We both need haircuts.  We arrived in Vermont, and since opening the door to the house, I have been doing laundry, cleaning, and generally getting things straightened out, but the house still looks like some giant picked it up and rattled it around a bit.  I see a light, but it seems rather distant. Yesterday, Kathleen helped David plant the window boxes and I planted some herbs and flowers in the yard.  The outside of the house is looking pretty great.  Thanks Kathleen!

The last days of our European jaunt were very nice.  It was a whirlwind for Joy and Michael, but I think they saw a lot in a few days.  In Paris, spent the first day with Joy going to Jardin du Luxembourg, Notre Dame and the Marais.  Lots of walking, but a nice day.  Then we did some shopping on the Champs Elysées and lunch in the Tuileries on Wednesday.  We took the Eurostar to London on Thursday, and I thought we had given ourselves plenty of time, but between the train strike, a broken escalator and a security problem because of a suspicious package, the elevator was mobbed and it took forever to get to the train.  Once we were seated on the train, it was nice and easy.  It amazes me that you can get from Paris to London in a little over two hours!

Once in London, we headed to the flat, but it took a while to find where we needed to go to get a cab.  Everything was listed – buses, tube – but no sign for taxis.  Once we were settled, Joy, David and I took a stroll to Covent Garden and a bit around the West End.  Took a tour of London and also a cruise on the Thames.  David and I had lunch with John, who I worked with many years ago in NY.  He is looking great and it was great to catch up with him.  We also went to the theatre to see The 39 Steps, which we have seen before, but thought it would be nice for Joy and Michael.  We also walked down and saw the beginning of the changing of the guard, but decided move away from the mob that was following and seeing the entire changing.  I don’t remember London being as crowded as it was this visit.  Of course, I said the same thing about New York last year.  I just don’t know where all the people are coming from!

Our last night in London, we were meeting Debbie for dinner, and I looked up some restaurants, and we headed out.  One of the restaurants was closed, so we decided to go to an eastern European place that was nearby.  Well, it was probably the weirdest place I have ever been to, and believe me, I have been to some strange places.  There were huge silver (painted, of course) chairs that were supposed to be throne-like.  And booths around the room, each having its own special decor.  One was gold records (Elvis, Sinatra, etc), another had thimbles and my personal favorite had carved plaques with Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, but also included a plaque with a naked lady wearing a red hat.  Very bizarre.  The waiter warned us when we sat that if David needed to use the restroom, he would have to go downstairs to the nightclub.  That probably should have been our cue to flee, but we stayed.  Apparently, there is a Russian youth hostel upstairs.  Very odd.  The food was OK, but very odd.

Anyway, it is nice to be settling back into a routine, of sorts.  As I mentioned, Kathleen visited for a few days from DC, and it is a welcome break for me.  Tomorrow Donovan arrives, and then later this week, we have a visit from Hatam and his family from UNIS.