What are you looking forward to?
 

For those of us who will return soon, or those who will return in many years - what are you most looking forward to with the move back to UK?

A few of mine are:-

Going into a real butcher's shop complete with fake, plastic leaves at the front of the display cabinet and a butcher wearing a striped pinny & white hat knowing that the meat I'm buying isn't pumped full of water nor shrink wrapped in plastic. Also a bonus (especially lately) will be knowing that I'm not buying horsemeat which has been labelled as beef.

Going to the beach on a sunny day (hopefully there'll be some) and buying a Mr Whippy 99 with loads of the raspberry syrup trickling down the sides.

Having the long days in the summer when the sun sets after 10pm and rises by 4 the next morning.

Listening to Radio 2 en-route to work without having an endless stream of commercials every few records.

Being able to walk the dog off her lead either in the park or on a beach

Getting excited for Christmas knowing that there'll be loads of Christmas Specials on telly. Also being able to buy real fresh double cream to go on my xmas pud instead of the imported double devon cream we get here in small glass jars sold at an extortionate price.

Having more than one day off for Christmas

Being content with having a small garden that is manageable and not need a whole day just to cut the grass on a tractor mower.

Being able to by a loaf of bread for less than the equiv. $3 and having said bread not taste somewhat sweetened.

Golden shred marmalade

Having a window cleaner (why can I not find them for love nor money here in PA?)

A brick house and not one built of wood that could so easily be burnt to the ground in seconds or eaten by some big mother effing ants!

Being able to buy Ribena for £1 and not have to order online a case of 12 for over $100

Not having people talk so much of religion or god. It could be that here in PA religion is more popular than in other states, but it's far too religious for my liking here being the confirmed atheist that I am.

There's probably loads more I've missed but that's just a few I can think of off the top of my head here :)

Re: What are you looking forward to?
 

Great post! Let's see....

The challenge of being a stranger in my native land

Seeing everything with fresh eyes

Unpacking, when my boxes arrive!

Having my little pooch welcomed in lots of places and not treated like the spawn of satan

Twisty roads!

Birds, bunnies, foxes, horses and sheep in the fields, cows!

Marmite XO whenever I want it <drool>

English ales, french wine, at reasonable prices

The Sunday Times, especially the crossword

CHEEEEEESE Gromit!

Cheeky english sense of humour

Not having to watch what I say all the time for fear of causing offence where none meant (huge one this)

Antiques

Finding broken bits of old china when gardening

Holidays in scotland and france

SO MUCH! Too much to list :starsmile:

Re: What are you looking forward to?
 

Oh yes! Sometimes my sarcasm is completely misunderstood here :)

Re: What are you looking forward to?
 

The humour is one of the best things about being back. I love being able to banter back and forth with people I barely know. I am still a bit hesitant at times to let my real self show through as I had to suppress my humorous side for such a long time in Canada.

There is a couple in the village and we have been having a great laugh together almost since day one. I feel as though I have known them for years. The Liverpool and Glasgow jokes are flying constantly.

I also love the stone, cobbles and all the beautiful architecture. It is like a warm cosy blanket to me.

An added, minor bonus, is that tins and packets are written entirely in English, so I don't have to wade through the French part of the labeling to get to the English translation.

Re: What are you looking forward to?
 

I can relate to that, its so much easier to read everything!

I like that we get the post delivered through the door before 10 am (had to collect our mail at the post office where I used to live)

Real fish and chips with lots of malt vinegar

Hedgerows and stone walls

Real holly bushes and ivy that grows around tree trunks

Lots of lovely old architecture

Hearing everyone around me sounds like the real me (or more like me than overseas)

Like many of you, chit chatting with strangers

Bright blue skies and sunshine (now and again ;) ) that don't invariably come with temperatures of plus or minus 30 something.

Re: What are you looking forward to?
 

The British fresh air
The countryside and greenery
Seeing cows and sheep in the fields
Small villages
Winding roads in the country
Rose beds and beautiful gardens
Marks and Spencer
Sincerity of people (in general)
Fish and chips
Community feel
Rabbits, tortoises, toads and frogs ;)
A less extreme society that is a lot less driven by the pound sign
Being close to France and Spain
A better balance between work and personal life
Far better quality of meat and produce
British bakeries

Re: What are you looking forward to?
 

Great post!

...
Being able to open the windows again
Airing cupboards
Radiators
Not having to repeat every sentence
Costa coffee
Roundabouts and twisty roads
Fields full of cattle
An early spring
Being able to see my friends and family without a long plane journey
Having "normal" telly :thumbsup:
Greggs sausage rolls, magnum mint and strawberry cornetto ice creams :thumbup:
John Lewis
Hedgehogs
Feeding the birds without bleedin' racoons nicking all the food
Feeling I am where I belong :amen:

Re: What are you looking forward to?
 

Not feeling hot for 6 months of the year.
Being able to sit on the lawn without being bitten by massive ants.
Not being lunged at by poisonous snakes and jumped at by spiders. :lol:
Kicking through leaves.
Primroses, daffodils, bluebells and rhodedendrons.
Maran chickens, pet rabbits, hamsters.
Song birds.
Leading up to Christmas in London.
Green countryside.
Mr Kipling apple and blackcurrant pies.
Macaroons from the baker.
One hour travel by train to London.
Scampi, cod and chips.
Exploring.
Narrow streets.
Walking in long grass.
Banter.

Re: What are you looking forward to?
 

And just imagine all those wonderful walks for doggie :) I have been thinking about how much my own two little dogs will LOVE it. Their tails will be flying high :thumbsup::thumbsup:

Re: What are you looking forward to?
 

Oh gosh, where do I start?? LOL

Celebrating Christmas and have it FEEL like Christmas, with all the specials on the telly, all the decorations... SNOW (if I'm lucky..lol)
Vimto and Ribena
Long winding roads and stone walls
Beautiful English countryside....hills...hills and more hills
The English sense of humour so I can be myself and not have people look at me like I've grown two heads. :D
Ice cream cone with a flake stuck in it :D
BBC, ITV, Corrie
Fish and Chips with real malt vinegar and mushy peas
Mint Imperials
Being able to get on a bus or a train and go ANYWHERE

I could go on, but I'll let someone else have a turn....LOL

Re: What are you looking forward to?
 

Oh yes, so many wonderful footpaths, lanes, moors..... he'll go bonkers. I'm pretty sure he's never seen a wild bunny, it's going to blow his mind! :lol:

Re: What are you looking forward to?
 

Good list, it is all here and waiting for you to indulge. All the others lists people have posted too.
Thanks cos these help me remember why I am here and to see past the drudge of life.
Today there were sheep in fields beside bus route, snowdrops in the hedgerows. Once back it can be too easy to take for granted but must remember to look and the enjoy the feast.

Re: What are you looking forward to?
 

We have Vimto everytime we go to the dine-in chippy. Love the stuff, straight out of childhood memories

Re: What are you looking forward to?
 

It's definitely a childhood memory. I even found some Vimto lollies when I went to Poundland last year and they were addictive.. LOL

Re: What are you looking forward to?
 

Just thought of some more

Lion Midget gems or Lion Sports Mixtures with the black licquorice ones (not the new variety made by Maynards that have blackcurrant black ones)

Not getting a bill from the doctors for some small procedure I had done two months ago (just got one in the mail today :frown: )

Driving past churches when a wedding is taking place. I don't think I've seen any here, I think they're all held at the local Holiday Inn.

Picking wild blackberries in September and making a delicious apple & blackberry pie with real baking apples

Multi point water heaters.

A bath that's long enough to lie down in without having to slide my feet half way up the wall in front of me!

Argos

Being able to get the bus to go to work if my car doesn't start

Fizzy refresher sweets that make you burp so loud if you eat the whole packet in one go

Cheese & onion crisps ( sour cream and chives just don't do it for me)

Hearing in the distance children playing in the local school playground at playtime. (Do they even have playtime in USA schools ? I only remember my kids having recess during their school years and I'm not sure they were even allowed outside for it!)

Horses clip-clopping along country lanes

Re: What are you looking forward to?
 

Cooking apples! Nice big green bramleys that you can stuff and bake. Just can't get them here, bland sweet eating apples only. Ugh.

:amen: to the bath.

And horses. Though we do get the occasional mountie here, which is very cool.

Re: What are you looking forward to?
 

I beg to differ on this one. Was walking past the local school here and thinking how nice it was to hear a random cacophony of happy kid sounds, not "Bozzer, kick his f***in head in!" and obscene sexual comments screamed at the absolute top of their powerful little lungs by little kids.

(Yes this was my previous UK experience, and in "nice" areas too!)

Re: What are you looking forward to?
 

Ugh, okay well scratch that from my list then, maybe I prefer the whole "children should be seen and not heard" ideal :)

Re: What are you looking forward to?
 

:rofl: definitely! Let's just say I wouldn't move too near a school until you've checked it out.....

Re: What are you looking forward to?
 

Notice in the original statement I mentioned "distant" sounds of children playing. I recall one day when we were on holiday a few years back I was just sitting in the bedroom with the window open and I could hear delightful squeals of kids at playtime. It sounded quite pleasant and at the time I realised I hadn't heard it while living in USA.

But, I would never buy a house that was close to a school nor one that had any type of open playing field nearby. I've lived opposite a park in the past in UK and during the summer it's a nightmare especially in the evenings when the dreaded teens arrive in droves drinking their cheap booze :(

Re: What are you looking forward to?
 

Sitting down in the spreadeagle inn (thats the name, i kid you not) and taking my first drink of "real" ale

Re: What are you looking forward to?
 

Ohh yes!!! How could I have forgotten about baked apples, apple dumplings and spotted dick!

Re: What are you looking forward to?
 

Oh yes.... I have a vision.... a lunchtime, an old stone pub, walking up to the bar and buying a pint of rich dark ale at the proper temperature, carrying it to a bench outside..... oh, the things we don't appreciate when we have them.....

Re: What are you looking forward to?
 

Wonderful, John! I was going to post how everyone's list has made me teary eyed. With sheep in the field and snowdrops you may have beaten them all :thumbsup:

Re: What are you looking forward to?
 

That wouldn't be anywhere near Penkridge, Staffs per chance would it?

Re: What are you looking forward to?
 

BBC radio is good although I am not sure I like Radio 2. It is now accessible everywhere through the internet. For my last spell in Saudi I listened regularly to BBC Radio Scotland so that I could get used to Caledonia again. With no adverts !

Re: What are you looking forward to?
 

Re: What are you looking forward to?
 

Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww :):thumbsup:

Re: What are you looking forward to?
 

No, this one is in Sawley near Clitheroe, it's at the end of a country lane across the road from a cisterian abbey and overlooking a river.

The only things missing will be a cloth cap, walking stick and faithfull collie at my feet. At least thats the vision in my head.

Re: What are you looking forward to?
 

family
friends
fresh air in the summer, not air con air
being in the sun without turning into cancer
appreciating hot weather , not dreading it.
less "she'll be right" (lazy and laid back are 2 different things)
flies that don't want to investigate every orifice in my head
a proper christmas
long summer days
short winter days
cosiness
4 seasons
soft grass
various shades of green
less brown
not being either bored stiff or terrified while driving
it not being seen as OK to drive home after a "few" beers
roadkill being smaller than me
less time staring at the speedo incase i go 2kph too fast and face prison
hendersons relish
coarse meat sausages
decent TV
not being yelled at by adverts
no informercials
product choice
not having to drive 40 minutes to get everywhere
insulation
cats in the street (not literally , you know what i mean)
that burning feeling on your face after a winter walk
buying a nice heavy walking jacket
not being so cautious while out in nature
The Pennines in 1 hour
Europe in 2 hours
The Med in 3 hours
North Africa in 5 hours
The Middle East in 7 hours
cheaper flights

and last but not least and mentioned by others above

being "got" by people....... Oh mild jovial sarcasm how i miss you! :D

Re: What are you looking forward to?
 

So cats being allowed outside is considered odd in Australia too?

Re: What are you looking forward to?
 

How could you miss the most important thing ....?

Re: What are you looking forward to?
 

Cadburys chocolate?

Re: What are you looking forward to?
 

I've rarely seen them so i guess so.

Re: What are you looking forward to?
 

Of course, that's going to be a staple in my cupboards :)

Re: What are you looking forward to?
 

Midsomer Murders or Lewis on telly on a Sunday night ( I hope they're still on)

Re: What are you looking forward to?
 

There must be nobody left in Midsomer by now.

Re: What are you looking forward to?
 

Returning expats could re-populate the villages, if they don't mind living in the crime capital of Britiain!:lol:

Re: What are you looking forward to?
 

Lewis just finished recently. Laurence Fox is off to the US. I hope they resurrect it and give Lewis a new sidekick, although I did enjoy both characters together.

Midsomer is still on, but Barnaby has retired. I haven't watched it yet. Better put it on the to do list.:)

Re: What are you looking forward to?
 

I love Midsomer Murders. I didn't see it on the iPlayer but I must look again. Hoepfully, there are free episodes.