Auld Lang Syne

But seas between us braid hae roar’d
sin auld lang syne...

Well here we are in 2014!  How did that happen?  Like so many years, the last month of 2013 has just flown by.  Of course, it always seems for good reason.  Parties, dinners, cocktail hours and last minute holiday preparations take over our normal routine and before you know it we are thrust into a new year.

I gladly welcome 2014.  2013 had its moments, and what moments they were, but all in all it seemed to be marked by waiting and treading water.  The year started with my waiting for visa approval to come visit J in London.  In February I excitedly joined J only to find that the transition wasn't quite as smooth as I had hoped it would be.  Growing pains aside, my time here from February through June was enjoyable; not to mention the fact that J and I made our engagement official!  We took a whirlwind trip to Mexico to celebrate J's sister's wedding and before you knew it I was on a plane back to the States.  The summer saw more waiting.  Waiting for J to come visit so that we could have our civil ceremony, waiting for church permission for our religious ceremony, waiting for new visa approval, waiting to join my (now) husband.  Luckily, in the middle of all of that waiting I had plenty of wedding planning and marathon training to do.  I think the theme song of my 2013 could be 'Anticipation'.  Even the final day of 2013 was marked by my dogged searching of the internet for any news related to the status of the Penn State football coach, Bill O'Brien.  Or should I say the Houston Texan's coach, Bill O'Brien?  Disappointment aside, all the best to Coach O'Brien and his family.  I cannot imagine what the last 2 years must have been like for them.

I am seriously going to miss moments like these, though:

As for our final weeks of 2013, J and I made the most of finally being able to celebrate Christmas and the New Year together!  J got out of work early on Christmas Eve and we attended 6:00 PM mass at the Brompton Oratory.  The Brompton Oratory is a beautiful church quite close to where we live and I was very much looking forward to attending Christmas mass there.  Boy was I disappointed!  Their Solemn Mass is the "Midnight Mass" (Ahem, 11:30 PM Mass).  This mass is in Latin with full choir and instruments.  The 6:00 PM mass was well... lacking.  As in, NO choir, not even a cantor.  The entire service was spoken and we were out by 6:45.  J and I left slightly bewildered.  We knew that we were not attending the Solemn Mass but this hardly felt like a celebration of anything, much less the Lord's birth!  Well... we know better for next year.

This year we decided to celebrate like Peruvians (well J IS Peruvian)!  Post-mass it was time for me to put my chef's hat on and get to cooking!  On the menu: Roast Turkey, Potato Salad with Green Apples & Raisins, Mashed Sweet Potatoes w/ Orange Zest, Apple Sauce, Stuffing, and Pan Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Cranberries.

After a fair amount of this:

We ended up with this:

Then it was time for some of this:

At midnight we toasted with some champers (champagne: British slang alert) and opened our presents!  I received my first pair of Uggs, and let me just tell you, my feet have never been happier.  My parents sent us some gifts from our UK registry and I am in love with our new tea kettle that heats water up through a plug, not on the hob (range: more British for you).

I get excited about appliances.

Christmas day was spent relaxing, talking with family via Skype, and ended with a long walk along the Thames.  It felt as if we had the city to ourselves!  In London, EVERYTHING is closed on Christmas.  There is no public transportation, all grocery stores are closed, and only a few restaurants are open (and those that are, close by 6:00 PM).  The place seriously shuts down.

About a 10 minute walk from our flat.
The bridge to west of me is the Prince Albert Bridge.  

The week between Christmas and New Year's was spent taking advantage of the Boxing Day sales and visiting the Winter Wonderland for one last time.  The Boxing Day sales here are SERIOUS.  50%-75% off!  J and I said that next year we are writing IOUs and putting them in boxes for Christmas.  Then we'll just shop the sales!  And for those of you wondering what Boxing Day is, it has nothing to do with fisticuffs.

For New Year's Eve, J and I kept it low key and decided to go watch the fireworks on the Thames.  I happened to remember that Gordon's, London's oldest wine bar, was close to the river and thought it might be a good place to kill some time before going over to the Embankment.  As it turned out, we never even had to move from Gordon's!  We had a fantastic view from the outdoor seating there and made some friends while we waited. (P.S. If you are ever in London, I highly recommend Gordon's!  It is all about the ambiance, don't expect any kind of great service-it is London, after all-but grab a bottle of wine, some ham & cheese and go sit in the bunker.  Perfect for a sight-seeing afternoon ruined by rain.)

The view was quite a bit better than what the pictures would indicate.
These seem to suggest that London is under attack...

And with that, I issue a fond farewell to 2013 and a howdydo to 2014!  I hope that everyone had a fun and safe New Year's Eve.  J and I wish you all the best in the coming year!

Here is some great coverage of what we saw on Tuesday night: