Spoiled Sweet--Rotten is such an icky word

This week has been like a mini pleasure cruise thus far, thanks to my family visiting me. My brother Scott and his wife Jennifer are here, and my mom and her friend Donna are here, both sets staying at different hotels in the area. Of course, I've been able to take advantage of their hotels, having a bath and a nice night of rest with my mom since the three of us were all going to Leeds, Cantebury and Dover the next morning. What a trip!

Leeds Castle was beautiful, inside and out...I just longed to have the place to myself, filled with warm fires and lights, sitting by one of many window seats over-looking the swans in the moat and the splendid gardens while writing some countryside inspired masterpiece. Unfortunately, Mom, Donna and I spent too much time in the gift shop thereby limiting our already limited time, making it a very rushed tour through the castle. But I think I saw enough.

We were on a bus tour that also included going to Cantebury and Dover. Cantebury was a pleasant surprise. I hadn't even realized everything that was there, until I was walking between the columns and looking up at centuries old stained glass windows and silenlty wondering at the site where Thomas Beckett was killed.

Dover was just a quick photo stop where there was a fantastic view of the white cliffs, Dover Castle, and the WWII bunkers hidden in the cliffs. Oh, and the English Channel spreading across the horizon where a bit of France is just visible. Naturally I was the first to wander down to the shore (after taking a few pictures), walk up to the edge of the water, and touch my hand down into the waters...and then have a nice little wave come and get one of my feet all wet. But I picked up a stone, so I have a little bit of Dover to take back with me.

And now it's Tuesday, back to the grindstone here at school. It's getting more and more difficult to concentrate on my student teaching when there's so much else to do. Last night I went out to a place called The Gaucho Grill for a fabulous Argentine steak dinner...mmmmm. We all went to that--Scott and Jennifer had been there the night before, but thought well enough of it to take Mom, Donna and I there with them another night. Scott paid for the Merlot, Mom paid for my dinner, and I just ate my fill, happy as a clam...or cow :) Yeah, it was nice.

After dinner, I took everyone to a pub--they asked if I knew any good ones around and I'm like, dudes, there's pub on every other corner here...But they wanted something I might suggest. Well, honestly I haven't been to that many here, since there is a bar right at ISH. But I did remember one that I had stopped in that seemed unique. It took a bit to retrace my steps, but I didn't take them one foot off track (though maybe a little out of the way from the station, but at least then I knew where I was going) and we found the pub: The Sherlock Holmes.

It's a neat, traditional little pub, with soft chairs and plenty of Sherlock Holmes memoirbelia. Seems that my choice was right on--it was nice and quiet, plenty of room, and everyone found something they liked to drink. All in all, a successful little trip, even if we did get a little sidetracked later when we crossed over the Golden Jubilee Bridge for a little late night sight-seeing. But we all made it back before the Tube closed for the night, with Scott and Jennifer escorting me back to the student house.

::sigh:: The bell has rung, signaling to me that my time is done here for blogging. I'll put some links in as soon as I have another free moment this afternoon. For now, it's off to ICT.