TV & Me??

Well kids - the to do lists are back. The late nights aren't just because I'm catching dinner and a movie...school officially is back in session tomorrow. But per usual, I have try something new whenever the opportunity presents itself. And that new thing right now is contributing to Meg Walter's TV blog. Meg is one of the wittiest people I've ever encountered. We were in the same ward when I lived on Condo Row in Provo. To be honest, I admired her and her friends more from afar than actual "hang out" friends, but they just were fantastically cool and original. Fast forward to where Meg and I became blog friends. The rest is history. So click this fabulous link to read my first post on my summer tv favorite - Chopped. Why are we not surprised?

Happy reading and happy back-to-school!

post-script for England

Before I completely sign off on the England posts, I have to say how much fun I had each night at the hotel. Jenessa and I would laugh about who knows what, scribble and doodle in our journals, read, write emails to boys, go through our pictures, and just revel in the fact that we were going to bed in England. I know these pictures don't show anything that makes sense, but between the Premier Inns and the quaint bed and breakfasts, we had a wonderful (often very purple) place to sleep at night.

York & Burghley House - Day Twelve

We took a ridiculously boring tour through York. Can't say we finished it, but we did see the Roman ruins from many moons ago.

This used to be a hospital. Can't you tell from my pose? (Don't judge. When you've taken as many pictures as we had, you can't just smile anymore. Plus I had no Jenessa to bounce my excess energy off of.)

We slipped away from the tour after looking at this abandoned church and ran to the cutest cafe called Betty's...where I would take cooking classes if I lived in the area. The girls who served were dressed in period outfits and had their hair up like Anne of Green Gables. Throw in the petit fours and tarts, and I was perfectly content.

On a whim, we decided to try and make it to Burghley House before it closed. This is also one of the residences of a duke and duchess. It also was featured in the 2005 Pride & Prejudice as Lady Catherine De Bourgh's house. We only had a few minutes to rush through, but it was incredible and so, so grand.

Then, as luck would have it, the Olympic torch was on its way through town....right past us. How convenient.

SO, so many pictures

While we waited for the torch, we got wet and made friends with the locals. The girl in the pink jumpsuit on the left side of the street and her little brother in navy were so fun to watch. They were darling and so stereotypically British - I wanted to take them with me as souvenirs. 

Torch coming into Burghley and leaving - doesn't look that exciting, but there was a palpable excitement in the air.

What do you think? Could option as a vacation home?

Maybe Branson is inside?

[DARCY was here.] 

And just like that, our trip was over. We left Burghley House, found dinner, and drove to our hotel outside Heathrow airport. When I went to bed that night, I couldn't believe that it was already time to go...and without my Jenessa. Good thing I was headed to Louisiana to party it up with Jewels and the babies....

York - Day Eleven, Part Three

The town of York is incredibly charming. It would a great place to stay if you were writing a book or doing research and wanted to still be quasi-plugged in.

This is for Jewels. 

This is, of course, for Ness.

The Shambles is an old street that used to house the butchers of York. Some of the buildings date back as far as the 14th century.

It was on this beautiful walk that I got a call from California asking me to come in for a job interview. Needless to say, I didn't make it, but how could I rush away from something as stunning as this?

Delicious Indian food at one of the local pubs...and bonus, they had Diet Pepsi. 

After dinner, we walked the wall that surrounds York. It was very wet, but well worth being soaked.

With Jenessa gone, I didn't get documented as much...hence the odd side picture as I'm walking.

This sign caught my eye because it's an instant piece of nostalgia. Then you read it, and it's totally gross. I love it.

For all the Gilly lovers. She's now doing surgery in York.

The front of our inn. Can I live here please?

York Minster - Day Eleven, Part Two

Our cute little inn in York

York Minster has more than two million pieces of stained glass. Trying to take it all in is impossible, but we visited a couple times in an attempt to appreciate all the hard work that went into making this beautiful church.

During World War II, the citizens of York removed EVERY piece of stained glass and carefully guarded it in homes throughout Yorkshire. 

The Fives Sisters window is an abstract series that is meant to honor the women who served in the World Wars.

We attended Evensong here as well. Truly a special experience to hear hymns and scripture read in such a historic and stately place of worship.

Castle Howard - Day Eleven, Part One

Castle Howard, known best for its appearances Brideshead Revisited (TV - 1981, Movie - 2008), is one the finest homes in England. I didn't know much about it when I chose it as one of our destinations, but we were blown away by the grandeur of this house and its grounds. It was quite the introduction to Yorkshire.

Three sisters that lived on the property a very long time ago - they look strangely similar, but then again, so do Jewels, Jenessa, and I. 

Strange picture I know, but the family who owns Castle Howard actually resides in the house. This is one of their rooms. Such a different life--

one small portion of the entry way

This little girl was known for being quite the troublemaker. Mae and she would have been best friends. 

The windows in Castle Howard's chapel were the brightest I have ever seen. They were simply incredible. By the way, they do weddings here. Destination wedding, anyone?

There's no picture of it, but after we went through the house and chapel we ate in a darling cafe that is part of the house. Very 1920s deco style with really good food - farm fresh bread, that type of thing. Like I've said over and over again, I could get used to places like this.