HAPPY 30th BIRTHDAY GRANDMA!

Grandma wrote me a note this morning to share that she had a Belgium waffle for breakfast (Translation: this is a regular waffle but has been made in Belgium) along with a cup of tea for breakfast. She is taking the entire Mia, Richard, and Kathy family who she is staying with, out to dinner tonight to celebrate her birthday

Tomorrow Matt & I get picked up at 4:30am by our taxi to the airport and will arrive at 8:00am GMT+1 (european) time in Brussels. We will pick up grandma and start the 8 day road trip through Germany - first stop tomorrow is my favorite city in the world, Cologne, Germany!

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANDMAR!

Grandma likes Brussels and Brussel Sprouts too!

This is from an email from Grandma on her days Wednesday and Thursday, April 22nd & 23rd - in Brussels while staying with Mia & Cathy (Kelly) and and their Family (including many kids!). As background, Cathy is a representative for the Republic of Ireland in the European Union. Her sister Mia's husband, Richard, speaks multiple languages and is an aid to Cathy and her position. They live in Brussels - which is the capital of the European Union; they meet there as well as in Strasbourg.
"Thursday, I went to Mass. Their church is 1,000 years old and was added on in 1,770. One of the statues is a monk holding a pig. In those days they gave pigs to the monks for food. I took a picture of the statue. About 11 we left for Strausboug, which was about a 4 hour drive. We Found the hotel we were staying at and I decided I would walk around the city while Richard went to Parlament. We found out what bus I had to take to get to the hotel and where it stopped. Richard dropped me off about 3 blocks from the Notre Dame Catherial. The streets were cobbal stone and on the way was a street sale and as we got Closer to the church there were store markets. I Toured the church and it was big and beautiful After touring the church I saw a tourist office and asked where to catch my bus and they said the bus did not come in that area. They told me I had to take a tram to get the bus and gave me directions to the tram. I walked a distance asked a young girl how to get a ticket. Most people did not speak english, so that was a little problem. She got my ticket, I got on my tram, changed to the bus, walked about one half mile and got to my hotel. I had dinner at the hotel across the way and waited for Cathy to come in. She arrived about midnight. Strausbourg is a beautiful old city. It was saved durning the war because Hitler liked it and protected it. Today, Thursday, I went to Parliment with Cathy. We waited for her Parliment driver to come for her and he was about an hour late because he waited at the wrong hotel. The parliment building is a large glass modern building shaped like the tower of gabble. The exciting thing that happened to me at parliment was the security stopped me and one Cathy's student helpers because we did not have the right badge on and made us exit until Richard came and got us. I got a picture. Cathy is a busy person. She had to do voting while she was there, was interview on the radio, had to do several talks, and leave at 2 to catch her plane in Brussels. We arrived home, had dinner and now I'm telling you my events of the day. I have to wish Dan a Birthday wish now, so I'll be saying good by for now"

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAN!
And tomorrow - HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANDMA!!!!!

Grandma's Welcome Flowers

One of the neatest things to me was getting flowers when I walked out of arrivals when returning home to London after a hard week at work. I didn't know if Grandma ever received flowers after a flight before so I thought I'd get her some to welcome her to London and to start her vacation off right...

Here she is posing with the flowers this morning before going to the airport to depart for a week in Brussels.

Wadda Weekend!

We have been so busy and on the go this weekend that we have not had the time to post what we have been up to!

Friday, April 19th:
On Friday, I worked from home and go a lot accomplished in the morning. Grandma got up very early to shower and then took an early morning nap. Sometime after noon, Matt made his way back to Kingston from a client visit and caught up with Grandma and I on our walk into the Kingston center.

We all had lunch at a Japanese place, then Matt and I worked while Grandma roamed the Kingston market area.
Grandma and I went on the London Eye - which is the largest structure of its kind - like a giant ferris wheel and we could see London from the birds eye view.

We ended the day by relaxing with my roommate, Michael, Matt, Grandma and myself while watching a movie and eating the best dinner ever (I made it of course). Grandma asked me where I learned to cook like that when she tasted it.

Saturday, April 20th:
We got up early and went into the city to tour the London Tower

... and the London Aquarium. Both were quite nice and Grandma felt like she walked all over London city - I hated to break it to her that the 5+ miles we walked was not "all over" and there was much more to see; but maybe not that day.

For dinner Grandma and Matt had left overs while I indulged in a box of the original Kraft Macaroni 'n' cheese Grandma brought over for me -- DELISH!

Sunday, April 21st:
Grandma and I started our day with a 2.5 hour walk through the car boot sale near by house (aka flea market).

Matt met up with us later to go to our church in Wimbledon, Sacred Heart...

....and then drive into Tooting; yes that is the name of the borough.

Tooting is a highly indian cultured area of London and hosts what is renouned as some of the best curry in the world outside of India. So we had a mild curry lunch at a beautiful price!

The ride after lunch into the city was warm and comfy...


We then went into central London by tube and walked through China town ....

as well as watched some of the street preformers at Covent Garden.
We had tickets in Leister Square to see the adult circus called 'La Clique' which was fun and very entertaining....

Grandma is catching up on her emails while I work on the blog and Matt is working on Zack's graduation postcard design's final touches as we sit here and relax at 10pm.

Grandma is taking a 11:45am flight to Brussels tomorrow; Matt will drop her off on our way to the office in the morning. She is staying with Mia & Kathy Kelly until Saturday the 25th. Matt and I will arrive in Brussels Saturday the 25th and will pick her up in the rental car we have all rented to start our 8 day road trip through Germany....

Great Food & Company

After a long day at work, I made it home at 6pm to find that Grandma had a relaxing day just hanging out at my flat. She didn't get out of her PJ's until 3pm - which, if you know my Grandma, is unheard of. We got ready and headed to dinner at Cappadocia, a Turkish restaurant in Kingston, the town I live in. We had a table of 8 after meeting up with our friends, one of which who is Turkish and made some excellent suggestions on food choices.


(Girls' side from left to right: Kat, Grandma, Me, Havva)
(Boys' side from left to right: Samir, Michael, Matt, Brian)

We had so much food and were passing our own dishes around to share with everyone - it was really tasty and fun but got much better when the belly dancer started.

The dancer did a song by herself and then she started to pull guests in the restaurant to join in dancing with her. First Matt and my flatmate, Michael, were brought up to dance.

(Left photo: Michael being dragged - Right photo: Matt & Michael dancing with the belly dancer)

Matt told the dancer to pull me up....

....but she miss understood and brought up my Turkish friend, Havva.

Slowly one by one we all made it up to dance at least one song together and it was lots of smiles and giggling because we felt so out of place but were having fun.

I should pause here to mention that before we got ready for dinner, Grandma and I did a little bit of a cardio belly dancing workout video I have. Then Grandma even said to me "Its a good thing we practiced before we came tonight!"


We ended the evening about 11pm as it was Thursday night and a 'school night' - but we were sure to give Kristin a call to wish her a Happy 23rd Birthday. It is English weather here today - mid 50's and foggy with drizzle. When Grandma gets up I think I will take her into Kingston and let her enjoy shopping in the center while I sit at a cafe and continue to work. Tonight just she and I have a trip on the London Eye scheduled at 6:45pm and we might possibly have an authentic Indian dinner then to follow or just might relax at home with a movie. Saturday will be a BUSY day!

More pictures and video of the Turkish night out to come....

Let the Adventures Begin

I completely forgot I even had a blog until I went to create one today.

I plan on keeping track of adventures with Grandma Townsend while she visits me here in London and while we travel through Germany.

We played Wii bowling tonight and are having a lot of fun hanging out...

She says she slept well on the plane but took a solid 2 hour nap promptly on arriving. Matt made dinner of homemade guacamole, marinated and then grilled chicken legs, spinach salad with feta, and stuffed peppers that had been grilled. I made mojitos.

Grandma has had me write 2 or 3 emails to a few people while she dictated the email to me. Only including to Amy to make sure to hit the CVS and Target after Easter sales.

We have only had one Obama conversation, ... and as I typed that last first half of a sentence, my flatmate Michael has asked her what she thinks of him.
I have returned to finish this sentence with a fresh beer. :)

Tomorrow I have to go into work for the morning unfortunately so I may drop her off at Hampton Court (one of the castles and beautiful gardens) on my way into the office. Then if it is not raining when I return in the afternoon, we will enjoy the near by parks.