In a Flash(Back)--the positives this week!

All of Sunday! Went to Christ Church Spitalfields, chatted it up with some folks, came home and packed PB+J for a picnic in the park with Pea and kids, loaded up the wagon, laid out the spread, watched the kids run, went to the farm where Luci's new favorite animal is the ferret, held the bunnies, contemplated Aunt Sally the pig, journeyed on to the church yard where I hid D's gift of Starburst behind tombstones for the kids to find, came home only to be somewhat dragged upstairs to our neighbors the Begums to visit the cat and be treated with more food, learned 2 phrases of Sylheti, ran off to the vicar's house for a Guy Fawkes' party, laughed myself silly watching the kids be amazed that they could brave fireworks over their heads (it was the vicar setting them off the whole time and the kids eyes were so big), ate chestnuts roasted on an open fire and fellowshipped--loved just about every minute of Sunday, all without Darren, had the kids to myself and actually couldn't complain!

Don't remember much but lucked out making a couple of good meals this week, an encouragement to my soul to find recipes that actually really work (simple, fast, yummy, and vegetabley) and will post them soon.

Was summoned up to the Begums another time, on Thursday, instantaneously received 3 cups of juice between the 2 of us (Luci and I) as well as jam bread and had to run just as Bela was about to serve me her delicious chapati and aloo (potatoes). But not to worry, her cheerful face showed up at our door a few minutes later, just as we were commencing our IC lunch team meeting, with a delicious delivery and I was delighted that she came in and was able to meet John and Deanna. We are now officially in the food exchange program and are excited to have currys coming our way. The only question is, now that I have 3 plates that aren't mine, what will I send them upstairs containing? As you can see, I am really happy about this reciprocal arrangement.

Jesse is singing an Alleluia song from Catholic school with verses about Jesus and Mary and now he hides in his red tent so that his Pirate can put on a show by singing it. Jesse has a great voice and it doesn't look like a pirate is singing but it is so cute.

Today also marks my first real outing with a girl friend I've made since moving to London. We had coffee and biscuits with Lu and wandered around a shopping center and got to ride in a car--it was the special treatment today! Luci reported that her fairy (a little doll) was afraid of the dark in the tunnels we passed through.