London, England. England, London.

We're in England! Teaching done, grades submitted, and off to the UK for a couple of weeks of vacation.

Vicki is up in Bradford taking an anthropology short course and hanging out with all kinds of cool people, some of whom are even alive. London and I are staying with Mike and Fiona Taylor and their boys Daniel (10), Matthew (8), and Jonno (for Jonathan; almost 6), in their big house in the little village of Ruardean, in the west of England near Wales. You've heard about how supposedly the English countryside is charming and the villages are quaint and even more charming. It's all true.


On Monday, Fiona took us to a miniature railroad near here, with real working steam locomotives. Here are (from l. to r.) Jonno, London, Matthew, and Fiona on the train. Mike and Daniel stayed at the house.


Jonno, the little scamp, dodged out of this picture.


But not this one.


It has rained here at least a little every day. Mike has apologized profusely for this, which is very funny, first because it's not remotely his fault, and second because we're escaping a couple of months of drought, wildfires, and 100+ temperatures in the Central Valley of California. Rain and 60s are just fine with me, thanks. But it hasn't rained all the time. In fact, yesterday it was nice and sunny for most of the afternoon, so the boys got in some quality time in the Taylor's immense back yard (or 'garden' as they say here). Here Daniel (l.) and Matthew fly kites from atop the trampoline.


Daniel is also highly skilled with Jedi lightsaber, and has taken London as his Padawan learner.

The cabin in the background is just that, a cabin (or 'summer house') which is a great place to sit on a sunny day and watch boys, and (I hear) camp out with them.


The house in the background here is the Taylor's. Not that I expect your eyes to be drawn there first.


Ah, that's more like it.


This weekend London and I are off to Bradford to meet Vicki. Stay tuned for more pictures soon!