Gilberts' Fridge

Playing Tourist / Tour Guide...

It is beyond wonderful to have Krystle here visiting, if not a little bit surreal. And can I just say, it feels strange going places with another American? For the first time in a LONG time I feel like a tourist when I go places!

We've been having a good time, anyway. Krystle's arrival was delayed by a freak hail storm in Denver, so she actually arrived on Thursday instead of Wednesday. She got to spend a day in Philadelphia, though, which was apparently very groovy. And when she got in to Manchester, we whisked her away for a drive in the Yorkshire dales (the scenic way home) and took her to choir practice that evening. We were mean and only let her take a few short naps during the day so she could adjust to the time difference faster, so she slept really well that first night!

On Friday Martin worked, and Krystle and I just sort of bummed around Barton. We took a walk down to Water's Edge park and fed the ducks, we walked around town and went to the two churches there. I took her to the market to do a little bit of grocery shopping. Basically, it was just a day for us to relax and rest from the journeys.

Saturday was lovely! We took Krystle to York, where she was very impressed by the Shambles area, the outdoor market, and the Cathedral (of course). We walked on the Roman wall, had fabulous cakes at Betty's Tea Shop, and Krystle experienced her very first pub (a really good one, too, called The Punch Bowl, that has been a pub for around 400 years). That's where we had lunch, and it was v. nice.

Sunday was also relaxed. It was Stake conference, so we drove to Hull for that. Martin had a baseball game afterwards, so we sat in the glorious sunshine and I introduced Krystle to the wonders of Silky Mitz (we sanded our legs!!!). Also discovered that exfoliation seems to be the key to getting a suntan onyour legs, as mine turned VERY pink. After the game we drove out to Spurn Point, which is fun. I'd never been there before, so it was new for me AND Krystle. It's this strange bit of land that hooks out over the edge of the Humber estuary. The peninsula (I guess) is less than 1/4 mile wide, and when you are walking down the street you can see the river on one side and the North Sea on the other. It was foggy and mysterious looking, and we walked along the beach picking up pebbles. Krystle even waded in the sea, just to say she had done it. It's too cold to do much more than get your feet wet!

Yesterday Martin and I were both at work, so Krystle just wandered by herself in Barton and did some laundry (very impressed that she figured out how to operate my washing machine). She tried a fresh cream strawberry tart (loved it). Then, after work, we all went grocery shopping and to the cinema together.

Today the lucky lady is in Lincoln. Martin and I are both at work again. I dropped her off at the train station early this morning, and she just called to let me know that she would be getting the later of the two available trains home as she is LOVING Lincoln. I knew she would--it's a very beautiful city. So I'll be picking her up from the station later tonight, and then we are taking her out for Indian food at our favorite restaurant in Barton--The Surma. Mmmmm, I can hardly wait.

Is it weird that Indian food gives me less pregnancy heartburn than yoghurt does???

So yeah, it has been a little bit tiring to do all these tourist-y things whilst heavily pregnant. I think I am going to sleep for a week once Krystle is back home. But I'm having so much fun with her here and I refuse to let Maggot spoil that fun. I am conscious of the pregnancy though, and we are resting frequently and making sure I don't get dehydrated. I was not feeling very much movement over the weekend (I think the poor baby was as tired as me) but now that I am back at work I am feeling big kicks again.

Can't wait to have this baby and have my body (though not my life) to myself again!