Shhhh.....sneak peek

The kitchen, dining room and living room renovation is on Week 5 now and we are getting so close I can taste the cookies baking in the oven!  A few before (as we purchased the house in January this year) and "as of now" photos!

Demo day 1

The new open plan kitchen and dining room (this is standing in the dining room looking into the kitchen)

The new floor in the kitchen and dining room (Travertine)

Yesterday's progress with the backsplash getting installed!

20-30% Chance

This weather in NJ has been very springish.  There is a chance of rain every day for like the past month.  WTF?  I mean with a chance which is normally like 20-30% it rains every day.  Shouldn't that make it a 100% chance everyday?  It would only seem fitting then that Scott and I joined a Golf Club (well a Country Club but focus on golf) near our house for their Junior Summer program and of course it wants to rain every day. 

We have snuck in quite a bit of golf though.  You see when we went out for the first time this year which was the day I landed from the Europe trip, Scott was so enthused that one of the first things out of his mouth when he greeted me at arrivals at Newark airport was, "Do you want to go golfing when we get home?"  Seeing the look on his face of pure joy, I couldn't say no.  We get to the club and were talking to the starter and he had asked when the last time we played was and I said oh almost two years ago.  You could imagine the look on his face.  Needless to say, we have been out every weekend for at least 9 holes and some weeknights for 9 holes too. 

Yesterday we headed out to play and Scott was all ready for 18 but my parents were coming over for dinner so we could only play 9.  I said let's walk it with no caddy since it will be good exercise.  I think about 1 1/2 holes in Scott looked at me and said, "great idea walking."  I turn to look at him and he is soaked with sweat from carrying the golf bag.  Whoops.  All in all it was a very tough walk as this 9 we played was all uphill and it was about 90 degrees out yesterday.  We get home and are getting the table outside cleaned off and ready for dinner before my parents arrived and sure enough it starts to pour.  There is that damn 20-30% chance of rain again.  Can't they ever get it right? 

12,722 miles

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of returning to Europe (for work) with a few scheduled stops on the trip.  I boarded the flight and was seated next to a business woman whom was going over for a conference. I don't sleep well on overnight flights so I knew that a few movies would be seen and maybe start reading the book that every woman seems to be talking about, 50 Shades of Grey. 

First stop was Copenhagen on the route.  I had a few meetings to attend here since we have a holding company based in Denmark and I needed to meet with a Trust Company, our auditors and also our tax advisers.  I was pretty exhausted that am but managed through my one meeting that day after downing cup after cup of coffee. 

No nap for the weary as it was time to enjoy the gorgeous weather and get some fresh air! 

I enjoyed lunch outside with the perfect view!



Lunch settled in and it was time to get back to the hotel to get some work done since the US was going to be logging in for the day.  Along the walk back I stopped for a few photo ops.

The next day was packed with two meetings which were both long and then a trip back to the airport to Brussels.  I landed in Brussels and I had though I had entered winter again.  Last I knew it was May and I know it isn't summer but hot damn it was freezing and I forgot a jacket!  I have been to Brussels before but never enough photos with the beautiful sky.  I reached out to Heather for a rec for dinner and was so looking forward to the Egyptian place she recommended that when I strolled in and said table for one, on a Tuesday mind you, he said sorry we are booked tonight.  SAY WHAT?  Headed off to her second recommendation and had a great dinner and a few beers!

Next up was a train ride from Brussels Centraal Station to Bergen Op Zoom, Netherlands for my next meeting.  Managed to arrive early enough that I decided to walk to the office and pass by a department store and pick up a new coat! 

After a night in Brussels it was time for the final leg of the journey which is what I was most looking forward to, reacquainting myself with London and all its glory!  But before I could get to London I grabbed a coffee at the airport and the lady said name please.  I politely said Libby and she said OK.  A drink comes up at the Barista counter and she says Grande Skinny Iced Caramel Macchiato.  I looked around to realize I was the only one there and Libby and Debbie have a similar ring to them that it must be me!   

After landing in Heathrow and getting asked about 100 questions on my work visa when we lived there and why I don't live there anymore, what do I do now, why am I here, who did I work for in the UK, etc. etc. I was greeted! 

Hopped on the tube and headed to the hotel, quickly checked in and headed to my old stomping grounds Chiswick.

It seemed like I never left when I got off at Turnham Green and walked to the flat where I was having dinner and drinks with our old neighbors.  It was wonderful catching up with the neighbors and all that has changed, etc.  But it was getting late and I knew they had to work the next day so I said my good-byes. 

The next day I met up with my former colleagues in Hammersmith for lunch on the river and had a great time catching up on all the news.  Oh the office drama! 

The day I left to fly over to Copenhagen was Mother's Day in the US and my cousin whom had just graduated from Arizona State University was in NYC for some job interviews with a few banks, I knew he was headed home to AZ that night and then off to Europe for a month and a half backpacking with a friend but didn't know his first stop was London and arriving on Thursday morning!  So I met up with the two of them and showed them around London for a little while but I think we spent a mere 6 hours in and out of a few pubs and finally to Busaba Eatthai for dinner!  There were two happy college grads to have had dinner and drinks paid for especially on day one and once food hit them they were wiped out, it was also 1am at this point. 

Friday I moved hotels to meet up with Suze as we were meeting up with some other fine ladies for dinner.  A little reunion of sorts.  Saw this and had to send Heather a note with the picture that I went on a shopping spree during my European trip.  I knew she would get a kick out of it.     

Had a blast on Friday night with the ladies for dinner then we headed to Covent garden for drinks and it seemed like everyone started leaving for trains home, etc.  Oh wait they did except for Suze, Laura (Suze's good friend) and I.  We were not about to call it a night and decided a night cap would be good.  So we headed off to the W Leicester Square for a drink.  A drink turned into a bottle of wine followed by a few cocktails.  Who was counting?

We left and had just secured a cab when Suze decides that we will take a bike taxi back to our hotel instead of the taxi.   

I would plop the photo of the three of us on the way home in the bike taxi but it won't let me rotate the darn photo.  We got close to the hotel and made one last stop for some nibbles and then back to the hotel.  We were up early since I had to get to the airport.  I said farewell to Suze and Laura and headed off to the airport early with a hangover! 

It was all in all a great trip and hoping to make it back real soon to England!