The Facts of Life....

When I was little, I used to watch the TV show "The Facts of Life." I can't remember all the words to the song, but I remember "you take the good, you take the bad, you take them both and there you have the facts of life." I suppose it is not a surprise my favorite character was Jo. Anyway, when I think of our neighbors, I think of that song. Here's why.....

#1
You take the good:
We are going to St. Andrews (YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) from February 1-3.

You take the bad:
The Old Course is closed Feb 1 and 2 for a local tournament and is closed every Sunday (Feb 3) because it is basically a public park on Sundays (WHAT THE????).

#2
You take the good:
James and I were sitting home one late afternoon. We had a busy Sunday morning (gym, Tesco). We got home, unpacked all the groceries, and were watching TV (American TV, thank you, slingbox) and there was a knock on the door. For the most part, we haven't seen very many neighbors (I can count 3 and one was a couple) so the fact that someone was knocking on our door was odd. Anyway, I get to the door and there is a lovely couple standing outside. They very kindly let me know that we left our house keys in the door. I thought that was really nice and they seemed great, but in my stupor, I forgot to introduce myself. Hopefully we'll meet up again - except not leaving my keys in the door.

You take the bad:
It was a Saturday night and we were fast asleep. I can't tell if I'm dreaming or what, but I am eased out of my sleep by heavy bass. Is it my heart? my head? Nope. It's music. What they heck. Turn over to look at my phone - 4:40AM. WHAT THE HELL is someone doing blaring music at this hour? I lie in bed for a while and it doesn't stop. All different songs. I get up and - staying in the apartment, of course - and try to decipher where the music is coming from. I couldn't possibly go outside of the apartment (still in the building though) to investigate. There could be an axe murdere out there! I am clueless. I lie in bed. The music stops at 6:20AM. Cool. I can get another hour and a half of sleep before I know my eyes will shoot open because it's gym time.

Then it's Thursday night. I am once again "eased" out of my sleep to the thumping of a bass. They are getting an early start - it's only 12:30AM. Lying in bed, I resolve that I will not let this a**hole ruin another night's sleep, particularly since I have to work the next morning. I put on some extra clothes and walk around the apartment again trying to discern where the noise is coming form. I can't figure it out so I go to the hallway on our floor. Still can't figure it out. 2nd floor, can't tell. 1st floor, dark and not a lot of noise (of course I didn't go into the actual hallways of those floors). CRAP!

Back in the apartment, I go out the back on the deck (I use the word "deck" very loosely). It seems as if the music is coming from down the block. That doesn't make sense. There's lights on in the building next store. Maybe that apartment? Still seems too far away. I bend over the railing and see the apartment directly beneath ours has the lights on and I KNOW the music is coming from there.

I stomp back down the stairs (closing doors very quietly so as not to wake James who can sleep through a train wreck) and to the 2nd floor. The hallway wreaks of smoke. Find the apartment and knock on the door. No answer. I BANG on the door with my fist. Still no answer. I KICK the door. Still no answer. I fiddle with the security key-code pad thingy, I don't guess the code correctly. I pound on the door longer and harder than before. I hear movement. Uh-oh. This is happening. I hear the chain lock being removed, the dead bolt being unlatched, and the door opens. The guy is tall - maybe 6'4", bloodshot eyes, scruffy beard and scruffy head - not quite bald. And then he punched me in the face. JUST KIDDING. In as nice and calm a voice I could must I simply stated - with no emotion - "please turn the music down." He very politely and calmly says "oh, sure." I can't tell if he's drunk, high, or was just sleeping, but the music is turned down. I get back in bed and I sleep. I awake very pleased with myself.

We haven't had a music incident since, but I don't anticipate this being the last issue we have had with this lovely man. On a side note, James and I were taking a walk and he was standing outside a restaurant smoking. I quickly turned my head away because I didn't want him to notice us. Hee hee.

This post is getting too long. Anyway, I'll have more stories soon.

We are doing well and planning lots of stuff. I'll update you all soon (especially for those that aren't on facebook, Jim Marsh).

On a side note, I still watch The Bachelor (I'm a hopeless romantic) and I don't know how people with common names deal with hearing their name on TV all the time. There is a girl called Desiree (she is not stripper) and every time I hear her name, it bothers me. That's MY NAME, damn it! Anyway, I guess I'll get used to it. She seems like a pretty cool girl and by her name alone I have to root for her to win the man's heart.

Okey dokey - good night folks. For those of you that watch the super bowl, quick plug for my nephew. He will be "starring" in a super bowl commercial during the 2nd quarter. It's a Calvin Klein commercial and most likely he'll be in his underwear (lucky me, ugh). Anyway, this is what he looks like - in his underwear. Keep an eye out!

Laters peeps!

Quick update

I haven't written in a while because it seems there is very little going on (outside of work which is very busy, but quite boring), but as I sit to type, I realize I have a lot to say. James is traveling a TON. Just this week, he left Sunday for Scotland (driving to Edinburgh which takes about 4 hours or so). Drove home Tuesday night and then left Wednesday night for London and will return Thursday night. Last week he was gone for most of the week as well. He's WAY behind on the DVR to say the least :-)

My days are pretty much routine - wake up, gym, work (LONG days), home, dinner, DVR, bed. Repeat. We laid low last weekend mostly because James was leaving on Sunday. Saturday morning we woke up and James' iPad didn't work. Completely dead - wouldn't turn on or anything. We went to De Trafford Center - near Costco and about 25 minutes away - HUGE mall with tons of stores. We thought he could get a replacement for 199 pounds (multiply that by 1.6 to get US $), but turns out the way they are manufactured in the US is different and they couldn't replace it. SO, he ended up getting the iPad mini. It was the cheapest option available. That wasted most of our Saturday (we HAD to go to Costco. I mean, we were there already). When James left on Sunday, I took a walk through the village and snapped some photos - just in case anyone wants an intricate look at every store we have. They are on facebook. I can't figure out how to link anymore with Facebook's new look.

This weekend we are supposed to go to the Wilmslow Market. Wilmslow is the town right next to us, just over a mile away. The forecast is calling for "heavy snow" which, over here, I'm fairly certain means about an inch or two. It's going to stay cold for a while. Weather dependent, we may or may not make it to the Market.

Next weekend there is a beer festival in Manchester. We will take the train to Manchester (just under 12 pounds) and home. That should be fun (and probably expensive, as most things are here). The weekend after we are heading to Scotland. We started looking at hotels tonight. James will be in Dundee which is close to St. Andrews. I think I will drive up on Friday and we'll spend the weekend in St. Andrews (we may be able to play the Old Course for 75 pounds......not sure the first weekend in February is the best time to golf in Scotland, but we might give it a go). If we don't get around to golf, there are other things to see like The British Golf Museum, St. Andrew's Cathedral, St. Andrew's Castle, St. Andrew's Aquarium, and the St. Andrew's Botanic Garden. I'm really looking forward to it, even if it is cold :-)

That's what we have planned for the next few weekends. I'll be sure to take loads of pictures and keep everyone updated.....with more detail than any of you probably want :-)

Oh - here are some photos depicting the difficult of parking on a twice daily basis (Stress is one of my first emotions every day on account of this parking space alone).

 


Talk soon!

Beyond day 1

Things are getting better. The gym is really nice and we were able to join without any problems and it is only a couple miles from our flat and 1 mile from my office.  We've gotten a lot done, including getting our internet service bumped up from January 29 to January 7. We are hoping and praying this goes off without any additional problems.

The slingbox (which allows us to watch our TV at my parents house via our computer over here) was a ROYAL PITA. My poor parents had to call Comcast about a hundred times and had to have them come to the house. But - it is working now. We can watch everything here that we watch back home. A HUGE THANK YOU to mom and dad!!!

What I neglected to mention in my last post is that whilst we were at Costco, we noticed some things that were much different: 1) there are hot dogs in the normal food aisle - meaning, not refrigerated, 2) milk - also in the room temperature aisle - meaning, not refrigerated, and 3) EGGS in the normal food aisle. WHAT ON EARTH? We managed to find both eggs and milk that were cold. We'll stick to the cold stuff.


James had his first set of meetings down in London on January 3 and 4. Like a mom with her kids leaving for the first day of kindergarten, I made him let me take his picture (below). Admittedly, he looks really good in that gray suit!

My first 3 days at work went well. It's quiet and an open space plan which does not bode well for my loud-talking self. Here's a picture of my desk (right). I really miss my office :-(

Speaking of things I miss:
1 - normal, soft, toilet paper. At work, the toilet paper dispenser dispenses ONE SQUARE at a time! It's like a tissue box of toilet paper. Who on earth only needs one square of toilet paper???? And it makes a lovely WHOOSH sound when you pull the toilet paper out so everyone knows just exactly how many squares you need in the bathroom. And it's not that soft. In addition, the toilets have hardly any water in them and rarely flush well.
2 - parking spaces that have more than 10 inches on either side of the car. Seriously, the parking spaces are beyond small. Not to mention, the parking garages have barely enough room to get in and out of the garage (see previous post).
3 - wide lane roads. The roads here are just not big enough.
4 - my blackberry. It randomly stopped working. A new one is on the way, but I do not like not having that work.
5 - Reduced fat Jif peanut butter. Actually, reduced fat just about anything. We were able to find one bag of reduced fat potato chips, but haven't had much success finding other stuff.
6 - Grape jelly. Grape jelly is not available in England (or at least not in any of the 5 stores we've gone to).

James misses good lunches. We are doing fine with dinners, but he isn't a cold sandwich guy and that's what is served and available when he's at universities or work meetings.

I'm getting used to driving on the wrong side of the road. It's an adjustment - a big one - but it's starting to become a little more natural. Every time I've ever had to drive sitting on the right side of the car, I have always had a manual. I think I've reached for the clutch a good 6 or 7 times forgetting that we have an automatic. And I've opened the left side door at least once to get in and drive. It's getting better though.

We ventured into Manchester on Saturday. We had no plan whatsoever and just decided to walk around. First, I found my favorite store in which I will never shop. It is called "Americandy" and for an obscene amount of money, you can get all your American Candy favorites. Lucky Charms is 7 pounds per box (that's about $11 USD). Total rip off, but it was so fun to see all the American candy I probably won't eat for a year.

A friend told us about a bar called Cloud 23 and we found that it is part of the Hilton in Manchester. It is on the 23rd floor with panoramic views of the city. It was a gorgeous day - sunny, about 50 degrees, no rain, barely any wind (totally atypical of every day leading up to this) - so we ventured up there just to look around. Very pretty, but we felt pressured to buy something so we jetted in a matter of minutes. As we were leaving, there was a guy who appeared to be paprazzi outside the hotel. We walked out and were figuring out where to go next when his shutter started going off. We, of course, had no idea who he was taking pictures of, but there was a big bus there so we figured it was a large group. James suggested it might be our new football team - Manchester City.

We decided to walk to the Man City stadium and as we walked up to the front of the stadium, sure enough, the same bus we saw at the hotel was parked out front and the players were walking out one by one. There was a large crowd out front and as each player walked off the bus, the crowd would cheer. We couldn't get close enough to get any pictures (and I'm guessing most of you wouldn't care about the players anyway), but it was pretty cool.

We ventured back to the city center and we were taken aback by the number of signs and changes that restaurants made on account of a football (soccer) game going on at home. Here are a few pictures. The last one is showing plastic cups. They will not serve drinks in glass pints during football games. Craziness.

   

Sadly, James leaves tomorrow (Monday) morning for trips to Belfast, Dublin, London, and Reading before returning home Thursday night. It's going to be a bit of a lonely week, probably for both of us. I will use this time to catch up on TV shows I missed when slingbox wasn't working for a week :-) We have definitely started to settle in and it is starting to feel like home. Here's a picture and a video with a brief shot of our town and view to our apartment. http://youtu.be/01aORvtwriQ

If anyone would like to skype with us, you can look me up by my email address (I think) or my skype name is dhheadley. To find James, try jamesrheadley. We still have spotty internet connection, but if we can talk, we will. It is so great to see friends and family. And, the door is always open if you ever want to come and visit.

Until next time........