If you want my body...

...and you think I'm sexy! - Rod Stewart

Provocative title, sure, but on Saturday night Barret and I got to see him live in concert, along with thousands of 50 something cougars reliving their teenage fantasies. Apparently Rod Stewart is a massive Celtics fan (football/soccer) and so during the second half of the show spent time singing and kicking footballs out to the crowd. They were huge kicks too! I didn't know the old bloke could put 'em out there like he did!

June is a month of concerts! With Rod Stewart down, two more big names to come within the following weeks. Jack Johnson will round off the end of the month, but on the 17th, Barret and I are headed to see the one and only Jon Bon Jovi! Again, I'm sure the crowd will be slightly similar to the Rod Stewart event, but I am sure it will be one heck of a show!! I am really looking forward to both concerts and will let you know all about them!

It's another week off here. Since we are still recovering from our last travel fiasco, we've decided to stay in England for the time. We have a few day trips planned and kicked off the holiday week with a softball bbq last night at the coach's place, a roof top terrace over looking London. Today, being a holiday for everyone else, the weather is crap, so we're sticking around London and going to putter around a bit. Tomorrow I am heading up to Oxford with Diana (I'm sure we can handle a day trip without getting ourselves turned around too much!) Wednesday Barret and I and maybe a few others are headed to a place called Botany Bay, a seaside place to explore and (hopefully) enjoy the weather. Thursday is an administrative day for both of us, then Friday we are back to Slough for another camping/softball weekend. The last one was a ton of fun, despite the weather, so we are hoping for a bit of sunshine and it should be perfect!

I can't believe the school year is nearly done... 7 weeks to go after this week off. Then what... yeah, who knows. Could be bigger, better things that include plenty of sunshine! OR plenty of darkness and snow... still all in the air!

Just a quick update - hope all is well!

Love,

Amy

Heat Wave!

London is notorious for it's rubbish weather. However, the past few days have been scorching hot without a cloud in the sky! Sunburns and heat stroke all around! During my last blog I wrote about camping out in what felt like the bleak midwinter to play in a weekend softball tournament, but THIS weekend we played in the hottest temperatures I've felt yet since moving to London. We played 10 games of softball over two days in a tournament just outside the city in the borough of Richmond Upon Thames - certainly one of the most beautiful places in London. We went 6-1 in the round robbin play, then went on to win two more games which put us into the final cup at about 5.30pm last night. It was a nail biter! The sweat was pouring and exhaustion had certainly set in. We played a bit of an insane Japanese team called the Godzillas (clever, I know!) and squeaked out a win with one run in extra innings, leaving the final score at 11-10. We won a trophy and some shirts, but bragging rights most importantly. Woo hoo! My left arm is a noodle right now and my elbow was causing me some serious discomfort... (Mom, I might get it looked at if it keeps happening). A great weekend all around!

So, back to work this morning absolutely knackered, but the sun is still shining and people are in a good mood. During my journey today I had to get off the bus early and walk part of the way home because I was going to be sick. The bus was SO hot and sardine can packed with people, and with the roadworks movement is not really smooth... so I got off. It was a good judgement call.

One more week of work and then it's off for one final week before the last 6 weeks of term. I can't believe I've been here for nearly an entire school year...it feels so strange! Barret and I haven't made any major plans for this coming week's holiday as we still recovering from our last vacation ordeal! We are planning a few day trips around England though because there is so much we have yet to see and as long as we are in the UK, no volcano can keep us from getting back!

Well, spending entire weekends playing ball games doesn't give me a whole lot to write about! I hope all is well back home and you are all enjoying some lovely weather as well. I will write again when I have something a little more interesting to report, although I am very proud of the team for the huge win this weekend!!!

Oh, and last week at work I got stung by a wasp.

Love,

Amy

Softball and trolls!

England does not boast a single baseball diamond. Yet, plenty of softball teams, mostly comprised of Americans and Canadians, can be found playing throughout the spring and summer in any field they can find that is flat! Last weekend there was a softball tournament in a place called Slough. Anyone local would look at me in disgust when I told them where I was heading to camp and play ball at for the weekend... I had no idea of the reputation this place had, until I read the poem written by Sir John Betjeman in 1937; here is an excerpt:

Come, friendly bombs, and fall on Slough!
It isn't fit for humans now,
There isn't grass to graze a cow.
Swarm over, Death!

Well, I didn't let that stop me. Thank goodness! 41 teams took part in a huge softball tournament and I got a lot of practice with a really great team. I'm still quite the beginner, since elementary school recess doesn't exactly count for much experience, but the people I've met have been fabulous, patient, and really helpful. The weekend was the worst as far as weather goes... rainy, cold, windy... the only thing missing was hail. The first night I froze nearly to death and just prayed for the morning to come! The second night wasn't as bad, but we didn't see the sun once the entire time (Maybe Slough's reputation exists for a reason!!) I had been borrowing a glove for the weekend, since I'm a rare lefty and certainly did not pack my primary school mitt when I moved in August, Buuut... wont be needing to borrow since I got a very nice surprise this week! To help me get even better at the game, Barret bought me a new softball glove! I was giving him heck for not helping with dinner, but during that time he had been seeking out the perfect glove for me online. What a guy! (The things he does to get out of cooking! ... kidding...haha)

I have recently realized how quickly my niece and nephew are growing. I can't believe I am missing so many exciting things in their lives. I haven't even met my nearly 6 month old niece and am sort of feeling a little homesick because of it... I am trying to get home at the end of July/beginning of August but will keep you all posted on that as soon as I know.

I have to share with all of you one of the funniest things I have heard in my life! I will start by saying this is a TRUE story and no part of it is fabricated at all!

A teaching assistant came into the staff room last week and told this story. She works one on one with an autistic boy and for the whole morning the boy had been talking about something exciting that had happened over the weekend, but that he wasn't allowed to talk about. The T.A. was starting to get a little worried, wondering if whatever happened had anything to do with his safety. So, to be sure, she spoke with the mother when she came to collect her son. The mother blushed, hung her head and agreed to tell the T.A. what has happened.... so....
The family has another son, 19, who is also severely autistic. To try to help him feel some independence they have been sending him to the corner store a few times a week to pick up a some things on his own. He is usually gone about 15 minutes, but this day he was taking longer than usual. Mom begins to get worried after about 1/2 an hour, 40 minutes. She decides to go find him. As she opens the front door, he greets her, hair a mess, clothes torn, scratches all over face, but shop bag in hand and a smile on his face. Not wanting to set him off, Mom asks, "sooo...did, um, you get everything you needed at the shop?" Son replies with, "sure did!" and sits down on the couch to watch tv. A little confused, Mom pushes it a little further, "um...well, anything else son?" Not fazed at all, the son says "well yes, I saw something else I wanted, so I took it". Mom is beyond confused now, but still wants to keep her cool, she asks "oh, well, what else did you pick up, then?" Keeping his eye on the tv, the son says "well, I saw a troll, I wanted it, so I took it". Bewildered, Mom asks, "troll, like t-r-o-l-l". Son says "yup. Saw him, chased him, caught him, and took him". Mom responds with, "oh. A troll, um, where is the troll now?" Son points out the door "in the garage". Wondering what on earth could be in her garage, Mom asks "do you mind if I go see your troll?" Son says "sure, but be careful". Nervously walking out to the garage, Mom throws open the garage door to find what her son deems a real, live troll......
.....only the rest of us would call this "troll" a dwarf, midget, or little person! The autustic boy had never seen a dwarf before and assumed it was a live, fairy tale creature, so he chased him through the park, rugby tackled him, and took him home! It certainly explained his appearance! After explaining to the poor bloke about her son's mental state, the mother asked the man, "why didn't you leave?!" and the poor, beat up, "troll" says "for f*cks sake, lady, I thought I was being kidnapped!!!!!" Thankfully, he didn't press any charges.

This is what happens on the outskirts of London!

I hope that left you with a little chuckle. I'm off to bed for now - love and miss you all!

amy

Addition to the most recent blog...

In my haste to spill all the details of my holiday I left out an incredibly important event and I cannot go on another moment without letting you all know. Most of you know me well enough to know I play the violin and have played in my share of orchestras and ensembles. Well, not only did I get to see several original Stradivarius AND Amati violins and cellos - I got to watch a renowned group play Vivaldi's Four Seasons - in Venice! Barret insisted on taking me, even though I said it was too much - he made me go and I have him to thank for that once in a lifetime opportunity. Thanks B.

While I'm here, nothing too major to report. I have fully recovered from my horrendous throat/mouth issue but suffered a good week and a bit! Soup was getting REALLY boring! On the weekend I saw some Dinosaurs at the Natural History museum and enjoyed a rained out softball tourny in a local pub! This coming weekend there is a softball tournament just outside London and I'm really looking forward to it (should be a really good time pending the weather behaves!)

I hope you are well. I appreciate the comments some of you post - it's nice to have some feedback! Also - if you post under anonymous and don't sign it - I still appreciate the comment but have no idea who posted it!

Lots of love,

Amy