We arrived two days ago and are over our jet lag. Today Dennis and I are going to meet Poppie. Yes, our very own Poppie.

We are here for my sister's wedding. She fell in love with a Brit a couple of years ago, and now they are getting married.

More to come on the visit. I can tell you it's 50 degrees(and minus 20 in Minnesota when we left), so it feel downright balmy to me. So far, so great.

How fab is this..Anno, Dennis and I are to meet today at the Victoria and Albert museum....I am so excited(and a little nervous...like whats that about...eh!!!lol)
I will take lost of photo's and post them with permission.

I too will keep you posted

Poppie

WOW!!! How fabulous...we can't wait to hear about the visit and see some pics. I can't think of anything much nicer than meeting some of these wonderful women! Have a wonderful time and let us know how it goes!

While drinking coffee this morning I opened the paper to read the headlines!

“American and English Convention is taking place in the heart of London. The already established ties will be strengthened and officially adopted! YEAH YEAH GRANDMA ANN !!"

I’m thinking of you all, and boy do I ever wish I were with you.

Fantastic. Have a great visit. Can't wait to hear about it.

Here is a link to the museum they will be visiting. What fun.
http://www.vam.ac.uk/

Anno, you'll have to tell us about the wedding too.

Have a wonderful vacation.

So glad you arrived safely.
What fun. Can't wait for the pics.
Enjoy yourselves!!!!!

dots, there's a competition through the link you provided:
http://www.vam.ac.uk/vastatic/microsites/1637_outoftheordinary/competition.php

How exciting for everyone! I too await the wonderful photos

We're all so jealous! But you can make it up to us with some pictures. Have a grand time!

Anno...yes, we are jealous! Gosh, how exciting...London. AND you're meeting Poppie...Poppie...your photo is so beautiful! Can't wait until we hear all about the visit and wedding.

Poppie, Dennis and I had a great visit. The museum is so huge that we only made it throught the Enlightenment Gallery. Then we popped into the bookstore where Poppie bought me a book, Faeries of the Celtic Lands so that I could learn a more light-hearted view of the world of Poppie, Celtic and my grandson.

After the museum we stopped at a pub and who should call but Celtic. She is still hoping to make it over so that I can meet both her and L - time and flights will tell.

I found out that my brother and his partner will also be coming to London on Thursday for the weekend. The three of us have not been together in one place for years and never, ever with all of our partners. This should be even better than I ever could have imagined.

Pics coming soon.

Poppie is a wonderful, wonderful woman. She is not only tall and beautiful, but also so full of positive energy and love. She and Dennis took a shining to each other immediately. I felt like I was with someone I have known all of my life and I enjoyed every minute that we were together.

I love my life!

The mini London convention has started, Ann(Mom,Ma,Grannie Annie) is wonderful, sweet, warm....not that I expected any different!

Dennis is adorable, I think he liked me alot..(that cheeky Irish charm comes in handy!!), and he is full of mischeif..a partner in crime me thinks

I was a little nervous to begin with..a point that Celtic had some fun out of...teasing me by txting, she is very disapponted not o be here...but where there is a will there is a way.

I had been waiting on this meeting for what seemed forever and now it has finally happened and I am absoloutly enamoured with both Ann and Dennis(who enjoyed the fact that I soon called him Pops!!)

How happy am I!! We hope to meet again before they return. I am made up for Ann that all of her siblings will get to spend some time together.

More again soon.

Love to all

Poppie

Omgosh...what a beautiful picture. You people are "purdy" as they say down here in the South. I love this picture and can't wait to see more. How lucky in life that you all have connected. Lovely...just lovely!

Oh, I just love this....my absolute dream to meet others here at BWS! What a wonderful meeting and I just love the photo. Good for all of you!! Thank you so much for giving us a peek into your happy meeting!

http://www.boomerwomenspeak.com/forums/s...1&fpart=all


This is a link to when and where all of this wonderful stuff started,

Dotsie a chara...again I cannot thank you enough for creating a space for such amazing things to happen

Poppie

It's true, Dennis adored Poppie. And the two of them together could be quite mischievious. Both full of pith and vinegar!

Today my sister Jane and I took Dennis shopping (he loves to look, look, look) and just when we finished the downpour started. Jane and I pushed him about 2 miles in the wind and the rain - London weather can be quite brutal.

Tommorow a day of rest, I believe.

Poppie, that link isn't working ....

This is indeed one of the most fun posts at BWS. My gracious. To meet someone on the other side of the pond. What a world. Grinning and smiling from ear to ear...and grateful you all chose to meet!

Love the photo. Please keep them coming.

This is wonderful!

Here's waving to you three "Charas" from Germany!!

Ello, ello, ello!!! Have a Cornish Pasty for me, will ya? I am tickled to death to be able to see this happen to people. Dotsie, you should feel really proud of what you started and how your dream has and will continue to bring folks together. You are an angel!!!

Wonderful picture! I can feel the warmth.

Hey there Mom(Ann, Grannie Annie..t al...lol)

The link is working on my computer...I just tried it? Has anyone else?

Poppie

Poppie, The link works just fine for me!

|Must have been the laptop I was using, works fine for me now, too.

~Thank you for bringing me back to that thread, Poppie. It brought back wonderful memories of how all of this came to be.

The sun is shining bright in London today and I am loving it. I just looked at the forecast and it says sunny for Friday, the day of the wedding. \Keep your fingers crossed ladies.

Yup it worked for me too!

I´ve got this huge lump in my throat and tears in my eyes..of sheer joy!!!! Please keep the fotos coming..when you have time!!! I would have loved to see Celtic "live" on a foto!!!!

Stonehenge..have you got time to vist Stonehenge?? Probably not with all the absolutely wonderful things happening for you..to you...

Yes, I am still hoping Celtic and Lucien will be able to pop over for a day or two.

I love Stonehenge - both Dennis and I have been there twice. We actually haven't much time to do touristy stuff and I am finding touring around with Dennis to be a bit difficult.

This trip has reminded me how lucky we are in the states with our disabled citizens. There are few elevators here, and many that are here are too small for his wheel chair. Some subway stations have escalators, but they are difficult to manuevuer with the wheel chair. Cabs are outrageously expensive and the streets are so packed with cars that have the right-of-way over pedistrians.

Ann, my son is in London right now and he said the same thing; traffic jams everywhere. He didn't sound too impressed. I've heard that everything is outrageously expensive in London, but at the same time most millionaires in the world live there.

I'm sure it isn't easy to get around with the wheel chair. Maybe a drugstore or the tourist center has information on wheelchair friendly routes?

Hope you have a lovely sunny day tomorrow at your sister’s wedding.

How's the trip going? Send us a photo of you guys all decked out for the wedding. Hi Poppie...so good to see your beautiful face and how lucky for you to meet Anno.

In 1991 I was driving to Wales after taking a Channel Ferry from France and was trying to drive around London via the M-something (not sure if it was the M-1 or the M-5...can't remember). Anyway, the more I tried to go around London the more I got into it and ended up smack dab in the middle by Picadilly Circus...with taxi's and double-decker busses honking and screaming all around me. I was a nervous wreck with a migraine headache by the time I finally got out of there. It was one of the most harrowing driving experiences of my life. I know Brits who refuse to drive in London...now I know why! But, I do love that city. I'd give anything to see it again...but, this time I'd take the train and underground.

The M4. With a right-hand or a left-hand drive, Dee?

(Lola, just a wee side-whisper: what a delight to see you!)

M-4...thanks, Lola. How many M's are there? The London drive through was left-hand steering, which made it worse. However, when I had my 2nd tour in England in 1981 I knew I had to buy a car with right hand drive and my first British car was a Woosley (not sure of the spelling) and after that I had a Ford Anglia (I think a copper brown color with black top)(isn't that what's parked in the front yard of Daisy and Onslow in Keeing Up Appearances? That's about what mine looked like... Love that show. I eventually worked my way up to a small, compact Volvo. I must say it was quite a harrowing experience learning to drive in England in 1977...I about peed my pants when I forgot and drove on the right instead of the left...only did that a couple of times before it stuck. The round abouts are quite fun and practical...we need them in this country...too many traffic lights.

Not enough M's. But, enjoy your traffic lights. Roundabouts can be annoying when it is the norm, especially when turning into roads which are made more narrow by double parking. A tad annoying on a three-point turn. 1977 must have been a good time to shift sides and learn to drive here as there would have been fewer cars to reckon with. Cheaper to get lost in London, too, as there would have been no congestion fee to drive into town and petrol less than they can be bought at £0.98 a litre now. Oh, I'd send you a Cornish pasty but, I doubt they'll keep fresh on their way to you or get through FDA clearing where one is compelled to fill in declaration forms...even for chewing gum. Still...setting all that aside, you must come back to visit some time.

Hi, Eagle. Hope all is well with you.

Hope your London trip gives you a bank of memories..I have had many visits and the buzz I get when there is great.
The museums and galleries for my study of Victorian Britain let me peep into another era.
yes its busy...built for another centuary.Not the hub it is now.
One favourie place is in Hyde Park.Peter Pans statue.I just adore the fun it depicts.
MA

Gosh that looks like fun. I loved the picture of U three.
Never been to London but that museum looks neat and everybody there appears 2 B having a great time. Prayers and blessings to all of you and thanks for sharing your meeting. It's been a joy!!!

Lola? LOLAAAAA? Is that you? I've tried calling you a few times, and no luck. So happy to see you are back and typing. Can I reach you at home? I have to wait a few days because I have a horrible laryngitis. You just might think a bully man is giving you a call. hahah
How are the grandbabies?

Hi, Hannelore. What are you doing over there? Were you not supposed to be over here at this time?

I had previously diarised Anno's visit and checked in for updates prior to her departure from the States. She had phoned me on Thursday afternoon but, could only chat briefly as I was at work at the time. I'm off to my daughter's again at mid-afternoon today and will be, hopefully at some time, meeting up with her, Dennis and Po before catching the train.

Laryngitis? A blessing that fingers don't catch it, eh?

My grandchildren are fine. Hope is well with you and yours.

Yes, I'm sorry to say, I'm over here,...but in my thoughts, I'm with you gals. I couldn't make it for various reasons, but this trip is just postponed, so none of you go away!
How is your foot?

I just heard that Lola will not be able to meet up with us. I have been able to talk with her briefly, tho, and that will have to suffice for this visit. Same with Celtic and L, we will not be able to meet them either. But with my sister now a Mrs living here, I suspect I will be back again soon.

The wedding was beautiful. Very small, with 20 friends and family members, but loads of fun for everyone.

It was the first time in 5 years that my sister, brother and I have been in the same place at the same time. What a treat that was.

I will attempt to send through a picture of the wedding later, right now the computer I am working on is being fussy. Today, Poppie, Dennis and I will get together one more time.

Love the new picture, Hannelore.

This is my sister and her new English husband:


This is a family picture. Me (holding Dennis up, my body is not that strange), Dennis, my brother and his partner, sister and BIL, his brother and sister.

Sorry they are so big, ladies. But did want to share something.

Today is all about going home. It has been a wonderful visit and I met one of our friends here at BWS. Life can be so grand.

See you all in a few days when I back, safe and sound, in the cold and bitter Minnesota land.

Wonderful photos! Thank you for sharing...such a lovely time. Be safe traveling home...

Have a good flight home, and thanks for sharing your beautiful family pictures.
Ann, you are a pillar of strength in many ways, yes you are.

I thank you for the pictures, too. I'm glad you had a wonderful time.

ann i loved seeing the photos's this my first viewing and my first on comp.

i sooooo sorrie i couldn't get to london, its about monie and about luciens educasional psycologist assesment for his schooling in september, if its not the one thing its the two and i i couldn't meet. Missing you also means i can't get to po for our 1st aniversarieie, i was hoping to combine the two things with the one visite. po can't make it heer either. she missing out a lot of special dates this year all falling at start of the yr. A sad tail but we chose our path and have to stick to it even if its a bit tough, what can one do.

i have a sick lucien some cold bug with vommitting due to his cough, the wind was -10 heer today we had sleet, snow and wind that was so cold and was pulling car doors outta peoples hands it was that strong.

hope you got home safe.

Anno, I loved the pictures! Thanks for sharing : )

Cindy

Anno, great dress, and I love the heels with a tie. Very classy.

Celtic, sorry to hear Lucien is sick. Poor thing. Lots of crazy bugs around here too. We've also had bad weather. Waiting for it to change. Tomorrow is suppose to be 50 and sunny. I can't wait to get up and see the sun shining!

we got about 4 inches of snow, the weathers misrable. One big ferrie mostlie cargo got hit by a freek wave going from ireland to england. Think all crew and passengers weer rescoed and they just waitting for weather to change before they try and refloat the ferrie boat.
it reallie is verie strange weather and one day in middle of it all we had warm weather again and blue skies. the plants and trees are all over the place and a lot of new growing stuffs gonna be killed with current weather.

anyway i read somewear anno was -30 now -10 bad enough i can't imagine that type of cold.

Hi Celtic. I am so sorry that you and Lucien were not able to make it also. Soon, however, soon.

Give Lucien a big hug from his Grannie Annie and tell him I will send healing kisses across the big blue pond.

Yes, it has been cold here. I guess it was really bitterly cold while we were gone, it was 40 degrees when we returned and plummeted to -30 with the wind chills the next day. It's warming up again and should hit 40 again by Sunday. Winter in Ireland and Minnesota are both unpredictable, I guess.

Thanks, Dotsie, those shoes are one of my favorite pairs. I always think of Dianne when I wear them.