Benazir Bhutto is dead.
"Dog, Musharraf, Dog" as the locals say. No word on who or how, but I'm sure we'll hear soon enough.
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
West Virginiaaaa..... Country Mamaaaa..... Take me hooome.... Country Roooaadss
Happy Christmas everyone!
Mike and I have been busy this holiday season, which really rocked. Last week we were both a little melancholy, feeling sad to be so far from home for Christmas. While it was still difficult, we did manage to have a fabulous time--Christmas Eve ended with John Denver and Karaoke. *yes!* Also, dancing. And, no. Pictures were very specifically NOT ALLOWED!
Here is a picture from the night out that captured it all: Jacqui, a coworker of mine (on the left), has been really fabulous about inviting us out to do things and meet people. She's really taught me about how to make people feel welcome and I don't think she realizes how much that meant to us. She and her friends took us on a hectic pub crawl that involved 6 different places, 5 pints of cider and lots of her friends and acquaintances coming over and saying hello. She knows everyone I think.
Yesterday we spent the entire day at my other coworker, Ruth's with her husband, mother-in-law and friends. And that was lovely with a funny story at the end--Ruth had been looking for some new wine glasses in the weeks leading up to Christmas. She found some in the National Trust store, which is tiny and hidden, but she didn't end up buying them for herself 'cause they were a little expensive and she had too many other things to get. Without knowing this, I ended up going into the same store to get her a gift for having us over. I was going to get the glasses but I was feeling overwhelmed by the etiquette considerations (2 or 4, too extravagant...?, what if they have similar ones, etc.) and so I opted for the vase instead. She got wide eyes when she opened it--it was really funny. So, that night was really great.
From what we've been hearing about back home, everyone else seems to be driving and flying far and wide. And it feels like EVERYONE is going to Mexico some time in the next few weeks. Gah. Totally wish I was in on that...
So, the transition nicely into my next bit of news...Mike and I both have the last 2 weeks in February off as I need to use up some vacation days, and he gets laid off. So we're going on a holiday. We were initially talking about Greece and had gone so far as to begin booking, but further investigation of the long-term forecast there made me want to consider other options. Instead, we're doing a couple things we had decided against in the first place:
a) going to Spain
b) going on multiple flights
So, we're heading from Bristol to Madrid on Tuesday the 19th, from Madrid to Feurteventura in the Canary Islands on the 21st, from Feurteventura back to Madrid on the 26th, from Madrid to Berlin on the 27th and from Berlin back to Bristol for the 1st of March. Whee! I'm totally psyched and so is Mike--it's warm and sunny as it's just off the coast of North Africa. All this for less than 500 CAD. God, I'm totally gonna miss discount airlines when we come home.
Speaking of which, we'll be back for the last week in May. Mike may have already mentioned that he's confirmed to go back to work for the 2nd of June. We're both totally psyched about that. 20 weeks and we'll be back! Feels like no time at all, and I think it's really going to fly by. Kent and Karen are likely going to be coming for a visit in May--possibly Jennifer as well--and Mike's parents have been talking about coming. And Dad and Dorothy promised they'd make one more trek in the Spring as well, so we've got lots of great times to look forward to.
So, I hope everyone had very happy holidays. Enjoy your New Years festivities--we're both back to work tomorrow.
Love and hugs to everyone.
Mike and I have been busy this holiday season, which really rocked. Last week we were both a little melancholy, feeling sad to be so far from home for Christmas. While it was still difficult, we did manage to have a fabulous time--Christmas Eve ended with John Denver and Karaoke. *yes!* Also, dancing. And, no. Pictures were very specifically NOT ALLOWED!
Here is a picture from the night out that captured it all: Jacqui, a coworker of mine (on the left), has been really fabulous about inviting us out to do things and meet people. She's really taught me about how to make people feel welcome and I don't think she realizes how much that meant to us. She and her friends took us on a hectic pub crawl that involved 6 different places, 5 pints of cider and lots of her friends and acquaintances coming over and saying hello. She knows everyone I think.Yesterday we spent the entire day at my other coworker, Ruth's with her husband, mother-in-law and friends. And that was lovely with a funny story at the end--Ruth had been looking for some new wine glasses in the weeks leading up to Christmas. She found some in the National Trust store, which is tiny and hidden, but she didn't end up buying them for herself 'cause they were a little expensive and she had too many other things to get. Without knowing this, I ended up going into the same store to get her a gift for having us over. I was going to get the glasses but I was feeling overwhelmed by the etiquette considerations (2 or 4, too extravagant...?, what if they have similar ones, etc.) and so I opted for the vase instead. She got wide eyes when she opened it--it was really funny. So, that night was really great.
From what we've been hearing about back home, everyone else seems to be driving and flying far and wide. And it feels like EVERYONE is going to Mexico some time in the next few weeks. Gah. Totally wish I was in on that...
So, the transition nicely into my next bit of news...Mike and I both have the last 2 weeks in February off as I need to use up some vacation days, and he gets laid off. So we're going on a holiday. We were initially talking about Greece and had gone so far as to begin booking, but further investigation of the long-term forecast there made me want to consider other options. Instead, we're doing a couple things we had decided against in the first place:
a) going to Spain
b) going on multiple flights
So, we're heading from Bristol to Madrid on Tuesday the 19th, from Madrid to Feurteventura in the Canary Islands on the 21st, from Feurteventura back to Madrid on the 26th, from Madrid to Berlin on the 27th and from Berlin back to Bristol for the 1st of March. Whee! I'm totally psyched and so is Mike--it's warm and sunny as it's just off the coast of North Africa. All this for less than 500 CAD. God, I'm totally gonna miss discount airlines when we come home.
Speaking of which, we'll be back for the last week in May. Mike may have already mentioned that he's confirmed to go back to work for the 2nd of June. We're both totally psyched about that. 20 weeks and we'll be back! Feels like no time at all, and I think it's really going to fly by. Kent and Karen are likely going to be coming for a visit in May--possibly Jennifer as well--and Mike's parents have been talking about coming. And Dad and Dorothy promised they'd make one more trek in the Spring as well, so we've got lots of great times to look forward to.
So, I hope everyone had very happy holidays. Enjoy your New Years festivities--we're both back to work tomorrow.
Love and hugs to everyone.
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
@#$ cornballer piece of %@$#....
Well, hello there. So, Xmas is coming soon and 2007 will soon be over. Personally, it couldn't come soon enough. That being said, lots of good(ish) stuff is happening over here.
The weather in Hereford is, well, just like the weather every other day of the year. Rainy, windy, cold. We've been keeping tabs on what's been happening back home, and it seems that you all have been having some really cold weather. Sucks to be you...haha. We have 2 radiators in our place which keep it toasty. Unfortunately, one of them wasn't working so we were freezing in here. Alan was laughing at us because, "I thought you Canadians were hard". We had to explain to him that we have central heating and don't live in 400 year-old houses (!).
Anyway, he hooked us up with this monstrosity to keep us warm. Boy, did it ever work. It literally got warm within 3 seconds of turning it on. It had some drawbacks though, not least of which was the fact that it is entirely made of metal, and if you touch it you will get second degree burns. As we are both big fans of "Arrested Development", we decided to call it the Cornballer. The other problem with it was that it sucked energy like nothing else. Anyway, Alan fixed our radiator, our place is warm, and my burns are healing.You'll be happy to know that there have been no car accidents/scooter problems since the last post. I know, it's great. Meredith did have one teensy little problem however. She realized, like, halfway through her day that she had a flat tire. No worries though. She just took it to the Owen Bros. (I kind of have this secret image that they look like Mario and Luigi....don't tell Meredith) and they fixed it. I had to laugh because when she told me about it that night, we were both totally blase about it. That's what 7 months of disaster will do to you.
S
o, as Meredith mentioned in her last post, we went to Manchester to see the Sex Pistols. Wow. I was so excited, and it was a really fun show. Sure, they're old and everything but who cares. They rocked, and Johnny Rotten could still peel paint with his stare. Here are some blurry stage light pictures that I assure you are actually the band...stupid camera. ^_^
So, it's been pretty quiet around here for the last little while. We've spent the last few weekends just hanging around. We're going to stay here for Christmas and maybe do some volunteering...not sure yet though. In February, we're going to Greece and then Berlin (not 100% but likely) as soon as I become 'redundant'. We are cutting a swath through the TV DVDs at Blockbuster. Just finished season 3 of Entourage. Next up is the finale of The Sopranos. Meredith was so sad that I didn't want to start on it tonight. Hopefully she'll forgive me...someday. haha. Anyway, hope you're all well. Have a good one and please write comments. It makes us feel happy and loved. Later.P.S. Aren't they cute?
Sunday, November 18, 2007
There'll Always be an England...
Firstly, let me say that I know I'm a neglectful blogger. It's been weeks since I last posted--but there are reasons, people! Fall has really flown by--there are only like 5 weeks left until Christmas, and I can hardly believe it! Do you like my new toque? More about it later...
Also, as I've mentioned it before but never been one to show it, I thought y'all might want to be introduced to the most important invention of all time: my Garmin SatNav. No more tears, people. It literally tells me where to go and how to do it. 'Turn right in 500 meters..' and all that. In a British voice no less, despite the fact that it's an American company! LOL. It's like having a trusty sidekick in the passenger seat full time--it's Robin to my Batman.
Things are grey and dreary here.... Yes, this is my vase. Sad, isn't it? I am resisting the temptation to purchase household goods that I may become attached to and experience negative emotions when feeling compelled to leave them behind when we leave. Also, as I've been feeling relatively skittish and slightly discontent lately (particularly surrounding work), I've been working on the basis of being able to walk out of our place here in 25 minutes or less to head to an airport. Things are (of course--you must get sick of reading this and think in your head: 'get over it already!') very up and down. Some days I'm lovin' it, others I loathe it. Some decisions have been made last week, though, that have made things a lot more bearable. We'll be back for the last week in May 2008 at the latest.
Non-sequiter time: I know Mike mentioned it in his post, but truly he underreported the fabulousness of Hampton Court Gardens. There are hidden passages behind waterfalls, underground passages, sunken gardens, reflecting pools and level-based irrigation systems...You wanna' know how to spend 7 million pounds on a garden...? I'm sure these guys can help you out.News: I applied for and have been granted conditional acceptance into the MacEwan Nursing program. Florence Nightingale I ain't, but in my struggles to do my job here I have realized it might be sooner rather than later that I'll want/need to switch careers. So, as of September 2008, I will officially be back in full time school. I still have to submit immunization records, criminal record checks, etc. to make the admission offer final, but I'm sure that will be fine.
What Mike also forgot to mention in his last post was Bonfire Night 2007 at the Hereford Race Course! This is the night the Brits burn effigies of Guy Fawkes, set off fireworks and drink beer to mock his failed attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament to kill King James I on 5 November 1605.
We went to the Hereford Race Course on a Saturday night to watch the giant fire, drink coffee and listen to some cheesy music accompanied by stripper-like dancing ('children's entertainment, anyone...?) in the background. It was awesome.
We met up with my coworker Colleen and her partner Nick to engage in mutual revelry. It was really, really fun.
I headed to Berlin last weekend to check in on Claire and wish her an early Happy 26th Birthday Claire!
We saw some stuff and did some things...It was really lovely. It snowed (of course!) so our journeys were considerably shorter than they were initially planned to be, but we had fun all the same. Berlin is a wicked city--lots to see and do, and things are remarkably affordable there as well, which makes for nice goings-on. Also, her roommates were lovely and were up for loads of conversation and the opportunity to educate me about the Berlin wall and Soviet Communism, which was loads of fun...LOL.
Last night Mike and I headed to Manchester to see The Sex Pistols, and it totally rocked. Johnny Rotten was in good form--apparently. I dunno. I'm sure those of you that know me well are thinking...Really? Meredith at a concert? In an arena? As it's not really my thing, it was a brand new and exciting experience. It was 5 hours of driving--with me on the wrong side of the road at one point!--but it was totally worth it. Also, from what we saw of it, Manchester is a rockin' city worthy of extensive exploration. I'm definitely going to be heading back there sooner rather than later. It was really nice to be in a real city again, actually. Also a good reminder that we need to get ourselves out of Hereford more often--lots of fun is to be had elsewhere!
As for the story of the The Toque, it's slowly making it's way around the office, which gives me the perfect excuse to take pictures of people I work with and therefore share them with you. This is Tony, Keith and Suzanna in descending order. They are all Social Workers in the team--Mike and I helped Suzanna move houses in Cheltenham a couple weekends ago, Tony helps me with my vehicle and other-related issues, and Keith brings me candy. Apparently the brought candy he bought in the parking lot of a pub (read: stolen). I'm still not sure how I feel about that...
People make fun of me for wearing it, but the joke's on them--it's been mighty cold here, and I'm the one with warm ears all the time! It's actually snowing here today. How can it rain and snow at the same time, you ask? Well, it does. Colleen actually asked me, 'you wear that out in public...?'
But my spirit refuses to be quashed, people! The Toque will prevail. Besides, things have been so crap at work lately, some levity is desperately needed. The head of the Herefordshire Council is being asked to resign due to alleged misappropriation and mismanagement of funds, we're another more workers up but none down for the car park--last count 60 cars for the 18 spaces--and I'm resenting the nature of Statutory Social Work these days...Also, my latest vehicle mishap, which is actually kind of funny and not at all costly: Last week before I headed to Berlin, my right headlight burned out, but I didn't have time to take the car to the rental agents to get it fixed as I had limited time to get to the airport. And, really, I didn't think much of it. I really should have as a number of events conspired against me to make me take 75 minutes to drive 3.9 miles in the WORST traffic jam in the entire world. It began when the fog fell in the valley on Wednesday night at 4:45pm--it was dark with visibility limited to 10 feet max and the other freakin' light went! GAH! So, it took me 45 minutes to drive home 2.9 miles as every time another car came in the opposite direction, I had to pull over and kill my bright lights as they made the already-problematic visibility problems even worse. Off to work I went the next day, with the intention of cutting out at 4 to take the half hour to drive the 3 miles to the rental agents. That's right--average traveling time around here these days is that slow. I made it there in time, got the lights fixed before it became dark, and went to go home. And it took me 75 minutes to travel the 3.9 miles home. I know how far 'cause my SatNav told me. This island MUST be in danger of sinking under the weight of the cars on it. Not that I can talk right now, what with 2 scooters and a car for only 2 people, but whatever. It's just an observation, anyway...
Love and hugs to everyone! And, you'll shortly be getting the postcards from Amsterdam and Rome. I know--totally lame to get them late. I figure if I write the ones from Berlin, they should be in your hot little hands by Easter...
XOXO, and don't you laugh at the new and woolly Pink Toque.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
My heart's in the highlands...
Oh my goodness, it's been a month since our last post...sorry about that. Well, what have we been up to? Lots of stuff actually. It's amazingly been a pretty decent month, which we have attributed to getting rid of Pinky. Meredith is driving a rental now, which costs a bit of money but it's a drop in the ocean compared to what the pink monster was costing us. Funny story; we sold the car for 250 gbp, as/is to a guy who works for the Council. We made sure to let him know everything that was wrong with it. Meredith got a sketchy vibe from him at the time but we didn't think about it. Anyway, a couple of weeks later he calls Meredith and says he wants to take the car to Doug, a mechanic who worked on it before. However, he wants her to tell Doug that it's still her car and that this guy is borrowing it so he can get a discount. Naturally, Meredith told him to forget it. The whole point of selling the car was to not have to worry about it anymore. So, no disasters lately. Meredith hates her job and I'm really feeling understimulated by mine. Man, I miss doing storytimes at the library.
We have decided on when we are returning to Canada. It'll be the last week in May. I have asked work to extend my LOA until the beginning of June but haven't gotten 100% confirmation yet. However, it shouldn't be a problem. I think that has helped matters as well, since we've (mostly I've) spent the last few months fluctuating between coming home next spring to next summer to "screw it, let's just catch the next flight home". Having somewhat of a schedule brings clarity, I think.
Anyway, pictures. In the first week of October, Walter and Dorothy came to visit and we went up to Scotland for a weekend. I got to meet some inlaws that I didn't even know existed. They all live in Darvel, which is about 30 minutes southwest of Glasgow. It's kind of like the Devon of Scotland). We had a lot of fun, and they are just 'salt of the earth' people. I had some strange nostalgic feelings from this.
Being in John and Jenny's (Walter's aunt and uncle) house totally brought me back to being in Grandma and Grandpa Eaton's house in Innisfail. The furniture was exactly the same, the food was the same, it was even too hot in their house by about 10 degrees...hahaha. We were at their house on Saturday.
On Sunday we went to Glasgow for the morning and visited the
People's Palace. It is basically a museum of Glasgow's history, 
with replicas of what a home looked like during the 30s, or an air raid shelter complete with a siren. It also had a greenhouse area kind of like the Muttart Conservatory. After that, we went to the outlying area to see where Walter grew up. He showed us his old stomping grounds and told us how it's changed over the years. 
Later that day we went back to Darvel and had dinner at Jim and Jeanette's house (just what is it with the J names ^_^). This is where I had my other strange nostalgic moment. Jeanette reminded me so much of Carmen, it was kind of scary. I just got the same vibe from her, in that she has that sense of what's really important and that 'go for it' mentality.
I couldn't help but feel that they are really lucky to have someone like that. I suppose everyone needs a Carmen in their family.
These last few weekends have been pretty busy. A couple of weeks ago, we went for lunch and a hike with Alan's parents. They're a sweet couple, and we had lots of fun. Also, at lunch Meredith dodged having to eat roast beef with real class. I, on the other hand was in heaven because I got to eat all the roast and yorkshire puddings I could handle.
Last weekend we went to Hampton court, which is a big house and garden near our place. It was beautiful.
As you can see, there is an underground garden with a
pathway that leads up to the middle of a hedge maze. So cool.
This weekend, Meredith is in Berlin visiting Claire. I opted to stay home, as I couldn't get time off and I'm really not up for flying right now. I'm sure they're having a rocking good time though. Next weekend we're off to Manchester to see the Sex Pistols!!! Meredith scored some tickets in an online lottery thing for my birthday. It's going to be really cool to see them live, even though it's like 30 years past their prime. It's totally a band I'd never get to see in Canada, and they are a big part of rock history. I'm pumped. Meredith isn't too familiar with them, so it'll be fun to see what she thinks. Well, that's it for now. Have a groovy day and if a guy in a green shirt is trying to sell you a pink Volkswagon, don't do it. Love you all.
We have decided on when we are returning to Canada. It'll be the last week in May. I have asked work to extend my LOA until the beginning of June but haven't gotten 100% confirmation yet. However, it shouldn't be a problem. I think that has helped matters as well, since we've (mostly I've) spent the last few months fluctuating between coming home next spring to next summer to "screw it, let's just catch the next flight home". Having somewhat of a schedule brings clarity, I think.
Anyway, pictures. In the first week of October, Walter and Dorothy came to visit and we went up to Scotland for a weekend. I got to meet some inlaws that I didn't even know existed. They all live in Darvel, which is about 30 minutes southwest of Glasgow. It's kind of like the Devon of Scotland). We had a lot of fun, and they are just 'salt of the earth' people. I had some strange nostalgic feelings from this.
Being in John and Jenny's (Walter's aunt and uncle) house totally brought me back to being in Grandma and Grandpa Eaton's house in Innisfail. The furniture was exactly the same, the food was the same, it was even too hot in their house by about 10 degrees...hahaha. We were at their house on Saturday.On Sunday we went to Glasgow for the morning and visited the
People's Palace. It is basically a museum of Glasgow's history, 
with replicas of what a home looked like during the 30s, or an air raid shelter complete with a siren. It also had a greenhouse area kind of like the Muttart Conservatory. After that, we went to the outlying area to see where Walter grew up. He showed us his old stomping grounds and told us how it's changed over the years. 
Later that day we went back to Darvel and had dinner at Jim and Jeanette's house (just what is it with the J names ^_^). This is where I had my other strange nostalgic moment. Jeanette reminded me so much of Carmen, it was kind of scary. I just got the same vibe from her, in that she has that sense of what's really important and that 'go for it' mentality.
I couldn't help but feel that they are really lucky to have someone like that. I suppose everyone needs a Carmen in their family.
These last few weekends have been pretty busy. A couple of weeks ago, we went for lunch and a hike with Alan's parents. They're a sweet couple, and we had lots of fun. Also, at lunch Meredith dodged having to eat roast beef with real class. I, on the other hand was in heaven because I got to eat all the roast and yorkshire puddings I could handle.
Last weekend we went to Hampton court, which is a big house and garden near our place. It was beautiful.As you can see, there is an underground garden with a
pathway that leads up to the middle of a hedge maze. So cool.
This weekend, Meredith is in Berlin visiting Claire. I opted to stay home, as I couldn't get time off and I'm really not up for flying right now. I'm sure they're having a rocking good time though. Next weekend we're off to Manchester to see the Sex Pistols!!! Meredith scored some tickets in an online lottery thing for my birthday. It's going to be really cool to see them live, even though it's like 30 years past their prime. It's totally a band I'd never get to see in Canada, and they are a big part of rock history. I'm pumped. Meredith isn't too familiar with them, so it'll be fun to see what she thinks. Well, that's it for now. Have a groovy day and if a guy in a green shirt is trying to sell you a pink Volkswagon, don't do it. Love you all.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Mud and leaves and emotional distress.
So, I got into a car crash on Tuesday. Nothing major or deadly, but the damage to the car I was driving was rather significant and the damage to the other guy's car was more than $5 for sure.
Really, though, that man was one of the nicest people I've ever met. And so are The Owen's Brother's. And the guy in the blue BMW--he was really great. I didn't get his name or anything.
I'm driving along this one-track road, come around a corner, and *BAM!* I stomped on my brakes and he hit his, but we slid right into each other and my car went semi-vertical on the left side 'cause it climbed the hedgerow. No one's fault--neither of us were speeding. Mud and leaves on the road are way worse than any ice I've driven on as the tires here aren't made to deal with them.
So, anyway, as last week Pinky got written off due to a failed MOT and Mike's scooter was a mess to sort out, I was a little stressed out, and let's just say I lost it. Those poor guys. I was crying and couldn't talk or see and they sorted it all out for me. They got The Owen's Brothers on the phone and let them know what happened. They got my office on the phone and had me tell Steph at work who came to escort me home. They got me to phone Mike and let him know what was happening. They got the car off the hedgerow and actually swept the glass out of the car so I could drive. And they reassured me it was just a car, not the end of the world, no one was hurt, and it would be OK. They made arrangements with insurance and repairs and gave directions and phone numbers for me to call if I got lost or needed help. Those people were the best. And when I arrived at The Owen's Brothers, I was again upset and very, very apologetic, and an Owen just said, 'These things happen. Here's another vehicle. We will sort it out on Friday. We're just glad you weren't hurt.' And, actually, that kind of made the whole thing all better. Put it in perspective a little. So, for October, the car costs are up around 800gbp and that sucks a lot, but I wasn't hurt and that's really all that matters, right?
So, Wednesday was just mostly embarrassing because I went into work, having important things to do and no time to take off at the moment. And, of course, because it's me and this seems to be a theme, mostly people asked if I was ok, asked if I needed anything, and then, 'cause they can't help it, gave a little giggle. And honestly I did a fair amount of that myself--the absurdity of it all.
And then last night, on my way to a visit on an A road (read: Highway 21 or equivalent) in the middle of nowhere, my freaking scooter died. The Motorcycle Centre apparently sent someone out to find me to help, but they wouldn't listen to the directions I was trying to give them, and they didn't give him a mobile or my number, so clearly the guy got lost. I waited for an hour and a half. Mike showed up and took me home, but as of right now my scooter is in Peter Hooper's yard on the A417. So, I'm pretty annoyed with them, really. They need to go and get it today and figure it out--I think I might have a but of a temper tantrum there on Saturday as it was just in for repairs 3 weeks ago. When I called the office to get some numbers to let my visits know I had to reschedule, again the little giggles. I guess that's all I can do as well, in the face of such ridiculousness.
And, really, I'm not even feeling upset or angry or anything. Mostly I'm just overwhelmed, I think. I asked Mike to e-mail the library and see if he can return to work before his leave of absence is over, so that information is coming. It just seems like there's karma or something at work here that has me stopping what I'm doing over and over again. I know there's a reason and message in all this, I just haven't quite figured out what it is. So, I'm in information gathering mode right now. Shannon's here this weekend for a bit, and we've decided that Berlin is off for Christmas. Mostly, no money, but also we need to find some stability and routine for a few weeks and see if that makes things a little better.
We had a fantastic time in Scotland, and Mike has all the pics of family and stuff, so he'll post this weekend. Hope everyone is well and that y'all had great Thanksgiving celebrations. It wasn't the same being here and missing that. We did our own little round the table thankfulness inventory, and it was good. I've gotta' get off and consider getting ready for work now. I was up super early today and I'm starting to feel relatively motivated now.
((hugs)) and love to everyone.
Really, though, that man was one of the nicest people I've ever met. And so are The Owen's Brother's. And the guy in the blue BMW--he was really great. I didn't get his name or anything.
I'm driving along this one-track road, come around a corner, and *BAM!* I stomped on my brakes and he hit his, but we slid right into each other and my car went semi-vertical on the left side 'cause it climbed the hedgerow. No one's fault--neither of us were speeding. Mud and leaves on the road are way worse than any ice I've driven on as the tires here aren't made to deal with them.
So, anyway, as last week Pinky got written off due to a failed MOT and Mike's scooter was a mess to sort out, I was a little stressed out, and let's just say I lost it. Those poor guys. I was crying and couldn't talk or see and they sorted it all out for me. They got The Owen's Brothers on the phone and let them know what happened. They got my office on the phone and had me tell Steph at work who came to escort me home. They got me to phone Mike and let him know what was happening. They got the car off the hedgerow and actually swept the glass out of the car so I could drive. And they reassured me it was just a car, not the end of the world, no one was hurt, and it would be OK. They made arrangements with insurance and repairs and gave directions and phone numbers for me to call if I got lost or needed help. Those people were the best. And when I arrived at The Owen's Brothers, I was again upset and very, very apologetic, and an Owen just said, 'These things happen. Here's another vehicle. We will sort it out on Friday. We're just glad you weren't hurt.' And, actually, that kind of made the whole thing all better. Put it in perspective a little. So, for October, the car costs are up around 800gbp and that sucks a lot, but I wasn't hurt and that's really all that matters, right?
So, Wednesday was just mostly embarrassing because I went into work, having important things to do and no time to take off at the moment. And, of course, because it's me and this seems to be a theme, mostly people asked if I was ok, asked if I needed anything, and then, 'cause they can't help it, gave a little giggle. And honestly I did a fair amount of that myself--the absurdity of it all.
And then last night, on my way to a visit on an A road (read: Highway 21 or equivalent) in the middle of nowhere, my freaking scooter died. The Motorcycle Centre apparently sent someone out to find me to help, but they wouldn't listen to the directions I was trying to give them, and they didn't give him a mobile or my number, so clearly the guy got lost. I waited for an hour and a half. Mike showed up and took me home, but as of right now my scooter is in Peter Hooper's yard on the A417. So, I'm pretty annoyed with them, really. They need to go and get it today and figure it out--I think I might have a but of a temper tantrum there on Saturday as it was just in for repairs 3 weeks ago. When I called the office to get some numbers to let my visits know I had to reschedule, again the little giggles. I guess that's all I can do as well, in the face of such ridiculousness.
And, really, I'm not even feeling upset or angry or anything. Mostly I'm just overwhelmed, I think. I asked Mike to e-mail the library and see if he can return to work before his leave of absence is over, so that information is coming. It just seems like there's karma or something at work here that has me stopping what I'm doing over and over again. I know there's a reason and message in all this, I just haven't quite figured out what it is. So, I'm in information gathering mode right now. Shannon's here this weekend for a bit, and we've decided that Berlin is off for Christmas. Mostly, no money, but also we need to find some stability and routine for a few weeks and see if that makes things a little better.
We had a fantastic time in Scotland, and Mike has all the pics of family and stuff, so he'll post this weekend. Hope everyone is well and that y'all had great Thanksgiving celebrations. It wasn't the same being here and missing that. We did our own little round the table thankfulness inventory, and it was good. I've gotta' get off and consider getting ready for work now. I was up super early today and I'm starting to feel relatively motivated now.
((hugs)) and love to everyone.
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
What I'm Thankful for...
So, as usual I've been putting off blogging because things are so busy around here. I swear, Meredith and I must have been Hitler and Eva Braun in a past life. That's the only way I can understand our lousy karma. However, today's episode concerns happy things. Namely; the last leg of our Rome/Barcelona Trip.
Here are a couple of extra pictures of St. Peter's Basilica. 
I also managed to snap some pics on the bus to the airport. 
Ciampino is a really boring airport. As usual we were 3 hours early (my bad) and were stuck in an area with nothing to do. Once we boarded, things got interesting. Now, I should preface this next part by saying that for those of you who don't know, I am terrified of flying...a real white-knuckler. Anyway, we were waiting to take off and there was the usual 'put on your seatbelt, turn off your cell phones and ipods' spiel. Then, as the plane started to accelerate, this woman sitting in front of me had a cell phone that rang. I bit my lip because I figure she just forgot. No worries. Then, as the plane was LEAVING THE GROUND, it rang again!!! That just made me see red. I leaned forward and screamed at her, "TURN YOUR GODDAMN CELL PHONE OFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" I kind of freaked Meredith out because she'd never really seen me lose it before. Yeah, bad cell phone etiquette and flying. A bad combination if you're flying with me...just so you know.
We made it to Barcelona with no problems. The only problem was that Girona Airport is 1.5 hours from Barcelona by bus.
We made our way onto the subway once we got to town and
found our hostel. It was really new and hi tech. Unfortunately, the power had gone out. We did manage to get a lowered rate because the power on our floor didn't actually come back until the next afternoon. At this point however, we were all tired, hungry, and grubby. So, we just dropped off our bags and went to get some food.
We found
a cafe near
the hostel and chowed down.
Meredith had some trouble finding vegetarian food, but we managed. Barcelona was kind of funny because at first we thought everything was cheap. However we forgot to factor in the GST (Gringo Sales Tax). We got so ripped off with food. I guess that's what we get for not learning Spanish before going.
The next day we set out to see what Barcelona had to offer. Our first stop was the Sagrada Familia. This is a famous church that has been under construction for over 100 years, and still needs another 90 until it's finished. Yes, it is THAT elaborate. I took a ton of pics of it, as I think it might be the most impressive piece of architecture I've ever seen.
Just check this:
After spending some time there, we wandered around to do some shopping.
We kind of missed the cool spots and were just spinning our wheels. 
By this point, Daniel was about done so we took him back to the hostel to chill, and Meredith and I went for a gondola ride. That's right, I said gondola.
It goes up the mountain to a castle which overlooks the docks as well as the city.
Very beautiful, especially because it contains 2 of my favorite things:
Cats
and giant guns.
Here's one of our signature pics of us standing around with our mouths open. So classy.
That night we went out for dinner and walked around town. Barcelona is just so laid back.
It was nice to be in that kind of place.
This guy behind the counter looks just like Newman from Seinfeld. Awesome.
And so, the following morning it was back to the bus and onto a plane. We flew into Stansted Airport which was out in the middle of nowhere. On the other hand, it wasn't Luton. After yet another long bus ride we arrived in
Greenwich back where we started our trek. We just hung out at St. Christopher's and had some dinner. I had a couple of beers, and Meredith and Daniel had cider. 
Daniel learned an important lesson about the importance of sipping cider, much to his peril. We had an early night as we had to be off early the next day.
The next morning we went to Heathrow to send Daniel off. On the way, we remembered what an absolute labyrinth that place is, so we got someone from the airline to escort him to his gate. We said our goodbyes and were off.
I suffered my only injury on the trip while we were heading for the bus to Reading. We were on the elevator when some people got on. I pulled the suitcase towards myself and caught it on my big toenail. It ripped upwards away from my skin. As the elevator was full of people who likely weren't fond of hearing the seven words you'll never hear on television (although George Carlin had obviously never heard of HBO), I elected to silently shriek and look at Meredith with an expression of abject horror and pain. I got a band aid from a dude at the coffee shop.
The bus and train trips were uneventful, for once, and we made our way safely home. Once we arrived, I heard from Alan (our totally awesome landlord) that Wyevale was closing down. It turns out it was in the local paper. I found out from my boss that they're closing it to relocate to Slough, near London. So, it looks like I'm out of work in mid February. However, I will be receiving a pretty decent severance package (around 1300 gbp). I feel bad for the other people there, as they will have to start over...I mean, who can just pick up and move to London? So, I'm pretty lucky and (after all it is Thanksgiving) thankful for the fact that we CAN just take off at any time. Most people don't have that option. I know I sound really bitter about this experience, and I likely will look back on this with fondness. That's what Meredith has been saying to me...that was until her car accident this afternoon (don't worry, she wasn't hurt at all). I'll let her fill y'all in about it, since it is after all the latest chapter in her "Me vs. Cars" opus.
Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving. It's funny that I never used to put much stock in this holiday. With all the crazy, stressful, and downright awful things that have happened to us and to our loved ones this year, I am just so thankful to have all of you in my life. Well, that's all for now. Missing you lots. Love to all.
Here are a couple of extra pictures of St. Peter's Basilica. 
I also managed to snap some pics on the bus to the airport. 
Ciampino is a really boring airport. As usual we were 3 hours early (my bad) and were stuck in an area with nothing to do. Once we boarded, things got interesting. Now, I should preface this next part by saying that for those of you who don't know, I am terrified of flying...a real white-knuckler. Anyway, we were waiting to take off and there was the usual 'put on your seatbelt, turn off your cell phones and ipods' spiel. Then, as the plane started to accelerate, this woman sitting in front of me had a cell phone that rang. I bit my lip because I figure she just forgot. No worries. Then, as the plane was LEAVING THE GROUND, it rang again!!! That just made me see red. I leaned forward and screamed at her, "TURN YOUR GODDAMN CELL PHONE OFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" I kind of freaked Meredith out because she'd never really seen me lose it before. Yeah, bad cell phone etiquette and flying. A bad combination if you're flying with me...just so you know.We made it to Barcelona with no problems. The only problem was that Girona Airport is 1.5 hours from Barcelona by bus.
We made our way onto the subway once we got to town and
found our hostel. It was really new and hi tech. Unfortunately, the power had gone out. We did manage to get a lowered rate because the power on our floor didn't actually come back until the next afternoon. At this point however, we were all tired, hungry, and grubby. So, we just dropped off our bags and went to get some food.
We found
a cafe near
the hostel and chowed down.Meredith had some trouble finding vegetarian food, but we managed. Barcelona was kind of funny because at first we thought everything was cheap. However we forgot to factor in the GST (Gringo Sales Tax). We got so ripped off with food. I guess that's what we get for not learning Spanish before going.
The next day we set out to see what Barcelona had to offer. Our first stop was the Sagrada Familia. This is a famous church that has been under construction for over 100 years, and still needs another 90 until it's finished. Yes, it is THAT elaborate. I took a ton of pics of it, as I think it might be the most impressive piece of architecture I've ever seen.
Just check this:
After spending some time there, we wandered around to do some shopping.
We kind of missed the cool spots and were just spinning our wheels. 
By this point, Daniel was about done so we took him back to the hostel to chill, and Meredith and I went for a gondola ride. That's right, I said gondola.
It goes up the mountain to a castle which overlooks the docks as well as the city.
Very beautiful, especially because it contains 2 of my favorite things:
Cats
and giant guns.
Here's one of our signature pics of us standing around with our mouths open. So classy.That night we went out for dinner and walked around town. Barcelona is just so laid back.
It was nice to be in that kind of place.
This guy behind the counter looks just like Newman from Seinfeld. Awesome.And so, the following morning it was back to the bus and onto a plane. We flew into Stansted Airport which was out in the middle of nowhere. On the other hand, it wasn't Luton. After yet another long bus ride we arrived in
Greenwich back where we started our trek. We just hung out at St. Christopher's and had some dinner. I had a couple of beers, and Meredith and Daniel had cider. 
Daniel learned an important lesson about the importance of sipping cider, much to his peril. We had an early night as we had to be off early the next day.The next morning we went to Heathrow to send Daniel off. On the way, we remembered what an absolute labyrinth that place is, so we got someone from the airline to escort him to his gate. We said our goodbyes and were off.
I suffered my only injury on the trip while we were heading for the bus to Reading. We were on the elevator when some people got on. I pulled the suitcase towards myself and caught it on my big toenail. It ripped upwards away from my skin. As the elevator was full of people who likely weren't fond of hearing the seven words you'll never hear on television (although George Carlin had obviously never heard of HBO), I elected to silently shriek and look at Meredith with an expression of abject horror and pain. I got a band aid from a dude at the coffee shop.The bus and train trips were uneventful, for once, and we made our way safely home. Once we arrived, I heard from Alan (our totally awesome landlord) that Wyevale was closing down. It turns out it was in the local paper. I found out from my boss that they're closing it to relocate to Slough, near London. So, it looks like I'm out of work in mid February. However, I will be receiving a pretty decent severance package (around 1300 gbp). I feel bad for the other people there, as they will have to start over...I mean, who can just pick up and move to London? So, I'm pretty lucky and (after all it is Thanksgiving) thankful for the fact that we CAN just take off at any time. Most people don't have that option. I know I sound really bitter about this experience, and I likely will look back on this with fondness. That's what Meredith has been saying to me...that was until her car accident this afternoon (don't worry, she wasn't hurt at all). I'll let her fill y'all in about it, since it is after all the latest chapter in her "Me vs. Cars" opus.
Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving. It's funny that I never used to put much stock in this holiday. With all the crazy, stressful, and downright awful things that have happened to us and to our loved ones this year, I am just so thankful to have all of you in my life. Well, that's all for now. Missing you lots. Love to all.
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