A tale of two evenings...

Family,

And a good evening to you from across the Pond after another GREAT DAY in the Mother Country. First pay rapidly approaches - can you feel the energy? Can you taste the electricity? Can you see the wage types moving through time and space? THIS...is Processing Week, baby! But enough of the project talk, I know that I have 2 nights to catch you up on. Let's start with yesterday...

Tuesday: A love affair with a lamb shank

I woke up this morning to find my foot slightly sore. I feared initially as though I might have gone too hard yesterday, but I still have no complaints. There's no pain there - just a bizarre "feeling" that seems somewhat out of place. Price - you'll be happy to know that I've traded my Livestrong shirt for a skin tight running shirt. Let me tell you - it looks AWESOME wrapped around my tummy. "Get in my belly! I'm bigger'n you!!!!! I'm higher on the food chain!!!!!"

That "trade" also has the consequence of meaning I sweat like a BANSHEE when running (cause I'm basically on a treadmill in a parka inside an igloo. Let me tell you - my bag? Yeah, it ain't smellin' too good these days.

Due to the injury, I opted for lifting some weights instead of cardio. CP - I hope you're ready for the GUN SHOW when you come into town. 24 hours away - how is that even possible! Can't wait!!!

The work day was good - steadily busy, which I had no complaints about. The hours have obviously been longer this week, but that's always been expected for the run-up to first pay - no complaints here!

This is the point at which the story divides along gender lines. Mufifn Puffin had a Girl's Night with Shantan, Ash, and Beth, whilst I went with the Donkey Convention. The ladies hit Thai Tho for some DELICIOUS Thai cuisine, and we rolled into Limehouse for some FANTASTIC Italian at La Figa. Lord and Hitman - I'm happy to report that the Lamb Shank is still guuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuud. That being said, I didn't realize that it must have been a slaughter of "Silence of the Lambs" proportions to put those 2 slabs of meat on my plate. HOLY MOLY! Today I felt like I was carrying a brick around in my stomach. Not the easiest way to log a 5k.

I am told that the ladies had fun as well, even if the rice portions left something to be desired. Also, kudos to my wife for engineering a post dinner trip to the Bear and Staff for some Timmy - that's my mufin puffin!!!!

We both sacked out around midnight and would have slept GREAT if not for a letter from Energie Croydon STALKING my wife about payment that ISN'T DUE. She did set them straight today (knock on wood), but it was a major buzzkill last night (yes - the run of 4 straight AFD's did NOT happen).

Wednesday: Back on the treadmill and feelin' the burn

So today was a blur. I logged a 5k in the morning, but I was HURTING from that damn lamb shank. Goodyer - you NEVER eat, so how in the WORLD can you get that thing down a dinner?

I will say that, on the way into the office, I stopped to capture this photo outside the Polish Embassy. It is actually RIGHT BESIDE our building, and those flowers and candles have been there all week. On Sunday, there was a massive vigil on the street - it was a somber moment, and there were plenty of folks crying. Not the happiest paragraph I've ever written, I know, but it is obviously an important moment historically, and I did feel it important to record it.

The work day was, well, BUSY. Some days you just know it's gonna be chaos. Yep, it was one of those days. However, I did get out of the office by 9 PM, and that's honestly one of the longest days I've had te entire Transition, so I am NOT complaining.

JT fixed me a great salad this evening, and it's about time for bed. I've got a weird burning pain in my foot at the moment, but I'm hoping a little sleep will cure that right up. After all, tomorrow is back to the gun show, which I'm REALLY not looking forward too given how sore I am already.

CP and company - SAFE TRAVELS!!!! Can't wait to see you guys! Pray for no Sev 1's!!!

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

Love,

Sam and Jenny