Trip across the pond: July 24 & 25

Wednesday, July 24

            Every morning we sit outside our hotel and wait for one of the Powell’s to pick us up.  Another couple from the UK is staying at our hotel and we seem to be outside at the same time. We are enjoying chatting with them daily.

            Today we went to ASDA’s to get food, the UK’s version of Walmart. I’m going to make fish tacos with guacamole salad and cucumber salsa.  Mark baked, Grandma Casper’s Butterscotch Chocolate Chip cookies.

            Mark buzzed around the backyard field on the riding lawnmower with Gruffy.  I’m not sure who had more fun.

            We’ve had very relaxing days.  Mark manages to nap with Gruffy most days. It is such a blessing to spend time with our Welsh family. 

            Gruffydd is a character, he loves to play outside, walk the dogs, and ride in his little car.  He plays with matchbox cars – lining them up and pushing them off the settee.  He learns new words everyday, parroting everything we say.  One day he picked up his travel potty (which looks like a suitcase) by the handle and walked around saying “morning” whenever he passed us. He has a wonderful imagination turning sticks into lasers or swords and hiding in Harry Potter’s cupboard under the stairs. Since the weather has cooled down a bit, he is in a much better mood. He still has tantrums one minute and all smiles the next.  Ah, the life of a 2 year-old.

Thursday, July 25

            Another quiet day- ran a few errands and then playtime with Gruff.  I worked on supper: I’m cooking Linguine Chicken Ragu, garlic bread, and strawberry spinach salad.  It’s challenging to find ingredients that match my US recipes.  Especially when cooking Mexican, that is not as popular here with one little shelf of items.  Indian food is much easier to do, as there are many shelves full of spices, rice, Naan, etc.

            We are looking forward to our trip to Ireland.  Micah and Adam will fly in to Dublin on Sunday morning from the states.  Luke, Emma, Gruff, Mark, and I will  fly from Cardiff to Dublin, arriving around 9:30.  Hopefully, we will all connect in baggage claim.  Our family has not been on a trip together since 2000, when Adam graduated from high school.  It should be interesting: 6 adults with a 2 year-old.  I’m thinking Gruff will be my excuse for not hiking and going shopping instead.