Week THREE of our ENGLAND adventure! Looking back at the last three weeks I have some perspectives to SHARE: What’s POSITIVE: ~ The weather! I never thought Id say that here, but although it does get dark super early at 330pm, the days have been GLORIOUS and sunny. Its not rained or been gloomy at all. ~ I CAN deal with the cold! Ok so it may have taken buying two new jackets, new socks, gloves, hats and two pairs of boots…LOL but with the right clothes the cold is NO ISSUE for me at ALL! ~ I drove! LOL And it was scary!! But I survived!! I know I said I wouldnt, but I feared that if I didnt at least TRY, then I would be presented with a situation where I HAD to (Neil hurting himself, being stranded etc) and had no experience. So I knew I had to put my big girl pants on and TRY IT ANYWAY! And I did! ~ My daughters are here for TWO WEEKS! After we celebrate Christmas, and Neils birthday here, the four of us will be flying to and touring Edinburgh, Scotland for three days. ~ Reagan LOVES his school. He has several “mates” and has had a part in the school Christmas play. ~ Neil has reunited and I have met several of Neil’s long time friends. It’s been both good and bad (LOL) hearing stories about my pre-Seay husband ;-) ~ We spent a weekend in Wales. That was a BEAUTIFUL weekend and seeing the hills, sheep, castles and churches was breathtaking. ~ I’ve worked out nearly every single day! Staying on focus with my workout and regaining strength since my back issues this year has been important to me. And I feel stronger every day. ~ I have the BEST assistant in the world. That I know for a fact and I am so blessed to have her. What’s a BUMMER: ~ I miss my friends. I have a whole new respect and appreciation for military wives that live overseas and move every few years and have to rebuild their lives and support system. Not having my girl friends to spend time with, dress up and go out with is a bummer. Neil went out with the guys one night and I nearly wanted to cry. Not because he was going out, but because it was a huge holiday party and social weekend and I had no one of my own to laugh, dress up pretty and go have fun and make laughs with. ~ My eating has not been ideal. There are so many new places to enjoy that neither of us have been eating our routine norm. Although we’ve had our shake every morning, the day usually goes down hill from there. Thats a choice, I know it, and I will change it. ~ I am annoyed with our appliances and amenities. They are very dated and substandard making efficiency, cooking, blending, showering (the water pressure sucks so badly it wont even get soap out of my hair so we shower at the gym). I havent used a flat iron in three weeks because mine doesnt work over here and Im refuse to buy a European one. I really look forward to having all my own things again. ~ I heard several old ladies at the gym that are not able to drive and be with their grown children for the holiday. So they are sitting at home. Alone. That made me sad. What’s INTERESTING: ~ The children I have seen here in the UK are the most WELL BEHAVED children I have ever witnessed. We are out A LOT and in three weeks, numerous visits to the city, mall and countless restaurants Ive yet to see ONE child, ages infancy to pre-teen whine, cry, fuss, throw food, act out, or disrespect their parents and others. NOT ONE. I actually joked to Neil at one point they must either sedate kids or give them happy gas or something over here because they are THAT well behaved. I’m certain they do, I just havent seen one yet, and now Im on a mission to FIND ONE. And what else is interesting is in three weeks, I have not seen ONE CHILD on an electronic device of any kind (except my OWN kid) :-/. ~ England does NOT tolerate drinking and driving AT ALL. They randomly pull cars over (and I will say the police are really pleasant) and give drivers breathalyzer tests. Like A LOT, just to be sure. You dont have to swerve, or break the law. They just pull random cars over every where and ask for the driver to blow, then let you go on your way if you pass. The legal limit is .03. We’ve been pulled over once already in broad daylight coming home from the gym. If you blow over a .03 they take you to jail and park your car on the side of the road with a huge sticker reading “Seized by the Police for Drunk Driving”. Youre insurance is guaranteed to triple and never go down. They seriously have ZERO TOLERANCE unlike anything I have seen in the US. ~ The license plate on your car, is registered to the car and STAYS WITH THE CAR when you sell it. In the states, you keep your tag and move it from car to car when you buy and sell. There are also very few, if any junky cars on the roads here and I asked Neil why they are all newer, rarely dented and rusted. He said, the UK has a MOT test (Ministry of Transport) when the car is JUST three years old, and every year there after. The test is VERY VERY STRICT. If the car doesnt pass the MOT, it is illegal to be on the road. So if a car cant pass the MOT, it is deemed useless. So nearly all the cars on the road are new. There is literally no used car market here. There are perfectly good cars here (by US standards) but they are useless and completely of no value in the UK. The purpose is to keep the air cleaner in the UK...and it works! ~ Scrunchies are still very much “IN” over here. Go figure.... What MATTERS: ~ My girls are here, and had a safe FLIGHT. Thank you British Airways, air traffic control and Jim and Judie! ~We are all together for the holidays and Neil’s 43rd birthday with Neil’s family for the first time ever. We are ALL healthy and happy. ~ We have freedom to travel, work from anywhere and experience life as we want it, together as a family. You never know when your time will be up—-> So GO LIVE IT. ~ LOVE, Actually. Yes the movie. Love is what MATTERS. No movie represents and reminds us of the power of LOVE, of all kinds, better. The kind you long for and cant have, lust, loss of love, love of children, family love and unconditional love. If you have not seen the movie, rent it. If you have, watch it again. It’s not only a Christmas time movie, but it reminds us all that LOVE actually, is what matters
Posted on: Mon, 22 Dec 2014 23:32:06 +0000
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