Bilaeva

Little Eleanor has taken quite a shine to our Stephen. We spent yesterday in Cambridge and today we drove up to Norwich to visit Stuart, Christopher and Eleanor at their house. Stephen and Eleanor were rarely apart. At lunch yesterday, Eleanor wouldn't sit down, so Stephen told her that if she didn't do as she had been asked, then they couldn't be friends anymore. Eleanor announced "Too late, I'm already your girlfriend."

Pictures from Christmas and from Cambridge and Norwich.

My parents are telling stories about their past, but they can't remember the details. We're calling it trips down memory loss lane...

My future brother-in-law, Stuart, and new niece Eleanor and nephew Christopher.


They came to visit this afternoon and I got to meet them all for the first time. It was a little odd meeting my sister's new family, but they're all terrific. I'm looking forward to going up to their house in Norwich next week. It was total chaos at our place: nine people in a what even by New York standards is a small flat. But we had a nice little party for Lucy's 28th birthday. Later I'll get her to model the cow tipping t-shirt I brought for her from Wisconsin.

Now it's 8pm on Christmas Eve and Jonathan is getting really excited. He and Stephen are checking the internet for Santa sightings.

England is covered in fog. It's like a horror film. It started the morning I arrived and will hang around until after Christmas. I rode the train into London yesterday and you can't see the fields beyond the railway line, it's just a blanket of fog. The weather is freezing, nothing like New York, and I'm having trouble adjusting. Been spending lots of time under blankets just trying to stay warm. And reading Jonathan Christmas stories.

We went shopping in London yesterday and hit all my favourite shops, Patridges, John Lewis, Selfridges, and bought some of my favourite treats. It's beautiful in London. Christmas lights everywhere.

Only three days to Christmas! And on Christmas Eve I get to meet Stuart, Christopher, and Eleanor. I'm really excited about that.

It's official. I bought the trousers yesterday. I needed new jeans. The one pair I have are getting kinda big and it's a right nuisance when your trousers start falling down.