
Shoes on Brick Lane. My shoes were killing me and I wanted to throw them up there, too.
We got one of these cute springy things on sale at the market for our future baby. We'll hang it above his/her bed. If he/she is a boy, we'll take the skirt off of the springy alligator that we bought.
I find the alligator very entertaining:
On the corner of Brick Lane. At the Brick Lane market, the artists have all their things out on blankets and they sit on the ground behind their wares.
About a mile later, we wandered into the Columbia Street Flower Market. There were some pretty spectacular flowers and plants down the street.
Then we stumbled onto a farm in the middle of Hackney! There were sheep, goats and chickens! It was refreshing to smell some manure in the middle of the city!
People feeding chickens. The chickens sounded a little hoarse...like they had been exposed to too much air pollution or something. But they were digging the feed:
After this we finally made it to the area where the renowned art galleries supposedly were, but none of them were open because it's Sunday and I was walking at a snail's pace by this time, so we headed towards the nearest tube. I exercised my right as a pregnant woman to sit in the disabled seating and wore my special pregnant woman badge which states: Baby on Board! (distributed by the TFL people). There is great debate in the free newspapers about whether or not people should have to get up for pregnant women, but people were really nice about letting me sit down today and I was very grateful. Here I am looking a little haggard:
And my badge:
Another fun weekend. Stay tuned for a couple of pictures from dinner at Meg and Dan's, where we met Meg's parents and had a fun time!
Today we went to Spitafield's, Brick Lane, and attempted to find some art galleries that were open, but failed at that mission. Despite that, it was a fun day out and about and it wasn't raining (hooray!).
Another fabulously behaved dog in London. They are all so good.
Shoes on Brick Lane. My shoes were killing me and I wanted to throw them up there, too.
We got one of these cute springy things on sale at the market for our future baby. We'll hang it above his/her bed. If he/she is a boy, we'll take the skirt off of the springy alligator that we bought.
I find the alligator very entertaining:
On the corner of Brick Lane. At the Brick Lane market, the artists have all their things out on blankets and they sit on the ground behind their wares.
About a mile later, we wandered into the Columbia Street Flower Market. There were some pretty spectacular flowers and plants down the street.
Then we stumbled onto a farm in the middle of Hackney! There were sheep, goats and chickens! It was refreshing to smell some manure in the middle of the city!
People feeding chickens. The chickens sounded a little hoarse...like they had been exposed to too much air pollution or something. But they were digging the feed:
After this we finally made it to the area where the renowned art galleries supposedly were, but none of them were open because it's Sunday and I was walking at a snail's pace by this time, so we headed towards the nearest tube. I exercised my right as a pregnant woman to sit in the disabled seating and wore my special pregnant woman badge which states: Baby on Board! (distributed by the TFL people). There is great debate in the free newspapers about whether or not people should have to get up for pregnant women, but people were really nice about letting me sit down today and I was very grateful. Here I am looking a little haggard:
And my badge:
Another fun weekend. Stay tuned for a couple of pictures from dinner at Meg and Dan's, where we met Meg's parents and had a fun time!
Belly Wars
Jim and I have an new contest going on: Belly Wars! A few years ago, Jim would have beat me at this contest easily, but not that he's all Slim Jimmed and I'm ever-expanding, it's a close match. We'll update our belly comparisons about once a month and see who wins.
Current Score
Jim: 1 Claire:0
Current Score
Jim: 1 Claire:0
Wednesday, July 09, 2008
Ode to Summer
I can't wait until the 23rd of July.
When work will be finished and holidays will start.And I can go someplace really hot for a few weeks, so that I'll again appreciate the fact that it's cold and rainy. Because I've lost perspective, sitting here wrapped in a sweater and wearing woolly socks and flannel sweatpants...in July. Gone are the days of being cooked alive in my car at 8am. Gone are the days of the car, actually. Outdoor swimming pools and shorts are a distant memory. As are poisonous snakes, which hang out in said swimming pools. Last year we thought this summer weather was a fluke. Now we know that England is cold in the summer. So a good dose of hot weather in the South will do me good and I'll come running back to the rain and cold and gray of England. Yay! Summer.
When work will be finished and holidays will start.And I can go someplace really hot for a few weeks, so that I'll again appreciate the fact that it's cold and rainy. Because I've lost perspective, sitting here wrapped in a sweater and wearing woolly socks and flannel sweatpants...in July. Gone are the days of being cooked alive in my car at 8am. Gone are the days of the car, actually. Outdoor swimming pools and shorts are a distant memory. As are poisonous snakes, which hang out in said swimming pools. Last year we thought this summer weather was a fluke. Now we know that England is cold in the summer. So a good dose of hot weather in the South will do me good and I'll come running back to the rain and cold and gray of England. Yay! Summer.
Rufus in Hampstead Heath
On Saturday night we FINALLY got to see Rufus Wainwright...something we have been trying to accomplish since 2002. He played in an outdoor theatre and, because this is England, it was about 50 degrees in July. But at least it didn't rain!
We spent the afternoon making a delicious picnic and then we headed to Hampstead Heath. As we walked in, we almost stepped on Roni and Orley and all their friends. So we set up camp with them. It was fun!
Yes, that's a wool sweater I'm wearing....IN JULY!!!!
As usual, I was the ultimate party animal:
Rufus was pretty far away:
But when we stood on our tip toes, we could just see his head poking up from his piano.
Despite that, he sounded good and was really funny. PIcnic concerts are fun!
We spent the afternoon making a delicious picnic and then we headed to Hampstead Heath. As we walked in, we almost stepped on Roni and Orley and all their friends. So we set up camp with them. It was fun!
Yes, that's a wool sweater I'm wearing....IN JULY!!!!
As usual, I was the ultimate party animal:
Rufus was pretty far away:
But when we stood on our tip toes, we could just see his head poking up from his piano.
Despite that, he sounded good and was really funny. PIcnic concerts are fun!
4th of July in London
We Americans stick together and even though we had to go to work on the 4th of July, Jim and I still managed to celebrate with some of his work friends. It was as close as you can get to an authentic 4th of July bbq in London...which means the hamburgers tasted British, there weren't 'real' hot dogs, and no fireworks. But it was still a fun time! And there was some incredible, all American chocolate cake! Here are couple of pictures of us chillin on the fourth:
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