English Escapades, 2011: vol. 1

It seems interesting things always happen while I am visiting the West Midlands. A couple of years ago I got to see a slow motion fight between two men so drunk they could be classified as retarded. The next day we watched the police hunt for someone who assaulted a woman in the toilets at the bus station. Well, it seems my streak continues!


Probably the first out of the ordinary instance of the trip occurred before the plane took off. While sitting and waiting for everyone to load, I noticed a flight attendant walk by with a tray with what appeared to be a bra on it. I then overhear 2 other flight attendants laughing hysterically and talking about it. Apparently it WAS a bra and had been found in the aisle behind a seat. Next thing you hear is a flght attendant, choking back laughter on the intercom, asking if anyone has lost a bra, size 34B.
Yesterday when coming back from Matt's brother's house we encountered a LOT of police cars near Pete's. By a LOT I mean possibly every officer in the West Midlands! The main street in Bloxwich was blocked off. We learned after asking a man on the street that a suspicious package was found on the street. The police had emptied the stores and worse, pubs. While trying to maneuver a way around the scene all officers suddenly left-- so we assume the situation was nothing. I never heard any big boms, so perhaps someone just dropped their shopping.

Happy Traveller

Maddie has been amazingly charming, as always! Going through security she wowed the TSA lady who exclaimed, "She is the MOST beautiful baby I have every seen!" She loved Maddie's passport picture too. Maddie was great on the plane, aside from one breakdown. While Matt was trying to calm her, the head honcho flight attendant came by to help. (The pilot had called attention to the attendant calling her Miss Virgin Atlantic-- apparently she is one of their best attendants, and appears in all the commercials... ) She took Maddie (who was later passed around among the flight attendants) and gave her some "calming potion"-- basically children's tylenol I think. It worked! Maddie slept, well, like a baby, the rest of the night. As we were leaving the plane, she was standing at the exit and she exclaimed, "OH! There is my FAvOURITE baby from the flight!" (This was saying something as there were about 20 babies on that plane.)

We had dinner the first night at a GREAT curry house. As we came in I couldn't help but notice that the server had the personality of sawdust. Certainly not a people person. I thought to myself, If Maddie can charm this guy, she's golden. Within 5 minutes he was smiling at her, waving at her, and even brought her a lollipop! That's my girl!

Maddie has had a great time playing with cousin Lucas and meeting all of Matt's buddies.

Cousin Lucas was very nice to share his toys

She has hit the Pelsall Labour Club twice now on her social circuit. She was a big fan of Helen who gave her some Cadbury's-- mmmmmmmm! "Uncle" Pete is a favourite, of course. I'm looking forward to her meeting the rest of Matt's family, and to heading up to Alnwick for a week.
As always, more to follow! I'm trying to update pictures on FB nightly...

EXHAUSTED after a long first day in England!