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One of those special acquaintances - Basil from Harrow - HOW DO YOU DO?!

Fortnum & Mason.......

As Andy has begins his three week vacation I dragged him out this morning to visit a couple of galleries in the Mayfair area. We saw some exellent photography by  Don McCullin, a renowned war photographer, although the majority of this work surrounded the Karo tribe in Ethiopia.

After our ten minute brush with some culture and very impressive work we went wandering and we found ourselves outside the historic and finest of English shops, Fortnum and Masons. This shop was actually established back in the 1700s and leapt into popularity as the establishment used to bring Indian Tea to the British, courtesy of Robert Clive, who laid the foundations of British Empire in India. A fraction of the size of Harrods, it was less overwhelming but equally as appealing.

Here are some of my favourite pics of our excursion.

Marzipan, my Mum's favourite and how I wish she was here to enjoy some.

No doubt champagne will make a strong appearance this Christmas.

We went home with a lovely Montgomery Cheddar that had been aged for 15 months. This is made by hand in Somerset, courtesy of 140 Fresian cows.......and is absolutely delicious. The maker of this cheese was also awarded Champion Cheesemaker of the Year!

Final Mushroom Foray of 2011

So we had our final mushroom walk this past weekend at Epping Forest which, for the most part this year, has been dismal with sparse fungi sproutings. The minute we got out of the car we saw the mushroom explosion...you could barely walk without treading on Buttercaps. There were also a plentiful supply of Birch Boletes  but I hit the absolute jackpot when a shaft of light beamed through the trees and bounced of the cap of this Penny Bun Cep.

And added to the fact that only the week before I had scored this mammoth Bolete at Kenwood I am feeling rather confident in my foraging capabilites.

And the final bonus of Epping Forest was spying on these Long Horn Cattle.....in the end they spotted me and made there way over to try and work out what I was!!!

Citizenship November 9th, 2011

6am. I have been living back in England for just over three months and I have had to make (another) a whirlwind trip to Tampa to be sworn in as an American Citizen. After twenty two years of living in the United States, having two American children and paying taxes, I felt it was my indeed my right and an imperative to have the US as an optional abode in my future. I didn't realise how strongly I felt about this until I was challenged by Border Control going in to Boston several weeks ago who threatened to take away my green card as I spent so much time out of the country. As it happens, the lovely folks at Border Control in Miami didn't even raise an eyebrow when I came through yesterday so I have had several weeks of heavy fretting for no reason....whew!

So today, November 9th 2011, I will be sworn in with several hundred other men and women who each have their own unique story of how they have got to this day. I am humbly aware of how much pain and endurance has been suffered and the many that didn't make it.Cubans drowning as they try to make it across the perilous watery seas in man made rafts. Mexicans sneaking through on the backs of trucks, cars, through the dangerous borders and Asylum speakers who have dared to speak out against their government in defense of the their rights. How emotional a day it must be for them.

8am. So here I am surrounded by my 'fellow pledgees'. So many dressed in their best clothes with their families surrounding them for this momumentous celebration. How I wish I had not chosen to do this alone! So as I sit here, I have a lump in my throat remembering the first days on American soil back in 1988, the risks I took to try something new, have children in a country other than my own and my ongoing love-hate relationship with this country when I missed my homeland, which will now just be replaced with love.

As a US Citizen I now wave my Amerian flag with pride, God Bless Amercia!!!!!!!!!

Indulgences

I cannot help myself, but when I see beautiful things the world seems to black out before my eyes and when I come around I find I have actually purchased them. I am a 'consumer' to the my very core and I just have this compulsion to indulge!!!

Have a look at a few of my favourites and you can take a guess to which ones I succumbed to. Also see if you can spot the odd one out.

                                                     Harrods Fur Snood $5000

Dunkin Donuts......under a dollar per donut but would it make a difference if they were $10.00 each??

Harrods Hand Made Chocolates - price - who cares!!

Harrods Marzipan Fruits - hmm...really, who cares!!! 

That Autumnal Feeling!!!!

In the last couple of weeks I have been lucky to savour the wares of Autumn in both the Boston area and my old/new home, in England.  The colours are more subdued in England and most of the leaves are now on the ground but there is nothing more pleasing to the foot than shuffling though the crisp, colourful confetti while walking Sophie.

Here are a few of my pics....

   Rustic in Canton, Massachusettes, USA

Fly Agaric Mushrooms, New Forest, UK

Wild Ponies in New Forest, UK

View across Half Moon Lawn, Kenwood

Halloween - Written October 31, 2011

We are now well into Autumn with today being Halloween. Such great memories of Halloweens' past with Batman and Spiderman costumes, and Charlotte's hand made princess dresses which over time became shorter and shorter and evolved in to Slutty Maid and Wonder Woman outfits which she bought from the party store. I on the other hand have remained consitent in Halloween attire and altho' I am thousands of miles away from the children I will wear my annual cat attire. Ears, tail and nose and whiskers courtesy of my eyeliner. Of course, this year, although away from the children, I will be sharing this evening with my 'trusted companion' Andy. And, becasue we know what makes a celebration we are having a bottle of chmapagne and a Terry's Chocolate Orange....now, thats a party!!!!