Yes! I Finally Have Tickets!

No, it is not to the ill-fated Arkansas vs. Texas game this weekend, although I have heard they are going for as low as $1 a ticket due to the rescheduled date thanks to Hurricane Ike. Nope, I finally have symphony tickets! We tried last year to buy tickets and they sell out so early that we weren't able to. This year the season snuck up on me and I did not realize it was starting until I saw an article in the paper. I called this morning and was able to get the last two seats together to the SEASON OPENER AND at student prices since we are enrolled at UAFS. Yeah! Now, what do I wear to the symphony???? Suggestions?

Love and happy dancing,
Shawna

Galveston

Part of our vacation in the Houston area was spent on Galveston Island. We spent two nights there before we had to report for wedding rehearsal on Friday. We were a little nervous because several people had told us that there was nothing to do and it was dirty. We had a great experience there ourselves.

My friend Stacy did tell me that the beaches weren't very pretty, but since I had never seen the ocean I would enjoy it anyway. She was correct! There were no blue tropical shores, but they were clean and well maintained. Our hotel was directly across the street from the beach and it was well lit and had enough tourist traffic that we felt comfortable staying after dark to play in the waves for a while. There is a considerable historic district to explore, with museums and tours. We went on a harbour tour and LOVED it. We were fortunate enough to sight some dolphins, much to Bethany and Audrey's delight.

I wish we had time to go visit Galveston Island State Park and Seawolf Park, and will when we go again. (Elise will surely get married some day!) We had plans to go to the aquarium at Moody Gardens, but the girls wanted more beach time so we didn't go. We definitely plan on visiting Galveston Island again and spending more time there.

We were thankful that our plans changed and we went before the wedding instead of after. We ended up missing the tropical storm which, while it did not reach hurricane strength, did rain buckets. We would plan on going earlier in the year, perhaps May or June, so the temperature would be lower. We were pleasantly surprised with the wind coming off the water. It was much cooler in Galveston than Houston. Other than Moody Gardens, I think we would spend our time with outdoor activities if the weather allowed.


Love,
Shawna

Keeping Up With Coley

Cole is now with her host parents and has been having a good time. She really has hit it off with their daughters, Amanda and Hannah. She has had the proverbial British dinner of fish and also tried lamb kabobs-which are both new to her. Saturday evening they went to a carnival, which I believe is a boardwalk staple from her description. Today she travels to Brighton Beach. England is so rich in history and literature! She will walk upon the beach that Jane Austen walked upon, not to mention so many of her characters! It seems as if every name evokes a literary or historical memory.

She did tell me that some things were cut out due to scheduling issues. No Princess Di memorial, Peter Pan statue or, sadly, Globe Theater. She was unhappy about missing the Globe.

She was trilled to visit the Tower of London though. She said it made her a little teary to stand on the lawn where the execution of Queen Anne took place and to walk the halls where she was kept. That's our little history buff!

Love,
Shawna

From The Tower of London To Sussex

I was a tad busy yesterday and did not post or play "Where's Coley" with the girls, so here is a quick rundown.

Thursday:


* Tower of London (This would be my first stop! I have read probably 20 books about Queen Elizabeth I and King Henry VIII...to walk the same halls they did!!!)

* Westminster Abbey

* London Eye

* The Globe Theater (Stop #2 in my book! CAN YOU IMAGINE?)

* St. Paul's Cathedral

Friday:
* Abbey Road (Of Beatles fame...)

* Pax Lodge

* Depart for Sussex

* Welcoming Ceremony and meet host families.

Cole is with her host family in Worthing, Sussex now. She called home and was able to talk with us for a bit. She said her family is very nice and she really likes their daughters. They have a 15 and 17-year-old. She ate a very British fish dinner. It was so great to hear her voice! It is hard to believe it has not even been a week and we have more than two to go.

Buckingham Palace

Today Cole is going to watch the changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace. How exciting! I am not sure if they are actually touring the Palace or just viewing it from the outside. Being a bit of an Anglophile...I think it is all the great British authors that I love...but my heart beats a little faster as I read the WS itinerary each day.

In addition to the changing of the guards the girls are visiting the Commonwealth HQ, which is the main offices of the Girl Guides. They are then off to visit the Peter Pan statue in Kensington Gardens, near Hyde Park. I do hope she gets a glimpse and pictures of the Princess Diana Playground, inspired by the Peter Pan stories, while at there. The Princess Diana Memorial in Hyde Park will be Cole's next stop.

Lunch will be at London's Hard Rock Cafe-the one that started it all. I read that when the Hard Rock opened in 1971 is was very popular for its American fare, which was rare in GB at that time. For all the guitarists in our family-Eric Clapton's Lead II Fender Guitar is on display there.

After lunch the girls will go shopping in the posh Knightsbridge area of London. After reading about it I hope Cole is doing a lot of window shopping because it certainly sounds like a budget busting area! Two of the more famous stores that I did recognize, Harrods and Chanel. Knightsbridge is also home to one of my favorite actors, Sean Connery. It is his voice...sends me weak in the knees.

I am thoroughly wishing I was in London too!!!

Love,
Shawna

Where's Coley?

Beth, Aud and I have been "playing" Where's Coley? What is this game you ask? It is an awesome internet search game that helps us keep up with Cole as she travels around England. Sniff, sniff. I wish we were all there with her!

So, where is Coley today? She is staying in a hostel while in London. She will be there until Friday.

Today's agenda:

She arrived in London at about 8:00 a.m. their time, 2:00 a.m. our time. Not much sleep on the plane. Our Scouts were met by British Guide Girls at London Gatwick Airport. They then went to the hostel to freshen up and have lunch. Planned activities for today were a London bus tour and a night cruise on the River Thames.

She e-mailed this afternoon -before bed for her- to let us know, "I have not slept in two days and that isn't fun. So, needless to say this won't be a long email. I've taken almost 200 pictures already. We got here at 8:00 England time. We went on tour dealios. Ate some funny pizza. Walked a lot. My legs are dead, not really.... Well, I'm about out of time. I just wanted to say hi and I'm alive. Tell all I said hello. Love you!"

I should be getting ready for our trip to Galveston and Houston but I have been googling England and organizing games today.

Love,
Shawna

Eureka Springs

Barry and I recently spent the weekend in Eureka Springs. I always enjoy visiting there! Architecture is an interest for me and the houses there are a treat for the eye. While we did splurge on this trip on a room with a jacuzzi, you could really visit at a minimal cost and have a great time. My travel tip for Eureka, especially if you are going for a one night trip, is to go up mid-week with no reservations and look for vacancy signs at the bed and breakfasts. Do a little homework on-line and with a travel guide and pick a few places. A lot of times you could probably get a good deal this way. Having stayed at a B&B and a hotel in Eureka I cannot recommend a B&B highly enough. It is part of the experience and you will truly appreciate the atmosphere.

We had a lovely time! The weather was beautiful and it was romantic being back at our honeymoon spot. We walked everywhere we could and took the trolley to and from our hotel. We dined outside when it was offered and ate funnel cake while sitting and people watching. We ate at some truly interesting places. Ermilio's is our all time favorite Italian restaurant. Barry had the fettuccini alfredo and I had linguini gorgonzola. I cannot recommend that enough! Slightly more mild than blue cheese, gorgonzola is now my favorite soft cheese! It is Italian home cooking and everything is fresh~even their salad dressings are homemade. Lovely atmosphere and wonderful service.

We also had a couple of dining firsts. Well, I did, Barry is not quite so culinarily adventurous as I am! We ate at a lovely little cafe on Spring Street~if you are coming up the Y onto Spring it is straight ahead, right where you have to curve. I believe it was Sidewalk Cafe. I had salmon cheesecake. I know, I know! It sounds gross, but it was really good. It had salmon, cream cheese, peppers, onions, etc and it was baked. It had a wonderful roasted red pepper sauce and was actually best with crackers. I am going to try to find a recipe and use it as a hot dip appetizer. Another neat spot was the New Delhi Cafe, which offered Indian food. I had chai latte and a curried potato dish with sprouts and other veggies on flat bread. It had a great taste but I would have liked a little meat and it was a vegetarian dish. Barry ate pizza before he would take me there-he wasn't going to chance it!

Believe it or not, we did something other than eat. We strolled around and listened to street performers playing Blues, checked out the shops and did a little historic sightseeing. A neat thing that we would recommend is checking out the art shops and galleries. We turned to that section in our travel guide and visited as many as we could. Eureka Springs has historically been a gathering place for artists, musicians and writers. I can see why, it is truly a beautiful place. The historic district isn't just full of beautiful buildings, its gardens spill out onto the streets and there are grottoes here and there with springs and lush vegetation surrounding them. You can just feel the age of the town and the history surrounding you there.

We would also recommend checking out the Crescent Hotel. The Crescent offers a beautiful view from its third floor observation deck. Although the architecture and beauty of the hotel is worth the walk alone. Another point of interest is Thorncrown Chapel. It is truly breathtaking. 

I always leave Eureka Springs feeling a creative yearning. I want to plant a secret garden in my backyard and create nooks and crannies to hide in. I want to sculpt and paint and write a book! The pace is slower there and when I slow down I find I enjoy life more. I need to find out how to implement that slower pace here at home.

Love,Shawna