I had a lovely spur of the moment trip to visit the Mountfords again last weekend!! It was absolutely wonderful and a total whirl-wind trip but I'm so glad that I was able to go. The traveling bit of the day was quite the adventure -- for everyone. I left the house at 5am and walked to the train station to catch a 5:30 train. I read Oliver Twist and listened to music and enjoyed the "cross country" trip to Sheffield where I arrived at 9:45am. Yes, it was a four hour journey. There at the train station in Sheffield, I found a cafe and staked out a spot with my hot chocolate and journal since I wasn't supposed to meet with Victoria until 11:20 when her sister in law's train was due to arrive. Long story short -- if I can manage it since I tend to make them long -- Victoria and here mum were caught in TERRIBLE traffic and advised Anna (Victoria's sister in law) and I to meet up with each other and just take the train over to the shopping center.
As what was supposed to be an hour and a half long car ride very slowly turned into a four and a half our car ride for Victoria and Mrs. Mountford, Anna and I were having a smashing time getting to know each other. The MeadowHall shopping center is absolutely huge and it was crazy busy. After a couple of hours, we were feeling a bit overwhelmed and stopped for lunch -- baked potatoes. So good. I've been missing cottage cheese.
I bought a bag. It's biggish and black "leather" and zips closed and it only cost 15 pounds. I was looking for one because my purse doesn't quite hold enough and it doesn't zip closed, which makes me nervous, AND because I thought it would be good to have for Belgium this weekend. I found the perfect one! And I'm quite fond of it. And it passes the elbow test. I can get my elbow through it and put it up onto my shoulder in one fluid motion without have to use my other hand.
When Victoria and her mum arrived they texted us and suggested we meet them at Marks and Spencers for tea. Isn't that funny? They had just sat in the car for hours and hours and instead of wanting to jump in and make the most of their shopping day, they wanted to sit down and have tea. I love that. I love that people stop to do that here. Anna and I were ready for another break anyhow so this suited us well. The tea and talk time was lovely and we were back out in the shops in no time. I bought a belt at H&M for 1 pound and put it on straight away -- I was wearing a sweater dress that I've always thought needed a belt, I just hadn't found the right one yet. And I picked up a few Christmas gifts here and there, but I've hardly made a dent in my Christmas shopping. Lots to do.
We closed the place down. No joke. Those Mountfords can shop!! It's pretty impressive. We stopped in M&S again for tea before hitting the road. I very nearly fell asleep a few times in the car but those little tiny naps were probably good. They helped me to last the rest of the night. Back at the house, we ate pizza and watched footage from James and Anna's wedding : ) It was really fun and really cute because the whole family is so involved in everything. I loved listening to their stories and this or that relative did or said this really funny thing at this point in the reception... it was great.
I spent the night with Victoria's friend Laura (who I had previously met in Oxford) because there wasn't any floor space left at the Mountford house. It was so nice to see her! She let me sleep in her bed and just before I arrived she put a hot water bottle in it to warm it up for me! How sweet! AND it's the coolest hot water bottle I've ever seen!! It's shaped like a star! I should have taken a picture for you. Laura and I made plans to spend the first weekend of December in London together. It's going to be so much fun shopping with her and enjoying all of the Christmas lights and festivities. I'm really looking forward to it.
After church Sunday morning we ALL went out to lunch. Victoria, her mum and dad, her grandma, her sister, her sister's boyfriend, her brother, her sister in law and me. The Mountford's are wonderful. It was just a really fantastic experience. I love listening to them talk to each other. They get along so well and they have so much fun. Just ordering the meal was this huge family affair. Everyone was asking everyone else what they were getting and Victoria's dad was making a list and he kept changing his choice every time someone else told him what they were getting because he thought their choice sounded better and it was adorable. And then Victoria and I were force fed dessert. Seriously. They asked me if I wanted dessert and I said no. I said no four times. I just didn't have the heart to say it a fifth time. So I said yes. Victoria and I shared chocolate cake and ice cream. And it was tasty.
Back at the house, we all sat around and drank tea and looked at more wedding DVDs and talked. I wanted to stay there for the rest of my time here in England. I wanted to just move in. I could live on the floor and be best friends with their cat and it would just be so perfect. I'd gain about 20 pounds because I'm not allowed to say no to food at their house : ) but I'm sure I'd manage some how. Being in their house just makes me really happy. They're a lot of fun and I'm trying to figure out how I can get them all to come to Seattle some time. I'm trying to coax them into taking a cruise to Alaska and spending some time with me before and after.
The train ride back to Virginia Water was another long one but, a little Jason Mraz and a few Rhianna songs plus the Finding Neverland soundtrack and I was in good shape.
Anneliese, Victoria's sister, asked how many more days it's going to be until Steven comes. I told her 25 and she suggested that I get an advent calender to count down. I thought that was a brilliant idea! I actually already have an advent calender so that's just so perfect. Mrs. Mountford had given me one the last time I visited so I think I am going to use it to count down to Steven's arrival because other wise, I'd end up taking it home with 7 chocolates still in it, and that seems kind of silly. It's so cute, don't you think? I guess Mrs. Mountford really wanted to get me one while we were out shopping in Birmingham and this was all she could find : ) I love it. Very British.
Here's something else interesting, and really random: Just as James and Anna and I were getting ready to leave for the train station, James started rummaging through his suitcase for something. He pulled out this shirt. I sort of stared at it thinking "what the heck?" and James says to Anneliese, "Is this yours?" She just stared blankly for half a second and I said, "It's Chad's!" It was really funny and really strange. I guess somehow it got left there when he and Whitney visited last spring and someone thought it belonged at James and Anna's house so they sent it up there but then they assumed it belonged to either Anneliese or Victoria so they brought it back down and no one would have ever known whose it was or where it came from if I hadn't been there to tell them. Crazy.
So, Chad, I have your shirt and I will give it to you when I see you over Christmas.
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