MonsterFool

Today was Get Life Set up in Brighton and it went OK except for when we petered out a bit in the afternoon. So Sam and I took her scooter and went down the road to the beach promenade and playground. Things about Brighton are slowly coming back to her but she definitely remembered throwing stones in the sea, and searching for sea shells, and bringing a bucketful back to the flat.

But both of us had forgotten about the coastal wind in Brighton–the wind that plays with hats and makes you think you forgot to put any clothes on. This is also the wind that turns rain into the dreaded “sideways rain.”

Sideways rain is rain with the special ability to lash your face and push you around, usually into a puddle. We remember sideways rain.

The other day Sam said to her father,
“Everything but one is exciting about Brighton!”

AC asked, “What one?”

Sam replied, “Sideways rain.”

But we’ve been here over 24 hours and so far there’s been no rain, sideways or otherwise!

I’d throw salt over my shoulder except that I didn’t remember to buy salt at the grocery store today.

Greetings from the United Kingdom! We’re here. We’re fine. We’re fuzzy around the edges. The sun is setting over the sea and it just seems both way too soon and loads too late.

Stories to come, especially about our taxi ride from Heathrow to Brighton. A Scotsman from Dundee drove us. When you look at the above photo, do you think, “Good God he’s in the passenger seat!”

I do. And I did. Even though this is my 5th trip to the isle. Did I mention fuzzy around the edges?

We’re packed. Next post will be from Brighton!

The last pancakes we’ll be having for a while, at least with maple syrup. My recollection is that maple syrup is très cher in the UK. So we’ll have to make do with honey or golden syrup or jam. I’m looking forward to future culinary experiments in the UK (see Bubble and Squeak from October 2008) but I sure will miss my mother’s pancakes.

We were packing up toys today and Sam decided that each of her Dorbies needed a UK visa too.

We took a short walk in Ridley Creek State Park this afternoon. Other than when she zoomed ahead on her scooter, Sam has not let her father out of her sight today.

Sam ended up taking 8 weeks of classes here. We’re both sad to leave it.

Delicious Thai food at Noodi in Wilmington DE with Amanda.

Today I finished reading Ozma of Oz (L. Frank Baum’s third book in the Oz series) to Sam, I received a form rejection letter in the mail from Ladybug Magazine for a story I sent them last month, and AC informed me that he has our UK visas and passports in hand.

They say March comes in like a lion, right?