H.A. Larson's Blog, page 2

Holiday Break 2024

One of the best things about my job is the annual holiday shutdown. I work at a university, and since the campus is a ghost town around this time of the year, they shut down operations for a few weeks. If you include the weekends, it's an 11- or 12-day break. We sacrifice five federal holidays during the year, combine them with Christmas holidays, and get paid for the whole shebang. Honestly, it's a bonus vacation, and who doesn't love that? Every year, I make the most of my time away from work. This year, I thought I'd show you how I spent it.



The Friday before the shutdown, my department hosted a holiday party at a small bowling alley with food provided. We closed down around 11:30 am and got to go home afterwards. I had only been in the department for a month and a half, so it was nice to get to know some of my coworkers better.
 

Our last day before the shutdown was Friday, December 20th, and we didn't have to return until Wednesday, January 2nd. I relaxed at home with a few drinks that evening. The next day, Saturday the 21st, my daughter and I went to my best friend Keith's house. He had gotten me a cake for my birthday (the 22nd of December), so we hung out with him and his little girl for a while.



On Sunday, my birthday!, we checked into Christmas Cabin. Every few years, my ex-husband and I get a cabin in the same state park for a few nights during the holidays - a tradition we've been doing for many years, which I've posted about here before.






My friend Jayne came out and stayed that evening, and we ate half the charcuterie I brought, had plenty of drinks, and enjoyed a roaring fire outside.



I got to wake up to this.
The next evening, two of my besties and their kids came out, so we enjoyed the other half of the charcuterie, more drinks, and another roaring fire.



The next day was Christmas Eve, the day we celebrate Christmas. My ex, myself, and our kids took a leisurely drive in the countryside around the state park. We found this cemetery and checked out some graves.



I made spaghetti dinner, we opened gifts, had more drinks, and had our last bonfire of the trip before we checked out the next morning.
My daughter went home with my son to spend a few days, and I took my ex to their house. I then spent that evening in the quiet solitude of my own home.



The morning of the 26th, I had a long, leisurely coffee morning. By afternoon, I was ready to get out, so I headed to the Joslyn Museum. It had recently opened after being closed for more than two years while they added a new section. I hadn't been there since it reopened, and it was incredibly cool to see the changes.




















After an afternoon of modern art in the new section of the Joslyn, I stopped by the Dundee Dell for an appetizer and a drink.



On the 27th, I had agreed to meet the kids in Ashland to bring my daughter back home, so I figured it was the perfect time for a short hike out at Schramm SRA beforehand.



It was the perfect day for a hike.



Schramm had also gone through a few years of renovation, and I finally got to check out the new fish ponds.



I've taken this shot many times, but now it looks different. For reference, here's what it used to look like.







I got to Ashland well ahead of the kids and discovered an absolute gem in the downtown area: Willow Point Gallery. It showcases art by Nebraska native Gene Roncka, but was bequeathed a big game collection from local Archie Hightshoe.



I know I took pictures of the art as well, but they're lost from my phone. Still, I enjoyed my visit there, especially since the friendly, elderly lady working gave me hot mulled cider and a cookie.



On the 28th, I woke up early and went back to Schramm, but this time I just brought an omelette and made camp coffee. If you've never done this, you don't know what you're missing.



The next day, I headed over to Lincoln to spend a day with my son. We went to another cemetery where I chuckled at this headstone like a 13-year-old boy.



Before I knew it, NYE was here. Rebecca and I had reservations at a place that ended up being closed! Luckily, we found a bar a few blocks away that was open and deserted (it was early). We grabbed some dinner and a few drinks. They even let us take some party swag with us.



We ended the evening at my house with wine, charcuterie, and watched countdowns with fireworks videos from several cities across the globe.

You'd think with all those bonus days off I'd be ready to go back to work, but no. I was definitely ready for a few more days of relaxation. Still, I'm grateful every year for the break.

See you soon for the next installment from my trip to the UK!

Spring has Arrived

And just like that, Spring is here. Fall is without a doubt my favorite season, but Spring is a close second. And why not? All the foliage is returning, and the temperature is perfect. I can hear the birds singing, kids playing, and smell a charcoal grill from somewhere in the neighborhood. My favorite winery will start their Friday night music series back up next week, and I'm excited to sit on their patio with my bestie, drink wine, and eat charcuterie. I'm getting emails about outdoor events that are coming up, and when I walk to my car from my building after work, it smells so fresh and clean. 
I walk around my favorite city park, conveniently located across the street from my office, on my lunch break. I've been visiting the state parks and recreation areas, either hiking or strolling around. I'm enjoying the longer days and appreciate the sunlight that streams into my home through the windows later into the evening. 
Besides relishing in my second-favorite season, I'm eagerly anticipating all the fun events, trips, concerts, and vacation coming up. 
Indeed, everything is coming alive, awakening from its Winter slumber and embracing all that Spring has to offer. 
It's a season of hope, renewal, and promise.
I'm here for it.
 

United Kingdom Trip Day 4: Cardiff, Wales

 

After a wonderful but crazy-busy Day 3 in London, we woke up the next morning and hit the ground running again. Why? Well, first off, there's no rest for the wicked, and secondly, we had a train to catch. So, we got up, got ready, and headed to the Underground. A few of the Underground stations also connect with the National Train Stations, Paddington being one of them. We got off at Paddington Station and walked through to the Paddington Train Station.





Our destination? Cardiff, Wales, for a quick overnight. This was Audrey's pick because she really wanted to hit up another country while we were in England. She found a Dr. Who walking tour, and since she's a big fan of the show, it seemed like a good enough excuse to visit.



The train got us to Cardiff in a little over three hours.



A brief walk took us right into City Centre. Cardiff is the same size, both geographically and population-wise to my city, Omaha, but much older. We had booked a hostel for the night as it was the only option. Turns out, the Cardiff Half Marathon was the next day which is why we couldn't find a standard hotel with availability 10 months prior. Not that I mind a hostel stay, not at all, but truth be told, our hostel couldn't have been any worse. I digress though, as that's a whole tale unto itself.



The Dr. Who walking tour was at 1:30 and we arrived around 11, so we left our bags back at the hostel's bar and ventured forth.



Down at the end of the main road, is Cardiff Castle. While there are a couple of buildings within that require paid admission, wandering around the inside grounds is free, so that's what we did.
Note: see that odd bit of wall on the bottom right-hand side of the castle? Fun fact, that's what's left of a Roman wall that has been here for centuries, and the castle repurposed what was left of into its walls. After the Mithraeum, the Roman history buff in me was thrilled to see more Roman history before my eyes.






In the large courtyard sits what I believe would have been the armory, but I don't know that for sure. You can also spy the back wall and gate of the castle. We were to meet our tour guide outside the castle gates, so it was a great way to kill some time. 



Now, I generally hate walking tours and this one was no different. All that standing around is not something I enjoy one bit and this tour lasted almost twice as long as it was supposed to. I nearly died, y'all!  
While I wasn't excited about the tour, our guide made sure to point out significant bits of Welsh history and Cardiff's history. I enjoyed that quite a bit and made me feel like I got more out of Cardiff than a quick overnight.



I took pictures of the city while we walked, and reminded myself to check out this bar later in the evening.






As someone who received their BA in Religious Studies and whose favorite parts of history are Roman and Knights Templar, I was excited that our guide brought us to an old church in the city: The City Parish of St. John the Baptist (aka St. John's).



I was even more thrilled to learn that the side chapel in the church was (and still is) dedicated to the sect of Knights Templar. You have my attention, sir!



Knights Templar flag and crest.



See the little Knights that adorn the top of each post? How cool is that?



A shot down the main chapel.



From this vantage point, I get a glimpse of the Knights Templar chapel.



Back out on the street, we saw a double-decker carousel. I've never seen one like that in my life.



Another stop on the tour was the New Theatre, located close to City Centre. Opened to the public in 1906, this theatre has been here for a long time.



After the tour finally ended and we had gotten another 20k steps day in, Keith went off to get souvenirs, while Audrey and I went to get dinner and a drink. As usual, I wanted to get authentic British food, so we went to Pieminister. I got the steak and bacon pie (yum), with a side of slaw, mushy peas, and gravy that automatically comes with each pie. I washed it down with an amazing Swedish cider that I drank plenty of while in the UK.



After that, Audrey went to the hostel to nap while Keith and I met back up and proceeded to hit up the town. We went to a pub called The Cottage which was just like most British pubs we have been to.



We hit up two more establishments before checking out the Brewery Quarter.



It was a double-decker space with restaurants and bars both up and down. We went to a few bars in here.



Since our hostel was in City Centre we were never more than a stone's throw from it all night long. This made it easy to drink a bit too much.
I have to say, I was struck by how different it was being in Cardiff compared to Omaha. The citizens do not sit in their houses all day staring at their phones. They are out and about, walking, playing at the park, shopping, visiting with friends, and just living life as it was meant to be lived. I loved it. Also, the Welsh really know how to party!  lol
We went to bed after this as we wanted to see a few more things in Cardiff before we caught the train back to London the next morning. That, then, will be part of my next post in this series. 

See you then!

United Kingdom Trip: Cardiff, Wales, Day 4

 

After a wonderful but crazy-busy Day 3 in London, we woke up the next morning and hit the ground running again. Why? Well, first off, there's no rest for the wicked, and secondly, we had a train to catch. So, we got up, got ready, and headed to the Underground. A few of the Underground stations also connect with the National Train Stations, Paddington being one of them. We got off at Paddington Station and walked through to the Paddington Train Station.





Our destination? Cardiff, Wales, for a quick overnight. This was Audrey's pick because she really wanted to hit up another country while we were in England. She found a Dr. Who walking tour, and since she's a big fan of the show, it seemed like a good enough excuse to visit.



The train got us to Cardiff in a little over three hours.



A brief walk took us right into City Centre. Cardiff is the same size, both geographically and population-wise to my city, Omaha, but much older. We had booked a hostel for the night as it was the only option. Turns out, the Cardiff Half Marathon was the next day which is why we couldn't find a standard hotel with availability 10 months prior. Not that I mind a hostel stay, not at all, but truth be told, our hostel couldn't have been any worse. I digress though, as that's a whole tale unto itself.



The Dr. Who walking tour was at 1:30 and we arrived around 11, so we left our bags back at the hostel's bar and ventured forth.



Down at the end of the main road, is Cardiff Castle. While there are a couple of buildings within that require paid admission, wandering around the inside grounds is free, so that's what we did.
Note: see that odd bit of wall on the bottom right-hand side of the castle? Fun fact, that's what's left of a Roman wall that has been here for centuries, and the castle repurposed what was left of into its walls. After the Mithraeum, the Roman history buff in me was thrilled to see more Roman history before my eyes.






In the large courtyard sits what I believe would have been the armory, but I don't know that for sure. You can also spy the back wall and gate of the castle. We were to meet our tour guide outside the castle gates, so it was a great way to kill some time. 



Now, I generally hate walking tours and this one was no different. All that standing around is not something I enjoy one bit and this tour lasted almost twice as long as it was supposed to. I nearly died, y'all!  
While I wasn't excited about the tour, our guide made sure to point out significant bits of Welsh history and Cardiff's history. I enjoyed that quite a bit and made me feel like I got more out of Cardiff than a quick overnight.



I took pictures of the city while we walked, and reminded myself to check out this bar later in the evening.






As someone who received their BA in Religious Studies and whose favorite parts of history are Roman and Knights Templar, I was excited that our guide brought us to an old church in the city.



I was even more thrilled to learn that the side chapel in the church was (and still is) dedicated to the sect of Knights Templar. You have my attention, sir!



Knights Templar flag and crest.



See the little Knights that adorn the top of each post? How cool is that?



A shot down the main chapel.



From this vantage point, I get a glimpse of the Knights Templar chapel.



Back out on the street, we saw a double-decker carousel. I've never seen one that like in my life.



Another stop on the tour was the New Theatre, located in the City Center. Opened to the public in 1906, this theatre has been here for a long time.



After the tour finally ended and we had gotten another 20k steps day in, Keith went off to get souvenirs, while Audrey and I went to get dinner and a drink. As usual, I wanted to get authentic British food, so we went to a mince pie shop. I got the steak and bacon pie (yum), with a side of slaw, mushy peas, and gravy that automatically comes with each pie. I washed it down with an amazing Swedish cider that I drank plenty of while in the UK.



After that, Audrey went to the hostel to nap while Keith and I met back up and proceeded to hit up the town. We went to the pub I saw earlier in the day, The City Arms, so I made good on my promise to myself.



We hit up two more establishments before checking out the Brewery Quarter.



It was a double-decker space with restaurants and bars both up and down. We went to a few bars in here.



Since our hostel was in City Centre we were never more than a stone's throw from it all night long. This made it easy to drink a bit too much.
I have to say, I was struck by how different it was being in Cardiff compared to Omaha. The citizens do not sit in their houses all day staring at their phones. They are out and about, walking, playing at the park, shopping, visiting with friends, and just living life as it was meant to be lived. I loved it. Also, the Welsh really know how to party!  lol
We went to bed after this as we wanted to see a few more things in Cardiff before we caught the train back to London the next morning. That, then, will be part of my next post in this series. 

See you then!

When You Realize You are Who You Always Wanted to Be

Over the years, I've envied a handful of women—a couple of musicians and bloggers. All talented, beautiful, smart, financially independent, and well-traveled, these ladies had a life I could only dream of and desperately longed for. If you combine this envy with long-held dreams of living in an exotic, exciting locale, and a miserable, poverty-stricken life, you have one desperate woman. The regret over my life choices hung over me like a dark, ominous cloud.

The funny thing about regret is that if it sits under the skin too long, it turns into things like depression, worthlessness, poor decision-making, and even anger. In turn, those things can lead you to turn to easy fixes; such as drinking, eating, or whatever your pick of poison is. It's a vicious cycle that feels endless and impossible to escape. 

In 2018, I began to realize that if my life was going to change then I needed to change. It all started and ended with me, as far as my life was concerned, and I needed to fix it. It's been nearly seven years now since I had that revelation.

Out of the list of women I envied, one of the musicians is dead. The other has faded farther and farther into obscurity. The bloggers quit blogging. One fell off the map, and another now concentrates on social media pages that are mostly contrived and more than a bit pretentious. I'm hardly envious of any of them anymore.

As for my life, a lot has happened in seven years. I worked my ass off to move from a series of crappy, low-paying jobs into an actual career. And it's a career that I love and pays me a salary that keeps me far above the poverty line. 

I escaped my miserable marriage and the poverty that came with it. This gave me freedom; control of my own finances; and drastically improved my mental health. It gave me a happiness I hadn't known since childhood.

For the first time in my adult life, I was able to move into a NICE home (not a pile of shit), fill it with nice things (yet little of it new), and buy a brand-spanking NEW car. 

I started filling my life with as much adventure as I could muster between my home and a three-hour radius around it. I was able to start traveling the world and make it a regular thing.

After years of having nothing set aside for emergencies or retirement, I was able to set myself up for the retirement I've always dreamt of. I have a budget that allows me to survive and thrive, all while building for my future.

I have better and closer relationships with all the people who matter the most in my life. Their love and support have an immeasurable worth and an impact that cannot be overstated.

I finally have a life that is envious to other people, not the other way around. Not that anyone needs to be envious, it's achievable by anyone. 

Yes, I truly have the life I always dreamt that I would have, and I'm the person I always wanted to be. 

This period of my life feels like a dream. I couldn't be any happier or more at peace than I am right now. 

Still, regardless of everything, I don't take anything for granted. I am grateful every day for what I have, what I've achieved, and the life I get to live.

I'm grateful for you, too. Thank you for being here, and for supporting me all these years. Talk to you soon, friend.

United Kingdom Trip Day 3: London, England

I'm back with my second post in my UK series. I hope you all had a good holiday; I sure did. I'll have a post about my holiday break coming soon, but in the meantime, enjoy Day 3 of London. As I mentioned in the first post in this series, there are a lot of photos.
After a good night's rest, we were up and at 'em for a full day in London. Because we had a long day ahead of us, we decided to go out for breakfast. While Keith and I have both had the full Irish breakfast (it's the same as the full English breakfast), Audrey has not, so I found a cafe within walking distance called Terry's Cafe.


It was quintessentially small, very British, and quaint. Audrey and I both got the step down from the full English while Keith got the full one.



My step down from full included eggs, English bacon, English sausage, bubble & squeak (it's cabbage and mashed potato patties that are fried and absolutely delicious!), and, of course, beans.
With full bellies, we made our way to Sky Garden, located on the 34th floor of the Walkie Talkie building. Tickets are free but go fast so you need to book them starting two weeks in advance of your planned day.



Much like the Sky Bar at the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin, this top-floor, glass-enclosed area affords you a view of London from every angle. Once again, you can see the Shard. I'm sure you've guessed by now that our Airbnb was in Central London, which made getting around so much easier.

Also like the Sky Bar, there are words on the panes of glass letting you know where certain points of interest are. This one made me laugh, though, because you really have to expand the photo in order to actually see Wembley Stadium.



The city winds its way along The Thames.



A shot from inside the Sky Garden.



There's free water but also a coffee shop on this level while the half level up top has a small cafe.



We were done at Sky Garden around 11:15 or so and since Audrey and I's afternoon reservation wasn't until 1:15, we decided to go to where Keith wanted to really go. So, back on the Underground where we made our way to Trafalgar Square.



The iconic Nelson's Column surrounded by four lions. I've seen this in pictures so many times so it was really cool to see it in person. Off in the right-hand corner, you can see The National Gallery. Like most museums in London, it's free to go in but there was no time. Maybe next time.



Up close and personal.



There were plagues around Nelson's Column giving you a history of Trafalgar Square.



This wasn't our main destination, so after looking around a bit, we headed south on Parliament Street. Scotland Yard is just off to the left down a side street.



This path takes you directly by HRH King Charles' Horses Guard. I've watched a lot of YouTube videos and shorts about the guard so it was cool, again, to see them in person.



You can go beyond the arches and into a back parade ground where I saw this guard keeping watch. I've seen him in videos so many times that I consider him sort of a celebrity.



We passed this statue of Spencer Compton, the 8th Duke of Devonshire.



We stopped at The Red Lion to use their bathroom. I just love the flowers that adorn the tops of most pubs in London.



We finally made it to a statue of Winston Churchill and our destination.



Across the road from Winston is Elizabeth Tower aka Big Ben, the London Eye, and 



...the Houses of Parliament to the left.



Back behind Winston is Westminster Abbey, a place Keith really wanted to go. Here is where all the royalty gets married, and where many royalty and famous people are buried. 






Such as Queen Elizabeth I.



And her older sister, Queen Mary. 
Queen Mary of Scots is close by, as well as many King Henrys, although not King Henry the 8th. Also buried here are Charles Dickens, Charles Darwin, and C.S. Lewis, to name but a few. My phone was about dead so I took many photos with Keith's phone although he has yet to send them to me.
After our whirlwind visit through the Abbey, we had reservations shortly after all, we headed back to the Airbnb where we freshened up and left Keith. Back on public transport up to Picadilly.



Afternoon tea was a must for me while in London, and I wasn't going to skimp so we went to a fancier, more expensive place: Fortnum & Mason.



Our elegant table.



Audrey loves tea so I let her pick, and she chose Victoria Grey - a blend made in honor of Queen Victoria herself.
They have a standard and a savoury tea, so we got one of each. The finger sandwiches were the same, but the scones and patisseries were different on each tower. They brought us macarons later and we had unlimited tea. We were so incredibly full when we left, that much is for certain.



A view along Picadilly Road.
After tea, we browsed around the actual store, checked out a few shops, and then got on a bus back to our lodging. We collected Keith and headed to another place in Kensington that I had wanted to go to and reserved months prior.



The Churchill Arms. This classic pub is named after Winston and has been in existence since 1750 - although it was renamed after WW2. I had booked a table because I figured it would be busy and, as you can see by this photo, I wasn't wrong!



I had some issues with the management of this place. First, I had requested to change my reservation from 2 people to 3 months prior. They never responded but when they emailed me a few days prior to confirm, I reminded them I wanted a table for 3 and not 2. Lo and behold, when we got there they still had us down for 2 people but after a bit of back and forth, they got us a table.
Then, even though it said nothing on the website that you had to order food with a reservation, they told us that we had to order food. This kinda pissed me off because if I had known that, I would've made the reservation for an evening where I wasn't stuffed on afternoon tea. I mean, we just tried to order appetizers and drinks, but they weren't having it. 


Still, the interior was beautiful and they had Bulmers on the menu! I hadn't had a Bulmers since my trip to Ireland in 2014, so I had two. We didn't stay long as we were disappointed with the whole experience so we headed back up to the Underground station.



However, I wasn't going to let that experience ruin our night so we stopped at a pub called the Old Swan between The Churchill Arms and the Underground. 



That had Inch's Berry Cider on tap, which was lovely, so I drank one.
Back on the Underground, I noticed that we'd have to pass Picadilly on the way back to our lodging, so I suggested we stop at Picadilly Circus. It's London's version of Times Square and a huge tourist trap, but we had the time as it was only around 9 pm or so.


The live billboard in the square.
Keith and I both really had to go to the restroom at this point and he spotted a HardRock Cafe. It's another tourist trap so I groaned, but Keith got excited because he's been to several HardRock cafes around the world. So, he offered to buy us all a drink. After a stop in the loo, I enjoyed a smoked whiskey sour.



Audrey then offered to get us a round of Lemon Drop shots which came with these Picadilly shot glasses that we got to keep.


Nicely buzzed, we stepped back out into the throng of tourists and just took it in.



Many were flocked around a memorial Victorian fountain crowned with what is widely believed to be a statue of Eros.
After this, we went back to our Airbnb and had more drinks before finally calling it a night.
Whew! What a day! This is exactly why I said that I needed to do one post for each day of the trip. It was a fun day and we were the consummate tourists. 

Until next time, friends,
H.A.











 

United Kingdom Trip: London, Day 3

I'm back with my second post in my UK series. I hope you all had a good holiday; I know I sure did. I'll have a post about my holiday break coming soon, but in the meantime, enjoy Day 3 of London. As I mentioned in the first post in this series, there are a lot of photos.
After a good night's rest, we were up and at 'em for a full day in London. Because we had a long day ahead of us, we decided to go out for breakfast. While Keith and I have both had the full Irish breakfast (it's the same as the full English breakfast), Audrey has not, so I found a cafe within walking distance called Terry's Cafe.


It was quintessentially small, very British, and quaint. Audrey and I both got the step down from the full English while Keith got the full one.



My step down from full included eggs, English bacon, English sausage, bubble & squeak (it's cabbage and mashed potato patties that are fried and absolutely delicious!), and, of course, beans.
With full bellies, we made our way to Sky Garden, located on the 34th floor of the Walkie Talkie building. Tickets are free but go fast so you need to book them starting two weeks in advance of your planned day.



Much like the Sky Bar at the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin, this top-floor, glass-enclosed area affords you a view of London from every angle. Once again, you can see the Shard. I'm sure you've guessed by now that our Airbnb was in Central London, which made getting around so much easier.

Also like the Sky Bar, there are words on the panes of glass letting you know where certain points of interest are. This one made me laugh, though, because you really have to expand the photo in order to actually see Wembley Stadium.



The city winds it's way along The Thames.



A shot from inside the Sky Garden.



There's free water but also a coffee shop on this level while the half level up top has a small cafe.



We were done at Sky Garden around 11:15 or so and since Audrey and I's afternoon reservation wasn't until 1:15, we decided to go to where Keith wanted to really go. So, back on the Underground where we made our way to Trafalgar Square.



The iconic Nelson's Column surrounded by four lions. I've seen this in pictures so many times so it was really cool to see it in person. Off in the right-hand corner, you can see The National Gallery. Like most museums in London, it's free to go in but there was no time. Maybe next time.



Up close and personal.



There were plagues around Nelson's Column giving you a history of Trafalgar Square.



This wasn't our main destination, so after looking around a bit, we headed south on Parliament Street. Scotland Yard is just off to the left down a side street.



This path takes you directly by HRH King Charles' Horses Guard. I've watched a lot of YouTube videos and shorts about the guard so it was cool, again, to see them in person.



You can go beyond the arches and into a back parade ground where I saw this guard keeping watch. I've seen him in videos so many times that I consider him sort of a celebrity.



We passed this statue of Spencer Compton, the 8th Duke of Devonshire.



We stopped at The Red Lion to use their bathroom. I just love the flowers that adorn the tops of most pubs in London.



We finally made it to a statue of Winston Churchill, and our destination.



Across the road from Winston is Elizabeth Tower aka Big Ben, the London Eye, and 



...the Houses of Parliament to the left.



Back behind Winston is Westminster Abbey, a place Keith really wanted to go. Here is where all the royalty gets married, and where many royalty and famous people are buried. 






Such as Queen Elizabeth I.



And her older sister, Queen Mary. 
Queen Mary of Scots is close by, as well as many King Henrys, although not King Henry the 8th. Also buried here are Charles Dickens, Charles Darwin, and C.S. Lewis, to name but a few. My phone was about dead so I took many photos with Keith's phone although he has yet to send them to me.
After our whirlwind visit through the Abbey, we had reservations shortly after all, we headed back to the Airbnb where we freshened up and left Keith. Back on public transport up to Picadilly.



Afternoon tea was a must for me while in London, and I wasn't going to skimp so we went to a fancier, more expensive place: Fortnum & Mason.



Our elegant table.



Audrey loves tea so I let her pick, and she chose Victoria Grey - a blend made in honor of Queen Victoria herself.
They have a standard and a savoury tea, so we got one of each. The finger sandwiches were the same, but the scones and patisseries were different on each tower. They brought us macarons later and we had unlimited tea. We were so incredibly full when we left, that much is for certain.



A view along Picadilly Road.
After tea, we browsed around the actual store, checked out a few shops, and then got on a bus back to our lodging. We collected Keith and headed to another place in Kensington that I had wanted to go to and reserved months prior.



The Churchill Arms. This classic pub is named after Winston and has been in existence since 1750 - although is was renamed after WW2. I had booked a table because I figured it would be busy and, as you can see by this photo, I wasn't wrong!



I had some issues with the management of this place. First, I had requested to change my reservation from 2 people to 3 months prior. They never responded but when they emailed me a few days prior to confirm, I reminded them I wanted a table for 3 and not 2. Lo and behold, when we got there they still had us down for 2 people but after a bit of back and forth, they got us a table.
Then, even though it said nothing on the website that you had to order food with a reservation, they told us that we had to order food. This kinda pissed me off because if I had known that, I would've made the reservation for an evening where I wasn't stuffed on afternoon tea. I mean, we just tried to order appetizers and drinks, but they weren't having it. 


Still, the interior was beautiful and they had Bulmers on the menu! I hadn't had a Bulmers since my trip to Ireland in 2014, so I had two. We didn't stay long as we were disappointed with the whole experience so we headed back up to the Underground station.



However, I wasn't going to let that experience ruin our night so we stopped at a pub called the Old Swan between The Churchill Arms and the Underground. 



That had Inch's Cider on tap, which was lovely, so I drank two.
Back on the Underground, I noticed that we'd have to pass Picadilly on the way back to our lodging, so I suggested we stop at Picadilly Circus. It's London's version of Times Square, and a huge tourist trap, but we had the time as it was only around 9 pm or so.


The live billboard in the square.
Keith and I both really had to go to the restroom at this point and he spotted a HardRock Cafe. It's another tourist trap so I groaned, but Keith got excited because he's been to several HardRock cafes around the world. So, he offered to buy us all a drink. After a stop in the loo, I enjoyed a smoked whiskey sour.



Audrey then offered to get us a round of Lemon Drop shots which came with these Picadilly shot glasses that we got to keep.


Nicely buzzed, we stepped back out into the throng of tourists and just took it in.



Many were flocked around the a memorial Victorian Fountain crowned with what is widely-believed to be a statue of Eros.
After this, we went back to our Airbnb and had more drinks before finally calling it a night.
Whew! What a day! This is exactly why I said that I needed to do one post for each day of the trip. It was a fun day and we were the consummate tourists. 

Until next time, friends,
H.A.











 

2024: The Year in Review

 

It's hard to believe it, but here we are at the beginning of a new year. This past year was my best year since 2019, and honestly, it is my best year to date—which is exactly what I said last year. I hope that means I'm on an upward trend and that 2025 will blow this year out of the water. We shall see.

 Let's get into it, shall we?

1. I tried and failed a No-Buy Year but successfully completed a few No-Buy months.

2. In June, I completed my first, only, and last foray into homeschooling when I graduated my daughter from high school. I also successfully helped her get into college and have watched her blossom from a teenager who didn't see the point in living to a beautiful, intelligent, motivated, kind, and funny young woman. 

3. I deepened my knowledge and love of wine and charcuterie. I even found something that serves well as a mobile charcuterie board, so I can take it with me.

4. I went to Kansas City in April to attend the annual Kegs & Eggs at the KCRF grounds.

5. I took some really stellar day trips this year where: 

a. I explored Whiterock Conservancy & the Templeton distillery with my Dad, stepmom, and daughter.

 b. My bestie Rebecca and I took a day to explore down the I-29 corridor where we saw four states from the top of my beloved Iowa Mountains. 

c. My son and I went to Vala's and took an Autumn drive to celebrate his birthday and hit up some old favorites. 

d. My folks, my son, and I explored Kettelston Hogback WMA, Spirit Lake, and Lake Okoboji the day after Thanksgiving.

6. I also went on a few overnight/weekend trips where: 

a. Rebecca and I explored Nebraska using the Wander Nebraska Passport where we visited a Lewis & Clark VC neither of us had been to, explored a tiny town full of shops, a carnival, and life, spent the night in Beatrice, and visited Homestead National Monument before heading home. 

b. I took my daughter to Kansas City over Labor Day weekend as a birthday/graduation gift. We spent the afternoon at City Market which we loved and were impressed by. We ate hot pot for the first time. Last but not least, we went to the Kansas City Renaissance Faire where we met up with my friend Audrey.

7. And of course, we can't forget about my return to Europe with a 9-day trip to the United Kingdom. My first post about the trip is already up here, but I will definitely be posting more as time goes on. It was a lifelong dream to visit England and see Stonehenge as well as the Roman Baths. The day I got to visit them both was on par with my day at the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland. There's nothing like world travel to really change your life. 

8. I started tracking my expenses annually this year, wrapping up 2024 a week ago. It's nice to see where and how I spent money and if there are areas I can improve upon and make adjustments.

9. I moved up into my fourth position at the university where I work, finally landing in my perfect role. I not only got back to my favorite job ever, but I finally make the money to match. This will be my final role until I retire....I think. I hate to say anything's final, but that's how I'm currently feeling. Only time will tell!

10. I've slowly worked my way back into better health. To that end, I've lost some weight and am more active. I won't get into all the details now as I'm saving all that for a separate post.

2024 was a great year and I have higher hopes for 2025. The biggest thing I've taken away from the past year is that I finally have the life I dreamed of for decades. It took a lot of hard work and determination, but I persevered and claimed it. That made the year even better than it already was. 

Which leads me to my final thoughts. I am, and always will be, incredibly grateful for my life. I am fortunate in so many ways and I never take that for granted. I'm thankful for the opportunities I've been given, the wonderful friends & family I have, a job that I love, a home that I love, a nice, dependable vehicle, the ability to travel far and wide, how I never need for anything, and, of course, for my ability to manage my money in a way that makes so many great things possible.

2025 can only be better and I have many plans & goals on the fire to make it all happen.

I hope you had a wonderful holiday season, a joyous New Year's Eve, that you have something to be thankful for, and that the new year holds the gift of promise.

I'll be back soon with fresh, new posts.

Much love,

H.A.

United Kingdom Trip Days 1 and 2: London, England

The Shard - a famous London building in our Airbnb neighborhood.

Before I begin, a disclaimer: we were in the UK for 9 days and 8 nights. We did three big things each day with little stops peppered in here and there. Because of this, I'm going to do a post for each day otherwise I'd end up with 30 posts. As a result, each post will feature a BUNCH of photos. Enjoy!

We landed in London on October 2nd. Our plane was delayed by nearly an hour, shortly before Keith was set to arrive, so Audrey and I made it through Customs and then waited for him. We were both bummed to find out that they don't stamp passports anymore. My childhood dreams of filling up my passport with stamps from all over the world were dashed. After reuniting, we took a series of rides on the Underground (aka "The Tube) until we reached the Elephant & Castle neighborhood, where our Airbnb was. 

We left our luggage in our room, then walked a few blocks to Sainsbury's to grab groceries (and instant coffee). London is expensive, so I had no plans to eat out for every meal. We put our food away and then headed off to the dinner reservation I had made a few months before. Our reservation was at Pick & Cheese Seven Dials Market which was one of Audrey's picks for the trip.

Located in a trendy food hall in the Seven Dials neighborhood, it's one of many restaurants located within.

 You pay a set price for which you get to sit and each as much off the conveyor belt as you want for 75 minutes. Basically, it's just a big rotating charcuterie.



We were each given a menu/guide that explained what was on each plate. There were three colors of plates and numbered picks on top of each dome so we would know what we were eating. Audrey got a mixed drink and I bought a bottle of champagne for Keith and me. 
It was late in the evening at this point and we were still figuring out the public transportation system. We had also traveled for a solid 12 hours and had crossed time zones, so we headed back to the Airbnb to crash. We stopped along the way to grab a few single beers/ciders so we enjoyed a few of those before calling it a night.



The next morning, October 3rd, we headed to the London Mithraeum. 



In 1954, city workers found an ancient Roman temple under the streets, dedicated to the Roman god Mithras. They preserved it and turned it into a museum. Now, you all know how big of a Roman history buff I am, so this was a must-see for me.



Before you're allowed to go down to the lower level where the Temple is, you can wander the street level which has an art gallery. On the wall next to the entrance to the lower level are objects that were found in the Mithraeum.



The Temple is roughly 1,784 years old! Many signs give information about the Romans and their god Mithras. We read through these while we waited to be let into the Temple.
We walked into a dark, temperature-controlled room. After explaining that they would turn low lighting on, run a fine fog through, and play authentic religious chanting in the background, they turned all that on and just left us to gaze upon the wonder of this ancient site for a short while.



The foggy mist wrapped around carefully placed blocks of wood and strings of wire suspended from the ceiling. Set against the darkness of the walls and minimal lighting, the scene gave the perfect illusion of actually being in the temple - you can see the Temple "walls" and "columns". You can see the altar in the back in this photo I took.



And here I am behind the altar. 



While much of the temple is gone, the sturdier parts remain - like this ancient brick altar wall.



Here's a great closeup of the altar with its original cement and stonework.

After our time at the Mithraeum, we got on the Tube and headed to Baker Street. If you don't know, Baker Street, 221B to be exact, is the home of the fictional character, Sherlock Holmes - one of my favorite literary characters of all time.



Even the Tube station at Baker Street plays up to this fact.



Now, 221B Baker Street (aka The Sherlock Holmes Museum) is not a "real" place but something capitalized on. I wanted to avoid paying the admission fee for a rather underwhelming museum, but I was perfectly content to take pictures of the outside.



On the property is a detached gift shop where we perused and picked up a couple trinkets.



Had to snag a photo of the street sign.



Audrey was hungry and wanted to stop in The Volunteer, a pub a few doors down. Keith and I weren't hungry but I'm always down for a cold pint. Audrey got fish and chips (very British) while Keith and I split a sticky toffee pudding (also very British) - a food on my England bucket list. It was just as delicious as I always imagined it would be.
Later that day, Audrey and I had long-reserved tickets for an evening cruise on the River Thames. We had to book it to the landing by London Tower to make it on time. Which we did with about one minute to spare!



We sat inside initially until I realized there was open seating up top, so off we went. The cruise came with one free glass of bubbly and a few rounds of canapes. There was a bar where additional drinks could be purchased - and purchased they were.



Our journey began here, at the Tower Bridge. Sitting up top, out in the open, was a much better idea. It afforded us fresh air and clear views of the city.



Audrey is sipping on her glass of bubbly.



Once again folks, The Shard.






A lovely shot of Elizabeth Tower. No, it's not actually called Big Ben. I was corrected on this point as I was told that Big Ben is the name of the mechanism inside the clock. At any rate, it looked stunning from my vantage point.



The Houses of Parliament.



One of many cool shots I got of the city skyline.



As it got darker, it got more beautiful.



The Chelsea Bridge all lit up.



The London Eye, lit up, as seen from inside the enclosed main deck of the boat.



We ended back where we began, The Tower Bridge. This time though, it was a bright beacon in the night. We spent one hour going west along the Thames and an hour back. This was another of Audrey's picks and, I must say, it was worth every pence. 

What a great first two days of a trip of a lifetime.


Hopefully, I'll get a post up for this trip once a week but don't count on that...you know me. Until then, I hope you enjoyed Days 1 and 2!

United Kingdom Trip: London, Days 1 and 2

The Shard - a famous London building in our Airbnb neighborhood.

Before I begin, a disclaimer: we were in the UK for 9 days and 8 nights. We did three big things each day with little stops peppered in here and there. Because of this, I'm going to do a post for each day otherwise I'd end up with 30 posts. As a result, each post will feature a BUNCH of photos. Enjoy!

We landed in London on October 2nd. Our plane was delayed by nearly an hour, shortly before Keith was set to arrive, so Audrey and I made it through Customs and then waited for him. We were both bummed to find out that they don't stamp passports anymore. My childhood dreams of filling up my passport with stamps from all over the world were dashed. After reuniting, we took a series of rides on the Underground (aka "The Tube) until we reached the Elephant & Castle neighborhood, where our Airbnb was. 

We left our luggage in our room, then walked a few blocks to Sainsbury's to grab groceries (and instant coffee). London is expensive, so I had no plans to eat out for every meal. We put our food away and then headed off to the dinner reservation I had made a few months before. Our reservation was at Pick & Cheese Seven Dials Market which was one of Audrey's picks for the trip.

Located in a trendy food hall in the Seven Dials neighborhood, it's one of many restaurants located within.

 You pay a set price for which you get to sit and each as much off the conveyor belt as you want for 75 minutes. Basically, it's just a big rotating charcuterie.



We were each given a menu/guide that explained what was on each plate. There were three colors of plates and numbered picks on top of each dome so we would know what we were eating. Audrey got a mixed drink and I bought a bottle of champagne for Keith and me. 
It was late in the evening at this point and we were still figuring out the public transportation system. We had also traveled for a solid 12 hours and had crossed time zones, so we headed back to the Airbnb to crash. We stopped along the way to grab a few single beers/ciders so we enjoyed a few of those before calling it a night.



The next morning, October 3rd, we headed to the London Mithraeum. 



In 1954, city workers found an ancient Roman temple under the streets, dedicated to the Roman god Mithras. They preserved it and turned it into a museum. Now, you all know how big of a Roman history buff I am, so this was a must-see for me.



Before you're allowed to go down to the lower level where the Temple is, you can wander the street level which has an art gallery. On the wall next to the entrance to the lower level are objects that were found in the Mithraeum.



The Temple is roughly 1,784 years old! Many signs give information about the Romans and their god Mithras. We read through these while we waited to be let into the Temple.
We walked into a dark, temperature-controlled room. After explaining that they would turn low lighting on, run a fine fog through, and play authentic religious chanting in the background, they turned all that on and just left us to gaze upon the wonder of this ancient site for a short while.



The foggy mist wrapped around carefully placed blocks of wood and strings of wire suspended from the ceiling. Set against the darkness of the walls and minimal lighting, the scene gave the perfect illusion of actually being in the temple - you can see the Temple "walls" and "columns". You can see the altar in the back in this photo I took.



And here I am behind the altar. 



While much of the temple is gone, the sturdier parts remain - like this ancient brick altar wall.



Here's a great closeup of the altar with its original cement and stonework.

After our time at the Mithraeum, we got on the Tube and headed to Baker Street. If you don't know, Baker Street, 221B to be exact, is the home of the fictional character, Sherlock Holmes - one of my favorite literary characters of all time.



Even the Tube station at Baker Street plays up to this fact.



And here it is. Now, 221B Baker Street (aka The Sherlock Holmes Museum) is not a "real" place but something capitalized on. I wanted to avoid paying the admission fee for a rather underwhelming museum, but I was perfectly content to take pictures of the outside.



On the property is a detached gift shop where we perused and picked up a couple trinkets.



Had to snag a photo of the street sign.



Audrey was hungry and wanted to stop in The Volunteer, a pub a few doors down. Keith and I weren't hungry but I'm always down for a cold pint. Audrey got fish and chips (very British) while Keith and I split a sticky toffee pudding - a food on my England bucket list. It was just as delicious as I always imagined it would be.
Later that day, Audrey and I had reservation tickets for an evening cruise on the River Thames. We had to book it to the landing down by London Tower.



We sat inside initially until I realized there was open seating up top, so off we went. The cruise came with one free glass of bubbly and a few rounds of canapes. There was a bar where additional drinks could be purchased. 



Our journey began here, at the Tower Bridge. Sitting up top, out in the open, was a much better idea. It afforded us fresh air and clear views of the city.



Audrey is sipping on her glass of bubbly.



Once again folks, The Shard.






A lovely shot of Elizabeth Tower. No, it's not actually called Big Ben. I was corrected on this point as I was told that Big Ben is the name of the mechanism inside the clock. At any rate, it looked stunning from my vantage point.



The Houses of Parliament.



One of many cool shots I got of the city skyline.



As it got darker, it got more beautiful.



The Chelsea Bridge all lit up.



The London Eye, lit up, as seen from inside the enclosed main deck of the boat.



We ended back where we began, The Tower Bridge. This time though, it was a bright beacon in the night. We spent one hour going west along the Thames and an hour back. This was another of Audrey's picks and, I must say, it was worth every pence. 

What a great first two days of a trip of a lifetime.


Hopefully, I'll get a post up for this trip once a week but don't count on that...you know me. Until then, I hope you enjoyed Days 1 and 2!