Hello non followers....Innit.

Have I lost all that read? Not that there really were any readers. So how has everybody been? Is the stock market low enough for you? What else will the government buy? Will the Rays beat the sawx?

So...I've been pretty busy here at work and at life in general. I've been studying every Tuesday and Wednesday with Jacob for our LEED AP exam which we are going to take on Thursday. Tuesdays are spent at the Starbucks in Oakton where I have had a girl somehow figure out that my wife is in Vet School (Shout out to Michelle...love you babe!) and ask if she knows any horse researchers that can work on her friends horse and I have had a girl try to flirt with me (I think) by discussing my rad USSR jacket and how she also has one. On Wednesday we study at St. Elmos Coffee in Alexandria, Del Ray to be exact. Sometimes there is a performance and sometimes it is quiet, but it is always different. Occassionally, my dad is in there, and as King of Del Ray, he introduces me to everyone that works there. What does this get me? Free coffee...well, nope. It gets me nothing but short term conversation. 3 of the last 4 weekends I have studied LEED in Newman Library at Virginia Tech while my wife studies something having to do with animals. I spend generally 3 hours there on Sunday and up to 6 on Saturday. Did I mention that I had better pass this damn exam?

I went to the VT vs. Nebraska game a few weeks ago. That was a lot of fun. I also got to see my Grandparents that are not getting any younger and I don't get the chance to see that often. The Nebraska game experience is a great one. They support their team loudly during the game, but shake your hand and congratulate you after. Never seen anything like it. I've seen people nice to each other before the game, but to seek out any opposing fan and congratulate them after losing is amazing. And strange. This must have happened 5 or more times to me alone.

Back in August, Michelle and I went to the UK. It seems like a different life ago, but in reality is only about 2 months ago. First we flew into London and rode the Green Tomato (Highly recommended by this writer) Car service to our place of residence in Holland Park. Green Tomato uses only Toyota Priuses as my way to save a bit of petrol. We were staying at our friends place in London for the first leg of our trip. Petra and Adrian live in London now. They were not there while we were here, but were very gracious to lend us their town house. It was about 3 blocks to the Holland Park tube stop and in a very nice neighborhood. Hello Ferraris parked on the street. We arrived in London around 6 am and were at the house by 7. Michelle and I napped until about 11. We then got up and walked up the road for a quick sandwhich. After our sandwhich we headed up to Hyde Park for some walking around and free art gallery viewing. We went to Harrods, Princess Di's memorial and then the grocery for some food. After dinner at home the first night we went to the local pub around the corner. A good first day in London. The next day we went to St. Pauls Cathedral (did not go inside b/c of the 12 pound fee), across the Millenium bridge to the Tate Modern, down the Thames to the Tower Bridge and then to the Tower of London. Had some Indian a couple stops away on the Tube and met up with Michelle's study abroad friends for some drinks a bit later...Day three in London (Friday for those scoring at home) we wanted to see the changing of the guard...which we did. Ehh. Did it. Don't need to again. Immediately got in line for Buckingham Palace tickets (word up 2 hour line!). Walked to Parliament and Big Ben for a bit of a bite to eat and then back to BP for the tour. Afterwards we walked to Trafalgar Square...what up NO PIGEONS! They had olympic boxing on the big TV. My camera died at that point, so there were no more pictures for the day. Met up w/ Gemma that night for some drinks somewhere...Angel? Yep. That's it. Angel. Saturday we went to the country for Borat and Kate's wedding. Well, Joe and Kate...we learned at the reception that Joe is fond of wearing a MANKINI...so I will now call him Borat. Very Nice. Can I say that Gemma is a crazy driver? She indicated that we would be in a bus, but by bus, she meant the smallest mini-van i've seen since those little Toyota's in the 80's. No curb went unchallenged and somehow, immediately after telling us that if you go over 100 you get your license revoked, you guessed it....we were going 105. You may think km, but no, Brits are a bit confused as they have MPH in speed limit and long distance but measure rooms by square meters. You figure it out.....

Part 2 of the UK Vacation will have to wait, we will pick up with the wedding and follow through to Edinburgh and the fringe festival, up to St. Andrews, the night train back to London and one final day in London...