Because, really, who needs an AFD...

Family,

And a good evening to you from across the Pond after another GREAT DAY in the Mother Country! Okay, so I realize that, due to the Krakow update, I actually owe you cats an update on both Tuesday and Wednesday as well as this evening. The theme of all 3 nights is a familiar one - BEER.

Tuesday: Reunion with the Great White North

So Tuesday started well - I logged a 5K on the treadmill, which felt almost effortless considering that a) I'd slept about 68 hours over the last 4 days and b) I had enough fuel in the form of pasta and bread to run to Scotland.

The work day was good, and I got out of there at a decent hour to go hang with Sister Irene Hozjan, one of the HR Managers from Canada. Irene and I worked together last year (and Jan of this year) on the Canada Implementation, so we spent about 2 hours at (yep - you guessed it) the Music Factory catching up and hanging with her Aussie mate Michelle.

After that, I rolled home, where I FINALLY had a salad - all that green, all those vitamins...it was almost overwhelming!!!!

Wednesday: Becuase 5:30 on a Wednesday is the PERFECT time for drinks, right?

So this day started with a lie-in until about 7:30. Why did Sammy not go to the gym, you ask? Remember the evening with the red wine where I look like I'd been stabbed? Yeah...so I just now got around to dry-cleaning those pants (and they look GREAT, for the record), and I had to pick them up en route to work because a) I had a presentation, and b) THEY ARE THE ONLY DRESS PANTS I OWN (insert Hitman head shake here).

The place opened at 8 AM, and the owner looked at me funny as he crossed the street, noticing this dude in a tie and jeans waiting outside his store. I'm pretty sure I'm the only guy who's EVER queued to pick up dry-cleaning, but hey - that's how I roll.

The work day was great - the presentation went really well, and we got out at a decent hour for some celebratory drinks with the girls. It was a blast - we actually did NOT go to the C & C, but instead hit the Fine Line for pints of Leffe and some vino. Whilst there, Puffin took a great photo, forever captioned as: "Sam's Angels."

Dinner that night was GBK, where we SLAUGHTERED some Bleu Cheese burgers and had a final bottle of vino, courtesy of Kat. We then headed out and passed out around 11:30.

Thursday: Are you ready for the Revolution?

So today started great - I logged 4 miles on the treadmill with no pain. This means the time has come. That's right, folks - next week Sammy will run outside for the first time since November. I can't WAIT. Of course, the last time I ran outside in Charlotte was when I actually BROKE my foot, so fingers crossed we don't have a repeat there...

Lunch was a blast. We hit Wahaca to celebrate Carolyn's birthday - check out the gang in action! Hitman - no "pork in a parcel" dishes were ordered - you and K-Dub were truly missed. However, that tequila sure was tasty....juuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuust kidding. The highlight was our being seated at the "Aztec" table - we got the "elevated booth" in the restaurant, which I'd never sat in before and was very cool.

And for the main event of the evening, it was drinks and dinner with Yazz (HISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS)! I rolled up to Bank about 7:15 and rolled over to a CUTE area of the City (city = financial district) called Leadenhall Market, where I met Yazz and Muffin Puffin at the Lamb Tavern. We split a bottle of vino there before meeting Yazz's roommate Sam (aka Sam #1).

Needing food, we then rolled over to Pizza Express, where I again took down the Calabrese, the HOTTEST AND SPICIEST PIZZA ON THE PLANET. Holy @!#$# that thing cooked my insides, but it was guuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuud. During our time there, we had 3 GREAT moments.

1. Yazz bashing Spanish men at the top of her lungs (in a small restaurant, no less) for having "long arms and short legs, making them NOT attractive, before having one of the waitresses walk over and say: "So you know, your waiter is Spanish." CLASSIC...and stunned silence.

2. Yazz being pissed about the photo to your right because her arm looks like a "pig's trotter" (that would be hog's leg to us American folks).

3. Yazz watching a guy walk his bicycle down a flight of stairs with the seat between his legs before announcing to me (translation - blasting her opinion to the restaurant): "Does that guy realize what will happen to his balls if he falls down the stairs?" Note: A second biker then came down the spiral staircase, but Yazz was lost somewhere in the ladies room (believe me - I can't make this stuff up).

We're now back watching election results, and it's time to pass out.

Okay that's all the news that's fit to print. Chat tomorrow!

Love,

Sam and Jenny