Here's a couple of pics from our last few weeks.

Shakespeare's Globe. A replica of the original theater where they put on plays just like in the old days.

 Inside the globe. Notice the nice box seats? That's not where we sat. We got tickets to stand in the open center of the theater with all the other commoners. We got rained on and it was freezing cold, so I guess we got the real experience. 

 Underground in an old slate mine that now functions as a wedding and concert venue.

 The Thames Barrier: a giant set of gates that can shut off the whole river and protect London from an unusually high tide or other flooding.

 We're back! After 36 hrs of travel, 4 different modes of transportation, and a night spent sleeping on benches in the Reykjavik airport, we made it back to the US. We're currently visiting Kelly's fam in Palmyra and we'll probably head down to DC in a few weeks. 

Craft stick fun!

Trying to stay sane this week, I bought a box of craft sticks and we tried out this chain reaction.  The first video is our attempt.  The second was our inspiration.  I'm pretty sure we might go buy a few more boxes to see just how long we might make it.

This Week

 Because of my illness Mom missed the retirement gathering at the University Inn Best Western where they say some nice things and give you a retirement gift.  Because Mom wasn't there they kept the gift and presented it to her at the school board meeting last Tuesday.  Here is the new superintendent and the McDonald School principal, Cindy Bechinski, making the presentation.

 Mom has know Mrs. Bechinski for many years and has a very good working  relationship with her.  She has said many very nice things about Mom and told many others how much she will be missed.

 In 1996 Mom's class made this quilt as an auction item for a fund raiser at McDonald School.  The people who bought it outbid the superintendent and then donated it to the school district.  It has hung on the wall at the district offices until last week when they presented it back to Mom.  Very nice.

This is the gift they gave Mom.  It is a photo album engraved and with her picture on the front and then full of pictures of all the personnel at McDonald School.



This is what happens when Grandma has too much time on her hands during a rainstorm.  I kept hearing them out in the rain and couldn't figure out what they were doing.  They made a tent complete with wood flooring, carpet, blankets, and pillows.

These are her two accomplices.

 

Seth and Lacey have a U-Haul truck ordered for Thursday.  They will load it, spend the 4th at Richard's cabin and then drive to Seattle on Saturday.  We wish them well and hope things will work out for them.  Mom and I will probably do our usual holiday activity - stay home and do nothing.  I had four doctors appointments last week and non this week.  It will be nice not to have someone poking or pushing or otherwise causing pain for a whole week.  Other than that I am feeling pretty good.