I couldn't resist...

...taking another quiz. Since the title was, "What City Do You Belong In?" I wanted to know if happened to be any of the cities I have been (or are going to). Turns out, I shouldn't be surprised. I *love* Paris and I'm actually trying to figure out how I can coordinate a stopover in Paris on my way to Cape Town. Stay tuned.

You Belong in Paris

Stylish and expressive, you were meant for Paris. The art, the fashion, the wine! Whether you're enjoying the cafe life or a beautiful park... You'll love living in the most chic place on earth.

What City Do You Belong In?

"Tis the Season

I know I promised to update the blog, and I will. I promise. When I get home from LA next Friday, I am home for *TWO* whole weeks. I have a rather large list of things to do and preparing the blog for my next adventure is most definitely on the list. In the meantime, here's a link to a quiz posted by my friend Jane - couldn't resist the opportunity for a quiz. So, the question is.... what reindeer are you?

You Are Prancer

You are the perfect reindeer, with perfect hooves and perfect flying form. Why You're Naughty: Because you're Santa's pet, and you won't let anyone show you up. Why You're Nice: You have the softest fur and the sweetest carrot breath.

Which of Santa's Reindeer Are You?

Is Anyone Still Out There?

Okay, so I know its been a while. Well, let's be honest, it's been 4 months since I last blogged. As most of you know, when I left Manchester I went pretty much directly to Surf City, USA (a.k.a. Huntington Beach, California). The cross-country commute has been a killer, so the blogging has taken a back seat. That, and there has not been much picture-taking going on.

But, I do have some catching up to do, so look for more blog posts this week as I am on vacation this week! Woo Hoo!

Never Dare Mother Nature

So, I left the hotel this morning without a jacket or raincoat (see blog entry below). Basically, I dated Mother Nature to rain on me on my last day in Manchester. Never DARE Mother Nature. She *always* wins. I should have known better.

Oh, well.

Living Dangerously

It's my last day! The countdown is over, even if the work is not. By this time tomorrow, I will be making my way to the airport and coming home. Hard to believe. I have one more week at home, supporting the client over here, but that's it. My teammate Paul will be coming back to Manchester to pick up where I have left off and hopefully get this project live (I may have mentioned the ah, minor, project set back we've had?).

Anyways, thanks to the blog readers who have posted comments and kept me going through this experience. You never know where I might be.... next project is in sunny California - after that, who knows?

Why have I titled this entry "Living Dangerously?" I decided, as I walked out the door this morning, NOT to wear my rain jacket and NOT to carry an umbrella. I just dare it to rain today. Hah!

Not sure why I can't seem to put titles in any more, but just add that to my ever increasing list of technical difficulties this week..... Sigh. Some days, technology just stinks.

So, the countdown continues.... TWO days from now, I will be headed to the airport at this time. Tomorrow is my last day actually at the client site. But, that only means there is MUCH to be done between now and then. So, I had better get back to work. Many, many thanks to Katie and Debbie Jo for blogging a comment. It's nice to know you're out there.

I do have pictures to post, but I keep falling asleep when I get back to the hotel. I actually fell asleep the other night with all my clothes on. I vaguely remember waking up in the middle of the night, realizing I still had my clothes on, but just couldn't muster up enough energy to do anything about it.

I am really not sure who, if anyone, is reading the blog besides Katie and Jane. But if anyone is interested, I am coming home.On.Friday. It seems hard to believe that all these weeks have come to an end. I wish I could tell you that my project would be completed before I fly home, but that will not be the case. The project suffered a major set back last week when one of the users at the client mistakenly overwrote a major piece of code. After spending 2 days trying to resurrect it, they decided to install the last back of the code that was taken - a week previously. What that means, to the non-technical out there, is that this process effectively deleted a weeks' worth of my work. So, if it wasn't enough fun the first time around, I get to do it all.over.again. Ah, clients. Can't live with 'em; can't live without 'em. Sigh.

So, my last few days in England will be spent getting them to the place where they can begin testing everything I have done (so maybe its not such a bad thing that I will be 3 thousand miles away next week!). Although, I will be supporting these guys for 1 more week from home (well, technically, Mom and Dad's home). And then it's off to.......

Sunny California. My boss has already assigned me to my next project in southern California. So, now I will begin a 3 thousand mile commute in the opposite direction. Thankfully, it is only a 3-hour time difference to the left coast and I CAN come home every weekend, if I so choose. This new project is slated for approximately 5 months. I understand I will be very close to Disneyland, and several friends have mentioned the possibility of coming out for a weekend (what? you'd rather come visit sunny California than dreary, rainy Manchester? I'm shocked).

If I can stay awake long enough tonight, I will try and post some pictures from my trip to Edinburgh this past weekend. Beautiful city, would love to go back. I have my requisite bottle of scotch already packed in the suitcase. Yes, I am already packed to come home. :-)

England Goes Smoke Free

Today is July 1st and England officially goes "Smoke Free." Mancy cities and towns across America have instituted smoking bans in public places over the past few years. Today, England insitutes a country-wide smoking pan in public places - including resturants and pubs. :-)

Not sure if it applies to Scotland. I'll let you know next week.

That is your English trivia for today.

Countdown

12 Days...... until I fly home. Seems hard to believe, but its true. Of course, I am feeling a bit overwhelmed by the amount of work to do between now and then, but I am looking forward to going home and re-establishing my own routine. While this has been a great experience, there's "no place like home."

Today may be July 1st, it does not seem like summer to me. I feel like I am in a bit of a time warp. Each day is like the previous. I have heard that it has been HOT and HUMID at home. I can't say its been hot here at all. We are lucky to get to the mid-60s most days. As far as humid, well, I guess we are generally at 100% - that is - RAIN. It has rained here for several days now. I still see people wearing winter coats. I myself am still wearing a sweater - wool or cotton - every day and sometimes adding a jacket on top of that. I will be throwing out my umbrella before coming home as the darn thing just doesn't close right anymore. Too much overuse, I imagine.

Do I sound homesick? Yeah, I guess. But 12 days is nothin'.

The Name Game

One of the folks at my client started asking me yesterday about the names of English cities and towns that also exist in the U.S., specifically in New England. He started firing off names from England and I fired back their U.S. counterparts. We came up with quite a list in just a few minutes:

Plymouth, MA (of course!)
Gloucester, MA
Worcester, MA
Manchester, NH
Bristol, RI
Portsmouth, RI
Dover, MA
Weymouth, MA
Boston, MA
Cambridge, MA
Brighton, MA
NEW London, CT
Derby, CT
Norwich, CT
NEW York
Birmingham, AL

There were several others. In fact, the only 2 I could not think of U.S. counterparts for were Leeds and Liverpool - is there a Liverpool anywhere in the U.S.??

Can any of you blog readers add to the list? Get out your Atlas!

A London Landmark

Among all the famous landmarks in London, nothing seems more iconic to me than Tower Bridge. It's a beautiful bridge, from the water, from land and from the bridge itself.

Look Kids - Big Ben, Parliment

I couldn't resist the quote from "National Lampoon's European Adventure." We didn't get stuck in a roundabout, but decided to take a cruise on the Thames, instead. We went right by the houses of Parliment, under London Bridge, under Tower Bridge and by the Tower of London (more pictures of that later).

If you look closely - you will see another boat in the Thames - that lucks suspiciously like a Duck. Yup, there are "Duck Tours" in London, too!

Family Picture

I was not all that interested in having my picture taken (I would rather be *behind* the camera), I did agree to one family picture in London. Mind you, there are several key members of the family missing, but these are the family members that were present.

Look Who We Found.....

Dedicated blog readers will remember my earlier posts about the statue of Abraham Lincoln that I found in Manchester. Well, look who stands in the shadow of Westminster Abbey? There is no plaque on the statue, but it was nice to see that his greatness as a leader is recognized outside the United States.

London

So, when I couldn't get home for another visit in June, Mom and Dad flew to London for a visit. We had a great time - Mom and I were interested in checking out the antiques in London, so we went to the famous Portobello Road Market on Saturday morning. We found a few souveniers and Dad was a great sport while we poked around. From there, we went to the Winston Churchill Museum and The Cabinet War Rooms. Very cool. If you ever have a chance to go to London, this museum is a must-see. The Cainet War Rooms operated around the clock from the beginning of the war in 1939 to its end in August 1945. As the story goes, the day after V-E day, the soldiers stationed at the Cabinet War Rooms, straightened their desks, shut off the lights for the first time in 6 years and locked the doors behind them. That's the way these rooms stayed until the late 70's when the rooms were opened up. Today, the museum gives you a great perspective on what life was like in this underground bunker. The maps are still on the walls - complete with pins marking troop movement and pivotal battles. The walls have been removed and replaced with Plexiglass in many areas so that you can get a perspective on what life was like while the Germans were bombing London over their heads. You can see where Churchill slept, ate and made secure phone calls across the Atlantic to the American President, planning their strategy. It is an amazing look back into a period of time that changed the face of history. Here's a picture of Mom and Dad outside the entrance to the museum and a link to the museum itself.

www.iwm.org.uk/cabinet

More Faces I Can't Wait to See Again

So, I am trying to catch up some pictures I have not been able to post while I was having some IE issues. Here are pictures of Danny, Katie and the newest Hickey - Jack, taken on the Cape when I was home at Memorial Day. Jack is a year and half and an absolute sweetie. He has even managed to win over Suzi, who was not too sure about the "new kid." Jack is a total love and it absolutely dedicated to his family. He has earned the nickname "Lickey Hickey" (for the obvious reasons) and visitors to the house are subject to a "Jack Attack." I can't WAIT to see these guys again.

Edinburgh

So, I decided that I needed a treat to look forward to over the next few weeks. There are many long days ahead of me before this project will go-live and I will be working on my birthday and the 4th of July this year (as you can imagine, the Brits don't celebrate the American Independence Day). I just booked myself a weekend at the Marriott Dalmahoy Hotel & Country Club in Edinburgh. There's also a spa at the hotel, so I will be calling them as soon as they open this morning to make a few appointments. :-) It's already improved my mood today. I'll get a change of scenery, a chance to relax and the opportunity to see another part of the world that I have not been to before returning to the States on July 13th (for those of you keeping track, that is THREE weeks from today).

My good friend Paul has been in Edinburgh for work this week, so I am sure he can give me some sightseeing tips. Edinburgh Castle is a must. Since a good part of my Saturday will be spent at the spa, Sunday will be my main sightseeing day. It will be a good orientation to a new city - and I can always return.

Did you ever wonder....

what the difference is between "England," "Great Britain" and the "United Kingdom?"

I did. So, here's the answer. England is the country of England itself. Great Britain includes England, Scotland and Wales. The United Kingdon includes Great Britain and Northen Ireland. Got it? Okay - that is your trivia for today.

Happy Summer!

Happy Summer, blog readers (whoever you may be!). Today is June 21st, the summer solstice, the longest day of the year. And, the "official" start of summer. May you all have a long, fun, safe and enjoyable summer.

Dig out your beach gear and fire up the bar-b-que!

Mark Twain has never been to Manchester

So, I think most Americans are familiar with the quote from Mark Twain, "If you don't like the weather in New England, wait a minute."

I am going to make the broad assumption that Mark Twain never traveled to Manchester, UK.

I woke up this morning, convinced I had overslept because it was *so* bright in my hotel room. When the phone rang, I thought it was going to be my client wondering where I was, but no, it was my wake up call at 6:45.

Walking to the office this morning, I made a point of saying to myself that I just HAD to blog what a beautiful morning it was in Manchester. Clear blue skies over the gorgeous Town Hall. It was going to be a great day.

Then I got to the office, started checking email, etc. and looked out my window. Gone were the blue skies of only a hour before. Now it looks like rain is headed our way.

The speed with which the weather can turn over here can make you dizzy. Mark Twain's got nothin' on Manchester. Enjoy the blue skies when you can! They sure don't last very long.

A License for your TV?

There's a small billboard outside the office in Manchester that I see every day on my walk to and from work. They recently changed the billboard and the new message is essentially that "they" have a database and know where ALL the TVs are in Britain and to make sure you have a license for your TV.

A license for your TV???? OK, I'll bite. So I asked one of the Brits I work with what that is all about, and sure enough, you need a license for every TV in your home. The fee is 200GBP (approx. $400) a year - per TV.

Evidently, the licensing fee is used to fund the BBC. The BBC does not show any commercials.

So, there is your British trivia for today.

Technical Difficulties

OK, I know I *promised* to post some pictures from London, etc. this weekend. And I DID download the pictures from my camera. However, everytime I uploaded a picture to the post, Internet Explorer shut down on me. Every time! And it's not a Blogger issue as it also happened when I was checking my work email through the internet and other sites I may have visited. I checked for IE updates, but it says my laptop is up to date. Does anyone have any ideas?

Some days, I just hate technology. :-(

A Prayer for Fathers

When my Grandpa died, back in 1974, my Dad found the following prayer among his things. He read it at my Nana's funeral a few years ago as the prayer could just as easily apply to mothers as fathers. I post it here in honor of Father's Day:

If fathers, by and large, weren’t pretty admirable men,
we would find it difficult, if not impossible to pray the Lord’s Prayer without having the words turn sour in our mouths.

But we do not find it difficult at all; we find it easy.

And that is so because countless fathers, by their kindness to their children, their watchfulness over them and their sacrifices for them, have endowed the word “father” with lovable meanings.

8 Random Things....

So, my good friend Jane has a blog and she was "tagged" by another blogger to post 8 "random" things about herself. She, in turn, tagged me and some other blogging friends to do the same. It is not easy to come up with random things about yourself and as Jane found out, her friends were more than happy to point out some random things about HER! So, here goes. Feel free to add comments if I have left out any pertinent randomness about myself.

1) My contacts prescription is -7.25 (no, that is not a type - I wish it were). Many people don't even know that I wear contacts and that is because you will never see me in glasses if I can help it. Think about how thick my glasses would be. I would love to have Lasik surgery, but that brings me to randomness #2.

2) I have a total eye phobia. I think this stems back to an "art cinema" class my Mom took when she was finishing her degree at Regis College. I happened to watch a black & white film with her that was part of her homework and let's just say, I would NOT call it art. There was a scene, that I will spare all of you by NOT describing, but suffice it to say, my stomach rolls just thinking of it. I explained all this to my eye doctor a few years ago when we talked about Lasik and he said they could give me a LOT of Valium to get me through the procedure. I'm still considering it.

3) I can only wink with my left eye. This is a source of great humor for my family, especially my niece and nephew, who can effectively wink with either eye. Obviously, I possess some sort of genetic defect within the family. (no further comments are necessary).

4) Speaking of nieces and nephews - I have one of each. Most of you probably know this, so perhaps it is not random. I do, however, have three godchildren. Katie (also my niece) will be 12 this summer; Logan (the son of one of my best friends from college) just turned 6; and, Thomas (the newly adopted son of my best friend from high school) just turned 1. I can think of no greater honor to have been asked to fulfill this role and they are very special to me.

5) I have kissed the Blarney Stone twice. Again, this may not be surprising to any of you, as I can strike up a conversation with just about anyone. My Nana, shortly before she died, starting calling me "Chit Chat" which was also a source of great amusement to my family.

6) I have NO idea how to work a sewing machine or hem a pair of pants. Cross-stitch, needlepoint, embroidery - I can show you examples of each. Put me in front of a sewing machine and I would just stare at it. I actually own a sewing machine, too - my Nana gave me one years ago!

7) If I were to have been born a boy, I would have been named "Daniel Patrick." My nephew is named "Daniel Joseph," so we ended up with a Danny in the family after all! ;-)

8) I'm stumped to think of an 8th random thing about me, so I am challenging all of you to come up with one. Post some comments - I'd love to hear what you come up with - I am sure I can count on Jane for a few suggestions! :-)

Happy Father's Day

It's still bright and early back at home (well, it's early, at least!), but I wanted to wish my Dad a Happy Father's Day! I'm sorry I can't be there to hang out and do Sudoku with you or go to a car show, but I am trying my best to get home on the appointed date so we can have that family BBQ.

Happy Father's Day as well to my brother, John (a.k.a Bro) and to the other fathers I know (Paul, Pat, Jeff, Mohammad, Bill, Nate, Justin, Todd, et al).

Love,
Faith

Nightlights

I was talking to one of the project team members the other day that reminded me about something else I should post about the life of a consultant.....

Natasha was telling me how she cannot sleep without it being completely dark in the room. She has room darkening shades, wood blinds AND curtains on the window, which she closes every night. She still sees light peeking through (it is light in Manchester until about 10:00 these days) and has to tuck the curtains around the window to block the light.

I, on the other hand, have developed the ability to sleep soundly through the night with ALL the lights on in the room. No problem. I developed this ability out of necessity. Spending as much time in hotels as I do - I have, on occasion, woken up in the middle of the night with NO idea where I was. In fact, I remember a particular occasion earlier this year when I sat straight up in bed, my heart **racing** because I had NO idea where I was. For one seemed like minutes (but was probably only seconds), I stared at a lamp on the other side of the room, wondering where in the world I was. After a few seconds/minutes of panic, I realized I was in my own room, at HOME! I fell back to the bed and was asleep within seconds.

So, although I don't **need** a nightlight, maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea.......

The Mountain is Coming to ME!

You know the old saying about how if Mohammad can't get to the mountain, the mountain just has to get to Mohammad? Well, since I can't squeeze in another trip home in June, I convinced my boss that I should be able to fly someone over for a visit instead.

So, Friday night, Mom and Dad are arriving in London! Funny, they weren't all that interested in coming to Manchester...... Anyways, I have been wanting to get down to London myself as I have not been there since I was a senior in college. So, I redeemed the rest of my Marriott points and will be taking the train from Manchester to London after work on Friday. The three of us have a nice long-weekend planned for ourselves. Everyone was interested in seeing a show and Dad requested to see Phantom; I wanted to see Wicked. So, we're seeing both. Dad's logic is that he only gets to London once every 10 years, so why not do it up right? Sounds fair to me. So far, Mom is just going with the flow.

Also on the agenda for this weekend: the Tower of London (I want to see the Crown Jewels and the Torture Devices exhibit - my morbid sense of curiosity, I guess), a double-decker bus tour, Westminster Abbey and a tour of Buckingham Palace. Mom and I would love to check out one of the London Antiques markets. We'll see if Dad will go for it. :-)

So, stay tuned next week for some pictures from our excursion!

The life of a consultant

I was just talking to a friend/co-worker who told me that at a previous project, he and his team had concocted a list: "You know you have been a consultant too long when..." He could not remember everything on their list, but I decided to start my own....

1) You refer to the hotel as "home."
2) You dial "9" before making a phone call - from HOME (I have a really funny story about this one - ask me about it sometime).
3) You have memorized your credit card number, expiration date and that little security code they ask you for now.
4) You have memorized your most frequently used Frequent Flier account, know exactly how many miles you have in said account and the number of miles necessary to reach the next level of "status." The same holds true for your favorite hotel account.
5) Your mailman is more familiar with your travel schedule than your family and close friends.
6) Being home on "Garbage Day" is a reason for pure excitement (my garbage day is on Wednesday. Now I ask you - when was the last time I was home on a WEDNESDAY?)
7) The term "vacation" is most cherished when it has nothing to do with a hotel reservation.
8) Being home long enough to actually unpack and put the suitcase away in the closet feels strange.

I am sure I could come up with a few more if I thought about it..... or feel feel to contribute you own. I am quite confident there are some blog readers who can relate to this.......

Sweet or Salty?

I am somewhat at a loss of what to do on the weekends, as I am used to having SO much to do at home that having "free" time seems a bit strange. I have been reading lots of paperbacks and doing some needlework and going to at least one movie every weekend. There has not been a whole lot to choose from at the movies this spring and some of the movies being released in the US are not being released over here (e.g., Georgia Rule - although my friend Erin says I am not missing anything with that one!). There are 2 movie theaters in walking distance from my hotel, so I check online at the end of each week and plan my movie strategy! The first time I went to the movies over here, I went to the concession stand to get the obligatory "movie snack" of popcorn and a soda and the guy behind the counter asked me if I wanted "sweet or salty" popcorn. "What's sweet popcorn," I asked? It's got a light coating of toffee on it. YUM. I am addicted. I have done a good amount of complaining about the quality of British food, but let me tell you, they do toffee right. I brought some home for Kathy (remember she is the one bringing in all that mail every few days) and some to my family. It was a big hit with all involved. Kathy's son Connor has requested replenishment already! And I am sure Danny would not turn it down, either. ;-)

So, if you are ever at the movies in England, I highly recommend the "sweet" popcorn.

There's NO Place Like Home....

Once again, I apologize for the gap in time since my last postings. I actually managed a trip home last weekend. I flew home on Friday, landing at Logan around noontime. Dad picked me up at the airport and we made our way back to my house (after first satifying my craving for a good old American hamburger!) and promptly fell asleep - Dad in the chair and me on the sofa, for a good hour and a half! Dad got to work on a project in my basement and eventually I made my way over to Kathy's to pick up my mail - all FOUR shopping bags of it. When I brought it home, I stood in the kitchen next to the garbage and filtered out all the junk mail. Over the course of the weekend, I managed to flip through most of the catalogs, but I saved the People magazines (thanks again Justin and Connor!) to bring back to England. I was *still* opening mail on Wednesday before flying back to Manchester that night. I can only imagine how much will be waiting for me when I get back in July. Many, many thanks to Kathy for taking on the job of bringing in my mail every few days and letting me know when something important comes through.

The rest of the weekend was a blur - and I am not exaggerating. I am not sure where the time went and it already seems like forever ago that I was home at all. However, now I am on the home stretch of the project and I am bond and determined to get everything live so I can fly home on July 13th for good. On the bright side, I am expecting visitors next weekend! Mom and Dad are flying over to London on Friday and I am going to take the train down and meet them after work. I am still debating as to whether I will take Monday and Tuesday off or just Monday, but it will totally depend on how much work I can get done this week. Wish me luck! Mom and Dad are staying through Wednesday and I made reservations for us at the Marriott on Regent's Park - thank God for all those Marriott points! All those nights in Lyndhurst, NJ are paying off! ;-)

Two of the Cutest Faces I Can't Wait to See Again...

Are these 2 of the cutest faces you've ever seen or what? Wouldn't you miss these faces, too?

For those who have not had the pleasure of meeting these guys, Ben is on top and Suzi is on the the bottom.

Go Car

This one's for Danny.....

So there are a lot of cars in England that we don't see too often in the U.S. Among them is what they call a "Smart Car," but I think they look so silly, I've been calling them "Go Cars." They are tiny 2-seater cars that look like they would fold like a house of cars in an accident. But, I have heard that they are fabulous on gas mileage, and when petrol is 95 a litre (with the exchange rate, that's about $8 a gallon), I guess they make sense. But, they are silly looking.

Hi Ho, Hi Ho.....

I just realized I have not posted anything to the blog in over a week. Last week was all about work. Things are really getting busy and we were preparing for Proof-of-Concept sessions this week, so we were working against a deadline. I am now on a first name basis with the head of security and the lady that cleans our office.

However, we had our first of three Proof-of-Concept sessions today and it went pretty well. So, its all worth it. And, in case anyone is keeping track, I fly home in 3 days. Woo Hoo! I get into Logan about noontime and Dad is picking me up. It's going to be a whirlwind weekend, but it will be nice to sleep in my own bed, spend some time on the Cape with the family (of the human and canine variety) and generally relax. It will be my only trip home until I finish the project in July and I am sure it will just fly by.

I have been told by my friends at the front desk that I am now a "VIP" at the Arora International, so there is a chance I'll get upgraded when I check in again next Thursday. Somehow, being a VIP doesn't feel as special as it should.......

Alarm Clocks

At home (and by home, I mean the greater US of A), I have used my cell phone as my alarm clock for several years now. It works for me. Now, I have always wondered why the snooze function is set for 9 minutes. Why 9? Why NOT 10? I know its not just my cell phone that has the "9 minute snooze" - I have had alarm clocks that did the same thing. If anyone can shed some light in this, I am listening.

Now, why do I mention this now, are you asking? Well in Manchester, I am not using my cell phone - in fact, it has been turned off since I got on the plane in Boston. So, I am using the hotel's wake up call service. Now, if I set the alarm for 6:15, the call comes in 6:10. And no, this is not a case of my clock or watch being 5 minutes slow. The voice on the other side of the wake up call TELLS me they are waking me up at 6:10. Now, I ask you - if I wanted to be woken up at 6:10, wouldn't I have set the wake up call for 6:10????? However, the snooze function is an even 10 minutes. :-)

The Project Team

So, it's always nice to see where people spend their time. Here are some pictures of where I spend the majority of my days right now.

The first picture is the desk I share with Paul, the other TradeStone consultant on the project with me. Paul is a Brit and lives down by London, so he takes the train up on Monday mornings and goes home on Thursday evenings (I remember those days.....).

The other picture are members of the project team from the client who share the project office with us. On the far left is Jackie, who just turned 30 last weekend and threw a big party. Moving to the right is Gary, Sam and Natasha. They are a great group and are definitely the liveliest project team I have ever worked with.

101 Things to Do....

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a maker of lists. At any given time I have a list of things to do - even now, I am adding things to the list that I want to do when I get home this summer. So, when I came across this book at a shop in Manchester, I had to buy it. I am thinking if I start now, but the time I am *old* I should be far from boring. That's the plan anyways.......

Anyone else want a copy?

Blog Central

So, I showed you a picture of the outside of my hotel, I thought I would show you a picture of the inside of my room - my true "home away from home." If you think the couch and chair look uncomfortable - you're right. I do not sit in them. The main purpose for the sofa was to store my super large suitcase for the first two weeks I was here. Taking this picture finally prompted me to clean it out and put it aside!

I just realized you can't see the couch - it's behind the dresser. Take my word for it. Very uncomfortable. Not like my nice sofa and chair at home...... sigh.......

1996 Bomb

As many of you will remember, there was a major bomb explosion in the city of Manchester in 1996. According to my travel guide:

"The IRA placed 80,000 lives at risk on a busy Saturday morning in the city centre by detonating a 3500lb bomb. But in a remarkable operation, the emergency services, given 45 minutes warning, cleared the streets and nobody was killed. The bomb was inside a van and positioned next to the postbox pictured here. This survived the blast, and is the only thing that carries any memorial to this event. The damage estimates from the explosion, which ripped out the prime retail area of the city, amounted to 700GBP, with 670 businesses having to relocate. The city response was lively and positive and the atrocity was turned into an opportunity. Within a few weeks and months, a Lord mayor's fund had raised money to help those affected and a decision had been taken to rebuild the city centre better than before."

I can tell you that today, the city's main shopping area surrounds the former destruction and on a Saturday morning, the streets are literally teeming with people out shopping. There are street performers and open air markets. I was told by the tour guide that the removed this post box from the site during the renovation, but returned it to the same position. Today there is a small gold plaque attached to the post box to mark its place in history, but you could walk right by it and never know the piece of history you just experienced.

The plaque on the post box reads: "This postbox remained standing almost undamaged on June 15th, 1996 when this area was devestated by a bomb. The box was removed during the rebuilding of the city area and was returned to its original site on November 22nd 1999."

PS - of course, someone on the tour also suggested that they construct the buildings out of whatever the make those post boxes out of. Hmm... not a bad idea.

The Peace Garden

When I was taking my walking tour of Manchester a few weeks ago, we started right outside the Visitors Center, behind the Town Hall. I'll post some pictures of the Town Hall as it is a beautiful building. But, this is about the Peace Garden. Evidently, a few years ago, Manchester's City Council declared the City of Manchester to be a "nuclear free zone." So, they erected a Peace Garden and placed this statue to commerate the event. Since doves are the international symbol of peace, there are quite a few of them in the statue. However, locally, this statue is known as the "woman with the pigeons." Now, I'll tell you - I have seen some of these pigeons and they are among the fattest pigeons I have ever seen. One of the young men on my tour, when the guide told us this was a nuclear free zone, commented - "No Bombs Allowed." I thought that was quite funny and will dovetail nicely into my next blog. :-) Hah! Dovetail! I didn't even catch my own pun at first!

The United Nations of Flight Crews

First of all, my apologies for the lack of blog postings this week. Work (you know, the *real* reason I am over here!) has started to pick up and I anticipate some late nights next week. However, I am **coming home** in less than 2 weeks to celebrate Memorial Day in the good old U.S.A. I fly home Friday morning and fly back Wednesday night. Somehow, I am sure it will all fly right by. By the time I come home, I will have been gone 5 1/2 weeks. So, I am ready for a nights' sleep in my own bed, some good American television and a hamburger!

So, why have I called this posting the United Nations of Flight Crews? Well, my co-worker Paul (who stays here Monday - Thursday) and I have noticed that pretty much every morning as we get ready to leave the hotel to walk to the office, there are one, two, sometimes even three - flight crews in the lobby of the hotel; checking in, checking out. From American, British Airways, Lufthansa and others. Their uniforms are all pretty similar, so its sometimes hard to tell. We are curious as to why they stay here instead of someplace closer to the airport, but I thinking when I fly back here in a couple of weeks, I may just ask my flight attendant where their staying - and hitch a ride!

Pub Night, Part II

So, being yesterday was Friday, I joined some of my new "chums" from the office at the local pub. I was expecting the same huge crowd I saw last week, so imagine my surprise when we got there and the place was compartively empty. When I asked why it was so much more crowded last week, they reminded me that last week was a payweek. Yikes.

Lincoln Square, Part Deux

For those of you that are keeping up with the BLOG, here is the second part of the inscription on the statue of President Lincoln in Lincoln Square in downtown Manchester......

Extract of a letter to the working people of Manchester 19th January 1863

...I know and deeply deplore the sufferings which the working people of Manchester and in all Europe all called to endure in this crisis. It has been often and studiously represented that the attempt to overthrow this Government which was built on the foundation of human rights, and to substitute for it, one which should rest exclusively on the basis of slavery was likely to obtain the favor of Europe. Through the action of disloyal citizens, the working people of Europe have been subjected to a severe trial for the purpose of their sanction to that attempt. Under these circumstances I cannot but abide your decisive utterances upon the question as an instance of sublime Christian heroism which has not been surpassed in any age or in any country. It is indeed an energetic and re-inspiring assurance of the inherent truth and of the ultimate and universal triumph of justice, humanity and freedom... ...I hail this interchange of sentiments, therefore, as an augury that, whatever else may happen, whatever misfortune may befall your country or my own, the peace and friendship which now exists between the two nations will be, as it shall be my desire to make them, perpetual.

Abraham Lincoln

Adding a Comment to the BLOG

OK, so quite a few of you have emailed me, telling me that you are trying to leave comments on the BLOG, but get prompted to enter a password. So, here's the scoop: when the comment window opens after you click the hyperlink, select the radio button that says "Other." It will give you a spot to enter your name and you might have to enter a code displayed on the screen for security. If you're still having issues, let me know. I'd love to hear from you!

Cheese Toasty

So my family and close friends will not be at all surprised that I have found the English equivalent of a grilled cheese sandwich. Its called a "cheese toasty" and they make them with cheddar cheese over here instead of American cheese (makes sense). Throw in a few tomatoes and you have a great lunch steps away from the office. :-)

Don't call them....

So, I've learned a few vocabulary words since I've been here. Among them:

bobbys - yes, if you call a police office a "bobby," everyone will know what you are talking about, but its a pretty outdated term, so they will probably guess that you are a foreigner (if your accent didn't already give you away).

Also, an English muffin is a "crumpet." I guess that goes along the same lines as that age-old question of what is Chinese food called in China?

Inferno

I was going to label this post "fire," but then I saw a newspaper headline on my way home last night that said, "120 Firefighters Battle City Inferno" and I thought that "Inferno" might make a catchier blog title. So, what am I talking about? Well, on my walk to the office yesterday morning, I could smell smoke, but could not tell where it was coming from. Well, the closer I got to the office, the more smoke I could see and smell. Turns out, one of the old Victorian mill buildings just a block from our office had caught fire sometime over night. As I walked by, they were hosing it down from one of those really tall ladder trucks over the building. Here's a picture - the red arrow is pointing at the building I work in, so you can see how close we were.

As of this morning, you can still smell smoke in the air (although not as bad as yesterday), the roads are still blocked off (its a "diversion," not a "detour" over here) and you can still see a bit of smoke coming out of the building.

Lincoln Square, Part I

I think I mentioned in an earlier post that Manchester was the world's leading textile manufacturer in the late 19th century and imported most (if not all) of its raw cotton from the souther United States. As such, the American Civil War had a tremendous impact on the Manchester economy and contributed to the Lancashire Cotton Famine from 1861 - 1865. There is a memorial to Abraham Lincoln in a small square not far from City Hall. What I have copied below is from a plaque on the statue and is an extract of an address "from the working people of Manchester to His Excellency Abraham Lincon, President of the United States of America."

Free Trade Hall Public Meeting 31 December 1862

"...the vast progress which you have made in the short space of twenty months fills us with hope that every stain on your freedom will shortly be removed and that the erasure of that foul blot on civilisation and Christianity-chattel slavery - during your Preseidency, will cause the name of Abraham Lincoln to be honoured and revered by posterity. We are certain that such a glorious consummation will cement Great Britain and the United States in close and enduring regards..."

Pretty cool. On another side of the monument is an extract of President Lincoln's repsponse to the people of Manchester. Stay tuned for Part II.

This one's for Dad and Danny

One of the most famous hotels in Manchester is the Midland Hotel. Its a beautiful old building, not too far from where I am staying. It's claim to fame is that it was the site of a meeting between 2 gentlemen: Charles Stuart Rolls and Fredrick Henry Royce in 1904. This meeting led to the formation of the now world-famous Rolls Royce car company. There are 2 plaques outside that commerate this event (if you look closely, you can see my reflection in one of them as I took the pictue!).

Pub Night

Back in college, "Pub Night" was generally Thursday nights. That's because, by the time we were old enough to drink (legally, that is), we were seniors and had pretty much arranged our class schedules to have Fridays off. A three-day weekend - EVERY weekend? Those were the days. Here in England, ANY night is pub night, but I guess the Friday night following payday is an especially popular pub night. And since most Brits get paid at the end of the month, tonight was the night. However, the non-smoking ban has not taken effect in Britain yet (I am told it is sometime this summer, although exact dates differ by who you ask), so I was not prepared to come back to my room smelling like an ashtray. :-(

However, I had a good excuse for leaving early, as my good friend Sherry has promised to give me a call tonight and I can't pass up a good chat fest from home. Especially since the only ringing phone I hear these days is my wake up call each morning!

Somehow, I feel quite confident that next Friday will be a "Pub Night," too.

Virtual Stitch

Among the many things I miss at home, is the opportunity to attend "Stitch Night" at my friend Cheryl's with the girls. It is sometimes the only opportunity I have to work on my cross-stitch or needlepoint projects (plural - there are always more than one!) and I have the added benefit of catching up with old (and new) friends from Talbots. Sometimes Cheryl's husband Bill cooks dinner and then I get to add a home-cooked (delicious) meal to the evening! What could be better? So, since Stitch Night is usually on Tuesdays, I have implemented "Virtual Stitch Night" where I will do my stitching from my hotel room and send them pictures each week with my progress. We'll see how that goes. At the moment, I am trying to find a needlework shop in Manchester so I can see what the English have to offer. No luck yet. I know there are some in the surrounding towns and certainly in London, but I need another project like I need a hole in the head. :-)

My magnetic personality

The room keys at my new home are imbedded with microchips (as opposed to the credit-card like strips that are found on most US hotel keys). You need a room key to access the elevator (or "lift" as the Brits call them), which is a nice safety feature. The other cool thing is that, once you enter your room, you place your room key in a small box on the wall right inside the door. The main purpose of this is to turn the lights on and off (the other purpose, I am sure, it to remind you to take the key with you when you leave). I think this is a great energy- saving feature and should be more widely adopted. Of course, it does not prevent me from sleeping with a few lights on (occupational hazard - I have, on occasion, woken up in the middle of the night and had absolutely NO idea where I was. Quite terrifying, I assure you).

Anyways, what does all of this have to do with my magnetic personality, you ask? Well, since checking in last Wednesday (I have now been here a week and a day!), I have had to have my room key re-keyed or replaced six times. The front desk is baffled and it has become somewhat of a joke. The best my friend Paul and I can determine is that my magnetic personality must be decoding my room key. What other explanation could there possibly be?????

My home away from home

I thought you might like to see where I have taken up residence for the next few months. This is a picture of the outside of the building; if I can remember to take some pictures of my room while the bed is still made, I will. Maybe this weekend.

Just in Case

On my way to and from the officce each day I pass the following storefront. I guess it's a good to know where you can find one of these services....... just in case! ;-)

Tuckers 24 Hr Criminal Lawyers (the sign's a little hard to read)

Ooops....

So my favorite 11-year old brought to my attention that you could not add a comment to my blog unless you were signed in..... Looks like I had a setting messed up. I have since changed it and you should be able to add comments now without an issue. Try it out - I would love to hear from you. :-)

PS - still raining today.

Mom always said....

to look both ways before crossing the street. That was never more true than here. Whereas we American are conditioned to looking left, then right, then left again before stepping out onto the street, that methodlogy would surely get you killed over here. Unfortunately, there are exceptions to every rule and Manchester seems to have more than its fair share of one way streets that totally negates the reverse logic of looking right, then left, then right again! So, I try to be as careful as possible and just follow the crowd (at least I will die with company, I guess!). My biggest fear is that about the time I finally adapt to crossing the street in England, I will get back home and immeadiately step in front of the first MBTA bus that comes my way.

It finally rained

I checked out the Vistor's Center and low and behold there was a walking tour leaving in 10 minutes. So, I joined in. Among the many interesting things I learned on the tour is that, during the American Civil War, many Manchester citizens wrote letters of support to President Lincoln. This is quite notable since much of the cotton harvested by the southern slaves was transported to Manchester as it was a large producer of textiles. The impact of the abolution of slavery had a significant impact on the Manchester economy. None the less, there is a statue of Lincoln in a square near the city hall. I did not get a picture of it, but I will try and make my way back and post one soon. Also, I need to post a picture of the City Hall as it is an absolutely beautiful building. Very gothic.

Today I checked out the art museum and I will definitely be going back - its free and right across the street. What could be more convenient? When I left the museum, it had rained, so now Manchester has lived up to its reputation. We will see how the weather holds for the rest of the week.

The internet service at the hotel was down for most of the weekend, which had me feeling a bit isolated at times. But, here it is 11:00 (when I should be getting to bed), but I thought, let me check one last time - and it's up. I feel like an addict getting a fix! What did we ever do without the internet??

More tomorrow.

Jolly England

Well, I guess it is best to start at the beginning. I arrived in Manchester bright and early Wednesday morning (how early depends on the time zone your frame of reference is in). For me, it was about 2:30 AM, but in England, it was 7:30 AM, so I've spent the rest of the week adapting to my NEW frame of reference.) :-)

Those famous black London cabs are also prevalent in the north of England and I had a nice cabbie named John, who took me to my hotel and chatted all the way. He was very specific in telling me that I should *never* hail a cab that is not a licensed black cab. He apologized for sounding like my father, but I assured him that my Dad would appreciate his dispensing with that critical advice.

My co-worker Paul was waiting for me at the hotel and since there was no room available for me to check into, I stored my luggage, brushed my teeth and off we went. Everyone at the client is extremely friendly and it was a pretty low-key day getting acclimated to the office, etc. I have to keep reminding myself that, over here, *I* am the one with the funny accent.

Today is Saturday and I slept in quite late. My plan is to head over to the Visitors Center nearby and collect some brochures on things to do & places to go over the next few months. I did bring my camera, so I will be posting some pictures soon.