Granola, it's not just for Breakfast

OMG, I'm in shock, I leave for Africa a week from tomorrow! When thinking about what I would pack, I realized that I am not at all well-equipped for the wilderness. Really, I could survive for a couple of months without doing laundry in any major city in the world, but not one single day in wild, unless of course I did it in the way God intended, naked. So I found the London version of REI (Black's) and spent a grand total of 317 POUNDS! This whole granola thing is a lot more expensive than I thought, I have a whole new appreciation for all of those tie-dye wearing, dread locked hippies spending their time hiking the Rockies and being at one with nature. It ain't cheap! I am now the proud-ish owner of a sleeping bag, hiking shoes, a camping pillow, camping towel (folds up SO small!), a backpack, super-dooper bug spray, a rain jacket, a flashlight/lantern, binoculars, a head torch and the pièce de résistance...a pair of pants that zip into shorts...hot! Seriously people, I need to take up some new outdoorsy hobbies when I come back to get some use out of all of this gear. I think I'll take up spelunking, I've got the head torch for it plus, I've always like the sound of it. The actual word, not the act of crawling through dark caves. Here's my loot!

Mood: Starstruck

I have had my first celebrity siting in London, and I personally think it is a very exciting one! So let me set up the story for you guys. Last weekend Kelly, Desi and I went to watch Simon's(Kelly's fiance) soccer game. Afterwards we went to grab a bite at this steakhouse in our neighborhood. There was a bit of a wait, so we decided to just go to the Thai place next door. Desi had borrowed the movie, The Kite Runner, from Kelly and had brought it with her to return it to Kelly. She gave it back to her at dinner and this sparked a long conversation about the movie, the book, the follow up book A Thousand Splendid Suns. Now, these are two of my favorite books (if you haven't read them, do so immediately!) so I obviously saw the movie as soon as it came to theatres. I was really scared to see it, because so many times movies that are made after books are so disappointing. This was not the case, I thought the movie was so well done and really complimented the book. So anyways, we are sitting there talking about this and all of a sudden Kelly goes "Oh my gosh, the guy from the Kite Runner is at the table next to us" We of course all whip around and "non-chalantly" stare him down. It has to be him, looks just like him! But it is too crazy to actually be him, when we have been talking about the movie all night, and actually have it with us! So leave it to us, after dinner we go over and interrupt his family dinner and ask...sure enough, it is him! He was so gracious and took a picture with us...he even asked for another one b/c he thought his eyes were closed in the first one! His family even took out their cameras and took pictures of us with him. I am assuming he probably isn't one to get recognized everyday and I think his family was excited for him as they all started clapping as soon as we rounded the corner to leave the restaurant...it was cute. Anyways, here is the photo of us with Khalid Abdalla

Daily Rant.

If the tube were in Texas, it would be a very different scene. After three months of relying daily on public transportation I have come to find that my first notions about the tube and British men are indeed fact. British men are just plain rude, when riding on the tube. To be fair, it is a free-for-all and everyone must fend for themselves. You've barely stood up before someone has swooped underneath you to take your prized seat during morning rush hour. But I have found that men will cut a women off to get to a free seat, they will avoid eye contact with any standing women nearby as to not have to be directly confronted with the fact that they are sitting and you are standing and they have no intention of giving you their seat. Old ladies will remain standing, pregnant women, women in stiletto's (even though that is their own fault). In fact, I have seen more women give up their seat to old ladies and pregnant women than men. It's funny, when you think of British men, you think of very old fashioned, chivalrous men. Which is true for the most part, with two exceptions. They've had one too many pints or they are on the tube.

Betty Crocker wants her apron back

Sorry Kel, it was a valiant effort and they tasted great. That's what matter, right?! My sweet neighbor Kelly wanted to make some "I love you" cupcakes for Simon the other night. Here was the result.

But she looked good doing it...and they were the sprinkle kind, yum! Luckily, Kelly loves me too and I got a couple :) Thanks, they were yummy...I ate them in celebration of the anniversary of my third month here in London, can you believe!