Mummy in the foothills

This Noddy, Noddy Holder and Slade http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0A8KT365wlA

Wawa

Thanks Mummy. Slade was huge in my life as I grew up, there was always music playing and with 3 brothers in the house it was pretty much always raunchy and loud - Slade was always on. My dad was into Dixieland jazz, my mum into Shirley Bassey, Jim Reeves and the like. Nothing like music to revive memories - thanks to them I have a wonderfully eclectic taste in music and enjoy most genre from reggae to the classics. My mum dragged me to all the musicals, ie Oklahoma - excruciating at the time (I was 15) but now I feel so honoured that she wanted to share her love for theatre and stage.

windsong

lol! Thanks, Mummy. I will go and watch

Tanto

Hello Denise 2,
I am interested in starting a 'safe house' for returning ex-pats!!
This subject did come up many months ago and got as far as me asking where it should be (close to an airport). I then spent many hours looking at property for sale......it somehow all fizzled out with other issues coming up. Still, the need is there - somewhere to stay until one is settled and advice and support, etc., etc. I let my imagination wander and think of an Agatha Christie type setting - country house with grounds or such, don't laugh! It all needs some careful consideration and planning.
Is there a way to continue this conversation without hyjacking the thread, or are others interested too?
Tanto

Tanto

Aah, how sweet was that? Loved it!
Thanks, Trotty.

callé

I am also still very interested in this, but dont know where to start. I dont have the money myself to start this, but I have other things I could help with, I do know now how loads of things 'work' and I also drive and could help in matters like that. I keep waiting for my lotto numbers to roll in but meanwhile I think something like this is really needed. I am in Alsager and believe me there are lovely country homes around here and just outside in Church Lawton, Sandbach. Rode Heath and surrounds. We also have a rail line through here with easy access to Manchester, Birmingham for airports. Even London is only hour and a half through rail.
We do need to make contact with some agencys who perhaps can help us with some matters, but that is where I really dont know who to go to.
Let me know how I can help.

Tanto

Willing, able and interested - that's a fantastic start!!!
Will google Alsager.
To be continued..........
Tanto

Beedubya

Well I have no money but am pretty good at logistics and admin. I will also as it turns out be living pretty close to Heathrow and I know now that DDL/Denise lives near there too. We could turn up at the airport with tea and scones and get the incoming returnee onto the next leg of their journey, oop North with Calle, oop to Scotland with ED/Peigi, down sarf to Rodney in Portsmouth (or is it Plymouth??), SW to Rosie in Somerset or far East England to Jackie, maybe Taffy in Wales will help the Welsh ones and what about David and his partner and their B and B? Will we have these safe havens all over the country or just starting with one? Maybe somewhere in the middle between Heathrow and Manchester as that is where most homing pigeons seem to land first...........what about Don's place in Shropshire???

Tanto

Yes, my mind is spinning with these same thoughts, Barb (great minds think alike)!! Where on earth would we start? Maybe one location somewhere closer to Heathrow to begin - the middle sounds sensible as a home base, and then expand to other parts of the country (nothing like being optimistic)? Maybe ex-ex pats would have a spare room for returnees (as you suggested)? Rodney's in Portsmouth,by the way......David and partner were heading southwest, I think..............I was hopeful that their B&B could be a possible 'safe house'. We could put out a request for help with accommodation. I really like the welcoming committee with tea and scones (perhaps a glass of sherry), and some flag waving?
It's really late here and I'm rambling, but I feel shot through with energy by this whole idea!!!
Must try to get to sleep.........
Tanto

Beedubya

The glass of sherry is a bit too Emily Bishop for me, I am more your Audrey Roberts or Rita Fairclough type.........hic...........and even if the safe haven/ageing Hippy commune doesn't comes to pass it would be damn good to have some kind of "reunion" in the middle bit of the UK...........not even a reunion really as none of us (except TT and Charleygirl) have ever met in real life, but you know what I mean......some kind of meeting of kindred spirits would be priceless............

dgjamison

Hi Tanto, I would really love to do this, the problem is getting the financing and of course a property that woud suit. I watched a program on Telly a while ago about this group of seniors who were living in a retirment home and did'nt like it, so 6-8 of them got together and bought a large house between them, and they loved it and got a new lease on life, and of course they had each other, it was fantastic. How they have sorted all the details and what happens as they pass ect: I honestly don't know. So if there were investors for this project I honestly don't know how the financial end of things would work any ideas Denise

sallysimmons

I emigrated with the full intention of staying too. But when you became a Canadian citizen, no one surprised you with an oath that asked you to renounce your home country so perhaps you would have reacted differently in those circumstances. If you find my actions two-faced, that's your right - please don't be offended but I honestly just don't care. I have been a good citizen of this country and have contributed in many ways. I just won't fight a war against England - I think they'll get by with that particular contribution. I recommend not getting angry at people until you have walked a mile in their shoes.

FWIW, I haven't "rubbished" America although there are certainly things here I don't like. America has given me a new perspective and I have learned a lot. I like the optimism of Americans and will really hate being around complaining Brits when I get home. I like the sunshine and will miss it awfully. I like the fact that this country is the first in the world to elect a member of a racial minority as its leader. That's pretty amazing! I like the house I have and the area I live in. I love Manhattan!

On the down side, I find the political climate very hard as I am a liberal in a right-leaning country and I find the incessant religion challenging as I am a non-believer. I hate the news media here because I feel they mislead and misinform, and I don't feel I fit in with anyone the way I do in the UK.

I fully expect to have pluses and minuses when I get home too.

As for health care - that's a contributing reason for me wanting to go home, but it's way down the list. I want to go home for my family, my friends and to be somewhere where I feel I fit. We are not in the position so many are, where family and friends have moved on. We're still very close to them all and I want them in my daily life again.

The US is not a bad place and when I came here I was sure this move was for life. But what you think at 30 isn't always the same as you feel in your 40s. I have definitely changed a lot and I look back now and wonder what I was thinking. I will miss certain things when we go back, but all the conveniences and money in the world can't make up for not being able to care for an aging parent, or cook a birthday meal for your best friend, or meet up with your extended family at the holidays. That's why I want to go home.

Gabgoeshome

I totally understand this ,this is how I have found it .

Remembering my first Christmas here ...I could n't understand where all the Christmas programes were -even on BBC AMERICA !

I just hate all the callous whipping down of the Christmas tree on the 26th ,in my MIL's case to make way for Valentine bits and bobs lol !

dgjamison

I fully understand all the reasons that you want to come home, [I] came back for the same reasons and not for one second was I angry with what you said, I was just a little surprised that after living in a country so long you felt so strongly about not fighting for that country , I can't see the USA and UK ever fighting each other, I really hope not anyway, or we would be in trouble the question about health care was asked in an honestly curious way, I really do wonder how many people would return back to the UK if the USA had a NH system, I would love to hear from people who feel they have had to a leave a country that they love because of it. Anyway I wish you a very happy christmas and peaceful new year and hope you get your hearts desire in returning to your homeland and family, Denise 2

cindyabs

FWIW, as far as taking the tree down before the New Year, my Dad always said it was bad luck to have it up after New Years Eve. Both his parents were the children of UK immigrants. His mother (whose father was a Geordie and mother from Yorkshire) was especially superstitious, scratch your nose, kiss a fool, your palm itches, you're going to get money, etc, etc,