We're all here!

Gray and Zane arrived yesterday with their Grandma (David's mother). It's great to have them here! We have also moved into the temporary flat until our house is ready. It's "ok." I wouldn't pay to stay here on a long term basis. It is just worn. And, it smelled of cigarette smoke. I think we have that fixed. We now own stock in Febreeze... (Well, we should!)



Yesterday, the boys and Grandma rested-- they didn't sleep for almost 24 hours! None of them slept on the plane, so they were quite tired when they arrived. David and I went shopping for more basics: sheets, towels, groceries. We started this on Friday night. It took us almost 7 hours!

When we finished work at 4, we had to go to our primary office (we have been in a different location all week) to print, sign, scan and email mortgage documents. This shouldn't have been terribly difficult, except that someone sent us on the LONGEST bus route which was constantly stuck in traffic. We eventually got off the bus and walked. Beat the bus by probably an hour! By the time we got out of there, it was close to 6. We had to get to the estate agent's office to get keys to the apartment by 7, and get to the hotel to get our luggage to go to the flat. We got to the flat at about 7:30. Have I mentioned that many stores close at 6:30? We researched a couple of stores on the internet, verified that they were open late and headed out. Only to discover that the store we had chosen was only a food store. (Who knew that "Metro" meant groceries?) We asked someone at that store where to go, and were directed to one of two different locations (neither of which were very near where we were.) A customer suggested a different store in the office/retail complex we were in. Well, we got a nice tour of the area, only to arrive at the store just as it was closing (9pm). We have now verified that the maps of this office/retail complex are inside out, upside down, and counter-clockwise. A security guard told us so tonight! We eventually found our way to another store, to find out that they don't carry housewares. Someone there made phone calls until she verified the location of a 24 hour store which carried the things we needed. We didn't even have any sheets for the beds at this point, and it was about 1030 at night!!! FINALLY, we landed at the right place. Got our linens and headed home. Got home at 1230 am, and had to be at the airport around 730 the next morning. Did I mention that it takes an hour and a half to get to the airport?

Well, we overslept. But, fortunatly, the plane was delayed, and we ended up getting to the gate about 5 minutes before our family arrived. WHEW! We had no way to contact them, nor they us.

So, while boys and Grandma rested, David and I shopped-- in rain and incredible winds. We were both pack mules, getting all that stuff back to the apartment-- which we will have to move again on Dec. 1.....

Sunday was a much nicer day. Beautiful weather (mid 50's). We played tourist. We took a double decker bus to Greenwhich where we walked past the Royal Naval College and Queen's House, and ate lunch at Trafalgar Tavern-- it was the local haunt of literary greats such as Charles Dickens. (Yes, we've been there before, but had to take Grandma there!) We then took a river boat, and passed by the Tower of London, Tower Bridge, the London Eye, Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, a big battleship (don't remember the name), and tons of very cool architecture-- both historical and modern. We got off the boat at Big Ben. We walked a bit and saw Westminster Abbey-- couldn't go in, they were having services. We walked toward Buckingham Palace, but it was a farther walk than it appeared on the map, and our recent travelers were getting very weary. So, we got on a double decker bus which took us past Trafalgar Square, St. Paul's Cathedral, Piccadilly Circus and the West End (location of the theatres-- London's version of New York's Broadway.) We went back to that office/retail comlex that almost swallowed us last night to get something to eat. (That area is called Canary Wharf, but the way.) So, it was a typical London tourist day. More of those to come!

We will post photos at some point. But, the internet connection we are using is essentially a mobile phone connection, and it is very slow to upload photos. Sorry, but you'll have to wait for those!