We have made it to London and I’m writing during our 2 1/2 hour layover before getting our flight to Kiev.  Hard to believe we are actually underway after nine months of thinking about it.

We had a delightful stay in Covesville with Malena,  Dan and the boys.  There was lots of activity and I am happy to report that the record is intact.  I helped enlarge the Guinea fowl house.  Fortunately the weather was cool but not cold so we set a new record.  For new readers once we built a chicken house in 13 degree F weather.  As we left, a work crew was waiting for us to get out of the way so they could tear off the back porch of the house in preparation for building a very nice addition.  We stored the coach in Woolen Mills Self Storage and Dan drove us to Bethesda so we could vist with cousin Bob and Jane Levey. 

We visited in their apartment on Wisconsin Ave and then walked across the street to Persimmon for dinner.  As we walked back to our hotel with them we bumped into their daughter Emily on the street.  This called for extending the visit a bit and we settled into the hotel lobby for a chat.  Sweet.

The next morning,  Oct 2 brought home the impact of the idiotic government shutdown, none of the galleries we had planned on seeing were open.  Fortunately we were “forced” to go to the Phillips Collection and what a collection.  We enjoyed 2 hours plus there and then found lunch at Kramers Books! Fun and we didn’t buy any books,  too much weight.

Flying on British Airways in Business Class resulted in a flight I hardly noticed.  Between the seats that let you lay flat and our new noise canceling headphones it was quiet, comfortable and reasonably private.  We are enjoying the lounge amenities too.

Next post will be from Kiev and I hope to include some photos too.