Lazy start to the New Year
The only problem with sleeping late in the house is that, to save money, the heat automatically turns off after 10:30am. So by noon, it was a little chilly -- then again, it's only just above 60 degrees when the heat is ON! We decided to venture out into the world and see what was open. Some of the shops in the high street in Hampstead were open and having sales. We looked at boots again, but nothing really caught our attention.
We walked down to Belsize Park and had hamburgers at the Gourmet Burger Kitchen. It's sort of like an upscale Fuddrucker's... excellent huge burgers and fries with all kinds of toppings. But really, that was the extent of our time out. We went back to the house and I decoded the fancy-shmancy washing machine and did some laundry. (at least it wasn't one of those washer-dryer combo machines, those scare me!) I watched Muppet Treasure Island and Annie, and then had to relinquish the remote to Mom & Dad for the Poirot Mystery.
I have done a ton of sudoku puzzles while I've been here... they print multiple puzzles in the newspapers every day, and special sections on Xmas and New Year's. I am now on the interlocking multi-puzzle ones, and even did a few that were marked as "fiendish". I really need to get a life! ;)
We also got to watch American Football yesterday, so we stayed up late to watch the Redskins win. Woo hoo! We're hoping that they show some of the bowl games tonight on a non-pay-per-view channel.
Today (Monday, bank holiday so people are still off work) it was back to the market at Covent Garden. This time the little CG shops were also open - I got socks with the London tube map on them, and some other cute stuff. I was going to go to Harrod's today, but I think I'll put that off til tomorrow when I won't have my parents tagging along. Mom is SO glad to be going home! I am going to stay with Betty at her apartment near London Bridge (see Boxing Day story) and do some last minute shopping, and leave on Wednesday.
Finally, in the "How accident-prone can one family be?" category, there's the story of my aunt Gloria, who had been on a cruise to Barbados with my uncle and cousins. She fell down as she was getting off the ship when they returned to San Juan, and broke her left arm. She will need surgery as soon as they get back to New Jersey. I mean, really. What is it with this family?! I promise, I will be as careful as can be tomorrow. :)
See y'all back in the States on Wednesday afternoon! (Where I will immediately head over to Bailey's to watch USC-Texas in the Rose Bowl, at 8pm!!!!)
We walked down to Belsize Park and had hamburgers at the Gourmet Burger Kitchen. It's sort of like an upscale Fuddrucker's... excellent huge burgers and fries with all kinds of toppings. But really, that was the extent of our time out. We went back to the house and I decoded the fancy-shmancy washing machine and did some laundry. (at least it wasn't one of those washer-dryer combo machines, those scare me!) I watched Muppet Treasure Island and Annie, and then had to relinquish the remote to Mom & Dad for the Poirot Mystery.
I have done a ton of sudoku puzzles while I've been here... they print multiple puzzles in the newspapers every day, and special sections on Xmas and New Year's. I am now on the interlocking multi-puzzle ones, and even did a few that were marked as "fiendish". I really need to get a life! ;)
We also got to watch American Football yesterday, so we stayed up late to watch the Redskins win. Woo hoo! We're hoping that they show some of the bowl games tonight on a non-pay-per-view channel.
Today (Monday, bank holiday so people are still off work) it was back to the market at Covent Garden. This time the little CG shops were also open - I got socks with the London tube map on them, and some other cute stuff. I was going to go to Harrod's today, but I think I'll put that off til tomorrow when I won't have my parents tagging along. Mom is SO glad to be going home! I am going to stay with Betty at her apartment near London Bridge (see Boxing Day story) and do some last minute shopping, and leave on Wednesday.
Finally, in the "How accident-prone can one family be?" category, there's the story of my aunt Gloria, who had been on a cruise to Barbados with my uncle and cousins. She fell down as she was getting off the ship when they returned to San Juan, and broke her left arm. She will need surgery as soon as they get back to New Jersey. I mean, really. What is it with this family?! I promise, I will be as careful as can be tomorrow. :)
See y'all back in the States on Wednesday afternoon! (Where I will immediately head over to Bailey's to watch USC-Texas in the Rose Bowl, at 8pm!!!!)
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