Spoiled Pups

Fira and Dexter received their very own care package yesterday, sent by their favorite person/second mother, Yolanda (our neighbor in Tacoma who they used to spend a lot of time with).

She went alllllll out and spoiled them. New coats from Mud Bay that are "warmer than their other ones" she says. I definitely agree. They are much thicker and have a special feature that helps keep their tummies warmer. Perfect for unpredictable England weather.

Fira looks gorgeous in purple. 

Dexter looks dapper as usual.



And salmon treats! I haven't been giving them their daily salmon oil in their food, so these will be yummy and nutritional!

Fira and Dexter are so lucky to have Yolanda in their life. Every time we call her through Skype, they run into the room because they hear her voice. 

City Break

When I studied abroad almost 10 years ago, I did quite a bit of backpacking around Europe, some on my own and some with friends. However, the ONE place that my parents strongly advised me against traveling to was Amsterdam. Mom and Dad, what did you think I was gonna do? ;)

Well, ironically, today we're headed to AMSTERDAM!!!!! I actually didn't plan for Amsterdam to be our first country to visit outside the UK, I promise.

And honestly, what I'm really looking forward to is tulips, museums, good food (dutch pancakes anyone?), and beautiful architecture. Oh, and people watching.

Fira and Dexter will be relaxing at the doggy hotel.

Have a great weekend everyone! 

Weekend Scenes & Living Simply

We've been having some gorgeous weather here lately, which makes for incredible weekends. I recently heard that the UK is forecasted to have one of the hottest summers yet. So far I'm not complaining!

Saturday morning hits and we are out the door with Fira and Dexter, going for long walks into the countryside or taking country drives to discover new places. Back in the states, it's always been really difficult for me to let go of everyday stresses when the weekend comes. I constantly felt so overwhelmed by everything on my to-do list, that I ended up not appreciating what's around me to the fullest  - it definitely affected my own happiness and my relationships with family and friends. It's amazing how easy it is to practice 'mindfulness' when I really try to live more simply and value my experiences vs placing so much value on material items and trying to keep up with societal expectations of what I should be doing for my age (house, kids, cars, etc). I know I will inevitably (proudly) fall back into a more traditional American lifestyle when we move home and have a family, but for now we are enjoying living a little more unconventionally.

Warning - major dog bragging in photos to follow!

 Jason sporting his "American" sunglasses as he calls them.

The dogs have been spending their Mondays zonked out on the couch recovering from their adventures. I keep pinching myself to make sure this is really our life!  There is so much natural beauty and new opportunity around us - we are feeling pretty lucky at the moment.

Wyken Vineyards

Leave it to us to find a vineyard within the first two months of living here. Although it is no Cave B, the winery where we had our wedding, Wyken Vineyards is a beautiful estate property in the county of Suffolk, just past Bury St Edmunds. And it has much more to offer than just a vineyard - it is a working farm with a restaurant/cafe, gift shop, gardens, and several woodland paths to walk along. All of the food from the restaurant is sourced on site or from the local area.

There was a quaint and intimate farmer's market going on when we arrived, with local farmers, butchers, and cheese mongers from Suffolk. Unfortunately, some of the more unique goods had already been spoken for and things were wrapping up for the morning, so we ended up just browsing the produce.

And snagging a couple of "pasties."

Fira and Dexter waited patiently while I perused and chatted with the vendors.

Right past the farmer's market area, there was a wooden booth with eggs for sale! It was an honor system setup.

After finishing up at the market, the dogs (and Jason) were getting antsy to go for a walk. We noticed a sign for a 'Woodland Walk' through the pasture. At first I couldn't quite believe that they would let visitors walk freely through the pasture with the animals, so I went into the gift shop to confirm that this was actually the case! Yes, it was, and the dogs were welcome too as long as they were on a tight lead.

We weren't completely sure how Dexter would handle being up close and personal with the animals, but we thought we'd give it a try.



Overall he did pretty good, mostly due to the fact that Jason ended up holding him the entire time and providing constant "deep pressure"to his little body which helps calm him (therapy friends will understand).

I must say it was a beautiful site to see the animals roaming freely in their natural environment. The inner child in me, a product of growing up in busy suburbia, was in awe.





 

You see that sheep staring at me? Well, funny story about that guy. As I was engulfed in the beauty and busy taking pictures with Fira by my side, Dexter (being held by Jason) had apparently reached his bravery threshold and started to bark and howl at the sheep.  Jason then says to me "Lane, slowly look behind you!" Well, this particular sheep with rather big horns, who must be the dominant one of the flock, was quietly approaching Fira and I from behind, looking as if he was going to ram into us. Needless to say, we were both very startled and scurried away as a fast as we could. Poor Fira, she was definitely spooked.

I guess that's what we get for encroaching upon their territory with our dogs.

Once we safely made it across the pasture, there was an actual woodland path that led to the vineyards. Unfortunately, we didn't make this trek through the woods because weren't properly outfitted in our English wellies and it was way too muddy.

Despite the scary, slightly humorous experience with the sheep, we really enjoyed our afternoon at Wyken Vineyards and can't wait to return here regularly in the spring and summer! Hopefully next time we'll get to drink taste some wine.

Historical Cambridge Walking Tour

I'd thought I'd provide a photo essay of our walk into historical Cambridge from our house. We live on the east side of city center and it takes a good 20 minutes to walk from our house to the University of Cambridge colleges, which are on the west side.

There is tons of traffic in Cambridge and parking is a pain. We have learned both of these things the hard way, therefore resorting to the fact that we will never be driving into the center of town. There really is no need to anyways. The walk is manageable and we always have the bus or biking as another option. 

On our way in this particular late morning, we stopped at a delicious Turkish cafe for breakfast. I had discovered this place on my own one day and wanted Jason to try it. The owners are very friendly and the food is fresh and flavorful. Plus, it's only about a 7 minute walk from our house.

Parker's Piece is a huge park in the center town, which also serves as a thoroughfare for pedestrians and cyclists.

Cycling is a huge part of the Cambridge culture. There are tons and tons of bicycles everywhere!!

The Mathematical Bridge and a gentleman punting a full boat down the river.

Who doesn't love a little city flare? He would fit in well at the market in Seattle.

King's College, bustling with eager tourists.

More bikes.

More punters along the River Cam.

The back side of the colleges, also known as "The Backs."

St. John's College

Trinity College Library

The entrance to St. John's College.

The Bridge of Sighs

A lovely walk home at dusk, with signs of spring all around us.

Come visit us and I'll take you on a walking tour!