Globe Theatre

Scott and I went with my parents to see Romeo and Juliet. It was as close to an Elizabethan play-going experience as we could manage in the 21st century. The reconstructed Globe Theatre on the banks of the Thames stays very true to the original as much as what relatively little surviving documented Globe history allows. It does come with a few unauthentic modern conveniences such as electrical lighting, proper loos and use of fire retardant materials (duh!). You'll still find tickets to join the other groundlings in the standing-only yard section. While my attention settled mostly on the stage itself, my eyes couldn't help but drift from time to time over to the pit people. Statues! How on earth these hundreds of smashed sardines could stand so still for such a long play, is really a mystery! And it's not like the "prime" seats come with any luxury either. Hard narrow wooden benches, most with no back rest. So your authentic Globe experience will likely come with a memorable stage production and the thrill of being transported back a few centuries, but it will also likely be remembered by a sore toosh (even with the gnarly £1 rental cushions) and back ache. But somehow I'd do it all over again!

A Literary Lunch

It goes without saying that my mom is one of the most well-read, articulate people I know. I aspire to her level of literary achievement. I love her passion for reading and great literary works. Her high school students are sorely short of understanding just how lucky they are to have her guiding them through such greats of the written word. Her all-time favorite author is Charles Dickens, and she is one of the few who can claim to have read every book he has ever written! So this week we paid a visit to a Dickens-rich corner of London, most specifically to a favorite Dickens watering hole, Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese Pub (also referenced in a Tale of Two Cities). Stepping inside felt like stepping back a couple of centuries. The place has clearly kept the modern world around it at bay. Ghosts of patrons past could almost be heard.
















An original copy of a Tale of Two Cities


A plaque marking Dickens' seat

A Royal Afternoon

My parents have been in town for about a week. So fun having them here! One day I hired a sitter and spent the afternoon alone with my parents. "Like the old days" as Dallin put it. It was fun spending time with them alone, and had Chad been here it would indeed have felt just like the "old days!"


"out back" of Buckingham Palace after our tour inside (so cool, and I could have sworn I saw Victoria's ghost!)


A stroll through the park


High tea at the Ritz

Leeds Castle

The more interesting news surrounding our recent visit to Leeds Castle sadly went wholly undocumented (save for one photo). How on earth the two otherwise dedicated photographers of our two families neglected to make record of the fun time we had when they came to stay with us in late July is beyond me. What were we thinking? No correlation to our fondness for you, and we are so glad you came! So to the maven, the photographer and their two awesome kids, thanks for coming to see us!





The one piece of evidence that you were in our midst!