This and That.

I usually upload photo's onto my computer from my camera once every year. At best. As it is "that time again", I thought I would put some random pictures up from the past couple of months.

I was in D.C. during the first week of October for a close family friends wedding. Jonathan was supposed to go on a work trip (which actually never happened), so my brother was my date. Most times when my brother and I go out together, every assumes that we are dating since we look NOTHING alike. He somehow inherited our Irish-genes while I did not. We had an awesome weekend in D.C. with my parents and the wedding was a blast.

For Jonathan's birthday this year I bought him a home-brew kit so that he can make his own tasty brews at home. I'm pretty sure I caught a glimpse of what Jonathan was like when he opened Christmas presents when he was little. I'm also pretty sure that I saw a tear or two as Jonathan gently caressed the beer making supplies. (what did I do!!??!!). Jonathan's first batch of beer was, according to our friend Dr. EZ, a success since he didn't get "the runs" from the home brew! Everyone enjoyed it and I have to say that it tasted as good, and maybe better than, some of the beers in the pubs here. Jonathan just started his second batch...a Winter Warmer...so we're excited to taste that one too.

Quite possibly the most fun event we have been to in England was the Dog Races at Mildenhall. Holly got us a great deal for the races: 10 pounds for fish and chips, entrance to the races, two-one pound bets, and a pint!! Between the four of us, we won over 40 pounds betting on the dogs. I successfully chose the second place dog EVERY race, unfortunately my winnings were 0. Whatever. Maybe it was bad luck after Holly and I decided it was a good idea to take a pictures of the dogs, mid-race, with flash photography. Woops.

Jonathan, Holly and Dan at the races.

I went to the Lavender fields in Norfolk with a couple of friends a while back. The lavender fields were actually not as big as we thought they would be, but they were still pretty. Of course, it was raining when we went. (Thanks England)

At the end of November my job will finish, then my class finishes a week after that, and I will be in Alabama for Thanksgiving with my parents and Jonathan. Lots to look forward to...

Country Roads.

Life has been pretty hectic since my last post. I got a job (woohoo!) and I started my last class for my DPT (woohoo!).

I am a community physiotherapist working for the NHS (National Health Service) in England. I drive A LOT for my job. It takes me about 1 and 1/2 hours to get to the office in the mornings, and since I am a community physio I drive to all of my patients homes-which are, on average, 30 minutes from my office. I initially was driving my car, an American left-side car sedan. Despite 40-point turns to park my beast in tiny English parking lots, I never exactly realized just how 'big" my car is for this country. These are pictures of two of the 60 mile per hour, "two-laned" roads that I take to get to some of my patients out in the country:

Needless to say, driving my left-sided car on these country roads was getting my adrenalin pumping...especially when a huge semi-trailer was heading directly at my car going 60 miles per hour.

I now drive our right-side drive British car and, although I still fear for my life multiple times a day, I know that I can at least see around bends and turns and if I hold my breath, I just might make it past that huge truck without a scrape. The bushes on the other side of my car, not so lucky...