Sunset over Ripley

I did some last minute shopping at Marks and Spencers....I am single handedly keeping them and the entire European economy going by my lack of control over my spending habits!  And still I have nothing to wear tomorrow!

The sun was setting as I drove home from work - it was very pretty...

Can you tell the difference?

Breaking the rules slightly by including a photo from last week, but it is alongside a photo from today...

Government building in Victoria

Harrods

I know the surroundings give it away, but it is interesting.  We had dinner at Senor Sassi's  a lovely little Italian restaurant in Knightsbridge...I decided to stay in London tonight and I paid (well Nexen paid) 299 GBP for a room at the Copthorne in Kensington - it looked decent from the outside, bell man in top hat and tails, lovely lobby etc - but the room was like a cheap motel.  Amazing that they can charge that kind of money!

Same stuff, different country

It's lovely being in England, but it's the same old stuff, just a different environment...this is my evening office today - actually very similar to my evening office at home!!

In addition to my regular work, I also ordered a bunch of British stuff from Amazon for the Stake Party on Friday - hopefully it will arrive before I leave!

A drive in the country

It was lovely to see everyone at Church today - Guildford will always really be home, and it's good to catch up with everyone, but why is it that no-one else seems to age?

I went searching for a photo today, so Lauren came with me and we drove around Send, Pyford and West Byfleet looking for typically English things for a photo....and we landed (not literally) on a graveyard...

Very English!

There ain't nothing like family

I arrived at Heathrow late morning, picked up my lovely BMW rental car and was home at Dad's by lunch time.  We arranged a family get-together this afternoon, and everyone showed up (apart from George) - it was delightful catching up.  I think I have the best family!  Also, it was Lauren's 12th birthday today, any excuse for a party!!

In the lap of luxury

I've always wanted to ride in a stretch limo - so it was particularly nice that we got one from the hotel to the airport.  It was nice that we could fit everyone in and continue with "teaming" on the way back to the airport.

I flew back to Calgary, (here is a lovely view from the plane) - got home, did some laundry and last minute shopping and then got on another plane to London.  Busy day!

Another career option

I honestly think this is the best work trip I've ever been on!  That is partly because I have a bad memory and I don't really remember anything longer than a few months ago....and partly because this is actually a lot of fun.

We've had some pretty focused work in the mornings, and then fun stuff in the afternoons...followed by delightful dinners in the evenings...and it helps that the team is pretty awesome.

This afternoon's escapade was a pastry cook-off at the Empress Hotel, we got to make desserts and the chef and manager marked them; they weren't really tough enough to decide who would win, but I'm pretty sure ours was the winner!