trottytrue

Cheers..Like Mummy in the Foothills I am getting very jealous I love the area around Chester, its known as the gateway to Wales I wish I could have been with you in Chester. When they gave you the dinted cars did they make note of it on your contract. I know when we rented a car when we gave it back someone came out to check it and make sure it had no dints. A few months later we got a summons from the UK Police for speeding. We had to get back in touch with the rental company and explain to them they we had not been in the country when the speeding took place. They did sort it out. But we did keep all our records so we could prove we had left the country.

Mummy in the Foothills...I went to Cheshire Oaks it was very nice but my niece went a couple of months ago and said its gone down hill shops are closed. Lets hope the summer brought people back.

trottytrue

islandwoman120..I think the key to you making friends is not looking for those type of friends we had way back, the one's that cannot be replaced but a new type of friend. Maybe those who share the same hobbies as you do or are like minded. I know from being on here I have made many friends but I know that some I would get on really well with and others probably not. You have to have something in common with people. I think if you are not happy in the area you live then its time to look elsewhere

I joined an art class as I said but I am afraid I didnt make friends that I could sit down and thoroughly enjoy their company they are more like aquaintances. The funny thing is that one is Greek one is German one is from Japan and the other is Dutch. Such different cultures and such different approaches to life. Talk about worlds apart.....

For you I think like someone else said you do well with your photograpy that could be a start and Gardening is always good although I find that many in the gardening clubs are quite old. It is an uphill task to find friends and not for the weak of heart.

J.JsOH

While mostly I didn't have any problems with returning UK rental cars the one time there was a problem I had scraped the plastic wheel cover and they tried to charge me for a replacement aluminium rim. We had a bit of a bust up in the office over that one and the staff got really huffy cos I argued the point. The international companies such as Hertz were more tolerant.

I find that service staff in many places often do not take kindly to it being pointed out they are in the wrong (when they are) (maybe it's because I don't do the double talk apologising for questioning them, I just say it as I see it)

J.JsOH

Having a garden allotment could at least get a keen gardener into the same circles of people with similar interest, and probably same social class level.

Could take a while though, allotment waiting lists around here are 5 years.

On the friendship thing, class level does come into play.
Look for friends among those that are in similar situation and for us ex-expats that may mean other loose-end newcomers.
In the next village to us someone started a coffee morning for older people and they were offered to meet in the local pub before lunchtime opening.

My best friend and his wife stem from nearly 40 years ago when were in military together. Not always a recipe though, a school friend that I joined up with but then lost touch had nothing in common to connect with when we met again recently.
I long ago acknowledged that I am not the type to have big circles of friends, just two that I see occasionally yet always know we are there for each other is enough for me. A few acquaintances or bus riders or friendly faces in the two groups I attend are enough for me.

J.JsOH

We just got back from London where we did something not possible if living outside UK - we had a tour to the top of Queen Elizabeth Tower to view Big Ben, the clock mechanism and the clock faces from the inside. For me this was terrific. It had to be arranged through our Member of Parliament.
Also on the trip we took interesting guided tour of Royal Albert Hall and a self guided tour around the areas that Charles Dickens would have known and some lesser known churches. Additionally we picked up on a lot of history just by reading plaques and then had quite a list to research for sake of curiosity via internet. Add to that a few beverages in pubs that have history such as an ex-bank that appeared in Da Vinci Files and another where the cat wears a lawyers ruff.
All in all a very good couple days.

trottytrue

J.JsOH....I think men are more likely to only want a few friends if that, I think women like a closer relationship with friends and like the idea maybe shopping and having lunch together. But having the same interests does help. I also find that sometimes old friends dont work out. I have been fortunate in mine and they have last nearly all my life, I did have one that called me a few months ago a friend from my teenage years we have kept intouch by letter but only a few phone calls this time I realized that I no longer had anything in common with her. It was very sad. She prattled on about things I thought were silly and seemed very into herself. So we move on.

trottytrue

J.JsOH..I would love to have done that tour with you. Charles Dickens haunts and the workings of Big Ben....You are having fun...

J.JsOH

Yes, there is fun to be found, in what ever format happens to rock one's boat. We have searched it out and found things that entertain us.
It was through similar approach that we had fun in US and in other countries we visited on holidays so it is how we are regrading life in UK, as in the US, living amongst the locals but not necessarily being one of them, knowing that somehow my life experiences have made me different to the extent I can never really 'fit in' yet having a good time digging out interesting and fun things to do. Settled here, no not really if ever, but this will do and hopefully eventually become just as comfortable as I was living in US.

J.JsOH

Similar here, I had been contacted by school days friend and she invited us for dinner and stay over. Good thing we didn't stay over, I just couldn't relate to them and their view of life and their meal without vegetables and this approach to being friendly by taking the mick that is described as humour.

J.JsOH

We just got back from another trip, day return for this one to Ely, 30 mins from home. We went especially for a Flower Festival in the cathedral which we had never before been inside.. Special moment was access up inside the medieval tower and looking down inside.
Pics here https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...8993250&type=3

cheers

I just got back from Liverpool. Saw my birthplace. Still boarded up but the neighbor said it will be in the auction nex week so hopefully someone will give it some love.
We took an open top bus tripat the insistence of my daughter and I enjoyed it
My biggest excitement was when I tried to fuel up. Long story short our car turned out to be a diesel I was perturbed about putting the wrong fuel in it.
I love it here!Tomorrow our week is up so we move.
Cheers

Fish n Chips 56

I'm really glad you are enjoying the UK.

The Focus must be quiet, Diesels have come a long way, and give good value per Gallon or Litre of Fuel.

So where are you going to???

cheers

Brecon area which is south of here and on the border of England.

An oddity here is having the road signs in Welsh and English. So you miss the information as you go by because you are looking at the wrong sign.

We had terrific F&Chips at the Liverpool Albert Dock yesterday! More than enough to eat at £5.50.

I noticed a few young people smoking here? They haven't got the word yet.

cheers

curleytops

I'll agree with you there, Fish. The last time my Dad was over here from Canada, he rented a Mondeo (lovely car). Hubby was out front waiting for him & buzzed me to come downstairs when Dad pulled up. Dad rolled the car window down & said to me "Have a listen to this." I couldn't hear anything & asked him if the car was even running, to which he replied, "Running? It's diesel!"

Fish n Chips 56

Ive been to Wales, I know what you mean about the road signs, Wales is a nice place.

Its nice that smoking has been banned in the pubs at least for us no smokers, the pubs smell cleaner and the food tastes better.