Amazing Grace
Blessed with lovely skin & timeless English beauty, my mother-in-law, Grace, and the Queen have always borne a striking resemblance. A woman ahead of her time, Grace, always gave new things a shot.
 
And nothing slows her down! Approaching 90, she has a personal trainer at the gym, Skypes us every Saturday without fail, uploads her digital images to her hard drive and e-mails family nearly every day.
The epitome of Englishness, she is gracious, discreet and always polite. During tough or sad times, Grace keeps a stiff upper lip and her chin up.
Her mainstay, of course, is proper English tea. It must steep in a     silver pot and the teacup must have a white interior.
She keeps her gardener busy and has redecorated parts of her home four times in the past 10 years.
In Grandma’s Gardens
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Young Grace:
 
  
  
       
    
Grace is an avid reader & animal lover. She enjoyed many years dancing with her dashing husband, Geoff, whom she misses very much.
   
   
   
 
 
   
   
   
I’ve learned lots of things from my mother-in-law over the years, from baby tips and awesome authors to food advice, fabric care and beauty tips.
  
    
 
 
  
 
One of my favorite gifts from my mother-in-law was this beautiful statue sent from England shortly before I gave birth to our daughter.
A few months old (above) Â Â Â Â Â Â 4 years old (below)
To avoid arthritis in her hands, Grace knits and knits and knits. Beautiful sweaters and hats and any request our little one desires.
I mean any! Like the day our 7-year-old said, “Grandma, can you please knit me a cuttlefish & grimpoteuthis?†And in short order, the beautiful cuddly sea creatures arrived in the gift package made with grandmother’s loving hands. A whole array of knitted marine life:
 
Knitted headbands & sweaters, ballerina shrugs and ponytail hats!
   
   
  
  
 
The loss of her beloved husband took a toll on her but did not stop Grace from living life. She hopped on a plane to surprise my husband for his birthday and stayed for Christmas that year.
Grace flew over every summer to stay with us. In 2001, my Mom took Grace and me to Mohegan Sun, the big casino upstate for a grand shebang before my mother-in-law headed back to England. It was the 1st time she visited a casino. My husband warned, “My mother may weary, don’t stay out late.â€
Honestly, nothing wearied her the past 8 decades… so when I arrived home at 4 AM with two happy grandmas, my husband was speechless. Not only did his mother have a marvelous time, she even won!
A few hours later, the towers came down and the world changed forever. Flights were canceled that week and Grace stayed with us longer that year. Phillip worked by the towers and felt the 2nd building crash to the ground. It took hours and hours and hours for him to get out of the City and back home. It was a mother’s nightmare and
a wife’s torment. Late that night, he finally made it home. We were grateful to be together as a family again, safe and sound.
The Bright SpotTM – A Grandma’s love. Every visit with Grace has been memorable. The stories she tells, reminiscing the history of the family and her great love of Britain; she is a treasure in our lives and all who know her.
My mother-in-law and the Queen were born the same year…Grace is our very own queen xoxo
   
Imagination Times Infinity
…………..The Magna Carta  1215AD             Crystal Ball from The Wizard of Oz
Phillip was invited to the home of billionaire Jay Walker to view his private collection in The Walker Library of The History of Human Imagination.
My husband standing on the glass floor leading to the underground museum.
Here are some cool pictures he snapped that evening. This is the napkin during lunch Franklin D. Roosevelt outlined his plans to end WWII and, ultimately, defeat the Axis Powers.
The largest egg of any animal (the Aepyornis) that has ever lived – it is 10,000-20,000 years old and contains the equivalent volume of 10-12 ostrich eggs (as seen beside it) or 160 chicken eggs!!
 Russian Sputnik
1699AD – The 1st map showing the Sun as the center of our universe.
Circuit board from 1st Apple computer signed by Steve Wozniak
Abraham Lincoln’s campaign photograph
1st Moon Landing Control Room – signed by all
A 1400s ship next to a Space Station
A 90-million-year-old piece of amber encasing the only full-body organism known in the world (scorpion). Jay Walker says the reality of Jurassic Park is not so far into the future…
Buzz Aldrin’s actual EKG results the exact moment the Apollo 11 lunar module touched the lunar surface for the very 1st time.
1539AD Â Â King Henry VIII’s new law of printing the New Testament from Greek into English & then chaining them to every church in the country.
The Declaration of Independence – 1 of only 2 copies & actual signatures. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 
Mr. Walker holding meteorites from Mars.
The Bright Spot – Phillip truly had an experience out of this world! Thank you to Mr. Walker for offering his time and passion for an evening well spent amongst these amazing world treasures of more than 50,000 precious volumes & a myriad of artworks and artifacts.
Pending Withdrawals
Leave it to the English (& Canadians) to serve up a majestic dose of sumptuous cinematography in this heart-pounding period piece that doesn’t leave much to the imagination. The Tudors is outstanding!
The history, passion, betrayals and intrigue enveloped in this flawless production by the brilliant English screenwriter & creator Michael Hirst captures the agony of 1 man’s life journey in his ultimate quest for love and honesty. Yes, yes, power and all that, but fundamentally, as the years passed, love and truth reigned supreme.
In his prime, Henry – an educated author & composer – was known as charismatic, passionate and an attractive sportsman. He ruled with absolute power.
Why did Henry Vlll (1491 – 1547) have 6 wives? How did the Church of England come to be? Why are Henry Vlll and Elizabeth I the most famous monarchs in English history? Watch this 38-hour epic series and see the treacheries that cloak his kingdom unfold.
The voracious appetite of this happily married Mom was effortlessly satisfied with each hour I shared with my equally-
engrossed husband. A perfect blend of desire & lust mixed with gross man stuff like Tower scenes and combat will captivate both men and women alike.
The Tudors is a magnificently edited work of art cast with absolutely incredible actors, extravagant costumes, opulent scenery and a twist at the end of each episode that leaves you breathless for more.
We’re about to wrap up our last hour of the series, I’m dreading it and the pending withdrawals. I just don’t want it to end. Bravo to all who made this chapter of history come to life!
The Bright SpotTM
  – a delicious next few months with your special someone. Get it on Netflix or the DVD set and whisper in your love’s ear, “Let’s Tudor tonight!†with that knowing little smile and a naughty twinkle in your eye.
