Has been quiet. No decisions as to where we are going to move the office to--but we know that it will mean more tube and bus travel than we experience now. Weather is very pleasant--cool temperatures and little rain. Monday is our Prep day so we are going to the Royal Kew Gardens and then a very quiet 4th celebration. Here not much about the celebration other than someone said that the British were glad to get rid of the colonies. We just got back from walking for 1 1/2 hours in Hyde Park. You can walk forever and not walk on the same path. Lots of little ones and people picnicking. We are leaning to re-spell many words--no "or" on end of words rather "our" as in colour and no z's it is organise etc. The ward is a large one due to a large number of weekly visitors. But the base membership is a strong one. Many ex-pats with oil companies and financial institutions. Most here for 2 or 3 years than off to some other country. Makes for a very interesting leadership group. Most live close to the center of London so don't own cars--all depend on public transportation and private schools for their children. Many students here studying at the Imperial College (engineering and medicine) or the Imperial College of Music--makes for some great concerts and special musical numbers in sacrament. Best go--Dad just handed me a bowl of the most tasty raspberries and strawberries.
All take care--let us know how you are doing and what is going on.
Love M
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
7.13.2011
Are you enjoying the heat. It is cool and raining here--we have even had to wear our raincoats. We are doing great. I even spent yesterday working on Excel. Dad is loving it--I am adjusting. I am trying to decided which IKEA is closest so we can do some decorating. White walls everywhere and Dad won't be painting.
Dad just got a home teaching assignment from the HP leader--he has 8 families all Philippionos living all over London--and London is very large--all need to be visited by bus, train and tube. You know how obsessed her gets with making sure all the visits are done--it will be interesting--he could easily become a million miler. Only no rewards or free trips. Life outside of the US is very interesting. This am on my way to the office I passed by a Muslim man with three of his wives following behind him and the favorite one walking beside him--they were all in full face covering Burkas and carrying very expensive purses--maybe there is an upside to the system.
Love, m
Dad just got a home teaching assignment from the HP leader--he has 8 families all Philippionos living all over London--and London is very large--all need to be visited by bus, train and tube. You know how obsessed her gets with making sure all the visits are done--it will be interesting--he could easily become a million miler. Only no rewards or free trips. Life outside of the US is very interesting. This am on my way to the office I passed by a Muslim man with three of his wives following behind him and the favorite one walking beside him--they were all in full face covering Burkas and carrying very expensive purses--maybe there is an upside to the system.
Love, m
6.29.2011
You would love what is going on here. Dad has started carrying a "man purse". He got tired of carrying a heavy briefcase and we always need to have papers and passports and housing documentation so it is easier for him to just put it all in my black travel bag and just go for it. We walk so much that we are very careful about what we carry and what we need. this morning we got registered with a clinic--socialized medicine. It is amazing what this government pays for--medications, examinations, tests--not that we need any but it is all covered. We also not have a Freedom Pass--which is available to all residents over 65. It means that you can travel on all buses, tubes, rail for free This is one reason that so few citizens of London have cars. The public transportation is fast and easy and you don't have to try to find parking which is very expensive. All children are either in a stroller or riding a razor scooter. In the mornings between 8 and 9 all of the children are on their way to school. All in uniforms, blazers, skirt, slacks, some shorts-knee length. the younger ones are riding on their scooters and in some cases the mothers are pulling them--especially the 3 wheel little scooters. It is really fun to see. One of the schools even have the little girls wear hats like Madeline. Burgess would love it here--he would never have to walk just ride and then be pulled.
We love and miss you. We get our internet connection on Thursday. And then I can find out about the Vonage line--then we can talk. It has been like going through withdrawal not having a phone, or tv or daily newspaper let alone not hopping in the car and just going. But we are getting a lot of walking in--especially if Dad is giving directions. He always manages to have us go the wrong way for at least 4 blocks--long blocks before I mention that we might be going the wrong way--I don't know how he ever made it home when he was a child and his mother let him ride into the mountains alone--must be that he knew down-hill was home--here everything is flat and no mountains to give you directions.
Love m
We love and miss you. We get our internet connection on Thursday. And then I can find out about the Vonage line--then we can talk. It has been like going through withdrawal not having a phone, or tv or daily newspaper let alone not hopping in the car and just going. But we are getting a lot of walking in--especially if Dad is giving directions. He always manages to have us go the wrong way for at least 4 blocks--long blocks before I mention that we might be going the wrong way--I don't know how he ever made it home when he was a child and his mother let him ride into the mountains alone--must be that he knew down-hill was home--here everything is flat and no mountains to give you directions.
Love m
6.27.2011
Well, it has been a month since we began this adventure. I must say that there are some things that have not been too pleasing and others that have been great. Before you jump to conclusions, I will say the hardest thing has been living out of suitcases in rooms about the size of our bathroom and that is with a Queen sized bed in the middle. But we are in our flat now and even though it is small it seems like ample room. Perhaps when we get home we will just live in the bedroom and rent out the rest of the house.
Yes, I have done some decorating and cleaning and rearranging. We ventured to IKEA today. It was a successful adventure. We took the tube, and even had to change lines at Picadilly Circus. Coming back with our purchases was even okay. Everyone is either pulling a suitcase or a stroller or a large backpack so we just fit right in. But at some of the stops it is tricky getting on and off because of the crowds. You would never have recognized us or believed that we could do this but everyone does. It is amazing how few people own cars here. It is amazing to see the cars that people are driving--lots of BMW's, Mercedes--even Mercedes mini-vans and BMW black, slick looking panel vans. Most of these cars are parked in front of the embassy's--we live in an area where there are many--even countries that you would never think about them having--like Bangladesh.
At the Employment Center things are kind of up in the air. The church building committee is closing down the Hyde Park building for about 7 months in order to do a total renovation. It is in a prime location right across the street form the Science and History museum and and beside the Victoria and Albert museum. The street is being repaved so the construction is all around us so now this building is going to be updated, hopefully in time for the Olympics. ~So our office, the mission office and the wards (3) are going to be moved to other locations--but at this time no one knows where or when. They want to start the renovation by September--so they are trying to find spaces. So at this time we have no idea where we will be and how far and how long our commute will be. So much for living close to the office.
Living without TV is even okay. But we do need to get a radio. We need some contact with the outside world. The London newspapers are on the order of the STAR. So at this time we have no idea what is going on in the world. On Thursday we will have our internet available in our flat. After that we will be able to get a Vonage line that will enable you to call when ever you want with no charge. Or if you don't want to call us we will be able to do the Sunday check-ins whether you like it or not. The only problem is having me figure out what time it is everywhere. Trying to count backward 5 or 6 hours is tricky for me especially here where all the time is given in military numbers. I know I am slow.
Know that we think of all of you all the time. I would love to ask questions--how did Aubrey like EFY, is Burgess standing or crawling, etc, etc, etc,--I haven't changed. Dad is loving being here. He is making a list of all of the museums that he wants to go to. I have already been to Harrods. We love all of you and hope that all is going well for you. Keep us updated of your lives we are interested.
Love, M & D
Yes, I have done some decorating and cleaning and rearranging. We ventured to IKEA today. It was a successful adventure. We took the tube, and even had to change lines at Picadilly Circus. Coming back with our purchases was even okay. Everyone is either pulling a suitcase or a stroller or a large backpack so we just fit right in. But at some of the stops it is tricky getting on and off because of the crowds. You would never have recognized us or believed that we could do this but everyone does. It is amazing how few people own cars here. It is amazing to see the cars that people are driving--lots of BMW's, Mercedes--even Mercedes mini-vans and BMW black, slick looking panel vans. Most of these cars are parked in front of the embassy's--we live in an area where there are many--even countries that you would never think about them having--like Bangladesh.
At the Employment Center things are kind of up in the air. The church building committee is closing down the Hyde Park building for about 7 months in order to do a total renovation. It is in a prime location right across the street form the Science and History museum and and beside the Victoria and Albert museum. The street is being repaved so the construction is all around us so now this building is going to be updated, hopefully in time for the Olympics. ~So our office, the mission office and the wards (3) are going to be moved to other locations--but at this time no one knows where or when. They want to start the renovation by September--so they are trying to find spaces. So at this time we have no idea where we will be and how far and how long our commute will be. So much for living close to the office.
Living without TV is even okay. But we do need to get a radio. We need some contact with the outside world. The London newspapers are on the order of the STAR. So at this time we have no idea what is going on in the world. On Thursday we will have our internet available in our flat. After that we will be able to get a Vonage line that will enable you to call when ever you want with no charge. Or if you don't want to call us we will be able to do the Sunday check-ins whether you like it or not. The only problem is having me figure out what time it is everywhere. Trying to count backward 5 or 6 hours is tricky for me especially here where all the time is given in military numbers. I know I am slow.
Know that we think of all of you all the time. I would love to ask questions--how did Aubrey like EFY, is Burgess standing or crawling, etc, etc, etc,--I haven't changed. Dad is loving being here. He is making a list of all of the museums that he wants to go to. I have already been to Harrods. We love all of you and hope that all is going well for you. Keep us updated of your lives we are interested.
Love, M & D
6.21.2011
Our thoughts are with all of you. London is interesting--the things that I have learned quickly---j-walking is akin to suicide--cars especially taxi's have the right of way no matter what everyone walks, all children are transported in Maclaren strollers. If it doesn't rain in the morning it will by afternoon and nobody minds--you just keep going and doing a missionary that I meet last night is Rosanne Hall's sister--and just as delightful.
We move into our flat on Thursday--yeah--yeah no more suitcase living. The Hyde Park Chapel is going to be closed down for total renovation in September so the people that are in charge are deciding where we are going to be relocated for 7 months. It will be interesting.
I feel bad that we are missing special events but I am sure that you will all do well without me and things will go on. We will all have lots to share in two years.
We are walking lots and doing lots of stairs just fine.
Love, M
We move into our flat on Thursday--yeah--yeah no more suitcase living. The Hyde Park Chapel is going to be closed down for total renovation in September so the people that are in charge are deciding where we are going to be relocated for 7 months. It will be interesting.
I feel bad that we are missing special events but I am sure that you will all do well without me and things will go on. We will all have lots to share in two years.
We are walking lots and doing lots of stairs just fine.
Love, M
6.20.2011
Tell M & M that tennis is in the air here. Every hotel booked and crowded transportation as Wimbledon is in full swing. Some tennis fans that we were talking with said that this year because of how the matches have been set up that it is rigged. This was done in order to cause more ££ to come in because of the potential conflicts and eliminations. I have no idea what they are talking about. But tennis certainly is the focus. Things are fine--we even ventured out on the bus today to a crazy shopping area for household items. We made it there and back.
Our thoughts and prayers are with Ali and her family. The person in Meg's ward whose parents are here is Sara Roberts. Take care.
Love, m and d
Our thoughts and prayers are with Ali and her family. The person in Meg's ward whose parents are here is Sara Roberts. Take care.
Love, m and d
6.17.2011
We are at the office early because the hotel room is so small and with all of our luggage it is crowded. what is going on--e-mail me. I am contact starved. It is cool here and rainy--duh--it's London but it doesn't stop anyone from going and doing. Can you believe this--I am going to have to become the computer expert--don't laugh Adam. the people are good and we are finding out that there is lots of chiefs and we are the Indians--which is fine with me. I really can just be quiet and listen. I am about to go crazy from living in very small quarters--I mean really small--bed sized and living out of a suitcase. We saw the flat yesterday. I will have to do some color addition--but after these last three weeks living in very small quarters it seems rather roomy. We miss each of you--wonder about your daily activities.
Love, M
Note--on these British keyboards there is an extra key next to the Z so between the Z and the shift key so every time I go to capitalize a word I hit the \\\\\---
Love, M
Note--on these British keyboards there is an extra key next to the Z so between the Z and the shift key so every time I go to capitalize a word I hit the \\\\\---
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