Home of the Liverpudlians

Liverpool was not what I expected at all but I loved it. 

Reasons why Liverpool is cool:

#1. It reminded me a lot of California because it was a beautiful 70-degrees and we were right by the ocean.     
                 Did you know that Liverpool has been an important port city throughout    
                 history, where millions and millions of people left England and came to 
                 America? Including thousands of newly converted Mormons who left their 
                 homes to create a new life in the promised land. pretty cool eh?


#2. It is the birthplace of the Beatles!

  

     And I have to admit that I wasn’t really a Beatles fan before. But after going to The Beatles Story Museum and listening to their music via my friends here, their enthusiasm has rubbed off on me and I think its safe to say the Beatles have gained another fan. 

After dinner we walked past a fountain so obviously we had to stop and play.

After a few minutes, a little girl (probably 12 years old) came up to me and asked if she could be in a picture with us. We awkwardly said yes so she grabbed my waist and we took a picture. Then we noticed all her friends standing behind us anxiously waiting so we asked them all if they wanted to be in a picture too. They ran over and we were about to take another picture and that same girl came over grabbed my waist again and said “I love you”. 

Haha. That was it and then they left.  So there are a few things that could explain this odd interaction... 

• These little girls were high via the use of illegal substances
• She was just really friendly/weird
• She thought I was a celebrity

I guess we will never know…

Another highlight of the trip…Ted the Tick

To be continued…

Ted the Tick

Tick: (noun) a small, blood-sucking mite. Normally it lives on blood from larger animals, like deer, but it may also attach itself to humans.

We were sitting on the dock off the Liverpool Bay watching the sunset.

Looks peaceful, beautiful and full of love huh.

Claire finds a small, harmless little speck on her leg.

She inspects the harmless little speck a little bit closer.

The harmless little speck... a tick.

DUN DUN DUUUNNNNNNNN

Side note: I HATE ticks. I was the girl at girls' camp who couldn't sleep at night because I was paranoid that every little freckle, bump or itch was actually a nasty little tick. And honestly when I saw the tick with his head nuzzled deep into Claire's lovely, long legs I was laughing a little. I'd never seen one before and what can I say, a bug upside down is a little bit funny.

Back to the story:

We're walking back (forget the sunset. we have a tick to kill) when we are stopped by an old American couple who are so excited to see some fellow Colonists. While we were talking to them I brushed a little tickle away from behind my knee, looked down and saw the fatal "HARMLESS SPECK!!!"

A tick! A tick! In My, STALEY CARTER's Leg. And not only that, I must have brushed the body aside and the head was stuck in there.

"well, nothing you can do. That head is in there for good." the old yankee man said.

Disgusting.

We get home and absolutely no help from the hotel front desk girl (a crabby little girl who didn't have any matches or rubbing alcohol to offer).

Operation Room: the hotel room

Doctor: megan and jess

Patients: Claire and Staley

Tools: tweezers and carmax

I'm go to show the doctors my tick and I couldn't find the speck. NO! It's gone deeper! The skin grew over the head! GET IT OUT!

"Staley, there's nothing there!"

"Jess, just get out the tweezers and start digging!"

Basically, I kinda went insane and I apologize for that, because Claire had a legit parasitic problem and there I was freaking out because of a tick that I couldn't even find.

Happy ending, Dr. Looney got the tick out Claire's leg while Jess and I serenaded her with Beatles songs and for me? Well, I didn't have a tick. I even checked again the next day. Nothing.

And we all lived happily ever after.

Except for the Tick which Looney flushed down the toilet.

Love, Staley

P.s.

"We should name him."

"Ted the Tick"

"No! He can't have the name Ted! He's sucking my blood! Lucifer. His name will be Lucifer."

"Nah. Ted."

An Ode to Fae Technology Grange

This week in Liverpool we sat on the dock at sunset and met a sweet British family. Their daughter was named Faye (different spelling but still tender).

After her mother called her name I was overcome with the RAGING NEED to see my dear friend Fae.

While at the Edinburough castle I saw a memorial (pictured on the right) that contained the name Grange. I realized that it was the same sign that I saw on our family vacation in 7th grade. I even have a picture of it that I took with my disposable camera from that vacation.

How fateful that years later I visited

and immediately noticed the same sign?!

My Dearest Wiffle, I miss you and your contagious laugh. Love you man.

Love always,

Wiff

The wheels on the bus drive me INSANE!!!

“Back on the bus, back on the busy, somebody shoooot meeeeeeee.”

We spent almost 8 hours on the bus today.

Wake up.

Eat.

Get on the bus.

Sleep.

Wake up.

Look at castles.

Eat.

Get on the bus.

Sleep.

Wake up.

Look at castles.

Eat.

Get back on the bus.

Sleep.

Wake up.

Look at burned cathedral.

Eat.

Get back on the bus.

Sleep.

Wake up.

AHHHHH!!!

Luckily our bus driver, Zultan, made the ride a happy one with dough nuts.

We made it home safe and sound after our 3 day trip to

Liverpool,

the Lake District

and Wales-

thanks to our noble steed.

Love always,

Claire.

Little Moments, Big Memories

Well as of today, we (the bloggy day in london writers) have 18 days in Europe, 11 days in London, only 2 and a little more weeks left...

basically the clock's a tickin'.

Even though we've had huge experiences in Scotland, Liverpool, the Wells, Glastonbury and all over London, some of my favorite memories are the

unexpected moments

New friend: Daniel Cooper (son of Prof. Cooper)

Age: 4

Why we're friends: We spent 4 hours on the train ride to Scotland searching for Tree Castles, quoting Finding Nemo, playing D.J. Dan on my ipod and so much more.

Featuring: Alex Boye (singer for the Reflection's of Christ CD)

Age: unknown

Not only did he surprise us at our fireside the other Sunday, but I was singing that night too. I got to sing for him!! I don't think I've ever been more nervous in my life!

New Friend: Michaela Ball

Age: 20

Home: New Zealand

I met Michaela at the Hyde Park ward on our first Sunday in Relief Society. We just happened to start talking and turns out we were meant to be great friends. She joined us last Saturday for shopping, salads from Chop'd in Selfridges (the Harrods for Locals. yes we are now "locals.") and then to Piccadilly Circus for Ben's Cookies and some deep conversation.

We sat right on the steps below that statue, took a mental picture and will never forget that saturday.

New Friend: Rin Tin Tin

Actually we never knew his name, but he followed Looney, the lover of all dogs, for a while on our way home. It reminded me of the dog that followed my family and I years ago when we were traveling around, Italy was it (mom can remind me later)? I don't know where we were, but I LOVED playing and running around with that dog for hours. Who knows, maybe this is him and back for round two.

Let's go to a show

We were planning on seeing Legally Blonde tonight but when we got to the theatre it was mysteriously closed. Hmmm...So our back up plan was 39 Steps. Best back up plan ever!!! It was hilarious. Loved it. 

The cast even had a Q&A afterwards so we got to meet with them after the show.

Yesterday we saw the Vienna Piano Trio perform at Wigmore Hall. It was my first piano concert ever and it was incredible. The music was amazing a bit too soothing after only 3 hours of sleep the night before though if you catch my drift.

Last week we saw Macbeth at the Globe theatre. It was....well...gruesome. A few weeks ago we saw A Mid Summer's Night Dream there as well. 
Have you ever stood and watched a play? Ya I don't recommend it. We may or may not have left early both times. But nevertheless it was a cool experience and I'm glad I went. My favorite part both times was walking out of the Globe along the Thames as the sun was setting and seeing the beautiful architecture of the city.

We've also hit up a few concerts while we've been here. We all went to see She & Him. It was awesome. 

                                             

                                                                                                                     And Claire saw Third Eye Blind a few days later!

On Friday night we saw Peter Pan. Amazing!

  

 Hopefully we will get to see at least one or two more shows before we leave!!!

To Claire Elizabeth Pingree aka the pro photog

THANK YOU!

For being the best photographer ever and documenting all the wonderful memories we are making.

For bringing your awesome camera everywhere with you and taking amazing pictures even though it is heavy and probably annoying to carry it around all the time.

For taking pictures of me so that I can prove to my friends and family that I am actually here, because I have failed to take more than about 20 pictures on my own.

For being so patient with everyone that wants you to take all sorts of different pictures or the same picture in tons of different ways and then look at them to see if they are "facebook worthy" and if they aren't taking them over and over again.

You are basically the best and I just want you know how much I appreciate YOU and your camera :)

Love,
Looney