The Adventures of Lorie and Brian Groth

This is our home for the next few days as we SLOWLY cruise up the canals. We are now in the small town of Hebden Bridge enjoying a couple pints.

This morning, Lorie and I went to Leicester Square and took part in the attempt to set the Zombie Walk World Record. We needed over 894 people dressed up (bloodied up) like Zombies, but I don’t think we made it. Lorie and I were zombies number 148 and 149, but Lorie stood a ways behind the crowd with a Starbucks coffee in hand and I stood at the back of the crowd with my arms in the air, like a zombie, and a hooded sweatshirt on to hide the fact that I didn’t have any makeup on. So I guess we were lame zombies. Afterwards, we saw the Zombie Diaries movie, but neither of us thought it was was very good.

The fun part was seeing a group of people obviously from a tour bus standing outside the fence at Leicester Square wondering what was going on. The picture is of zombies posing for other zombies who are taking their picture.

Thanks to Lars who introduced us to The Chocolate Tasting Club a few years ago, even though we could never join while living in the US. However, now that we live in London we are happy members who wait for our box to arrive each month. What this means is that once a month we get a box of chocolate in the mail with different types of chocolates from different chocolatiers. This month we got a truffle with rhubarb flavored creme, which sounds disgusting, but was surprisingly good. Anyway, it’s a small bit of entertainment that ruins our dinner at least once per month. Plus they are good and ethical regarding who and where they purchase the ingredients, which is a nice thing to support as we pig out on the chocolates. 

Last night, Lorie, Anne, Cullen and I went to the Rolling Stones concert at the O2 in London, which used to be called the Millennium Dome. The sound wasn’t that good so we couldn’t hear the vocals all that well, at least where we were sitting. But when they play songs like Start Me Up, Sympathy for The Devil, Paint It Black, and many other hits, everyone is singing along anyway so it just doesn’t matter if you can clearly hear Mick. I have to admit, experiencing the Rolling Stones play Paint It Black is one of my best concert experiences ever! And of course, this being England and all, we had chips (french fries) and beer as we waited for the show to start.

They opened the show with Start Me Up, which made me wonder if I was back at the launch of Windows 95. Only you Microsoft geeks will understand that one.

Oddly enough, as we caught the last District Line train home from the Westminster stop, we met a TV news anchor from San Francisco that works with a guy Lorie went to high school with. He and his son had also been at the concert.

UPDATES SINCE I FIRST POSTED THIS:

1. We saw Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood light up and have a smoke on stage, but it is now illegal to smoke indoors in London. This has now hit the news and the Daily Mail in London is reporting that there will be fines to pay.
2. This is the last tour that the Rolling Stones will do (probably) and the last 3 shows at the O2 will be their final ones. They have been touring since 1962! At least this is what the Daily Telegraph in Australia is reporting.
3. The Times has a write-up of last night’s show.

Onj stage at the O2.

I am playing around with Windows Live SkyDrive and have created a folder with good photos of Milo for you to enjoy. SkyDrive offers online storage that you can lock down for just yourself, those on your list of Windows Live Messenger contacts, or everyone on the Internet. It can be used to store anything, not just photos. If you are Brian’s parents, brother, or wife, then you will see a folder just for you. You can see all of this on the right-hand side of my Windows Live Spaces page (the one you’re reading) – just scroll down a page or two and you’ll see the folders listed under "Files".

http://cid-817ed2a8693b5fc7.skydrive.live.com/embedrowdetail.aspx/BestofMilo/

We are nearing the end of our holiday in New York, New York; Lake Pickerel, Minnesota; and Chicago, Illinois.

NY consisted of working with Hayley and others regarding Agents for Windows Live Messenger (yes Alex, all of our dreams will soon come true) , seeing friends and family, and a bit of shopping since buying clothes in NY now seems cheap compared to London. 

Minnesota was my favorite though since that’s when I got to sail (that’s me in the picture), bike 22 miles on my old recumbent bicycle with my dad (and a bit with nephew Haakon), jetski, wakeboard, kneeboard, kayak, cruise around the lake in the pontoon boat, and share some Pimms that we had brought from London. I have already posted a bunch of photos of the fun.

We are now in Chicago seeing family and friends, but mostly eating too much, such as some very tasty Giordano’s pizza, of which their deep dish spinach is the way to go.

Welcome to America.

Outside the Today Show and Rockafeller Center – both are looking down from Rob’s office building, which is a pretty sweet location.