our house, is a very very very fine house,

with four cats in the yard, life used to be so hard, now everything is easy cause of...you (adapted from Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young)- no really, because we are white, highly educated people, who make a decent living- let's be real about this. (all pictures to follow from my phone, will post more later)

evening in Bowmore, Isle of Islay

When we were visiting family in the Netherlands (for two days) last week, we enjoyed connecting with my brother-in-law and his family sitting in their backyard retreat. Our nephews and their girlfriends were all saying how much they would like to visit the USA and how cool they think that will be. They seemed to think we live in a gigantic house and were surprised we do not have a pool in our backyard. If and when they do accept our open invitation, they may be very disappointed to find our home shabbier and less tastefully appointed then their own (albeit larger in size and acreage).

Glasgow Botanic garden

London dock lands view of downtown

We visited my own brother and his family as well- they have been here and know the real deal: it's a very very very fine house. Which we are grateful has not been swept away by floods yet or been a victim of wild fires- watching the devastation in other parts of our country on the news means we feel even more grateful that we are safe and sound right here.

The Prospect of Whitbey, London's oldest pub

another very old pub, owned by sir Ian McKellen- it's  very nice for drinking but the food is atrocious (except for the fries)

Before spending the last days of our trip with immediate family (some highlights included my niece proudly  showing me her school and a Sunday afternoon family gathering for fresh asparagus and delightful company, not to mention I actually had an evening with my 'best' friend), we had the good fortune to explore the UK before Brexit.

a Koran, Islamic art, the Victoria and Albert museum

National Gallery (London), detail, Crivelli

West Minster Abbey, private quarters

London, for a couple of days (pubs, musea). Then the Isle of Islay (pronounced counter-intuitive 'eyelah') for two short days, and an evening in Glasgow. Kind of a whirlwind of a trip- we spend a lot of our time traveling and will not plan any future trips in a similar way, still, we are fortunate to even have been able to experience all the things/places we did.

landscape, Isle of Islay

street view, Isle of Islay

Port Ellen, Isle of Islay

road side view

Upon return, we found a less than fresh offering of maggot-invested chipmunk on our dining room rug, and some 'pissed' on clothes in our closet, and welcoming (four) cats in our very very very fine house.

sunset, Bowmore harbor