Missing England

I was thinking about England today (what's new?). I use to be someone that said we shouldn't replace machines with people because they take jobs away and it takes the human connection away. But in the libraries in Cambridge, at least, you use a machine to check your books out- it's all electronical. There are people still working at the library though if you needed them. But none of the stamping a book with a due date on it. I find it funny that they still do that here in Montpelier. Not sure what the norm is in other places. I like the machine better, except having to look online to find out when due, but at least you can renew it from home. I bet it saves money.
And at the doctors in England you check in with a machine, a sign announces to go into the doctor's office directly. No secretary needed, no nurse to tell what you are going to have to retell to the doctor anyway. I've alway's found that frustrating. I did find a doctor's office here that took out the middle person, and I appreciate it.
And weirdly enough I miss all those CCTV's on me. Maybe my stroller would have been found....
England instead has people out working landscaping and cleaning the streets and parks more...and maybe some other things that seem silly to some people in the US....not sure which is better. Arguments can be made for both. Plus there is more to England that I didn't learn about- the in's and out's of life, like the lack of jobs.

Help, I'm Stuck in Geneva and Can't Get Out [Part I]

I've always wanted to travel around Europe. I never thought it would be with an eleven month old and squeezed into one week. This past Easter break, Kirby, Juniper and I caught a cheap flight to Geneva, Switzerland. We spent a day in Geneva checking out the old city and the jet d'eau (400 foot fountain). We shared a quaint, less than double-sized bed, ate at a cute fondue cafe, and saw the United Nations headquarters. We had yummy Ethiopian for dinner. All-in-all, a nice one-day visit to Geneva.

The next morning, we took a two-hour train to Lyon, France. We spent two days in Lyon and ate at lots of great outdoor cafes. We saw the oldest Christian church in Europe outside of Rome, where Juniper devoured a bunch of fresh French strawberries from the farmer's market. We climbed the hill over the city to the Basilique Notre Dame de Fourviere. We visited a botanical garden, zoo, and giant park. We walked along the two rivers in Lyon-the Saone and the Rhone. Kirby tried some very French sausage called Andoulette. He had enough wine to like it but when I tried it, I just kept my mouth shut until later. It's made out of pig guts. . .and tastes like it. We enjoyed Lyon and the weather was fabulous.

On our way back to Geneva, we decided to forgoe another day in Geneva and took a train to Montreux. It's across Lake Geneva and in the Alps. Montreux was beautiful. We spent the afternoon walking along the lake, looking at flowers, palm trees, and snowy Alps. It was a great place for photography. We also checked out an old castle on the lake called Chateau de Chillon. This is probably when we should have gone home.

To be continued. . .

Art Appreciation

I was at a "museum" called Kettle's Yard the other day with a few friends, which included Juniper's friend Yoram. This "museum" according to them wasn't a museum. It is an old house that a couple whom collected art opened up each weekend when they were living to allow people to come view the art and sit amongst it. It was a really neat place because it was simple, old, had lots of wood, art and they used many natural object arranged in an artistic fashion. Oh and the natural lighting was amazing. I really don't know why people don't build with skylights more, they are so worth it (we have one here at our flat and really could have used one at our apartment in Vermont). I really did like the place. It is now owned by the University who open it up each afternoon. You have to ring the bell (pull the rope) to ask to come in. There were old chairs all over that you were allowed to sit in to relax and find peace and quiet, just no touching of objects (we did get in trouble for that). I like the concept, but there were too many people for it to be peaceful, and that is not why I was there anyway. In one area it was a little solarium with a few shelves of plants. Hanging down in front of them was a pizza size place of clear glass that was a magnifier. We were trying to look through it with the babies and we touched it as I was trying to steady it, the lady behind me said, "No touching". No big deal, just funny. Here is the story part of this: in another area, the more modern addition that is very spacey to allow small musical concerts, again with amazing natural light, there are lots of paintings and some sculptures. Throughout the "museum" were people there to answer questions (and tell you not to touch things), so in the one area there was a lady selling postcards because you can't take pictures unless you pay a few pounds per picture. Well at this point the babies were getting restless so we were walking around a bit trying to entertain them as everyone finished up looking. So that lady says to me, the old English lady I should point out, "Little young to appreciate art." She wasn't being mean, but rather very English. So I said back with a big smile, "Never too young to appreciate art, the younger the better to get started." She just smirked at me, maybe even rolled her eyes, but probably not, that is too revealing. Anyway it didn't bother me more than to tell one of my friends. But this morning I was lying in bed looking at some paintings on my wall thinking about how I read art is good to have around babies to help their development, the more exposure to different things the better. I got to thinking about what that lady said. When I go to art museums, well I just realized a little distinction maybe. Let me rephrase that, when I go to galleries, which is more what the place was, I don't go to appreciate the art so much as to enjoy it. When I think of appreciating art, the way that lady put it, it would mean appreciating what the artist accomplished. I appreciate what an artist accomplished when it is really good work, something that takes some artistic skill and talent and time. I do appreciate modern art when it is really strange and must have taken a long time to do, but I would call that amazement rather than appreciation maybe. I go to enjoy art for me to get something out of it, to see different things, let me brain think a little differently, not to oohh and ahh at what the artist was able to accomplish, which is how I felt that lady was telling me I was there to do. Now don't get me wrong, I really to like artists, I often feel bad for them because I think it is so important to follow your passions, and it has to be so hard to do that as an artist and to need to make money from it. I appreciate that. Anyway, I was there to expose Juniper and I too something different, for us. I think it is good for her little eyes and brain to see different colors and shapes in out of the norm forms, if she did actually look at any of it. Too bad she couldn't touch; now that would have been really great and enjoyable! I am glad they even let the kids in, you never know with the old English ladies, a force to enjoy but to also be reckoned with.

Videos and Pics of Juniper Feb. 2011 Eight months

Bicycle Time!

 We finally got to try out our new bike and baby seat today. It was a 50 degrees and sunny day here in good ol' England. Warm enough and dry enough for a family ride through the country side to Coton. Spring is arriving with snowdrops, crocuses, daffodils, and buds on the trees. It is looking greener every day. No cries from Juniper, so I guess that means she liked it. She held off as long as she could, but fell asleep at the end. It was a bit scary for mum at first, but not too bad on the more quiet roads. I am not quite ready for heading into town, but soon I suppose. I need more practice without her. Hopefully we can see a little more of Cambridge and the surrounding villages and points of interest. We might be waiting on the weather a bit longer though; today was a bit of a present I believe.

Compact living

There is lots of row housing here in Cambridge- the ones that are connected together. I like their little front yard gardens. And I am sure I would love the backyard ones too if I could see them. The houses are really close together here, but many people still have their own little tiny front yards, They are usually big enough of a place to put bikes, a few plants, and maybe the rubbish bin and recycling. Than there is a private backyard that is big enough for sitting out and eating, tossing a ball, having a little garden, and doing some landscaping. No big lawns to mow. We do Americans love their big yards other than them thinking they are suppose to? They take so much time to mow and gas and energy. What are they for? They are overwhelming. A little yard is not over whelming. It is manageable to go out and do a bit of gardening; it's not scary. If your yard is not big enough for a game of ball, you go to the community green space. Than you can socialize and enjoy your community. I think it is more green here, even if there are houses all compact together. It doesn't feel like it too much though. Like a puzzle how they all fit in. The houses and flats are a decent size, I think; large enough for what you need in life. Why do we need bigger houses? To put more unused stuff in? To keep busy cleaning? The bedrooms maybe smaller, but so you hang out in the living room with each other. Or have less clothes. Less clothes to clean. Who likes cleaning? You get out more when you don't have cleaning and mowing to do. No room to put stuff you don't need so you don't shop as much, so you go for a walk with your friends and have tea or a pint. Or a bike ride with your family. The country side begins at the city limits- always five/ten minutes away by car (least here in Cambridge, a city of 108,000), plus there are so many parks within the city. Boating is available in the city too. Maybe not gas guzzling speed boats, but canoes, kayak, punts, and rowing. Physical things. I feel it is ironic actually. And this may go for some cities in the US too, but it is more natural to be active here in the city than it was living in the woods of Vermont the last two years. I admit I do miss hiking in the woods very much, but it was so much more of an effort to do something physical when I lived in the woods than it is now in the city. I can walk and do errands. Not drive to do errands, than have to go walk after. But I guess I am doing a lot of generalizing. This is all specific to me and what I like. And I am not working. But people seem very good at biking to work and to pick up the kids at school by bike and shopping by bike or walking. Too big to carry, delivery services are everywhere. Places I need don't feel far to me. Occasionally maybe if I am tired from not sleeping well, but usually a 1/2 hour walk is fine. I use to dread 1/2 hour drives to the store in VT. We use to drive a 1/2 hour just to walk around Hanover because it was much easier with the stroller. And we could get a treat at the end of the walk. And not feel like we were going to be run over (walking down a country road doesn't always feel so safe, even if it is quite pleasant). Well enough from me, I am glad I have two working feet. P.S. If you couldn't tell, I love all the walking here. :)
But we just got me a bike and a seat for Juniper. I think I am going to miss the walking even though it will be more than twice as fast to bike. More time outside is better to me. Plus Juniper is too interested in the computer for me to use it when she is awake at home, which is what I want to do with more time. She doesn't sleep well at home unless she fell asleep walking first. I am finding this amusing as I write it out. Oh well, either way, biking will be lots of fun as a family. We can see more of Cambridge and the surrounding countryside and villages. Look forward to that a lot as it slowly warms up. The flowers are coming up already, the crocuses and daffodils, even a few tree blossoms. Pretty.

Mummy and Juni Update

Juniper is now 8+ months. She loves the bathtub. She has discovered her legs in the past week and a half. She wants to stand and she wants to walk holding our hands. She can sprint across the living room in 2 seconds when in her walker! She simply demands to be on the move.

Meanwhile, mummy's life is taking a new turn. I will soon be chasing Juniper through the house and everywhere else. It makes me sad to no longer have a tiny baby. It makes me nervous- will I be even more preoccupied by the baby from here on? Sitting at the cafe with my friends may mean I will no longer get to sit! At the same time, I am able to leave Juniper alone with daddy. I am taking a photography class and Bollywood dance lessons. It is nice to get out on my own. My pregnancy and baby hormone brain is gone, which is very nice. Mothers know what I mean. It sure is nice to have a clear brain back!

I am getting more attached to Cambridge, as expected. I have more strange Cambridge stories- so stay tuned. Maybe one of these days soon, Juniper will sleep long enough for me to write a blog in the evening. Nursing and typing is no longer much of an option. She gets too interested in what I am doing and wont drink. Anyways, I better enjoy the nursing while it lasts. Being a mother continues to be wonderful.

She sure loves her boyfriends Yoram (pictured) and Hiro.