New Year's Guest Blog 1

Welcoming my first, and so far only, guest blogger, Miss Anna Gilkey!  Thanks for the contribution!  Anna is an old friend from Lynchburg and this little visit to England also constituted a ridiculously long-awaited reunion - nearly 10 years!  But I think we made up for some lost time. =)  So without further ado...

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Anna's Itinerary:

12/26-drive to Charlotte to catch plane, population 710,000, the largest city in NC

...US Air "breaks up" with me on voicemail and tells me that the flight is cancelled. Click. Jagerbomb. Ridiculous dancing ensues. F'ing snow.

 

12/27-back to Winston-Salem, hungover, home, where Erin R. and I do a miniscule load of laundry and regroup. Red box and J-lo's "Back-Up Plan" embarrass me, and Erin predicts all of the shameless resolutions. Penny.

 

12/28-Charlotte, back again and we fly away. The sock monkey slippers seem to be ridiculous until the floor looks comfy, cosy and then, Erin takes out her Kindle to block out the reality of... me. She secretly thinks, "OMFG. Do I have to spend the rest of the week with this freak?" Yes.

 

12/29ish- Manchester, Erin Olsen- 500,000 population

10 year reunion--haven't seen this most intelligent, ridiculous and fun lady in way too long. Amazing that my life is this lucky. City-Center, University of Manchester and Italian tapas. My vocabulary expands: crownchy: [adj.] skanky, disgusting, uncomfortable, yuck (but funny and maybe even a compliment?)

 

12/30- London Town- 8,000,000 population

I ask, "Who are you talking about?" as Erin and Erin have a conversation on the way up the escalator. I get schooled in TV and film. I need to Google Colin Farrell but I keep getting pop-ups.

 

12/31- New Years Eve- Chip Shop makes U.S. fast food seem a little small and insignificant with lemon sole and vinegar. Yum. It's 6:00 but because we are internationally sensitive it's difficult to know when to celebrate. We vote for Thailand and are in bed by London's 10:00. We actually stay awake for the  UK New Year because we are hardcore.

 

1/1- Tick Tock- Possibly the best day in the city. Rock of Ages and the family at dinner the day before, remind us that time is flying by, and although I cherish my history I am anxious for tomorrow.

 

1/2-  Teary goodbye- Saying "see you later," and crying, just mean that I have people to leave who mean the world to me. "Lucky girl," as the Rodmans would say.

 

1/3- Boonville, NC at work, population 1,000 "Oh, the holiday was absolutely perfect. I hung out with my mates. No rubbish."  (Only to be read in a British 6 year old's accent. Reread.)