The first week back
 

Apart from having no job, car or house, I have a phone so can tell you all my first impressions. All positive except the weather (but at least no earthquakes or hurricanes).

This is the top of my list...

1. Plugs don't fall out of sockets
2. Bacon
3. A sensible number of roadsigns
4. Dark chocolate digestive biscuits
5. Hedgerows
6. Proper villages
7. No air-con (nor need for)
8. 'decent' (!!!) instant coffee
9. BBC radio 'live' not 5 hours ahead
10. Fish and chips

There are some niggly issues with coming back after years abroad, like credit
checks with gaps in, no address so hard to get insurance etc so a bit of catch
22 going on.

I am waiting for tough times to hit, but really glad to be home.

Oh, and here's #11 - irony and humour...!

Re: The first week back
 

:lol: Good luck with the job hunt, hope something turns up soon. :fingerscrossed:

Re: The first week back
 

Welcome back!

I, too, love the no air-con thing. Although they have just announced that this has been the coldest summer in 18 years, it certainly doesn't bother me - I love English weather.

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Good luck, this is going to be me next week!

Can't wait but still scared, OMG, what am I doing? Packing up is hard and I feel such a failure :o (sorry made it all about me!)

Re: The first week back
 

Never a failure, you tried and have a wealth of knowledge experience because of whatever you did.
Onward and upward.

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to OP, welcome back.
just hold on to all those good things you list about being back and you will find more, don't sweat the negatives. We are blessed with a lot of pleasures.

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Welcome "Home"...JJ has offered great advice...are you on the "voting Register"?, try buying a few things first like a mobile phone etc...all add's to the credit rating, join the local library etc it might help, if your staying with relatives or friends use their add. for Insurance etc we did and did not have a problem. Good luck....take each day as it comes...it all works out in the end, some quicker than others but you do "get there".:thumbup:

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Don't be scared... I've been away 7 years and being back is a real breath of fresh air!

Oh, today I'm adding #12 - egg custard tarts

Re: The first week back
 

For me a move is never ever easy, even when I know it's the right thing to do. In my book nobody is a failure if they have tried something they wanted to do, even if it did not work out as planned, I just look at it as another life experience that I have learned from, take the good from it and move on. I know its easy said than done but your certainly not a failure, look forward now....plan the things you want to do in your next chapture of your life. Good luck, take care.

Re: The first week back
 

Your posts are literally making my mouth water :thumbsup:

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haha I had two egg custard tarts back to back yesterday......
and tonight a T Bone steak with chinese shop gravy yum!!

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:p:p

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Love custard tarts - our local tearoom has the most awesome ones! But as for steaks, we've never, ever, ever had a good one over here. We've given up searching for a good one after disappointment upon disappointment.

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Yum custard tarts!

Thanks all for the kind words, feeling very anxious and stressed.

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Apple crumble and custard. :thumbup:

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Ooh yes - made with Bramley apples - must go and hunt some down!

Today my #13 in my list of things that ard good about being home is not culinary - it is the Robin. Not the quirky 3 wheeled car, but the small and perfectly formed bird. It brought a smile when he stopped by the front door this morning! I didn't realise how many things I had missed, these past few years...

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Ooh, I'd love one of those egg custard tarts!

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That's true! I think America knows how to do steaks better.

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So happy for you....going back is not failure, you are still moving forward in your life..I really admire all of you who pluck up the courage to do what feels right and make that move, however difficult it seems. There's me after 15 years still dithering about...US or UK!! the what if's and what will everybody say and how do I do it all etc...

How about the original All Day Breakfast, the high streets, trendy quality clothes, Marks and Spencers, cute solid brick homes/cottages and Brit TV, I can go on and on!!...these must be on your list!!!

Good luck

Re: The first week back
 

Do not forget Tesco. I missed it bad. We only really had walmart where we lived and it was like hillbilly day out. We seen some of the weirdest people in walmart. Do not get me started on folk we met in Missouri :(

Though, I do miss the walmart prices on torches etc. Maglights are so over priced in the UK. Good job I stocked up on all my hiking gear in the states.

I am so looking forward to christmas time in the city. Be my first one in 4 years. The holidays with my family once again. :thumbup:

Re: The first week back
 

It is amusing how one rather utility item like a Maglite can be marketed as a shiny desirable to another group - it illustrates the difference in desirability values or fashion held in esteem by different societies. It led to us receiving some rather apparently odd choices of Christmas gifts sent from UK to US (including a Maglite)

As for the desire for vehicle vanity number plates in the UK, I am forever puzzled when the significance can only be interpreted if you squint and miss out two of the digits.

All part of the culture adjustment of being back.

Re: The first week back
 

Argos and most places only sell the mini maglights in a gift box! and at 14.99 for it.
I was buying a 2 pack of those for $8.99 in walmart. I convert them to LED as they are not that bright at all. And a mini maglight is attached to my mobility scooter key chain. My wife says I have a crazy love of torches lol. I do admit, i kinda collect them. Sure as hell not paying 15 pounds for a mini mag in the UK.

Re: The first week back
 

Have you seen the People of Walmart website? You couldn't make it up!

Bramley apples are definitely one of the first things I would have on return to the UK, can't wait...

Re: The first week back
 

OK, here's today's positive. This may only be a relevant positive when moving from the US.

#14. the price on the ticket is the price you pay. No sales tax added at the till!

Re: The first week back
 

DDL I had a most beautiful steak here the other week. :thumbsup: And as you know I have lived in Australia for the past 30 years where steak is a must for any household. :lol:

It was at the end of the day at my local Sainsbury's where you can get bargains if you are lucky. I can't remember the cut (don't forget cuts are called by different names here than the US and Australia) but I do remember it was Scottish......got it home and cooked it in some garlic and a bit of olive oil.
Divine. :thumbup:

Re: The first week back
 

I love the small birds that dart in and out of the trees here including Mr Robin. :) When I do my morning walk I almost always see at least one cute little rabbit with a white bobtail or a squirrel. :D

Re: The first week back
 

Thanks for this, Barb. I'll bear it in mind (I've heard that Scottish Angus steak is more 'gamey' tasting that steaks that we're used to?) ... but I was talking about eating out.

Me? Cook? Ha! I do as little of it as possible. :o

BTW, got my latest issue of The Lady on Friday - no Residential Manager jobs in this issue at all. But as promised, whenever I see one, I'll let you know. :thumbup:

Re: The first week back
 

I'll second that!! It's annoying trying to work out the price plus 6% sales tax on items at the till - I never understood why they can't just add it in the the displayed price on the item/or on the shelf.

I'm glad to hear you're enjoying your time back so far, it sounds wonderful.

Can I suggest another couple of items to add to the list:- Proper cheese (no plastic crap)
Proper bread - with no sugar added!!
Proper chocolate

:)

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Haha, I have to brace myself when walking into our local Walmart and always come leave feeling distinctly 'unclean'. The most bizarre people...where do they come from? Can't beat the prices though and with three kids I appreciate that.

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That was sooo funny, thanks for the Sunday laugh!! :lol:

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Yes, you're right about those three too, but I was lucky enough towork
On a farm where I made 'proper' cheese and there was a wood fired oven
where fabulous bread was baked, so I wasn' subjected to the rubbish peddled
in supermarkets!:cool:

( I only ever eat Lindt dark chocolate...!)

Re: The first week back
 

Ok so, strictly speaking it is no longer my first week, but continuing the thread, my #14 good thing about being back is: BEER!

I can't believe it has taken me so long to get my first pint down me, but as I have to drive everywhere and I am very strict about not drinking and driving, I have to get bottles to bring home which is not quite the same.

Anyway, today a double stout from the local brewery. Worth every minute of the wait...! Let the good times roll...:thumbup:

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Sticky Toffee Pudding and Custard.....bliss especially at the Hare & Hounds with great views to boot.....

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I found some Bramleys this morning and whilst on a walk this afternoon found lots of big juicy blackberries. I spoke nicely to the chickens outside my window and had apple and blackberry crumble with freshest egg custard. Oh my! the good things just keep coming...

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Ooh I love blackberrying!

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Walking down the lane where our rental is I looked at these bushes and there were tons of blackberries,blueberries on them...and then noticed lots of acorns on the grass.....I then looked around and for the first time saw Oak Tree's.....I must of been walking around with my eyes closed lol....for a townie like myself it's wonderful...not to mention we have 2 apple tree's and a cherry tree in our new rental's back garden.....lol....I am planning on home made cider (not my drink but hey hoe) and definately Crumble's are in the planning....especially with custard....never thought I would say this but role on Autumn and even Winter:eek: nothing like colder days for those types of "puddings"

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Now I'm sure this happens in other parts of the world, but I don't much remember, maybe it is 'the green green grass of home' but my#15 delight is walking out onto cool wet dew-laden soft grass in the morning. It's such a wonderfully sensuous feeling between the toes... And while I'm here #16 has tobe the smell of British baby products - talc and lotion. They just don't smell right anywhere else! :unsure:

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All I can say is that the grass in England is much softer and shorter than grass over here in Florida. Here it's what I call "cartoon grass" very thick and crunchy and about 6 ins deep, and you really dont want to sit or lay on it for long because of all the ants and creepy crawlies lurking there.

It's funny - over here I see so many fertilized, sprinkled, mowed and manicured front lawns on which no one sets foot except the hired help i.e. the lawn guy! A green lawn is just for looks......don't touch!

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More items for the list:

Every time I go to the UK, I bring back a couple of large chunks of Italian parmigiano reggiano (one reason to believe in the EU :lol:). It is horrendously expensive here, $50.00/kg and the only thing to top a pasta with (unless of course you want peccorino - equally expensive).

I also love being able to buy good wines for a song!

On a 4-month trek through Europe, I practically lived on capuccino and croissant for brekkie, wine, cheese and good bread for supper. My kind of food!

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Here's #16 - (a doggy thing, so not relevant to most folk) it is wonderful knowing that after a good walk through woodland, when you stroke the dog and find a little lump, the worst it is likely to be is a seed of some kind or sticky burr; not a foul icky tic!!! Now that is such a good thing. Pulling tics out of a dog (or myself, even:eek:) makes my skin crawl...