Lestergirl

Hi everyone, its me Charleygirl, had to re register.. I hope everyone is well.
Just a brief update and then more again soon.
Firstly I have missed this forum but have been busy with working and just enjoying being back in the UK.
I am doing okay as far as living here, and happy with just being home, it is almost 2 years now!
I rent a bungalow work part time and get my first pension payment on August 2nd!!
I am sitting here looking at my garden, with all the flowers and veggies growing, sun is shining and I am happy...BUT the heart ache of not being near my children is still here.. it will not go away.
My lovely Mum who I came home to look after passed away at the end of February, she was 90 and I had just found a lovely council care home for her for 3 weeks to go to while I came over to see my family in NH..it was very sudden, she was only there one night..
So I had to cancel that trip but did get there in March for 4 weeks.
My children have just been here for 2 and half weeks too.
I do not miss the USA or my life there at all and would be so happy to stay here forever if it were not for my children...
I am still struggling everyday with being away from them.
For those who dont know my story I got divorced and moved back here August 2011, (having always wanted to) after 15 years in the USA.
My 3 children twins aged 20 and 22 stayed, one twin and my son have both tried living here for a few months, could not get jobs and so went back
I do think of you all and will definitely try to stay in touch in here now.

read back a couple of pages.. got lots to catch up on, but wanted to ask Cheers are you visiting or made the big move?

curleytops

I saw that name and wondered if it was you. Welcome back Charley, sorry to hear about your Mum.

Fish n Chips 56

Thanks for posting Charley-Lester- Denise, I was wondering about you just the other day, its been a long time since you last posted, Sorry about your Mum, at least she made it to a very good age and you where there for her... I'm glad you still love the UK...

between two worlds

Charley, great to see you again! I have been wondering about you, especially whenever people here talk about being torn between the UK and the children left in the US....which is quite often, of course.

So sorry to hear about your Mum.

About the children, perhaps it is harder for you because, although adult, (though only just, in the case of your twins!) they were young enough not to have really got established in the US and to have moved away from the family home, if I understand correctly. I can see that this makes it doubly difficult.

Although I am really torn about leaving my own adult children--which is why I can't bring myself to say I am moving to the UK, just that we will be based in the UK!!--at least I know that even if we stayed in US, they would almost certainly all be spread out and we would be very far away from at least one of them, probably more. For example, just before we came to France, we lived in north-east USA, and one of them lived in Georgia!! We were already used to not seeing him often--though very sad about it.

America is so big and young people have to be so mobile for their jobs that it's unlikely we would ever be geographically close to all three even if living there. So that helps me when thinking about being in the UK instead.

I remember when your children were visiting and tried to get work but couldn't (actually if they have work in the US, they are lucky, it's hard there too now).
But if the lack of work was the only thing stopping them staying in UK, and otherwise they would have been happy to live in UK rather than in US, you are lucky. Maybe work prospects will improve in UK one day and they might try again.

Anyway, keep us posted, I'm glad to see you promise "more soon" !

windsong

Nice to see you again, LesterGirl, and very glad you are enjoying the UK

Karrie72

Lovely to hear you're more settled Charley, I had wondered how you were getting on. I'm glad you managed to scale back on work...I know how challenging working with young children can be energy-wise.

Derrygal

So sorry about your mum Charley girl. Glad you got to spend time with her over the past 2 years.

NiHao

Charley-Lestergirl,

Lovely to hear from you! So sorry about your Mum but glad you were able to spend time with her.

You sound like you are enjoying the UK but it must be hard missing your children

Look forward to hearing more from you.

scrubbedexpat097

Thank you.

I love Ely Cathedral, we went there last time we were home, we were staying in Cambridge. Great memories

Lestergirl

Thank you for the messages and it is nice to be remembered.
I am looking forward to my first pension payment on the 2nd of August and to getting a bus pass on 6th July!
I am working 20 hours a week now in the day nursery and work what is called bank work, so I can take time off when and as I need to, hence being able to go to the USA for 4 weeks in March.
I feel blessed to have the employers I have as they will give me as many or a little hours as I need.
I have caught up with old friends here..and see one here in my home town regularly, my brother lives 5 mins away and I see him every week and my two sisters I see about once a month, but now my mum is not here I dont think I will see them much.
I love the countryside here and today was saying to a friend, we would not need to go abroad if the weather was nicer.
I still have my little renaut clio and would be lost with out it, although soon wont use it so much when I can go to town for free.
If anyone has any questions fire away..x

islandwoman120

Thanks to all who wrote to me about forming an activities group. I will give it some thought and may well do that - will let you know what I decide and may even use you as my 'focus group' to finalise details!

Derrygal

''

Yikes - that would never happen here. It's work, work, work..............

lf1

Just testing to see if I can post.

dunroving

Nope, didn't work, try again.

lf1