It's been a week.....
 

Hi all,

Well it's been a week so I wanted to give a little update.

The QM2 was lovely if a little boring (sorry......but it was) The food was amazing. It was a good time to recharge batteries though. The dogs were relatively happy although the visiting hours need to be changed. There shouldn't be 12 hours over night in between pee breaks.

Managed to meet lf1 and Pombat so that was fun - very nice ladies :)

Arriving at Southampton was fun and super exciting. My husband and I couldn't sleep the night before!!!! Waited for my in-laws to pick us up (3 hours!!!!) and the first person that spoke to me was the usual English bloke with the whole "why'd you move from America for? you can't get a bloody job here unless you're Polish" Ahhh.......welcome home!!!!!!!!!!!!! HAHAHA!!!

ON the way back to my house we stopped at a pub for a quick coffee. Everything is so green and the sun was shining brightly. Let the dogs run around in the pub garden - so weird to see them in the UK!

So far the week has been filled with cleaning the house (my Dad left it in a terrible state) but also little things like dealing with banks, getting utility bills switched....you know.....ADULT stuff!!!!!

Went for our first grocery shop after a couple nights (had to buy a fridge first!!) This was something I had been looking forward to - stupid I know - but true! Managed to stop ourselves from just buying all the crap stuff (although I did sneak some pot noodles and bombay mix in!!!!!)

Still registered at my old doctors - hurrah!

Other than that it just feels......right to be back.

Luckily we got 16 offers on the house in LA in a week so we're about to get the inspection done and then hopefully go onto escrow (fingers crossed!) Once that's sold we'll feel more here - right now we kind of feel in limbo and keep having to remind ourselves that we're not on vacation.

Next week........driving! :blink:

Re: It's been a week.....
 

Hello B

Great feedback, I was laughing at the English bloke statement. We have had that a couple of times from Letting Agents on the phone in England and a couple of people in Canada.

Good luck with the house sale in the USA. :fingerscrossed:

BACK2UK

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Thanks :) Good luck with the move!

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Britwhore, it was great to meet up with you and your canine family! We have been enjoying our first week at home. My parents and OH's dad and brother were waiting to meet us in Southampton and it was wonderful to see them all. We are tempoarily staying at my sister's house and plan to move into our house next week. Our tenants moved out in July, but the property manager had somehow failed to notice that the garage window was broken and the bath had a golfball sized hole in it which had been badly patched with some kind of sealant. Needless to say we were not impressed and the property manager is now sorting those issues at her expense. The house is definitely looking a bit neglected, but as we have been away for 13 years we did not expect anything else. It will be fine once we give it some TLC. We had an architect round today to talk about extending the house, so that is all quite exciting.
The children have been offered places at schools we are happy with, and we have managed to register with our old GP - although we had to prove our intention to settle here (shipping receipt and OH's job offer letter). We have borrowed a car from my parents but hope to buy one next week.
The weather may be lousy, but it is great to be home!

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So glad to read that you all felt happy to be home.I am reading with interest that you have gone back to your houses. We are in a different situation in that we are only returning in 3 years and our tenants just renewed the lease for another year. Our house (well was mine before we got married) is in Marlow, and although I loved it there, it was not my husband's home but he does like the area. We are thinking of retiring to Isle of Wight or Devon or Norfolk, somewhere on the coast because we love the sea. So don't know at this stage where we will end up as 3 years is such a long time. The other thing is that our tenants have been good ones and are long term so we do not want to give them notice for ourselves to move back only to up sticks again when we decide where to retire. We are both feeling in Limbo right now, especially my OH but I just am in the research stage. Very worried if we go back to our old house we will not be happy there, have we moved on too much with our lives in the last 12 years? Do we make a new start and keep that house as it is right now, an investment? We have enough money from our property here to buy another house outright.

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Congrats on the return home! Love the positivity in your post. Can't wait to read more and hopefully to make the move myself next year

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Was your husband selling his business ? Glad you got so many offers for your house and you had a smooth crossing on the QEII.

Like many others, I'm enjoying your updates.

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Good to hear your update! All that grown up stuff does get a bit wearing at the start but it sounds like you are well off first base! Dont the dogs here have a ball! I go for long walks and see so many happy pooches enjoying the countryside, I almost want one of my own!

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Britwhore, thanks for the update. That is great news about selling your house in LA, another item off the to do list:)

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Pombat - sorry the house was in such a state :( What's the point of paying a property manager if they don't do anything?!?!? Glad to see she's paying for everything!

Thanks everyone. It's all a little confusing but fun. My sister had set us up with broadband but thru talk talk and they don't have a TV package so right now she's trying to get that cancelled without getting charged.......not fun.

All my bank cards came today so at least that's all good. Getting used to "chip and pin" though!! HAHAHA!!!

Haven't taken the doggies for walks yet cause they're all knackered from climbing up all the stairs - we have a Georgian town house! I'M bloody knackered from walking up the stairs!!!!!!!! My thighs will thank me though (probably not my knees though!!!)

It feels great to be back though. Managed to not go mad with the food - in a week I've only eaten one tiny chocolate bar! yay me!!! although cake is proving to be my downfall. And bread. Forgot how much I miss UK bread!!!!

Oh .....and shreddies........!!!!!! :)

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Watch those goodies! It's way too easy to go crazy on all the lovely stuff we were deprived of for so many years - I'm still trying to knock off the weight I put on (didn't need any more to start with) after I got back :p

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Yes, bread and chocolate, oh and pies and pasties! It is good to be back!!!!

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Can't find Cadbury mint crisp though :( They make it in Ireland now so I have to buy online. The horror!!!!!!!

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That's a bit rich isn't it? What bloody business is it of theirs what your intention is, beyond that you live in the district? What if you had moved there from another area of Britain? They wouldn't ask you to prove anything then, I'm sure. If we move back to the UK I won't be treated any differently to any other British citizen moving into a new area. They can't deny you treatment after all. All they need to know is you are British and live at a local address.

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They do need to know that you are resident and not just visiting.

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Yes, they are really clamping down on people trying to get free treatment while just visiting, or coming back short term specifically to get free health care. Can't really blame them for that.

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Great to hear these updates. I really enjoyed all the adult stuff, signing up for utilities etc, it made me feel 'We`re back"!
We`re still camping out in our empty and shabby looking house, but before the furniture gets here we are aiming to redecorate, which is exciting.
I really can say my brain is still not quite back. Things like telly, I`d got so used to not watching in the USA, because it was so awful, I hardly bother to watch much here anymore, but I`m sure that will change when winter comes.

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Hi Britwhore,

Glad you are enjoying being home, or hopefully you will be once you get past all the boring adult stuff that has to be done!

I get what you're saying about the QM2 being boring, 7 days on a ship must have it's quiet moments and you can't exactly get off. :lol: I am hoping my then 18 year old will be allowed in the teen club otherwise she's going to be bored out of her mind and driving me crazy! :thumbdown:

I hope you enjoy the weeks and months ahead exploring and making the most of our beautiful Country.

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Thanks Lorry1.

Trying to find a car right now. It's tough because I'll be driving on a US license so my insurance will be higher than most therefore I want something cheap to insure. But the cars that are cheap to insure are kinda ugly with no power!!! HAHAHA!!!!!! It's tough having to go from a Mini Cooper to a "regular" car - it's just not the same!!! :)

Also what's with the names of cars in this country!?!?! I swear I saw one called a "twinkly-twonk" the other day........

Re: It's been a week.....
 

We are doing the same thing. here is a link to a useful website http://www.whatcar.com/

the other website is Parker's?

I am still trying to get my head around the cars. we want small, with power. Must go now as OH has just served up dinner!

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Britwhore, do you have to sit your test in the UK or did you pass before you left? Can you obtain your claims history from you US insurer along with your Driving Abstract from the appropriate California authority? If so, it may help to reduce your insurance costs with a UK insurer.:)

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I have to look for a car too, so will be interested in what y`all find, also cost of insurance. The names are hilarious, but pretty much as funny as US names.
Britwhore, could "twinkly winkly" be the Renault Twingo?

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Have you all tried this source?

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/search/form

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Will check out whatcar.com. Already took a squiz at parkers. Thanks.

Say hi to your hubby for us! :) Good luck with the car buying. Let me know what you end up getting. I think we'll either go vw golf or peugeot 206. Can't help looking at Mini's though..........:o

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I was just being facetious but I think the Twingo started it!!!!! ;)

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Driving abstract?!?!?!

I did get my no claims but it appears my husband was down as the primary driver and I was just additional which means our no claims letter is only in his name..........bugger.

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:lol: ooh I love mini coopers but I think we will just be getting crappy cars initially and then something better once we are working and have a bit more cash.

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crappy car for us too sadly. Hopefully once we're settled a bit and making money then I'll go back to Mini's. Mine is still sitting in LA :(

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Put me down for a crappy car too! `Im indoors is making it a condition of his return that he gets his 'midlife crisis' car, and who am I to refuse?

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Driving Abstract is your driving record, e.g. Speeding tickets, charges etc. If yours is clear it is worth getting a copy.

On our insurance claims record we are shown as driver 1 and 2 and our one claim, in 22 years, is attached to OH's name. We were both shown as Named Insureds. Was your policy only in your husband's name?

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I never had to demonstrate anything whenever I moved into a new town. Just gave my address and registered.

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OK you have a car with no outrageous insurance and it can be a Mini. Check this alternative.
You need your car so you go down the road and it is waiting for you. Drive it and then return it. No petrol, or insurance or maintenance.

http://www.zipcar.com/

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No we were both insured. Mercury just have a really dumb way of listing things. Hopefully we can figure something out.

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Nice to read these upbeat updates from you guys!

Re: cars, we bought a Honda Jazz and I love it. It's really comfortable and has tons of space in the back - much more than you'd think because it has these great seats that fold down really easily - and it does 50 miles to the gallon. It's not 'cool' but I got over my cool car phase back when I had a Miata. Now I just want reliable, speedy and practical (old age!) and I don't miss my American gas guzzler one little bit.

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You are far from old and probably the youngest on here.
Thanks for sharing the car you bought. It is well recommended by the car community.

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Honda Jazz is good (UK version of Fit?!?) I've been looking at VW Golf/Seat Ibiza or even Skoda Fabia. Oh and Peugeot 206 or 306.

Got to be careful about insurance costs as I have no record of driving here and I'l also be driving on a US license until I can be bothered to do my UK test (I have 12 months) Golf of the most expensive to insure.

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Can you believe they have a US auto insurance company in the UK, so I'm told
That would be GEICO.

Cheers

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Welcome back, isn't it great? We have been here (from US) for four weeks now, and I am so happy. Even the rain hasn't put a damper on things, and when we have sunny days, we enjoy them even more. Have also had the "why would you move back here from the US" comments, funny really, most of these people have only seen the US on the television.

Moving into our rental home tomorrow, it is unfurnished so had to go and buy appliances yesterday and a bed. The rest of the furniture we are buying as we go mainly from charity shops, antique shops, ets. there are some really good deals available. Hopefully our crates with our personal items will arrive in a day or two.

Enjoy being home again !!:

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Thanks!!! Actually being in the South East (Dover) we've had sun sun and more sun. Even got a burn at the beach!! Definitely lucked out there!!!!!

Enjoy being back. The country looks GORGEOUS right now!!!

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Got a lovely call from our realtor today. Someone came and stole all the copper piping from under our house.

Great.

*sigh*

Trying to remain calm.......