We Are Here! London that is!

After a pretty uneventful couple of flights, we arrived safely at Heathrow.  We had a little joking with the border patrol about if we had a place to stay for the night, got new stamps in our passports, and met our driver all before 7:00 am.  We had a 20 minute ride from Heathrow to our Hotel (the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge).  This hotel is situated just over the Thames river on the south bank, about a block from the Millenial wheel the giant Ferris Wheel.  We didn't get to check in to our hotel room right away, so we left our luggage with the concierge and walked back over the bridge into the area of Westminster.

This is the view from our hotel across the bridge to Big Ben, Parliament and the Westminster area.

A large Lion statue at the side of the Thames and bridge and below is Parliament buildings.

PARDON my picture taking abilities.  I am not Morgan or Alan who both take great pictures. 

  We walked across the bridge in back of us toward the clock tower and then turned left down a street and saw the Parliament buildings up close and personal.  The weather is cool, jacket weather, just right for me. The picture below is of the big Ferris Wheel on the right of the bridge.

 Below are statues of Cromwell first and then Richard the Lion Heart below him both at the Parliament buildings.

 We were walking down a beautiful street and across the street to our right was Westminster Abbey where Prince William and Kate Middleton were married two weeks ago or a fortnight. 

To our left was the tower which used to be the Westminster Palace, but is now the Parliament Buildings.

We wanted to walk over to Westminster Abbey, so we walked down this pretty little street on the backside of the Abbey with a wall, but were never able to get in to the abbey area. But I took some pictures of the backdoor and some beautiful window boxes. Every building, every home, every window has beautiful flowers hanging in front. I love that.

 This was the backside of the Abbey.  Look where the door knob is.  This wall and door were very old. 

So we finally got to the abbey, it costs 16 pounds to go in.  I have some extra pounds I would like to donate to Westminster abbey.  But we didn't go in, not yet! Maybe tomorrow.  But I took some pictures outside. 

The picture above is of the Jewel Tower, built almost 1,000 years ago.  This area was just across the street from Parliament also and in the same area as the abbey.  You can't see it in the picture but it had a real moat sans water.Then Sara wanted to go take a picture of No.10 Downing Street.  On the was we saw a statue of Abraham Lincoln, and an one that looked like Joseph Smith.  I don't know who it was, but this is the second statue I have seen in Europe that looks like the prophet.  The other one was in Rome at the Villa Borghese.  

 Above is Abraham and below is Joseph.

Very much like the White House,  They don't let you get too close.  Across the street is the entrance.

I shot the above picture toward where I thought the Prime Minister lived and the one below of the sign of the street. 

Back toward the Parliament area and the bridge was this cute pub. 

 The food looked really good, especially the cheesecake.  The Fish and Chips sounded best to me.  I love English chips, don't you?

On the way back to our hotel to see if we could check in, I just had to get a shot of me in this

.  So we are now back at the hotel, checked in.  Sara is snoozing and snoring and I'm really wiped out, but I wanted you to see our room.  Very, very nice, except for a weird ballet picture.

 I am missing everyone already, but so excited to be here,  as you can tell from my picture. 

Have a great day!,  I'm going to get some sleep!

I Could Spend My Time Doing Better Things, But Why?

Saturday I stumbled across a funny blog in which are Barbara Cartland book covers with a light description and some comment by the blogger. I was googling Barbara Cartland because I have been trying to find one of her books for a long time now, and so when I can’t think of anything else to do on line, I google Barbara Cartland just to see if I will find it. And . . . I found all these BC books on one blog. So funny, because the blogger is pretty serious about it all. I just couldn’t resist, remembering my and my sisters’ sick attraction to BC over thirty years ago. We were embarrassed, and would laugh so hard at these books. I’ve not overcome it – I still am attracted to the book covers, but can’t read them. Just looking for that one elusive book, that I had some kind of weird thing for. I think it may be called “A Thief of Love” . It was one of her earlier books and had something to do with islands off England or Scotland. The guy kidnapped the spoiled rich girl. She flew airplanes. I can’t remember if he forced her to marry him, but he eventually let her go, realizing that she wasn’t going to ever love him. She went back to England and then I don’t remember what happened. Anyway, for some reason, it was the only BC book I could tolerate. And I wanted it, just as a memento. Not a mento.

But I wanted to show you the first 10 BC books in the Bantam series published in the U.S. for about $.95. Yeah, I think they were worth about$.95 in entertainment value. Just because of the hilarity they caused in our bedrooms. So here’s 1 – 10. Enjoy!

1 The Daring Deception - The plot of this book is the adventures of Perdita and Lord Melsonby who fall in love during dangerous times in Morocco. Morocco – just one of the exotic locales she used to draw readers in to her sub par writing goo. I’m trying not to say c__p anymore.

Somehow I cannot, for the life of me, remember what the heck went on in this book. I remember the picture, barely, and I have to ask myself what was happening so that Perdita, and this is just me assuming that the girl on the horse is Perdita, was wearing a diaphanous get-up to escape from a Moroccan town? Did she get caught with hash hish or did she have to get out of a harem , fast? Hmm, - not reading it to find out.

2 No Darkness for Love - The plot of this book is about a girl named Atalanta, who must choose between her cousin, Viscount Cottesford, or an impressionist painter named Paul! Oh my! Paul! Choose Paul - The Impressionist Painter! I wonder if she gets her portrait painted in the end?

3 The Little Adventure. This book is set in Paris during 1869 with the heroine, Corinna, who escapes her aunt's house and runs away to Paris, changing her name, and becoming a governess. What happens afterward is classic Cartland drama!

Yeah, typical sappy drama: she runs away because she’s beautiful with eyes too big for her face. He sees her and wants her even though she can’t speak without taking a breath between every word. He is stern, harsh even, a rake, and has a magnetic personality that she can’t resist. He finally gets her …….and…….. everything…… is……… perfect……….somehow……….even though…………he doesn’t ………..deserve……..her, …..for……she is………..an …………angel……..ARG! I CAN’T STAND IT!

4. Lessons in Love. The plot is that the heroine, Lady Marisa, is masquerading as a governess in the household of the Duke of Milverly in order to write an expose of the evils and corruption of Edwardian Society. (Yeah, who hasn’t wanted to do that?) During her time, she comes to care for the duke's daughter and love the duke. Read what happens when her cover is blown!

Again, I don’t remember this– at all. How could I forget it? What a plot, what excitement, what genius! BC – she did it again, literally. I mean she wrote the same plot again and again.

5. Journey to Paradise. This book is set in Mexico, one of 2, I believe that Cartland set in that locale. Kamala runs away from an arranged marriage and met up with Conrad (Conrad?)who is traveling to Mexico in search of diamonds. Barbara Cartland was a strict historian, so if she said that there are diamonds in Mexico, there are!

Not the dreaded arranged marriage plot. Either a heroine is escaping from one or decides to endure one and ends up falling in love in the end. I very much remember the cover of this book. I remember the parrot, plastic surgery looking Conrad with hand on knee, and that crazy soldier guy in the background and Kamala stepping through lush vines and palms in her amazingly poofy ballgown with posy in hand. Yes, We Can . . . all go on a Journey to Paradise with Barbara Cartland. Book my ticket now!

6 The Bored Bridegroom. The Marquis of Merlyn marries Lucretia because his father has ruined and sold off their estate and Lucretia is an heiress and marriage is a genius way to gain wealth at least for some Barbara Cartland heroes, and I use the term ‘hero’ very loosely.

What else was going on in this book? Looks like they were in France? Or were they at Waterloo? I don’t know, but I think that the Marquis has something wrong with his hip. First blonde hero, and again I use the term lightly, on a BC book cover by this illustrator. Don’t all these men look as if they have had plastic surgery? Is Lucretia wearing wooden shoes? I’m glad she’s wearing all her voluminous petticoats out to the field of battle. You never know when you’re going to have to tear one off and bandage a wounded soldier’s head – like that one behind her. But I think she can’t because her husband has to have her hold him up because of his hip. I guess he’s not so bored anymore.

7. The Penniless Peer It is about the hero, Lord Corbury, who comes home broke after fighting in the Napoleonic wars and meets up with his former neighbor, Fenella, (she must have popped a blood vessel thinking up that name) who concocts a daring plan to regain his fortune!

I think in the picture Fenella is pleading with him not to shoot her because her eyes are too big for her head. She’s trying to explain that she was born that way. Also don’t you think he should be shot for having such a long neck?

8. The Dangerous Dandy. This book is about Alina who is saved by Lord Dorrington, the hero, from an arranged marriage

. Because I don’t remember reading this book, but pretty sure I speed read it, I don’t know why there was a duel. Probably because Alina was innocent and pure and her eyes were too big for her head so the dangerous dandy Dorrington had to pull out his rapier? and make everyone stop making fun of her . Typical.

9. The Ruthless Rake. Syringa, the heroine, is wrongfully imprisoned because her friendship with Lord Rothingham threatens Lady Elaine, who trumps up the charges after he refuses to marry her.

I remember this book, mainly because of the really weird-looking old lady with Syringa’s clothes. Yeah, Syringa had to give up her clothes when she went to prison, but what the heck is that guy undoing her petticoat for? He looks like he’s all hands. Maybe this book should have been called Handy Mandy meets Syringa Dinga.

10 The Wicked Marquis. In the books, our heroine, Orelia, is under the lazy chaperonage of her cousin, Lady Caroline. See what happens when she finds out that the man she admires is engaged to her cousin!

I think Orelia is having a heart attack! Obviously the man is reading something she wrote and she’s either embarrassed or fearful. Embarassed because she’s writes like she speaks; I . . . think . . . your . . . pants . . . . make . . . . you . . . . . look . . . . like . . . . you . . . . have . . . . a . . . wide . . . . bottom! Or fearful that she didn’t get a good score on her spelling test and she just found out she misspelled her own name because she is just that sappy. I have to say, I was taken with this blue dress when I was 19, and maybe it’s just me, no I don’t think so, I agree with Orelia, those pants make his hips look fat. So, what was the plot of this book?

And now I’m going to make up some good names for BC heroines.

1. Tortila - this one will be about a girl who falls in love with King Bean.
2. Sharika – She has amazing vocal chords and goes to study opera in the Odious Opera Opus.
3. Ludikristy – She is raised by gypsies and saves her true love, the prince, from pirates during a volcano eruption and earthquake.
4. Fraudette – she tries to fool a Duke into thinking she is smarter than she is.
5. Porquita – this one is about a girl who is really 21 but can wear dresses the size of a small piglet.

Maybe I’ll post another ten tomorrow or the next day, if you're lucky!

Be My Valentine, Puh-leese!

Last night I was listening to some of my favorite songs on my playlist and I was thinking why they were so appealing to me.  I thought I would make a few small lists and share them with you.  Indulge me, since it's Valentine's Day in just two days.

My Favorite love songs from when I was just a young little whippersnapper romantique.

1. More – Bobby Darin – It wasn’t until years later that I realized that Bobby Darin made this song popular and not the Lennon Sisters (or Lemon sisters, as I thought they were called.  You have to realize how young I was).  I loved this song and I think I wore out the Lawrence Welk record version featuring the Lennon Sisters singing it. I think I got a crush on the Lennon sisters too – they were cute and they wore cool dresses, and I pretended that I was the youngest sister, Janet.  Janet is the one on the right front.  Doesn't she look cute?

2. Happy Together – the Turtles – I did not get a crush on the Turtles, not even one of them.

3. This Guy’s in Love withYou. Herb Alpert – Julie and I used to go down to the Polar King and play this over and over on the jukebox. I think we were about 10 and 11.

4.  Maria - And somewhere between 3rd and 8th grade there was West Side Story.  Shirley gave us a record and AA played it all the time.  I liked some of the songs but I loved Maria, Tonight, and There's a Place for Us.  My gosh, I almost wished my name was Maria.  That or Gloria, I was torn.
4. Love’s Theme – When I was a junior in high school this song was very popular and I loved it. Still do. This was the song we did our dance to at the Jr. Prom.  I have to say, I had one cute dress, not a date, but cute dress.  I'm over not having a date for prom . . sort of . . well, kind of . . . not really.  I know, I’m dorky.  That's probably why I didn't have a date for prom.  That and the big ever giving zit on my chin from February to April of 1974.   I'm not bitter. 

So, if you're wondering what these songs sound like,  they are the first ones on my playlist now. Click play and enjoy!

Favorite books from when I was a teenager and had romantic ideas.

I won't tell you what they are, but you will know from the pictures and I think you will laugh over some of them.
I read this book for the first time in the summer between eighth and ninth grade. It took me all summer – I had to keep renewing the book.

   I read this in the summer between ninth and tenth grade. Never read it again. Don't you think these two had an unhealthy relationship?  I'd say Heathcliff was just a little too obsessed with Cathy, wouldn’t you say?

 I remember the first time I read this book in ninth grade. I screamed when Darcy proposed to Elizabeth; it was so unexpected. Mom came into my bedroom to ask what I was screaming about and I said, “He told her he ardently loved her!” It’s an annual read.  I like this part in the movie, even though it doesn't take place in the book; it should.  What's wrong with Jane Austen that she didn't think to put a swimming scene in?

 I Read this one in tenth grade and it was the start of my love of Georgette Heyer novels. Her books are
the best!  I read this one once in a while now.  I know this one isn't hard because the name is on the book.  My original copy looked just like this one. Now I have it on my ipad and it goes everywhere I go.

 5. I I know - another title on the front, but can you remember his name?  Her name was Stacy.  I love the scarf he's wearing around his neck.   Oh, how I wish I had that Janet Daily calendar. I don’t read Janet Dailys anymore, and if I did, I wouldn't admit it here on my blog.

 Most Unexpected Valentines Gifts

1 A bag of Fruit and Nut bars for the whole family from Lizzy. Was she trying to tell us something?
2. Baskin and Robbins ice cream Sundae from Lizzy – it had a sucker in it. Very cool.

4. A package of chocolate candy sent from mom and dad sometime in the 1990’s. It was so sweet.
5. And my gift last year from Alan.  Our conversation about about it went a little like this.  He was in Ethiopia.
  Alan:  Hello, Happy Valentine's Day!
  Me:    Hello, Happy Valentine's Day to you.
  Alan:  Did you get my Valentine's Day present yet? 
  Me:  Uh, I don't know.  Did you send something?
  Alan:  Yes, a carpet steam cleaner, did it get there yet?
  Me:   Why yes, I did get it.  Oh my!

                                                         

Nothing says I love you quite like a Hoover!

My favorite memories of Valentines Day

Mom had a beautiful Valentine’s candy box and a few times she made fudge, penuche, and divinity (mom’s divinity never turned out), and cookies to put in it for daddy. I loved that box, it was satin pink and had golden glitter on in that said, “Be Mine.” I didn’t really know what to think of mom giving dad such a romantic gift.

I loved kicking Valentines. It was fun to get valentines at school, but the best part of the day was when we got home from school and began delivering our valentines in the neighborhood. It was so fun to deliver them and run away like crazy hoping we wouldn’t get caught. It was especially exciting when we would hear a kick at our door and we would run to answer the door and find a pile of envelopes or maybe a plate of beautiful heart-shaped cookies. I loved catching the deliverers. Funny story about kicking Valentines below.

 One year, I think this would have been around 1970 when I was in seventh grade and too old for kicking Valentines, Julie talked me into delivering a trick Valentine to Mack Wilberg. So embarrassing! She said it would be fun, but I knew it wouldn’t be and only went along with it because she begged me. We tied a string to the Valentine, placed it on his doorstep, and then hid behind the cement wall in front of his house. Then we realized someone had to kick the door. She talked me into doing that too, and all I really wanted to do was run home. So I kicked the door and ran to the hiding place. When Mack came out he didn’t see the Valentine and unknowingly stepped on it, so when Julie pulled on the string it broke. I was ready to give up, but she talked me into trying again. Could Julie have had a crush on Mack without me knowing? She retied the string and kicked on the door. Mack again came to the door and this time Julie pulled the Valentine and he followed it and found us. Julie jumped up and ran home to her house, without saying anything to Mack or me and I sat on the gravel looking really stupid. That’s what happens when you don’t have a good exit plan. Yeah Mack, well Happy Stupid Valentines Day!

Planning a surprise trip to Castle Dale from Logan on Valentines Day 1986 when Morgan was just one and a half. I had baked special cookies for everyone in the family and was going to frost them and write everyone’s name on them. I had to go upstairs for some reason and left Morgan with the cookies on the table. When I got back downstairs I found, to my dismay, that she had broken every single one of the big heart cookies in half. So I scolded her good, and sent her upstairs to play while I made and baked more cookies. In her defense, she was only one and she had no idea what she had done wrong. After awhile I decided to go upstairs and see why she was so quiet. There she was standing on the bathroom vanity looking in the mirror and smearing her lips with my red lipstick. She was so funny and cute, I had to take a picture. Big smile for Mom! Well, we got the cookies made and safely packed and we traveled to Castle Dale. We put Morgan and the cookies out on the front porch and rang the doorbell and hid off to the side. Soon the door was answered by Mom and she was surprised and so happy to see her little granddaughter out on the porch delivering Valentines. Everyone was happy to see the cookies, but Morgan was the best Valentine that day.

And now for something completely yummy! Mom’s Strawberry Jello Cake recipe.

Set oven at 350
Ingredients:
1 pkg white cake mix
3 Tbs. flour – ¼ cup flour
1 small box strawberry jello – not the sugar free
Mix these together well in a large bowl or your kitchen aid mixer, and then add ;
1 cup vegetable oil
½ cup water
4 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
½ cup fresh or frozen strawberries. Drain if using frozen.  Let them thaw and then drain any juice.

 Mix together 30 seconds on low, then 2 -3 minutes on medium speed. Your batter should look something like this - pink and fluffy.

 And this:  thick and battery looking.  This makes a pretty moist cake with the additional oil, egg and strawberries.

If you haven't done this before, do it now.  Go buy two heart cake pans!  JK.  Pour batter into greased 9 X13 rectangle pan, or two round cake pans. If using layer cake pans, use waxed paper in bottom of pan, and then grease and flour the waxed paper before pouring in batter. 

 Divide the batter evenly between the pans if using two pans.

 Bake for 27 - 30 minutes.  I baked mine for 30 minutes EXACTLY and look how EXACTLY perfect they turned out. While the cake is baking, make the frosting. 

Frosting Ingredients: 
1/4 cup butter or margarine - softened
1-2 Tbl. milk
1 box of powdered sugar or a bag - you won't use it all
½ cup strawberries cut up – can use frozen.

Start with 1/4 cup softened butter or margarine.  In med. sized bowl beat the butter till smooth and creamy looking.  Add about 1 Tbl. of milk or cream.  Add 1 cup of powdered sugar at a time turning off the mixer when you add the sugar, otherwise you will get a sugar cloud developing in your kitchen and your grandaughters will start coughing.  Add in about 1/4 cup of strawberries.  Add more powdered sugar, then more strawberries until you get the frosting to be the consistency you like.  Mine was a little thin, and I only used half of it.  If you make it thick you can really pile it on.  Mom's original recipe called for 1 sq of butter, and no milk, but that made a ton of frosting. You do what you think is best for you.

 This was after I let them cool in the pans for about 45 minutes and then took them out. 

 Cut the rounded top off one of the cakes so that the other layer will sit safely on top and won't break. 
Then find a beautiful cake plate like mine and center the cake on top.  Spread some frosting on top all the way out to the edges.  Then place on the second layer.  You can see how runny my frosting was. 

 Then frost the second layer making sure you get the sides covered completely, or do whatever you want to do at this point.  I Let Lily and Leah take over . 

 Lily was very into her heart sprinkles and she kept wanting to stick her finger into that cake, but somehow we made it through the whole process without that happening.  See the bowl of frosting off to the right?  She did keep sticking her fingers into that.

 Leah  wanted to be in the middle of things, but at the same time she was very sick.  We kept telling her to cover her mouth when she coughed, but she did cough on the cake several times. 

 And here it is! Such a beautiful cake for my Valentines.

 We didn't wait very long before we cut it and served some up.  We couldn't wait 'til Monday.

And that is Grandma Jorgensen's  very rich and yummy strawberry-jello valentine cake. 

Indulge yourselves and make it for Valentine's Day.