Hi everyone - I made it to London on Saturday and am setting up house pretty well. I will give more details later as I am at work and have a million things to do!
Love you all!
5 years ago
Monday, January 19, 2009
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Last night in the USA
So, I had breakfast with a business contact this morning and he mentioned that I was pretty calm considering the fact I would be leaving for London tomorrow. I just laughed. I guess I am pretty calm, but I think the realization has not fully set in. I am just focusing on one thing at a time.
One of the things I am focusing on is the food I will not have in London. So I am trying to take every opportunity I can to have Mexican and American food before I go. I have had Hamburgers, enchiladas, tostados, cuban sandwiches, fried plantains and biscuits with sausage gravy. Tonight is Double Dave's pizza. I think I have gained 5 pounds this week...
The other main thing I am working on is packing. Filling the suitcases is exhausting. I never knew clothes could weigh so much. I have 4 suitcases packed (Mom is helping me with the luggage allowances and bring 2 over next week.) Now I have to re-arrange them all so I can be sure each one is less than 50 Lbs. I may have to make some hard choices on what to take and what to leave behind. It is weird packing up that much stuff for just me.
One of the things I am focusing on is the food I will not have in London. So I am trying to take every opportunity I can to have Mexican and American food before I go. I have had Hamburgers, enchiladas, tostados, cuban sandwiches, fried plantains and biscuits with sausage gravy. Tonight is Double Dave's pizza. I think I have gained 5 pounds this week...
The other main thing I am working on is packing. Filling the suitcases is exhausting. I never knew clothes could weigh so much. I have 4 suitcases packed (Mom is helping me with the luggage allowances and bring 2 over next week.) Now I have to re-arrange them all so I can be sure each one is less than 50 Lbs. I may have to make some hard choices on what to take and what to leave behind. It is weird packing up that much stuff for just me.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Four days left - well 3 1/2...
My UK Visa came today and I am officially authorized to live and work in the UK. My plane leaves Friday night and I will be in London on Saturday. It is a little overwhelming and unbelievable - but also exciting.
At home, we are all a little anxious as we try to spend as much quality time together while I also work on packing. The hardest part will be the length of time we (Richard, Amber, Alexa and I) will be apart from each other. I will miss them so very much!
On another note, I ordered some furnitire from IKEA in the UK - just basics like a table and dining chairs and a very simple unenclosed wardrobe. Everything was fine and I submitted the order - but thought it was strange that there was no option to choose a delivery date. Apparently, you do not get an option, it will be delivered when they want to deliver it. Anyway, I submitted the order and the ETA was Jan 26 - 9 days after I arrive and 16 days from order date. Then, I received confirmation and the new ETA for delivery is Feb 2nd. I am thinking I could make a few trips to IKEA and bring it all home on the train at this rate - which I very well may do. In anycase, I will be bringing an air mattress to sleep on the first few weeks.
On the bright side, I spoke with the estate agent today and she was very nice. She is tranferring all of the utilities for me and is even supplying some interim furniture for me until mine is delivered from IKEA.
And so the adventure continues...
At home, we are all a little anxious as we try to spend as much quality time together while I also work on packing. The hardest part will be the length of time we (Richard, Amber, Alexa and I) will be apart from each other. I will miss them so very much!
On another note, I ordered some furnitire from IKEA in the UK - just basics like a table and dining chairs and a very simple unenclosed wardrobe. Everything was fine and I submitted the order - but thought it was strange that there was no option to choose a delivery date. Apparently, you do not get an option, it will be delivered when they want to deliver it. Anyway, I submitted the order and the ETA was Jan 26 - 9 days after I arrive and 16 days from order date. Then, I received confirmation and the new ETA for delivery is Feb 2nd. I am thinking I could make a few trips to IKEA and bring it all home on the train at this rate - which I very well may do. In anycase, I will be bringing an air mattress to sleep on the first few weeks.
On the bright side, I spoke with the estate agent today and she was very nice. She is tranferring all of the utilities for me and is even supplying some interim furniture for me until mine is delivered from IKEA.
And so the adventure continues...
Friday, January 9, 2009
Tickets have been reserved
That's right, I have a ticket to London for one week from today! I better get to packing. Now I have to decide betweeen the hair dryer and the frying pan - which do I need the most...
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Suggested content
My sister Joan suggested I share with everyone my most embarrassing moment. That is a little difficult as I have been in a number of situations that others may consider embarrassing, but that I consider as character building.
In any case, her suggestion did make me think of a recent event that you may find amusing. On New Year's Eve, Richard and I had a rare morning and afternoon to ourselves. (I know where you think this is going - but it isn't.) We did a little shopping and decided to go to Tommy Bahamas for lunch. As we were enjoying our lunch and conversation, I suddenly felt the need to relieve my bladder. I was single focused and rushed into the restroom and straight for the stall. I quickly tinkled and opened the stall door to head for the sinks to wash my hands.
It was at this moment that I noticed the restroom looked different than I remembered - I have been to the restroom at Tommy Bahamas before but apparently not this one. There in front of me were two urinals and in a rush I remembered that the Ladies Room is on the other side of the hall. Thankfully, there were no men in the room. I rushed out of there in the hopes that no one saw me in my bright pink jacket leaving the Men's Room.
A few minutes later, I was able to tell Richard what happened through my fits of laughter.
See - character building!
In any case, her suggestion did make me think of a recent event that you may find amusing. On New Year's Eve, Richard and I had a rare morning and afternoon to ourselves. (I know where you think this is going - but it isn't.) We did a little shopping and decided to go to Tommy Bahamas for lunch. As we were enjoying our lunch and conversation, I suddenly felt the need to relieve my bladder. I was single focused and rushed into the restroom and straight for the stall. I quickly tinkled and opened the stall door to head for the sinks to wash my hands.
It was at this moment that I noticed the restroom looked different than I remembered - I have been to the restroom at Tommy Bahamas before but apparently not this one. There in front of me were two urinals and in a rush I remembered that the Ladies Room is on the other side of the hall. Thankfully, there were no men in the room. I rushed out of there in the hopes that no one saw me in my bright pink jacket leaving the Men's Room.
A few minutes later, I was able to tell Richard what happened through my fits of laughter.
See - character building!
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Much more interesting in person
So I just read my sisters' blogs and have decided they are much more talented in blog writing than I am. Maybe I will get better with time, but hopefully someone still finds these blogs somewhat interesting. Just don't compare me to my sisters or you may be disappointed...
I like to think I am more interesting in person than I am in my blog.
I like to think I am more interesting in person than I am in my blog.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Happy New Year
I hope everyone had a wonderful long weekend to celebrate the beginning of 2009.
We celebrated Alexa's birthday also this weekend - her last one in the US for awhile. So we worked to make it memorable. The theme for this year was Build-a-Bear and Alexa really wanted a Build-a-Bear cake. Now, I do not normally bake cakes of any kind, but she begged me to make this 3D cake and even asked for it as one of her birthday gifts, so I told her I would do it.
So we brought the molded cake pan home and we purchased all of the ingredients and read through the instructions. Then, I started laughing when I added up all of the prep time and cook times and cool times and frosting times and realized that it would take me all day to make the cake - seriously - over 6 hours! But since I promised, I was fully committed.
Then we began to the work of measuring and mixing and I will say the cake batter recipe is really good. Then we baked and cooled and shaped and frosted and cooled some more. Then we glazed and sugared and frosted and sprinkled and cooled some more. When it was all done - just before the guests arrived - it actually looked pretty good - but I was exhausted!
You can tell the nose and the mouth were the last things put on the cake and my dedication to quality was beginning to fail...
If anyone wants to try this themselves, I have the cake pan and all of the instructions ready for you...
We celebrated Alexa's birthday also this weekend - her last one in the US for awhile. So we worked to make it memorable. The theme for this year was Build-a-Bear and Alexa really wanted a Build-a-Bear cake. Now, I do not normally bake cakes of any kind, but she begged me to make this 3D cake and even asked for it as one of her birthday gifts, so I told her I would do it.
So we brought the molded cake pan home and we purchased all of the ingredients and read through the instructions. Then, I started laughing when I added up all of the prep time and cook times and cool times and frosting times and realized that it would take me all day to make the cake - seriously - over 6 hours! But since I promised, I was fully committed.
Then we began to the work of measuring and mixing and I will say the cake batter recipe is really good. Then we baked and cooled and shaped and frosted and cooled some more. Then we glazed and sugared and frosted and sprinkled and cooled some more. When it was all done - just before the guests arrived - it actually looked pretty good - but I was exhausted!
You can tell the nose and the mouth were the last things put on the cake and my dedication to quality was beginning to fail...
If anyone wants to try this themselves, I have the cake pan and all of the instructions ready for you...
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