Marcio's Farewell party was good. (Marcio's Farewell2 )These things are nice because you get to know people outside of work. He did a little speech and commented on what an opportunity it is to work with so many people from so many places. I think everyone agrees that is the best part of being here. With so many people leaving though, I am afraid it will whittle down to just me and the locals!!

DIANA IS OFFICIALLY USEFUL!!!!!

Yes! A whole week and a half early! I guess MS Access is not that big here so no one really knows much about it, but someone was trying to put something together using it and asked for my help. So yesterday, I put together some queries and tables and it did exactly what they wanted. They were so pleased that they are going to show it to some other groups to see if they can use it too!! (I almost felt like I was home working on Access.....) Also yesterday, I finally got to start using that program that I went to Vevey to learn about. I am really enjoying it and getting alot accomplished. So I finally feel like I am doing some work and contributing to the GLOBE project here over the pond. I am earning my rent!!! It feels so good!

Tonight is a farewell party for Marcio. Marcio is the Brazilian that went with us to Strasbourg. He is fantastic and I will miss him.....:( He lives in my building and the party is in his flat so I only have to go up one flight of stairs to his place. (I love a party like that where I get to be sooooooo lazy!!) Hopefully I will get some good pics for tomorrow.

Update on my cat..... she won't stop followiing Jamie around!! She sits next to his feet while he is cooking dinner then jumps on his lap as soon as he sits down and doesn't move until bedtime! It sounds like she has made his place home!

Well good morning all, nothing exciting to report. The big news today is about the parade yesterday celebrating England's win of the rugby world cup (I guess that is some big accomplishment or something...) Goodness, you would think they were the Lakers or something!!!

(Just kidding Richard!!)

Good morning everyone!!!! I finally saw a mouse in the subway system! Can you believe I have been here for 2 months and not seen any? And then I see 3 all at once. They were so cute running around. Here I got a pic of one of them.

Another important picture....

Pacifico! The best Mexican food in London! We had seen this place on Wednesday night, it is next door to where we had our Christmas Party. We went there on Saturday and it was so good that we went back again for dinner last night!!

Friday night was a big night out. A group of us went to a club called Full Tilt. It is run by a guy that runs most of the clubs I used to frequent back in Hollywood. I had a much better time than I expected. The dance floor was huge, so I never had to deal with sweaty guys accidentally knocking into me and the bathrooms had 10 stalls so I never had to wait in line! Those 2 things together make any night out a good one! Dawn and I stayed until 2 am, but with all the time it takes to get a bus (the tube is closed after 12) and take the bus to the train and then take the train home, I didn't get home until 3:45!!! The bus dropped us at the train station at 2:56 and our train left at 3, the next one wasn't until 4am so we had to run full speed to catch our train. I was wearing my boots with the 4 inch heels and just couldn't make it, so I stopped and took them off and then ran through the train station in my socks!!! We did make the train and it left about 20 seconds after we got on it. The train itself was an awful experience. I think Dawn and I were the only sober people on it.... I don't intend to do that again any time soon..

Saturday I went into London with Mike and did some more Chistmas shopping. Unfortunately I forgot my camera!!! It was beautiful out but extremely crowded, but at least I am now about 90% done shopping!

Sunday, we went back into London (to have mexican food again) then went and saw the movie Elf with Will Farrell. It was actually a bit funny but.... Then we went to Trafalgar square to see the big Christmas tree.

As you can see, there was also a lovely nativity set up as well. I am now officially in the Christmas spirit and can't wait to come home! (I think I may have mentioned that before....)

YAY!!! I just got a note from Katherine that she has her dates set to come visit!!! How exciting!! YAY!!

More exciting news.... for those of you that saw the pictures of Reed Edwards at the RDCC Christmas party and thought he looked way too happy... well you were right!! He has just announced that he and his wife are expecting a baby in June. Just in time for them to return to the US!! Congratulations Reed!!!

My last weekend in London this year.....wow, time has already gone so fast. A group of 5-6 of us are going to a club in Camden Town called Full Tilt tonight. It is run by the same guy that runs all of the clubs I used to go to in Hollywood way back when.. should be interesting. Tomorrow and Sunday I plan on just hanging out in London, finishing up some shopping and seeing the Christmas decorations. Have a great weekend!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANDPA!!!!!

Today he is 87 years young! I wish I could be there with you, but I will see you in 2 weeks!

So we had our RDCC Christmas Party last night at a place called The Langley Restaraunt in London. Great food, fantastic company and fun all around. By the time we caught the tube to the train station, train to Croydon and then walked home it was about 1pm, but it was worth it. I had a great time.

Christmas Story passed on from Carolyn Lush....

Several weekends ago, I was rushing around trying to do some
shopping. I was stressed out and not thinking very fondly of the
weather right then. It was dark, unseasonably cold, and wet in the
parking lot.

As I was loading my car up, I noticed that I was missing a receipt
that I might need later. So, mumbling under my breath, I retraced
my steps to the mall entrance.

As I was searching the wet pavement for the lost receipt, I heard
a quiet sobbing. The crying was coming from a poorly dressed boy of about
12 years old. He was short and thin. He had no coat. He was just wearing
a ragged flannel shirt to protect him from the cold night's chill. Oddly
enough, he was holding a hundred-dollar bill in his hand.

Thinking that he had gotten lost from his parents, I asked him what was
wrong. He told me his sad story. He said that he came from a large
family. He had three brothers and four sisters. His father had died when
he was nine years old. His mother was poorly educated and worked two
full-time jobs, She made very little to support her large family.

Nevertheless, she had managed to skimp and save two hundred dollars to
buy her children some presents (since she didn't manage to get them
a nything on their birthdays). His mother had dropped off the young boy
o n the way to her second job. He was to use the money to buy presents
for all his siblings and save just enough to take the bus home.

He had not even entered the mall, when an older boy grabbed one of the
hundred dollar bills and disappeared into the night.

"Why didn't you scream for help?" I asked.

The boy said, "I did."

"And nobody came to help you?" I queried.

The boy stared at the sidewalk and sadly shook his head.

"How loud did you scream?" I inquired.

The soft-spoken boy looked up and meekly whispered, "Help me!"

I realized that absolutely no one could have heard that poor boy cry for
help.

So I grabbed his other hundred and ran to my car.

Sincerely,

Martha Stewart