Warsaw II

We went to the Warsaw Zoo today. We ate gofry z bita smietana z czekolada (waffle with whipped cream and chocolate) and saw more red squirrels than we could count.

Tomorrow is our appointment with the British embassy here in Warsaw, so keep your fingers crossed!*















*Metaphorically, of course.

Warsaw I

On the bus in Dover

The Channel Tunnel - I thought that this was a tunnel that you drove through. Obviously, I was wrong.

Star eating peanuts on the bus outside of Berlin. (These peanuts have lasted us four days so far!)

Star eating spiral potatoes in Warsaw Old Town.

This old man was handing out bird seed to anyone who would have it.

Star feeding a pigeon.

Star feeding two pigeons.

The pigeons took a break from being fed to circle around the square.

The church that houses Chopin's heart in one of its pillars was closed for renovations. We had planned to take a picture of Star next to said pillar, but had to settle for her pouting outside instead.

I had accidentally given Star the wrong thing to say if someone starts to speak to her in Polish. When a woman started a conversation with her, Star was actually saying, "Yes, Polish." Oops!

Today:

I started to regret cutting my bangs for my Halloween costume.
We came in second at pub quiz.
We got lost looking for an art club for Star.
I found new books at the library.
I ate hummus - and lots of it.
Robin told me my hair smells like old book (yay!)
Star realized she isn't too old for mommy hugs.
We played stand-on-the-lines-in-the-road-or-else-you'll-fall-in-the-lava on our way home.

We've started planning a trip we'll be taking late next year (since I can't work for a while, I have to micro-plan something!) We're planning on Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Bulgaria - Hungary and Bulgaria are still tied for cabin possibilities, so this should help us decide.

Also, we've got a kitten. Her name is Ninja Kitty Go!

This weekend, I intend to install Ubuntu, so I'm sorting out everything on my computer today. In doing so, I found this old picture of something Star once wrote -

Update in Less Than 30 Words

Robin's play did well!

Star played at some parks.

She was excited and silly on her first day at school

And we finally got to relax a bit.

List of Updates

• We've discovered that there may be a problem with getting US visas sorted out for Robin. That means that there is a possibility that we will end up staying in Edinburgh after all - we are planning to go talk to someone at the American consulate next week and will know then (hopefully.)

• Also next week, we'll be moving into our new flat, just in time for Robin's play (Broken Holmes.) We won't have internet, but we should be able to find free wifi at some point.

• Star seems to have taken a break from drawing comics. Instead, she's been working on scripts, cartoons and a novel, and drawing lots of dragons.

• I've finally started submitting poetry to publications.
  

• To make myself start composing, I'm writing one piece a day (for this week anyway) and posting it. They are really short and aren't great compositions, but I need to get myself writing again.

We're Getting Married! (And Other Updates)

Robin and I can now officially announce that we are getting married. The tentative plans, assuming visas and everything work out the way we hope - January 23rd on the Marin side of Golden Gate Bridge, followed by a bicycle procession over the bridge to wherever our flat may be (yes, this means we plan to move back to San Francisco.)


Other Updates

Robin is working on the last-minute details of Broken Holmes.

We made a trip to Herefordshire, where I met some more of Robin's family. Pictures from that:

From left to right: Ian, Stephen, Sandi, Paul, Sally, Twiz, Evan

Star demonstrating her ballerina-like grace

Star debating on whether she wanted to play croquet or not

How Star passed the time...

On the long drive back to Callander

Sally and Star on a tour of nearby lochs

Another loch

Magi - A wonderful man with a beautiful singing voice.

Also, we recently found out that Debbie, one of the hosts we stayed with in France, has passed away. Debbie was a remarkable woman, and our thoughts are with her husband, Pete.

If Only Life Had a Soundtrack!

If only life had a soundtrack!

Everyone would dance in their living rooms and under bridges and in rainy fields and on empty moonlit cobblestone streets (if the trumpet had anything to say about it.) Pollen carried on spring breezes would be turned into string quartets that were so lovely no one would care about runny noses or itchy eyes. Lady would kindly remind one that they don't have it so bad after all. Bob would wail until you learned to think, and Lily Pons would sweetly tickle your cochlear cilia until it was impossible to be angry.

I imagine people would progressively start to sing anything they had to say. If someone were to cut in front of you while in line, they couldn't possibly want to argue if you said/sang something like this:

(to the tune of Sing from Sesame Street)

Hey, 'scuse me sir,
your place is
behind her. *pointing to the last person in line*
You cut in front of me!
I was here first, you see.
So, would you mind
if I took back
my rightful place in line?
I'm sorry, but you will have to wait
your turn like everyone else.
I don't
mean to whine.

La, la, la, la, la...

Then the other fellow would apologise and boogie to the end of the line, with his frozen veggies doubling as a maraca.

Hip Hip Hooray!

After years of waiting and months of bureaucratic nonsense, I am finally officially a divorcee.