Everyone's commute should involve a palace

Given that I was working in central London, not eager to be on public transport during the Tube strike, and suffering from not having seen my friend Barbara in ages, the two of us met up in the Strand and walked four miles or so to her place in South Ken.

This one's for my niece

I got to babysit in London and had a blast. Niece was utterly obsessed with the squirrels in St James Park, who oddly wouldn't sit still for a photo; hence this one is running out of the frame.

Grafton Street

Every once in a while I have a moment of girlieness and buy shoes that are prettier than they are functional. This was my goal for spending bank holiday on a shopping spree in Dublin. Anything to avoid the pound sterling.

Somewhere in Buckinghamshire

Sis will have to remind me where these gardens were. We spent her birthday weekend together at and around her place.

There goes the neighborhood

This is the largest insect I have ever seen in the wild. It's about two inches long and was in the middle of the pavement I walk down every day on the way to the train station. Bonus points to anyone who can identify it.