My Apologies

My sincerest apologies, dear reader - I've been a very bad blogger, letting life get in the way and not pausing to write. To recap on my activities and whereabouts for the past two months would take far to long, but I'll try and mention a few highlights.

Our English Wedding Reception (April 24th): Luke and I celebrated with family and friends on this side of the pond at the Dunchurch Park. It was a beautiful setting and event. I got to wear my wedding dress again, which I was thrilled about since I absolutely love it! Luke, once again, looked mighty handsome, if I do say so myself. It was a night filled with a lot of laughs, dancing, and alcohol. Some of the photos of Luke towards the end of the night are particularly amusing.

That Other Wedding You Might Have Heard Of. (April 29th): On April 29th, the world seemed to stop and watch the wedding between two little knowns, Prince William and Kate Middleton. I was no exception, the family gathered at Ian's parents' house for a Royal Wedding BBQ. We had a giggle looking at some of the ridiculous getups people were wearing, in particular Victoria Beckham (who looked like she was going to a funeral) and Princesses Beatrice & Eugenie. I "ooh'ed and aww'ed" like the rest of the nation at all the right places, and smiled when they had not one but an unprecedented two kisses on the balcony. I draw the line at crying.

Grandma in London (May 21st-22nd): My Grandma and her friend Phyllis, went on a cruise around the British Isles which ended in Southampton. Luke and I met them for the weekend in London and stayed in Covent Garden. It was great to see them both and show them around. Lindsay and Bob met up with us on the Saturday and we walked around Westminster. On the Sunday, Luke and I took them on a River Thames Cruise before going into the Tower of London. After which we met up with Neil and Nicola for lunch at the Hispanola, a restaurant my mom and I have ate at almost every trip we've taken to London.

Besides that, we've both been busy looking for jobs and trying to get out of Worcester. Although the job market is better here than America, it still is not the greatest. Combined we've probably applied for well over a hundred jobs and only had a few bites back which then turned into pretty much nothing. We're still hopeful though, the right job is out there for both of us and we'll find them!

Next Thursday, we're heading off for another wedding, but this one is in Florence! To say that I'm excited would be the understatement of the century, I could definitely use the holiday! And in honour of that, I say to you... CIAO!!!

Erin x

Where'd You Go? -- A Quick Recap

They say “time flies when you’re having fun”, well that is the understatement of the century. It’s hard for me to believe it is already April, it seems like just yesterday I was back in Vegas trying to arrange a wedding for early January. Now three months on I’m once again in the middle of wedding prep, this time for a wedding reception being arranged by Luke’s mum to celebrate with family and friends who were unable to attend our Vegas festivities at such short notice. Happily, my mum and Dan will be able to join the English lot in the festivities and will be around for a few days before continuing their European adventures in Amsterdam. Lucky sods! Also joining the ‘roast beefs’ will be Domi from France and Luke and I couldn’t be more thrilled. It was Domi who introduced us, she was my host mother and Luke’s boss, because of this she calls herself the marraine (godmother) of our relationship. Unfortunately Yann, my petit-frère, won’t be able to join her but as Domi says, that just means they’ll both have to come out and visit again. I am really looking forward to the reception and it is so close now!

Since I last wrote there has been an American invasion in the form of my friend Amy, who I’ve known since we were wee tots of nine. It was great to catch up with her and show her my new home.  Luke, Amy, and I spent two days in London, courtesy of Amy’s mom and the rest of the time she stayed with us in Worcester. Amy and I had a couple of lovely day trips as well. One to Stratford, Shakespeare’s birthplace, where we walked along the river and I introduced her to Pimm’s (a typically English summer drink). Another was to Birmingham’s Bull Ring for some much needed retail therapy. Amy will be back this summer with her family, so if things go as planned we’ll get the opportunity to pop into London and see her again.

Tower Bridge after our boat cruise on the River Thames

Jetlag - 1, Amy - 0

Cherry Blossoms in Stratford

Erin x

Return to England

I feel like the walking dead at the moment. It's 9.30 am and I've been awake for 3 1/2 hours, while Luke happily snores away next to me. Suffice it to say I'm jealous! But I guess that's what happens when you spend three months on a different time zone. Oh England, how I missed thee!

Not much has changed in jolly ol' England since I left it, save for the Christmas baubles that have now been replaced with Valentine's Day confetti. (Hopefully that tackiness will disappear soon.) Preparations for the Royal Wedding are in full swing, one of the top stories today on BBC is that the invitations have gone out. Just a small gathering of family and friends of 1,900 for the ceremony before dwindling down for the various receptions. I hope Wills remembers that my name has changed for my invitation. Because perhaps the biggest change to England is that I left it a 'Miss' and came back a 'Mrs.'

Aren't we cute?!

But some things never change, like the weather. It was rainy and cold when I left for Vegas, and it is rainy and cold when I come back. I'm comforted by the fact that it appears to be warming up, the early spring flowers are beginning to bloom. I didn't realize there was such a thing as early spring, considering typical 'spring weather' lasts for about two weeks in Vegas.

I am most disappointed to find the furry friends that live in our attic (aka rats) are still with us. I asked Luke to take care of them while I was away, but his love for all living creatures got in the way. He felt they weren't 'hurting us' even though the sounded the size of cats. But during his two weeks in Vegas for Christmas and our wedding, the rats became a little more adventurous - breaking into our kitchen cupboards to raid all our food. That finally got Luke on my side and he promptly went out and purchased rat poison. Although the little creatures have yet to ingest it and just bloody well DIE ALREADY!

Well the church bells are ringing now, I think it's official that I'm not going back to sleep. Time to start the day out the English way - with a cup of tea and a crumpet.

Erin x