We’re off!
(In every sense of the word. Ya’ll think the Mother Country is ready for a Taff invasion?!)
Our flight leaves tonight. Tomorrow the girls and I land at Heathrow, and get our hands on Russ who has been gone WAY too long and has been sorely missed. We plan on triple-teaming him right in the middle of the airport, wrestling him to the ground and possibly tickling him. We’ll play it by ear.
THEN, on Thursday we head to the Faroe Islands…
…then on Monday we fly back to London for the next 11 days where we will be staying in our own little rented flat in the heart of Belgravia, where we will shop for groceries and walk around the neighborhood and pretend that we are native Londoners. Until we open our mouths and give it away.
If I was any more excited I would have to be put in restraints. This is something that Russ and I have literally talked about and dreamed about for years. Waaaaaay back in the 80’s on our very first trip to London, light-years before our girls were even a gleam in our respective eyes, Russ and I looked at each other all sappy and lovesick and caught up in the beauty of that city and said, “Someday we’ll bring our children here.” And now we have those aforementioned children, who somehow turned out much nicer than we had any right to expect, and we are getting ready to see that dream come true. So yes, I am not remotely all sophisticated and blase about this trip– I am obnoxiously happy. Seriously, if you were here right now you’d probably want to slap me silly and tell me to shut up already and finish packing, sheesh. OK, maybe YOU wouldn’t actually say the “sheesh” part, but you get the idea. HAPPY. That’s me.
Please say a prayer for travel mercies for our little merry band of travelers. I will, OF COURSE, be taking the trusty laptop, and our flat has wi-fi (not sure about the Faroe Islands) so I will be able to blog from across the pond, which should be fun.
Love you guys– type to you soon!
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awwwwwwwwww what a beautiful place. now im all green with envy. im trying to get a grip on what a TN accent crossed with an english accent might sound like. im thinking dixie carter meets cyndi lauper. LOL
yall do be safe and have fun. and if you have company over you say “would you like a spot of tea, love. GIGGLES LOUDLY….
of course madi you will have to be the adult and make sure the kids behave..ROFLLOL
you go girl! Uh, girls! And you’re right, I probably wouldn’t say “sheesh” after slapping you silly. OK, you caught me. I’ve been reading my Doc Savage pulps again lately and listening to Green Hornet radio shows = /
Prayers for travel mercies starting…
… now
I hope you have a great time!
Tori and family, have a most awesome vacation! Can’t wait to see the pictures and hear all about it!
Have a wonderful time and take lots and lots of pictures!!!! We are picture freaks ya know?
Have a great time. I hope the girls are as excited as you are!
And…I would say “sheesh”! Definitely.
Ya’ll have a great time. You’ll be in my prayers.
Yay! As someone who lives just outside London, I’m excited that you’re coming! Not that I’m likely to see any of you (I’ll be the one hanging around all the landmarks looking out for you all, lol). Hope you have a super trip!
<<>>!!! I’ll do sound, lights??? for Russ! take pics?? (ahh you guys are already good at that) please take me too!!!
guess I missed the boat :<
God speed and totally have a wonderful time (no work and all play!)
Halve a bloody good time!
Uh-oh, LindaB used the “B” word… I hope CarolynR Sheena didn’t hear that = /
Have been prayin, will continue, ( you know I got my team on it already!)…am so glad to anticipate seeing all through your eyes. Your commentary and perspectives really take me along w/ you! You ARE the next best thang ta bein’ thar!
And, I just want to pinch that fat baby’s cheeks, and give her a big sloppy splurbppie!
Such beautiful pictures! I hope you get plenty more Tori! Hoping and praying you all have a WONDERFUL time together over in London with the girls. I’m praying that you have safe travels and good weather too.
LOL Linda. Using that B word again huh? ROTFL
Hey! I only know two truly English phrases——-“a bloody good time”, and “shaken or stirred”. I didn’t think the second one applied here.
Isn’t the second one, “Shaken, not stirred.”???
By golly, I think you’re right, jonny!!!! You know your James Bond trivia!!!
Well, I did meet the man about two and a half months ago. OK, not THE man, but Sir Roger, next best = )
I would have been shaken AND stirred to have met Sir Rog!!!!???
LindaB I could teach some more less contentious phrases if you like (although the “b” word is one of the milder swear words. Perhaps Sheena and RachelBaker wouldn’t agree!) Anyway here goes:
Jolly good!
I say old chap (the “Shires”)
in a bit of a two an’ eight (London)
There’s never nowt but wot there’s summut (The North)
Your turn to get a round in? (any pub!)
Should be enough to be going on with. I expect Tori is speaking like a native already
I’m up for the one from The North!! Quite charming, IMO = ) Could be even nicer coming from LindaB’s southern tones = )
“BLOODY” IS A SWEAR WORD??????? YOU’RE KIDDING ME!!!! I DIDN’T KNOW THAT. Well, once more, I have managed to put my foot in my mouth! (That’s an old southern saying…..I think….or maybe it’s some form of southern swearing.)
Now………how could the “B” word be a swear word??? What does it stand for??? I’ve heard it on TV and in the movies??? But I guess that doesn’t preclude “swearing” anymore. This will bother me the whole rest of the day. Did Roger Moore say it in the movies?
Hey guys……I just turned my TV to that Sunrise Earth channel (nevermind that I could just look out my window to see the sunrise, but this one is in another part of the world……an exotic part……and it’s in high definition……and I missed the sunrise here cause it came too early…) This morning, they are showing the sunrise at Stonehenge……and I got to thinking that this is the sunrise that the Taff’s are seeing now…….well, maybe not actually “seeing”….especially if they have jet lag…..which happens to me all the time, even when I’m not flying anywhere……and it made me feel “closer” to them somehow…..but I am rambling.) I miss you today, Tori, knowing that you are so far away.
Sheena, if you want to meet the Taff’s, I think you’re best chance is to hang out at Starbuck’s—–Russ is a coffee addict, and Tori is a self-confessed coffee snob. Yep, Starbuck’s is the place! Do you have Starbuck’s in London? Let us know if you spot them….okay? Don’t bother to look at Stonehenge ’cause I’m watching out there and I don’t see them.
Carolyn, thanks for the new and authentic British catch phrases! That will keep me from swearing.
Well there’s a thing! If you don’t know it’s a swear word, is it a swear word? A conundrum! I’m sure there are words we use here that are a bit infra dig in the US!
BTW there are Starbucks in London – or at least there were 5 years ago!
LindaB – Here’s some info I found at dictionary.com…
~~~~~~~~~~
bloody:
Old English blodig, adj. from blod. It has been a British intensive swear word since at least 1676. Weekley relates it to the purely intensive use of the cognate Dutch bloed, German blut. But perhaps connected with bloods in the slang sense of “rowdy young aristocrats” via expressions such as bloody drunk “as drunk as a blood.”
Partridge reports that it was “respectable” before c.1750, and it was used by Fielding and Swift, but heavily tabooed c.1750-c.1920, perhaps from imagined association with menstruation; Johnson calls it “very vulgar,” and OED first edition writes of it, “now constantly in the mouths of the lowest classes, but by respectable people considered ‘a horrid word’, on par with obscene or profane language.”
Shaw shocked theatergoers when he put it in the mouth of Eliza Doolittle in “Pygmalion” (1914), and for a time the word was known euphemistically as “the Shavian adjective.” It was avoided in print as late as 1936. Bloody Mary, the drink, is from 1956, named for Mary Tudor, queen of England 1553-58, who earned her epithet for vigorous prosecution of Protestants. The drink earned its name, apparently, simply for being red from tomato juice. Bloody Sunday, Jan. 30, 1972, when 13 civilians were killed by British troops at protest in Londonderry, Northern Ireland.
~~~~~~~~~~
There! All you never wanted to know about the British connotation of “bloody”. Because I’m helpful like that.
Oh Linda, I shouldn’t worry to much, the ‘b’ word will be one of the milder terms the Taff family hear while walking the streets of London I’m afraid!
We have starbucks everywhere so there are no worries there. I’m so happy they’re going to have a holiday together and hope the English weather improves for when they get here!
Now, Tori, I reckon you all need to visit Stratford-upon-Avon or Warwick Castle so I can come and see you all (although second thoughts, I would come complete with 3 little children and that wouldn’t be too great for your vacation so just enjoy yourselves and I will get to meet you another time)!
Oh Thelma! Thank you for the “English” lesson! Now I am embarrassed that I was so bloody crude!
So, it was respectable before 1790?? I think I was alive then, just not talking very much. Imagine that!
Rachel, I’m sure our Tori would grab your kiddies and love ‘em up! She’s like that!
“…..and OED first edition writes of it, “now constantly in the mouths of the lowest classes.”
Well, THAT explains my slip up!
OH Rachel, how far is Stratford-upon-Avon from London? Do you have the same weather as London? You can keep us abreast of the weather where Tori is and we can feel more “connected”.
Hey, GRITSinNC – R U GETTIN WASHED AWAY EVERY EVENING LIKE I AM OUT HERE ON THIS END? IT IS A GULLEY-WASHER EVERY EVENING, AND GOES AS FAST AS IT COMES! WONDERED HOW YOU WERE FAIRING IN THIS WEATHER.
LATER
Hi Delivered–yep, we’re getting pretty much the same thing but not as much as some areas. I love a good hard summer shower as long as the lightning isn’t bad. It really hit Raleigh bad a couple days ago. Nothing today so far though.
Saw some great pictures of Tori, Russ & the girls in the UK over at the Gaither Community. What a great family! And what a great trip they’re having along with Russ’s ministry.
Take care!
have the time of my life tori – ah, the lifesyles of you gifted people *sigh* but hey, you are due to take a cruise out of my city in the next few weeks, can i wave you a banner from the tarmac?
have a wonderful trip. i’m glad you will still be in touch, i’m looking forward to the pictures. and glad your dream came true, to return with your children =)
stay close, i’ll be in prayer,
sammi =)
Linda, I can try to keep you connected, but hopefully by the time Tori is back over here she’ll be blogging daily at least – no pressure there Tori. I have no clue what the weather is like in the faroe islands, but it looks like a beautiful place.
I can report that they definitely arrived safely in the UK for their stop over before going to the Faroes – I know because my Mum and Dad got to have lunch with them – and I couldn’t go grrrrr. I got the pleasure of meeting Russ (and hearing him sing) at the weekend, but would so love to meet Tori and the girls … one day!
HEY GRITS – I MADE MY WAY INTO THE GAITHER COMMUNITY BLOG, ASSIGNED PASSWRD, AND NOW WHERE DO I GO FROM THERE TO SEE THE PICS? DO WE ALL KNOW BY NOW THAT I AM COMPUTER-STUPID? I AM EVEM AMAZED THAT I GOT AN ASSIGNED PASSWORD SO EASILY, BUT NOW STILL DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO TO PULL UP THOSE PICS YOU WERE REFERRING TO! IT IS REALLY EMBARASSING! HELP?
THANX!
Hi Delivered!
I also tried to find those pics mentioned on Gaithercommunity.com and couldn’t find them. I went to Facebook and there they were! Here’s the link, though I’m not sure it will work for you unless you are listed as one of Betty Woodward’s friends. But here it is:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/album.php?aid=94845&id=673453136&ref=mf
You can also go to Betty Woodward’s page and see if you can view them.
So Rachel, is Betty Woodward your mother? I’m out of the loop apparently. But I’m used to it. I live there.
>b< It is Friday. WE WANT PIC-TURES. WE WANT PIC-TURES- WE WANT PIC-TURES.
OK, SO I DID THAT WRONG…. NO WAY TO CHANGE OR DELETE BUT
WE STILL WANT PIC-TURES…WE WANT PIC-TURES…WE WANT PIC-TURES!
Yep, you found my Mum! For those of you searching around the gaither community:
Click on ‘Groups’ at the top of the page.
Scroll down until you find ‘Russ Taff – FanTaffTics’. Its nearly always near the top because Momma Lloyd keeps us all busy chatting.
There is a ‘discussion board’ on there called ‘gallery of Russ Taff and Friends – or something like that. You’ll find quite a few photos on there!
Hope this helps!
Did ya’ll find Russ’s group page and the pictures with Rachel’s instructions? If not, holler and we’ll try again, send a link or something. Did ya get there, Delivered?
Beware, the Gaither Community is addicting. LOL
Looking forward to pictures from Faroe Islands from Tori or someone.
Oo, thanks for the Starbucks idea, I’ll keep it in mind
It’s been pouring down today here, I got soaked! Hope the weather has been better in the Faroe Islands, and by hopefully by Monday it’ll be beautiful in London.
As you can see I have made it onto this site at last.
Tori. It was so great to meet you and the girls, I hope it wont be the last time and have a lovely holiday.
I think one of you requested me as a friend on facebook and I put ignore. Please try again and I’ll try and press the right button this time and then you can see the photos! Sorry.
Hey Mum, you finally de-lurked, and its about time to!