Rain, rain go away

I am so sorry for not answering some of you questions from earlier this week until now. I am usually one to try and get back quickly as I really appreciate your comments and get a bit sad when I continuously comment on someone's blog and they neglect to respond (that has only happened with one fellow blogger. I have left at least five comments and they have NEVER left one, am I wrong to thing that is a bit rude? I mean there blog is not at all famous so I do not feel as if I am asking too much...) However I got a bit lost in last night's post and before I knew it bed was calling! Anyway, I am here in the UK for work and am blessed to have such an amazing job that allows me to travel to such fascinating places! I honestly could not have made a better decision when I finally (for about the hundredth time) decided to definitely graduate a semester early. However, as those of you that know me personally remember I had JUST changed my graduation date back to May 2007 the day before I got the call. Luckily, all my hard work in Art History had gotten me on the dean's good list and he gladly changed my date back to December 2006 as soon as I called.

Today it was EXTREMELY cold here in England and it rained for much of the day. However, as awful as we thought it was at times I kept reminding myself that a day without rain while in England is like summer without Lilly. Speaking of Lilly I had somehow forgotten that Harrods is now carrying the line (Europafox next time you are in London you will be in heaven...now all these isles need is a J Crew so you get really get your fix!) and I fully intend on going and taking a photo there. I actually want to buy a piece, even something as small as a frame, just so that I can say I bought my Lilly at Harrods and paid twice what it is worth. Tea at Laduree followed by an afternoon strolling through Harrods and topped off with a stroll through the Lilly section, the only thing to make this afternoon more perfect would be to take all the millions tourists off the escalators and out of my picture. OK, back to my day. I awoke to the rain and a cold bedroom, did my hair (I have super thick, curly hair so blow drying it takes at least 45 minutes) so that it would continue to look fabulous while abroad and then went downstairs and had a glass of tea. I chatted with E and some of the ladies and then when M awoke we made hot chocolate. The hot chocolate in Europe does not even begin to compare to American hot chocolate. Forget the powder, I am now spoiled and will only drink chocolate shavings. Williams Sonoma sells wonderful, chocolate shavings hot chocolate starting in the fall and I make sure to stock up every year. Neiman Marcus also has wonderful hot coco at The Mermaid Bar, but Starbucks still has yet to impress me. After enjoying our coco we decided to watch a movie as it was still pouring. We watched Chasing Liberty which was decent, but not amazing. We then had a divine lunch of chicken salad and summer vegetable soup prepared by the E-mazing E after which we finally decided to brave the cold and go outside. We took a short walk, stopped to pick (and eat) some raspberries and skipped rocks along the river before coming back in. When we returned the fun began and we baked scones!! We used this cookbook's recipe which was so easy, but most importantly marvelously tasty. Uh, we could not get enough topped with clotted dream and raspberry jam when they came out of the oven; too amazing for words. Our day was also filled with an intense game of Monopoly (I somehow, not purposely, managed to get ALL the pink and green cards...do you think it is a sign?), a delightful dinner of roasted chicken, stuffing and mushrooms and a game of Onze. Tomorrow, we are excited to have several guests and will be busy getting outside to exercise. We will of course make sure we set aside time for tea and if the weather is dreary perhaps even a movie. Speaking of movies we went into town yesterday to see Indian Jones (and enjoy lunch at Pizza Express, our favorite). Was anyone else a bit thrown off with the Sci-Fi ending because we found it quite odd? Anyway, enough gabbing as it is yet again getting late. Have a wonderful evening in the good old USof A or wherever you might be. Lots of love from across the Atlantic!