'This Week Just Keeps Getting Better' or 'Happy Kansas Day'

Last night K and I went with the youth group to snowboarding lessons. (it was excellent, by the way) However, the events of the evening soon took a sharp turn. When we returned home to flat 19, the plate for the lock on the door was removed and the key did not fit. We called up Barry and Paul and they called the police for an attempted break in. While we were waiting for the police, our neighbor upstairs started pounding around and being very vocal which led to bottles being thrown out of his window along with 'flaming shreaded paper,' as K recalls. After a few minutes he came outside and started to talk to Barry and Paul with 'negative, threatening enthusiasm.' All the while K and I were huddled up attempting to comfort each other as we tried not to listen to all the yelling coming from the neighbor. Finally the police arrived and tried to calm our neighbor down along with taking an account of flat 19. K and I are now staying with Paul and Ruth for a few days until we get 19 sorted out. We're going to meet with Tim Foley as well tomorrow to discuss what has occurred. It was such a strange and scary evening. As of right now we are okay but still shaken.

Guess What

Last week Kristen and I went on holiday to Tenerife ... don't hold your breath. About halfway through the week Kristen decided to check her email and discovered that our little flat 23 had been burgled. As of right now we are camping out in 19 and waiting for the police to come by so we can see the damage that has been done in 23. We've no idea what has been taken, but according to our neighbor who reported the break in, the place is pretty trashed. 

K and I have talked about what has happened and we aren't surprised that this has occurred, as break ins are typical for this neighborhood. But more than anything I think we're just annoyed because it is a huge inconvenience. So please keep us in your thoughts and prayers. 

Oh yeah, and today is Kristen's birthday! (despite all the burglary, hopefully she'll have a good day)

Christmas and then some

With the holidays now over, I shall recap. 

Christmas time in London was magical. We took

the bus for the ride down so when we first pulled into the city limits there were so many lights and sights to take in and people bustling around on the sidewalks all bundled up. After braving

the tube train and walking a few blocks we finally

came upon the Mennonite Centre where

Ed and Phyllis Shirk awaited our arrival. Ed and Phyllis are actually from the states and are serving a 3 year term as hosts for LMC. So after Kristen and I settled in we decided to try our foot at ice skating. We hopped back on the tube and headed to Hyde Park for the holiday festivals only to discover the ice rink was sold out ... of course. So instead we meandered around the carnival eating Danish pancakes and German sausages, which were almost better than skating. 

The rest of the time mostly consisted just of shopping! Well, more like browsing. We made our way to Covent Garden and Oxford Street and spent all day in and out of stores where I found the infamous kangaroo jumper!! On skies, no less. And if it wasn't for the price, that little jumper would be mine. I resent my frugal upbringing. 

Christmas Day was spent at the centre with Ed and Phyllis, Dora Marie (from Canada, think brunette Dorothea and 5 inches shorter, oh yeah) a family of 4 from London and a couple other random guests. We chatted with Phyllis and the ladies in the kitchen while preparing food and talked about the much missed states and Kansas because that's where Phyllis is from, too! The meal was magnificent, minus the brussel sprouts. and the christmas pudding. After the meal we sat around the christmas tree and played Dutch Blitz and scrabble. It was a really lovely day and I felt very safe there at the centre. Plus, all the company took my mind off home and made it easy to enjoy myself. 

New Years

Well, New Year's Eve was quite uneventful because I was ill with another cold. Kristen and I had plans to go to Chris Howson's Mamma Mia! sing-along bash, but I think Kristen was a little grateful for my condition instead. On New Year I slept half the day away, thanks to my cold, and then that evening the Bilton's invited us over to share New Year's dinner with some friends and family of theirs. Goose was on the menu so I took some, but later I changed my mind and so I cleverly slipped it onto Paul's plate when he got up to get some more wine. 

This week we are headed back to work and I'm looking forward to having a full agenda again. But not for long because K and I are headed to the sandy, sunny beaches of Tenerife in two weeks!