Home, sweet Rust Belt

I'm back home and rested and on US EST time again (I think), after forcing myself to stay up unti 9pm last night. Since I got up at 4am London time, that's 22 hours of being awake. But Pippi graciously didn't wake up until 6:30 am, so I got 9 1/2 luxurious hours of sleep in a comfortable bed. Oh glorious memory foam mattress topper! Oh pillows with actual pillowiness!

And every time I go to the UK or Europe, whether I'm there for a week or a year, upon my return I'm alway astounded by the size of things in the US, especially in the midwest: houses, rooms, yards, cars, streets, and trees. The only things I can think of off the top of my head that are either similarly sized in the UK or bigger are food portions (I think we inherited that one from the Brits) and the giant rhodedendrons and hydrangeas in London's big parks. Oh, and all the mile high ferris wheels (the London Eye, the Yorkshire Wheel, and whatever the one in Windsor is called).

So while the house Bullock and I share is modest in size (both house and yard) by US standards, and very close to its neighbors, as well, after spending time in the UK, I feel like we live in a small palace on vast grounds -- or perhaps a royal hunting lodge. Even the 1930s part of our house has larger proportions than most of the places I was staying in the UK, including my friend's mid-century home.

And now, if you'll recall, I have an insanely busy August ahead of me, so expect light posting. I'm about to upload my pictures, finally, so I may just fill August with photo blogging if they're any good.