England again - Tori born! June-July 2007

After watching Greg & Shelley's kids while they went to Europe I headed back to England so I could help out when the baby was born. Tori was born the day I got there. I couldn't believe the fast recovery of Dana. It ended up more like another vacation for me. One day we went to Pooh Corner and the 500 acre woods, we went to Eastborne and watched a tennis tournament. While there we went to the beach and then to Beachy Head. The cliffs there are like the white cliff of Dover. I attended a baptism. I was impressed how the whole branch showed up. Ryan and I went to London on Saturday, the 23rd and saw Buckingham Palace again, St. James Park, Parliament, Tate museum, the globe theater, crossed over the millennium bridge and walked passed St. Paul's Cathedral as a service was getting out and saw dignitaries exit and enter limos while all the other people exited through other doors. We then went to Madame Tussauds. A lot of figures I didn't recognize, but there were several that I did. The figures were so life like it was incredible. Tuesday the 26th I ventured to London by myself and saw Buckingham Palace, the Abby, Parliament again. I then went to Wellington Monument, Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens--the two parks join each other. The Italian Gardens in Kensington Park were beautiful. I saw the Royal Albert Hall from the outside and then Kensington Palace from the outside. From there I went to the British Museum. It is huge. They have an extensive Egyptian exhibit that I really enjoyed. The Rosetta stone is there. I stayed there until closing time and then went to the British Library hoping that it would be open late and it was. I stayed there until it closed. They have a really nice Bible/and other religious texts exhibit. I then headed back to the station and took a last look at Buckingham Palace and Parliament. Thursday Dana, the girls and I went to Hever Castle, the home of Anne Boline. It rained and we almost missed some of the beautiful gardens. She drove me past the temple on the way to Hever Castle. On Sunday, July 1 Tori was blessed. Tuesday the temple opened and Dana took me to the temple and I was able to attend a session. The temple grounds were also beautiful. I loved seeing the landscape of England. The next day, July the 4th I came back home.