Hello, my name is *barcode*

Yesterday was one of the days I was most looking forward to. I took the day off work and slept in - 11am has never been so beautiful. I really needed to take an easy-going morning, as not having to get up for anything is one of the most rejuvenating things for me. After an episode of Glee, I rolled out of bed and into the shower. Upon getting ready to face the world, I wandered out of Nido down the street to Angel, a nearby shopping area. I was on an epic Marks & Spencers Quest for Panty Hose. M&S is the place British women go for panty hose, so I found a pack of the palest color available and then headed upstairs to the womenswear section.

At this point, I did something most controversial that might earn me some abuse from some of you; I bought jeggings. Jeggings are leggings that look like jeans. They have an elastic waistband (fashion flashback) and a skinny cut. They are very popular here in London. I needed something to go under a navy dress I found in Brighton, and jeggings happened to be the fashion go-to of the moment. Not to worry - I have a hunch that they won't last long in the fashion acceptability column.

So after the monumental To-Jegging-Or-Not-To-Jegging decision, I grabbed a pillow (the whimpy one I was given to use was so flat that it made me feel like a 6-month-old who wasn't allowed a pillow out of fear I would suffocate myself) and headed back home.

I had a brief but lovely chat with Mom, Seester, and Dad at home, and then it was off to PARLIAMENT!! I donned my black power suit, pumps, and brand new panty hose, and met up with Katie to go downtown.

My Power Suit in front of Parliament (sans jacket - it was 80 degrees out!)

Katie and me outside Parliament

We went for a FDF (Food and Drug Federation) Reception that Katie was covering for her internship. They talked about the food manufacturing industry and how well it is doing in Britain. The event was a little strange because there were no seats so you had to stand the whole time (would have been a great day for pumps), but they gave us champagne and snacks so we were happy campers!

Being in Parliament was surreal. We got security passes with our picture and a barcode as identification. The inside of Parliament is beautiful; I wish I could have taken pictures, but they are forbidden for security reasons. It was truly like stepping into the political inner workings of Britain, and for a while I was able to feel like I got to share in it.

The tube was insanely crowded and hot on the way home, but when we finally got back we enjoyed some wine in the outdoor courtyard at Nido. We ended up chatting for hours all evening! It was exactly what I needed. The whole day I felt completely at home with a lifelong friend. I'm so glad she invited me :) Being at a health field event really got me thinking about my future career, though, and what direction I really should be going in. Lots to figure out!

This week is a 3 day work week for me. Then on Friday, Nargis and I are off to Berlin! Pre-travel anxiety is starting to set in. But I'm most definitely looking forward to it!