Summary of Week 2

How fast time flies by ... 2 weeks completed at work already and 3 weeks in the UK and it feels as though I just left Charlotte yesterday. Nothing too exciting to write about from last week really, just me trying to get into a routine and start to make an impact at work. I spent a good amount of time last week at work conducting meet and greet meetings with my teammates and clients and spent the evenings working out and figuring out how to turn on my stove and dishwasher at home - all the kitchen appliances are very modern with touch sensors. Julie, my best friend from school, had her second baby this week - a healthy baby girl named Payton so that was exciting news!! Also, the landlord delivered the bed to the flat (there had been a temporary one for the last week and a half) and i was very disappointed. Its a platform bed, VERY low to the ground and now i can not see out my bedroom window - I am not happy about it and hope they can raise it with risers of some sort. more to come on this

This past weekend I went to a birthday party for a woman from work on Friday night, and went out to dinner with friends I had met a few weeks ago on Saturday night. I managed to find the ND game on television at the Sports Cafe on Saturday after dinner. The bar was packed with Americans watching various college games that were televised. The game, obviously for those who follow ND, was the worst yet, and it confirmed my feeling that i am glad i picked this year to go abroad. The social outings here on the weekends are interesting because most pubs close down around 11:30, so many then travel to 'clubs' to continue the evening. I am definitely not used to having to stand outside in a line or having to have your name on a list to get in to a venue. The tube shuts down at 12:30, so the last trains are packed with people - rush hour style - or you get a bus which often run 24 hours. Taxi's are really difficult to flag down and very expensive

I've learned to take the bus around the city as well as the tube, to get to my destinations. Its actually a nice way to 'see' where you are going vs being underground and then just appearing at the next location. Although ... Mom, Debbie, Grammy Jo - this means that i am a BUS person!! I made my way to Oxford street on Saturday - crazy amounts of people everywhere - think Michigan Avenue with many, many more people. Then on Sunday i made my way to the Sloan Square and Knightbridge shopping district and spent 45 on the first floor of Harrods - wow. I have never seen a food court, or food halls as they are called, that was so amazing. I truly felt that i was in Charlie and the Chocolate factory.

Sunday there was a festival along the south side of the Thames so i strolled along the water for a little while as well. Again, loads of people everywhere. And then on Sunday night, the entire sky was lit up with fireworks right out my window and in the shadow of the London Eye to celebrate the end of the Thames Festival. I got some neat pictures of the fireworks so i will post those as soon as i can.

Jason will be here in less than 2 weeks for my 30th birthday and our visit to Belgium - so looking forward to it! My 'stuff' from Charlotte has arrived and is scheduled for delivery this week so that should keep me busy in the evenings. Still no TV or Internet at home, so i have been reading a lot. Almost done with the Harry Potter series!

Miss you all - much love - CJP