Friday, September 29, 2006

Travels with Fluff: Vacation Photos Starring a Tub of Fluff (Part II: London [and the Opal Coast of France, for one day, to get some wine])


Don’t blame me, blame Blogger. I was so excited to get all of my Fluff photos up here, and dastardly Blogger thwarted me. Repeatedly. I wasted hours, nights, patiently reload the photos again and again. Just when it would look like everything had worked out—denied. Bloody Hell! I got so frustrated that when it finally worked, I had to take a step back, lest my wrath take away from the joys of Fluff. Oh, and Flickr? My new best friend. In case you missed the first post, you can find it here.

Welcome Back to Travels with Fluff!

Fluff first traveled with me to England, and I would like to tell the story of how (insert favorite Fluff gender here _____) became my traveling companion.

My college friend ______, who now lives in London, was kind enough to offer me a place to stay while in England. Before I left, I asked her what she would like me to bring her from the good ol’ US of A. “Four boxes of Jiffy Bread cornbread mix and four jars of Fluff, please,” she replied.

“OK,” I e-mailed back. “Cheater cornbread I can understand, but what, pray tell, do you want with four jars of Fluff?”
“Oh, they are not from me. They are for my friend. She uses it to make _________. You can’t get it here.”

She lied. You can. In several varieties, as I learned on a trip to a cute little imported foods shop. Among the other American contributions: Pop Tarts, Heinz Ketchup, Corn Flakes, Apple Jacks, and Pringles. The French isle had some amazing cheeses and wines. The Italian, fresh pasta and incredible coffee. Oh, the pride in being American.

At least it isn't another bloody Starbucks

I typed back, “Fluff for your friend, I see. That’s what they all say, my dear.” That night, I went to the grocery store to obtain the supplies (me to another customer eyeing my purchases: “It’s not for me. It’s for a friend. In England.” Eyes rolled in disbelief).

The next day, my last day before I left, I told my co-workers about what I was bringing to England. I was somewhat embarrassed. That’s nothing, my boss said. While on vacation with her family, my boss’s daughter insisted on bringing a doll around with her everywhere they went. The family had to pretend as though the doll were real, addressing it in conversation and feeding it tidbits from the table, etc.

In the middle of the story, epiphany struck. Wouldn’t it be funny to carry around the tub of Fluff like that? I could take pictures with it! It would be like the
Garden Gnome Liberation Front (or Amelie), only better, because it would be Fluff and not some creepy garden creature.

Genius.


Fluff French lawn gnomes

Fluff with Snow White and Dwarf Gnomes, Calais, France

And, so Fluff has been traveling with me ever since. Here are some highlights from our first trip. Most of these pictures are from London, but a few are from the jaunt to France to get some wine (I had forgotten that my camera ran out of battery life right when things got pretty). Hope you like them. Don't forget to take the Fluff Quiz below!

Fluff in London

Fluff with Phone box

Where Fluff changes into SuperFluff

Fluff’s first peek at Tower Bridge


Fluff on Tower Bridge

Can You See Fluff?



Fluff at Tower of London
Fluff at the Tower of London



Fluff St Pauls
Fluff at St. Paul’s Cathedral



Fluff with Pint and Chips and St Pauls

Fluff enjoying a pint and some chips along the Thames. St. Paul’s Cathedral is in the background



Fluff at the Ritz
Fluff puts on the Ritz



Fluff at Harrods
Fluff shops at Harrods



Fluff Lived Here
Fluff enjoying the Kensington digs



Fluff at Buck Palace

Fluff visits Buck Palace



Fluff in Picadilly

Fluff at Piccadilly, but not for long



Fluff and the Oxo Tower
Fluff and the Oxo Tower



Fluff and Rod
Fluff and Rod Stewart



Fluff and dinosaur
Oh-oh! Fluff at the Natural History Museum



<Fluff at VNA
Fluff at the Victoria and Albert Museum



Fluff at London Bridge

Fluff and London Bridge



Fluff on Bullshit Green
Fluff on the Bullshit Green at Parliament



Fluff in Soho
Fluff in Soho



Fluff at Coach and Horses

Fluff at the Coach and Horses in Soho



Fluff with a Pint
Fluff with friends, Pint and Mustard



Fluff take courage
Take Courage, Fluff!



Fluff does the British Museum
Fluff at the British Museum



Fluff at Whitehall
Fluff at Whitehall



fluff national gallery
Fluff at the National Gallery, Trafalgar Square



fluff in camden
Fluff is not on holiday by mistake! Fluff in Camden Town



Fluff learns a lesson
Fluff learns a lesson



Fluff in the underground
Fluff in the Underground


Here are a couple of shots from France

Fluff in Beloin
Fluff in Boulonge on the Opal Coast of France.
We showed up on the sixtieth anniversary of the Boulogne’s liberation from the Nazis


Fluff in Calais

Fluff slumming it in tacky France

Fluff Quiz the First!
Yes, kids, it’s time to put your books and notes away and get out paper and a pen for the first quiz. Well, you don’t really have to get out pen and paper, but take the quiz anyway. Answers to this quiz will be posted in the next quiz. Remember, if you cheat, you are only cheating yourself.

1. Name one common recipe calling for Fluff.
2. Name two ingredients in Fluff.
3. To what does “Take Courage” refer?
4. How old is the existing London Bridge?
5. Would you go see the Rod Stewart musical? Why or why not.
Extra credit: In the photo from Camden town, Fluff declares that Fluff has not gone on holiday by mistake. What flick was Fluff riffing on?

In the next installment, Fluff takes a bite out of the Big Apple.

5 comments:

Sassy Sundry said...

Getting this thing to work was dicey enough that I don't want to mess with it again, but I can't believe I didn't mention this. There will be a Fluff happening tomorrow in Union Square. If you are in or around Boston, I'd encourage you to check it out.

james said...

1 - Fluffernutter
2 - Marshmallow, Potassium Sorbate
3 - Refers to the deleted scene from the Wizard of Oz featuring a breif call to arms from the cowardly lion.
4 - 75ish years
5 - I would not go see the Rod Stewart anything.
EC....no idea...um...Love Actually?

Sassy Sundry said...

Very nicely done, James.

1. Correct
2. Not quite.
3. Will tell in next entry.
4. Will tell in next entry.
5. Why?
EC Will tell in next entry. :)

james said...

yeah . . . Rod Stewart just doesn't do it for me . . . that's all.

Sassy Sundry said...

Too much information, but when I was little, my friend and I used to Rockette kick around the yard to Rod Stewart's Hot Legs. Of course, my cousin and I used to Rockette kick to "Peanut-Butter-and-Marsh-en-mellow" when we wanted a Fluff sandwich. My mom wouldn't make them for us, but my aunt would. Bless her.