The Mother Land

I hopped the pond and gained a European stamp in my passport. At last! I jumped at the opportunity to see the land of my inheritance…ie… the land of my ancestors. It was a whirlwind voyage with endless trips to the pub….don’t read into that! Pubs are the best spot for succulent food. Especially Sticky Toffee Pudding (which we appraised everywhere we went and used our self derived rating system as the judge. FYI the best one came from the Red Lion in a small village in Scotland). I was away for 20 days, I could have stayed away forever. It was more than lovely. What’s lovelier than proper English Tea, greenness everywhere, and that refined accent? I was bewitched, totally and completely. My adventures include but are not limited to: ALL things Jane Austen, touring random mansions, the Lake District, train stations, driving around a single roundabout multiple times, fish and chips, crumpets, English chocolate, Jane Eyre sites, Broadway plays with accents, thousands of pictures, a service at Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, Parliament, Buckingham Palace, Irish Men, traditional Irish music at the pub, Scottish plaid, staying in the village of my people (literally), and stalking my long lost dead in various Scottish cemeteries. Wait, I forgot the shopping. There was plenty of that to be done! My new spray paint tagged luggage was bursting! Here goes, the rundown via photos.
Jane Austen's inspiration for Pemberley
Elizabeth Bennet's comments on Permberley: It came
on so slowly I hardly know... but I believe I must
date it from the time I first saw his wonderful
grounds at Pemberley.

The Apollo something or other. In the new P&P
where Darcy and Elizabeth hook it up!

My new home:)

Jane Austen's Home
The very place were genious was brought about!
Rosings Park from the BBC version.

The most agreeable man in all of England...at
this moment he stated..."Oh behave!"

Proper English Tea. Gorgeous!
Cathedral in York
Shakespear's home
The Lake District....stole my heart!
London
London Eye
Trafalgar Square - Big Ben
Westminster Abbey
**IRELAND**
Skipping rocks with the wee little duckies
My favorite PUB - Amazing traditional music I feel in
love with many a musicians here!
Amazing ruins of a church.
**SCOTLAND** my heart still skips a beat
Clackmannan - The village of my Patterson ancestors
Looking out over Clackmannan
My boyfriend working hard for the money
Total nerd with my genealogy sheet!

Local Perish Church

Family headstone...I've got a lot of headstone pics to sort through in order to figer out the link of my kindred dead

I am certain that I will someday return! I merely got a taste. Walking where my ancestors walked was a blessing. They gave up a beautiful country for what they firmly believed in. The faith of those gone before me has impacted my own faith. I will sign off with...to be continued...in hopes that I will return.

A few random moments

Quick blog update before I head out of the good ole USA. It wouldn't be the 4th of July if I wasn't out of the country. So in the mood of being patriotic, I'm headed to England. I'll make stops in Texas, England, Ireland, Scotland, Paris, and CA in the next month. However, the past few weeks since school has been out have been eventful. Here goes:

Rodeo with friends

Hot Air Balloon Ride (thanks Drew)

Kirstin's Triathlon

Cheering Kirstin along was so much fun. She's amazing and these people made me jealous of my inability. Some day perhaps!

Rain Ruins Everything

I must start by reiterating the title, “Rain Ruins Everything!” Recently, my hopes have been high for many outside occasions. I possessed an unwinterized desire for fresh air and sun kissed skin. At last, perhaps I could put aside my winter coats, winter gloves (which were lost most of the season), scarves (except for the ever so cool springish trendy scarves), car scraper (well hypothetically since I never purchased one), winter boots (of which I don’t really have), and winter unmentionables.
Back to the rain. It seems that for the past few weeks, heck let’s go for a month, the weatherman dauntingly inhabits my thoughts with his forecast….”scattered showers!” Why doesn’t he just come out and say the inevitable….”scattered showers today with a high chance of dashed hopes, dreams, and unforgettable recreation. Forget about summer…..it’s Spring in MAY…and beyond!”

Things that rain ruins:
1. Hershey Track Meet: Talk about 60 third graders full of impending excitement and ready to run. It’s the best day of the year! No learning, no structure, and mere chaos. We have been preparing for this event all year. I suddenly became boot camp drill sergeant. It wasn’t a successful PE if I didn’t have at least 20 kids asking why I was trying to kill them. I kindly reminded them that it is called PHYSICAL EDUCATION and that kickball did not qualify. Rain canceled our track meet TWO times! It is rescheduled for tomorrow (yeah during summer break)…and what do we have forecasted? RAIN
2. Stake FHE outside. I won’t go into the gory details. Canceled due to rain.
3. Last week of school….when we actually have time to play outside and have extended recess (every child’s and teacher’s dream). RAIN
4. Rain ruins any outdoor wedding, bar mitzvah, horse race, Easter egg hunt and tea party.
5. Leather coats
6. Any day at the pool
7. Worms. Scenario: it rains, worms come out, worms get smooshed and squooshed or used as bait. RUINED
8. Drought…. Rain destroys a good drought…even a drought of biblical proportions.

I could continue making quite an extensive list full of tear jerking heartbreaks. But alas, I concede under the pretense that you agree. However, at the conclusion of my mediocre brilliance I must be partial and leave you with a few arguments for the other side.
Things that rain does not ruin:
1. Kissing. Who doesn’t want to kiss in the rain…hello it’s romantical!
2. Gardens….I do believe that rain is quite beneficial for gardens.
3. A rainstorm. Rain does not ruin a rainstorm.
4. Umbrellas, galoshes, raincoats, windshield wipers…etc.
5. Basketball games (always indoor and never have to be rescheduled).
6. Slippin-slide party……slippery without rain, slippery with rain….nothing ruined.
7. A holiday BBQ in Oregon….it was already scheduled inside due to the nature of the climate in that particular region. Not ruined.

I do like rain when it complies with my convenience. I little courtesy would go a long way!