Carnival was fun. Notting Hill was beautiful. The weather was amazing. Tiina and I drank our Red Stripe, watched the parade of extravagant costumes, ate our plantains and danced to many a DJs' beat. It was a maze of food and music. A bit crowded at times, but a nice way to spend my Bank Holiday Monday.

We left Notting Hill to eat dinner at Leister Square. Then we headed for a pub. Hear that EJ?! I now know of a cool little pub within walking distance of Trafalgar Square (that doesn't have pictures of erections hanging on the walls), so the next time you are in town...

Tomorrow we are heading to Bromley, London's largest Borough (and only a short bus-ride away). It's supposed to be a good place for shopping. There's also a Synagogue in Bromley, which will make my grandmother proud.

Speaking of grandmothers, my mother's mother was in the hospital last Tuesday having a lump removed from her breast. She is a strong and adventurous woman who was part of the first group to join the US Navy. But when she talks about cancer, she admits fear. As a woman in her 80's, you'd think breast cancer would be the least of her worries... Anyway, the mass was small and they think they got enough of the surrounding tissue that she'll be fine. My point is that it can affect anyone, so ladies please be sure to check yourselves (myself included since I suck at remembering).