Bank Holiday

While you are celebrating Memorial Day, we'll be having a bank holiday over here. Schools, banks, and business will be closed, but we aren't officially celebrating anything. The Brits don't fuss about having an excuse for a holiday! We'll be thinking of both British and American soldiers on the day.

Uncle David and Miss Jennifer (David's girlfriend --oooh!) will be visiting for the day. We're planning a picnic to Pollok Park and Burrell Collection. Hopefully we'll see a few Highland Cows or "Eeland Coos."

Dinner will be home-made Thai Green Curry, with an Orange Chocolate Cake for dessert. Just finished making the cake, and it is divine! Reminds me of a warm Jaffa Cake. We'll serve it warm with cream. The cake recipe is from Nigella Lawson. She makes my heart sing. Her book How to be a Domestic Goddess is essential reading over here.

Recipe for Chocolate Orange Cake -- Love Nigella's beautiful website

What's a Jaffa Cake? Click here to find out!

On the top of my playlist these days

Oh man. Excuse me while I get up and dance. I suggested to Hubby that he and his band do a cover of this. Now THAT would be cool.

This Monday is Memorial Day in the US, which unofficially kicks off the start of summer here. Hooray! And that means it's time to put aside my signature red toe nail polish for something more raspberry-ish. Oh boy, oh boy. Enjoy your weekend, whether on this side of the pond or the other.

Word of the Day: Smile

And related word of the day: Cheese. G and I were reading the book "Goodnight Gorilla", and at the part where Mrs. Zookeeper discovers the gorilla in her bed, the gorilla has what I think is the funniest smile on his face -- definitely a super cheesy grin.What was even funnier is that G was trying to imitate that smile, with his lips stretched out in a straight line, slightly parted, showing a long row of teeth. He'd make that grin, then we'd both collapse on the floor laughing. I tried to get a picture of his "gorilla smile", but no luck. But I did get some other snapshots of us laughing hysterically after he'd make his gorilla smile, and other shots of him saying "cheese."

In the UK, do people say "cheese" when they're having their photo taken, like we do in the US? And do Brits use the term "cheesy" as an adjective to describe something that's absurd, silly, or campy?

{Not the "gorilla smile," but definitely cheesy as G is saying "cheese."}

{Isn't it awesome how laughing can be so contagious?}