We made it!
 

I haven't been on for a while as the remaining few weeks in Canada were somewhat hectic and I was doing it all alone with the 2 kids as hubby was already working in England.

So we sailed back on the QM2 from NYC to SOU and wow what a great sailing. Loved it all and the sea was smooth as silk the whole way.

We even brought the sunshine with us, it's been glorious since we arrived on Saturday morning.

Totally loving it all so far. We are staying with friends in Caversham just outside Reading and it's a lovely area but not our choice for living once we find a rental.

I didn't realise before how friendly us Brits are. Everyone has been helpful and so kind. I've been chatting away to shop assistants and just random people really :lol:

We've been walking along the Thames with lots of other walkers, bikers and boaters and it's just been really nice.

I took my first train journey in years today just a few stops as we don't have a car just yet and even the train guards have become friendly and helpful.

So after 6 years in Canada depressed and living someone else's life, I am finally feeling like me again. I am home and very happy right now.

I haven't read much else on here yet but I hope MissB, Whofan and all the other new returnees are still enjoying being home. :)

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Good to hear that you have arrived and feel like you "belong" again! Good luck with finding the rental so you can begin to re-establish yourself! The QM2 sounds like just the way to arrive!!! Welcome Home!

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Welcome home. So glad you enjoyed the crossing and that you are happy to be home. Nearly a year for me and I don't regret it at all. Miss B has posted some updates, but Whofan hasn't posted for a while. I do hope it is because she is just too busy enjoying life back home.

I'll bet you are glad the moving out part is over. It is just so exhausting. Keep us posted on your adventures.:)

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Lorry1,

Welcome home! Great update and you've made me jealous!

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Caversham is pretty isn't it - lived there for many years before moving to the USA. That walk along the Thames in the sunshine is lovely!!

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Hi, Lorry1 and welcome back! So glad the Atlantic stayed smooth as silk for you!
I always think of the QM2 as a little bit of Britain sailing back and forth!
You have arrived to probably the first heat wave in years. Blooming marvellous, we love it!
I agree with you about the friendliness of people. Among the first ones I met were the meter readers who had a good old chinwag. I stood there wondering what that strange sensation was. Oh, yes, it was my jaws moving! We were having an inconsequential chit chat, and it felt wonderful!
I hope you find somewhere to rent soon, and that all your family is enjoying being back!
I've found lots of compensations and it really feels like now is the right time to be back in the UK!

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Woo hoo!!! You're back!!! Welcome home, isn't it great to be home? You'll be amazed at how quickly you shake off that tired old cloak of depression and get back to being you again! I've been back 7 weeks today and I'm loving it, its almost like the past 5 years were a bad dream and I just woke up one morning and it was done and dusted - phew! Good luck with everything and let us know how you're getting on when the dust has settled!

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Welcome home and so glad to hear about the smooth sailing. :) It must have been lovely to brush off the cobwebs on deck as you sailed closer and closer to the UK? You'll definitely have to catch us all up on everything like Miss Betty says 'when the dust has settled" lol. Enjoy every moment and just know that you're home and the sun is bright again. :)

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Welcome home Lorry and thanks for the sunshine :thumbup:

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Oh thanks for the welcome home everyone.

I was speaking to a friend in Canada yesterday and she asked how I was feeling, I said I feel genuinely happy :)

I have no home, no car and no job but I feel happier than I have done in 6 years.

The sun keeps on shining and we are out enjoying every moment, even while it's walking around looking at houses or standing on train platforms.

:rofl:at Jemimas comment about hearing a sound and it was her jaws moving. I feel the same I am speaking to everyone, I'm sure they think I'm mad :lol:

Well, I will write soon, my kids are calling. Thanks all

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Glad you made it back safe and sound. Happy for you and your family.

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:thumbsup:

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Fantastic!

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WELCOME HOME glad you made it safely and are enjoying being back. :thumbsup:

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Been looking for your update. Welcome home. Now you can get on with life:thumbsup:

Looks like we are about to commit ourselves a bit more to Alberta, not sure if it's the right move but it's a step to moving elsewhere in the long run if that makes sense.

Looking forward to hearing more of you being home, if you like them can you eat a custard tart for me please? If not a Pork pie will do:rofl: Oh and a pint of scrumpy in the beer garden:thumbsup:

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Great to see everything has worked out - makes me feel positive about our upcoming move!

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Thanks everyone. Well, the sun is still shining gloriously and apparently we are suppose to have a great summer, so a great year to be home :)

Yesterday we secured a rental so not bad at all considering we were only back on Saturday. Hopefully we will have a car very soon too, so we are getting there.

Day 7 and still absolutely no regrets. I haven't thought of Canada at all, it just feels like we had a long holiday, which is really weird.

Piff Poff, I really hope everything works in Alberta. I am sure that once you are ready to make that big leap, you will know and it will be right. I believe everything happens for a reason and you obviously feel like you should stay there a while longer.

Oh I am not that keen on custard tarts but I will definitely have a pork pie and beer for you.

Well must dash to get the train as I am taking hubby to see our new rental home which we are having anyway whether he likes it or not ;):lol:

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Glad to see things are working out well for you, I'm so jealous, can't wait to read your next update.

Although in NB now, we started of in NS so I can relate to a number of your comments about the place.

NG

Re: We made it!
 

OMG just had the best meal EVER - Steak & ale pie nd chips dipped in gravy down pub. Best EVER!

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I'm quite jealous that you went back on the QM2 and really pleased to read your update of how happy you are to be home again :)


I will arrive back in Manchester on Sunday on a boring old flight from Philadelphia, but am having last minute collywobbles and concerns of "have we done the right thing or made a huge mistake?" Having read yours (and other folk's threads ) I am sure we have made the right decision and will be posting something similar once I've settled in and been licked to death by the pets who have already been in UK for a week with my hubby :p

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Congratulations, ElizabethK!! I can't wait to read your update from the other side. ;)

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Yeah, ElizabethK, bon voyage, Godspeed and all that!
What an exciting weekend you have in store, I hope it goes smoothly!

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Bon Voyage! Look forward to your updates :)

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I had major collywobbles for a while before we left Canada, wondering if we were doing the right thing. I was feeling settled but I knew it was a false sense of security as we were leaving. I knew I actually didn't want to be there anymore.

I am waking up happy every morning now and last night walking back from the pub along the Thames after a great British meal, I felt so at peace with myself and knew I had totally done the right thing.

Safe journey home ElizabethK! :)

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I just read this post and I was nodding and going "YES!!!" that is exactly it isn't it? 7 weeks home now for me and I'm still there, waking up everyday happy and that feeling of inner peace? Worth more than all the money in the world! My life here is exactly as I left it, the only thing that has changed is me in the fact that I realise now how grateful I am to be home and how lucky I am that I now appreciate what I've got every single day.


Glad you are happy, long may it last! x

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Aw wonderful and so happy all is going well for you all.

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Welcome home!!!!

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Welcome back! So glad to hear you're enjoying it Lorry1. You made it back just in time too, the weather's been great lately!! :D

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Day 14: Still absolutely loving being home. I have absolutely no regrets so far and I am happy as Larry.

I am driving about now which is making things easier. My new UK driving licence has come through so I have been borrowing the friends car but am getting my own tomorrow :D

I took the girls to a local swimming pool today and we had a great time sliding down chutes and going round rapids. My youngest proclaims England is best :lol:

Glad those who have returned recently are also happy to be home. It's really great that it does work out for some, if not most of the returnees.

Right now I feel like I never want to leave (apart from holidays). I have well and truly got the emigration bug out of my system.

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Lorry1,

I love reading your updates, so lovely to hear how happy you are!

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Fantastic, happy to hear all is working out for you and your family.

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One month home.

Still hyperventilate in Tesco chocolate isle.
Living blissfully in Crunchy Nut Cornflakes heaven.
Smile when I see a train go by. (I know, weird!)

We are still living with friends, although are moving into another friends for our final week. We move into our own rental home next Friday! :D

I'm afraid, like Sally Simmons, I can't give a very balanced report as I am genuinely very happy and smile each morning when I wake up knowing I am home.
I can't wait until we are settled and are able to spend our weekends exploring this beautiful Country visiting places I hadn't been before because I took it all for granted.

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I am so pleased that you are happy. It will be even better when you get into your own place. I've been home one year today and I am still a happy camper.:)

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Well you know what that means....get cracking girl, we're all waiting :thumbsup:

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:lol: I know. I am in procrastination mode at the moment :)

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WOW If1, I can't believe you have been home a year already! I guess time really does fly when you're having fun :)

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Great news to hear that you're so happy. Isn't life here grand? :p

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WASH YOUR MOUTH OUT WITH SOAP AND WATER!!!! :lol::lol::lol:

I know what you mean about not wanting to leave - we don't even want holidays at the moment. We just feel we have everything we need here. Inner peace is a great way to describe it.

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We often talked about being able to hop over to France, Austria etc. etc., but I am still content being able to see things locally and the UK in general. My holidays this year were 4 days on Orkney and 1 night in Fortrose. Brilliant.

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Yes, travel is in my blood and I am looking forward to visiting Europe maybe next year, but for now I am content with seeing more of the UK :)

Well, I hope everyone is well. I haven't been on much as busy shopping and setting up home :)

I can't believe we have been home for 7 weeks already!
We have been in our rental home for over a week now, Just about settling in, we are no longer living in boxes and yesterday we bought a desk & chair so I now have a study :)

I love this house and we found a gem of an area to live. We are in a little cul de sac with meadows out back, perfect for walking the dog off lead. It's so much nicer walking the dog here with less restrictions. We are close to all amenities like train station, town, pubs, etc...

I am looking for work now as the summer is almost over and kids are going back to school (well 1 of them as my eldest is looking for work too!). I am hoping to work from home if possible.

I am still very happy to be home. I wake up smiling every morning and I still gawk like a tourist at all the old buildings around me. :lol:

I do not think about Canada at all, apart from the house is still up for sale and contact with a few friends, it's like I never lived there.