Father's Day on Floyd

There were paper chains, origami framed place-names, a 'Dad' perler bead sign and best of all scrambled eggs made by M.

Later some jokes that had been intended for distraction during set-up.

Brunch on Floyd

I now embrace yellow... especially at brunch.

On the menu P's eggy bread with cinnamon sugar, bacon and fresh strawberries. Plus Mimosas aka Bucks Fizz for the toast to the unresolved - overseas homes, teachers, visas, lapsed careers...

Thank you to the Italians (company), Phoebe (everything) and Doug c/o J (flowers!) for making this a great aesthetically-pleasing, end of summer moment.

Summer Breakfast, RVA

This is granola done Lamplighter-style... a communal morning on the mini green with friends and strangers drinking coffee and keeping track of offspring, while solo parenting (Vegas for P).

Valentine's Weekend, RVA

You've got to embrace the crazy that is Valentine's Day USA. We exchanged family cards this year, with our own bagfulls and then P whipped up the ultimate romantic toast for four plus the odd strip of carnivorous-lover's bacon encased in Billy's bread.

The camp breakfast, KOA Virginia Beach

It was a classy affair at breakfast time on our lot - organic scrambled eggs, Billy's bread and Valencia oranges plus the best of Trader Joe's cereals.

Retirement Party, Collegiate School

We got to be honoured guests at a retirement do, thanks to our lovely neighbour, who was a mere 33 of the collective 325 departing years.

There was an array of pretty food, enthusiastic band and choir plus student and headmaster speeches - all incredibly moving and thoughtful; then photos and cartwheels on the lawn (thanks to M).

On getting back in the van J remarked that it had been a great retirement party and M that she thought this was somewhere she should go, as the teacher's were all so good. We'll just start saving now...

Pro-choice

Our day of political protest began with Trader Joe's 8 Mini Croissants -- the best we've found in America. They're frozen uncooked and happen to be a great choice to address a red-wine hangover.

Then we went to stand in line with hundreds of others for the silent protest regarding a new law requiring those seeking to terminate their pregnancy to have an ultrasound image of the foetus. Whatever position one takes on choice, in a country where unnecessary medical procedures aren't covered by insurance, involve travel, time-off work, delay and is designed to make a difficult emotional decision even harder, in our opinion this isn't a good state law.

Thankfully we weren't shipped home in the Department of Corrections white busses which were standing by with engines running.


Update:

Bill passed despite John Stewart's Daily Show coverage (21st Feb) - Virginia 'The Punnany State' - however it was amended so that trans-vaginal scans are not to be mandated, so a slight victory on that score; whilst Saturday Night Live's 'Really?' segment with Amy Poehler had a go and finally MSNBC overage.

The equally awful 'Personhood' bill has been kicked out though - what a result!

Mini Croissants
Hundreds at Capitol for women's rights rally

Blue Ridge Parkway, Waynesboro, VA

Ninety minutes west of Richmond is, so we are told, a beautiful route - the Skyline Drive, along the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Shenandoah National Park. If you intend to enjoy the drive and see the lovely autumn colours but find the road is closed due to inclement weather, there can be no better alternative than French Toast at Weasie's Kitchen and a walk along the temporarily pedestrianised Blue Ridge Parkway with plenty of tarmac for picnics.

Weasie's Kitchen

Blue Ridge Parkway

Whole Foods, Short Pump, Richmond VA

The ultimate supermarket breakfast in or outdoors. Organic sesame bagels and cream cheese, decaf Columbian on tap and ethically disposable flatware aka cutlery. The corporate take on the organic deli with very classy rest rooms and lots of home-schoolers.

Whole Foods