Oh, Did You Want to Leave a Comment? Good Luck With That.

"Woo Wee!!!"
--Jen Robinson

Has anyone been trying to leave a comment on my blog and you haven't been able to find the link to click on? Well. You are not alone. I have been on a three week quest to find it. Somewhere. Anywhere. But with no luck. Until tonight! If any of you are familiar with "lurking" (Lo...I know you are ;)), I have become an official Blogspot.com message board lurker. Why you may ask. BECAUSE! I have been dying to figure out how to enable the comment link back to its original state--before I had the urge to customize my blog. I have now fixed the problem I hope. I may just have to post a comment to break in the new excitement! If it wasn't almost 11pm, I'd probably run outside and yell to all my neighbors the step-by-step instructions on how to restore the comments link to their blog!

This, with the exception of spending the day with Kary, has been the highlight of my day! Sundays can be wonderful relaxing days. However, they have become one of the only days that Kary and I have daylight to spend with one another to drive around looking for a place to live. Salt Lake City. Expensive. Land of outrageous "Pet Deposits" and even more ridiculous "Pet Rent". So, for those of you cheering us on in the quest to find a place of our own, I would ask for you to pray for the following:

1. Pray that Kary's Shih Tzu, Kyia, magically turns into a human.
2. Pray that the landlords in the area decrease their rent.
3. Pray that Kary and I BOTH get a raise.

As I see it, I think that #1 & #3 are probably NOT going to happen. (And yes, WE ARE very grateful to even have jobs these days.) Thus, we will continue hoping that we are able to find someone, a landlord, or an apartment complex that is in dire need of great renters that have a cute dog and two totally handsome boys, all at an affordable price. Until then, we continue our search for a place close enough to the boys school, in a safe area, AND within a reasonable distance to Happy Valley, where Kary works.

Is a Picture Worth a Thousand Words?

"Life is your art. An open, aware heart is your camera. A oneness with your world is your film. Your bright eyes and easy smile is your museum."
--Ansel Adams

So I was reading a friend's blog a few days ago. She had been "tagged" to post the fourth picture from the fourth folder on her computer. I love the idea of being tagged, because if I am being completely honest with you all, I sometimes have nothing exciting to blog about. The result of being tagged with specific instructions allows me the opportunity to either share the given information with you, or it gives me the jump start I need to get my own content idea. Well, I thought I would follow the instructions on the tag, when I got there this is the picture I found. I wish it was a close up, but I guess I can still tell the story ;).

For those of you who have never met my kids with long hair, this would be Noah. This was taken in May 2007. He was 5 at the time...with a mom who thought she would let him decide the length of his hair. Hmm. It was cute for a while. Until it started taking as much shampoo to wash his hair as it takes to wash mine. He loved the longer hair. Why? I'm not really sure, but everytime I bring up getting a hair cut, he says he wants to let it grow out. Yep. He proclaimed this last week. I'm not sure if he says this because he is already trying to keep up with the hair fad for boys of growing long wavy/curly hair (which he has neither type of hair...maybe I should break this to him gently) or if he just hates the sound of the clippers next to his ears. I should ask ;).

As I was looking for the assigned picture, I ended up going through many other folders to see what treasures I could find. Here are some other pictures. These are from two folders around the same time as the picture above.

Noah, I don't remember why you are crying, but this is the long hair I speak of. Too much shampoo needed.

Blake (Or as I call him, "Bigs") with long hair also. Only about half as much shampoo required, but still too much.

The boys. This was after the South Ogden Annual Easter Egg Hunt in 2007. They decided it would be funny to race each other without being able to see where they were going. Hmm...

...and this is how it ended up after they pulled themselves off their stomachs.

The boys with their dad.

On the Road Again

"Death, a friend that alone can bring the peace his treasures cannot purchase, and remove the pain his physicians cannot cure."

-Mortimer Collins

Thursday began a road trip that was inevitable at some point. You never can tell when a friend or family member will pass to the next stage in life. But it seems no matter where we are in life, we are touched by the passing of loved ones, young, old and everything in between. My Gram, Adele Cecelia Leiker, passed peacefully in her sleep, on Tuesday morning, November 25, 2008.I came to know of the end of Gram's journey here on Earth early that morning. It was also the morning my parents and sister were due to come into town for the Thanksgiving holiday. I called my dad to inquire as to whether they would still be coming to visit. During the conversation, I quickly realized my father had not received word that his mom had passed. What I describe now is the hardest thing I've ever had to do. I was in mid-conversation with my dad, when he said that his last update on Gram had been the Saturday prior, 4 days earlier. As soon as I heard this, I came to the realization that I was going to have to be the one to tell my dad that his mom had passed on. I told him. I could tell he was upset and we said our goodbyes. I wasn't sure if my parents would still come to Utah with this news, but about an hour later, my mom called and let me know they were on their way to the airport. During the week my family was here, there were many memories shared between my dad, Uncle Bob and Uncle Joe, two of my dad's nine siblings. I expected the news of Gram's passing to bring a somber feel to the week of Thanksgiving, however, I was pleasantly surprised to hear stories and fond memories from my father and uncles that I had never heard before. Arrangements were being made by all ten children, in regards to Gram's funeral arrangements.

Last week I was informed of the celebration of Gram's life. All family would meet and gather in Lancaster, CA for a funeral and graveside service on Saturday, December 13, 2008. Which brings me to the road trip I mentioned above. I was offered a seat in the Bob and Joni Leiker Taxi (also known as the Highlander) to get to the high desert of California. But early last week Kary expressed interest in going with so we decided to drive down. What an adventure! Our first road trip together. We left on Thursday night, pretty late. We made a couple quick stops and then we were on our way. We stopped a couple times to sleep before getting on our way before 8am. We stopped a few more times, as we had Kary's dog Kyia with us.

She had fun exploring the different areas we stopped at, always plunging her head into the dirt/sand/asphalt. What a trooper though! She is a great travel companion as is Kary. We had a great time, even though the GPS in the MDX sent us the long way...which caused concern about our fuel reserves...the low fuel light came on. I had planned the trip to the mile and gallon, thus knowing exactly where we would have to fill up and about how much per gallon we would be paying. We were caught a little off guard with the detour, but made it to the gas station just in time.

Once we got to the hotel, the phone tree was in full swing, informing everyone what time to report to dinner at the Marie Callendar's down the street. Kary and I arrived first, follow by a slow, but steady stream of my extended family. Soon, we were all there, waiting to be seated. There were a few not in attendance. Those who came from afar, those who were still flying or chose to make the drive the following morning. Kary met many people on Friday night, about 10 new people. He did survive, and no, you probably shouldn't ask him to recite their names ;).

Saturday morning the growing group arrived at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church for a 10am funeral service. One of my aunts (I'm sorry, I never did hear who set this up) had asked Father Perry Leiker (currently serving in Hawthorne, CA) to perform the service. This was a wonderful service, with participation from my Uncle Tom, as well as my Uncle Joe. Father Perry spoke, there was wonderful music and the Communion was offered. Following the church service, we all met at the Joshua Tree Memorial Park & Cemetery. There was an "inurnment" of Gram, a burial place for her ashes. We were also able to visit Grandpa's grave, Gram's husband. He wasn't too far from her.

With the wind blowing and the temperature dropping we were all ready for a reprieve. Uncle Randy's sister was kind to offer her house to the large group that had gathered to celebrate Gram's life. There was food, conversation and great visiting with those from near and far. I was grateful for the video that the mortuary put together with pictures Aunt Mary provided. To see the video click here. I saw pictures I had never seen before. Every branch of the Leiker family tree was made to pose for a picture, which all the grand kids groaned about (as usual ;)). I, however, forgot a camera to get all the great photos...so I am now making a request to any of you out there who were present and took pictures--PLEASE send some pictures to me!!! cagrl127@gmail.com
Kary and I enjoyed seeing everyone, even though it was for such a short time. We left right after the luncheon and made our way to St. George, UT. We stopped at the high class outlets in Primm, NV for about 20 minutes and rolled into St. George about 11pm. There was a storm ahead of us and I-15 was closed 10 miles north of St. George. Tractor-Trailers were lined up for miles in the various turn-offs and at the port of entry. So St. George it was. We slept in and ate tons of complimentary breakfast. We were on the road by 1130a and off to the snow we went. Packed snow and ice awaited us north of Cedar City to Fillmore. Overall, it was a great trip. Kary and I enjoyed each others company. Fun!!!

Oh To Be Me...

Growing up is never easy. You hold on to things that were. You wonder what's to come. But that night, I think we knew it was time to let go of what had been, and look ahead to what would be. Other days. New days. Days to come. The thing is, we didn't have to hate each other for getting older. We just had to forgive ourselves... for growing up.

--Kevin, The Wonder Years

I've been tagged, so here are my answers.

20 Years Ago....
1. I was 8 years old.
2. I was in the 2nd grade.
3. I had a crush on Marcus Carini.
4. I was living in La Mesa, California at 8265 Pasadena Ave.

10 Years Ago....
1. I graduated from Helix (Charter) High School.
2. I worked at Sea World San Diego.
3. I moved to Salt Lake City, Utah for college.
4. I met Ben and Ryan...I became their "pre-mission mission".

5 Years Ago....
1. I was married to STR the Fourth.
2. I had 2 boys, Noah, 2 and Blake, just a new little dude.
3. I was a stay-at-home mom, short order cook, housekeeper, professional diaper changer.
4. I lived in the cute stucco house on Custer Ave, Ogden.

3 Years Ago....
1. STR the Fourth went to Iraq.
2. I found myself again.
3. I was a total scrapbook nerd.
4. I was working for Rusty Pickle. Whoa.

1 Year Ago....
1. I had been divorced and living in my own apartment for a year.
2. I had been working for MMI for 1 year.
3. I spent my free time with my bishop's family.
4. I completed a complete under the hood overhaul on the hottest 4Runner on the Wasatch front.

So far this year....
1. I moved out of the ghetto on the east side to my current digs.
2. I went to England for a 2 week business trip. Fun!
3. I've only read 2 books. Sad, I know.
4. I met my Kary! (This is by far my favorite event of the year)

Yesterday I.....
1. Went to Kohl's and the mall by myself.
2. Didn't get to see my Kary.
3. Paid my bills.
4. Thought about how nice it will be to have my own bed back. (My parental units are currently occupying that spot)

Today I.....
1. Made breakfast burritos for everyone.
2. Took a warm shower. First time in about 5 days.
3. Went to church with the boys and Kary.
4. Took the boys back to STR the Fourth after a wonderful 6 days with them.

In the next year I'll.....
1. Get married!
2. Move to the liberal land of Salt Lake City.
3. Get Joint Physical Custody of Blake and Noah. Finally.
4. Have a baby?

I tag everyone.

And, Isn't It Ironic?

The questions and answers on an insurance claim form were:

"Q: What warning was given by you?

A: Horn.

"Q: What warning was given by the other party? A: Moo."

--An insurance questionnaire where a claimant had collided with a cow.

OK. So I have to say that in my 13 years of driving, I've never hit a car and have it be my fault. But if I am opening up "Honesty Hour" with you all, I must admit to the things I HAVE hit. While I was not aiming for the following, I did kill a few things with my car being the weapon.

1. There was the road trip my dad, my sister (Emily) and I took in July 1996. On this trip, I drove all but maybe an hour of the trip (age 16, driver's permit in hand), in a car that lost its air conditioning before we ever made it to Bakersfield (yes, the first of our 10 day tour). We were somewhere in the middle of the hellish Arizona desert. Phoenix was our destination that day. Why? I'm not really sure, but I can tell you that when we drove past a thermometer that read 113 degrees, I guarantee you I wished the soaked seats in my mom's car were a pool and not my sweat. On the way to Phoenix though, I ran over what looked like a squirrel or chipmunk. It's possible with the heat though I was hallucinating, because until that day, I didn't know that rodents could survive in the fiery desert.




2. As the first chair flute in the Grossmont High School District Honor Band, I, like all of my other band mates were forced to drive to the high school furthest from my own. This was the high school in the "country" of San Diego. My Camry could handle pretty well. She was a great first car. But that day I defiled her by running over what I thought was a rope rolling across the off-ramp bridge. I did not think I needed to use the great handling feature that came standard on the Camry. But no, no. This was no rope. I looked in the rear-view mirror after hearing a horrendous thump under the car. Magically, the rope split into two pieces. Hmm...silly snake. Snakes can't out run a Toyota.




3. I went on a field trip in my ex-mother-in-law's rental car at my ex-brother-in-law's wedding in Desert Hot Springs (just outside of Palm Springs). I can't remember why I went out, but I remember what happened when I came back. I will never forget that sound. Never want to hear it again. You would think that in the desert someone would figure out how to turn the heat of the night into electricity. This main road had hardly any street lights. As a result of this fact and my super speediness, I didn't have a chance to stop for or swerve away from what looked like a cute, healthy tabby cat. R.I.P. Kitty Kitty.

So, back to the original reason I started writing this post. Recall, if you will, Evidence A. Jen has never been in an accident that she was responsible for. Until Friday, November 14, 2008. It is an inexcusable accident. I blame it on my missing fish-eye mirror I had on my driver's side mirror until that day. I was so excited to go to lunch with my co-worker Tricia, I started backing out of my work parking lot (the only way to get out is to back out). Next, I blame this accident on my 32" tires. My truck is the hottest 1994 Toyota 4Runner on the Wasatch Front and no matter how bad my gas mileage is, I LOVE my 32" tires. But with my little woman's syndrome, I should think about looking down instead of straight back, for those less fortunate than myself who drive low-profile vehicles. Last but not least, I blame my co-worker's questionable parking job: 3 feet from the curb next to my building in an imaginary parking spot. So, on the bright side, I've learned this valuable information:

1. Japanese vs. German--The Japanese will always win.
2. Having 32" tires and Little Woman's Syndrome isn't always a negative thing.
3. Those who have said: "They just don't make cars like they used to" knew exactly what they were talking about. And to think I used to make fun of them. (Although the whole "I walked 15 miles to school in the worst blizzard to hit this region in 100 years barefoot and without a shirt or earmuffs" speech is getting a little old. ;)

Here is the proof of the aforementioned point #1.

THE WINNER

As you can see, well not really because let's face it, my cell phone was made to be a phone, not a camera. At any rate, my truck has a little less paint on about a 2"x2" spot just below my slightly broken tail light. In addition to that, I have a slight dent on the corner of my bumper and a bent tail pipe.

THE LOSER

This further confirms the aforementioned point #1. So, um, to all of you VW Passat owners--How do you feel about that crash test rating now? Because I'm pretty sure I wasn't going more than 1 MPH in reverse. But then again, thank goodness for my 32" BF Goody's and a factory tow package.

Home, Home on the Range

“And I’d tell my grandchildren about it someday, if the mere mention of it didn’t cause me to sweat bullets and pant, which wouldn’t necessarily be an appropriate way for a grandma to act.”
--The Pioneer Woman

Ok. So this post has nothing to do with myself, or my family, but with a great website I was recently made aware of. Eric's mom (Eric is my cousin Rachel's boyfriend) told him, he told Aunt Joni, and Aunt Joni told me about it.

http://www.thepioneerwoman.com/

Confessions of a Pioneer Woman website is written by a woman, Ree Drummond, who lives in the country on a ranch. Something she tried to avoid the first 25 years of her life. To find out how she wound up on a ranch, away from the city lights she had grown to love and live by, you will have to check out her story. (Beware, if you don't like sappy stories, you might want to skip this part of the website.) There are tons of great things to check out at her website, including recipes, photography (she is a phenomenal photographer!), confessions, home/garden, and homeschooling. Ree has a great sense of humor; I love her writing style.

I'm hooked and I know you will be too!

My Noah-Bear

"Parenthood: That state of being better chaperoned than you were
before marriage."

--Marcelene Cox

I am now the mother of a 7 year old. Whoa. I'm not really sure where all the time went between November 8, 2001 and now, but I do know that I wouldn't know what my life would be like without my Noah-Bear (a.k.a. Doodie-Bear...I'm pretty sure that was a nickname Rob came up with, not me).

Noah has taught me what I must have been like as a young child. And while he has been an amazing child, I must apologize to my sister, Emily, for being so bossy. And to my parents, especially my mom, I must apologize for always knowing the best way to get to everywhere we were going ("Gosh mom. Why do we have to go the long way? Can't we go the fast way? Ugh." --Jen(ny) as a young Google Maps know-it-all). But, I must admit, I love my Baby-Bear.

Noah is definitely a fine young man in the making. He is smart, expressive, caring, and stubborn (the stubborn part he gets from me, if I have to admit where that comes from). Blake is his BFF. He is concise when it comes to rules. He has no problems calling you out when you are wrong. He loves to run his fingers through my hair (oh how I love it when he does that!). He likes cinnamon raisin bagels, not toasted, hold the cream cheese. Aunt Joni's ribs are definitely his favorite food group. Cake, hold the ice cream. He loves Pokeman and Bachugan (spelling?), Tom and Jerry, SpongeBob SquarePants, and anything Star Wars. Shorts vs. Jeans? Hands down he will pick shorts, even with the thermometer starting to plunge to near freezing temperatures. His favorite scripture story is that of Ammon cutting off the arms of the Lamanite thieves (go figure, he's a boy ;). He is athletic (sometimes scary how much so). Wow. What a kid!

Here are some pictures from his birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese last weekend. Noah, Blake and 6 of Noah's friends had a blast!

Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My

"Hold on, man. We don't go anywhere with 'scary',
'spooky', 'haunted', or 'forbidden' in the title. Zoiks!"
--Shaggy, From Scooby-Doo

The holiday season is upon us. I only say that because commercialism pushes it upon us, whether we are ready or not. I try to block out the candy, cheesy knick-knacks, costumes and blow-up lawn ornaments, but unless you turn to your food storage and forgo eating anything fresh, avoiding these things can be a very hard task. So, thus the holiday season begins.

Blake and Noah's school, Beacon Heights, had a carnival last Friday (October 24) for students and their families. It was a chance for all the kids to dress up in their Halloween costumes and have some fun. There was a Haunted House, a bouncy castle, face painting, cotton candy (bubble gum flavor...icky!), snow cones, tacos and quesadillas (though they didn't consult me on the food choices, they definitely decided with me in mind ;), and a ton of little carnival games. The boys dressed up--Noah as an Army guy and Blake as Boba Fet. Rob and Cristina dressed up as well, while Kary and I decided to dress up as ourselves. The kids had a great time. I actually enjoyed the adventure too.

After the carnival, Noah, Blake, Kary and I made our way back to Ogden to the closest Arctic Circle. Kary had conveniently found 4 (or maybe more ;) coupons for free ice cream cones. We got our ice creams and sat down for an intense trivia session. Kary tested Noah and Blake on their Star Wars knowledge. I'm pretty sure that the boys impressed him with the plethora of knowledge they possess. Overall, it was a great night!

Last Saturday (October 25) was a new adventure. Noah came and snuggled me around 8am and Blake followed shortly after. Blake and I started playing Mancala around 9am. Noah, half asleep, decided that he would start playing for me. One of the first things he said was, "Mom. What are we doing with Kary today? We didn't get to spend enough time with him yesterday." We didn't have plans because Kary is a tad bit obsessed with mowing a certain lawn. In addition to that, he is charitable with his time and volunteers at Thanksgiving Point. The last few weeks he's been helping with the children's Halloween festivities such as running carnival games and helping out with the pony rides. I called to see if the lawn did indeed grow this week. Kary just said he would go out the back and try not to look at the lawn that would be calling his name to trim it. I hate that I may have interupted the normal Saturday flow for Kary, but I have never seen Noah take to another guy, other than Rob before. So we quickly decided on Hogle Zoo.

The zoo was a mad house! We weren't aware that it was trick-or-treating day for the whole state of Utah at the zoo. There were so many people it was hard to move in any one direction. At first, I was a little irritated--mainly because of the number of people and my slight problem with being claustrophobic, but by the end of our time there I had mellowed out. Once we explained to the boys that we weren't going to stand in every forever long line for a piece of candy we had a wonderful time. My favorite animal moment happened while we were in one of the monkey enclosures. They were a smaller breed of monkey, orange in color, about the size of small cats. There were two sitting together facing the crowd. One held his hand up over the others eyes, as if there was something he wasn't allowed to see! Funny!

Now to the current week. Oh what a week. The weather has been beautiful! Mid to upper 60's the whole week. Too bad I've been sick! Not only have I been sick the last 2 weeks, but I'm pretty sure I got Kary and Mary sick too. I spent the majority of my week sleeping at Kary's after work. Kary gave me extra special treatment on Wednesday night. I got off a little early and went to Kary's house. Alice (Kary's mom) had made chicken soup. Mmmm...Then Kary took me down to the family room. He made a bed on the ground in front of the TV. Gave me a pair of snuggy pants to change into. Put his robe on me, then his beanie. He made me lay down. The next thing I knew I was waking up to multiple cups of hot chocolate--all different flavors. You see, Kary has an extensive hot chocolate collection. Not just one brand, one flavor, but every brand you can think of and then some! I don't know how many cups of chocolate I had, but I can tell you the Stephen's brand hot chocolate is the best! Kary did a wonderful job of taking care of me.

Friday (Halloween) was a great day. Very chill day at work. Most of the office staff dressed up. We had a scantily clad eskimo, a biker chick, a conehead, a cowgirl, a jailbird, and a wolf--about 7 feet tall! We ate way too much and then got off early. Rob had the boys for some early trick-or-treating so I hitched a ride with the wolf to Lindon to meet Kary. Kary and I went to his house, had some dinner and talked with his parents. We then went and picked the boys up to take them to Ogden to trick-or-treat at GUB and Joni's and Uncle Joe and Aunt Kathy's. That's about all we had time for because it was clear it was bedtime.

Overall, a great couple of weeks!!!

Home is Where Your Heart Is

“I long, as does every human being, to be at home wherever I find
myself.”
--Maya Angelou

I am back from the Motherland, have been since October 10. It has been a long two weeks. The jet lag has kicked my butt.

It was a great trip. I met many wonderful people and learned that direct flights from Paris to Salt Lake City aren't made for me. Oh yeah, and I'm pretty sure that no country likes France, and the French don't like me. At least not the lady I encountered on the airplane.

Kary picked me up from the airport and made sure that I didn't go to sleep. Saturday we went to the Utah Symphony with Kary's friend Justin, and his friend April. Really fun!

Since then I've been trying to play catch up at work and spending a ton of time Kary. The boys were in North Carolina last week, which I was bummed about. It's been 5 weeks since I've had them for the weekend, but tomorrow I get them...for the whole weekend! Yay! I think a trip to the corn maze and pumpkin patch are in order on Saturday. We shall see.

Sleep is NOT Overrated!

"No day is so bad it can't be fixed with a nap."

--Carrie Snow

So I think the time change has finally caught up to me. I really didn't need to do any training today. My eyelids got really heavy. So I did everything I could to occupy myself so that I didn't fall asleep. It worked for a while. Then I busted out my travel pillow and slid under my desk, curled up into the fetal position, put my jacket over head and closed my eyes. I had a wonderful nap. When I finally emerged from my hideout, I was giggled at. Hayley and Iain (the two people I've been working with) had taken everyone who walked by and displayed me to the whole office!

What's for Tea?

"I don't think America will have really made it until we have
our own salad dressing. Until then we're stuck behind the French,
Italians, Russians and Caesarians."
--Pat McNelis

Today's lesson is on meal names.
Breakfast=Breakfast
Lunch=Dinner
Dinner=Tea

I guess you are "posh" if you say lunch and dinner rather than dinner and tea. I have decided that I am posh. I have also decided that the food issues are only present in Carlisle. I have had some okay meals in Durham, but nothing as bad as in Carlisle. I have been very impressed. Overall, the service in restaurants here is lacking--you are lucky to get your check, let alone your glass of tap water refilled.

So, I am down to the last couple of days on my trip. It has definitely been an adventure. I have met so many great people. I've learned about lawn mower racing, the local eateries, the train system, the 3 million sheep (I know, they have multiplied and replenished again! There are still some to name...just £1). I have seen some of the most beautiful land and scenery here. Most of all, I have learned that long-term travel by myself is no longer something I fancy. I am grateful for the opportunity I have been given--to be trusted with training my UK peers. I would do it again, for the experience, but I miss being with the boys and Kary.

Oh, to be a Nomad

“Remember what Bilbo used to say: It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to.”
--J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings

On Sunday Kary gave me a wake up call which was so nice of him! I then packed up and started on my journey to the east coast. The distance between Carlisle and Newcastle is about 50 miles. So add a few more miles to that and that is the width of Northern England (at least at this parallel)! The train ride was relaxing. The train is a great way to travel here as a visitor. It was the first clear day in a week and it was beautiful! Thousands of sheep, lots of cows, a few horses and a donkey-all scattered along the countryside. I tried to take some pictures but the train was moving too fast for the camera to focus. Sorry!

When I got to Durham, I walked from the train station to the hotel. I didn't think there would be so many people out...I guess I am just used to Sunday in Utah. Upon checking into the hotel, they had a note saying that I had requested the same room I had my first night in the country. I don't remember doing that, but I wasn't going to complain about getting a suite! The room wasn't ready yet so I left my bags and went out exploring. I found a cafe that had a killer chicken pot pie. I sat there and admired the wonderful weather while eating my wonderful American food. After I ate, I walked around the village. It is a beautiful place.

Yesterday, Monday, I spent my first day in the Sunderland area. It is a beautiful part of the country. This area is a bit more populated than Carlisle, with similar scenery.

Today, I am in Stockton-on-Tees which is near Middlesbrough (spelling?). I am working out of the Head Office today. The drive took about an hour, it's about 36 miles from Durham where I am staying. Don't worry, I didn't drive myself. Driving is not something I think I would EVER try here. That is like writing your own death certificate.

Last night was the best night so far. I went to dinner with two other company employees. We laughed all night. They have known each other for almost 10 years and have had many travelling adventures together. Because of that, they told me some of their best stories. They are hilarious when they are together! My meal last night was pretty tasty. Pot Roast with potatoes. Then we all got a dessert--Chocolate Truffle. Oh my. Divine.

I don't have any new pictures today, I might be able to upload some tomorrow. Until then.

Rain? What Rain?

Today I went to the Lakes District in Cumbria County. Beautiful area! We stopped in on the village of Keswick. It is similar to the village of Durham, but a little smaller. Here are some pictures of some of the "fells" (mountains) in the area. It poured rain all day which in turn flooded the roads, so if you want to see what the Lakes District looks like when it's sunny, then you can check out the following website. It is a fabulous area!

http://www.golakes.co.uk/places/

People come to the Lakes to "walk" which really means they are hiking. So walking around, you will see about 80% of people in hiking/backpacking gear. I would have LOVED to have had the opportunity to go hiking, but without waterproof gear, it would have proved a little damp. It poured profusely while we were in the village, but it seemed business as usual. There were all sorts of shops to go in to get out of the wet weather. Very eclectic shops, jewellry (yes, that's how they spell jewelry here) shops, clothing shops, but most importantly outdoor sporting goods shops. Not just 2 or 3, but 14! Fourteen shops containing everything needed for hiking and rock climbing. I loved all of the stores! It was fun to see all of the different items you wouldn't normally see in the states. In addition to all the stores, there was a "market" setup in the village square. Vendors selling their wares under tents in the blustery winds and cold rain. It was about 40 degrees Fahrenheit. We ate at a "posh" cafe, as Nina called it--I understand that to mean fancy. As we started to drive back to Carlisle, we stopped at a place called Surprise View. I took the three pictures seen below from this point, which was a crag, rock face, drop off (scary!) From top to bottom, if you were to line them up from left to right it would be a panoramic view of the lakes.When we went to leave, the roads were flooded, so we drove the long way home! Yay! I got to see more of the countryside! Nina and I stopped at the co-op (the mini grocery store, fits in a building smaller than a 7-11) to get some stuff to make dinner. Nina cooked myself and her roommate, Adam, some great food! She was so nice and used some spices for me! What a girl!

I am now about to leave the suburbs of Carlisle to head back to my hotel in the middle of the party zone. Last night was crazy! Gary, Nina, Grant and I went out for Indian food, or as they call it, Curry. My first experience with Indian wasn't too bad. I liked some dishes more than others, but over all it was better than the bland food I'd had all week. I got back to my hotel pretty early. So I got ready for bed and flipped through my 20 channels of "rubbish". It got pretty hot in my room and they don't believe in A/C's here so I opened my window. Low and behold, there was American music blaring from ALL 5 pubs on the street I am staying on. Ugh. Throw in the mass of people that traveled into town to get "pissed", and you have a never-ending echo of madness. I fell asleep to the white noise outside...to wake up to a wonderful call from Kary. It's been a great day, although I've been a little distracted. I will post more pictures soon. I am traveling to the east coast tomorrow. Durham Marriott...oh, the plush bed that awaits me.

Baa, Baa Black Sheep

"The man who looks for security, even in the mind, is like a man who would chop off his limbs in order to have artificial ones which will give him no pain or trouble."

--Henry Miller

Today was probably the best day of my trip thus far. I enjoyed being at the branch here in Carlisle--the people that work here are amazing.

When I came to work this morning, I was told that I would probably be staying in Carlisle for the remainder of my trip, however, at lunch time that changed to a possible unknown location--I would be trading with someone at another branch. But by 5pm I was given the opportunity to choose my own destiny. I can stay here or go to Sunderland on the Northeast coast--the original location I was to be at for the full 2 weeks. So, after a few minutes thinking and pondering out loud, I decided that I wanted a change in scenery. Of course I did NOT take into account the plush Marriott that awaited me in Durham (that was already pre-paid, an arm and a leg, to be exact), just south of Sunderland. Nor did I take into account that I would get to see the other side of the country ;). So there you have it. The Northeast coast it is.

I am going to the Lakes District tomorrow with Nina, one of the girls from the branch here. She will be my tour guide. I am sooo excited. This will be the only trip I've taken away from the hotel besides the one I make to work everyday. We are going for a walk in the "mountains". Yay! I have been dying for some opportunities to take some pictures of the natural scenery!

Here are some facts about Carlisle:
Carlisle is home to a church parrish that U.S. President, Woodrow Wilson's grandfather was the pastor of. Carlise has a castle (who knew?). I'm pretty sure there is only a hand full of "proper" restaurants here, the rest are pubs--a wanna-be restaurant with a bar the length of the entire building. Nothing is open past "half five" (5:30pm) except for on Thursday, when places are open until 7:00pm. I am staying on the rowdiest street in town. They will even close the entire street down at 9pm tonight so that everyone can run around drunk and not have to worry about getting hit by a car. Speaking of cars, it's probably the whole country, but it's not like America here where the pedestrian has the right of way, NO, if you so much as put a toe on the street you are fair game! ALWAYS LOOK RIGHT FIRST! Betting stores and dedicated slot machine facilities (yes, in different store fronts) are all over the place here. Other than all that, Carlisle and the surrounding areas have a population of approximately 100, 000 people and about 2 million sheep. I know I said 1 million sheep and I had named them all, but it seems that they have multiplied and replenished the stock two fold while I was here. I haven't named any of the new 1 million so if you would like in on the fun, I am currently starting a non-profit, called "Name the Carlisle Sheep". And for just £1, you too can adopt and name your own cute, little sheep! Send funds via Paypal or by mail, addressed to Jen Robinson. I mean "Name the Carlisle Sheep Fund".

Language Lessons and Customs

"No one realizes how beautiful it is to travel until he comes home and rests his head on his old familiar pillow."
--Lin Yutang

So, yes. I am home sick. I don't think I have ever been home sick while traveling by myself before. I am enjoying the experiences I am having, and I adore the people I've met, but there is something to be said for the warm faces and love you feel from those you see on a regular basis at home.

I am going to be multi-lingual when I return home. At least that's what I am being told by those I've been training this week. The dialect(s) here, on the Northwest coast, are completely different from those in Sunderland, on the Northeast coast. Thus, I will be learning a new language next week. But for now these are some of the things I have observed/learned:

Language Lesson (you may already know some of these):
Lift=Elevator
Laurie=Truck, as in big rig
Pissed=Drunk
Sick=Bored
Ill=Sick
Mountains=Hills (well, that's my interpretation especially when they pointed the "mountains" out to me...900' above sea level?)
Mate=Friend
Cheers=Goodbye
Tara (roll the 'r' with a proper English 'a')=Goodbye
Me=My (as in "I love me mom and dad")
Over the Moon=Excited, elated
Frock=Dress
Bloke=Man, guy

Customs:
When I arrive to work with my two carpool buddies, the office manager offers to get each of us tea or coffee, and in my case, hot chocolate. I've never been offered a hot drink so many times my whole life, let alone one day! This occurs throughout the day by each member of the staff. Whoa!

Cars:
I'd guess that 85% of all the cars I've seen are about the size of a Geo Metro. They have all sorts of brands as well. Ford, Fiat, Audi, Smart Car, BMW, Honda, Toyota, Peugeot (don't think I spelled that one right...) and others I haven't quite figured out yet. Even the brands we are familiar with in America have cars that are smaller than those offered in the U.S. I honestly wouldn't feel safe in anything this size in the U.S. though. Not with all the B.M.W.'s (Big Mormon Wagons) or M.A.V.'s ( Mormon Assault Vehicles). With gas or diesel at hovering at about £10 gallon, I totally understand the reasoning behind the smaller vehicle though. About 70% of the £10 is a tax imposed by the UK. Ahh!! And we think we have it bad! These people get taxed for EVERYTHING!

Scenery:
The scenery is beautiful. I haven't seen a personal garden/yard that is overgrown yet, but do know, that anything not on personal property could cause you to wish you had your own personal Edward Scissorhands with you on your trip! Overgrown is an understatement! Pretty. Pretty overgrown. I still think it is wonderful though. Everything is green, just like San Diego. But don't anyone worry. I won't be moving here. Ever. Period.

Me ? Escape? Why, yes, I would love to

"Only a life lived for others is a life worth living."
--Albert Einstein

I don't have any good stories from the Motherland to report at the end of this day, except that I did finally have a good meal. Meatballs and linguine. Mmm. Oh yeah, and when I left that pub I had about 40 people looking at me like I was an idiot--I had exited through the fire escape doors. How was I to know!?! The doors only said "PUSH TO OPEN". Hmm. Correct me if I am wrong but as long as it says that, you would think it would be proper to do just that? Oh well. I didn't set the alarms off and there were no fire engines that came barreling down the road followed by police. So the world didn't end because a chick from the states doesn't understand English english.

So I was thinking about what to write but didn't really have anything to share. However, I got to thinking about a concert Kary volunteered at a couple weeks ago at Thanksgiving Point (cool place if you've never been there before I highly recommend it--if you get a membership you can frolic through the gardens WHENEVER you want--at least that's what Kary claims). Peter Breinholt was the artist. I quite enjoyed the music he and his band performed. Dad--he sounds sort of like Paul Simon! Acoustic guitars, piano, fiddle, mandolin and some others. He sang a song that touched me that night. I don't know what it was, but even with the boys and Kary rolling down the hill and dog piling each other, it made me cry (maybe I was just stressed and sleep deprived?). It's a great song and if you get the chance you should click on the link below to hear it. Well, if you all want to know anything in particular about Carlisle, I would love to see if I can answer your questions. Email me. Leave a comment. Don't call me, I won't answer. It will cost both you and I a fortune ;). Until tomorrow.

What About
By Peter Breinholt

It's been said that to live is to sorrow
It's been said that there's no room for tomorrow
So men stand there and stare at the twilight
And they work out each day as it seems right

Oh I knew you would come
So I say Hallelujah my love
And I think now
All this time has been
On this road

And what about
All the September moons
And what about
All the flowers in June
And what about
All the times that I sit here and wonder

And I could be wrong
For believing this way
And I could be wrong
Every hour of each day
Til I think about
Every moment that I can remember

And they say that to silence is worth gold
And they say every young man must grow old
So we work and we reason our times
Still it's quiet all around here at night

Oh I knew this would be and I say
There is so much to see
And I think now
All this time has been passing by

And what about
All the mountains in spring
And what about
All the choirs that sing
And what about
Every mother that holds a new child

And I think about
All the times as a child
When I couldn't keep
From laughing out loud
And to catch myself
I would go out and stay there a while
All this could have passed me by
Standing lonely all this while

And what about
Every wide open field
And what about
All the wind that we feel
And what about
Every holiday song in a small town

And what about
Every child that sleeps
And what about
Every quiet blue sea
And what about
Every man that we take up to lay down

And what about
All the September moons
And what about
All the flowers in June
And what about
Every moment that I can remember

And I could be wrong
For believing this way
And I could be wrong
Every hour of each day
And I think about
All the times that I sit here and wonder
All the times that I sit here and wonder

http://store.peterbreinholt.com/viewalbum.php?albumid=20

Food, Glorious Food!

"Please sir, can I have some more?"
--Oliver

Of course the above quote is in a British accent. I am soory (in a British accent) to say--I AM picking up the accent ever so slightly...hopefully I can come back to Utah and drop the "proper English" and begin dropping my g's again (as in hunt-in', fishin', hikin', etc.).

As you may guess from my post title, I would like to tell you a bit about the food here, as the food connoisseur that I am.

It's been 12 years since my last and only visit to the UK. I remember vividly the hunger pangs I felt during that 10 day trip (even though I brought enough snacks to feed myself AND the 100 other people that went on the trip with me). Even though I was able to find a Burger King in every city we were blessed to visit, I think I lost 10 pounds. So, when the opportunity presented itself to travel here to the UK again, I gladly accepted...until the memories started to surface about my food intake while here the last time. Don't get me wrong, I am grateful to have food to eat. Period. But here's the current story.

I have given the country 3 days to impress me. I actually have a say in where I eat every meal this trip, which is different from my last trip. 3 days, I have tried to have an open mind, and 3 days I've been let down (with the exception of one night when I found a Pizza shop owned by a Middle Eastern couple--good calzones!). I talked to my dad a couple weeks before I left and voiced my concerns about the food here. He had to chastise me for a minute and remind me that it was 12 years ago, at the age of 16 that I was here last. "You are older now, and your tastes have changed." Or something close to that. Okay. I will give you that Dad. You are right on that argument. So I tried not to dwell on the food factor of my trip and I tried to keep an open mind.

Well, 12 years and the food still hasn't changed. But what did I really expect? I mean, this country is older than the dirt that makes up this island (I know, I know. The dirt makes the island the country was built on, but humor me here). So, why did I expect anything different? I don't know. I think I had high hopes for the spice trade to make its way to this age-old country before I came back. I didn't think it was a desperate hope?

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Breakfast
After a disappointing trip to the breakfast buffet in the lobby of my hotel yesterday, I decided to give it another shot. I try to give everything and everyone a fair shot to impress me. So, at 8am this morning I travel down my one and a half flights of stairs to the lobby to collect my baguette and apple juice. But low and behold, there, in the distance, I see scrambled eggs, cooked ham, and fried bacon! All that was missing were the pancakes, but I think I was the only one who noticed. So back to the story. As I said, off in the distance, I could see this glorious food. IN. THE. DISTANCE. Behind about 50 tourists. From what I gathered by listening, they were UK nationals. So you mean to tell me that I am in line behind 50 tourist-type people who, according to my dialect detector, belong to this country that is smaller than the state of California? They have never taken trips around their OWN country before, and now I have to wait for them to get some breakfast? I have been on a slight fast for the last 3 days, and I finally see some edible food. I come to the conclusion, with 3 minutes until my ride is to arrive, that my drooling over some good grub is all for naught. So, I march to the front of the 50 people, pickup a bowl and serve myself some flavorless Corn Flakes, scoot over to what looks like cold milk (I distinctly remember this country only having warm milk--so this is definitely an improvement) and start to push the button on the fancy dispenser. Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip. Yes. You counted right. 5 drips of cold milk on my full bowl of cereal. I was in disbelief! Trying to stay positive, I look over to the machine that houses the orange and apple juice. There's still hope to redeem this trip to the buffet. Shuffling to the machine, I pick up my glass, the size of a little kids sippy cup, I put it down and push the button. One quarter inch. One half inch. Three quarters of an inch. One inch. Drip. Drip. Drip. What!?! Are you kidding me? Sulking in defeat, I walk over to the brown leather couches by the front door and park it with just 2 minutes to inhale my dry cereal and wash it down with my one gulp of apple juice. Depressing.

Lunch
The depot (we call them branches in the U.S.) I am at this week, in Carlisle, is about 3 miles outside of "downtown", in the "country". (Yes, Carlisle really does have over a million sheep. I've counted them and named them myself.) Because of the location, you can't just drive around the corner to the yummy taco stand for lunch. Nina, the Office Manager, could tell that I was hungry, so she offered to drive me in her car, on the wrong side of the road into the "village" so I could grab a bite to eat. We got into the village, which consists of a bakery, sandwich shop, a co-op (sort of like a mini 7-11 or Maverick, only smaller with all the stuff you'd see in a grocery store), and a Pub. Now, as much as I wanted to go into the Pub and get pissed (NOT!), I settled for the frozen food section of the co-op. I saw only one thing that I recognized all the words on, so I bought it. Quiche Lorraine. It was definitely edible, not my favorite though. Needed a little salt. So, yes. If I had access to salt I would have used it, and I do not like extra salt on my food (if it's cooked in it's fine, I'm just not a fan of the shaker, never have been).

Dinner
I cannot tell you how bad I want a steak. A basic sirloin from say, Sizzler, Outback, even one from the butcher that I BBQ. I badly wanted a steak tonight. I decided to take a stroll down the street from my hotel and try some local hole in the wall. I located a place that had a picture on the menu of a juicy-looking steak. I walked in and waited about 30 seconds to be seated before I realized no one cared if I was there or not. I walked up to the bar and still got ignored. I flagged down a bartender (by the way, EVERY restaurant has a bar here). She told me to go pick a table, find the number on the table, come back to the bar to order my food and go back to my table to wait. Let me tell you what I learned yesterday from the Depot Manager (who, by the way, races lawnmowers--pictures on the way). Gary taught me that NO ONE tips here. No wonder the guy in Durham, my first night here, looked at me like I fell out of the sky when I tipped him £4. The restaurant employees receive a wage and no tips. The service definitely shows. I would rather have good service and tip, than to be ignored and not tip. As for the food...I ordered an 8oz. thick, juicy steak, cooked medium with a "jacket potato" (I saw butter and sour cream and chives and bacon and, and, and) and a side salad instead of peas. What I got was a cremated skinny piece of no-flavor, no-spice beef jerky, naked jacket potato, and a decent salad with a mystery dressing on it.

I just can't win in this country when it comes to food. I am definitely learning a greater appreciation for flavorful food, no matter how bad it tastes. So I have 11 days left, but if I keep having experiences like today, I think I will voluntarily take a "holiday" (that's what they call a day off or vacation) from eating for the remainder of my trip. Good thing I gained 8 lbs. before I got here.

Oh to be in the Motherland...

It had long since come to my attention that people of
accomplishment rarely sat back and let things happen to them. They went out and happened to things.

--Leonardo da Vinci

Today was the first day of my "Business Meetings" here in England. I enjoyed the company and the scenery on the way to the "depot". There is nothing really to report on the work front. Although, I had a conference call today to discuss how everything had gone to that point. One of the moderators wanted to know which of us thought we had the longest flight, I replied with, "Ooo, me, me!" When he asked who it was I said "Jen in Carlisle" to which he replied, "Jen, where's Jennifer Robinson?" I confirmed I was she and he said that I had picked up the English accent already! What!?! I don't know. I will let you all be the judge when I get back.

So, the villages here are quaint and cute. Houses are quite a bit smaller here, but the gardens are amazing. I am across the street from a happening club (actually about 30 yards from my window). Good if you are a clubber, not if you are me, trying to sleep for work, in a foreign country...on a 7 hour time difference. Oh well. I think if I can get to sleep before the club opens, I might not have a problem. We shall see.

I will write again tomorrow. And don't anyone worry. I haven't gotten pissed yet. =)

Planes, Trains and Automobiles!

"Whoa!"
--Jen Robinson

The Journey Begins
Friday, September 26, 2008

5:00am MST
Wake up.

6:00am MST
Uncle Bob picks me up.

6:30am MST
Get to SLC airport and check in.

7:00am MST
Mmmm...the smell of Cinnabon! But I settle for french toast in the restaurant instead. Yummy!

8:30am MST
I believe that's about the time the plane took off. I can't be sure. I was already passed out asleep (I trained myself to do that sort of thing at my last job when I traveled all the time ;). I didn't wake up until after the 1st beverage service.

3:30pm EST
The plane lands. We all get onto a "PeopleMover" that takes us to the terminal from the tarmac. For those of you who have never had the adventure of riding on one of these apparatus, let me try to explain. Picture this: A double-wide Humvee on giant tractor tires that goes up and down like a scissor lift. Inside it looked like a ferry boat-seats down both sides and two rows, back to back in the middle with floor-to-ceiling poles every few feet, like a subway train. I will try and get a picture in a couple weeks when I return.

4:00-5:00pm EST
Dinner, last cell phone calls, board next plane. JFK to Paris. 7+ hours of flying time. Full plane, a melting pot of sorts. There were many languages being spoken. It was awesome! The smell in the air was a little less than to be desired but there wasn't much I could do about that. I checked my bag at the gate because there was no more room in the overhead compartments, thanks to the new $50 charge for second bags. Hmm. So when you check your bag at the gate, they are supposed to bring it back up from the belly of the plane for you to continue on your journey--WITH your bag. Keep that in mind.

6:00am Paris Time
Bonjour! The plane lands. The flight was long, but thank goodness for sleep and personal TV's--you get to pick from TV shows, movies, music and games! And on the transatlantic flights they are free!!! I got off the plane ready to reunite with my suitcase (my laptop was inside! ahh!). No bag. Yes, you heard me right. No bag. So I stay calm and ask for assistance. The man at the gate was even nice enough to go down under the plane and look for me, but still, no bag. He told me it must be on the carousel. So. Ugh. I checked in for my final flight.

7:00-10:15am Paris Time
I go through customs. Run to look for my bag. There it is! Yay! Phew! I go through the 5-checkpoint of the international security line just to get flagged by the x-ray lady. I know just what it is they want to see. Without saying anything I pull out my bathroom bag that I keep my scissors in. The searcher-man declares they are permitted in my luggage (as I knew they would be) and I begin to close my bag. Just as I begin to do that I feel a weird substance on the bag and see that ALL of my shirts have what appears to be bleach stains!!! ALL OF THE SHIRTS I OWN! Oh my. This poses a problem. What will I wear for the next 2 weeks!?! I finish my trip through security, shed a few tears, pull myself together and march back through customs and down to baggage services. I file a report (which took FOR-EV-ER). I go back through the 5-point security and get flagged AGAIN by the x-ray man. This time the bag inspector tells me my scissors are "forbidden". Hmm. That's funny, 'cause last time they weren't. Just so all of you are aware, weapons ARE allowed in the cabin of all flights. They are called scissors, not to exceed 4" in length. Yes, even serrated scissors. So, after all that, I had just enough time to run to my flight.

10:40am Paris Time
Paris to Newcastle-upon-Tyne flight takes off. I sleep. The whole flight.

11:15am GMT (Greenwich Mean Time)
Cheerio! Newcastle, UK. The adventure begins! See Day 1.

DAY 1
*Mission to find shirts commences. This is harder than you think. I take the Metro into Newcastle from the airport. Apparently Newcastle has the ONLY mall in all of England. Plow through the Northern Rock Football (no, really, it's soccer) fans. 6 hours searching for shirts, you'd think that I'd find plenty...think again! I don't understand their style here. I want t-shirts with sleeves, I find the following: shirts that are sleeveless, or see-through, or ruffled everywhere, or lacy, or neon or have hideous bows on them. Huh. Maybe I'm not girly enough for this country. That's fine =).
*This is what I see outside: Cobblestone, bricks of all blah shades, British taxis, "coaches" (a.k.a. buses in the U.S.), and small golf cart sized cars. Pre-teens smoking in public (you didn't even see that in Cali!), people walking down the street with open containers of alcohol (again, something you don't see in Cali!).
*I took the train to Durham. First built in 1057 A.D. It is a beautiful little town. It reminded me of Disneyland--just the closed-in small theatrical set feeling, I suppose. They were, however, real buildings with real people. There are trees everywhere! I need a tree/berry identifier, maybe one that tries any and all of the fruit that they bear ;). There are rolling hills here, like San Diego, and it's perfect beach weather! But without the beach and without the tall buildings...and medium buildings...and houses everywhere...anyway, I think you get the picture. (There hasn't been any rain yet either! Woo hoo!
*I managed to stay awake until 8:30pm! Yay! I might actually have success at the whole time change and getting on the schedule here! It is a 7 hour difference here from Utah.

DAY 2
I sleep in. Think about getting up but decide to remain in my snugly bed in my junior suite (yes, thank goodness for complimentary upgrades because even this room is small!). Take a nap. Repack. Walk 30 minutes back to the train station, up hills, around corners, not in the snow, with shoes on. Miss the train by 1 minute. Darn. Make the next train to Newcastle. Make the connection to Carlisle. Oh wait! I forgot my book on the last train! Run back hoping to find it. They wouldn't let me back on the train to look so they had to send someone to do it for me. They find it! Good thing too, I had to wait another hour for the next train. Board and ride to Carlisle. Walk 200 yards to the Ibis Carlisle Hotel. Veg. Eat. Write. Blog.

Stay tuned for more adventures from the Motherland! I don't know when I will be able to post pics. As it is I have to pay £1 (or about $2) for every 10 minutes I use the Internet here in the lobby. I might just have to post the when I get home. It's a shame, I know!

Love, Jen

"Stop worrying about the potholes in the road and celebrate the journey."

--Fitzhugh Mullan

I know, it's 1:30am. But rather than sleep, I am trying to get on Greenwich Mean Time. Right now it is 8:30am in England. I am sitting next to my half-packed suitcase surrounded by various electronics that are plugged into the wall to charge. Among the electronics, an iPod, camera, cell phone and of course my laptop. I don't think I've ever traveled so heavy before! It is all in the hopes of being able to include others in the great opportunity I have been blessed with, by documenting my trip through this blog...

I am going to England on a business trip, but I hope to be able to take advantage of my time off to see Northern England and maybe some of Scotland.

Today is a travel day. My flight leaves SLC at 8:30am. I will fly to JFK then on to Charles deGaulle in Paris and end in Newcastle-upon-Tyne in Northern England. I will arrive on Saturday around 11:00am, if all goes well. Hopefully I can update my blog on Saturday night...

These are the Days

"These are the days of miracle and wonder."

--Paul Simon

Who: Noah Chayton Robinson

What: First Day of School

Grade: 1st

Where: Beacon Heights Elementary, Salt Lake City, UT

Date: Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Time: Approximately 8:30am

Teacher: Ms. Lee (I swear she's 30ish, but she's been teaching for 16 years!)

Noah. It's the first day of the first grade in his first "real" school. He looks a little nervous mixed with excitement. He has Spiderman as his backpack sidekick. A blue lunch box (or bag, whatever you want to call it these days) in his hand. Spikey hair, courtesy of some creative brushes through his hair with some L.A. Looks Hair Gel. He is in line, waiting for Ms. Lee to take him inside to his new classroom. Blake is running around on the playground, no cares in the world. Noah looks around, slightly leary of what is about to take place. Kids everywhere. Parents with cameras (yes, even me) snapping pics of their kids and the surrounding activity. Rob has Noah recite his lunch pin number in case he decides he wants to eat cafeteria food (what happened to the days of taking lunch money in straight dimes and nickles?). Ms. Lee comes out. All the parents in attendance hug, kiss, and love on their kids as the lines start to move into the modern school. Oh my, how time flies. First grade.

Who: Blake Calian Robinson
What: First Day of School

Grade: Kindergarten
Where: Beacon Heights Elementary, Salt Lake City, UT
Date: Friday, September 5, 2008
Time: Approximately 8:30am
Teacher: Ms. Judy (I don't even think I know her last name...)

Blake loves to skip. Well, I guess you could consider it more of a run. No, maybe a "Charge!". Yes. That is it. This was Blake's attitude on this bright morning. So excited, he runs straight for the Kindergarten playground. Definitely not shy, Blake has no problem talking about how cool his first day was going to be. Rob, Cristina and I, stood behind the fence and watched as Blake played alone, oblivious to the rest of the kids playing within inches of him. He ran back forth between the playground and the fence where we watched his enthusiasm with great wonder. The kindergarteners were scattered about. The teachers came out and Blake ran up to Ms. Judy. "Today is my first day of Kindergarten!" (In the voice of the kid from The Incredibles that says "That was totally wicked!") My Bigs, in Kindergarten!?!

A Quote to Live By

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” -Marianne Williamson



This quote was sent to me by my brother, Ben. He sent it at a time when I was having a hard time understanding my worth. It has since, come to be a wonderful reminder to the "greatness" (I know you are laughing at me Kary, but it IS a word!) we each have in us. We are truly blessed, that no matter how we feel about our self-worth, we are here for a reason, whether for ourselves, our family or for a complete stranger. We must always remember to be the best we can be, if not for ourselves, then for those around us.

Fish Are Friends, Not Food

"I am a nice shark, not a mindless eating machine. If I am to change this image, I must first change myself. Fish are friends, not food." --Bruce, Finding Nemo

Today, after pulling myself out of my stupor from yesterday's wisdom tooth ordeal, I went to Salt Lake to pickup the boys. I had my next blog post in mind, of course. It's been a while since I sent any pictures of Noah and Blake to my parents so I had to get some good ones to post. I had received some tickets to the Living Planet Aquarium in Sandy, just south of Salt Lake City proper. I picked up the boys and we first made our way to REI for a brief look at jackets and "multi-purpose" bags (not purses ;). Then it was off to the aquarium. I was a little excited. If there is one thing I miss about working at Sea World, it would be the opportunity to see the blindingly bright fish swim around in their own pee. No, really. I LOVED working at Sea World, not because I could stand the smell of feeder fish in the morning, or the afternoon for that matter, or because I loved to hear the seagulls say "Mine, mine, mine" all the time. I loved it because there is nothing like seeing the different types of life exist together, all in the liquid we call water. Have you ever wondered how we, as humans, can survive with oxygen, food and the proper shelter? On the same note, how can there be so many different types of life under the water, deriving their life from the oxygen that is in the very water that, if we were forced under, would kill us? Hmm...just a thought I've always had.

So back to the adventure.

Noah, Blake and I made our way into the building. The boys had been there before, so they lead the way. We started at the beginning. Noah went straight for my least favorite sea creature, the octopus. It was red and about as long as Noah is tall, in a tank that I thought was much too small. Bummer.

Next stop, the Jelly Fish. Who knew those things swam upside down? Well, maybe I did, but today I was surprised to see them traveling in that way. Seahorses...I forgot how cute those things are. There were all sorts of fish and sea life. I was surprised. There was a petting tank with rays in it. Both the boys made a feable attempt at touching a ray, I think more out of being safe from the "stinger" than anything...it didn't seem to make a difference when I mentioned that they didn't have stingers anymore. Oh well. We touched sea stars, saw baby crabs and made our way over to the various tanks that contained fish from Finding Nemo. We saw Dory, Gill, Mr. Ray, and of course Marlin and Nemo. There were sharks and eels and other large fish that look like they could eat me in one gulp. After seeing everything, which only took about 45 minutes, Noah had to show me a hat he was a fan of. And Blake showed off his new scarf. We had a great time, I can't complain. I had a great time, short as it was.