Monday 15 November 2010

Back in BROMLEY VEGAS, BABY!!!!

Family,


And a good evening to you from across the Pond after another GREAT DAY in the Mother Country. Today Team Taylor made a pilgrimmage back to the spot where it all began: the land of brie and mayo sandwiches, the Abbeye, Australia Day at the Walkabout (VB in bottles - utter DONKEY TRASH), and the place where, after landing for a 4 month stint with only a dodgy passport, Bev Fleet first asked, "Sam - do you have a work permit?" It is the place where that impressive specimen of gorilla coding, a smelly Spaniard, national holidays in Malaysia, and Babelfish all converged to create the monster known simply as "EuHReka!" It is the one, the only, the incomparable....BROMLEY VEGAS, BABY!!!!
Jenny and I made the pilgrimmage for 2 reasons. One - we really did want to see Bromley one last time and have a proper farewell. Two - we had dinner with one of Muffin's friends (and fellow financial analysts) from 2007. The commute over was GREAT - I'd honestly forgotten how much more civil and relaxed the train journey out of the city was than the Jubes to the Wharf (not to mention that you pass Battersea Power Plant - our favorite landmark in London - en route to the office). When we arrived, we wandered the High Street, stopping for Pret before checking out all the poppies on display to commemorate Armistice Day. And what's that in the background? That's THE GLADES, BABY!!! OH, YEAH!!!
The work day was good - steadily busy and filled with shaking hands with old friends (as well as meeting a few new ones). The highlight of the day, however, was the trip just away from the office to Adriana and Chris' house!
So Adriana (Brazilian) and Chris (English) invited us over for dinner OVER A YEAR AGO, and we've just now FINALLY managed to make it happen. We were fed LIKE KINGS, including a crab cake starter (mom - this would have CHANGED YOUR LIFE), followed by this shrimp soufle (or however the hell you spell it) that the Brazilians stole from the Russians ages ago (and VASTLY improved, for the record). We even had a dessert of merange, double cream, and peaches, all of which had the double effect of adding inches to my waistline and stripping years from my life. But hey, NO COMPLAINTS!
Throw in some nice wine, lots of great conversation, and some HILARIOUS moments with their daughter Nina, and you have a recipe for a great night. However, for the second day in a row, Sammy terrified an infant. I mean, seriously - I know I'm ugly. I know that I sound weird. I know that I haven't ironed a shirt in six years and have socks that can be smelled from Scotland. But seriously, at least SOME children have to love me, right? Well, not Nina - instead of saying hi, she hid between her mother's legs and ran like a rabid BANSHEE whenever I looked her way. And at the end of the night, who got kisses? Mommy? Check. Daddy? Check. Muffin? Check? Sammy? NO WAY JOSE! GET OUT OF MY HOUSE. Oh well, that's about par for the course. :-)
Chris and Adriana - thanks SO MUCH for having us! It was delicious, and your house is simply BEAUTIFUL!
Okay, that's all the news that's fit to print. Chat tomorrow!
Love,
Sam and Jenny

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