Think Good Thoughts - I made an offer on a car

Tonight I drove a car that I made an offer on. We'll see if they accept tomorrow. The car is a 2001 Ford Focus 1.8 TDi Ghia 5dr. Yes, a mouthful. It is silver and gets ~50 mpg. It's diesel. It has about as many miles as the 2001 Jetta I just sold - but it's a diesel, so it still have many many miles left to go. Its sporty, but practical - cheap insurance and road tax. Well, hopefully cheap insurance - I hope I don't get dinged for just moving here and still having a US license. If so that will just spurr me to get a UK license sooner...I have all the paperwork, but I have to go buy a book with all the laws. I'll have to take both writen and driving tests...I've heard it's v. difficult. :( But I am supposed to get one once I've been here a year. And if it saves me money, than I'll definitely do it. But in the meantime I'll just grit my teeth and pay more if necessary.

Here are some pictures of the car - don't let it mislead you, it has lots of room in the boot for luggae and the back seat is bigger than the Jetta (that's not hard). I hope it's mine by the weekend.Isn't the right-side drive a trip? Let me tell you. The trickiest part of driving over here isn't being on the wrong side of the road - it is being on the wrong side of the car...especially when getting in the car. My left knee is all black and blue.
-becky

the 2 things I forgot

The other bit of good news...I knew I was forgetting something. My air shipment (all the rest of my things) arrived in Heathrow on Friday and cleared customs today. I have a super busy week at work - so they aren't delivering until I can get away on Friday morning. All of my DVDs. :) All of my shoes. :) I just have to find places for everything.

Since I was the only witness to the packing process, I'll try to take some pictures of the unpacking. Supposedly they will do it all for me - taking all of the empty boxes with them. I am told they will empty the boxes, but I'll have to put things away. We'll see how that works.

On a weird note, this man keeps calling me. 5 or 6 times since last night. He doesn't speak English (British or American). I don't know what he speaks. I feel bad for him, he is obviously confused and doesn't understand me when I tell him he has rung up the wrong house. The people that lived here previously (they moved out in February) supposedly didn't use the phone - so this number hasn't been used (but it has been in service, the landlord just kept paying) for more and a year. I wonder who he thinks he is calling. Weird. Good thing he only tries like 3 times in a row and then gives up...all between 8-9. That is not too annoying.

IKEA and Costco. US vs UK

Aha - pictures in posts. Thank you Natalie. I've had these pictures sitting for several days, just waiting for the time that I could share them.

Last Saturday, I went to Bristol to go to IKEA and Costco. The stores are on opposite sides of Bristol. IKEA is very easy to get to - about 30 minutes from my house. Costco, on the other hand, is at the same exit as the Bristol airport. It is also very near the docks by the Severn Bridge (which you cross to go into Wales). After a bit of congestion on the motorway, I made it there, shopped for an hour and then remembered that in American the Costco only takes cash, debit cards or AmEx. Since I didn't have enought cash to cover my purchases, my debit card hasn't arrived in the post yet, and I was pretty sure that AmEx wouldn't be the preferred card - I started looking for a cashpoint. There was one, but it was out of order. I had to leave my trolley full of things and drive to a nearby village and bank. I made it back quickly - in the blustery coastal weather. And was able to pay cash for my things.

That's just about how to get there (and pay) - but the real differences are inside.

IKEA is not-surprisingly the same. A showroom, yellow bags, loads of people. Actually, I was lucky and got there early, it wasn't too bad. The cafe was packed - even at 10am. The big difference was at the end. At the IKEA's in the states, you pack your things in bags your self...in IKEA here, there are no bags. Unless you buy some yellow or blue bags, or bring your own, everything just goes back into the trolley. Now for the picture of what I bought.

This is in my entryway/foyer/front room/family room. Okay, I basically have 2 rooms besides kitchen, bathroom and bedrooms...this is the front one. The "fireplace" is actually a cleven radiator cover. It gives me a mantle, so I like it. Here's the purchase list. Lightbulbs, 5 plants (including a jade and a paddle plant), 2 pots, 2 candles, a cookbook (365 recipes, one for everyday of the year), shower curtain, 2 cutting boards, bag clips, timer, mirror, shelves, computer/tray table called Dave (a table called Dave, an alarm clock called Bob...hmm), wrapping paper, ice tray, light shade, 3 pillows, 3 pillow cases, 3 frames, picnic mat, towel, bathmat, shelf dividers. I think that is it. Oh, and a cool plasticky - it ended up being quite helpful at checkout. I love ALL of it. Even when I was putting it together with a knife in lieu of a screwdriver. My house feels much more like me. I'll take more pictures as I get more settled. Don't want to inundate you now. I was even inspired to rearrange furniture...and I found room for 2 arm chairs. I just need to go back to IKEA to get them. I feel so much more like I can invite people over. :) It is a good thing, IKEA. I am so excited for all of you in Portland. Your IKEA opens soon. Oh - my Bristol IKEA even has BENNO shelves. That is what my DVDs are on (and are in Laura's room). Think about those possibilities. :)

Now onto Costco. Don't judge me too harshly for how much diet pepsi you'll see in the picture. It was a great price - like 45P per 2 litre. That is less than at home! And way cheaper than the 1.45 pounds it is in supermarkets in town. So I stocked up - so what. :)

I found a reasonably priced fan that is super functional. :) Bought an insane amount of diet pepsi (most of it is put out of sight in a broom closet), 2 lovely clematis for my back garden, a supply of cotton pads for my face that will last for my entire stay in England, cleaning wipes (they had the kirkland brand, but I decided to try something new, plus, they smell like grapefruit), calcium (I didn't realize how close to out I was), a ton of par bakes baguettes), yummy and cheap chocolate filled crepes, craisins, raisins, and a bag of Mars candy. I'll come back to that in a bit. First let me finish costco. The store was very similar to home - walk into electronics, clothes and entertainment in the middle, bakery and deli in back, toilet paper and cleaning stuff in back corner - all of it. Plants were all over the store, usually as end caps. There were samples (the jelly belly sample lady was very popular). There was a lot of american food - mostly kirkland brand. Good to know that it is there. I should have bought toilet paper, but I couldn't think of where I'd store that much - mom tells me it could go in the trunk of my car. It really is much cheaper there. I at lunch there. They have chicken bakes, pizza (pepperoni, ham & pineapple or cheese & tomato), hot dogs, yogurt smoothies or sundays...plus jacket potatoes or cottage pies. No churros, pretzles or sausages. I had cheese and tomato (toemahtoe) pizza - and ate it with knife and fork - plastic knife and fork. It was awkward. There was a refill allowed with the soda - but no ice in sight. Oh well.

The biggest difference at costco was how empty it seemed. By the time I left the little eatery was packed, but apparently people haven't really adopted Costco here. I told some people that I went, and they said "oh, you got some american food." I don't quite know how to take that.

Mars candy. The makers of M&Ms. They have the brand here. The packaging looks the same, but that is where it stops. I guess it's like Macy's on the east coast and Macy's at home...don't let the bags fool you, they are completely different stores. The Mars bar is a Milky Way, the M&Ms taste totally different (and are a little differently shaped). I am afraid to taste the Skittles, if they have the wrong flavor for yellow I'll be so disappointed. It's funny because people here think chocolate in America tastes like it has gone off (gone bad). I think there chocolate is super creamy, and I am not sure that I always want super creamy.

I took some American candy into the office today. Hot Tomales, Sweet Tarts, and Good & Plenty. Hot Tomales were a surprising hit. Bring some with you if you come. Also, one girl LOVED the Good & Plenty. It is so intersting. You can't get cinnamon gum here either. They used to have Big Red, but it is gone. So Dentyne Fire would also be a good thing to bring me. ;)

Several good things happened today. I got my debit card in the post - it's like I am a real person now. I also got a paycheck, which I basically had to cash out to pay my deposit and rent. It was only pay for about 8 days...and I only get paid monthly...that could suck. I have a ways to go until my next paycheck...I had dad wire me money from my US account today. :) I also found a differnt focus to testdrive tomorrow - I have it set up. I hope that it will work. It is silver, diesel, but otherwise pretty close in age and miles to the Jetta I just sold at home. It will be a little cheaper than what I sold my car for. I hope I like it. The only sad thing was when I finally made it to the supermarket tonight the produce was quite picked over. I think I'd need to leave work right away (or go during lunch) to get decent produce - or a selection. I found what I needed to make a few new recipes (Chicken Fricassee and Curried Asparagus with Pork Medallions). I am excited to try them.

I haven't been able to find matches anywhere. I must be looking in the wrong place. Also, several recipes call for "curd" - I thought might be cream chese based on some of the pictures. Then I went to the store, and cream cheese is just called soft cheese or spread...not curd. Hmmm.

Even though I went to bed last night at 11 or so (early compared to the norm since I arrived) I was still tired when I got up at 7. I think I'll try to get 8 hours again...if I am tired then I'll be convinced that is just too much sleep and try 6 or 7 hours again for a while. I know that is more than a lot of you regularly get. :)

I miss you.

US Cell Phone - canceled

At the end of the month, my US cell phone will be turned off. Kath & Dad - I'll send home my phone and chargers so you can use them. :)

So, you can delete 503/860.9447 from your memories (or just your phones). When I come home in a few years I'll get new details to send out.

-Becky

Bank Holiday Monday - here and gone

I have just sat down to watch the Lost finale. A couple in my ward burned it to a CD for another couple, and that couple passed it onto me. :) Thank you April and Greg! (and Hanna and Adam). It seems to have started off in some sort of flashback/futureflash. I have no idea what is going on. It is gripping. I know what I'll be doing for the next 2 hours.

I hope that I can find a way to post pictures within a blog - instead of just along the sides...I think that would encourage me to take more pictures. So far I have taken zero. I need to take some of the people I work with and the people that are starting to become my friends. Then I'll be able to talk about them in my blogs more easily.

I just got home from eating with April & Greg and their two children and some of there friends, Jared and Sheri and their two children. We ate at Pizza Hut. It was a Pizza Hut with waiters. Weird but it tasted good. I had a chicken salad. April and Sheri are both American. April moved here nearly 11 years ago, and Sheri 9 years ago. Sheri sounds absolutely British. It is nice to have a few people that can relate to my situation so well.

So today is a Bank Holiday. This morning I went and re-test drove a car called a Citroen Xsara Picasso. It is an odd looking car. I still haven't decided if I will get it. It is a diesel and gets fantastic mileage. It carries 5 people and would have good cargo space (either for luggage or for a trip to IKEA). It is a little more than I wanted to spend, and has a crappy turning radius. I am still thinking about it. Tomorrow I am test driving another diesel Ford Focus. We'll see if it is more up my alley. I am just so bad at buying used cars. Car shopping with a deadline sucks. I think I am going to ask to see if I can extend my rental car (since I only spent 2 days in the hotel - rather than the 30 days I was approved for).

My mobile phone is fabulous. I really am pleased with it. Right now my ring is American Woman by Lenny Kravitz. It probably is too obnoxious to last long, but it makes me smile. If you are in the market for a new phone, check out the Nokia 6300.

Once I got home from my morning out, I planted several house plants that I picked up at IKEA - including a paddle plant and a jade. It is starting to feel more like home everyday. :) That is good. I also bought some clematis to plant outside - but it has been too rainy. The weather is a lot like Portland. Yesterday was quite winding with heavy rain, but today it was mostly just gray - with some drizzle. Everyone keeps asking how I like the weather. They don't realize how similar it feels.

I've been looking at airfare - I may come back for my cousins wedding in August (with a day at Disneyland thrown in for fun). Prices have looked outlandish - like 800 or 900 pounds. I found a ticket for 550 (yes pounds) from London-Gatwick to Portland. I think that I'll probably buy it. If you are thinking about coming to visit, check fares to Gatwick (LGW) or Bristol (BRS). Bristol is very close (well, like 45 minutes or so) - closer than Heathrow. Gatwick is on the other side of London, but still do-able if fares are cheaper. The summer is definitely the most expensive time to come here.

Things are going well. I drove home a new way tonight, and there is a lovely view from just up the street from my house. I'll take a picture and post it soon. I really live in a beautiful place.

Next week there is a regional conference here - I think like 4 or 5 stakes. President Hinckley is presiding via satellite. I am excited to see what he has to say to the saints of England, especially now that I am one of them. Incidentally, Greg is in the ward bishopric. Tonight he was asking me what my past callings have been...we'll see what I get called to do. My records should be arriving very soon.

I am sleeping well. My skin seems to be figuring out the water situation. My back is flaring up a little, but I think that is mostly due to stress and bad ergonomics at home with all of this typing. I'll work on resolving that. I also need to start going to the gym. I think that will help. I just need to start figuring out my routine - once I buy a car that will help take a major task off my settling in list and free up a lot of time. I can't wait.

Saturday came and went - I am so tired

Wake up at 5am. Skype Mom, Kathy, Mom & Dad, Jennifer. In that order. Shower. Eat weird peach/passionfruit THICK yogurt (Dannon Shape). Drive to Bristol for IKEA then Costco. Then home to unload. Off to the Ford dealer to realize that I hate buying used cars but it makes no sense to buy new, or even recently used. :( Call dad while driving in the car on the way home...on my US mobile. Cry. Cry some more. Wince from pain in upper back and neck. Get home, skype with dad. Go over all the cars and price ranges and options that I have. There are SO many. I could send you a spreadsheet... Eat dinner (a chicken pot pie with yourkshire pudding for a shell - interesting, not the healthiest choice I have ever made). Go to ward activity where we play a version of a UK gamshow called Generation or My Generation or something. My team comes in 2nd (quite respectable). Drive home in the rain. Call Rebecca - again on US mobile (v. bad). Set up blog with all the archived emails (check it out - I have been so bad with getting everyone in the to: each time). Rearrange furniture. Skype with Christy and Mom & Dad. Hassle with my work computer - the stupid proxy is still messing up my ABC plans.

It basically comes down to it being 12:30am - I had all this great stuff to type about IKEA and Costco. Including pictures. That will have to wait. Maybe until Monday - the 2nd workless Monday. Tomorrow I have church and then I am afraid more car shopping. :( Maybe tomorrow night I'll have good car news. Think good thoughts.

I wish there was a used car fairy like there is a parking fairy - she is my friend.

More tomorrow or Monday. Happy Memorial Day!

Becky

my new mobile - a Nokia 6300, nothing fancy

I got my mobile tonight, and it is already up and running. For you, my # would be 01144 789 4550466 – and for you to reach me at home it is 01144 1793 814874. Remember, I am 8 hours ahead of you. I don’t imagine that you’ll be calling much – since of the time difference and the cost. One interesting alternative is to text me. I have 1000 texts including in my monthly plan… I’ll check to see if there is an email address for texts to my phone (which would be free for you from your email – Cingular does it) but I don’t think so. I just sent a question since I couldn’t find it anywhere online.

I am still fighting with my proxy to try to win the war with ABC by logging in to Intel via a US VPN tunnel. I can link up with Jones Farm, but so far I can’t see any external website… it is doable though, I have talked to the PC Services guy…we just have to figure out what is wrong with my set up. It has happened to me at home before too…I just can’t remember how I fixed it.

I think that I’ll get up early in the morning tomorrow and be on skype from like 9pm PST if anyone wants to chat. I am going to drive to Bristol tomorrow morning to go to IKEA and Costco. Then I’ll come back into Swindon to car shop. Then there is a ward activity. Tonight there was a RS/YW joint activity with a psychotherapist in the ward talking to us about self-esteem. It was good.

I am going to try to get to bed before 11 (all week it has been more like 1). I’ll talk to you tomorrow morning (tonight your time) if I see you on Skype.

-becky

hard water woes

So right now my biggest pain is my skin. It is kind of freaking out because of the hard water. I think that I’ll take to washing my face with bottled water for a bit.

Do any of you have any tricks for coping with hard water? I can’t really add a water softener (I don’t think). Any products (soap, face cleanser, toner, etc) that you know of to help with the effects of hard water? I am waiting to see if it dos anything to my hair…I rinse and rinse and rinse so I think it will be okay – so far it isn’t even too frizzy. Today it is in pig tail buns – messily.

Today it is raining – I think that will also help with my face being so dry, but I think the main thing is the hard water. L I have never really had it before. My grandma and grandpa have hard water in CA, but have a big water softener, so most of the time it is totally fine – never been a problem on a visit. The water in Oregon is so nice. Add it to the list of things I miss.

I’m sure that list will grow – beyond my dog, my friends & family and soft water…but there are lots of things I am finding I like here. It is an adventure. The new country, new neighborhood, new words…everything is so new.

My air shipment landed in Heathrow today…we’ll see how many days it takes to clear customs and get delivered. Hopefully sometime next week.

-Becky

busy day

I had a very busy day – and I am not done. I woke up on time. J Actually that hasn’t been a problem at all. I had an apple for breakfast. I meant to have some cheese too, but I got distracted. Then I headed into the office a little bit early – I wanted to call a mobile phone company to set up a contact. There is one company that is pretty new. They have really cheap contracts right now… I tried to order a phone online, but since I don’t have 3 years of UK residential history, the website wouldn’t let me complete the order. I emailed the company (they are called 3) and asked if I would be eligible for the contract even though I had just arrived in the UK and probably didn’t have any UK credit. They said that since I had a UK debit card, I should be fine – I just needed to call in to the order center. Practically everything here is paid by direct debit. So this morning I called in. I had a plan and phone all picked out. My first phone choice was out of stock, so I quickly chose between 2 others. But then tragedy – I was denied. L They said I should just get a pay-as-you-go phone. 3 is the cheapest for that as well, but more than double what I could pay in a contract. But I got over it. I decided to go into town to the 3 store and either just get a SIM card and unlock my RAZR for UK or buy a new phone.

But before that, I had a morning chock full (they actually say “chocker” or “chock-a-block” when your calendar is wall to wall meetings). Then I had a break in the afternoon and I planned to drive about 12 miles down to Lyneham, another village south of Swindon (I live in Wroughton). There was a dealer there with a car that I was interested in. I drove it. It was a disaster. No AC (and today it was quite hot) and there was obviously something wrong with the clutch. A no-go. So I drove back up to town a little down in the mouth, but realized that I probably had time to go into Town Centre (a really commercial part of Swindon – a set of streets closed to cars that are lined with shops – like a huge mall – it is where the H&M is – but it closes everyday by 5:30pm). I hate Town Centre. It is super crowded and you have to pay to park. Now I hate it more. I got into this tiny parking garage – I parked in the same place in March when I visited, and was super stressed out then too. I parked, but not without first tapping the car next to me with the front left side of the bumper. It turned out to be totally okay – no damage at all on either car – but I found it quite upsetting. L Hopefully it won’t happen again. I was paranoid about accidents for the rest of the afternoon. It is probably the least comfortable I have been in a car the whole time I have been here.

But then onto good things. I went into the mall area and the people at the 3 store actually told me that for pay-as-you-go I should go to a place called Carphone Warehouse. They have tons of phones, all of the mobile offers for all of the companies, and loads of deals (like 100₤ free accessories). So I went over, and once I explained my situation, they surprised me by saying that they do international credit checks and I could probably get a contract. It worked. I couldn’t get a phone today, but they will get me a contract (and cheaper rates) with O2 – the company with the best reputation around here. So that is good. I just need to choose a phone (which will be free) plus I get the 100₤ free accessories and depending on the phone I choose, a free satellite navigation program for the phone with a 3 year free subscription. Not bad.

I had to go back to work for a couple of meetings. But in between I found a couple of Ford Focuses to go see, and one was even in Wroughton, very near my house. So I stopped there on the way home. The car just arrived, so it is in the process of being detailed. I didn’t drive it, and the salesman seems extremely firm on the price – which of course is a little more than I want to pay. There are a few others a local Ford garage that I will check out this weekend. I have the rental for about another week if I need it, but after that it will cost me. I am starting to feel a little more urgency to get a car. Probably due to the bumper rub today.

When I came home I finally got around to mowing the back lawn. My back “garden” is very narrow, but VERY long. I have a little electric mower and a very long extension cord that I have to plug into the kitchen. It took emptying the bin 5 or 6 times. But the garden looks much better. This weekend I’ll probably buy some laundry hanging stuff for back there. The weather is pretty hot. So it will dry my clothes much faster. The washer has a fast spin cycle, but drying stuff is going to try my patience. Back to the heat – my little digital alarm clock has a thermometer in it. Last night when I went to sleep, my room was 79.5 degrees. That is hot for me. I prefer at least 10 degrees cooler. 72 tops. So I am experimenting with the windows. The problem is smoke. One of my neighbors smokes these nasty smelling cigarettes. L

For dinner I made a warm Chinese chicken salad, had Orangina lite (no added sugar, basically no calories) and red grapes. The salad turned out great. I also ate lunch at home today. I’ll have to figure what to take into the office for lunch tomorrow. I still have a lot in the fridge.

I have a meeting tonight – with my trainee back in Oregon. Hopefully she’ll stand on her own soon…I need to focus on my new job.

Love,
Becky

some things becky and british

Ice cubes. I have a tray – and the tiniest freezer section you have every seen in a fridge. It is pretty good at freezing though. At the store I saw “ice cube bags”. It was before I knew there was a little tray in the freezer – so I bought them. It is a disposable (1-time use only) plastic bag with a bunch of little pockets. You fill it with water, and then it self-seals. Once the water freezes, you stretch the bag apart, and the sections of the bag that were separating the ice cubes perforate, and the bag holds the ice cubes until you use them. Pretty handy. I like ice.

Brits DO tip. But the amount is strictly up to the customer, and not necessary. I have been told that 10% is about average (Julie, tell me if I was lied too).

Phone Tag = Telephone Tennis. That made me smile. Perhaps a more apt description.

Everyone keeps asking about Pippin. I guess that I made a big enough stink about shipping him – and maybe the big picture as my computer screen background – that everyone knows about him. I see people walking their dogs. I miss him. But he seems happy at home with mom and dad.

The cookies I made actually turned out okay. After sitting overnight they softened right up. J Not a total disaster. I came home for dinner and used my convection over to quickly heat up a yummy vegetable quiche. I think that I will master it yet.

I had a fantastic orange. The spinach is only so-so – really for cooking not for a salad. No baby spinach. I’ll have to drive down to Marlborough to go to WaitRose. I think they’ll have it.

My shipment tracking info finally was emailed to me – unfortunately with the news that they didn’t have all the info they needed from me for customs (even though there is NOTHING in my shipment that could trigger a customs search). I had to make a mad dash home at lunch to get some details to fax in. Good news is that I think my stuff will arrive next week.

The Lost season finale is on tonight. Watch it. Think of me. I’ll miss it. Although I totally predicted the ending of last week’s episode.

My bathroom tap and tub have separate spigots for hot and cold water. In the tub the hot water is really easy to knock – either way. So I have had a few jolts of cold (freezing) and a surprise scalding. Maybe I can find a way to tighten it up. But I have solved the water heater timer – I just leave it on. I think it is supposed to be most efficient that way anyway. J

Tonight I am going to try to get a little more sleep than I have the last few nights. I’ve been staying up too late.

There are some days that I’ll have to be in the office (that doesn’t mean you can’t be here), and I have 2 tentative trips home (I need to price them out). Please let me know if and when you want to come. I know it is pricey in the summer. Everyone in the office has traveled a lot, so I could provide some itinerary choices for your stay. J I have a spare twin bed. Mom and dad, if you both come, I’ll let you have the full – I’ll take the twin. Doesn’t that sound comfy?

I am having a good time. I miss you though.

Love, Becky

my oven

So tonight I am making chocolate chip cookies. Since my kitchen stuff is mostly in transit, I had to do a little bit of guessing and some conversion to grams (I have a scale here). First off, I forgot 1 egg (or in my head just for the eggs I was making a 1/2 batch). So the dough was incorporating a little less easily than I expected. My hand hurts from stirring with a normal tablespoon. Another twist is that my oven is gas, and the temperature control is in celsius...so more conversion/guessing. The first batch took about 20 minutes to cook. They are the lightest golden cookies I have ever made. Good though. Then I realized that my oven can also be convection. So this 2nd batch should take about 1/2 the time as the first. I really need to go look at a british cookbook - and find a manual for my oven online so I can figure this whole cooking thing out. The cookies are good enough to take to work and share. :)

For dinner I had chicken breast (cooked on the gas stove), couscous, spinach and grapes. It was good. :) Since I had such a late lunch, I had dinner late too. I have to figure my schedule out. Working tomorrow will help. It is a later day in general than at home - the workday is 9-5:30. (I think.)

-Becky

a workless Monday - the first of 2 in a row :)

I finally made it to the supermarket. My fridge is packed. But I think that I got everything that I need and I didn't fall over when it was totalled up. It was so weird buying everything at once - flour, all the sugars, vanilla, chocolate chips (okay, so I am in the mood for chocolate chip cookies -- it will help me guage how the over cooks), plus toilet paper, laundry detergent...everything. It just took 2 trips in from the car - I left my big plastic IKEA bags from last summer in my trunk - they helped a lot. They are my strategy to reduce trips. Hopefully in the future I will not be buying more (at one time) than fit in the 2 bags.

Since I was busy running around this morning with my "settling in" consultant (and I did get a bank account all squared away with Barclay's), I didn't leave for Tesco until almost 12:30. I was considering eating somewhere on the way, and then I remembered that Tesco has a cafe - unfortunatey when I got there, I didn't want any thing they had. So I shopped - for almost 2 hours. I think by the end my blood sugar was super low and I was just wandering. I even had some things that were (were) frozen - oh well. So I left Tesco with all of my groceries...and I just gave in. I drove through a KFC. I got a twister, fries and the smallest drink ever for 4 pounds. It tasted so good though. (Rebecca, you'd love it here: they put only 2 ice cubes in my drink, it was hardly cold.)

Tomorrow my day looks to be packed with meetings - all intorductions into what I'll be doing. I hope that I don't get overwhelmed.

I'm still looking for cars. I think that I've narrowed it down to a Ford Fiesta, Ford Focus, Vauxhall Corsa or Vauxhall Astra. But there may be a Seat (Spanish) or Citroen (French) that will suit me. I need to figure out how I am going to pay. It might be the easiest to put it on my mastercard from home and just paying it off directly from my US bank account instead of waiting to transfer funds. I need to check and see what (if any) fees my credit card applies to foreign purchases. Too bad that I don't have any frequent flyer credit card...now would be a good time.

I am going to see if I can figure out my programable water heater - I haven't had any warm water come out of the faucets yet...that would be compeltely unacceptable tomorrow morning for my shower. :( I'm sure I'll figure it out. Necessity is the key.

Have a good monday. I tried to check for pictures of pip at playcare already, then I remembered that it is only 8:30 in the morning. They don't post the pictures until after lunch...

Love, Becky

first day

Not that this will ever be a daily thing…

I landed in Heathrow this morning, after blissfully uneventful flights; first from Portland to Chicago, and then into a giant 777 to make the over water trip. I checked two extra bags in Portland (for the bargain price of $127 each) – not bags actually, plastic bins. I had secured them with these cool flat bungee cords, but apparently those are dangerous, so I made a mad dash to BrookStone to buy some Samsonite florescent green straps with combination locks approved by TSA. I also ended up buying a “Bob” alarm clock – incredibly similar to one I bought in china 9 years ago. It was half off with any purchase. I got a green one – Kathy has it. Take a look - http://www.brookstone.com/store/product.asp?product_code=532994&search_type=search&search_words=Bob&prodtemp=t1&cm_re=Result*R1C1*T.

Well, to make what could be a super long story a bit shorter – here is a synopsis of what I learned today:

1. No bungees around bags.
2. A 1-way ticket bought less than 2 weeks (barely) before a flight does not always equal being searched.
3. If you are flying international out of Chicago, a 45 minute layover is just barely enough time to make it to the final boarding call. Not enough time for a trip to the bathroom or to get food.
4. Ambien CR does help me sleep better on planes – or I was just really tired.
5. Hertz rental area does have luggage carts, so having 4 checks bags (2 of which were plastic bins) wasn’t really a total disaster.
6. Ford Focus Sport (5dr) gets ~45 mpg here.
7. Laptop power cords already come with a power converter – the big box in the middle of the cord… so if you plug it into another (wimpier?) converter, the wimpy converter will overheat and blow the fuse (including smoke and burny plastic smells). Really, all you need is a plug adapter. <$5.
8. I really can drive on the left side of the street without having a panic attack on the first day.
9. A little (just bigger than dorm size) fridge actually seems to give me more room than sharing my fridge with 2 other people – I am sure that feeling won’t last.
10. Football (soccer) matches – even championship ones with Manchester United and Chelsea – are really boring when you are jet lagged and the score is tied at nil until the last 5 minutes of the 2nd overtime period.
11. Swindon weather is very changeable – today it has been sunny, overcast, muggy, rainy & windy. Wow.
12. Sadly the rumors are true – ABC.com full episodes are only available to viewers in the US. Arg. The only network that doesn’t discriminate against non-US dwellers is NBC. Too bad I don’t watch NBC shows except reruns of all of the Law and Orders. (I’ll try out a friend’s SlingBox this week – it may be the answer).

I think that about does it. I have to stay up for 25 more minutes until I allow myself to climb into bed. Hopefully I won’t wake up in the middle of the night, wide awake.

For a first day it was pretty good and productive. I even got the keys to my apartment and moved a few things in. So I’ll check out of the hotel on Monday morning and then spend the day getting a bank account, cell phone and shopping for a car. I start work on Tuesday. Hopefully it will be a pretty smooth & fast transition.

It still doesn’t feel real, but I already miss people (and my dog) at home. But I know that this is a good thing for me to do. Right now the stuff I miss about equals the excitement I feel for what is ahead.

Love, Becky

maplan electronics = a UK radio shack

I solved my power problem. Turns out the notebook A/C adapters already have that big block in the middle of the plug, and that takes care of the conversion. They are already set up for both countries. I just needed a good adapter. I got 2 at about $5 each. Not bad at all. Now I can use my computers tonight and tomorrow…and next week. I was thinking that I was going to have to order something (for like $100) from Dell and have it shipped right away. Happy that it is not true.

Just email me if you want to talk, or call on skype. I got stuff to eat for dinner while I was out, so I’ll hear my PC – it can stay on. I still don’t have my camera set up – I can only have 1 computer connected to the internet – I chose my work laptop so I could get to email…and I don’t want to go through the camera install on this…so audio will have to do.

-becky

upon arrival

I didn’t get searched at the airport. What a nice surprise. I guess TSA searched my red suitcase, it had a little “we searched you” note in it, but it still looked like I packed it. Poor TSA guy who opened it. The flights were smooth, and I actually got sleep on the leg between Chicago and Heathrow. The rental place did have carts for me to use, so the bins didn’t end up being a big deal at all. Thankfully. From the time we got to the gate and driving out of Hertz, it was less than an hour. Not bad at all. I ended up taking a weird way to the motorway…but I didn’t actually get lost, just followed different signs.

There is a big football (soccer) match on today. Some cup final at a new stadium in Wemberly. It is all that is on the radio that is on TV and all that people are talking about. I suppose that I should watch so I know what people are talking about tomorrow and at work next week.

I am set in my hotel. I had a decent lunch. I need to run a few errands (to get a better converter – mine popped its fuse). I just ordered a UK plug from Dell, and I’ll get one for my work computer on Tuesday at work. It just makes me nervous, so I’ll probably run out of battery tonight if I am not careful…or if I don’t find a converter for computers at the best buy-ish store this afternoon…

If you want to talk on skype, send me an email. I’ll definitely check in again later, I just want to conserve battery power. I don’t have my camera set up, so it will just be me on audio. Maybe tomorrow I’ll set up the camera.

It’s 2:10pm now. I’m going to go shopping for a bit. I’ll check back in around 5ish. (which is like 9am your time). I’ll probably want to go to sleep around 9:30 – and I need to eat something for dinner… I can talk between 9am and 1pm or so your time. Let me know if you are interested. Hopefully I’ll still have battery.

Love, becky