So many months later, and after so many high-hopes around Obama's success, we've quit the good ole US and returned to a life more damp in Scotland.
And it's good. Most things are still the same - good and bad. The weather is better than expected bizarrely enough, and life is beginning to settle in to a routine again.
It's not all sunny and light, we have ups and downs about our change of heart, but in the end we just came to the conclusion it was time to come home.
There are some things I'm determined I won't let go of. As well as the great friends we made; the can do mental attitude to every problem no matter how huge; the environmental responsibilities, the positive reinforcement / encouragement of our kids.
And some things I'm pleased to have experienced - but glad to ditch - the dodgy healthcare system, the attrociously outdated banking service, flipflops to work, and that damned wetsuit and the pressure to surf!
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Presidential elections
We just watched the election results come in, pretty moving stuff I have to say. In a week where, everyone I speak to is experiencing redundancies and downsizing it's amazing that there is any hope left in this country. We all watched it intently - everyone was gathering to watch the results together and even the kids were totally into it. (They've been wearing 'Trekies for Obama' buttons for weeks). Twinkle's homework was to color the states on a US map to match the results, and tally up the electoral votes - very creative way to make a 10 year take notice of politics I think.
Needless to say, the results and speeches blew us away. I admit to a tear in my own eye (very unlike me). Lets hope things start to pick up again - it may be getting to be too late for some of us other immigrants - when the work dries up, so do the work permits.
At this point I'd like to repeat that I do think some of the credit should go to Kieffer Sutherland for having a black president in 24. (Totally made people think it was indeed possible).
And Michelle's dress was hideous. (I HAD to get that out, would have sounded soooo shallow if I'd said it loud tonight).
Just looking out for the Sarah P chat show now. (its inevitable).
Needless to say, the results and speeches blew us away. I admit to a tear in my own eye (very unlike me). Lets hope things start to pick up again - it may be getting to be too late for some of us other immigrants - when the work dries up, so do the work permits.
At this point I'd like to repeat that I do think some of the credit should go to Kieffer Sutherland for having a black president in 24. (Totally made people think it was indeed possible).
And Michelle's dress was hideous. (I HAD to get that out, would have sounded soooo shallow if I'd said it loud tonight).
Just looking out for the Sarah P chat show now. (its inevitable).
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
night night
Tonight I fell into a remote-control-tv channel-flicking-induced temporary coma in front of a bad american sit com. So lock-up duty fell to me. (No rolling off the couch and into bed in this household.)
The routine (for me anyway) goes like this:
-clear various cups, glasses and yogurt pots from around the room and deposit in sink/bin
-turn off bathroom light and open shower curtain so that any child who has to get up in the night can see before they enter the bathroom that there are no monsters hiding in the bathtub
-be sure to leave bathroom door open
-check on daughter
-remove half empty water glass from precarious perch on side of bunk bed
-retrieve enormous hardback Harry Potter 5 book from bed
0-untangle the singular duvet clad leg from duvet so that the rest of daughter can be -covered up
-unplug lilac handbag shaped lamp
-check on fish - which means look at fish to see if catfish is nipping at the others (he's completely devoured 8 already, but the tiger barbs seem to be fending him off)
-be sure to leave door 30% ajar
-check on son
-remove empty water glass from precarious perch on side of bunk bed
-retrieve 2 books, ninja pencil, baseball mitt and skip cap from bed
--untangle solitary duvet covered leg and cover up entire child - twice - he always -kicks it right back off again first time
-unplug neon lights plug
-check on peanut the roboski hamster to make sure that a) he is alive b) he is in his cage and not running free around the house - which he frequently manages c) his 'silent running' wheel is sufficiently padded for his 4 hour nocturnal eddie kidd role -playing session ( if its not, the entire family is awake at 3am listening to a rattly -spinning hamster wheel)
-put out light
-close closet door completely
-be sure to leave room door completely ajar
-lock front door
-turn off all 4 room lamps that I turned on 3 hours before
unplug phone charger
-take glass of water upstairs so that the cocktail of inhibitors, supplements, and herbal remedies I have lined up can be taken
-remove throw pillows from 'my side' of the bed (husband can't manage this when he gets in first for some reason).
-turn off closet light
-unplug lamp
-turn off computer
THEN I can get ready for bed.
I don't recall this sort of task list from Little house on the prairie! Charles didn't even put the fire out. He just packed the sprogs off to the giant child bed in the loft then rolled in beside Mrs Walton and her pigtail and big cotton nightie.
Even the Waltons just kissed granma olive and granpa joe and went off to bed shoutin 'gnite John Boy, gnite Elizabeth, gnite Jim Bob ...'
I'm not really complaining. I obviously like to tuck my kids into bed. And its always a delight to marvel at what I find secreted under their little pillows (rocks, sticky tape, pom pom farms) But I do ask "is it just me??"
The routine (for me anyway) goes like this:
-clear various cups, glasses and yogurt pots from around the room and deposit in sink/bin
-turn off bathroom light and open shower curtain so that any child who has to get up in the night can see before they enter the bathroom that there are no monsters hiding in the bathtub
-be sure to leave bathroom door open
-check on daughter
-remove half empty water glass from precarious perch on side of bunk bed
-retrieve enormous hardback Harry Potter 5 book from bed
0-untangle the singular duvet clad leg from duvet so that the rest of daughter can be -covered up
-unplug lilac handbag shaped lamp
-check on fish - which means look at fish to see if catfish is nipping at the others (he's completely devoured 8 already, but the tiger barbs seem to be fending him off)
-be sure to leave door 30% ajar
-check on son
-remove empty water glass from precarious perch on side of bunk bed
-retrieve 2 books, ninja pencil, baseball mitt and skip cap from bed
--untangle solitary duvet covered leg and cover up entire child - twice - he always -kicks it right back off again first time
-unplug neon lights plug
-check on peanut the roboski hamster to make sure that a) he is alive b) he is in his cage and not running free around the house - which he frequently manages c) his 'silent running' wheel is sufficiently padded for his 4 hour nocturnal eddie kidd role -playing session ( if its not, the entire family is awake at 3am listening to a rattly -spinning hamster wheel)
-put out light
-close closet door completely
-be sure to leave room door completely ajar
-lock front door
-turn off all 4 room lamps that I turned on 3 hours before
unplug phone charger
-take glass of water upstairs so that the cocktail of inhibitors, supplements, and herbal remedies I have lined up can be taken
-remove throw pillows from 'my side' of the bed (husband can't manage this when he gets in first for some reason).
-turn off closet light
-unplug lamp
-turn off computer
THEN I can get ready for bed.
I don't recall this sort of task list from Little house on the prairie! Charles didn't even put the fire out. He just packed the sprogs off to the giant child bed in the loft then rolled in beside Mrs Walton and her pigtail and big cotton nightie.
Even the Waltons just kissed granma olive and granpa joe and went off to bed shoutin 'gnite John Boy, gnite Elizabeth, gnite Jim Bob ...'
I'm not really complaining. I obviously like to tuck my kids into bed. And its always a delight to marvel at what I find secreted under their little pillows (rocks, sticky tape, pom pom farms) But I do ask "is it just me??"
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Summers over
Yep, I've been very quiet - for 4 months I'm ashamed to admit.
I can't swear I've been too busy (although I have). Nor that nothing interesting has happened in that time. (Although some of you may argue that nothing interesting ever happens in my blog). I just kinda got busy and summer was here - and I lost the desire to write about stuff.
I can't promise I'm back in the groove now. Who knows? But I decided today to register as a volunteer for non-profits, so thought that might be an interesting little journey I'd like to log personally. So I'm back onboard for the moment.
In the meantime, lest I forget here's what I did this summer.
April, visa renewal application (paperwork hell)
May visa got approved. Tenants finally grudgingly moved out of Rose Cottage
June part #1 returned to Scotland - via the Hamptons where husbands dress sense was publicly deriled by v camp couple in matching pastel shade Bermuda shorts ensemble. (Ironic, I know) Husband handled it very well I have to say.
June part#2. Braced ourselves for the horrible, US embassy experience, packed little survival bags for the anticipated 7 hour ordeal. Were in and out in 45 minutes with approved new 3 year visas (hurrah!). Since the Embassy ban mobile phones, pda's and even key fobs we had nobody's number with us, so couldnt hook up with all the friends we hoped to catch up with. Instead spent the nice day dotting around London in the sunshine, and eating scones in Liberty's while waiting for our plane back up North.
July. Did a mini tour of Scotland with some American friends in tow. Slept in castles, ate in dungeons, laughed at the yanks chasing sheep and taking photos of their dinner. It was fun.
Then got stuck into the DIY proper in big panic for selling the house. Tenants smoked and had dogs (both forbidden in the lease) but what can you do? We painted, scrubbed, mowed, trimmed, pruned, laid floors, ditched furniture. Got totally bogged down in it and didnt manage to see all the friends we had planned too. We did manage to spend some time with immediate family though - so we haven't been completely disowned yet.
August. Back to the USA with too much luggage in tow. Our first visitors of the season (they got here the day before us!) A weekend in the mountains. Back to work and school and real life. - and fog. lots of fog.
September. Rose cottage not sold yet.But the sun is back. Had a FAB week at brunches, and sundowners and boating parties and looking forward to the glorious sunshine that is fall here in CA.
... And my new volunteering adventure. I'll keep you posted on that one. But as it's work related I'm going to open it up on a new blog. Will post that address here when I get around to getting started proper.
Feel free to post replies - its nice to know there's someone out there.
I can't swear I've been too busy (although I have). Nor that nothing interesting has happened in that time. (Although some of you may argue that nothing interesting ever happens in my blog). I just kinda got busy and summer was here - and I lost the desire to write about stuff.
I can't promise I'm back in the groove now. Who knows? But I decided today to register as a volunteer for non-profits, so thought that might be an interesting little journey I'd like to log personally. So I'm back onboard for the moment.
In the meantime, lest I forget here's what I did this summer.
April, visa renewal application (paperwork hell)
May visa got approved. Tenants finally grudgingly moved out of Rose Cottage
June part #1 returned to Scotland - via the Hamptons where husbands dress sense was publicly deriled by v camp couple in matching pastel shade Bermuda shorts ensemble. (Ironic, I know) Husband handled it very well I have to say.
June part#2. Braced ourselves for the horrible, US embassy experience, packed little survival bags for the anticipated 7 hour ordeal. Were in and out in 45 minutes with approved new 3 year visas (hurrah!). Since the Embassy ban mobile phones, pda's and even key fobs we had nobody's number with us, so couldnt hook up with all the friends we hoped to catch up with. Instead spent the nice day dotting around London in the sunshine, and eating scones in Liberty's while waiting for our plane back up North.
July. Did a mini tour of Scotland with some American friends in tow. Slept in castles, ate in dungeons, laughed at the yanks chasing sheep and taking photos of their dinner. It was fun.
Then got stuck into the DIY proper in big panic for selling the house. Tenants smoked and had dogs (both forbidden in the lease) but what can you do? We painted, scrubbed, mowed, trimmed, pruned, laid floors, ditched furniture. Got totally bogged down in it and didnt manage to see all the friends we had planned too. We did manage to spend some time with immediate family though - so we haven't been completely disowned yet.
August. Back to the USA with too much luggage in tow. Our first visitors of the season (they got here the day before us!) A weekend in the mountains. Back to work and school and real life. - and fog. lots of fog.
September. Rose cottage not sold yet.But the sun is back. Had a FAB week at brunches, and sundowners and boating parties and looking forward to the glorious sunshine that is fall here in CA.
... And my new volunteering adventure. I'll keep you posted on that one. But as it's work related I'm going to open it up on a new blog. Will post that address here when I get around to getting started proper.
Feel free to post replies - its nice to know there's someone out there.
Friday, March 28, 2008
Religion and kids
Easter Sunday.
"Why do we roll our eggs down a hill?"
"To symbolise the stone rolling away from Jesus's tomb".
"Why did the stone roll away?"
"Because he rose from the dead and he wanted to get out."
"He rose from the dead?"
"Yes, so the story says".
"So, Jesus was a zombie?"
"ehm.."
"Why do we roll our eggs down a hill?"
"To symbolise the stone rolling away from Jesus's tomb".
"Why did the stone roll away?"
"Because he rose from the dead and he wanted to get out."
"He rose from the dead?"
"Yes, so the story says".
"So, Jesus was a zombie?"
"ehm.."
neighbours
Husband discovered recently that Michelle Pfeiffer lives somewhere in the county. Have barely seen him for days. Now I understand the new coffee shop obsession.
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