I HATE St. Patrick's Day. Have since 2001 when I had both the red and green Cavaliers, and both of them had their windows smashed, etc. Both of them. On the same night. Stupid green beer. Anyway, this St. Patrick's Day, Christina from down the hall had a party. With lots of really obnoxious, really drunk 18 - 20-year old men. Who actually mooned! mom and got in my face, all drunk and icky. The best part was that this all happened at 9pm. Like some teenage soap opera... With evil twins and resurrected characters and all, I'm sure.
However, on the upside, on Friday I found the greatest present for Morgaine. A workout Care Bear, formerly known as Sunshire Bear, now named Funshine Bear. That's right--Funshine. She's wearing the sweat bands and the aerobics headset and everything! LOL! It dances and sings to the tune of, 'Girls Just Wanna Have Fun' and 'Let's Get Physical.' and when it's done singing and dancing, it kinda shifts rapidly to the left and makes it look like it's very painfully cracking its neck and back. It's awesome.
I must say, this week the anxiety of relocation has hit me.
Poor Bharat--that's the bank guy. I don't know what I was thinking. Well, yes I do. He phoned at 7:30am, which was approximately 5 minutes after I woke up, to let me know that paperwork was holding everything up by 15 days. Minimum. Guh. From the date all the papers get in. Which could be any time, later or sooner. And my brain absolutely freaked, 'I won't have time to deal with student loans, and I still need to get a replacement Visa issued, and this is going to hold that up as well, and when we move to England we're probably not going to have phone or internet for the first week, which means I can't do it from there, and so on...' So, I got really mad at him for not telling us sooner. And I was one of those unreasonable assholes on the other end of the phone that anyone who's ever had a sales job is bound to loathe. Crap. I hate being that person.
The realization that we will no longer be 'here' has been more gradual than I anticipated. It's like kind of divorcing yourself from reality, and slowly moving towards a new reality, but one you can't buy into because you haven't experienced it and don't yet know the first thing about it. Erika, who's in Dublin, made a very good point the other day, reminding me that it's me and Mike removing ourselves from the situation, and that for the most part things will remain the same for everyone else.
But I took the biggest step yesterday. I set my cell phone up for shut down on the 22nd of April. Yes, I actually did it. So, you should phone it once or twice between now and then, just to say, 'Goodbye.' I will be phoneless!
My goal this week is to show mom what kind of oil the scooter requires, get my new visa reissued, and make a plan to get mom joint on all of our accounts. Oh, and also finish the book. Guh. The book. It'll be done on the 31st, though. Yay!
Have a good week--I know I'm looking forward to waiting some more for my still-absent contract!
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Six weeks is less than a baby trimester....
So, no contract yet. Guh. The English do things sooooo slowly. They have managed to get ahold of Julian to let him know that April 30th is probably a good start date, that the contract will be 24-months, and that I am entitled to a relocation allowance.
It's shocking to me that they get much done at all, but it certainly explains a lot about the Royals. LOL! For the most part, I am joking. However, the part inside me that is sneaky and remains a North American capitalist consumer, it is shocking how much time this whole process has taken. Mind you, coming from Alberta I'm used to people offering you the job plus benefits and a start date at the end of the interview...Part of it, too, I suppose, is the whole 'Social Work' piece and how the process is valued as much as the outcome. Easy to speak to when you're not sitting at the other end of the ocean, waiting for a contract!
I was speaking with Erika yesterday via MSN; she and Lester have booked some flights from Dublin to Bristol; they'll be coming over on May 4th and returning to Dublin on May 7th [i think]. I'm totally psyched about the whole thing, as I haven't seen Erika since the end of August; chatting and ranting and sharing and stuff is good over MSN, but it isn't the same as actually going out together for coffee, you know? I did get to see Lester during the Winter, but it was under sad circumstances for him and was too short of a visit.
I also realized that Mike and I will have our first wedding anniversary when they're visiting. I CANNOT believe that we've been married a whole year as of May. Time has really flown this year. I think these next [under!] 6 weeks are going to fly well. Especially since we don't have a place to live yet--of course it's going to go by way too fast!
LOL!
It's shocking to me that they get much done at all, but it certainly explains a lot about the Royals. LOL! For the most part, I am joking. However, the part inside me that is sneaky and remains a North American capitalist consumer, it is shocking how much time this whole process has taken. Mind you, coming from Alberta I'm used to people offering you the job plus benefits and a start date at the end of the interview...Part of it, too, I suppose, is the whole 'Social Work' piece and how the process is valued as much as the outcome. Easy to speak to when you're not sitting at the other end of the ocean, waiting for a contract!
I was speaking with Erika yesterday via MSN; she and Lester have booked some flights from Dublin to Bristol; they'll be coming over on May 4th and returning to Dublin on May 7th [i think]. I'm totally psyched about the whole thing, as I haven't seen Erika since the end of August; chatting and ranting and sharing and stuff is good over MSN, but it isn't the same as actually going out together for coffee, you know? I did get to see Lester during the Winter, but it was under sad circumstances for him and was too short of a visit.
I also realized that Mike and I will have our first wedding anniversary when they're visiting. I CANNOT believe that we've been married a whole year as of May. Time has really flown this year. I think these next [under!] 6 weeks are going to fly well. Especially since we don't have a place to live yet--of course it's going to go by way too fast!
LOL!
Friday, March 9, 2007
It's like a wedding, only not...
Meredith here.
So, my contract with all its ensuing info should be in today or early next week; from there I need to sign my life away for a year or two, and in return we get to move to England. Fair price, no?
This upcoming week, we're going to be e-mailing and snail mailing invites to the going-away party, but for those who actually read this blog, you'll get the first heads-up.
It will be on the 15th of April, which is a Sunday, and it will be at Karen and Kent's house; for their address and contact info, please give me a ring or post a comment. I'm not sure that posting their whereabouts for all to see is necessarily advisable...We will be asking people to RSVP, not because we think we're important, but rather because we need some numbers to work with regarding sandwiches and cake and such. It will be open-house style, so people are welcome to show up anywhere from 11am - 3pm; snacks and a light lunch will be available, and otherwise it's just a chance for a visit and, for some, an aurevoir.
As for the rest, well, we're 6 weeks from departure this Sunday. Maaack!, as I'm so fond of saying.
I'm off to scoot to work--gotta get my last kms in before it bids me aurevior. I'll have to post a pic of it so that it can be immortalized for me.
I hope everyone out there is having a good day.
So, my contract with all its ensuing info should be in today or early next week; from there I need to sign my life away for a year or two, and in return we get to move to England. Fair price, no?
This upcoming week, we're going to be e-mailing and snail mailing invites to the going-away party, but for those who actually read this blog, you'll get the first heads-up.
It will be on the 15th of April, which is a Sunday, and it will be at Karen and Kent's house; for their address and contact info, please give me a ring or post a comment. I'm not sure that posting their whereabouts for all to see is necessarily advisable...We will be asking people to RSVP, not because we think we're important, but rather because we need some numbers to work with regarding sandwiches and cake and such. It will be open-house style, so people are welcome to show up anywhere from 11am - 3pm; snacks and a light lunch will be available, and otherwise it's just a chance for a visit and, for some, an aurevoir.
As for the rest, well, we're 6 weeks from departure this Sunday. Maaack!, as I'm so fond of saying.
I'm off to scoot to work--gotta get my last kms in before it bids me aurevior. I'll have to post a pic of it so that it can be immortalized for me.
I hope everyone out there is having a good day.
Wednesday, March 7, 2007
Rules of Acquisition
My visa just came in. YAY! Meredith booked out flights the other day as well, so we are off on April 22nd. Now all I need to do is figure out what to do once we arrive in the UK. Apparently I need to get a national insurance number (or something like that) before I can get a job. So, I guess that'll be the first order of the day .
I had to laugh the other day. I was ripping CDs onto my computer and it occurred to me that we were going to be living near Birmingham. I had a mental image of our neighbourhood looking like the cover of Black Sabbath I...scary.
It'll be a little strange that a lot of our friends from Edmonton are living in and around the UK. I imagine it will be somewhat surreal to hang out with them like we have many times before, but on the other side of the world.
I had an experience at work yesterday that made me so happy to be travelling. A lady came into the library and said that God told her to contact the leaders of all the countries in the world. So, she wanted me to find the direct addresses for all of these leaders and write them down for her. As I calmly tried to explain that as there are 192 countries in the world (and my inside voice was repeating 'visa came through, visa came through'), I simply would not have time to find all of them, she responded by saying, "But it's really important. God wants me to do this. I need to pray for all of them." 45 minutes later, I escaped from her only having to look 2 up (Canada and the UK). I ordered a couple of books for her to find the rest, and as an added bonus she said she would pray for me.
The truly strange thing about this was that earlier in the day, my coworker was looking through donations, and found a Christian guide to life for kids which was the most brutal, fear-of-God, judgemental propaganda (sample lesson: "Remember children, adultery is a sin"...is this really necessary for 8 year olds to know? GAWD!!). Anyway, he was making jokes about it non-stop while I was quietly laughing along....So how is it that I get stuck 6 hours later with the crazy lady? I felt like a karmic human shield. Sigh. Maybe that lady should pray for me...
I had to laugh the other day. I was ripping CDs onto my computer and it occurred to me that we were going to be living near Birmingham. I had a mental image of our neighbourhood looking like the cover of Black Sabbath I...scary.
It'll be a little strange that a lot of our friends from Edmonton are living in and around the UK. I imagine it will be somewhat surreal to hang out with them like we have many times before, but on the other side of the world.
I had an experience at work yesterday that made me so happy to be travelling. A lady came into the library and said that God told her to contact the leaders of all the countries in the world. So, she wanted me to find the direct addresses for all of these leaders and write them down for her. As I calmly tried to explain that as there are 192 countries in the world (and my inside voice was repeating 'visa came through, visa came through'), I simply would not have time to find all of them, she responded by saying, "But it's really important. God wants me to do this. I need to pray for all of them." 45 minutes later, I escaped from her only having to look 2 up (Canada and the UK). I ordered a couple of books for her to find the rest, and as an added bonus she said she would pray for me.
The truly strange thing about this was that earlier in the day, my coworker was looking through donations, and found a Christian guide to life for kids which was the most brutal, fear-of-God, judgemental propaganda (sample lesson: "Remember children, adultery is a sin"...is this really necessary for 8 year olds to know? GAWD!!). Anyway, he was making jokes about it non-stop while I was quietly laughing along....So how is it that I get stuck 6 hours later with the crazy lady? I felt like a karmic human shield. Sigh. Maybe that lady should pray for me...
Tuesday, March 6, 2007
...and a word from the husband...
Mike here.
Waiting, waiting for my visa to come in. It should be here by the end of the week or thereabouts. I must admit, at first I was less than enthusiastic about the idea of uprooting to England, but as time has passed I have grown more excited. There is nothing quite like the feeling of being on the verge of an adventure in a new country. It's frightening but exhilarating at the same time.
Gonna miss the cats, but there's no doubt they'll be loved and pampered by Deb as they should be. hgggfdcdsfr ---That was Gunther typing 'hello' on my keyboard (he likes to stop by and make sure it's working). We were originally planning on bringing Gunther and Phyllis with us, but over time I was worried that the stress of the move would be too tough on them.
Meredith has a sweet Social Work gig lined up for her and they're helping us find a place to live, so I'll need to find a job once we arrive. Basically, I have 2 professions I'd like to do; Libraries and ESL teaching. Based on what Meredith has shown me in postings, it looks like there's a lot out there. To be honest, I'm not too concerned about what kind of work I'm doing right off the bat.
Our flights are all booked up (April 22) and I've put in for a leave of absence from work. My last day will be April 13th.....a Friday. Well, nothing like starting a new adventure with a good omen ^_^. It's funny that in the last 2-3 months, there have been periods where nothing was happening and our plans of moving to England seemed like 'we're thinking about it...maybe' plans. Now that Meredith's visa has come through, and mine is on its way, things are starting to move really fast. In the next couple of weeks we need to sort out our banking and bills. It shouldn't be a problem though, just a few phone calls.
fcvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv ---and Phyllis has just said hello as well. She loves sitting on my computer-it's so warm on her bum. It's kind of aggravating when she does it though, because she seems to always find new key combinations. I swear one day she's going to have a nap on my laptop and end up hacking the NSA's Echelon system.
So, only about 6 weeks until liftoff. Until then....
Waiting, waiting for my visa to come in. It should be here by the end of the week or thereabouts. I must admit, at first I was less than enthusiastic about the idea of uprooting to England, but as time has passed I have grown more excited. There is nothing quite like the feeling of being on the verge of an adventure in a new country. It's frightening but exhilarating at the same time.
Gonna miss the cats, but there's no doubt they'll be loved and pampered by Deb as they should be. hgggfdcdsfr ---That was Gunther typing 'hello' on my keyboard (he likes to stop by and make sure it's working). We were originally planning on bringing Gunther and Phyllis with us, but over time I was worried that the stress of the move would be too tough on them.
Meredith has a sweet Social Work gig lined up for her and they're helping us find a place to live, so I'll need to find a job once we arrive. Basically, I have 2 professions I'd like to do; Libraries and ESL teaching. Based on what Meredith has shown me in postings, it looks like there's a lot out there. To be honest, I'm not too concerned about what kind of work I'm doing right off the bat.
Our flights are all booked up (April 22) and I've put in for a leave of absence from work. My last day will be April 13th.....a Friday. Well, nothing like starting a new adventure with a good omen ^_^. It's funny that in the last 2-3 months, there have been periods where nothing was happening and our plans of moving to England seemed like 'we're thinking about it...maybe' plans. Now that Meredith's visa has come through, and mine is on its way, things are starting to move really fast. In the next couple of weeks we need to sort out our banking and bills. It shouldn't be a problem though, just a few phone calls.
fcvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv ---and Phyllis has just said hello as well. She loves sitting on my computer-it's so warm on her bum. It's kind of aggravating when she does it though, because she seems to always find new key combinations. I swear one day she's going to have a nap on my laptop and end up hacking the NSA's Echelon system.
So, only about 6 weeks until liftoff. Until then....
Friday, March 2, 2007
Ronnie Dobbs gets arrested in England
Well, the position has been finalized and the formal job offer has come from their management and to Julian. He called me this morning to let me know--of course, I missed the phone. Gah. That is why Star Trek is so much more efficient--they need only speak out loud to answer theirs. When I'm making a mad dash for my robe and my vibrating, shrilling phone at 6am, I am overcome by intense jealousy....
So, I will have a departure date on Monday. Which is very exciting. We get to book one-way tickets to England...Yay! My visa and work permit also came through this week, and Mike's supporting documents have been sent to the British High Commission; we're just waiting for response for his. As I didn't submit the correct papers, they didn't give me the British Ancestry visa that I applied for--instead they gave me Right of Abode, which gives me the right to live and work in Britain until my passport expires. Then, if I want, I can reapply for it and get another one. I don't really know what this means or what they're talking about--I just know that the solid black letters say, 'RIGHT TO LIVE AND WORK IN THE UK' which makes me not want to throw up.
Now, to sell the scooter. When I have done that I will really feel like I'm on my way. And, also, I might cry a little. The scooter has been deemed, 'Unprotected' in the underground parking lot, and Mom keeps insisting that she absolutely will not drive it to work. I think she would like it come summer--she's working at Holes now, which would be the perfect place to drive to on a scooter. Alas, she's all worried about things like 'getting squished' and 'other drivers.' No heart... So, it must go. It shall make room for a car and a scooter in the UK. If anyone knows anyone who wants a 2006 50cc Piaggio Typhoon including helmets and locks for $2300, let me know. It's only got 3,000 kms on it, and I'll throw in the first 2 pre-paid visits to Top Gear for service.
It's weird to think that our location will change soon. I will no longer be living in Edmonton, my home. Just for a while, but still. Anyway, I will sign off for today. Mike and I are driving Mom to work, and then we're babysitting for Morgaine. She's 8 months now; so cute. When I figure out how to post pictures, I think she'll be one of them. Bye!
So, I will have a departure date on Monday. Which is very exciting. We get to book one-way tickets to England...Yay! My visa and work permit also came through this week, and Mike's supporting documents have been sent to the British High Commission; we're just waiting for response for his. As I didn't submit the correct papers, they didn't give me the British Ancestry visa that I applied for--instead they gave me Right of Abode, which gives me the right to live and work in Britain until my passport expires. Then, if I want, I can reapply for it and get another one. I don't really know what this means or what they're talking about--I just know that the solid black letters say, 'RIGHT TO LIVE AND WORK IN THE UK' which makes me not want to throw up.
Now, to sell the scooter. When I have done that I will really feel like I'm on my way. And, also, I might cry a little. The scooter has been deemed, 'Unprotected' in the underground parking lot, and Mom keeps insisting that she absolutely will not drive it to work. I think she would like it come summer--she's working at Holes now, which would be the perfect place to drive to on a scooter. Alas, she's all worried about things like 'getting squished' and 'other drivers.' No heart... So, it must go. It shall make room for a car and a scooter in the UK. If anyone knows anyone who wants a 2006 50cc Piaggio Typhoon including helmets and locks for $2300, let me know. It's only got 3,000 kms on it, and I'll throw in the first 2 pre-paid visits to Top Gear for service.
It's weird to think that our location will change soon. I will no longer be living in Edmonton, my home. Just for a while, but still. Anyway, I will sign off for today. Mike and I are driving Mom to work, and then we're babysitting for Morgaine. She's 8 months now; so cute. When I figure out how to post pictures, I think she'll be one of them. Bye!
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