I couldn't tear my eyes away from weather.com for watching Ike! It seems as though most fared alright. It sounded as though Gov. Perry did a great job of getting those warnings out, getting people evacuated and just making sure things were covered. As we had a hard lesson learned from Katrina. Granted, I'm not THERE so I could be dead wrong, and it is just awful.
I'm hoping and praying that everyone is okay and that people were able to get out of there that wanted/needed to and all you crazies that stayed put are safe and sound and dry and will have power and water again very soon.
Bet you are HOT though! Hey its a nice balmy 60 degrees here today and I'm freezing my ass off actually, come on over and have a visit! ha!
Today I have come to the conclusion that I need some super duper ultra heavy duty arctic mukluk house shoes. Seriously. My feet are constantly cold and I'm about to be running around wearing leg warmers and 7 pair of socks and its not even winter yet. Worse yet, as much as I hate it, I've even got carpet everywhere but the kitchen and 60 bathrooms. The rest of me is just fine, just my feet. Stupid ice cube toes.
Nothing major going on here. Just wanted to holler at my peeps down South and hope that everyone made it through the little thunderstorm yesterday.
Much love!
XOXO
Nearly there....
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Thursday, September 11, 2008
A moment of reflection, let's go back to a sad sad day...
It probably took me a few hours to realize today's date. That happens when you are confined you know. I hardly know what day of the week it is.
The instant I realized today's date, I felt sick. I instantly had that movie-like moment, you know where they pause.... and there is that blurry zip back to some moment in time and that day played through in fast forward. Such a nauseating memory.
The mass confusion, hysteria, fear, crying, numbness. You could hear it on the radio, see it on the tv, see it on the faces of people you passed in public. Numb. Shocked.
It was likely the most impactful day in society in my life. I do remember other big things, the crash of the Challenger, tsunami's and hurricanes and bridge collapses and major earthquakes. However, none of those were intentional.
I can remember exactly where I was. Exactly what I was doing and if it weren't just another mundane workday, I'd probably even remember what I was wearing. I never really believed the people who'd say, the exact thing they were doing when Kennedy was shot. Seriously? You were having fried eggs and ham with a coffee at jim's diner on 4th street? really?
Yes, really. Sadly, I can relate now and most definitely believe them.
I was driving to work, I was on loop 322 just about to exit on Oldham Lane to my office when the announcement was made on the radio. I was horrified knowing how many people would have been in that building. It had to be an accident. I thought maybe there was some massive issue with the plane and even imagined the pilots doing everything they could to keep from hitting this building, themselves, horrified at the lives ON the plane but also in the city that were about to be lost. How little my naive mind knew.
I went into my office and the people that were already there, were buzzing. Some standing with that numb look, some crying, some in a panic b/c they knew someone that was there. I went on back to my desk where my best bud and office mate was also sporting that look. Numb. Shocked, we're discussing it, still wondering what on earth was going on? Then my phone rang and it was my ex telling me a plane hit one of the twin towers. Yeah, duh kinda heard that already. "No, it was ANOTHER one."
I'm not believing, not absorbing. No, you're wrong dummy, it was just one, why on earth would TWO hit it? I remember pulling up CNN on my computer. Holy hell. It was another plane. Now the thought rolls through my still sluggish mind that there is some serious malfunction in air traffic control and planes are going to start crashing into everything everywhere. THen one crashes into a field in Pennsylvania, and another into the PEntagon.
People are crying all over the office. Work is at a standstill, they've pulled the TV out of the conference room into reception and people are all standing around with wet eyes, staring in disbelief. The news anchor is hardly able to keep it together either.
The sheer horror of what was going on. How many more were there? Where all were they targeting? What on earth were all of these passengers going through? How can we get these people out of the towers before they are all consumed by the fire?
It brings that sting to my eyes still now to go back through the things I so vividly remember this many but few years later.
We stayed at work, we had to finish that day. Everytime a plane flew over, T would nearly hit the ground she was so shaken. Seeing how severely it affected so many I knew was surreal. One friend, in a whirlwind trying to find her dear friend who worked at the pentagon. Trying some way to get a hold of someone and find if she was at work or not.
After work. I drove home alone. I sat there alone and watched the news, something I never did, and cried. Still not realizing the severity of it all, there was no way any of us could have.
It changed us all so severely to begin with, and forever there after. To this day, I think we all do some things differently, whatever they may be. However small it might be to you, things we may not even realize we do differently since then.
One thing I do recall, is the feeling of pride at how people came together. At the people that dropped everything without a second thought and rushed out to do something, anything. The people that drove all the way to New York to only be turned away when they wanted to help.
Regardless of how you feel about the wars and the politics and whatever in the world else that people tack onto the events surrounding this date, just don't forget.
Don't forget the people that were heroes. The brave people who died, who nearly did, or didn't care if they did if only they could keep someone else from it. Don't forget the people that were lost and don't forget the people that lost someone. Remember all of them. That, more than anything, is what people seem to lose focus on and make it about themselves and what ever they are fist pounding about that week.
All of that said, I do always ask on this day what was going on with you? When anyone and I speak about it. It is a good reminder to anyone of how it affected you in that raw moment.
So here, I ask the questions I've asked of some of my friends today. Feel free to comment with your answers if you want, and if not...that's okay too. Just think of it to yourself and hold that moment in honor of everyone that this so gravely affected.
Where were you?
How did you first hear?
What were you doing?
What was your first thought?
What was your day like after you found out?
How do you think it changed you if at all?
My heart goes out to all of those who lost someone that day. Where I come from...you are not forgotten.
The instant I realized today's date, I felt sick. I instantly had that movie-like moment, you know where they pause.... and there is that blurry zip back to some moment in time and that day played through in fast forward. Such a nauseating memory.
The mass confusion, hysteria, fear, crying, numbness. You could hear it on the radio, see it on the tv, see it on the faces of people you passed in public. Numb. Shocked.
It was likely the most impactful day in society in my life. I do remember other big things, the crash of the Challenger, tsunami's and hurricanes and bridge collapses and major earthquakes. However, none of those were intentional.
I can remember exactly where I was. Exactly what I was doing and if it weren't just another mundane workday, I'd probably even remember what I was wearing. I never really believed the people who'd say, the exact thing they were doing when Kennedy was shot. Seriously? You were having fried eggs and ham with a coffee at jim's diner on 4th street? really?
Yes, really. Sadly, I can relate now and most definitely believe them.
I was driving to work, I was on loop 322 just about to exit on Oldham Lane to my office when the announcement was made on the radio. I was horrified knowing how many people would have been in that building. It had to be an accident. I thought maybe there was some massive issue with the plane and even imagined the pilots doing everything they could to keep from hitting this building, themselves, horrified at the lives ON the plane but also in the city that were about to be lost. How little my naive mind knew.
I went into my office and the people that were already there, were buzzing. Some standing with that numb look, some crying, some in a panic b/c they knew someone that was there. I went on back to my desk where my best bud and office mate was also sporting that look. Numb. Shocked, we're discussing it, still wondering what on earth was going on? Then my phone rang and it was my ex telling me a plane hit one of the twin towers. Yeah, duh kinda heard that already. "No, it was ANOTHER one."
I'm not believing, not absorbing. No, you're wrong dummy, it was just one, why on earth would TWO hit it? I remember pulling up CNN on my computer. Holy hell. It was another plane. Now the thought rolls through my still sluggish mind that there is some serious malfunction in air traffic control and planes are going to start crashing into everything everywhere. THen one crashes into a field in Pennsylvania, and another into the PEntagon.
People are crying all over the office. Work is at a standstill, they've pulled the TV out of the conference room into reception and people are all standing around with wet eyes, staring in disbelief. The news anchor is hardly able to keep it together either.
The sheer horror of what was going on. How many more were there? Where all were they targeting? What on earth were all of these passengers going through? How can we get these people out of the towers before they are all consumed by the fire?
It brings that sting to my eyes still now to go back through the things I so vividly remember this many but few years later.
We stayed at work, we had to finish that day. Everytime a plane flew over, T would nearly hit the ground she was so shaken. Seeing how severely it affected so many I knew was surreal. One friend, in a whirlwind trying to find her dear friend who worked at the pentagon. Trying some way to get a hold of someone and find if she was at work or not.
After work. I drove home alone. I sat there alone and watched the news, something I never did, and cried. Still not realizing the severity of it all, there was no way any of us could have.
It changed us all so severely to begin with, and forever there after. To this day, I think we all do some things differently, whatever they may be. However small it might be to you, things we may not even realize we do differently since then.
One thing I do recall, is the feeling of pride at how people came together. At the people that dropped everything without a second thought and rushed out to do something, anything. The people that drove all the way to New York to only be turned away when they wanted to help.
Regardless of how you feel about the wars and the politics and whatever in the world else that people tack onto the events surrounding this date, just don't forget.
Don't forget the people that were heroes. The brave people who died, who nearly did, or didn't care if they did if only they could keep someone else from it. Don't forget the people that were lost and don't forget the people that lost someone. Remember all of them. That, more than anything, is what people seem to lose focus on and make it about themselves and what ever they are fist pounding about that week.
All of that said, I do always ask on this day what was going on with you? When anyone and I speak about it. It is a good reminder to anyone of how it affected you in that raw moment.
So here, I ask the questions I've asked of some of my friends today. Feel free to comment with your answers if you want, and if not...that's okay too. Just think of it to yourself and hold that moment in honor of everyone that this so gravely affected.
Where were you?
How did you first hear?
What were you doing?
What was your first thought?
What was your day like after you found out?
How do you think it changed you if at all?
My heart goes out to all of those who lost someone that day. Where I come from...you are not forgotten.
I can sleep here
Most of you are still asleep. Granted, even by now if I were back home stuck in that awful rut still, I'd STILL be awake (FYI it is currently 2:30am in Texas).
Yuck.
I feel like CRAP when I don't get sleep. I'm not very friendly and caring either. So I've realized 1. in hindsight and 2. the couple of times I was unable to get much sleep since we have been here.
So, no wonder I always seemed so dull and lifeless and bitchy. I was EXHAUSTED! For quite awhile too mind you! Stay at home with babies, two of them that are darn nearly twins, but just far enough apart to make you never stop running, try to run business, keep house, cook, and either do or don't or only sometimes have the hubby there. Well, there wasn'tmuch time for actually getting my WORK done, so pretty much anything else was spotty at best and then I would stay up in a daze working till 3 or 4 am every night and then up with the boys by 7 or 8 at the latest. Do that for a couple of years and tell me what shape you are in!
Me? Total mess apparently and too damn tired to even realize it.
What have I learned since getting a little sleep? Especially since recently having a few nights where I had to stay up to the wee hours to get a couple of things done?
While I'm definitely still a scatter brain, not nearly as much of one. I could actually finish tasks that I began rather than having 100 half completed tasks and never getting anywhere. Large tasks these are not, but... hey it's progress you know. I must say, I was starting to be proud of myself. WOW! I AM capable of simple things like the general population after all! Sleep IS important!
Anyway. I will spare you all my idiocy and rambling. It's about time for another Mommy afternoon out, I can tell.
I came back on this morning to add more photos!
I never knew BK had these things anymore. I remember how much I LOVED playing with them when I was little! Apparently you have to ASK for them.
Cody wasn't quite so into the crown though...
Apparently the best way to get a clear shot of my kids is to strap them into a seat where they can't move or escape. Call me a shameless mom, but I really have some breathtaking kids!
Could anyone resist that? I came in to find Co with some plumbers crack and hit a dead run to get my camera before he moved.
Luckily he was too intent on his playing to even notice and stayed there for a long while. Seriously, mother of him or not, how GORGEOUS is this kid?????
That's my boy! :)
Just an attempt at some building shots. I will, hopefully, have the lens I covet so much very soon. That will certainly make many of these MUCH more interesting! :) Anyway, a small street in Bury St. Edmunds. Walking down this street, I was wishing my good friend Jayne could come visit, I know we would have a blast doing some exploring with cameras galore!
Mike having his very first bona fide British Fish and Chips. He said it was pretty good and Kade shared with him as well.
You just can't know how freakin HAPPY it makes me that my big boy will smile for me now!
We got a little too sleepy playing outside one day. 
Isn't it great, that still at this age, me blowing bubble gum bubbles for him still gets this reaction? I'll blow them all day long for it! 
His attempt at blowing a bubble. He tried and tried and tried until he blew his slimey gum out in my face! ha!
Everyone keeps asking for photos of the house. I guess I need to go take some more of the inside but have to do it with the little camera. This is our house from the back (so now Jay can see it really IS a 3 story! haha). Not a lot of windows in the homes here. The more windows you have, the more radiators you have, the more radiators you have the more really pricey oil you use etc...
Cody running back from chasing the peacocks. I really love our backyard. I adore this view so much too, but the fence will be going up soon and I will lose it. I would almost opt not to put it up right there, but I just know I'd end up regretting it later and it would be too late to do anything about it then. For now, I can enjoy it though.
And for the finale for this post... one of my new all time favorite Cody pics! I hate to inform him, but his butt crack picture is about to go up on the wall, in large.
P-I-C-T-U-R-E-S!!!!
Um, I'm adding the posts that I couldn't post while I Had no internet. So, while I am often Chatty Cathy lately, I'm not THAT bad today!
I think I have one or two more to add, but its getting kinda late and I would like some sleep.
SO, without further ado, I shall leave everyone with something I've been promising for awhile.
PHOTOS!!!!!
Yeah, I'll admit it finally, sometimes he really IS that sweet.
Come on now Mike, really really no relation to Bill Cosby??? Are you sure?
Uh oh, he's been wathing his big bro at work too much already...
Mike and the boys by a hut on Huntstanton Beach
Here is Kade trying to sport some 'tude in the backseat. 3 years old is way fun!
Cody at the beach. Tide is out!
Wouldn't you think their first trip to the beach would be wearing swimsuits and building sand castles? Only in a perfect world I guess. haha! We stayed for a whole 10 minutes MAYBE. It was cold as hell and windier than that and rainy too!
Kade and I digging up "clams" on the beach
So...instead I will go move Kade to his bed and snuggle with my Mikey.
Night all and back to finish the rest of my old posts, one very important one, and add more photos!
Love love!
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
If you want a certain outcome, choose the right flower
What’s that you say?
Well, if you want to play the “He loves me, he loves me not” game, then you should certainly choose the proper flower to receive the outcome you wish for. If you are hoping he does not, then you might go with a flower with an odd number of petals you know.
Me, obviously there’s no wishing to it, but I’d always pick a flower of even numbered petals of course. Not to mention I have a weird OCD issue with even numbers anyway, so regardless, I’d still get the same outcome. Perhaps a subconscious method to always be loved according to a flower? Who honestly knows, only if I’m paying attention when I pick up that flower.
Luckily I’ve not had to play that game in ages, nor had I since I was very young. You can obviously figure out it has nothing to do with love whatsoever. I am loved, however, very much. I am just lucky that way these days. Maybe it’s from so many years of NOT being that I am overwhelmed with it now. Lucky me, lucky me indeed!
So you long line of gals waiting for me to croak so you can have your spot in line… I’m going to live forever just to be a shit. Granted, all of you close enough to me to know what a great guy I’ve got, know me well enough that I am just that much of a shit. So properly called on many occasions!
What the hell is my point? Not much really. Just to show off my lovely lilies. Mike learned, in a very short time in our relationship that flowers as an apology will get him nowhere but a longer sentence in the dog house. I LOATHE what I call, “ass kissing flowers” with all my being. I always have. If there is anyone on this earth that thinks a $25 dozen flowers that will wilt and die in a matter of days is going to fix any issue at all in any form of relationship, you are in a state of serious denial. What I DO love though, are the “just because I thought of you when I saw these” or the “I heard you say once that you would love these” flowers. Those flowers are awesome. They are the very best kind indeed. Sure, there are the times that you might just want them on Valentine’s Day at the office because well, it sucks to be the only one with that empty corner on your desk. Granted, you can come into work the next day and brag on the candlelit bubble bath and chocolate covered strawberries and wild monkey lovin’ you got the night before. That’ll usually shut em up! Ha!
Anyway, I’ll share a photo now. These. These are my lovely lilies, the lilies I can see sitting in my fantastic kitchen window every morning first thing. Everyday, all throughout my day that remind me that he did listen that time, and he did think of me and he did fulfill that tiny little insignificant fantasy I had.
Well, if you want to play the “He loves me, he loves me not” game, then you should certainly choose the proper flower to receive the outcome you wish for. If you are hoping he does not, then you might go with a flower with an odd number of petals you know.
Me, obviously there’s no wishing to it, but I’d always pick a flower of even numbered petals of course. Not to mention I have a weird OCD issue with even numbers anyway, so regardless, I’d still get the same outcome. Perhaps a subconscious method to always be loved according to a flower? Who honestly knows, only if I’m paying attention when I pick up that flower.
Luckily I’ve not had to play that game in ages, nor had I since I was very young. You can obviously figure out it has nothing to do with love whatsoever. I am loved, however, very much. I am just lucky that way these days. Maybe it’s from so many years of NOT being that I am overwhelmed with it now. Lucky me, lucky me indeed!
So you long line of gals waiting for me to croak so you can have your spot in line… I’m going to live forever just to be a shit. Granted, all of you close enough to me to know what a great guy I’ve got, know me well enough that I am just that much of a shit. So properly called on many occasions!
What the hell is my point? Not much really. Just to show off my lovely lilies. Mike learned, in a very short time in our relationship that flowers as an apology will get him nowhere but a longer sentence in the dog house. I LOATHE what I call, “ass kissing flowers” with all my being. I always have. If there is anyone on this earth that thinks a $25 dozen flowers that will wilt and die in a matter of days is going to fix any issue at all in any form of relationship, you are in a state of serious denial. What I DO love though, are the “just because I thought of you when I saw these” or the “I heard you say once that you would love these” flowers. Those flowers are awesome. They are the very best kind indeed. Sure, there are the times that you might just want them on Valentine’s Day at the office because well, it sucks to be the only one with that empty corner on your desk. Granted, you can come into work the next day and brag on the candlelit bubble bath and chocolate covered strawberries and wild monkey lovin’ you got the night before. That’ll usually shut em up! Ha!
Anyway, I’ll share a photo now. These. These are my lovely lilies, the lilies I can see sitting in my fantastic kitchen window every morning first thing. Everyday, all throughout my day that remind me that he did listen that time, and he did think of me and he did fulfill that tiny little insignificant fantasy I had.
Since we’ve been here, I’ve already learned so much about the area and with that, I will try to share that knowledge with you. You can read on and close your eyes and try to imagine it for yourself, then…when you come to VISIT it will just make it all the more interesting to see for yourself, right?
Let’s hope!
In the traffic handbook, and/or driving class you might or might not read and take, you learn about lay by’s. Something I’ve found very nice about driving here is that they most definitely mean for you to take a rest if you need to. Whereas in Texas, at least, it always seemed that if you needed to pull off for a break, you had to drive for 200 miles for the next creepy rest area or gas station. God forbid you ever pull off on the side of the road for a few ZZZZ’s because you’d surely have some form of law enforcement tapping on your window wanting to know what the hell you are up to and trying to shove some spitbox in your mouth and make you walk a straight line. Which I could never do stone cold sober as it is, and NO for the record I have never once been pulled over for drinking and driving, nor given any form of field sobriety. I just know a lot of folks that have!
This is coming from someone who in the last few years has become one of those people who constantly gets very tired from driving. Used to I could drive for hours on end before I even needed a potty break, much less getting tired! Road trips were awesome! However, as the insomnia took over more regularly my ability to stay fully awake for the short drive from Abilene to Merkel was often rare. Which, of course, is very scary, especially with the cargo I often have in my vehicle. Here though, there are lay by’s every so many miles, I mean it is dizzying sometimes how many there are. The ways that they are utilized is more and more humorous and nice all at the same time. Have you ever seen a mobile barber? They have them here, they pull off on the lay by, so perhaps if you’ve been driving too long and also are looking a bit puffy headed, you can stop off for a rest and a cut. That definitely called for a 2nd look! I see him there all the time, just off the A-11 near Thetford.
There are also hot dog vendors, that truly freaks me out, but so do the food vendors on street corners in large cities. Best of all though, there are the flower vendors. Signs lead the way and give you plenty of notice that there are fresh cut flowers ahead for an extremely reasonable price. As you drive on by him, you see these enormous beautiful colorful bouquets of flowers that will make any woman smile.
One of the many times we drove by, and I made my point to vocalize the very obvious signage, I made the point of adding how neat it would be, for Mike to bring a new different bouquet home each week on the same day. I’d love to have a vase of fresh flowers on our kitchen table, and have a variety all the time.
How neat it would be now, how neat it would be to tell people that each week, he brings me a new bouquet of a new flower to put on the table on his way home from work. How neat would it be that he were STILL doing that when we were old and gray?
It’s something that I could see my grandparents doing, either set, if they’d have ever found an ounce of value in a bouquet of flowers that is. Now that we don’t have the mindset from the depression though, it’s okay for us to waste that bit of money.
So, one day, home from work he sends the boys rushing into the kitchen where I’m cooking dinner each with a bouquet of these giant gorgeous lilies straight from Holland. How neat is that? For a gal from West Texas? Pretty darn cool I must say. Fresh cut flowers straight over from Holland? Uh, yeah that’s pretty cool!
I think I need a larger vase though, I had to trim a LOT off of them to fit in there.
Aren’t they just gorgeous though? Isn’t HE just gorgeous too? For finally, actually taking a mental note and REMEMBERING it? (It IS Mike we’re talking about here).
He’s a sweet fella, what can I say? We’re raising some sweet little fellas too because they tell me, each on their own almost daily how pretty my flowers are and that they were just for me. So, honestly, I suppose if you were on your way to impress a lady, a lay by might be a good spot to stop in. Have a hotdog (okay perhaps skip that because I can only think of bad breath and spending the evening in the toilet) get a haircut and buy her lots of flowers. Showing up to a date with a fresh cut you and an arm load of fresh cut flowers? Big points guys, big points indeed!
Rainy Days
I love them so much. Yes, still. Everyone says I’ll get tired of them quickly, but I don’t know about that. Today is finally a rainy day. Day before yesterday was sort of. I think we went about 3 whole days without a drop and Mike and I both almost at the same instant said how we wished it would hurry and rain again.
Now if only I had something to put in my fireplace to burn and some super comfy jammies, I could be having a very perfect comfy moment right this instant. It is cool and raining out, both boys are napping at the same time, which makes for a luxurious afternoon, no matter what is on my project list. The house is totally silent except for my ticking away on the keyboard here. Other than the sound of rain, that is.
We decided to go ahead and put my office on the ground floor, for which I am very thankful. I have windows. Sure there was A window in the original room it was going to be in, but a very, very small window that was up too high to really see out of anyway. I must have a window to see out of, lots of natural light and some bits of nature to flow in. Right now, I can look out my window and see the rain falling on the adorable fence between mine and my neighbor’s yard and just beyond that above the trees, I can see the church. The ancient old church, from the 1700’s I believe, but don’t quote me. Come to find out this particular church, which I can’t name at the moment, was a station for US troops during WWII. Don’t you know that got Mike all excited to see that?
Anyway, it is the reason our “road” is called what it is, our subdivision, whatever you call it here, Church View Close. Love it.
Have I ever yet mentioned that I absolutely ADORE where we live? I really do. We’ve not made it to the pub just yet, hopefully soon though. There are a total of eight homes already built, one in the process back here. One is still empty, one we’ve not met yet but all the rest we know and they are fantastic!
Two of those, of course, are the other two military families that moved in the same day we did. Three others are English families and they are so so friendly!
See how friendly they are? Barely a week in the place and I get a fresh basket of carrots straight from the garden! Okay, they were really in a bag, but I laughed so hard at our friend around the curve when she asked if mine came in that basket because hers had come in a bag. Haha! I thought they were pretty and could serve as part of the decoration here until they are all consumed!
I’ll be making a roast in a couple of days that will likely take up a majority of them! I just love it though. This little “hood” just makes you feel all cozy. We can receive packages for one another from the postman and watch out for the repairman or keep an eye out for each other while someone is on holiday etc… We’ve all had a laugh here and there at the differences in our countries as well.
I can envision Christmas parties and just because parties and Mike and I have already decided we will ensue Tex-Mex night so we can enlighten them with my (what will now for SURE be) world famous quesadillas and enchiladas and some corona etc… I’ll be sure to have plenty of tums and pepto on hand for everyone! At any rate, the people here are all so very friendly, they have been so helpful and we’ve tried however we can to return the favor. I have not ever lived in any neighborhood like this back home, so it is definitely making this change much easier and nicer.
It is such a comfortable place and I still love our peacocks! They say they’ll drive me batty soon enough, but for now we still find them very endearing. I’ve also found there are many, many more here than we’d originally thought. We’ve now counted out 3 grown males and 2 grown females who each have babies totaling out at 6. Hmmm….if you’ve ever been around peacocks, you understand they can sometimes be pretty noisy. Eleven of them in one tiny little village might get a little crazy come spring time! I still giggle out loud every time one of the mama’s makes her warning honk. The boys laugh so hard and copy her, and then she does it again because they made a weird noise at her.
They also like cheetos. Hope that isn’t seriously detrimental to the health of peacocks, because we feed them curly cheetos often.
At any rate, if anyone was worried about where we were to end up living, we absolutely LOVE it here. You really don’t ever know the prison is back there at all. You do hear them playing football once in awhile (to us Americans that’s soccer) but you’d never think anything of it as it sounds just like any other game being played any other place.
Oh the other nice neat thing? The police. They actually came by each of our homes and knocked on the door and introduced themselves, told us how nice and quiet it is here and gave us their cards if we ever needed anything at all. Isn’t that sweet?
Mike has met a few buddies he can play golf with also, there are several teenagers around that can babysit, the other ladies all seem wonderful. Can it be real?
We love our house (now that the kinks are finally getting worked out), we looooove our yard (otherwise known as garden) and we love the people here and the little ‘hood’ we’re in.
I’ll even admit though, that I can’t wait till that dumb dog is here. She’ll complete our little white picket fence scene. Granted, our family in its entirety would totally complete it, but we’ve got our little family here all together and that is what we are so grateful for. Missing everyone back home for sure, but enjoying our new home!!!
Now if only I had something to put in my fireplace to burn and some super comfy jammies, I could be having a very perfect comfy moment right this instant. It is cool and raining out, both boys are napping at the same time, which makes for a luxurious afternoon, no matter what is on my project list. The house is totally silent except for my ticking away on the keyboard here. Other than the sound of rain, that is.
We decided to go ahead and put my office on the ground floor, for which I am very thankful. I have windows. Sure there was A window in the original room it was going to be in, but a very, very small window that was up too high to really see out of anyway. I must have a window to see out of, lots of natural light and some bits of nature to flow in. Right now, I can look out my window and see the rain falling on the adorable fence between mine and my neighbor’s yard and just beyond that above the trees, I can see the church. The ancient old church, from the 1700’s I believe, but don’t quote me. Come to find out this particular church, which I can’t name at the moment, was a station for US troops during WWII. Don’t you know that got Mike all excited to see that?
Anyway, it is the reason our “road” is called what it is, our subdivision, whatever you call it here, Church View Close. Love it.
Have I ever yet mentioned that I absolutely ADORE where we live? I really do. We’ve not made it to the pub just yet, hopefully soon though. There are a total of eight homes already built, one in the process back here. One is still empty, one we’ve not met yet but all the rest we know and they are fantastic!
Two of those, of course, are the other two military families that moved in the same day we did. Three others are English families and they are so so friendly!
See how friendly they are? Barely a week in the place and I get a fresh basket of carrots straight from the garden! Okay, they were really in a bag, but I laughed so hard at our friend around the curve when she asked if mine came in that basket because hers had come in a bag. Haha! I thought they were pretty and could serve as part of the decoration here until they are all consumed!
I’ll be making a roast in a couple of days that will likely take up a majority of them! I just love it though. This little “hood” just makes you feel all cozy. We can receive packages for one another from the postman and watch out for the repairman or keep an eye out for each other while someone is on holiday etc… We’ve all had a laugh here and there at the differences in our countries as well.
I can envision Christmas parties and just because parties and Mike and I have already decided we will ensue Tex-Mex night so we can enlighten them with my (what will now for SURE be) world famous quesadillas and enchiladas and some corona etc… I’ll be sure to have plenty of tums and pepto on hand for everyone! At any rate, the people here are all so very friendly, they have been so helpful and we’ve tried however we can to return the favor. I have not ever lived in any neighborhood like this back home, so it is definitely making this change much easier and nicer.
It is such a comfortable place and I still love our peacocks! They say they’ll drive me batty soon enough, but for now we still find them very endearing. I’ve also found there are many, many more here than we’d originally thought. We’ve now counted out 3 grown males and 2 grown females who each have babies totaling out at 6. Hmmm….if you’ve ever been around peacocks, you understand they can sometimes be pretty noisy. Eleven of them in one tiny little village might get a little crazy come spring time! I still giggle out loud every time one of the mama’s makes her warning honk. The boys laugh so hard and copy her, and then she does it again because they made a weird noise at her.
They also like cheetos. Hope that isn’t seriously detrimental to the health of peacocks, because we feed them curly cheetos often.
At any rate, if anyone was worried about where we were to end up living, we absolutely LOVE it here. You really don’t ever know the prison is back there at all. You do hear them playing football once in awhile (to us Americans that’s soccer) but you’d never think anything of it as it sounds just like any other game being played any other place.
Oh the other nice neat thing? The police. They actually came by each of our homes and knocked on the door and introduced themselves, told us how nice and quiet it is here and gave us their cards if we ever needed anything at all. Isn’t that sweet?
Mike has met a few buddies he can play golf with also, there are several teenagers around that can babysit, the other ladies all seem wonderful. Can it be real?
We love our house (now that the kinks are finally getting worked out), we looooove our yard (otherwise known as garden) and we love the people here and the little ‘hood’ we’re in.
I’ll even admit though, that I can’t wait till that dumb dog is here. She’ll complete our little white picket fence scene. Granted, our family in its entirety would totally complete it, but we’ve got our little family here all together and that is what we are so grateful for. Missing everyone back home for sure, but enjoying our new home!!!
Monday, September 8, 2008
I made it!!!
Yep. I've survived 2.5 weeks with no internet! I did have access to my gmail...to read it, but rarely to actually respond. I mean...I could respond, but it would just get lost and make me sign in again. Wasn't THAT fun? Especially with some of the things I was trying to deal with! No one ever needs ya until you can't get back with them right?
I wasn't very interested in staying up all night long and racking up a $500 phone bill, so its all had to wait until now. However, a lovely chap brought me some internet today. No, I did not kiss him, hug him or high five him. I simply signed for my package and shoved him off my front step and slammed the door! ha!
I know everyone can totally SEE that too. hehe
Anyway, we're back and in action again. Although, I've got a lot of running around to do this afternoon. Dr's appt. today, which is a complete and total waste of time but I won't complain about the military healthcare system and the lack of organization or communication here. Nope not a word. Then I have to actually go to a LAUNDRO-MAT to wash Kade's comforter (don't ask) b/c although I was miraculously able to shove it in the teeeeeny tiny washing machine, while it took every limb I had to get it in there, it didn't do much washin. THEN I'm off to shop! Nothing major really. The nearest Sainsbury's is opening up their new side which includes homewares and clothing and I DO love their childrens clothing, so I'll be stopping off there on the way home. THere are still so many little things we need for the house.
Who'd ever have thought of all the damn bathroom stuff I've got to get now? Yikes!
At any rate. I guess while being completely and totally cut off from the outside world beyond my fence I've sorta gotten used to this whole blogging thing. So I wrote out a few I'll have to post later on to get it all caught up.
We had a big day here last week. Bittersweet indeed. :)
Definitely have a good one on that! :)
Oh and....AND....I CAN POST PHOTOS AND VIDEO NOW!!!!!!!!!
YAY!
Everyone (that gets stuff from me i.e. family and close friends) get geared up to be ordering some new pics!!! I'll be trying to load stuff through the evenings for quite awhile now. I had to buy the biggest darn internet package they had here so I could just share stuff! ha
At any rate. I've been paying for my damn internet provider back home this whole time because I was a dummy and did not forward email correctly. I've just now opened it and its still going wild. Holy hell. I hope that's mostly stupid spams!
So...if you sent an email, be patient and bear with me because I am just now seeing it! Um, well not just now because its still going insane, meaning I'll wait for it to all load and then I will have to sift through it all.
****** ON THAT NOTE --- VERY IMPORTANT!*******
Please make sure that you have the CORRECT updated email addresses for us because the old ones are history as soon as all of this loads and I can get the company on the phone. Hopefully they will be forgiving too, since we for some reason, ended up with the wireless tower HERE when it was supposed to be left with my dear sister. Whoops.
If you do not have our email info, I will send out an update AGAIN as I get all of my personal contacts added now to the new one with our new info.
Otherwise, art.image.attitude@gmail.com is my biz basically, but honestly the one I check most and where my info@aimeepayne.net SHOULD have been forwarded to but was not. And our family email is the exact same as it was, but ends with gmail.com instead of clearwire. Nuff said, easy enough.
It will NOT change again peeps. I promise. Scout's honor! :)
WIth that, I need to see why the boys are so quiet and get ready for the LAUNDRO-MAT. Yay. At least its on base and during work hours so hopefully it won't be too bad and no one urinates in the tubs and is sleeping on the seats while I'm trying to wash our drawers. ha.
I'm so funny sometimes I swear.
P.S.
We absolutely totally miss EVERYONE back home VERY much....
but
We love it here! We love love LOVE our neighborhood. LOVE our house. LOVE our neighbors! Its wonderful and the boys are really enjoying it too!
Now I'm out to find some good rain gear for them so we can learn that you CAN go out in the rain here without being blown away in a tornado, beaten to a pulp by baseball sized hail or otherwise electrocuted by lightening, washed away in a flash flood etc... etc...
Love!!!!!
XOXO
Aimee
(too excited about being back online)
I wasn't very interested in staying up all night long and racking up a $500 phone bill, so its all had to wait until now. However, a lovely chap brought me some internet today. No, I did not kiss him, hug him or high five him. I simply signed for my package and shoved him off my front step and slammed the door! ha!
I know everyone can totally SEE that too. hehe
Anyway, we're back and in action again. Although, I've got a lot of running around to do this afternoon. Dr's appt. today, which is a complete and total waste of time but I won't complain about the military healthcare system and the lack of organization or communication here. Nope not a word. Then I have to actually go to a LAUNDRO-MAT to wash Kade's comforter (don't ask) b/c although I was miraculously able to shove it in the teeeeeny tiny washing machine, while it took every limb I had to get it in there, it didn't do much washin. THEN I'm off to shop! Nothing major really. The nearest Sainsbury's is opening up their new side which includes homewares and clothing and I DO love their childrens clothing, so I'll be stopping off there on the way home. THere are still so many little things we need for the house.
Who'd ever have thought of all the damn bathroom stuff I've got to get now? Yikes!
At any rate. I guess while being completely and totally cut off from the outside world beyond my fence I've sorta gotten used to this whole blogging thing. So I wrote out a few I'll have to post later on to get it all caught up.
We had a big day here last week. Bittersweet indeed. :)
Definitely have a good one on that! :)
Oh and....AND....I CAN POST PHOTOS AND VIDEO NOW!!!!!!!!!
YAY!
Everyone (that gets stuff from me i.e. family and close friends) get geared up to be ordering some new pics!!! I'll be trying to load stuff through the evenings for quite awhile now. I had to buy the biggest darn internet package they had here so I could just share stuff! ha
At any rate. I've been paying for my damn internet provider back home this whole time because I was a dummy and did not forward email correctly. I've just now opened it and its still going wild. Holy hell. I hope that's mostly stupid spams!
So...if you sent an email, be patient and bear with me because I am just now seeing it! Um, well not just now because its still going insane, meaning I'll wait for it to all load and then I will have to sift through it all.
****** ON THAT NOTE --- VERY IMPORTANT!*******
Please make sure that you have the CORRECT updated email addresses for us because the old ones are history as soon as all of this loads and I can get the company on the phone. Hopefully they will be forgiving too, since we for some reason, ended up with the wireless tower HERE when it was supposed to be left with my dear sister. Whoops.
If you do not have our email info, I will send out an update AGAIN as I get all of my personal contacts added now to the new one with our new info.
Otherwise, art.image.attitude@gmail.com is my biz basically, but honestly the one I check most and where my info@aimeepayne.net SHOULD have been forwarded to but was not. And our family email is the exact same as it was, but ends with gmail.com instead of clearwire. Nuff said, easy enough.
It will NOT change again peeps. I promise. Scout's honor! :)
WIth that, I need to see why the boys are so quiet and get ready for the LAUNDRO-MAT. Yay. At least its on base and during work hours so hopefully it won't be too bad and no one urinates in the tubs and is sleeping on the seats while I'm trying to wash our drawers. ha.
I'm so funny sometimes I swear.
P.S.
We absolutely totally miss EVERYONE back home VERY much....
but
We love it here! We love love LOVE our neighborhood. LOVE our house. LOVE our neighbors! Its wonderful and the boys are really enjoying it too!
Now I'm out to find some good rain gear for them so we can learn that you CAN go out in the rain here without being blown away in a tornado, beaten to a pulp by baseball sized hail or otherwise electrocuted by lightening, washed away in a flash flood etc... etc...
Love!!!!!
XOXO
Aimee
(too excited about being back online)
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