Archive
MSN Video
If you didn’t know, you can watch a ton of videos on MSN Video.
It’s worth checking out. I automatically get redirected to http://video.msn.com/video.aspx?mkt=en-gb since I am in London, but when I need my US fix, I simply change the URL to http://video.msn.com/video.aspx?mkt=en-us or if I feel like seeing Italian videos, http://video.msn.com/video.aspx?mkt=it-it
Messenger Video Chat
Last night we had some fun with Windows Live Messenger and had a video chat with my parents, but mostly it was between my dad and Milo … I was in there too somewhere. To my surprise, we chatted for free for about 30 minutes. I am usually never that chatty! It must have been all the stories Milo had to share.
My First Live Rugby Game
On Saturday, Alan took me to Old Deer Park to meet up with some Welsh guys who live in London and go to all of the games. This is where the London Welsh Rugby Club plays. There are two types of tickets you can buy: one in the covered stands/bleachers where you can sit down and the other where you stand along one side of the field. We joined these 4 or 5 guys on the standing side, which is the same spot they stand for every game. It is fun to stand on the sidelines as the players tackle each other right in front of you. Remember, most of these guys are pretty big and wear no pads. The "helmets" you see in this photo are to keep your ears from being torn off – these are optional and only one guy was wearing them on Saturday. Unfortunately, the London Welsh lost to Moseley (the other team) 40 to 10. And no, I don’t understand the rules very much and I’m still not a good spectator, but it was fun to go to a Welsh game with the local Welsh.
Dinner and fun in Milan
Some of the guys from the marketing team in Italy took us out to Martin Pescatore last night, which is a fish restaurant in Milan. We had far too much food (all of it fish-based) and some great white wine to go with it. We also got to try limoncello – I’m not sure if it was homemade or a brand like the one I have pictured here though. This site explains it quite accurately:
Sweet and soothing, potent and relaxing, limoncello is a strong, bright yellow after-dinner liqueur that hails from southern Italy, along the Amalfi Coast and the islands of Capri and Ischia. The ripe full-flavored lemons, found all along the Mediterranean are ideal for crafting this potent nectar. The resulting liqueur is very strong, very sweet, and very satisfying.
And now the fun part…. this morning Lorie and I were locked into our hotel room. I discovered it just as I was heading to the office: the lock was broken and wouldn’t unlock. The maintenance guys had to drill the lock out and cut part of the door around the lock. This is at the Sheraton Diana Majestic, which is a nice hotel (with a cool bar), so it was a bit unexpected.
In Milan (Milano)
In Madrid
So far, I haven’t seen much of Madrid except for the KIO Towers that are within walking distance of my hotel. There isn’t much interesting around it though, unless a bus terminal is exciting.
Tonight, we are going to dinner at Meson Teitu, which is an Asturian restaurant. That’s a northern area of Spain that’s known for its cider (sidra).
An update from London: Lorie, Cullen, Megan, Daisy, Milo, and I all went to the Telegraph (a pub in Putney) to see my first rugby game on Saturday night. For me, it is like other team sports on TV (I could care less), but it was interesting to see the rugby fans really get excited during the game. Plus I got to learn a little about the game from Cullen and Megan, who both enjoy sports like normal people. Yes, I learned about Rugby from two Americans! Anyway, it was doubly fun because England beat France and now heads to the Rugby World Cup finals.
Our new garden shed: DIY
Our bikes, extra large dog crate, and a variety of stuff people in the US usually keep in their garage can now be stored in our new shed. We spent most of Saturday putting it together. It comes as a kit with all the walls, floor, and roof built, so it is just a matter of lining them up, putting the roofing on (I call it shingles, but the guy who delivered it called it felt).
I also pulled up some of the pavers; nine of which can be seen in the photo leaning against the shed. We plan to plant some grass or something back there so the dogs have a place to go, other than the pavement.
For all you Americans, our project of building the shed would be considered DIY her in England, which means Do It Yourself, but you never hear it said that way: it’s always the acronym. It is a concept I am still getting used to, since everything from piecing together a shelf from IKEA to remodeling a home seems to fall under "DIY". I suppose the dining room table, twisty chair, and other things I’ve built over the years would also be considered DIY projects.
Wish I had this in school: Microsoft Math
| I guess I am old enough that I can now say that "I wish I had this when I was in school." I just realized Microsoft has a product for students called Microsoft Math. It has tools (like what I have pictured here), tutorials, and instructions.
And here I thought I was doing good with some fancy formulas in Excel. I am off to Madrid, Brussels, and Milan over the next week and a half, so I promise to post a few more interesting things…. assuming you don’t find math tools interesting. |
The Adventures of Lorie and Brian Groth 