http://fish-n-chips-with-a-pint.blogspot.com/2007/03/were-outa-here-probably.html

I won't believe it until we're at the airport boarding the plane. However, we did get some more suitcases. I've packed my first bag and will start on another after dinner. I need to trim down Little Man's clothes and get the 3T's out of Lady Jane's clothes and then pack. It's kinda weird because what I need to do is pick out 6 outfits for everyone and pack the rest. It's a reverse vacation. And I need to make sure I have room for the clothes that we are wearing. I did laundry this week so there's very few clothes in the hamper. I picked up a bottle of concentrated ALL to take with just in case the sheets and I have issues. We've got a temporary apartment until we figure out our housing situation.

Phil is right I found an apartment that meets all our needs, furnished, four bedrooms and appears to be surrounded by a cemetary. God, I wish I hadn't seen Poltergeist. "You didn't move the bodies!!!!" Oh, and Night of the Living Dead, Return of the Living Dead, and there's always Buffy. I told Mom that the worst that could happen is they would get the people on the 1st and 2nd floor first, which will at least give us some warning. Phil thinks part of it might be a community garden, but the big plot is definitely a cemetary. http://tinyurl.com/yrlu8d Judge for yourself (sorry, Google Maps gets a little carried away with it's url). But it's one of those apartment buildings. The kids could have a lot of fun playing in the graveyard. Gives a whole new meaning to the game we used to play as a kid "Ghost in the Graveyard". Hide n seek at night. Anyway it's about .4 miles from the school we're sending the kids too.

I'm not holding my breath but it seems fairly certain that we will be leaving Friday for England. Woot!

Phil Got a Blog

For any of you interested, it's a new link on the sidebar.

Treasure Rediscovered and Herbert Comes Home

Over ten years ago, my Great-Aunt's house (my great-grandparents' house) was dismantled when she went into the nursing home. She was one of twelve children, all but two had children of their own, herself and Herbert Graham Berry. Herbert died at age 24 from meningitis. He was the oldest and my grandpa was the second oldest (born in 1896). I knew neither man, but as the treasures from Aunt Bradley's house were argued over. I claimed Uncle Herbert's portrait. No one else made a protest and I promised to give him a home. My mom had him hanging in her house until they moved out to the farm. This weekend while up there I reclaimed Uncle Herbert though he will not be hung until we return from England, he has found his home until I am gone and I will make sure that my children know who he is and keep him in his family.

However, he is not the treasure rediscovered. When I was 7 or 8, my grandma was ill and staying with my Aunt who lived two houses down from us. One of the things I remembered about her was a little pewter teaset that we would play with on her bed in my Aunt's home. While I was at my mom's, my cousin called to say that in going through my Aunt's belongings she ran across a small pewter teaset and promised to send it to me. Though it has no significant value to most, it reminds me of my grandma that died when I was 9 and I loved her above all. Again as a child I knew next to nothing about my grandma except that I loved her and she loved me. Later I would learn that she probably had undiagnosed altsheimers and that she used to torment me. It's crazy how a child's mind works and that I only remember the good things.

Oh, yeah, we're still here. No new news. I wish I knew when we were leaving. I'll let you know when I know something.

White Gloves and Party Manners

My mother wrote today to say that our next door neighbor of 26 years passed away Saturday. It made Yahoo News (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070304/ap_on_re_us/obit_stewart_1) and Fox News online. It briefly tells the life of someone who I looked up to and at times wished to be like. I spent most of my childhood at her house growing up with her granddaughter who was my best friend at the time from the age of about 7. I remember the first time I saw her and Erin. We'd recently moved in next door I had just turned 4. Our house wasn't small mind you but we lived next to a mansion and in the huge backyard of that mansion was the biggest swingset I've every seen. That sunny day, Erin was dressed in a pretty dress and Marjabelle was pushing her on the swings. I don't remember much about that exchange except that Marjabelle told me any time I wanted to come over and play on the swingset that I could. I was a constant companion to Erin and slept over at Marjabelle's countless nights. We even made up a name for the backyard flower garden we planted one year "The Magical Garden." Marjabelle Young Stewart taught me manners right next to Erin. Through her, a picky kid actually tried artichokes and sweet italian sausage (she made the best spaghetti). Every year they would have a two story Christmas tree in the entry and a wonderful Christmas eve party. We would play dress up in the dresses she wore when she was younger. She was Granny. She meant the world to me as a child. Even when I learned of the flaws of the woman, I still loved her for her spirit and everything she did for me as a child. She made everything special. She hasn't been in my life for some time now, but she will always be a part of me and hold a special place in my heart. She knew me for a mere quarter of her life, but I have known her all of mine. May God's peace be with her.