February 7th - DRIVING..OMG

Well, today was another of many firsts here in London...the streets were not safe...I drove!! We picked up our Lady Bird (aka Ladybug)..a cute red and black mini cooper...the nice gal at the dealership went through all the particulars of the car and then wished me well...I was a wreck..I had to not only learn how to drive a new car (with the steering wheel on the right, the gear shift on the left, the seatbelt over my right shoulder) but drive in a city and on the LEFT side. I was severely nauseous for the first 20 minutes, driving by Hyde Park, our old Hotel, and then..omg through a roundabout...I thought for sure I would not survive the Piccadilly Circle roundabout in one piece. I was happy to be alone for that experience. White knuckle time and lots of obscene muttering under my breath... I made a beeline for the house, past Harrods without even a wave and then parked in front with a sigh of relief...then I forced myself to go back out and do it again...this time I was only mildly queasy..up and through Hyde Park and back down Kensington High Street, past the girl's school and home...yeah... again in one piece with only some minor damage to the new front left tire when I got too close to the left curb - it's hard to judge your distance on that side Bob. Then the third trip around..I actually turned the radio on...by the time I was almost home I grabbed my cell and was checking for any emails...about 1 hour of driving.. 

Then it was time to pick Meg up from school...so I parked the Lady Bird in front of the house and grabbed the bus!! 

We did use the car to pick Rachel and Lauren up and they were excited to see it..when we got home, we had to park about 2 streets away from our house...no places near the house...cripes.. its almost as far to the car as to the bus. Anyway....it was an adventure...You are welcome to give it a go when you get here :) So long as there are no children in the car with you!! Fun Fun Fun... See how cute Lady Bird is.. http://www.mini.co.uk/UK/html/model_range/john_cooper_works/home.html 

Anyway, in regular business....we finally got cable tv hooked up, but only in one room..always a story..so the kids enjoyed Sponge Bob for the first time in over a month..we are all getting pretty tired of Grease2 and Rocky...Meg knows all the words...many she should not know at the age of 4... 

School is going well for Lauren and Megan..Rachel was out Mon and Tuesday but was back in today and enjoyed herself...they are reading Scripture (John the Baptist stories) as well as putting on a play from the Greek myth of Hades. I somehow said yes to being room mom..they saw the fresh meat and pounced (as we all would/have done in that situation of course)..not sure what I need to do yet..I am sure they will tell me before I miss something important. 

Lauren and a friend worked here last night on geography reports of countries of the Commonwealth..no Dad, not Pennsylvania....I already asked :) Megan was supposed to have a stay home day with me but asked if she could go to school (I moved quickly before she could change her mind) and they did baking and Valentines Day projects...fun day for her..she really likes her school. She said she was partners with a little girl who didn't talk at all...she doesn't speak English she told me...not uncommon in her school but at 4 nobody really holds it against you :) We are supposed to get snow in the morning..so we may all be home... Off to Sticky Fingers for dinner...Love you all!!