Shopping in Paris

This wasn't the only thing I came back with from Paris.

 We stumbled upon a scooter store and I came home with this purple number.

 

 I'm fairly certain a handful of our readers will approve of the color. 

The Vespa is being painted as we speak.

And I'm getting really excited about it's arrival.

But for now, back to studying...

Thanksgiving in England

It's really just any other day...

I had dreams of turkey and stuffing last night and will be wearing my stretchy comfy pants tonight to live vicariously.

Wait, who am I kidding? I wear stretchy comfy pants every night.

 Much to my roommate's chagrin.

But just a quick note to say we are very thankful for such supportive and loving friends and family,

health and happiness, and the wonderful opportunities that have made their way into our lives.

It's a big football weekend.

Relax and enjoy a wonderful meal.

And then all the leftovers!

Some beautiful table settings found on the world wide web.

Weekend

 Merton

 Merton

Fall ivy almost gone

Entrance to Merton

Bath

Bath Cathedral

Roman Baths

Christmas decorations are up in England

My friend Meghan and I at the old Roman Baths

This weekend was cold and grey. 

Winter is here and we jumped right from Halloween to Christmas decorations around town.

I will miss having a traditional Thanksgiving meal this year,

but a turkey just won't fit in our "cooker."

But I'm bringing a little VooDoo into our lives this week 

and we'll be just fine.

Have a great Thanksgiving week!

Just a muggle in a world of wizards

Oxford has inevitably been compared to the wizard world of Harry Potter for years now.

But the past few weeks have been eerily wizardly.

Might be because of Halloween or the early darkness of daylight savings,

but I'm convinced that J.K. Rowling drew her inspiration from the colleges of Oxford.

I have had three situations in the last few weeks where I truly felt like
a muggle among the wizards.
Allow me to expand...

First, Matriculation Day.

In the most literal sense, matriculation means registration day.

The Oxford translation = tens of thousands of students and professors
roaming the college grounds in their sub fusc robes.

Second, Formal Dining:

Long mahogany tables in a darkly lit room. A blessing in Latin. Everyone is sub fusc robes.
Hogwarts, no?

 

Third, Merton Time Ceremony:
A tradition at Merton College the night of autumn daylight savings.
For an hour, everyone walks around the quad backwards.

"The TIME CEREMONY takes place in the Fellows quad at 2 am on the last Sunday in October.
It is performed by the students of Merton and conducted by some of the fellows.
Sub fusc has to be worn.
In recent years port wine has become an increasingly important part in the ceremony."

When is the last time you felt out of place because you were NOT wearing a funny robe
and walking backwards?
Not in Oxford.
I can assure you, you'd fit right in.

Sometimes I really feel like a muggle in a world of wizards.

Correction!

Apparently, there is a more official term than "oreo cows."
Can you believe that?

My new Australian friend informed me that my aptly dubbed cows
are actually called "belted galloways" and they are very common in Australia. 

 I must say I like my title better. She did too.

And no, Nabisco are not paying me.

But I think I may have just come up with a creative new marketing pitch for Oreos.

Cows. Milk. Oreos dunked in milk. Cows that look like Oreos. Get it? Got Milk?

Man, there are numerous angles here.
You're going to buy oreos tonight aren't you?
See. Nabisco should pay me...

Love Letters

I just returned from an unexpected trip to Louisiana. 

I am reminded that every single day counts and to never forget to say "I love you" 

(something I'm only writing down because I myself could do much better, 

especially living so far away).

Even the smallest of gestures can mean so much. 

I have always been inspired by the love in my family... marriages lasting 30, 40, 50, even 60 plus years. So with my own pending nuptials on the horizon I can't help but be inspired 

by the creative and timeless ways in which my grandfather shared his love with my 

grandmother while he was in the navy and courting her from a distance. 

There is something very special about a hand written note, be it a thank you or just a hello. 

We made some copies of the artwork from his love letter envelopes 

and I thought I would share. These date back to 1944.

I love that I have a copy of these now.
I almost always ask to see them when I visit.

To me, these just keep on saying "I love you."
They have so much personality and thought behind them.

 The love letters worked.

 And keep on working :)
I'm in the process of collecting wedding day pictures from family members
and I must say, it is really fun and special.