So badly out of date

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to the blogosphere (note trendy verbiage). I'm woefully behind in posting, my old mac was actually wheezing so I took advantage of the ridiculous exchange rate to buy a new MacBook (thank you, Santa) whilst (note silly Brit word) in Florida visiting family over Christmas. Yay. Its so lovely and white and spanking-ly great. Has a big-ish screen and the battery lasts for ages and any minute now I'm going to transfer all th egoop from my old machine to my new machine but for the moment its all just so shiny and new.

I flew back in town today -- arrived at a stellar London airport on Sunday. It was sunny and warm the entire week in Mad Beach, family is all doing fine, thank you for asking. London is cold dark and dank. Not sure why I live here; oh yes, its a great job. Hmmm, may need to rethink my priorities and chuck it all in buy a boat and float around a la Travis Magee. Bonus points to anyone who remembers the name of his boat and sends in a comment!

Really was a great and relaxing visit, will dig up some photos and post at some point. Had a great catch up with My Friend Nancy Last-name-starts-with-a-Y-or-did-until-she-married-but-its-too-late-to-change-a-nickname--also known as MFNY. I have decided I can talk about my friends but only if I don't use a real name. Anyway, she brought me up to date with all the friends who didn't know I had moved: Cat Mag, Manker, Elise, etc. etc. Great to here all about every one's life and especailly see MFNY's giant wall O' Christmas card pictures. So many children!

Anyway, have a safe and Happy New Years celebration.

And Note to Ali - be nice to my English friend doing a tour of Florida; I think she needs Cuban coffee and perhaps some roast pork while she's in your fair city.

Politically incorrect signage

Really not much I can say about this sign except to note that I may not have found it as incorrect if I hadn't been raised in the southeast United States post-Jim Crow. I think its aimed at Japanese residents in my neighborhood--of which I have seen very few, but there you have it.

Meant to post this earlier

In early December the leaves are almost all gone, reminds me of how desparate I was in the spring to see green and flowers. So I took this picture walking to work one morning just to remind myself that Fall (or early winter) is also lovely in leafy north London

New St Pancras

Snuck this one in by back dating it. When the female parental unit was visiting last month, we made a pilgrimage to the newly renovated St. Pancras station in London. It was really great; beautiful HUGE train shed. It is still getting finishing touches, but that was OK because you got to see things like the picture above. Its working crawling all over the enormous glass ceiling getting some last minute Windex-ing done.

The trip including some champagne at the champagne bar that watches over the trains to France. Best part of that was the fact that the seats in the banquet tables are heated. Reminded me of putting the top down on my old car and driving around with the heated seats on. Very luxurious. Well worth the visit and tipple.