britwhore

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!

Back2UK

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.

BACK2UK

britwhore

Thanks Good luck with the move!

Pombat

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!

feelbritish

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.

Brigette

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

Snap Shot

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.

quoll

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!

lf1

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

britwhore

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........!!!!!!

curleytops

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

Pombat

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

britwhore

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

Zen10

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.

Pollyana

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