Speaking Easy

For Kari's birthday (the gal in green you'll see later), we all hopped on a train and headed to hooker town King's Cross for a prohibition party held in what can only be described as an old school gymnasium.

We got ready First Year Styles at Dani's house: straighteners and hair dryers; eyeliner and lipstick dotted every tabletop, while tights, alternate pairs of shoes, and hair accessories littered the floor.

Curls, hair fasinators (sp?), and pearls were the piece de resistance...we were all fully adorned.

Twas a nice way to start the evening, especially since it started so early. Grandma I really like an early evening: helps with the early rising. Sigh. Pushing thirty AND working full time sometimes takes its toll on me.

Anyhoo, here we are on the train. The Blue Beast has definitely seen better days. She needs to be replaced SOON. First few are blurry only because we were on a moving vehicle. They get better.

Enjoy the ride of prohibition...

The menu. The girls opted for whiskey, while I stuck with vodka and champagne in a little doozy called, "The Gatsby". I'll take it! All drinks were served in tea cups to fit the theme. It was very well done.

And this begins the photoshoot of Jocelyn and I. It didn't stop for some time.












Train surprises...

After thoughts and deep, meaningful discussions...

This couple was in LOVE with our Canadian accents. They even pinpointed that we WERE from the Great White North. I just love the English at times.

And that classic face I make at the end of a night when I'm just about ready for bed, teetering between wake, sleep, drunk, and trepedatious about the day ahead. For me, it was taking 40 kids to an amusement park. Oh dear. Good thing I only had two "The Gatsby"s...

...or was it three?

Happy Mother's Day!

To all the mothers out there who have been a role model, a trooper, an inspiration, and provided a shoulder upon which to cry, I salute you. It was a great day for me out at Thorpe Park (an amusement park here in Jolly Olde) with 40 kids and enthusiastic staff, but it was so great to come home and talk to my Mummy.

Here's a picture she took during an early morning walk. Finally spring has arrived back home.

I hope you all enjoyed Mother's Day for the umpteenth time or for the very first time :) It's a great excuse to celebrate a wonderful lady.

Bruce Lee - Be water my friend

I'm feeling particularly serene today. Hence Bruce Lee...

Obama

Image courtesy of Halifornia.

Obama kicks ass in SO many ways.

Too bad Harper's a douche.

I hope you are having a good day. I certainly am.
Kids are ready to be back:
they're enthusiastic while still being manageable.

I'll take it.

The Truth

This might help to explain that truth is not always fact or fiction:
it is truth for each one of us.
My "truth" might not be your "truth"
but it is still my truth.

Quote courtesy of Anais Nin
Image courtesy of Halifornia (newest blog obsession)

Ballet

Image of their Demi-Pointe Pro courtesy of Repetto

Though it might seem a bit odd, I have wanted a pair of actual ballet flats for most of my life. Never thought it was couth to own them though, since I've never been (or so I'm told) a ballerina.

But I think on this trip to Paris, I will line up with the thinnest and the lithe-ist of them and buy my very own pair of Repetto shoes. And for €27, can I really go wrong?

I have been following This is Naive.com for the longest time. She does whole updated posts about various cities and Paris just happens to be one of them. Since I trust her Lo-Fi London posts SO much, I am positive that her suggestions about Paris will be equally delightful.

Thoughts on a (yet another, I know) Day Off

I was thrilled to be able to talk to Laura yesterday, if only for a brief interlude between feeding her daughters. They are home, healthy, and thriving. She's exhausted, as is Jesse, and I just so wish I could be there to help out. Sigh.

So on a completely unrelated note...

I'd really love to go back to the day when I had eyebrows. I'd love a big, full eyebrow like Bambi here. Picture is part of an ad for Oyster, via Because I'm Addicted.

Furthermore, I love the joy in this picture.

This gal used to be on Degrassi and now kicks it on the new 90210. I've never really gotten into that show since it re-aired. Some things can't be improved upon, I guess. But her glee is nearly palpable. Gotta love it.

I found some quotes yesterday that I love love love that I thought I'd share...

"I'm not in this world to live up to your expectations

and you're not in this world to live up to mine."

Bruce Lee, Kick-Ass Master
Quote courtesy of Dictionary of Quotes

"I have a theory that the truth is never told during the nine-to-five hours."

Hunter S. Thompson, Author, Free Bird, Mescaline Aficionado
Quote courtesy of guardian.co.uk

I'm puttering around home today, getting ready for the three and a half weeks ahead until our next vacation (Paris, here I come!). Any Parisian suggestions for me?

A Real London Wedding

Weddings here are done just a bit differently than how we do back home.
That said, there are striking similarities that helped to remind me a little of those old celebrations I've come back to like quite a bit.

Andy is the head of the science department at school. He was married to Bella on Saturday, one day after the Royal Wedding.
After the civil ceremony at "city hall" (naturally it's not called that here in posh old England, but my propa English vocab-lrrry precludes me at present), we all took a boat ride down the Thames.
Following the boat's docking, we went to a garden party along the water's edge where the champagne was flowing like wine ;) followed by a seated meal with superb wine. It was really quite lovely.

Here's a few snaps from a great day out in the sun...