Just a Blog Before I Go

On Saturday, ClanMcCarter are off to the wilds of Wales to go narrow boating along the Welsh and Shropshire Canals with three other couples and their kids. (For more information than you ever needed regarding narrowboats, click on the highlighted word.) Each of us will have our own boat, except for two families who are sharing one so three boats in total for the non-Maths whizzes. This trip came into being when we were discussing a newspaper article over curry at one of the neighboUrhood curry nights. My neighboUr and yoga instructor, Val, turned around and had information about it a few days later and so the plan was hatched.

Craig and I have a hunch that Owen will be the first one of us to "fall" into the canal, but a very close second and third are our neighboUrs, Hamish and Ian (father and son). Owen is beyond excited as the trip involves:
a) water,
b) fishing,
c) mud,
d) outside adventure, and
e) crossing this aqueduct:
Pontcysyllte Aqueduct
Even Finn and Evan are willing to give it a go. I really, really, really hope it doesn't rain during many of the days because I really, really, really don't want to be trapped on a narrow narrowboat with three boys and a man-boy. Here is a layout similar to the one we have rented but we do not have the second bedroom and bathroom in the back. Instead, our kitchen table converts into a full-size bed.
All I want is a good pub meal on the evening of my birthday and to finish The Pillars of the Earth. That's not too much for a girl to ask.
Is it?

Not An Everyday Occurrence

Craig went on a run and saw a house's roof being dethatched. He told me about it so I took Owen over to look. We sat and watched for all of two minutes before the thatchers took a break; must've been tea time. Here's a photo of a partially thatched roof. I love the little ladders.

Legal Tender

This blog is for my sister-in-law, Jenny, who I have recently discovered is a money collector too.

I love money, mainly for its artistic value and the nationalism it conveys and just the stories behind the symbols. A few months back, I was filling up the tank with petrol and went in to pay. I decided to get a snack. We cannot charge anything but gas on our government card so I pulled out some coins to pay. I hand a pound coin to the cashier and he looks at it, throws it on the floor, catches it in its bounce and says, "Can't take this one." He looks at its side and hands it back to me. Of course, I ask why. He says it's counterfeit and I'm like, "Cool!" mainly because I had a genuine counterfeit (oxymoron) coin and also because he knew it was fake even before he examined it. So for months, I have had this coin sitting on my dresser because I have wanted to blog about it and I am keeping it forever.

The coin isn't much different in weight or color (even though the photos seem to show that)
Legal coin above, counterfeit below
but it definitely makes a different sound when dropped and the art isn't as clear. The main and most obvious difference is the side of the coin. It's a really bad copy and nothing like the legal pound coin.
I just think this the coolest thing ever. I also was surprised the clerk handed it back to me. Aren't they supposed to confiscate that stuff? I also hope Big Brother doesn't monitor my blog posts or decides to barge into the house to arrest me. LOL. What a nerd I am...

It's NEVER Easy

Answer: Bureaucracy.

Government bureaucracy has pretty much been on my "dislike greatly" list since maybe 1984. Well, today it topped the charts on that said list.

Owen is now ten and rates a dependent military ID card. We went to get it today. Craig has all the instructions, the form, the necessary miscellaneous crapola and we are off to the further away base (1.5 hour drive one way) because the one closer to us (40 minute drive one way tops) is down-sizing and no longer will do ID cards. Owen's all excited. We get to the base at 10 am. The one person that can do IDs is putzing around (surprise!) and there is someone ahead of us so I go to the US Post Office and the bank and return a half-hour later to see them still waiting. Owen must have been literally climbing the walls because as I walk into the office, I see Craig replacing something that had fallen off a bulletin board and Owen looking sheepish. So now it's Owen's turn. Craig hands in the paperwork, she looks into the computer and Owen's name doesn't even exist in the system. For my Little Britain friends, the computer literally said "NO!" and if she could have given a passive-agressive slight cough at the end, she would have. She then (with a sigh) was going to put Owen into the system and asks for his birth certificate. Silence. I should back up and say that as we exited the car upon arrival to the base, I asked Craig if we needed Owen's birth certificate. He responded that nowhere on the form does it state we need to bring it. Well, we needed it. I switch into annoyed non-government employee mode and ask if we can fax it after the fact. She needs to "see and scan it" I guess during the process (hmmm...). I am just mad because it is a huge production to get Craig to take a day away from work, drive far and now we have to do it AGAIN! I then ask if it is REALLY necessary for Craig to be present because I am much more flexible (in terms of my time, not my personality for all of those wondering). She said I could come in solo with Owen. So we leave. Luckily Owen isn't too dejected and we bribe his happiness with chocolate and a trip to the gigantic commissary (well, bigger than the one we have closer to us). Surprisingly, Craig and I aren't really that upset. I guess deep down, we expected something like this.

Now Craig and I do not actually believe that I can come in without him because we are certain that they will need to see Craig's actual ID which is necessary for the whole process to begin - they scan it. I can't have his ID because he needs it for work so he is going to have to come with us. I think that woman is going on vacation next week and knows that when we come in next week, she won't have to help us so she could tell us whatever she thought necessary to get us to leave. I am such a pessimist.

Snooze

We are doing nothing. It's been a slow week. I get no computer time when the kids are home. The only time really is at night and I am too tired to write. I have been making arrangements for camps and vacations and cleaning the house and cooking. zzzZZZzzz...

Two Outta Three Ain't Bad

We have officially been in the UK for two years.
We are still loving the adventure.

We celebrated early with another American couple at the pub last night.
Owen and I went to the car boot sale (swap meet) at the racecourse early this morning.
Craig went on a long run and then shined some shoes.
Then Craig, Finn, Owen and I went to the Junior School and played tennis in the California-like weather we are experiencing.
Finn and I have been taking tennis lessons and I can honestly say Craig was impressed with my skills.
Tennis, anyone?

School's Out for Summer

The Alice Cooper oldie but a goodie, School's Out, has been running through my head all day. That's because it's the last day of Summer Term. I can't tell you how much I am looking forward to "having a proper lie in" (aka "sleeping in") for the next month and a half.
As it was the last day of term, it was also the Senior School Speech Day. This is sort of like graduation day, but the Upper Sixth Form students (aka "seniors") don't wear caps and gowns; the teachers do! And it's not so much the graduating kids who are honored but all of the Years' achievers. Each Year has an overall cup winner (each Year has a different named cup/award) and then an award is given for the highest achiever in each academic subject and sport.

I am about to brag about the stellar performances of every American child who goes to the Senior School. Firstly, every single American child was in the top ten of their Year (of about 70 kids per Year) in Maths. Most were in the top five, including Finn McCarter in Year 7 who won a Gold Certificate for achieving the best score for Year 7's on the Maths Challenge and third best score in Key Stage Three (KS3 = middle school)! Another American in Year 8 came in first overall so US kids were two of the three top spots in KS3. Awesome. Evan got a Bronze Certificate in Maths and was #6 in Year 10. Many American kids took away top achiever in a variety of subjects and three won overall cups. I should note that the prize is an actual trophy cup.

It was a sort of bittersweet day because the Headmaster was stepping down after nine years in his present position. The guest speaker was interesting. She was a confidante of Princess Diana's and ran Tiffany's of London for awhile, but is now an advocate for developmentally delayed children in the UK and Bulgaria.

Before Speech Day begins, the guests bring their own picnic lunch or pre-order a barbeque lunch from the school. Everyone sits on the lawn. It was just one of those British things. Oh, and there is a Pimm's tent run by the PTA. From Wikipedia: "Pimm's No. 1 Cup is based on gin and can be served both on ice or in cocktails. It has a dark tea colour with a reddish tint, and tastes subtly of spice and citrus fruit. It is often taken with 'English-style' (clear and carbonated) lemonade (aka Sprite - my addition), as well as various chopped fresh ingredients, particularly apples, oranges, lemons, strawberry and mint. Pimm's is also mixed with champagne (or a sparkling white wine), called a 'Pimm's Royal Cup'. It is 25% alcohol by volume." They also add cucumbers here which is why I think I am not a fan of Pimm's but most people enjoy it.

Craig and I ended the afternoon walking down to a nearby pub to wish one of his British colleagues bon voyage as he is moving to Colorado. We grabbed take away curry and burgers for the kids and headed home.