Mom and Dad

Here's an update on all our doings:

1. On Tuesday May 10 - Thursday May 12 Mom and Dad were in Edinburgh, Scotland. Dad said it was hard to find the castle at first because everything looked like a castle.

2. On Friday the 13th (oooh) Mary and I drove to London whilst the grandparents watched Helen. We made passing visits to Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Parliament (ie Big Ben), and spent most of our time in the British Museum. One really needs at least a day and a half there to do it any justice. I recommend the Ancient Near East section and Bog Man. Next time we'll do the British Library, where I could spend several years.

FWIW to you Brits, my friend Lew tolf me (via JT) the best way from Birmingham to park and ride into London. Take the M40 which becomes the A40 outside London. Take the Northolt exit and go left past the train station. At the intersection turn left and park at the Swimerama swim baths for less than £3 all day. Brilliant.

3. On Saturday, I took the others on a repeat trip of Wolverhampton and Wales (the same as with Mary's parents in March). In Wales, we went into Powis Castle this time. The gardens alone were worth the price of admission. The castle was awesome and the view breathtaking. Of course, there were several valuable items on display, the most impressive being Bernardo Belloto’s "View of Verona" which is worth £12 million!!! And for you thieves out there, the security is almost nonexistent. Wink, wink.

Powis Castle is the kind of place that most people in the West Midlands/Birmingham area don't know about, yet need to visit because it is only 1 1/4 hours away.

4. On Sunday, we went to the preacher's family's home after church and spent the afternoon. We had a nice lunch of that traditional British meal -- lasagna.

5. Yesterday, Monday, my parents took a bus to London and will be returning tonight. We all plan one more trip... a visit to Bath on Wednesday. Dad was too cheap for the train, so they took a megabus. Cheap but no luxuries. Then mom and dad will be departing on Thursday, and we'll have one more month of UK living.

The weather here right now is about like early March in North Alabama. Thankfully, it has rained very little so mom and dad have been able to see most everything they wanted. They don't know this yet, but my brother-in-law Chris has added tons of grass and landscaping to their yard while they've been away. You Moulton folks make sure to ask them about it when they get home.

And Capes mentions that she has never seen my parents, so here is an old family photo:


That's me on the right, mom to the left of me, my sister in the middle, dad in the traditional Wren male garb to the left of my sister, and on the extreme left is the one of whom we do not speak.