"Manchester, a city that thinks tables are for dancing on"

Remember how I went to Great Britain last summer?  And how I never posted about it?  Well, I've really been missing those green hills and lovely isle lately, so I decided to post about it every once in a while.  :)

We had quite the day of traveling.  It went smoothly until we got to Philly, and then the proverbial poo hit the fan with our plane getting delayed ten and fifteen minutes at a time.  We finally boarded after no dinner and freezing in the airport--and then I got sick on the plane.  This is the second time I've done this traveling overseas, so I have determined my body just can't handle eating so close to when I'm supposed to be sleeping, and yet I'm flying during my sleep time.  Make sense?  Likely not, but here is a cute photo of us from that first morning before flying out of NWA, May 29!

When we arrived in Manchester, we checked into our room over the Oxnoble pub!  It was marvelous!  Then we had lunch downstairs and went to get our phones ready to use at the Arndale Shopping Centre.  We had tickets to go see Iron and Wine at the Opera House that night, and it was a FABULOUS show.  Easily, one of the best concerts I've ever attended, and I loved that everyone sat in their seats and patiently watched.  (I hate how everyone stands up but doesn't dance in the States.  What's the point of that?)

On May 31, we went for lunch at Piccadilly Gardens, explored the Art Gallery, had dinner at a Greek restaurant in The Printsworks, and enjoyed live music and drinks at The Bay Horse in the northern district:

The next morning, we checked out and headed to the train station for the blessed Lake District!

Exciting News!

Well, next Tuesday I am having surgery--my colon resection!!! I am seriously excited...about excited as you can be when having surgery! Basically, this means that my surgeon will reconnect my stoma to the end of my colon that has just been hanging out in abdomen the past five-ish months, and I will go to the potty like a normal person again. This means NO MORE COLOSTOMY! I told Zach that Mr. Brixby's (my stoma) sabbatical is over, and he's going back to work at the law firm (the rest of my colon). It's 'BOUT time, y'all!

Of course, this morning I called with a few questions for my surgeon as well as for my pre-op, and the nurse informs me that I have to be on a liquid diet for 48 hours before my surgery. (A clear liquid diet includes broth, bouillon, popsicles, JELL-O, hard candy, tea, clear Gatorade, lemon-lime soda--that I haven't been drinking since before my surgery). Normally, this would not be too big of a deal--though I've only been on a liquid diet without TPN (Total Parenteral Nutrition through an IV) in the past for just 24 hours at a time--but we are traveling this weekend. We have planned since January to go up to IL to reunite with some of our friends from Zach's grad program; we will be there Friday through Sunday night, heading home on Monday. This means that I will be on this clear liquid diet one day while we are there and another whilst traveling. That should be interesting...

I would appreciate your prayers for an easy, successful surgery and a quick, successful recovery! Please pray for wisdom for my doctors and nurses and peace for myself, my family, and friends. Many, many thanks!