Back home

I had a good time in the UK - it was bit emotional seeing family but good to catch up. That being said  it was also a nice reminder that I do not wish to live there anymore although I miss Costa coffee and various food stuffs. Lattes taste better with UK milk for some reason.. it’s all in the cow.

Despite my crowing about UK food I was pretty restrained - had a lot of cheese (non-plastic kind) and some crisps (wonderful various flavours) and a lot of coffee. Oh and it was nice walking everywhere too actually.

I have jetlag - been up since 4am which blows.. I should have taken some sleeping pills.. cause now tonight I will have to force myself to stay up past 5pm. Stupid jetlag. I was fine on the way there as I was
lucky enough to have 3 seats to myself so I lay down (hoorah for being short) and slept so I arrived in the UK mentally at least in their time zone. Flying at night has to be done from now on.. the flight back was at 5pm but arrived back in LA at 830pm (same day as you gain time flying back) and that’s the bitch for me even though most people find jetlag worse flying east.

Flying during the day means two things on flights - a lot of kids and a lot of movie watching.. if experience has taught me anything about flying it’s watch light hearted movies in the rom-com / fam-com genres. Why I don’t know exactly but my theory stems from that time I saw Moulin Rouge on a plane and became the only person in the world that hated it. As I have nothing better to do at 5am on a Friday morning here are my plane movie reviews..

FYI

 

I really hate flying

I hate how…

a) boring it is

b) how hideous airplane toilet mirrors make you look

c) I hate airstewards who all seem to hate me despite me being super polite to them.

 

Food Quiz

I just have time to do this food themed questionnaire as tagged by Wineymomma before I hop on a plane.. 

1. What food do you consider the best “date” food? In other words, what meal or food item do you think is sexiest to eat in the company of someone you would like to look sexy around?

Hmm.. I have never really considered food to be sexy but if boyf and I are off on a ‘date’ or romantic evening then it has to be Mexican food or tapas.

2. What well-known person would you like to share a meal with?

Angelina Jolie. I truly think she is awesome - she has really turned her life around from being a angst ridden Hollywood actress to this family woman who does incredible things for charity quietly. I get quite irate and irrational when people slag her off. Just a warning.

3. What does your perfect breakfast-in-bed look like? (Food AND the details, please. Candles? Music? Flowers? Hot tub? Dancing girls?

Newspaper (anything but the crappy LA Times.. perhaps The Times or Guardian from the UK), poached eggs on toast with bacon side, the cat and Boyf enjoying the morning with me.

4. What do you consider the best application of whipped cream to be?

From a can straight to the mouth.

5. Oh-God-No, Biff, the yacht is sinking! You are sent to the galley to retrieve the food. What luxury food items do you snatch first? The champagne? The caviar? Smoked Salmon? Truffles? Chocolate? Or something else?

The crispy chicken tacos. There is no other food worth saving.

The Rules…
“Answer each of the five questions. Tag five bloggers you would like to pass the meme to. Have them link back to you and to this post as the source meme. You and they can take the graphic from here if they like.”

I tag… 

Nadine

Amanda

Amy

Emilo

Disa

 

Happy Earth Day

I’d like to take a break for a minute from the madness that is wedding planning to wish you a happy Earth day and refer you to a great post on Metalsucks.com that basically says it all really about Earth Day. 

(contains strong language)

 

Oooo prezzies

We’ve sent out pretty much all of our Save The Date cards and look what we get back - our first present from Crate & Barrel no less. It came on a day that we’d had a massive row about wedding planning as well. Oh the irony. For the first time in my life we will own proper knives and forks, you know the kind that do not bend when you cut into something solid like a potato, or have bright coloured handles.

Go Hokies.

Not forgotten.

Chocolate Potato Bugs from Germany

I got home from a hard day at work which was made bearable by a lovely lunch with flickr pal Huro Kitty! We went and had tea and sandwiches like proper ladies who lunch. It was rather lovely.

I had this parcel waiting for me which contained a gift from my Thirty Voices swap partner Amy in Germany. It had special meaning as I had asked her to tell us more about the chocolate bugs she mentioned in a post that Germans give each other at Easter. Close up of them below.

I have to confess they did not last long in our house.. boyf and I admired them for at least a day before scoffing them down. I haven’t ventured to try the mustard yet - it I suspect is rather hot so not for my delicate flower tastebuds. Boyf will be pleased as punch with that. Thank you Amy - it topped off a very cool day (aside from the 8 hours at work).

Message from John Cleese to the citizens of the United States of America

In light of my rant the other day I probably shouldn’t confess to finding this amusing.. fyi John Cleese lives in California.

Message from John Cleese to the citizens of the United States of America:  Mar 26 2008

In light of your failure in recent years to nominate competent candidates for President of the USA and thus to govern yourselves, we hereby give notice of the revocation of your independence, effective immediately.

Her Sovereign Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will resume monarchical duties over all states, commonwealths, and territories (except California, which she does not fancy).

Your new Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, will appoint a Governor for America without the need for further elections. Congress and the Senate will be disbanded.

A questionnaire may be circulated next year to determine whether any of you noticed.

To aid in the transition to a British Crown Dependency, the following rules are introduced with immediate effect:

Back Home except not home anymore.

Like many ex-pats I am excited for my next return to my home country. Whilst I love living in Los Angeles there are somethings that just can not be matched. I can’t wait to get back to Britain and have some:

Ribena - you pour some of this delicious blackcurrant liquid into a glass, mix with water and you have a fruity drink. For some reason in the USA they only have powdered versions of this and they are gross.

Walker’s Crisps - oh for crisps in a multitude of flavours! Roast Chicken, Smoky Bacon and Cheese & Onion are my favourites.

Stupid People

I got this email today via a photosharing web site I belong to:

“An American Who Likes Doctor Who - I guess stranger things have happened.
- M*** “

This kind of ignorance makes me livid. I will not abide racism of any sorts this included because to me that’s what it is. Can you really only be a Doctor Who fan if you live in the UK?! In that case we’d like South Park, The Simpsons, Sopranos, Friends, Bones, CSI (you can keep Miami), The Wire, My Name Is Earl, Six Feet Under, Dirty Sexy Money, Nip Tuck, Desperate Housewives back please.

Lets pick on the yanks cause they are an easy target.. well you know what, they might be but they are wonderful too - I am too mad to write something sensible right now and even if I could I doubt I could top this much more articulate post by Amanda that she wrote here.

I responded to this idiot as follows (bad morning so he got the brunt of my wrath)…

“I am British but I have lived in the USA for many years now and I am sick of stupid ignorant Brits with their snobbery about America. Get over yourself.
Do you even have any real basis for this racism? Let me guess, its left over from WW2 when America didn’t join the war fast enough. I bet you hate the French too!

For your information:
1. Doctor Who is on BBC America and the Sci Fi channel and is doing very well over here thank you.
2. Torchwood - is on both too and doing just as well.

Lastly its people like you that make me glad I left the UK. I am proud of being British but it’s people like you and your snide little racist comments that make me ashamed. You ass.”