Wow! Here it is already July 20th. I have been completely preoccupied and my fab blog slid to the bottom of my Dead Sea scroll length "to do list." Why the preoccupation? I have been up to my eyeballs in gorgeous adoptable dogs. I searched the website I co-founded (so cool!) AdoptaPet.com like a stalker on crack. And then I walked through packed shelters and after rivers of tears, my husband and I are now the proud parents of a lovely girl named Isabelle. Thanks to the amazingly compassionate founders of Bully Paws (check out their amazing dogs: http://bullypaws.org/) my Isabelle was rescued from a dog fighting ring; she was rescued by Bully Paws just before the shelter was going to have to put her down, aka, kill her!

So now I'm running around picking up leashes, collars and cozy beds. Since she is a pit bull (a largely misunderstood breed with the most gentle and loving hearts you will ever find) I am purchasing many items in the tranquil color of love, pink!

I feel like I'm waiting for the stork to come with my delivery...hee! Isabelle arrives on Thursday and she will be spoiled for the rest of her life and showered in kisses and hugs and tummy rubs! Photo: Isabelle Luwis-Aspey.

Photos:
My friend Skye's fabulous shop in Battle, The Green Grocery Store! Glorious geese outside Arundel Castle (oops! that's right, I visited a castle, too!). Me in lots of black at Borde Hill Garden.

My trip to England is starting to feel like a distant hazy memory as I get knee deep in life in good ol' Virginie, so I need to blab about it a bit before I forget stuff. Here is the Mini Cooper version of my 16 day trip to Britain: Visited five fabulous gardens, a bird sanctuary (didn't see any birds), walked along the seafront and among the birds every night (it was light out until 10pm!), stayed in a very old manor home that I believe is haunted by some unpleasant spirits, drank cider and buckets of tea, ate too many crisps, cut the ribbon for the grand opening of my dear friend's fabulous new shop in Battle, visited old friends in Eastbourne and in London--got the grand tour of Hampstead Heath and zipped by Geri Halliwell's abode (should I care?), had a gastly meal at Gordon Ramsay's Boxwood Cafe in Knightsbridge, stared at Mayan statues at the British Museum, bought glitter eyeshadow at Boots, watched Wimbledon on the telly--feel bad Roddick lost and feel even worse that Michael and Farrah are gone—people shouldn't die, they should transfer to a different galaxy where you can post an occasional salutation. Photo: Wellies at South Lodge Hotel, Horsham, West Sussex

I wrote two chippy blog posts whilst tootling around Britain; I typed them with my chubby thumbs and shared earnest and interesting details of my trip only to receive "reject" notices from my dear blog host saying they did not post. I was doing a mobile blog and apparently was doing it very, very wrong. I then tried to sneak a picture in, but my memory card was full on my phone. I need to go back to a quill and ink pot! Anyway, I'll prattle on about my trip soon...