Sample Pics from Oxford:)

Here we are in Oxford - many more photos to come. Just trying this out. Enjoy!

TTFN and other things;)

This one goes out to my hip Mother-in-Law (known as FMIL, the F for Favorite)
who asked "what in the heck TTFN stands for".
That would be Ta Ta For Now in web/texting language;)
I figured it was especially appropriate, being in England and all.

Planning on going to Dover ( the white cliffs of, etc) and hit Cantebury and possibly
....uh....a place that starts with a B and is on the coast nearby. Dang, I can't remember.
If you're really interested, get a map. I don't have time!
So, that is the plan for this weekend.

We were happily surprised with the arrival of not only the telephone man but also the cable guy yesterday! Yay! We're getting there. Had a new friend over for dinner, a fellow teacher of Jer's, in from N Carolina. He's been here since Aug 8, still has no phone, no mobile, no tv...no shelf in his bathroom and is living over the open part of the mall where he can hear when the pubs close and people make there way (sort of) home. He was looking around our flat like it was a palace!
Poor guy. And, bless him, he was thrilled with the overcooked porkchops and potatoes I put on the table for dinner, thanking me several times. Geez.
One note: the oven dial goes from one to ten.
?
Uh, a few degree marks might be handy.
Just an idea.
More later!!!
And keep trying to post - there were some glitches that are hopefully cleared up.
TTFN!!

What I'm learning on my summer vacation:

Patience.

Patience.

And more patience.

For example, here is a re-creation of a phone call I made to the city council,
regarding where my kids will go to school. I have given them all the necessary info
which they've typed into their computer...

Them: Yes, I see they've been placed in a school.
Me: Great! Which one?
Them: I'm not allowed to say.
Me: What?
Them: I can't give you that information over the phone.
Me: Oh, I see. Then I'll just come in.
Them: No, we can't tell you in person either.
Me: You can't.
Them: No. Sorry.
Me: So, how do I find out where they are going?
Them: The letters are all written. They will be posted by the end of this week.
Me: It's Wednesday. You won't mail them until the end of the week even tho they're done?
Them: That's right. You should recieve them by post next week some time.
Me: School starts next week.
Them: Yes, it does.
Me: So, we might not get the letters before school starts.
Them: Right.
Me: That's crazy!
Them: Yes, well, that's the way it works.
Me: I have to know what school they are going to so I can buy the proper uniforms and supplies.
Them: (sympathetically) Yes, I know.
Me: But I can't do that until I get the letters.
Them: Yes. Unfortunately, that's true.
Me:
Them: Is there anything else I can help you with?

Apparently not.
;)

So. Today we wait for BT (British Telecom) and learn more patience.
We tried to call to confirm our installation today - Jer stayed on the phone 24 minutes until his
pay-as-you-go phone ran out of minutes and turned off.
Whenever Jer's told someone we're expecting BT to come today to hook up our phone line, they just laugh. Some add an encouraging, "Well, good luck with that."
Therefore, we may be unreachable for a bit longer than expected.

We would LOVE to get some mail, tho!!
Off to Dover this weekend, if all goes as planned.
TTFN!
(And for those having trouble posting, I'll look into it. You may have to have a google account, which you can set up in 2 seconds.)

Ten MORE things I've learned...

10. U.S. DVDs don't play in the UK and vice versa. Look on the bottom of back cover -
there is the symbol for a world - ours has a 1 on it, UK's have a 2. Go figure.

9. A shop with wifi is a rare commodity.

8. UK computer keyboard is different - @ is on right, with ', # is on right with ~,
there is a £ and a ~ !

7. Some city busses, instead of circling around town, head OUT of town...and don't stop
for a loooong time. (Ask Jer about his scenic trip home from uptown Harrow)

6. Vanilla ice cream is called "Cornish"

5. If you order a 'lemonade', you'll get a Sprite.

4. Pops are called 'fizzy drinks'.

3. That my entire family (except me) can sleep thru a woman crashing her car into a lightpost
directly across from our flat. Also that, being awoken out of a sound sleep, the sound of a car crashing into a lightpost directly across from one's flat sounds surprizingly like our front door slamming open:O

2.People in Harrow, at least on our block in particular, are allowed to keep chickens in their yard.

And, number one on the list of things I never knew:

1. Roosters don't crow just once a day at dawn, but continuously throughout the morning. This may just be true of English roosters, however, who can't really see the sun through all the gray skies and rain. You can't blame them, really - they're just probably trying to cover all their bases.

Ta ta for now!!

3 mintues left...

...before my library computer turns off!
Latest update - Jer bought a 21" combo tv/dvd player.
Great, huh?
Except for the fact that he had to lug it home by himself
ON THE BUS.
Geez.
We are really making a great impression on these people, i'm sure.

Next: if we live in Harrow, does that make us Harrowines? (Heroines)?
xo
Bev

TOP TEN THINGS I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT ENGLAND

10. They have snails the size of your big toe ALL OVER the sidewalks, mostly at night.
9. Their computer keyboard is different.
8. They've never heard of American cheese.
7. They are VERY 'green' - big into recycling, turning off lights, etc.
6. There are on-off switches above each outlet, which accounts for why our (very small) stove wouldn't light, nor our oven. Our 'letting agent' found this very amusing;)
5. They don't think much of a five-year old kid snapping a mobile phone off it's display cord
and stuffing it down her pants. ("they don't work anyway," the clerk told me when I pointed at
the offending urchin, aghast.)
4. They say "HI-Yah!" in a sing-songy voice to say hello.
3. A box the size of a record-player (surely we remember those, yes?) is responsible for
heating an entire flat.
2. People will bend over backwards to help you out, especially if it means they can mention 'their' Queen somewhere in the conversation.
1. When they say it rains a lot in England, they weren't kidding!!!

***Thanks to all who have posted and sent emails. I promise to write/respond individually
as soon as we can convince British Telecom to come and hook us up.
We love and miss you all!
XO, Bev, Jer and kids

We've arrived!

Hi All!!!

We've arrived safe and sound:)
Checked in with the school services and the kids have not
been placed yet:( We have to wait to hear from them, as they are
'on holiday' and may not hear until after school has actually STARTED!
They have to see if kids have moved away, etc and cleared a spot for them.
The younger kids' school that we'd like is only 3 blocks away - but we'll have
to wait on vacancies. Trying to get phone and internet set up but no one actually seems
to know much about this! We are at the libarary now, using their computers.
Dottie, our Uncle's friend's sister (!) has been an absolute ANGEL, driving us to the
grocers, setting us up with plates and cups, pots and pans, etc. Took 3 hours at the grocers
yesterday - I'm sure she went home and collapsed, as well as rang up her sister to grouse
about this needy family!!! Actually, she's so kind, I'm sure she did nothing of the sort.
Wanted this first post to be clever and witty but no time for that!
Will be witty later:)
Did manage to tube it downtown and see Big Ben, Trafalgar Square and eat a ridiculously
expensive fast food meal (about £40 = 80 dollars!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
Wow. Soup at home tonight!
Much love to all, pass the word on that we're here and safe and happy:)
XXXXOOOO
Lady Bev, Gov'nah and chilluns

Our new home!!

Here is where we'll be living for the next 6 months at least (lease is open-ended from 6 mos on) - the first floor is a doctor's office. Our 'flat' will be the 2nd floor and the top attic room.
Of course, everyone is putting 'dibs' on that top room.
Me included;)
The rents in London will curl your toenails...

Codswallop?

A friend of mine gave me a stack of flashcards of funny english terms/phrases.

One was Codswallop, which means garbage or nonsense, as in 'that's a lot of codswallop!'

Another: "her majesty's pleasure" = doing time in prison

"Yonks" = ages

"splash out" = spend a lot of $

and my personal fave:

"spend a penny", one of many funny phrases for using the toilet;)

The joke will be on me if I'm throwing these terms around and they're....wrong!
I'd be embarrassed for yonks.

I'm in love...

with the AMAZING "Speedy Space Maker Compression Bag".
(Think giant zip-lock baggie)
It can turn a twin-sized down comfortor into a something that would fit in a shirt box.
Thank GOODNESS.
Two thumbs up from this packing goddess.

Getting Ready for England

What would you do if your children asked to move to England, so they could go to school there and wear those 'cute uniforms'? Would you do it?
Well, we did. Or, rather, we are in the process of doing it.
And believe you me, it is quite a process!!
Right now, we are counting down the days - 14 to go.

My hubby is a high school teacher and, after the cute-uniform yearners
suggested the move, he looked into getting a year's leave. When it was okayed, we decided,
"Why not?"

I will not bore you with all the tedious details
-middle-of-the-night job interviews via phone
-multiple contract problems with said job
-passports not arriving after 16 weeks
-renting a flat, sight unseen, over the internet
-wired money for said flat, disappearing into the ether
-being told children and I don't need visas and then finding out at last minute, we DO

...Whoops. Guess I just bored you with the tedious details;)
Now I am off to pack.
But before I go, I must put in a disclaimer on behalf of my sons - the GIRLS were
the ones who wanted the cute uniforms, not them. They just want to go and learn to
play Rugby.