This American Life

Hotdogs at the State College Spikes game

It strikes me that our life in State College is quintessentially American.  Bike riding, baseball games, hotdogs, grilling, outdoor swimming pools, fireflies, Target, Trader Joe's, Wegmans, bagels, the Waffle Shop.  In any event, we still drink tea.

Goodbye Gifts

We've received the kindest goodbye gifts.  We received a beautiful embroidered cushion of a London scene, several English-themed books (including one of the Royal Baby, born just a couple days ago!), window clings, pressed foliage (laminated especially for Anna), and Wirral mementos.

I think this drawing of us takes the cake.  I especially like how Michael is holding his China Project and John has his Mac.  And there's their car on School Hill!

 

Goodbye Lunch

One of my favorite mums from the school invited some ladies over for lunch at her house. The setting was picture perfect.  She is the ultimate hostess and I just love her home and decor.  It was a beautiful afternoon with finger sandwiches, Victoria Sponge and scones in the garden while chatting about the school, summer plans, and demystifying peanut butter, American jelly and marshmallow fluff.

I was really touched that the mums also gave me some gifts and thoughtful cards including a book of Wirral, a lovely Heswall mug and a homemade lemon drizzle cake.

Afterwards, we all went to pick up our kids, and spent part of the afternoon at the park next to the school.  The kids had ice lollies, as it was so hot.  Anna and Michael went to a friend's house where they played, watched Home Alone 4, and marveled at their cousin's heroic skills of assembling a sandwich made of garlic bread, meat sauce and noodles.

Red Rocks

The Wirral is full of scenic places.  One is Red Rocks, one of the local beaches.  The kids enjoy climbing on the red rocks on the shore.  When it's warm and the tide comes in, the kids paddle around in the water.  When the tide is out, you walk for a mile to get to the water.  The resulting sand is amazingly rippled as far as the eye can see.

We walked for a long time in the sand, making our way to the distant water.  We saw jelly fish, lots of worm casts, piles of razor clam shells, regular shells, and crabs.  We thought we'd never reach the sea, and there was great excitement when we did.

And we're walking... Can you see the water?

We MADE IT to the water!!  I like how Michael is doing his "stirring the soup" happy dance.

Post-It Notes: The Ultimate Toy

Dear 3M/Post-It Note People,

Post-It Notes are the ultimate toy.  My 6 year old spends most of her life carrying post-it notes around to make animals (easier than origami), write stories (quicker than books), draw pictures (small is the new big), and label things for us (no mistaking the fan switch in the bathroom now).  As a toddler, she spent a good part of a plane ride unsticking and sticking Post-It notes to her seat.

Apparently, these are the rage at school too.  In a school with a "no toys from home" policy, 6 and 7 year olds are smuggling in teeny tiny colorful note pads in their pencil cases under the guise of "school supplies".  I suggest you let social networks run their course.  I wouldn't want you marketing this idea from above.  It could blow their cover.

Thank you for this great invention,
Anna's Mom

Practically Meeting Helen Mirren

Helen Mirren is one of those smart, classy actresses that seemingly everyone admires.  John and I couldn't get tickets for her London Show, the Audience, but we did wait to catch a glimpse of her coming out of the Gielegud Theatre on our walk back from dinner.  As we waited, the guy at the door took fans' programs and returned them with her autograph.  That seemed a nice thing to do.

When Dame Helen finally emerged, she looked radiant and poised in her pink coat and handbag.  We all listened attentively as she paused to thank everyone for coming and that she appreciated everyone's support and time.  With a smile and a wave, she was ushered to a waiting black Mercedes Benz.  As her car drove off, we all stood there, contented and blessed, as if we'd met the Queen.

Doesn't everyone look happy?

Me with Dame Helen's escape car (and a man who wandered into the picture)

Why I Love British Garden Centres

An ornament in the shop (photo by Anna)

Like pubs, Garden Centres are a staple of British culture.  Think Dixieline or Nurseryland in the US, but more family friendly.  First, you must traverse an enormous store full of nice quality toys, books, gourmet housewares, and home and garden decor to get to the flowers and plants.  I like valid excuses to shop, and I'm guessing that their prime target markets are not just gardening-types but also grandparents, moms of young kids, and self-identified "homemakers".  Garden Centres usually have a large coffee shop with lunch items, tea time snacks, kids' meals.  There might also be a kids' playground in back or animals roaming around.  Whereas American children are begrudgingly dragged to Dixieline on a Saturday morning, English parents and grandparents take their young ones to Gordale just for fun (and maybe get that grass seed or potting soil on the side).  Oh, and there is a big adjacent parking lot out in front, undeniably another value in a country where parking is at a premium.

Anna, Grandma and I went to Gordale together yesterday.  The three of us had such a nice time browsing in the store, and looking at the flowers and displays.

A peacock!

I like how someone at Gordale has thought about how to make the nursery itself visually interesting.  It is not Dixieline.  Among the flowers and plants are a lot of animal statues and ornaments to spot.  Occasionally, signs ask people to smell certain flowers as if to say don't forget, this is a leisurely outing!

Gardenias that say "Please smell"

One benefit of living in a rainy country is that even a little gardening can yield a big payoff.  So gardening is a big deal.  On my parents' recent visit, my Dad marveled that no one irrigates regularly here.  That was something that I struggled to comprehend too, as sprinklers and garden hoses and setting timers are just a fact of life in Southern California.  Also, the terms "frontyard" and "backyard" are not part of the vernacular; instead, people have a "frontgarden" or "backgarden", which captures the smaller size and assumption that yes, there will be flowers.  Flowers are also more noticeable in a smaller space, so why not plant them?  As a parallel, I often buy indoor flowers here because you really see and can appreciate them when you walk into a room.  In our open-plan American house, flowers can get a bit lost.

A little San Diego on the Wirral

Speaking of America, I like how Gordale has a warm indoor room with plants that look distinctively San Diegan-- bougainvillea, gardenias, hibiscus, cacti of every description...  I imagine these survive as greenhouse or indoor plants here.  John's mom said that when she first flew into San Diego to visit my parents, she thought she "landed in Gordale!"  

After our leisurely shop around (which included me trying on some quilted jackets), we went to the cafe for tea and cake.  We left tired but happy, and with a box of grass seed for Grandpa.

Little animal ornaments to entertain the kids