Brief Stop Home

Well it's not that brief, but that's what it feels like. We got back on Tuesday in a bit of a daze after 24 sleepless hours. Passengers on planes who think it's ok to keep their feet up on the seats and kick the people in front of them in the back deserve to be punished. The holiday was great. We visited Boston, Cape Code, Rhode Island, New York and Washington. There's a large number of photos in a set on Flickr. I have put a selection of highlights below.

The main reason for visiting Washington was to attend the wedding of one of Graeme's university friends Sharron, who was getting married to Michael in a Jewish ceremony. Michael is Lebanese so the rehersal dinner (traditional the night before the wedding in the USA) was Lebanese themed with traditional food and dancing. This was my first experience of a Jewish wedding and the Lebanese culture. The wedding ceremony was beautiful and the reception was great fun. I've never met Graeme's American friend's before but they made me feel very welcome so welcome that I was sad to leave, knowing that we wouldn't see them again for a long time. Here are the Happy Couple.

To Sharron and Michael, Mazel Tov!!!

Now for the highlights.....

Eating lobster for the first time in the Summer Shack in Boston. I'll never forget the look on the face of Jonny's colleague, a recovering vegetarian.

Seeing our friends Jonny and Emma who now live there (in an apartment, not in the Summer Shack)

Visiting the site where Marconi made his first 2 way transmission between the USA and the UK. Sadly most of the site is eroded and only the bases of two of the transmitter towers remain.

Here's a model of what it would have looked like.

Seeing the Statue of Liberty from the Staten Island Ferry.

Visiting the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in Washington DC and seeing all the space hardware and spare parts. I feel a shiver down my spine to think that this tin can was launched into space, orbitted the Earth with a man inside it and made it safely back again. Humans are brilliant sometimes. Now if only they'd move out of the way so I could take a proper photo....

So they're my personal highlights. Well, we all know I'm a big geek. This afternoon I'm off for my Hen doo, which is taking place in Derbyshire, far away from night clubs and strippers (here's hoping).

Two weeks and a day left till our wedding. Only a few things left to do. Just the small matter of finishing a lace shawl and two bridesmaid's shrugs. It is starting to invade my dreams. Last night I dreamt that I was a female version of Harry Potter and I was inviting all the people from the books to my wedding. I was concerned that Graeme's family wouldn't get on with my magical friends. I didn't eat any cheese or anything. Just my strange brain.

I shall just continue to repeat my mantra. Everything will be fine. Everything will be fine. Everything will be fine. Everything will be fine.......