Ok here are some pics of our trip to Paris. You'll be getting a link to look at more pics of Paris and my bday. Enjoy! Love y'all miss y'all, 

Eiffel Tower - Alex 

Eiffel Tower 

Notre Dame 

TEXAS, pamplona, green day and i hate jude law

Well, we've finally booked it....and i CAN'T WAIT for some Texan sunshine, Mi Cocina, and Bruty tooty oh rooty.
Luckily Court's been keeping this thing up to date because Brooke and I have been a bit useless on the old Blog front. Anyhoo, not a lot to report. Court & I are going to Paris next weekend for her birthday present so I'll be able to impress her with my attempt at the language of love. Er, sacre bleu, votre chien est apelle Bruty tooty.
OK, yes, I'm crap.
On to Green Day. I finished my first book. All 20,000 words, and I was pretty stressed at the end of last week. Grandmommy, I know you're a huge fan so I'll make sure to send you a copy.
By the way, before I forget... Brooke.... look up Pamplona on Google. Running with the Bulls. A Spanish tradition. Maybe you could organise a competition for the first person to run a certain distance, finishing a full carton of Ben and Jerry's whilst a herd of Bulls are chasing them through the streets. Or something.
OK.. back to Jude. Did I tell you I can't stand Jude Law.
Love Alex
x
P.s.... let's all head down to Austin for a few days!!!

Calling all Ice Cream Lovers

Hello Dear Family and Friends,

I'm calling on all of those creative Getters/Hannafords to put on their thinking caps for my very first pseudo Cambridge Assignment. Ok kids...this is a fun one. I have a group project so everyone get their Elmers glue, glitter, and poster board ready. Here is the objective: Come up with a Marketing plan for Ben and Jerry's in Spain. Yes Dad you heard me right, we have to market those libral hippy low lifes. Right now I'm in need of a radical idea similar to Red Bull's Flutaag contest where people make their own homemade flying machines (Grandmommy don't worry about understanding any of this). So what can Ben and Jerry's do...especially in Spain. Here they sponsor the world toe wrestling championship, but I want something better. So drink some Sangria, put on the Grateful Dead, turn on the black light, get yourself in that Ben and Jerry's mentality with Orka sounds in the background and think of something totally awesome dudes. Gracias.

Beardog

Gone To Texas!

Below please see the itinerary for passenger(s):
Mr Hannaford, Alex
Miss Getter, Courtney

Departure
London [LHR]
Heathrow
Great Britain (UK)
TERMINAL 3
08:30 Tue 31 May 05

Arrival
Dallas-Fort Worth [DFW]
Dallas / Fort Worth International
United States
TERMINAL C
14:53 Tue 31 May 05

I'm scared of old big angry Irishmen

I'm currently at my desk at work commiserating over the fact that it's Monday. The weekend wasn't as long as I'd like it to be but I had some fun anyways. Friday was Matt Gyves' birthday (aka one of Alex's best men, the redheaded one). Saturday we went to a wedding (naturally it wasn't as good as mine, plus it was a cash bar, so that's a no-no). Sunday we nursed everyone's hangovers from their Saturday ventures the night before with our attempt at a Tex-Mex breakfast. Good attempt but not the same. However we have found that Alex can make really good salsa so Brooke and I are happy about that. Sunday night led us to our local pub. Al and I were joined by Bear Dog, Mark and Russell and boy did we partake in some wonderful pub delights. First the girls bathroom was let's say 'out of order.' In so many words, there was poo everywhere so I had to hold it until I couldn't hold it any more. I got clearance from the manager to use the guys' bathroom and Brooke came too. My turn was fine, but when I had to guard the door for Brooke I was approached by a 7 foot Irishman aged about 65 and missing teeth. Some expletives ensued as I nervously stood guard and made sure my sister emptied her bladder at the expense of being used as a punching bag by the chap. Thank God nothing happened but the gentleman was told to leave. If he would have tried anything I would have just employed the tactic my dad taught us girls from an early age, aim for his balls and run like hell. Thankfully that needn't be used. Then we had our entertainment for the night. An aging 'beauty' began to dance solo to the pub music offered by a lone guitarist. This included writhing on the floor, rubbing herself on a pole, and taking her top off. After laughing hysterically at this drunken tragedy she came over to me to say that we ruined her bachlorette party. Keep in mind NO ONE WAS WITH HER! And she was definitely trying to grab the guitarist's package while he was playing. So basically I think she was just a drunk whore. Oh the delights of England! I love y'all!
-Court

I love long weekends

So over here across the pond, they give us Good Friday and Easter Monday off for the blessed resurrection. And now that I'm back at work, I'm in a grumpy mood. Let me explain. Last Friday, we went to Pat & Pete's friends for a party. It was a big celebration and I mingled with what the English call Gypsies. There was lots of folk music, people brought their 8 (or more) children, and old people smoked hash. It was hilarious to say the least. The rest of the break we spent at Pat & Pete's in the serene country side. And then the big news came. We are going to have a new addition to the family. We were given a car! The Hannaford's friends gave us a 1985 (yes, the same year Brittany was born) VW Polo GL Hatchback! Boy is he a beauty! He's red, awkward, and has low mileage. Based on the first two criteria I've christened him Napolean (after the movie Napolean Dynamite, out on DVD/VHS now). Alex took him to get inspected today and he failed (bad windshield wipers, and something about oil), but it's all easily fixed supposedly with minimum cost to us. So we will be mobile baby! And not to fret, I'm taking lessons to learn driving over here. Here are some pics of the pride and joy...they're not actual ones but other models that look just like him.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=9873&item=4538887224&rd=1
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=9873&item=4538402336&rd=1

Enjoy!
Love,
Court

Guess who?

http://www.cnbceurope.com/ibn/members/apc/index.php?url=1

Lost in London

Let's talk about how many times I've been lost in London in the last week...oh wait they are too many to recount. I did manage to take five different tube lines yesterday in the space of an hour. I do believe that has got to be some sort of record. I also got on a bus, the right number, but wrong direction and took it until they told me to get off, far far away from home. Today I actually managed to successfully take the bus to the tube station, but I think the getting home part is actually going to be a bit trickier. It doesn't matter today though because I locked myself out of the flat, and I'm meeting up with a flatmate after work so that I won't have to spend the night on the front steps. So I'm a bit of a mess.

It's My Birthday!

Hello I'm 23 today yaaaaaaaaaaaaaay! Have a Guinness for me or wear something green.
Love y'all,
Court

In a Mood

Ok so since my last wedding ring (you know the one where not 1 but 2 diamonds had fallen out after having it for 2 weeks?) I've been reinstated with a new one. And upon first glance today I realized that yet again a diamond is missing. Therefore I'm in a mood. I've been told to only wear the ring on special occassions but it's my damn wedding ring for crying out loud, I'd like to wear it everyday. I hate the thought of having my marriage being recognized when I decide to dress up b/c if that's the case it'll be next to never. I was out filming yesterday yet again at another auction house. Our contributors were interesting to say the least. One team broke a very expensive vase before the auction even started. The auction house had a gigantic bison head up for sale that when the sale concluded decided it didn't want to be hung up high on the wall anymore, crashed down and broke some chairs into splinters. I spent an HOUR AND A HALF trying to get home on what I call the slowest train ever to be created EVER (this conclusion takes into account trains made during Victorian times). Ok I'm going to go sulk over my ring. I'm really ANNOYED!
-Courtney

I'm I an official Londoner yet?

I don't think I am considering that I need a map everywhere I go. I have yet to realize which tubes trains are the fast ones, and I still smile on the tube while everyone else looks as if they might go medieval on my ass at any minute.

Speaking of medieval kill tactics, some dude about 10 minutes away from me was killed by an ax in broad day light. Go figure that I would live in one of the nicest areas of London and an ax murderer would be out and about. Now for all of you across the pond that are super excitable and worry warts (read Grandmommy), the ax murderer was apprehended and there were bobbies all of the place this morning.

Back to my really nice neighborhood. Let's talk about how I live near Jude Law and Gwen Stefani. My flat has an amazing panoramic view of London. Now here is the downside. My shower is like someone is peeing on me, and my provided pillow is like sleeping on a piece of paper, two pieces if I double it up. My bed is about as comfortable as a camp bed. So I'm going to have to take the good with the bad.

Things have been great so far. The peeps at my job are super nice, and I just hope that I can finally get past my shy stage to my laugh really loud and be sarcastic stage. I'm sure there will be comments about that last sentence.

Anyway I guess I should be doing some work now. I've got to warrant my 26 days vacation somehow haha.

Brooke "The unofficial Londoner" Getter

Note to Bear Doggie

Package of Poorly Packed Paraphernalia Leaving Pronto

Your box of various unimportant trash items is leaving tomorrow - supposedly. Based on the cost, I should just mail myself - but I think that's been done...

Hurtin' 4 Certain

weekend good, working on weekend bad

Ok so the weekend (if you can call it that) is officially over. It really wasn't the end of my week b/c I had to work on Saturday. I spent 8 hrs. in a sub zero temperature auction room filming two teams buy crap. It was gripping TV. Alex wanted to fall asleep fast last night and asked which drug to take to induce this, I suggested he take Ambien, and 30 minutes later Alex was high on his sleeping drug. He claimed he saw shapes. Instead of messing with him I tried to wrangle him to bed in hopes that he would stop grasping at the air (or what he called 'pretties'). It was interesting to say the least. When he missed his alarm this morning for his volunteer life boat duties that was hilarious too. So let's recap...
1. didn't have a weekend
2. Alex got happy on Ambien
3. Alex sees shapes
4. Alex slept thru alarm
5. Courtney laughed at him in her head at 7:30 this morning

*note to self: keep Ambien for own personal use. If husband needs to fall asleep, give him alcohol.*

Love y'all,
Court

Texas Report

Beautiful day here in Dallas...clear skies, 80 degrees, little wind. Grammommy and Grandpoppy are gone to Kansas, Brooke and Court to London, Brit to Hawaii. Rusty and Heena are all alone...hmmm. Bass are spawning over at the pond, 'Horns playin' baseball (ranked # 1), Scott Wilson says hello (he actually quit drinking for Lent...ha!)...Spring has sprung. Garage sale sometime soon to get rid of everyone's crap. TJ aware that he is known in London. Kerry and Becky doing fine...done with their new home construction in about 2 months. Babies of the world doing well. Babies of the world...

Hurtin' for Certain

Blogger Uncouthness BEWARE

It has come to our attention that a very risque blog has been posted recently by the likes of a 'Granmommy' aka JoAnn 'I love killing slugs with beer' Getter. Such immorality will not be tolerated on the blog and if these postings continue I have no choice but to laugh and point fingers at you (not literally but in my head I'll be pointing).
On to other subjects, Brooke arrived yesterday morning at 11am full of snot and flu and I have yet to see her b/c
a.) her program took up all of her time upon arrival
and b.) i have a job
so well after 24 hours of being in the same city I'll hopefully have contact with her tonight. Until I leave you with this tip: beware the granmommy!

Brookie the Bear Doggie

Brookie the Bear Doggie has reportedly arrived safe and sound to The Island. Please afford her all the standard abuses commensurate with her plebeian status as the most recent arrival.

Warning: Purveyors of abuse should be forwarned that payback is hell.

Hurtin' 4 Certain

It's cold

So we did a very English thing today while out in the country...we went on a walk in 20 degree weather. We all dressed up warm, Lizzie brought the horse out and we braved the bitter English weather. I'm told it'll 'warm up' next weekend. Upon further investigation of what 'warming up' meant I found that the predicted forecast will be 34 degrees. Not the big increase I was hoping for but oh well. I had a bout of the flu last week and I still have a froat which I'm hoping will go away soon. I'm going to start fake baking soon b/c my skin is now the same color of this white backdrop on the screen and people are beginning to stare. I need UV rays and I need them now. Oh and the Bear Dog is town starting manana so I'm very excited, don't worry I'll show the ways of the 'Big Smoke' and I know she'll love it just as much as I do. Lots of love to the whole fam. Miss you guys...until the next blog.
Love,
Court