Day 35: Historic day

It was an amazing day yesterday by anyone's estimation. I remember thinking the market open following September 11 would be the worst I would ever see, but I was mistaken. I also received my ballot for the election so am sending that off today. My friend in Chicago stated 'this is election year politics at its best!'

Day 34: The Apollo Victoria

I had a meeting near Victoria today and as I walked from the hotel to the office, I went past the Apollo Victoria, where Wicked is playing. Now I have seen Wicked, but the real reason I posted this photo is because the first time I went to the Apollo was in 2004 when I was living in India. I had come to London to take a course for a week, and I wanted to see as many theatre shows as I could. Bombay Dreams was playing here, and I remember thinking it was really far to travel and feeling very lost and confused by the tube, but I walked out of Victoria Station and saw the huge theatre and was really glad I made the effort. Little did I know back then that I'd be living in London someday.

Day 33: Newcastle

Hooray! Newcastle from the train. Christopher and I took the train from Edinburgh to Newcastle, and then got on another train to London. This was taken right around dusk.

Day 32: Moet Bar & Restaurant, Selfridges, Manchester

My camera battery died and I forgot the adaptor for the US charger. So this is taken from the Blackberry. We went to the Moet Bar in Selfridges to celebrate the job and had glasses of champagne overlooking part of Manchester. Decadence!

Day 31: My critter!

I forgot to mention I received MY critter a few days ago!! It's an adorable little sheep from Scotland. Can you believe this is the work of a first-time knitter?? I can't! I haven't named him yet...any suggestions?

Day 30: Manchester

I'm in Manchester for the weekend. This sign is pretty accurate right about now!

Day 29: My local corner shop

This is Mariotta's, which is the wee shop a block away from me. I go there quite often (too often!) because I don't have a large grocery store very close. I have a Sainsbury's but it's a little far, and there is a Waitrose but it's about a 20 minute walk. Anyway, this shop is pretty good and I usually get a couple things there on the weekend or after work. Today I bought a pint of milk, a small yogurt, and toilet paper. £3.10.

Day 28: Welcome home

Finally back from the whirlwind tour of the East coast of the US. This is the view from my luggage cart at baggage claim. Glad to be back! I'm away again on Thursday to Manchester...sigh...

Day 27: My new dining room set

The gorgeous new dining room set I bought this weekend!! I absolutely love it. Can't wait to fill it up with all my lovely dishes and crystal.

Day 26: International Center, Yale University

Day 25: Lunch in Seymour, CT

Lunch in a small restaurant in Seymour, CT while looking for antiques! This was the placemat. How many can you name? The clues were the years of the presidency and life. I think we named about 15?

Day 24: London from my office

I had a lovely early breakfast with my friend who will be staying in my flat next weekend and this is the view from our canteen. It's a gorgeous view across the Tower of London over to Tower Bridge. I really miss London!

Day 23: London!

Today was a really manic day (okay, most of my days are manic, but today particularly so). I woke up very early due to my cold, studied for many hours, and went and took my exam at Holborn. After that, I went to the office and got ready for a work event, which was nice. But THEN! Nim and I took the tube from Liverpool Street to Harrow, where we had an amazing dinner of paneer, paneer, and more paneer. Yum. Now I am exhausted and very lucky to be staying at my aunt and uncle's home for the night.

Day 22: Kings Cross St. Pancras

Trip to London today and this photo was taken from the back of a taxi from Kings Cross St. Pancras station on the way to my hotel. I travelled by train this morning rather than flying and it was quite a pleasant experience. Although I must say, first class by train isn't nearly as nice as first class by airplane! The train leaves from Waverley Station in Edinburgh and travels through Newcastle, York, Doncaster, Peterborough and then arrives at Kings Cross in London. St. Pancras is the lovely station in the foreground of the photo and Kings Cross is seen way in the right-hand corner. St. Pancras is where the Eurostar leaves when it travels to Paris.

Day 21: Financial markets crash

Subtitle: Breakfast at the Elephant House

I did feel better this morning (don't worry Mom, I'm fine) and so I set out to the library to return my books before they came due. I got there a bit too early, though, because when I reached the building the gates were still locked shut. As a result (or perhaps this was my subconscious acting) I was 'forced' to stop at the Elephant House for breakfast of eggs on toast and a cup of tea. Never mind that I'd already had tea and toast before I left! Anyway, the Elephant House is a lovely cafe that I have always wanted to stop at and it is quite famous in Edinburgh because JK Rowling sat writing her early novels in the back room where there is a gorgeous view of Edinburgh Castle. I was really happy that I had an 'excuse' to stop in. Needless to say, all the papers have to talk about is the Lehman Brothers/Merrill Lynch/AIG crisis. We fielded plenty of calls and emails yesterday about it, and I must say I'm a bit happy not to be at work for the next few days (sorry guys!).

Day 20: Unwell

I suspected I might be coming down with something yesterday as I felt feverish all evening. Today started out fine but rapidly went downhill around 3pm. I have the next few days off (luckily) but here is my dinner. Just like my mommy used to make us when we were sick. Well, maybe not the tortilla chips. P.S. Mom, I miss you - wish you were here to take care of me!

Day 19: Self portrait

Well, it's hard to believe, I know, but I am actually going for a run this morning and thought I should document this historic day with a photo. I know SOMEONE will be very happy to see this! This is the first time I've put on running clothes since I ran the London Marathon in April. It's a beautiful sunny day in Edinburgh, and it would be a shame not to be out in it (while it lasts).

Day 18: My local

Kay's is my local and it is literally a 30 second walk from my front door. It is a lovely pub that is frequented by friendly people and has been around for ages. I was a bit hesitant when I was considering this flat because it was so close to a pub (I can see the front door from my bedroom window, and I can hear the conversations in the evenings) but it is really nice having it there. There aren't any horrible kids coming out steaming at 3am. Just nice folks having a pint. I think we are going to go there for one of my Edinburgh farewell nights.

Day 17: Dawn on Jamaica Street

I took this photo from my kitchen window, at about 6 am. This is view out the back of my flat across Jamaica Street. Very peaceful and quiet at that time in the morning.

Day 16: Attack of the spiders!

Look closely. Or better yet, click on the photo to enlarge. There are two horrid disgusting spiders in these plastic boxes!!

I was sitting on the couch this morning surfing the internet as usual and I looked across and saw a huge spider crawling on the couch opposite me. After shrieking in terror I went to the kitchen and got a plastic box to catch it. I went back to the living room and the spider had disappeared (of course). So I pulled up the cushion of the sofa and there he was. I captured him and felt quite pleased with myself...and then I look up and there's another one sitting right in front of me!!! Cue shrieking and plastic box capture once more. I then left the spiders in the boxes while I got ready for work as punishment, so they could think about what they'd done.

Then I threw them in the rubbish bin. Apologies to the animal lovers and recyclers, but it had to be done.

Day 15: Day trip to London

I found out at the last minute I needed to be in London today. So I flew down in the morning and back again in the evening. I spent a fair amount of time sitting in taxis, hence this photo. I took it in the second taxi ride of the day from London City Airport to my office. The traffic was horrid this morning, so I had a lot of time to waste. Also, these are my favorite blue suede shoes that I'm always on about. Once when I was in Chicago, a woman stopped me on the street to ask where I got them from, and when I said London, she was crushed. :) And wow, I suppose I should have known this, but I didn't realize how disgustingly dirty the floors of taxis are!

Day 14: Dinner at Dan and Sally's

Today I was lucky enough to be invited to dinner at Dan and Sally's. Dan is a colleague and he and his wife Sally are friends of mine in Edinburgh. I am really lucky to have met them! Dan looks a bit menacing in this photo but he's really darling. I am really going to miss them once I've left the UK.

Day 13: My idea of heaven

How did I never see this before?! T, have you noticed this? It's right next to the Valvonna & Crolla cafe. Sorry - this is in St. James Centre. I was on my way back from John Lewis where I had returned a really cute jumper that was too big for me. I didn't buy anything at Kurt Geiger, don't worry, S.

Day 12: The making of the critter

This is what I have been doing most of the day - making a critter. Flipping heck, this took me a lot longer than I thought it would. I think I went a bit overboard. I really, really hope the PERSON who is getting this critter likes it!!

Day 11: The view of my street from my front window

I haven't gone out today as it's so. darn. cold. so thought I'd show the view from my front window. I have little windowseats where you can sit and look out (which is why my foot is in the corner!) and it is a nice view. I like my street.

Day 10: Edinburgh Castle

The one and only. I had taken a lovely photo of Princes Street Gardens but I decided to go with this one instead. The castle looks so impressive from down below. I never fail to look at it when I'm walking around the city and it always makes me smile. I hope I get the chance to explore the inside once more before before I leave.

Day 9: Heriot Row

Looking down Heriot Row towards our street. It's sunny again in Edinburgh! I was walking to work and ran into my friends who live in the Robert Louis Stevenson House. S, Felicitas is back from Germany and the twins are walking now! Felix is in school now too! I will go over there to say hi sometime.

Day 8: The third "half" of my desk

This is the third part of my desk. You can see I am trying to eat more fruit as I've brought peaches in to the office. Stephen is the lad who sits next to me (he totally reminds me of John Belushi as Jake Blues in the Blues Brothers, by the way). I would have posted a sunny Edinburgh photo but it's RAINING. AGAIN.

Day 7: The Abbotsford

I was all set to post a photo of sunny Edinburgh, because it's only sunny like five times a year here. However, instead as I was coming out of Sainsbury's, I saw this pub, which I have probably passed by dozens of times before and never noticed. I've never been in here, but the reason it's notable is that I grew up just down the road from a street called Abbotsford Lane, and one of my oldest friends who is coming to visit me soon lived on this street. So this is for you, P!

Day 6: The other half of my desk at work

Here you see the right hand side of my desk. I have a card from some dear friends on the left, then is my Chicago Tap Dance calendar. The bloke in the photo is my favorite tap teacher in the world, Mark. There are my tassels from graduation - junior high, high school, college, and master's degree. Then my two massive Rolodexes and above those are my CFA grading identification badges. Oh, and Alasdair is the bloke on the other side of the divider.