Sunday Hike to village of Twyford (about 7+ miles)...

We went on a 7+mile hike to a nearby village of Twyford. It was a beautiful day out in the winter wonderland! Amazing footpaths all throughout the countryside. The sunset behind a local cathedral on our way home on our hike...
Little creeks flowed throughout the footpaths...

Cool ivy covered brick entryway along the footpath...

Christmas time in Winchester...

Winchester Cathedral Christmas Market...100+ little wood cabins with vendors, mulled wine and hot cocoa, ice skating rink, live nativity scene, carollers...put us in the Christmas spirit! Winchester for 6 inches of snow...no one knew what to do...lots of people didn't make it into work...crazy! It was very pretty!
Put us in the holiday spirit! They don't get weather like this here!

Had to scoop our front steps with a broom...ha!

Our shovels are in storage back in the States!

Looked so pretty on the grounds of the Cathedral...

Touring Winchester this winter...

King Arthur's Round Table...weighs 2 tons, made of oak from the 1200s.Winchester Cathedral

We were bundled up...it was so cold outside!

Beautiful wood & brass doors all throughout the Cathedral.

Thanksgiving at the Kelly's Nov. 2010...

The Kelly's host our US Thanksgiving in the UK...Our British friends enjoying some apps before our Thanksgiving dinner...they were so excited for a real Thanksgiving...they had never been to one before...only seen it on old Friend's episodes! HA! They kept saying Happy Thanksgiving all night!
Will, Sean, Bav and James...had to throw the country pillows in for good measure!

Neighbor Will was the last to leave at 2:30AM...Thanksgiving dinner was a success! Lots of wine, good food and new friends. We feel so blessed and have lots to be thankful for!

Our new wine endeavour has begun...

We are so excited to take our passion for wine and turn it into a viable business!! Twisted Vine Importers received our first batch of samples from Kenwood Vineyards!!

We are ready to rock!! Drink wine...save water!

A Sunday Afternoon in Oxford...

We went up to Oxford for a fun Saturday afternoon...what a cool city!

We would like to go back again sometime soon...great shopping, resturants, cafes...Out-n-about in Oxford...
This was part of Oxford University...beautiful!

The site of the first coffee house in England in 1650...we found out later that there is another coffee shop across the street that says the same quote...they know that the first site was somewhere around that area...HA! It was a very cool place for tea!

Winchester Round Table-Guy Fawkes Night

Guy Fawkes Night originates from the Gunpowder Plot of 1605, a failed conspiracy of English Catholics to assassinate the Protestant King and replace him with a Catholic Head of State. The king was saved and the people decided to celebrate. Back then the lighting of bonfires was a means of celebration, so they began an annual celebration of what was later named the Gunpowder Treason Act of 1605, now called Guy Fawkes Night. Winchester's event is put on by the Winchester Round Table and it is one of the largest celebrations in the area. 20,000 people came to celebrate this year...it was a sight! The weather cooperated too...it was a lovely fall evening. So in between our yummy lasagna dinner (Sean was the chef!) and a glass of wine...we scooted over to the High Street to watch the torchlit procession... Torchlit Procession down High Street...just out our front door. Everyone had their own torch and marched down the street led by the Winchester Fire Dept truck. Very cool, took you back in time to a quintessential old English town march.
The HUGE bonfire...supposedly one of the largest in the World! It was the height of a 2 story house! No marshmallow roasting here...ha.

To start off the fireworks the crowd shouted in unison "5...4...3...2...1" for a BBC recording that they replayed later for other cities celebrations.

Sean and his torch! We had a fun evening on the town!

New British Pub in Chicago

Just thinking of all our good friends back in Chicago, we sure do miss ya!!! Here's a new British Pub you should check out. Have some fish & chips, a pint of British brew and think of us... Cheers!

www.dailycandy.com/chicago/article/90671/Owen-Engine

NFL + LONDON

Sean & I went to the NFL football game at Wembley Stadium...Bronco's vs the 49er's...but we still wore our Vikes gear! It was fun...felt like we were back in the States!
Nothing like being at an NFL American Football with British snacks!

We had AWESOME seats...5 rows up from the field!

Sean was in HEAVEN!

We sang the National Anthem & then God Save the Queen.

We had a great time!!!

Halloween 2010

It's Halloween in Winchester...this lil Monster was walking the streets outside our place...ha!
Pumpkin carving at the Kelly's...

We are getting into the Halloween spirit...I did burn the pumpkin seeds in the oven though...shoot! There's always next year...

Winking pumpkin...

My 3 lil pumpkins.

Fall has arrived in Winchester!

It is beautiful here! The weather has cooled down and the leaves are changing (the courtyard outside our front door)...Fall is such a beautiful time of year! Sean and I are settling in here and really enjoying it!! We have been cooking at home more...as we always seem to do in the fall/winter. We have been loving how easy it is to pop by the grocery store...steps away and each week there are great selections from local farmers at the farmer's markets held twice a week off the High Street (Main Street)...are fridge is tiny-so weekly trips have become the norm! Here is a great recipe for Squash Stew to try out...we made extra too & put it in our freezer for a rainy day! It was delish!!!! Try it out for yourself:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/slow-cooker-squash-stew-recipe/index.html

Winchester Cathedral Choir

We went to the Winchester Cathedral Choir Concert. It was awesome!!!
Winchester Cathedral Choir is made up of boys & girls ages 6 and up...sounded so amazing!!!

The architecture is so beautiful!

The organist is behind the ornate wall...

Our boxes have arrived...2 months delayed!!!

Sean's gone mad!!!! Well actually we both had gone a little MAD with our boxes being delayed for 2 months back in the States...the temps had dropped and I was still wearing flip flops...(yes, Sean does have an axe...we'll explain later) All 12 of the boxes made it in one piece...WOOHOO!

After 2 months of being delayed our boxes FINALLY arrived!

It sure was a site to see...the logistics company arrived. Door bell rings...I answer I little giddy I do have to admit...it's kind of like Christmas arrived early this year...although Santa is a bit more creative on how he gets those boxes to fit so perfectly down the chimney and under the tree...how he does it we'll never know...but I do imagine his Christmas Eve delivery night to run a bit like this...run down the street...semi truck (sleigh) is illegally parked...doesn't exactly fit on the tiny streets of England...park truck 1/2 on the street 1/2 on the side walk...(it works for me!) People staring...Truck driver guy (Santa) and I (elf) maneuver our HUGE 12 HEAVY boxes on a dolly back to our flat...5 blocks away...ALL down hill!!! I wondered & Santa did too I am sure (I've now named the driver) ..."Who packed all this junk!" (wink wink...that was for Sean) Well it's all here and we are happy! Soooo the AXE...Sean borrowed it from our neighborhood wine shop just a couple doors down...I know weird...who actually has an axe just laying around?

As Sean sawed and sawed...I kept trying to tell him that I that with a little maneuvering the wires should just slide off the boxes...but he was determined, I gotta give him that.

Proof that Sean actually did have some things in the boxes too!!!

Yep, just as I thought...the AXE was not needed-but it sure did add to the story! We now are wondering why our neighbors stay in side...ha ha. Just kidding...now the unpacking begins!!!

Tourists in London...

Piccadilly Circus

We went into London for the weekend to hang out with some new friends, Martha & Derek. They are originally from Chicago too! It was fun to compare stories of our experiences of making the move over the pond. We took the day to be tourists. London is such a fun and exciting city to take in...reminded us of Chicago's hustle bustle...we miss it!

Trafalgar Square
"Anyone have the time?"
Sean + Big Ben

Westminster Abbey

Hollis + Westminster Abbey