It's been an interesting year

I love this country but sometimes.....

For the most part, I love living in the UK. Actually for the 99.9% part, I love living in the UK. There is only one thing that drives me crazy. There are very few moments when the cultural differences between the English and the Americans actually gets in the way of having fun. It usually revolves around words and the way they are pronounced. Like when I say, "I'm eating tomato soup" and someone says, "oh, tomato soup". Ok that doesn't really translate on print, but maybe you get the point.

One word in which I've had trouble saying the English way is aluminum. And that's because it's not eve spelled the same. You see there is a history to the word in which I will inform you of now by way of the Online Etymology Dictionary:

Aluminum
1812, coined by Sir Humphry Davy (1778-1829), from L. alumen "alum" (see alum). Davy originally called it alumium (1808), then amended this to aluminum, which remains the U.S. word, but British editors in 1812 further amended it to aluminium, the modern preferred British form, to better harmonize with other element names (sodium, potassium, etc.).
"Aluminium, for so we shall take the liberty of writing the word, in preference to aluminum, which has a less classical sound." ["Quarterly Review," 1812]

So there you go. There is no "right" way. There is the American way and the snotty British way.

Don't get me wrong, it's not like all people are this concerned about how different we are from each other. It's mainly a few people at work....ok, one person at work.

One More Month!

Here's a trailer for you from Japan...just in case you are there

65th Anniversary of D Day

Again, just a few of the photos we took when we went to Normandy. This might have been the most amazing trip I've had since moving to England.

Honeymoon Photos

Just a few photos of our honeymoon in Spain! And when I say just a few I mean just a few. But if you're my friend on facebook I'll put more in an album.

Hands off Ladies

Just a typical day

Cordoba had a giant festival that words cannot describe! Ok, it was sort of like a State Fair minus the livestock and plus 100 Flamenco tents

These next two photos are the view from our top balcony in Gaucin


That's Victor pointing over the gorge in Ronda

At the Alhambra in Granada

Gibraltar rock and one of the monkeys

It's that time of year

Kids all over the US are graduating from High School. I highly doubt any of them are reading my blog but I thought I would post this video I saw on YouTube from a comedian who gave the address at his old high school this year. I don't remember a thing from my own ceremony but maybe if this guy was there, it would have made it more memorable

Soon enough

I've been crazy busy traveling around and it's just going to be a while before I post anything of substance. Sorry for the disruption. Just to keep you happy, here is something to make you smile in honor of our trip to France this weekend:





However, in all seriousness, we're off to Normandy for the 65th anniversary of the D-Day landings.