The Channel Island of Herm

I don't know about you, but I often dream of just escaping.  Running away from all of the stress and responsibilities of life.  At times I simply desire to be dropped off on a deserted island.  But that's a bit extreme, isn't it?  Some might even accuse me of being dramatic.  (Ha! Me? Dramatic?)  But what if that island was only a little bit deserted?  And what if there was a pub? And puffins?

Weekend Getaway to Guernsey

Matt and I often lament the fact that we can't travel full-time.  Oh, if only.  We just squeeze it in as we can and most of our travel involves weekend excursions.  We're always looking for someplace new to visit for a few days.  I've mentioned before that we usually start our search on Google Flights looking for inexpensive flights that are less than 3 hours in the air.  This was an easy one.  It took us longer to get to the airport than it did to fly to Guernsey. 

Bombay Sapphire Distillery at Laverstoke Mill

If you know me then you know I love a Gin & Tonic.  It's just one of the wonderful things that my British husband has introduced to me.  Crisp and refreshing, over ice with a twist of lime.  Yes, please.  We were walking through Heathrow recently and passed a Bombay Sapphire pop-up experience.  Two thought bubbles appeared above my head.  "Are they seriously just giving drinks away?" and "can you really get away with drinking before breakfast when you're in an airport?"  Let's just ignore the second question for now.  The answer to the first question was "yes, but first put on these VR glasses and take a quick virtual tour of our award winning distillery."  Between the virtual tour and the breakfast cocktails, we were convinced enough to visit the Bombay Sapphire Distillery in real life at the next opportunity.

Chobham Show 2016

So, we did make it official last year, I am a British citizen.  But, I'm not fooling anyone, especially since we moved out of the city into the country.  In London, I was one of many migrants.  Here in Surrey I stick out like a sore thumb.  I once described being an American in the UK like being a Labrador puppy in a room full of cats.  I've been feeling my inner lab much more since we moved to Chobham.  But I learned a few years into this expat experience that I should just embrace my American self and join in.  Most recently we went to the Annual Chobham Show.  The village show is a great British celebration and a great way to get to know our new home. 

Better with Age?

You might have noticed things have been quiet on the blog for the last week or so. That's because this roadblock of a post is sitting in my pending folder taunting me.  Last month I turned 50. Yeah, that's right.  Woohoo.  The big-five-oh.  Blah, blah, blah.  I feel I should write about it, commemorate it in some way.  It's kind of a big deal, I guess. But I really have no idea what to say about it.