Week 20 Bump

Week 19 Bump

London Wetlands Center

Dad really enjoys birdwatching, so I thought a trip to the London Wetlands Center in Barnes would be appropriate. Barnes is just up the road from us and a very easy drive. One look at their website told me everything I needed to know...my three favorite words here in London..."ample free parking". The Wetlands is a manmade resevoir where birds, ducks, and geese of all kinds migrate and hang out during the different seasons. We didn't see as many different types of birds as we wanted, but we saw plenty of ducks! It was a beautiful day outside (no rain) and we had a very relaxing day meandering around the trails and spying on wildlife through our binoculars.

Arundel Castle and Brighton

While Edgar was "straggling" his way through the English countryside (see post below), Mom, Dad and I headed down towards Brighton. On the way there, Dad said, "Hey, look at that castle!" I'm no stranger to castles, so I thought it was probably just another ruined old castle barely worth a look. Was I surprised when I looked over and saw an amazing structure just off the side of the road! The road signs pointed to Arundel Castle, so we took a little detour and wound up staying there for about 4 hours! This castle is still the home of the Duke of Norfolk and his family (including 5 children). Most of it has been restored, but there are still some anciet towers and pieces from the original build in the 11th century. We had a grand time wandering around the place and finding our way up and down very narrow, winding staircases. When you think of the perfect castle with hidden passageways and random hallways you can get lost in, this is the castle for you.





We finally made our way to Brighton and checked in the Queens Hotel on the seafront. The hotel is located in a lovely, old (imagine that), restored building almost directly in front of the famous pier. We had a quick freshen up in our room and then headed to a well known fish and chips place for dinner. I'm not a huge fish and chips fan, but all our visitors just can't wait to have it! I have to say that these fish and chips were really good and not too greasy. I just stuck with a salad and baked potato. After dinner, we strolled along the boardwalk and up and down the pier. It is full of games, people, carnival rides and all things fun food related, like cotton candy and doughnuts. We had a great time and somehow managed our stroll during the 2 hours it didn't rain that evening. Brighton is a well known party town and brides and grooms to be love to go there to celebrate their imminent end of singledom. Once the revelers went back to their rooms to pass out, we had a peaceful night's sleep listening to the rain and the wind blow. Edgar's finish line was exactly 1 mile up the road from the hotel (we didn't even plan that, it was purely coincidental), so Dad and I set off to cheer his team through the finish line and help him hobble back to the car. Mom stayed back at the hotel so just in case we didn't make it back for check out, she could do it for us. Edgar grabbed a quick shower and we got him home as quickly as possible. It was a very fun weekend! Edgar is walking normally again and we are still talking about that castle!

Edgar Walks 60 Miles for Charity!

Last weekend was a busy one for us. Edgar signed up for a charity walk several months ago and this past weekend finally saw the event come and go. The name of the event was TrailWalker 2009. Several thousand walkers trek for 60 miles through trails and paths in the English countryside. But don't let the "countryside" fool you. It's arduous, hilly, muddy, rainy, and most importantly...a VERY, VERY long distance. He walked with 3 other co-workers from BP and had an amazing support crew of 2 people helping along the way. About every 2-3 hours were designated checkpoints where these support crew members would set up a tent and make food, replenish water bottles, etc. This gave the walkers a chance to dry their feet, tend to their blisters, and do some carb loading. The "Stragglers" started and finished as a full team (meaning no one dropped out half way through) in just under 27 hours. That's 27 hours of straight walking....this doesn't include any sort of cozy night in a tent. Needless to say, they were all exhausted, but very proud of themselves. I am so proud of Edgar. His determination and mental strength continually amaze me.

The Stragglers crossing the finish line

The team on the official finisher stand

St. Paul's Cathedral and Greenwich

Friday saw another busy day in the city. Our first stop was St. Paul's Cathedral. You'll probably remember that we tried going there last week, but got there 5 minutes too late to enter. Well, Friday we got in. We wandered around with our audioguides for a good 2 hours and had lunch down in the crypt. You can't take pictures inside, so I don't have anything fun to show. Here's another picture of Mom and Dad outside the Cathedral last weekend.

Edgar left work a few hours early on Friday and met us in Greenwich, which is right by his office. Our goal was to visit the Royal Observatory and stand on the Prime Meridian line. This is the dividing line between the Eastern and Western hemispheres. It is also the beginning of time, so to speak. It is the keeper of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), from which all other time zones are set. The museum there shows a really fun history of clocks and all sorts of navigational tools. It's amazing how anyone ever found their way around before they were perfected!

(Watches synchronized)

(Edgar with Canary Wharf in the background)

(East and West at the same time)
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The Bump Has Arrived!

Week 5

Week 18

Now that my pregnancy news is out of the bag, I thought I would share a "bump" picture for everyone since you can't see it in person. Edgar started taking pictures of it at Week 5, but it got pretty boring because nothing was changing. I feel like things are different enough now to start showing the changes. When I was in Texas a few weeks ago, I bought some maternity pants and got them a little bigger than what I needed because I "would definitely fill them out eventually". Well, I love them, but I have determined that I need clothes that fit me NOW. I was getting serious saggy butt in the old ones and the crotch would hang down to what seemed like my knees after only 5 minutes of walking. I was always on the verge of a wardrobe malfunction. Today, Mom and I went on a mission to find some jeans that would actually fit me. I found 2 pair that are great and will grow with me through the pregnancy. I can't tell you how happy I am to have some clothes that finally fit. Mom bought me 2 sweaters that are very cute and I can't wait to wear them, too!

A Few Days Rest and Then Off to the Park

After two days of intense walking, we needed a little break. One thing I completely underestimated about pregnancy was how I would get so completely exhausted doing normal things like walking. My stamina just isn't what it used to be. Edgar wound up having to go into work on Sunday (highly unusual for him), so we slept in and caught up on some laundry. Monday saw us take a small walk around Richmond to run errands and then lunch at one of my local hang outs.

Today, I finally felt almost fully recovered. Even if I wasn't, I can't handle staying in the house for longer than 2 days. We loaded up in the car and headed to the High Street Kensington area. Our first stop was Whole Foods Market. Funny how Whole Foods is an American company, began in Austin (my first place to live outside of home), and their first major visit to it was here in London. We meandered around the 3 floors of deliciousness and finally decided on some lunch in the food court area. I think Mom and Dad were impressed by all the different types of food there were.



After lunch we walked across the street into Kensington Park. Kensington Palace is the focal point of this park and Mom decided she wanted to do the tour. Dad and I decided not to go in, so we hung out on a bench admiring the Sunken Garden. It's beautiful and so peaceful. We enjoyed the people watching and laughing at the antics of all the birds and ducks.

(Mom and Dad sitting in Front of the Sunken Garden with Kensington Palace in the background)

A Day to Admire the Southbank and Celebrate my Birthday!

We set our alarms for early morning today...and actually woke up when they went off! We had to get to the Borough Market before the crowds hit. I braved city traffic and drove all of us in instead of taking the train. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be and I found a parking garage close to all the places we were to visit. The Borough Market was colorful, lively and smelled as good as it always does. Several cheese, truffle oil, and salsa samples later, we made our purchases and hit the River again. It's just our luck that the one day we are near the London Bridge, they are having the 800 year anniversary celebration. These impromptu festivities are the best.

(Me, Mom, and Dad looking at the veggies in the Borough Market)

We then headed further down the Southbank towards Tower Bridge and the Tower of London. It started pouring rain just as we got half way over the Bridge. Thankfully, I am an experienced Londener these days and we all had the umbrellas handy. Before Mom and Dad toured the Tower of London, we stopped for lunch at Bodean's. You would never think a place across the pond would have good BBQ, but we found one! Bodean's has great BBQ that rivals any I've had in Texas or the US. Even my Dad said it was good...and that's saying alot.

(Edgar, Vonda, Little Baby, Mom, and Dad in front of Tower Bridge)

(Mom and Dad in front of the Tower of London)

We attempted to see St. Paul's Cathedral, but got there five minutes too late to enter. We did get some good shots of the outside, though. We will have to go back another day to go inside.

(In front of St. Paul's Cathedral)

We had all had enough walking for the day, so we headed home to get a little rest before going out for my birthday dinner. I thought it was going to be a small dinner at one of our favorite Italian places here in Richmond. When we arrived, I was completely surprised to find that Charlie, Catalina, and Sebastian was also there to join the party! I was completely shocked and so, so happy to have my wonderful London friends celebrate my birthday with me. It was even more special because Mom and Dad were able to be here as well.

Perfect ending to a perfect day!

Mom and Dad are Here!!!

Mom and Dad arrived for their second visit to London this past Tuesday. I am so happy to have them here and to be able to take them to all the places we missed the first time around. Tuesday and Wednesday were days for resting and jetlag adjusting. But you better believe that on Thursday, we hit the ground running-well, I guess I eased them into it gently. We went for a walk around Richmond, stopped for coffee along the river, and did some people watching.


Today we headed to Kew Gardens for a walk around its 326 beautiful acres. They have an attraction called "Treetops" that is a very, very tall steel structure in which you can walk around the actual treetops. It's 118 steps to the top and the views are amazing. It is a little freaky because the floor you walk on is basically a heavy duty metal screen and yes, you can see through to the ground. It isn't for anyone afraid of heights, that's for sure! My dad used to climb telephone poles for a living, so the elevation doesn't bother him. I, on the other hand, tended to hold on to the rails and not walk in the very middle of the walkway. Mom stayed with her feet firmly planted on the ground.

(Mom and Dad in the "Ruined Arch" at Kew Gardens)

(Dad in the Treetops)