Originally Posted by feelbritish

Hi Cheers, thank you for saying you wish you could buy my house! It even has a B&B attached to it! Lovely location on the beach here.

My hubby and I both Canadian now (he by default his mom was born there) but he is the British one, I (who have British ancestry hence my name) had ILR when we left but stupidly never thought we would have any changes to immigration and I had to come to Canada with him for a job offer! If I had waited until I could naturalise the job offer would have been off the table. Little did we know things would change! Our house, which we are now so pleased we kept, is in a small market town in Buckinghamshire called Marlow. It is on the Thames River between Windsor and Henley-on-Thames and after about 2 years of thinking we would retire to somewhere on the coast, we have realised it offers us everything we want except the sea! To make up for that we are going to buy a caravan and travel to the coast rather! My family live in Cape Town and we also will be spending 3 months over the UK winter there where we have very reasonable accommodation offered by my mother ! It all sounds so perfect which I am sure is not except we need to sell this house to now fund our retirement plans.

Originally Posted by jasper123

Thanks jerseygirl/cheers/greenlane/nihao/islandwoman and BTW for all your kind sentiments, everyones really nice on here,
And thanks Trotty and spouse of scouse ----- yes Im convinced that my latest flare up of psoriasis is due to the anxiety over the operation ---- and also the stress of also taking care of my Mum, she is getting better now though, but I still have to make sure she takes all her drugs correctly, and also do all the cooking and keeping house clean etc etc, I find it harder now though cause I can only use my right arm, not very easy when you cook everything from scratch, just something like peeling potatoes can be a real chore
Anyway thanks to you all, and I love reading all your posts, its like the old days

Originally Posted by windsong

Yes, the beginning of the week. It has come around so fast! I am not even sure I will have time to get any UK currency before I go and may have to resort to banks in the UK to change it for me.

I do believe housing is less expensive in Scotland but I much prefer the English homes. I know many will disagree, though. Many Scottish homes look very austere from the outside, while the English homes seem to look warmer and cozier - but, who knows, I may change my mind about all that once I get there.

Originally Posted by cheers

Be sure to give us your flight number(s) so we can track you. Do you have a laptop or iPad so you can report to us when you arrive and are haggard;) at Heathrow?

I had to look this up because I got the spelling wrong.

*hag·gard
ˈhagərd/Submit
adjective
1.
looking exhausted and unwell, especially from fatigue, worry, or suffering.
"I trailed on behind, haggard and disheveled"
synonyms: drawn, tired, exhausted, drained, careworn, unwell, unhealthy, spent, washed out, run-down; More


A place that I've found reasonable is a town called Melksham, Wiltshire. Wilshire is one of the best pretty English counties.
I got directed to Melksham because an American on another forum has a small hotel there and they speak very well of the town.

Be happy and excited because next week you will be where you've wanted to be for a very long time.

As someone else said, don't do more than you have to when you arrive because of the stress and jet lag.

Cheers

Originally Posted by Jerseygirl

You don't taste the banana with Banoffee. As I said I hate bananas and couldn't for the life of me eat a Banana Split...but I enjoyed the pie.

Originally Posted by spouse of scouse

Ah, you're a 'cook from scratch' fan. Me too, I can't think of many pre-prepared things that beat something you've made yourself. When Scouse went home last year he stayed with his brother and sister-in-law, fabulous people but everything comes out of a packet. The only meal that was cooked from scratch was the Sunday roast. He offered many times to cook a meal but they wouldn't hear of it, bless 'em.

It's a shame that you can't get a bit of help around the house while you're recovering from your surgery. Even just someone to do the heavier jobs would be good.

Take it as easy as you can and I hope you're fighting fit in no time

Originally Posted by windsong

Will do, Cheers. I leave next Monday morning. It's coming around very quickly!

Love your description of "haggard". I think I feel that way already lol.

Originally Posted by J.JsOH

Me too on cooking from scratch. Daily dinner takes about 30-40 mins to prep and cook, I know what is in it, it is just as we like it and there is a certain satisfaction in it being something that I made.

Originally Posted by trottytrue

Jasper123 do you think social services could give you some help till you are fully recovered.

A question to you all.....what's your favourite cheese.....

I get my cataract removed on Monday not a big op but I would rather stay away from hospitals, but I need it doing, then I will have two perfect eyes....

Originally Posted by trottytrue

A question to you all.....what's your favourite cheese.....

Originally Posted by trottytrue

Jasper123 do you think social services could give you some help till you are fully recovered.

A question to you all.....what's your favourite cheese.....

I get my cataract removed on Monday not a big op but I would rather stay away from hospitals, but I need it doing, then I will have two perfect eyes....

Originally Posted by trottytrue

Jasper123 do you think social services could give you some help till you are fully recovered.

A question to you all.....what's your favourite cheese.....

I get my cataract removed on Monday not a big op but I would rather stay away from hospitals, but I need it doing, then I will have two perfect eyes....