Now, I totally recognize that there are two fundamental problems with this post.
The first one being that this it is entitled “Our Anniversary…” and yet I will talk more about food than I will about Ben. This is because my regard for my husband is known intimately by myself and him and outweighs the regard I have for PDA. And the second problem goes along with the first in that, I took many pictures of food and none of us. That will just have to wait for another day.
Without further ado, today was our Anniversary. Ben and I have been married for Seven years: lucky number 7. I would say that time flies, but I am somewhat like a dog in that I have very little concept of time and not one to wish my children were babies again, nor do I wish to be in my first year of marriage again. There was nothing wrong with it, in fact, I found it quite enjoyable, I just take time as it comes and appreciate it for what it is.
We celebrated by spending a day in Cambridge…oh wait, we get to do that EVERY DAY!
After grabbing a coffee, we took Ella to storytime at the Library, where I met two other mom’s in the same boat. These would be the first women I have met who are here with their husbands who are “on sabbatical” or “visiting scholars”. Apparently, that is what we are doing – “going to school” just doesn’t have the same ring. At any rate, I am hopeful that I will meet many more and that a few might become good friends.
After exchanging emails and phone numbers Ben and I headed across the street to Guild Hall – the home of Jamie’s Italian. Unfortunately, Jamie wasn’t there but after a week of an ill-equipped kitchen and a tired cook it was a very welcomed treat!
In good Jamie form, everything was homemade with fresh bread emerging from the kitchen as we took our seats.
And the finest ingredients displayed to taunt salivating foodies.
Ben had the Tuscan Wild Boar sausages over a bed of lentils while I had a butterflied charred Mackerel special. Completely delightful!
Some say that you are introverted or extroverted. You get recharged by being by yourself, or with other people. I however, am foodoverted: I recharge by eating good food.
Yesterday I was feeling a little fragile. Everything is going very well: we are beginning to settle into our home, Jakob is doing brilliantly at school and Ben is home to help me get used to our routine but one can’t help have a slight existential crises when alone in a new place where, not only are you responsible for yourself but for the wellbeing of your children. If anything happened to me, there would be no one to pick up the slack, take Jakob to school, be with Ella, make meals, etc. I feel the need for friendship and to not feel quite so alone.
I tend to be quite hard on myself about things however, and recognize that I need to let up. While we are not yet “comfortable” things really are going very well.
Ben has already had the chance to sing in the Great St. Mary’s Cathedral and is excited for his seminars to begin. We have bought bikes for myself, Ben and Jakob and have a kid trailer ordered.
Charity Shops are plentiful and we have taken full advantage (my in-laws would be so proud). We have purchased new-to-us (more comfortable) couches for the living room, a coffee table and placed an order from IKEA for some more suitable bedding. (I admit, the popular polyfill here is just not doing it for me) We pick up things here and there for the kitchen and hope to start entertaining new friends soon. We have internet hooked up and both have cell phones.
Jakob, as I said is doing brilliantly at school. He asked to go both Saturday and Sunday and is eager to put on his school clothes. At this point we walk to school (about 25 min.) to drop him off by 9am and pick him up at 3:15pm. When I pick him up he is excited and hyper and of course always wants to get a treat because I may have bribed him on the first day and therefore why would the reward not extend to every day he goes to school? Every day he comes home with a new book to read, I jot down notes in his reading log and then send it back to school with him, where the teacher reads through the same book with him and comments on his comprehension or attitude in the log as well.
That’s about it so far. It has been CRAZY windy while Hurricane Katia flies by wreaking havoc around the Northern part of the UK. We were starting to wonder if the past week of weather was typical but have been assured that it is not.
If you think of us, do please pray that school will continue to go well for Jakob, that we will find a good church (we went to church on Sunday but I will reserve another post on that) and good friends and that I will get some much needed rest as I am still suffering a bit of jet-lag (I am the only one: the kids are doing great).
Happy Monday Everyone!
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