Great Expectasia: Amsterdam, Brussels and the Rest of the Fall

It's been a while, and a lot has happened.

We hosted a lot of meals on and around Rosh Hashana. They were delicious and super nice. Nancy and David came to visit from Newton, and they walked ALL over London and saw a lot of our life here. They even soldiered a football game in Regent's Park!

Then we were meant to head to the Lakes District, but we took a sad detour to be with family as Matt's Aunt Phyllis passed away. We were grateful to be with everyone. She was such a special woman and a huge source of book recommendations for me. She could talk authentically with everyone in our family and really knew what questions to ask and also shared interesting things about herself and her own experiences. We will miss her so much.

I went on a few amazing hikes with the hiking club. I love them. I have also continued to run with the running club on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings. This is keeping me active, and it's so fun. I ran 8 miles one day, and we run about six regularly. I truly had no idea I could do that. What a way to see London. I have also been playing on the pickleball team for the group I play with up in Hampstead. It's so fun! And lots of tennis. Volunteering with a nonprofit and also shelving books in the lower school library as well. Loving all of that and very grateful for the time to do it all.

Matt has been to Washington DC, Michigan, Paris, Gabon, Benin, Senegal, Ivory Coast, and he's now in Boston (then Michigan before he's back next week). I have had a LOT of single parenting a bit of help from my parents lately. I'm grateful my kids are no longer young.

Susie, Matt and their fam came to London for a b'mitzvah and we got to see them. Filled my soul. That same weekend Sam fell off a horse (it went one way, she went the other. She did not get thrown) and broke her arm. Not ideal. It was our second time with NHS A&E. Not very successful (the last one with Elie also wasn't...). After 8 hours in the A&E, they gave her a small splint that did nothing. I was so hungry and tired, I didn't even hear her saying that it didn't help. Back the next day for another 7.5 hours, because I didn't know I had to take a pic of the x-ray, because the NHS can't get it to you. Then they put on a soft cast - it's actually hard on one side but allows for swelling. They made an appointment for her at a fracture clinic for a week from then. I couldn't change it or talk to anyone about it. We couldn't make the time. They cancelled it anyway. They still wouldn't have an appointment to see her. In the meantime, I took her to a private clinic (we have great insurance, thank goodness) who had a look, let it wait a week, then put on a proper cast for two weeks, then took it off, and she has been cleared for life this week.

We spent a lovely day in Oxford with Rich, Jess and their family.

Sam had a birthday party. Was meant to be a sleepover, but the week before, she said, I can't handle that! And we decided to watch a movie and have a sleep-under with some shake shack. THEN our internet went out the day before the party, and it was not fixed, so we went TO a movie and saw Wild Robot, which was so cute. All the expat girls with attachment issues were bawling. They had a great time. Truly. Sam has wonderful friends.

We volunteered with the school to help clean up a community garden.

Halloween happened. Koby went with a friend (and Matt). Sam went to the pre-party at a friend's house and then came home. Elie skipped it all together. I did tell them the last year when they all came back disappointed that I would give them their £20 costume budget for candy instead of the pain of trick or treating. Sam and Elie remembered. They're over it.

We toyed with trying to stay here another year. The election helped that. And the kids are all thriving. But after exploring lots of different angles, pieces did not fall into place, and we are coming back at the end of the school year. I am very relieved, though I know it will be a tough transition back for everyone.

Lots of football, tennis, pickleball, torah reading and shul (mostly for me, also a bit for the others), ping pong for Elie. Elie had his musical (which was AMAZING! He was the bishop in Frozen Junior). Sam is now learning hers. They saw Wicked the movie and the Harry Potter musicals.

Then we went to Amsterdam for our Thanksgiving break. It was one of our first trips where we weren't dragging around kids. They were interested! Sam was sick for the first couple of days, so she did some stuff and also took it easy. We took the Eurostar train there, went to the Anne Frank House, Van Gogh Museum, ate SO MUCH, amazing pancakes, incredible Israeli food, more felafel and more pancakes. We took a cruise in the canals. The big kids and I shopped a bit. Koby went to Madam Tussaud's (he tried the Amsterdam Dungeons after he was SO EXCITED for days, then he got super scared and left! The gave them free tickets to Madam Tussaud's, which was super nice). We toured a diamond factory. They schlepped around. Not one complaint about the walking - that's what a life in London does for these kids. They don't even notice walking more than 20,000 steps per day.

We then spent a day in Brussels. It was a Saturday, and the Christmas Market was a thing, so it was SUPER crowded, but we got a sense of the main attractions, ate good food and listened to Michigan BEAT OHIO STATE!!! WOOOHOOOO!! Then back to London so Matt could catch his Sunday afternoon flight.

This week has been full of Christmas parties and fun. Monday night was a night run through the city to see the lights - at 9pm! Tuesday I played in a pickleball league game (won one of three games - the other team was unbelievable, but it was SOOOO fun). Last night was a Christmas dinner with my running pace group. Tonight is Elie's sax concert. Tomorrow I'm going out with a friend to dinner and Hamilton. It's non-stop until the break. All good stuff. Very grateful.

Photos in order if they're mine, but out of ordered if they're borrowed.

not my photo. Halloween in St John's Wood. Insane. Get me out of there. (I didn't go after the first year)

Night run with my running group on Monday - started at 9pm so the streets would be less busy, shops are closed. But it was SO BUSY out. Lights are gorgeous. I'm in bright yellow.

Halloween with the running group. I was a horse or cow. We aren't sure.

Went with friends to see Hannah Gadsby. Eh. But grateful for friends.

Amsterdam!

Visiting MI in Oct

This is sort of how I have felt in London, so I thought I would put this here so I can remember. This photo was sort of validating. This is my hiking group outside of one of George Michael's homes outside of London. I am on the far left - the blue coat that you can see the corner of. I have somehow spent so much time here being invisible. Somehow the person taking the photo didn't even notice me! (There was no one on the other side of me)

We got unexpected time with New York cousins that we don't get to see often. That was special. Sam and Talia bonded.

Nancy in Camden Market. David took the photo.

Sam's birthday party!

Nancy and David and Koby on Primrose Hill

Kids didn't have school on a Tuesday, when Maria (glorious Maria) comes to clean our house. I went to their conferences. I asked them to stay out of her way. I came home, and they had made themselves lunch and were playing quirkle together. Warmed my heart (though I didn't love the food upstairs part, but you can't win them all!)

Elie had a playdate with his friend Ray, and this is what they did with their time.

Sam waiting for her pizza to finish

Unexpected Savta time in October

Koby was freaked out by Sarah's baby. The rest of us enjoyed her. Koby doesn't get a lot of baby exposure, but they all LOVE him.

Checking out a maybe cavity. Needed some dental advice.

TRADER JOE'S!!!!! They were so excited. and we forgot our bags.

Unexpected American Fall baseball with Uncle Dan

Super cool houses on one of the hikes I went on

Settlers with Teo!

Love this family so much. Especially the one on the left. What would I do without Susie?

We run all around London! And this is the joy that we experience all the time - truly beautiful smiles and amazing conversation all over the city. These are three of my favorites.

Just had to capture just how ridiculous Sam's room can get.

Oxford Museum of Natural History with Jess and Rich's fam

Oxford is so gorgeous

This guy was awesome

oxford!

Matt and Jess have been friends for maybe 30 years? We are lucky to have them here.

So many beautiful spots

that bridge was heavy

helping to move mulch for the community garden

they worked hard

and painted benches

this is koby just about every morning. Loves the fire. Loves his Week Junior. And anything cozy.

Sam's cast. It got signed after this. I'm sure she got a pic, but I didn't.

All is so straightforward here. On one of the hikes.

The Thames way out of town. on one of the hikes.

Sam separated colored sprinkles and placed each one with tweezers for this

At the movie theater for Wild Robot for sam's birthday party

The boys during Sam's birthday party

Sam's birthday party

We went to Hackney. Great food on the street. Elie couldn't decide between dumplings and pizza so got (and loved) both.

I got bahn mi. Not a great pic, but what a great sandwich with authentic flavors.

the canal in hackney

on one of the hikes. i want to live THERE

the carpet in the forest

this is our main corner, at Swiss Cottage, where we live. Every friday, starting at 3 TONS of police vans and people show up. The anti-israel protest starts around 5 or 6, and it has been over by 7 or 8 lately. A few weeks it got violent. Sometimes there have been hundreds of people. Lately it's been smaller.

This was the protest (a small week) as I went to the tube to go out see Hannah Gadsby

Our good friend Eric came for a visit! At Primrose Hill farmers market after shul

Elie in Frozen

Frozen

Another cute Koby morning

Wicked opening night! in imax. It was amazing (the parts that I was awake for...I'm so lame...but they LOVED it)

I just read The Feather Thief (recommended by my good friend Jen), and it's all about this SUPER interesting feather/bird heist at the Natural History Museum in Tring. The museum in Tring started during WWII when they moved important stuff out of London during the Blitz - like Darwin's birds. We went to a bird exhibit at the London Natural History Museum and saw these birds of paradise that were referenced in the book. I'm a nerd. I was so excited. If you're not going to read the book, then DEFINITELY listen to this This American Life podcast about the same thing.

I got to play tennis at the US Ambassador's residence in London. Grass court. In Regent's Park. The largest gardens in Central London other than Buckingham Palace. (She was out of town, and my friend's husband works for the embassy)

The post box on England's lane. It always has one of these on it. I have posted them before.

Manneken pis fries when we got off the train in Amsterdam

Our first morning in Amsterdam, on the way to the Ann Frank house. GORGEOUS! Then after this sprinkle, sun all day.

Pancakes. Pancakes. and more Pancakes.

Our hotel lift lobby

Esh in Amsterdam. Excellent dinner. Soooo many dishes. The Indonesian food in Amsterdam was also spectacular.

Stroopwafel!

kids and light. a moment in time.

Amsterdam morning

We have the same face wrinkles. She and I.

I learned on my first trip to Amsterdam in 2000 that every building as these hooks on the front. They attach a pulley and rope to bring things up past the ground floor. The staircases are too narrow to bring things up, so all goes up through windows. Truly every old building - still!

Pretty Amsterdam

This was a cool statue. Apparently it was a mysterious artist that made this and others around the city. It was where the Jews used to live, and where the Jewish Ghetto was. Seemed ominous.