The Carter Clan, Proper Write Locks, and Yes…there’s an app for that…

Family,

And a good evening to you from across the Pond on this fantabulous Friday. First off, apologies for no blog last night, but after helping to split 3 bottles of wine…well, let’s just say it was bed time.

So last night, we made a long overdue trip to King’s Cross to visit some of our oldest friends in the UK (dating all the way back to 2006…eons ago) – the Prime Minister himself – Mr. Andy Carter, his lovely wife Jill, and the new wee one (3 months old!) – Grace.

This was our first time seeing Grace, and she is absolutely adorable. However, as Grace stayed up with us almost the ENTIRE time, I had a revelation that I’m AC (who I know is reading this) and Jeebs can appreciate.

For whatever reason, babies who ALWAYS sleep through the night and maintain their schedule go haywire when they are around me. Georgeanne (AC and John’s wee one) has pretty much slept like clockwork except the 2 times that Jenny and I have been over for dinner. Watching Grace stare at me for 4 hours, I couldn’t help but wonder if it’s the accent that’s just terrifying smaller children. I have a feeling that, if these kids could speak, they would start calling me Jabberwocky…

Anyhoo – it was GREAT to see them and catch up with them, and we had an absolute BLAST.

I started out with a cask ale, but I switched to red wine once I had a sip of Jenny’s. The good news was that this stuff (Spanish) was AMAZING. The bad news is that Carter seemed to have unlimited bottles of it, and somehow my cup was always more than half full…

Also – we got take-away from mine and Jenny’s FAVE Indian joint (Shogun, Hitman – TRAPS SHUT ABOUT STEP IN INDIA – that place is good, damn it – we just went on an off night) – Spices. This place is AMAZING. It’s a tiny little dive that whips out dishes FULL of flavor (and heat, of course). Lamb Ceylon…so guuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuud (peppy cheekies).

So, the funniest part of the night – we are talking about the i-Phone and how there’s an app for everything. I start with Urban Spoon, and then we throw in a few others we know about and what it can do. Then Jill asks, “Do you mind if I feed Grace?” Well, of course we say no worries, at which point she grabs her i-Phone. In a moment of confusion, I ask: “Why the i-Phone?” Jill’s response: “Oh, I purchased one of the breast feeding apps.” Gang – it was all I could do to NOT spit red wine all OVER the place.

As it turns out, this app (apparently one of 5 breast feeding apps) can do the following:

1. Tell you how long it took to feed the baby


2. Tell you the amount of time between feedings


3. Tell you which breast you used last time

Honestly, Apple – I have to give you credit. Your slogan “Yeah, there’s an app for that” is now officially 100% true.

Okay, that’s all the news that’s fit to print. Another blog comin’ shortly!

Love,

Sam and Jenny

The magic of TWO cell phones...who knew?

Family,

And a good evening to you from across the Pond after another fabulous (yet rainy!) day in the Smoke. First off, whilst I realize that I’m now bound by a covenant of silence to not reveal last names of co-workers, I would like to thank a certain Transition Executive nicknamed “The Hitman” for offering up his cell phone whilst he’s not in the UK. Today, for the first time EVER on this assignment, I was actually able to call my wife and make dinner plans. Who knew technology could be so helpful? But for the record, Ray, this doesn’t for a single second change my motto: “Back to Paper, baby.” That’s all I’m sayin’…

So, after 3 straight days of salad for lunch and dinner, JT and I decided it was time for hot food tonight. The winner? A new joint on Great Portland Street named Vapiano.

So this place is great: you walk in, and you’re instantly given a card (Roger & Merritt – this is EXACTLY like Rich Tree Market, except your meal doesn’t cost you 14,000…Canadian, of course). Then you walk up to the different food stands, select your entrée, get a buzzer, and then go find a seat. We selected two Pizzas: Raclette and Diavolo, both of which were uber-tasty. Throw in a bottle of wine, and you’ve got a recipe for success.

Also, other key points:
1. Today broke the streak, but prior to this evening’s vino, I’d managed two consecutive AFD’s. I actually think I heard my body thank me, as it was afraid it would actually start to recover before I busted it up with the Carter Clan (tune in for tomorrow!). As it is, I’m certain my body is starting to wonder what in the WORLD is going on and why I’m giving it all this stuff called “water.”

2. I logged another 5K today – slight foot pain, but it stopped hurting as I sped up. If that’s not motivation to get in shape and run faster, I don’t know what is.

3. I still think the Polka Dot jersey in the Tour de France is a RIDICULOUS IDEA.

For the record – today was the third straight day of miserable weather, with the umbrella out wherever you go. And whilst I equate it to Hurricane Andrew, Brother Morgan today said, “Yeah, it’s not too bad out there today – in fact, it’s getting much brighter.” It seems I have a lot to learn about perspective…especially since I wore a TOBOGGAN to dinner tonight (aka ski hat, beanie, or took for you Northerners/Foreigners). At least I was sporting my football colors – GO HAMMERS, BABY!!!

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

Love,

Sam and Jenny

P.S. VA – GREAT news – can’t wait to see you!!!

P.P.S. Marriott - thanks so much for the card - SO SWEET! You guys have a GREAT time in the Smoke - I HATE we'll miss you!!!

Jenny’s First Bliggy Blog…

Hello family and friends! Yes, it is true - this is Mrs. Assignee #47 writing for the 1st time. Many of you have asked what I have been up to while Sam is away, so here goes. I had a fantastic weekend visiting my friend Catherine, who I met traveling in Australia. I thought it would be the perfect girls’ weekend with Sam away. I took the train up to Manchester after work and arrived just after 9. Catherine collected me from the station and took me to a fabulous Pakistani joint called Akbar’s. I found out tonight that there is such a thing as a non-alcoholic Cobra. That is just plain wrong! But Catherine was being the very responsible driver, so I can’t argue. We had a great time catching up and turned in past midnight exhausted from the week. Saturday morning was meant to be an early start, but when I awoke at noon, that changed plans a bit. We set out, fighting the gale force winds (not joking, the strongest winds I’ve ever seen) and headed toward Lytham. We had a nice walk-around the city, had a great lunch of fish & chips, and then walked along the River Ribble, admiring the huge windmill and trying not to get blown away. (I unfortunately do not have photos from Lytham because I left my camera in the car.) After Lytham we drove to Blackpool for the Illuminations they hold each year. So Catherine had said she hadn’t been here in 5 years, and after today’s visit probably wouldn’t need to come back for another 5 years. I wasn’t quite sure what she meant, but as we started to walk around I began to understand. On every corner you saw a few things: (1) Amusement / arcade games (2) The best fish & chip stands (3) Transvestites (4) Stag do and Hen’s parties (bachelor & bachelorette parties) (5) the rednecks of the UK surrounded you. This was the Myrtle Beach of the UK!!! But, in case you didn’t know, Blackpool does have an Eiffel Tower of their own – the Blackpool Tower. So I had the chance to see 2 Eiffel Towers in 2 weeks. Now who can say that? It was quite the adventure, and to top off the evening we spent 3.5 hours in the car in traffic making our way through all the Illuminations strung up along the main drag. It was definitely a fun evening and we have some GREAT stories! So we got home about 11:30 and I finally got to meet Catherine’s parents (who are such lovely, sweet people), as we are staying with them in Eccleston. (Thank you for having us!)

Sunday morning we awoke and had a nice walk with the whole gang through the beautiful countryside. I wore wellies for the 1st time, which they got a kick out of! Our walk was about 2 hours and we visited a church over 1,000 years old before popping in for a pint at the Original Farmer’s Arms. Catherine’s parents then prepared us an amazing lunch back at the house and I even got to meet Catherine’s sister, brother-in-law and 3 month old nephew who was the cutest thing ever! We said our goodbyes to everyone late afternoon and drove back to Manchester where I caught my train. Catherine, thank you for a fantastic weekend and I look forward to doing it again very soon!!! (You know I had to have a laugh about Blackpool right?) ;)

A weekend where my cup truly runneth over…

Family,

And a good evening to you from seat 1 B on Flight 732 to London – Gatwick. Yep – I got the last upgrade! As I sit here, emotions an absolute roller coaster, I just thought I’d share with you guys the recap of an absolutely PERFECT weekend with my family and my city (and my Katie!). If my wife had been there as well, I think I can honestly say it would have been something akin to the peace I hope to find in Heaven.

This weekend was, simply put, one of the best weekends for the soul I’ve had in a long time. I knew that my wife going to have a great weekend in Manchester with Catharine (and I’m hoping she’ll do a little posting of her own for that one), and I knew that I had some quality time coming with my family. At no point did those 44 hours disappoint.

Friday night was wonderful. Mom showed up with my birthday presents (hey – I’m an only child – this is just how I roll), and then she took me for a GREAT meal at McCormick & Schmick’s (salmon stuffed with brie and lump crab…THAT’S RIGHT – KEEP THAT SPARE TIRE WELL FED, BABY!!!). We then went back to the room (thanks to Cuuuuuuuuuuuuuuz for hookin’ us up), where we promptly crashed at 11 PM.

We woke up at 9:30 the next morning, and it was the first time I could truly say I’ve felt refreshed in about a month. Puffin and I have been going SO HARD, and it was so nice to just have a lie in and know that the schedule for the day was not going to be BTTW (Chuck – that acronym’s just for you…and Jamie Pressley).

Dad and Pattie showed up at noon on the nose, and we promptly rolled to one of the MUST DO’s on my culinary tour of Charlotte – The Counter. We had some GREAT burgers, and dad was even able to celebrate the re-discovery of Blue Moon (apparently no longer on draft in TN due to the emergence – and conquest – of Fat Tire).

After that – it was time for the day’s main event – shopping at Target. Okay, so back story – shopping for things like lotion, shampoo, conditioner, and soap are a bit tricky in Britain. Usually, you have two options – the cheap brand or the expensive brand, neither of which provide you the life-changing experiences you glean from products like Vasoline Cocoa Butter lotion, Night of Olay face cream, or Gardinier Fructose Conditioner. Given that, I was on a mission to get Muffin Puffin every cream, gel, and spray her American heart desired (as well as some Ivory soap and razors for me).

Honestly, I looked like Tom Hanks’ character in Castaway when I rolled into Target. I had a list, but it suddenly occurred to me that I’d never shopped for ANY of these products. This posed several obstacles.

The Lash Blast Debacle – Okay, so thanks to Madeha, Jenny AND my mother are now ALL ABOUT this new mascara called “Lash Blast.” And while I love the fact that it’s cheap, the tricky part is figuring out which type to get. I mean, how do you choose from the following – a) black, b) very black, c) midnight black, d) brown black? What happened to “BLACK?” Maybe the Brits do have something figured out there…

Shopping for Target brand products – Okay, again, because we HATE spending money, we try to roll Target Brand whenever possible. Well, I spent a solid 15 minutes looking for Target Brand Night of Olay, but to NO avail. And when I didn’t find the sunscreen or face cream (SPF 15, of course!), I was really getting frustrated. Only then did I learn that Target has REBRANDED TO “UP AND UP.” Really? Really? You are selling Target brand in the Target store, and you feel the need to change the brand (and move the bullseye to the back under the packaging? How much did you spend on that advertising campaign – 160 million dollars?

However, I am pleased to report that EVERYTHING was located, and I am even now the proud owner of Gillette Fusion (Dad – if you’re lying to me, you owe me 20 bucks).

After that, we tried a new spot for me – Strike City. Okay, this place is AWESOME! TV’s everywhere, great sports bar atmosphere, and even TV’s in the front of the lanes. A little pricey? Yes – but worth EVERY penny. And check out the form – I AM THE WALRUS!!!!!

And in case anyone’s scoring – I won both games. That’s right – I roll on Shabbas.

After that, it was over to Wild Wings, where I had my 4th installment of wings for the week and we caught the Vols in action. I tried (and succeeded) in getting my fill of Fat Tire and LongHammer IPA, and we even made it over to Champions Bar and Grille for some more cheese fries and a Fat Tire night cap. Yeah, as you can imagine, I slept pretty good last night…

Today was wonderful – the morning started with Megan showing up at our room and chatting for a bit. She and mom hadn’t seen each other in a long time, so it was good to have a proper (even if quick) catch-up.

My last meal in the Queen City was an old staple – The Original Pancake House. I ordered Bacon and Eggs with an EXTRA side of Bacon (Onisick – this does NOT give you the right to call me fat again the next time you see me – otherwise I’m THROWING you in the river). It was SO GOOD.

After that, I held it together as I said goodbye to Dad and Pattie, and then Mom and I spent the next 4 hours rolling all over town (in Katie!!!), crossing off the rest of the to-do’s.

The oddest moment of the day was swinging by the Villages at Eastover, where I peeked in at mine and Jenny’s condo. Honestly, it’s weird knowing that’s your house and you can’t go in (and don’t even have a key for that matter). JT – the place looks great. Unfortunately, Kristie wasn’t home. However, I’m happy to report it still feels like home.

I spent my final “free” hour in Charlotte sitting in the Breezeway of Gateway Village, chatting about everything and nothing with mom, and loving every single second of it. After that, it was the final ride of Sam and Katie until December, where I drove to the airport and said by to mom (and mercifully managed to keep it together there as well). Mom – it was too rushed, and I wish we’d had more time to say goodbye. However, since I was on the verge of tears, maybe it was better I shuffled off quickly.

This trip to Charlotte and my weekend with the fam were both so amazing, and I feel so blessed to have had this time, both with my city and my family. As I alluded to earlier, expat life is truly an amazing experience, but it’s also a roller coaster of emotions. Every day moves so fast, and finding a way to take it all in, pinch yourself to realize this is your life, and try to burn the memories into your mind is a challenging proposition. I say with 100% certainly that I am absolutely having the time of my life, and I wouldn’t trade a second of this experience for anything. Folks hear me say it in the office almost daily, and I mean it every time when I say I’m “livin’ the dream.” Furthermore, I hope and pray that this magic carpet ride continues, as I love the expat life and fully intend to continue on this journey for as long as I can.

However, it is of great comfort and promise to me to know that, when mine and Jenny’s time abroad does come to a close, a host of loving friends and family will be back in the states waiting for us, ready to pick up where we left off with laughs, tears, and love.

Family – I love you guys SO MUCH. The miles might get longer, but the love only grows deeper.

Jenny – I love you more than anything and can’t WAIT to have you back in my arms again.

Followership – That’s all the news that’s fit to print. Chat tomorrow – time to get my game face back on.

Love,

Sam and (in a matter of hours and miles) Jenny

The Weather Turns...

Family,

And a good evening to you from across the Pond. Well, it's official I think - the British summer has ended. How do I know, you ask? Let's consider the evidence...

1. On the walk to work this morning (7 AM) it was already dark. When I left to go to the states, it was at least bright outside.

2. Gale force winds have now decided it's time to blow constantly on cross streets. It's a good thing I don't have the "Senior in High School Pony Tail" hair to contend with - otherwise I might have to result to gel...juuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuust kidding.

3. The sky is 100% gray...and all the same cloud. We are talking a blanket of cloud that would make Stephen King proud.

4. Rain - I mean, this country has to stay green for a reason - and now I remember why. And don't think your umbrella will save you either...that's what #2 above was designed to prevent.

All the same - no complaints. In fact, it was almost refreshing this morning, walking under the umbrella amidst the neighborhood buildings, looking at them the way they were meant to be viewed (amidst drizzle) and appreciating them anew. For some reason, I have always enjoyed the brisk English air on my face and in my nostrils, and I got a healthy dose of it today (of course, talk to me in a month, and I might be telling you I've packed it in and am moving to Bora Bora).

On the jogging front, I managed a 5K today in under 27 minutes. While that's not a great time by any stretch of the imagination, it was good to just be able to run a consistent pace for 3.1 miles - I'm comin' back, baby!!!!!! Knock on wood...and mom and dad - I'll be trying out the new kicks tomorrow - I'll give you the update!

Okay, normally I'd say that's all the news that's fit to print, but I've got one more addition tonight. I'm about to post a second blog for the evening, which should have posted Monday night. It's the recap of my weekend with the fam. I'll invite muffin puffin to do the same with her weekend, recapping her time with Catherine and her visit to exotic Blackpool (talk about some GREAT photos), but in case she doesn't want to write, I'll ensure we get some Blackpool photos out there for the faithful in he coming days.

Chat tomorrow!

Love,

Sam and Jenny

Back with my Muffin Puffin!!!!!!!!!!!!

Family,

And a good evening to you from across the Pond. I am back on the ground, safe and sound and waiting for pumpkin to come home after her Athletic conditioning class. That's right - she's lifting weights - I'm lifting my fork. All is right with the world.

So first off - whilst on the plane last night, I wrote the blog entry that was intended to be tonight's installment. However, because it's still saved on my work PC, looks like that will just have to wait until tomorrow. I realize that this throws my day count and chronology out of balance, but you'll just have to forgive me.

Okay, so this morning started off great - we landed on time, I was the third person in the customs line, and I cleared immigration at 7:05 AM. After that, things take a storyteller's turn for the worst.

1. Baggage Claim: So we wait FORTY-FIVE MINUTES for the bags to arrive. Keep in mind that we were the third flight to land that day, and the other 2 flights had already cleared their belts. What exactly were all those cats doing in the bowels of Gatwick? And further more - my bags were among the very last to come off, which I can deal with. However, as they tumbled down the conveyor belt, I couldn't help but chuckle (or rather tremble with rage) as I noticed the "priority" sticker on mine (since I've got "status"). If that's priority, I'd hate to see how a bag labeled "extreme donkey" is treated. Hee-haw...

2. Gatwick Express: THEY'VE MOVED PLATFORMS!!! WHY WASN'T I CONSULTED ON THIS? So I am running from platform to platform (carrying both bags and my backpack, mind you, because there are NO DOWN ESCALATORS), and finally I catch the Express that's 15 minutes late. The cause of the delay? RAIN. Really - because we've never seen rain in the United Kingdom I guess...

3. Victoria Station: Getting on the Tube was like hitching the last helicopter leaving Saigon - CHAOS. I had to wait through 5 trains before I could finally get on one - talk about a MADHOUSE! I was ready to leave all the US purchases on the platform and learn how to make homemade shampoo at that point.

4. The walk home: Rain. Wind. Cold. No free hand for an umbrella. No foresight to pack a jacket. Welcome back!

That being said, I got home, got showered, and got dressed. All uneventful, save the moment when I noticed one of the lotions I'd brought back for JT EXPLODED all over my shoes. VERY stylish. So rather than the cap-toes, I went with the Sam Taylor Corporate Hiking Shoes - the picture of European sophistication.

But I did get to work, and it was a productive day. And now here I am, having just talked to puffin and and anxiously awaiting her arrival back at the flat! Hurry home, baby pie!!!

Okay, that's all the news that's fit to print. I promise to give you the weekend re-cap tomorrow. Chat then!

Love,

Sam and (back together again!) Jenny

Introducing........Verona and CUUUUUUUUUUUUUUZ!!!!!!!!!!!

Family,

And a good evening to you from the Marriott City Center after another GREAT day in the Queen City. So work was really good today. After several straight weeks of meetings, I feel like I’m back in the groove and cranking through to-do’s.

This evening was a terrific night – I had dinner and drinks at Brixx (local Charlotte pizza joint) with two of my favorite people in the world – Jen (with one “n”) Webb (also known as Verona) and Megan Quesenberry (also known as cuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuz)!!!

Okay, so first off, the big news – Megan got promoted!!!! Very exciting stuff, and I am SO PROUD of her. Muffin Puffin – I’ll let her fill you in on all the details, but suffice it to say this is really exciting news!!!!!

We had a great night, kicking back and eating some good food (I actually went for a salad since, well, I’m fat as a damn bear) and having some good beer (Anchor Steam on draft, baby!) for a couple of hours. Webb was feeling a bit under the weather after her return from Ireland (Mom – she loved it just as much as we did!), but she was a trooper and hung with us the entire night (those 5 cups of hot tea had to have helped…). Also, Verona – diggin’ those uber-stylish Converse glasses…

Okay, short tonight, I know, but I have to get through the last 100 pages of Twilight to complete the series! I’m on the cusp, baby – Bring it on!

That’s all the news that’s fit to print. Chat tomorrow!

Love,

Samwise