Snowing in London

We have been getting snow all day here in London.  Jeri was so excited this morning, repeatedly running to the window and hollering back at me "it's gonna stick, baby!"  She, like her mom, loves the days when everyone is forced to stay home.  After it became clear that the snow was indeed not going to stick, she got ready for work with tears in her eyes.

With love and warmth and courage to endure,
Amy

What it is really like to give thanks....

Good morning, Seattlites!  We wish you all a wonderfully happy Thanksgiving from across the pond.


It is approaching 2 in the afternoon here and I feel like it might be beneficial to document what it is really like to spend an American holiday away from home.  The sky is heavy with impending snow, the streets are crowded like black Friday, and turkey is hard to come by.  


I woke up to a perfect cup of coffee with my beautiful partner- who sweetly whispered to me her gratitude for our love.  We cuddled, read, and happily traded in our normal speedy departure for a relaxed morning.  By 11am I was at the grocery store and Jeri was at the gym.  This is a true anomaly.  You might find me at the grocers at this time, of course, but sweet Jeri has not been able to get to the gym in the middle of a work day for about 9 months.  For this, I am grateful.


During her hour at the gym and my hour at the store I bought the following (see below), blowing our grocery budget for the day...

If you cannot tell from the photograph, there is no turkey on this conveyer belt.  When I inquired in the meat department I was told that they "forget to order turkey breasts, but do have ground turkey."  Hmmmm.  (We are not in Kansas anymore, are we?)  While bagging my groceries I thought about the excess turkeys filling the stores back in the states.  Not one store would ever dream of "forgetting" to order turkey.  So many birds, and not one turkey breast to be found here in Chelsea.  I did purchase another little piece of meat for my sweetie, but the vegetarian in me considers this a small victory for those left gobbling out in the countryside.  For this, I am grateful.  


I returned home and while unpacking groceries I start to cry.  I made myself a cup of tea and though about calling  home.  Even though preparations for the big meal start early, I knew no one would want a 4am wake-up call.  Time to get busy thinking about the menu, and preparing what I can in advance.  I start measuring ingredients for the pumpkin bread (which will be our "pudding") and think of Jeri's mom.  Every time I bake I think about her.  She used to make everything from scratch, and would mix all ingredients with a wooden spatula.  No magi-mix or kitchen-aid to help.  I pray for her guidance as I carefully measure out the pumpkin, the flour, the sugar.  Jeri comes downstairs and before heading off to work, gives me a long, warm hug.  For this, I am grateful.


I begin to prepare the stuffing next.  Since Pepperidge Farm comes from Connecticut, I know I am on my own here.  I slice and toast a loaf of crusty bread, and then tear it apart bit by bit.  This is time consuming.  Since it is eerily quiet in the house I put on some music and my mind wanders to thoughts of my family.  I imagine Elizabeth and Theo running (or crawling) underfoot.  I think of Dad patting my head as he does a preliminary taste of whatever is cooking.  I think of Mom eagerly running back to the one grocery store still open to grab whatever item we surely forgot.  I think of my sister adding salt to everything.  For them, I am grateful.

Stuffing from scratch

Before I know it the pumpkin bread is done.  I cannot believe that it did not collapse in the middle!  I really screwed up the recipe the last few times I have made it, and the result has been embarrassing.  It looks like mom was with me on this one.  For this, I am grateful.

I stand in the kitchen and wonder what to do next.  In true melodramatic fashion, I feel like I am becoming stronger.  I think about the true meaning of this holiday, the discovery of America.  I think about where we live now, I think of the "home" that exists in our hearts, and I think of Jeri and I bound together in a way only we can understand.  I think about this journey...the 9 months of learning, of leaving, of watching, of grieving, of living, of  loving, of listening, of growing.  For this, I am grateful.


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Well, things are in full swing now.  Jeri has returned from the office to do a quick change before running out to a client party that she has to attend.  She managed to open a bottle of wine and snap a quick picture of me cooking.  (She also was able to sneak in a slice of pumpkin bread even though I wanted it to look pretty for the party of 2 later this evening.)  I have now completed the stuffing and it is staying warm in the oven.  I have begun to boil the potatoes in preparation for mashing, and have juiced the oranges for the cranberry sauce.  I will cook the meat and veggie patty when Jeri calls to say she is on her way home so that it is piping hot for her arrival.  This is an atypical Thanksgiving for sure, but it is turning out to look (and smell) like the traditional holiday.  For this, I am grateful.

Stuffing (sans bird)

Cream Cheese Frosting

Cooking

Heading back to work

Jeri just sent me a message saying she was on her way home to me.  For this, I am thankful.


Dinner is done, the tryptophan is taking effect (despite the lack of turkey), and we are blissfully settled in to cuddle on the couch.  I missed all of you today-- our families, our friends, our cat, our home, our stores with a plethora of turkey.  What I know though is that I now get to hold the love of my life in my arms after impressing her with an entire Thanksgiving meal made from scratch.  For this, I am grateful.

Hope you like it, sweetie.

Wishing you all a day full of giving thanks....

Cornwall

Our dear friends, Ben and Antonia, invited us to spend a few days with them at their country house in Cornwall October 24-27th.  We had a very relaxing and enjoyable break.  Padstow is a quintessential small, English, fishing village and we loved wandering the streets.  We also could not get enough of the water views.  The fresh air was incredible, the food (Rick Stein has a number of restaurants here) could not have been better, and the company was a hoot!  

Wandering through the village

Teaching Sophie how to make a fire

Too cold!

Too Cute!

The beach

Look what we found!!!!

The family portrait

Almost like home...

A Taste of Sicily

After the Amalfi Coast, we travelled to Sicily with Jeri's team in EMEA.  We spent a few days at a most exquisitely sterile resort before a monsoon hit the island.  We tried to get back to London without success.  (The airport was closed because of a plane crash during the storm)  We got stuck in Sicily for 2 days, and then stuck in Rome for a night (technical difficulties with travel) but finally made it back to London safe and sound.  Our luggage showed up 3 days later...

My sweetie

The Team

Our dear friends, Ben and Antonia

The sunset

Trying to steal food from the breakfast buffet

Totally embarassed

You'll thank me later when we have snacks

The resort (and the clouds)

Another conference call

Dinner in Rome

The Trevi Fountain 

It is midnight...but we are trying to find our way to a few sights

The Spanish Steps (for you, Aim and Col and Kiki)

We spent a lot of time traveling in the rain...

Trying to get back to London

We love YOU, Erin.

We are so grateful to have had Erin come visit us in early September.  It was a "chicken dinner" of a trip!

We do love you, Erin.  And we miss you so much!

A Taste of Italy

Here are a few pictures of our beautiful trip to the Amalfi Coast in Italy.  This part of our trip was idyllic, and we hope to make it back for our honeymoon.  

The View from our B&B in Conca dei Marini (above)

Praiano

Positano

I love those feet!

Jeri checks the map for a path from Minori to Ravello

The Hike to Ravello (sans backpack)

The Hike to Ravello (with backpack)

The view from above

Jeri makes a friend while on a conference call (don't tell Kiki)

Peggy Ann

I am not sure how or where to begin.  The truth is that there are no words that will ever come close to describing what the past few months have been like, but I feel it important to continue our story of this year in London.

On June 25, 2010, my sweet partner lost her mother, unexpectedly.  Peggy was just 64. 

Everything since that phone call, which came to us 2 hours after we had arrived in the south of France, has been affected by that one little moment.  Our lives will never be the same.  My sweet Jeri is desperately sad and I grieve with her and for her daily.

Peggy was a beautiful, thoughtful, charismatic, caring, fun, nurturing and loving woman.  When I look at Jeri every morning, the old adage rings in my head.  The apple does not fall far.

I wish I had the words to adequately honor her, or the strength to tell you the story of the day-to-day since she has been gone, but this experience is so personal that I cannot.  All I can do is write her a letter, just as I have done so many times before… I am not sure where to send it, or how to address the envelope, but I know it will reach her.

Dear Momma, 

I just wanted to write to tell you what a good job you did raising Jeri Jo.  Her goodness is unmatched by anyone I have ever known and I am so grateful to you for creating her.  She is perfect.  And, I want you to rest now, and have some fun up in Heaven… I promise to take good care of her from here.  I know you miss Jeri, and I know you love her.  She misses you too. 

I’m sorry that I get upset by your leaving so soon, but I can’t help it.  I have so many stories I want you to tell me.  I want you to come live closer to us and let me help take care of you.  I want to bring you groceries and make sure you take your medicine.  I want to sit at your table and eat the cookies you undoubtedly made for me.  I want to hear you laugh as you reminisce about Jeri Jo’s antics.  I want to keep filling your mailbox with letters.  I want you to check our blog to see if we have posted anything new.  I want you to be at our wedding.  And I want to love you in such a way that expresses my gratitude for the gift of your daughter.  Above all though, I want you back so that Jeri can call you.  She needs you.

I will try hard to be your strength now and do for her what you have always done for her. I will be there for her, I will comfort her, I will give her courage to endure.  I will hold her hand.  I will listen.  I will be grateful when she calls just to talk.  I will pack her lunch, make her dinner and give her a snack before bed.  I will keep all the letters and cards she has ever given me.  I will shower her with gratitude.  I will cherish time with her above any other gift.  I will cry with her, I will laugh with her.  I will love it when it snows and we stay home together for the day.  I will be fiercely loyal.  I will beg on the street for food before I ever let her go hungry.  I will write of how I loved her before I knew her.  I will decorate my heart with her accomplishments and measure my wealth by her happiness.  Most importantly, I will love her and take care of her all the days of my life, just like you and I talked about.

With eternal gratitude and love,  

Amy