Of Pippas and Pelicans

These are past due, but still relevant.

Last month I was walking through St. James' Park on my way home on an unseasonably warm(ish) and sunny day. I was just innocently making my way when I came across two massive pelicans. Huge, at least one was. They were just standing there, on the path, with a group of people taking pictures and staring. I was rather surprised just how close some people were getting, I mean have you seen a pelican's mouth? That thing is nuts, I wouldn't get any of my appendages in biting distance of one. So of course I too had to stand around and take some pictures (from a safe distance) because I hadn't seen these pelicans in the park before, and I walk through St. James' Park fairly often. There was one older man standing right by them and I first thought maybe they were his "pets" and he takes them to the park to entertain the tourists. But I changed my mind on that one, he seemed just as entertained as everyone else, so maybe he just likes them and visits often, he seemed the type.

After I walked past them I immediately emailed a picture to Dave and my parents, because after all it's not every day you see two massive pelicans in the middle of London. Soon after Dave sent me the link to a YouTube video showing one pelican, the very pelican I just saw, eating a pigeon. It was disgusting. I had to stop the video right after the pelican grabbed the poor bird in its mouth and I heard a loud CRUNCH. Now I am no pigeon fanatic but I still don't like to see an innocent small bird being taken down by a much larger, and let's face it, inappropriately located water bird. The video clip was from BBC news so I obviously missed the boat on the whole pigeon massacre and the fact that pelicans even exist in St. James' Park. Who knew? Not I. I haven't been back to the park but now that I know, I will be on the look out and will keep my pinkies out of sight and protected from the murderous interlopers. And PS - I am not linking to the video. I don't want to glorify that bird on bird violence.

Also last month, while our friend was staying with us (more relevant in a few minutes...) Dave and I took Riley out for her second Saturday walk. It was about 4pm and we had to tear ourselves away from an exciting indoor bowls match on BBC. None of us had ever watched indoor bowls but I can tell you with certainty that we were enthralled. It was such a...fascinating? No. Fun? No. Interesting? Maybe. Entertaining? Not quite. Perplexing? YES, perplexing sport and we got very into the match. I googled the tourney and found out we could have gotten tickets for a whopping £5. Paying a few pounds more got you a box lunch! Next year's match is already on our calendar. But getting back to the point of the story Dave and I took Riley out, we were freezing and heading home. Behind Peter Jones we happened to see a woman crossing the street towards us and realized it was Pippa! THE Pippa! The Duchess' sister Pippa. Our very first Middleton sighting! I would have preferred Kate but that's neither here nor there, I'm happy to have seen one sister. She wasn't wearing a coat which was crazy since it was freezing. And no pictures, I wasn't that dorky, sorry! When we got home and told our friend we saw her he was a liiiiiiitle annoyed he didn't go on the walk also. But at least he got to see the final minutes of the bowling. He raved about it so much Dave and I backed up live TV to watch it and to see the highlight reel, which was some reel. It was indoor bowls glorious!

Pippa and bowls, what more could you want from a Saturday?