London Marathon Pictures

I had planned to be a picture taking fool on Sunday. However, I soon discovered that I needed about 3 more arms to make that happen. I found myself holding my coffee, a sign and the camera... not to mention the back pack on my back. I could have put the coffee down but we all know that would have gotten ugly very quickly! I decided to hold the sign up for the mile 6 meet-up and get pictures at mile 15 and the finish... but we missed each other at mile 15 and the finish was so exciting and crazy that I completely forgot about the camera!!

So with that said, here are the pics I did manage to snap in between coffee drinking, sign holding and the rest of the chaos!

Here is Chris is waiting for the train at about 7 am on the morning of the marathon. Look at that sweet little smile... he clearly has NO idea what he has gotten himself into... We will see if that smile is still there after 26.2 miles!

We first saw this in the official marathon magazine and laughed hysterically! So when I saw it again on the way to the start, I had to take a picture.

It says: Don't Wee in People's Gardens.

How great is that?!?

The Elite Men...

The guy in the yellow "vest" and gray pants placed 1st. The were running a world record pace until about 3/4 of the way through... Had they kept it up they would have finished in under 2 hours! The 3 guys in the black stripes are pacers. The pace was so fast that they had to drop out around Tower Bridge!


Don't look for Chris in this pictures because he isn't in it! This is the 15 mile marker where we were supposed to meet but alas it was not meant to be... Not for lack of trying, I even brought in replacements in the form of Tim to help me look! It is about 12:24 am here and Chris has been running for 2 hours. The weather was brilliant for the spectators but not so much for the runners. Clear skies and in the upper 70's. However, int he direct sun the temperature felt more like mid to high 80's!

How about that.... he is still smiling!

Granted this pictures was taken about 4 hours after he finished running...

However, he is smiling none the less!

He Did It!!!

I am sure no one is surprised that Chris ROCKED the London Marathon! He finished in about 4 hours and 7 minutes!!! He truly amazes me :-)

I met with with our friend, Tim, at Canary Wharf and he headed to mile 15. We held signs, shouted and screamed until we were horse but alas... we missed Chris in the throngs of runners! The tracking website that I was using (and sent to everyone else) was rubbish! Luckily, I was able to get on the official site and track Chris on every 5k... we still had time to get to the finish.

Off we went onto another PACKED train and then to the grand stands... I made it with nearly 20 minutes to spare so I set up shop on a step just behind the barricade. Luckily a lady in front of me moved and I was able to get a true first class view of the finish. When I first caught sight of Chris I nearly jumped out of my skin! I had his finish line sign high about my head and was screaming his name. The finish was not exactly what Chris wanted but regardless... he finished which is an AMAZING achievement all by itself!

Stayed tuned for pictures in the next few days... And as for the rest of today, there will be showers, food and LOTS of resting!

Congrats to Chris!!! I love my hubby!!!!

XOXO

go speed racer

Thought I missed him but then Chris popped out of no where with a kiss! He looked great. He was smiling and still had plenty of energy at mile 6. He was at 6 when the elite men were hitting half way! Heading to 2nd location on a PACKED train!!

Chris told me afterwards that the only reason he saw me was because of the sign!

Go Elite Chicks

The women just passed and Chris hasn't even started! My stomach is a mess and I just want to see him... Wheelchailers are here!

Coffee!!!

I sent Chris off to the red start with tears in my eyes. He amazes me sometimes... Actually most of the time! He is going to kick London Marathons A**!
Now on the subject of my grande skinny latte... Getting to the Starbucks I staked out via google street view was mission nearly impossible. In the end,I bribed the workmen putting up the baricades with cookies and now I have coffee! This morning I made Mike proud!!!

The Race is On!!!

I have Chris's Blackberry and I am going to try posting "on the go." Pardon the terrible spelling! We are on the train to the start. So far I have seen Superman and a clown... Chris was able to get a great nights sleep and is ready to run! As for me, I just need coffee!

Moe Goes to the Groomer

We took Moe in for a "little trim" and this is what we brought home a few hours later.

Apparently, the groomer takes the term "lion cut" very literal!
I suppose next time I should be a bit more specific about how we want him trimmed!
Poor Fat Moe...

Fat Moe

With the warm weather and sunshine comes open window!

Fat Moe has established his new favorite spot. He just sits and stares out for hours. A few days ago he made the leap. He looked at me and with swiftness usually reserved for mountain lions he jumped from the floor, over the bench and a rather tall plant, landing with ease on the steps! I was impressed with his athletic ability... maybe impressed is not the right word... I was shocked! In fact, I think he was shocked as well because he just sat on the step. I can only imagine what he was thinking but it was probably something along the lines of, "Holy Sh*t! No one will ever believe I just jumped over the bench and out the window!" Then he realized I was watching him and with one word from me he was back inside, sitting on the bench, staring... he hasn't tried to escape again but I am sure it is because he has yet to build up enough courage!

Funny thing... shorts...

So many thoughts came to my head as I was chasing this woman down to get a picture. However, the main thing I was thinking... Please, oh please, don't let her be an American! I can only hope...

Mad Hatter's Tea Party

Is there anything better than a tea party in the park on a Sunday? I think not! Our friend and fellow EY'er, Christine, put it all together and all we had to do was show up in hats...

Me with the leader of the band (aka Christine)... She put a little more effort into her hat choice than me. We are in the Dublin pose!

Off with her head!

The entire group... minus me, Chris and Tim. Yes, it takes all 3 of us to take a picture!

Chris had the best hat... it was pink, feathery and had rhinestones on it but I refused to be seen in public with him wearing it... if you believe that I have a bridge I would like to sell you ;-)

All in all it was a brilliant afternoon in Regents Park with friends... and tea!

Gnew Gnoah Gnome

Chris couldn't bare the misery brought on by the loss of my beloved Gnoah... so he searched out Gnoah's parents and found a replacement Gnoah. He may look amazingly similar to Gnoah and I admit he is... let's just say the Gnome community is not so hung up on the ethics of cloning. So without further ado, I would like to introduce Gnew Gnoah Gnome...

Gnew Gnoah looking out the train window as we pull into Gare du Midi in Brussels. He was fascinated by his first train ride and couldn't wait to make his way in the city!

Similar to his predecessor Gnew was quick to make little Gnome friends.

Also, like Gnoah he was more than happy to sample the local brew.

Gnew is quite the show off and when we weren't looking he jumped up on the stage and started to shake his thing!


This little guy also loves his flowers!

Gnew is officially part of the family and will be joining up on our future adventures!

Until next time! XOXO

Proof that we did more than drink beer in Brussels!

The Grand Place in the center of Brussels. The weather could not have been better... I was able to wear a tank top and got a little sun on my shoulders! Ah... sunshine!

The Parc de Cinquantenaire was a surprise to us because we didn't visit on our last trip. The Arch is the Belgian answer to the Arch de Triumph in Paris... I must say that it is MUCH more impressive!

I love the lanterns strung between the buildins in the Quartier de l'llot Sacre. These streets are lined with seafood restaurants. The servers are constantly grabbing you and literally begging you to eat. It is difficult to resist! And it is easy to get turned around since everything looks the same!

On Sunday before our train, we wondered over to Place du Grand Sablon and Petit Sablon... another surprise for us! We enjoyed lunch at Cafe Leffe and soaked up some last minute sunshine in the square. We spent the train ride home plotting our next trip... where will it be? You'll have to wait and see... Until next time! XOXO

Brussels=Beer

Chris and I have never been shy about our love for Belgian beer. When the opportunity to spend Easter weekend in Brussels came about... what could we do? There was clearly no choice...

We found this cafe directly across from Mannequin Pis and were delighted by the menu... the beer menu. We came back here 4 times despite only being in town for 3 days!

Delirium Cafe... Something like 4000 beers in the bottle or on draft. No further comments are necessary.

A la Mort Subite... return to the scene of the crime. We visited this cafe on our last trip but this time we had the oude gueze and it was surprisingly delicious... and different!

Never go into a beer store called the Bier Temple when you are 3 or 4 beers into the day and heading to another pub... we brought home 8 bottles of beer that neither of us want to drink because then we will have to go back to Belgium to get more!

No trip to Belgium is complete without a Westmalle. The beer that started it all... our addiction to Belgian beer, of course ;-)

The Late Great Gnoah Gnome...

Gnoah's last great adventure was to Dublin. He was enjoying life up to the very last moment... and then he was gnome gnapped by a group of gnome hating hooligans... I can only hope that he is off somewhere enjoying his little gnome life and keeping his basket full of flowers.

Me and Gnoah at Powerscourt waterfall.

True to form... Gnoah making friends.

Also true to form... Gnoah insisted on his own pint of Guinness.

And the next thing we knew...

He does look happy.

I guess if it is your time there is no better way to go than in the bottom of a green beer in Dublin!

I am a bad blogger!

I am sorting through the pictures from Brussels and will post them tomorrow. I also have a new gnome to introduce! And a sad, sad story to share about the late great Gnoah Gnome... ewwww, the suspense is too much!

Hungry?

Washington DC Cherry Blossoms

Chris and I went to DC in February of 2006. As it turns out, the cherry trees bloom in February! Seeing the cherry blossoms in London has reminded me of the trip and some of the amazing pictures... here are a few!