jasper123

Hello Elizabeth,
Well yes thats a good question, and one that I have asked myself oh so often over the past year of making my decision to return home,
I have lived in US for 33 years, directly before that Canada for 3 years, before that Australia for 4 years, add em all up and out of the 65 years that I have been alive I have lived in other countries for (40 years)
And well now I have been living in Vegas for 14 years

I came to Vegas cause there was plenty of work here at the time, I really regret that decision now cause I have been thinking that there is absolutely nothing about this city that I like,

OK Quickly getting back to your question, the weather, I hate the weather In Vegas, especially the long hot summer months like now,
Since I have been here my eczema skin problem has got worse by 50 fold, mostly caused by the hot dry climate here,
So about the UK weather ----- would It affect me in any way you ask?

To be very honest I have never liked the UK weather, (NEVER) I grew up there and have spent 25 years of my life there, and even worked there for 10 of those years, and I think the dreaded grey UK weather is a big reason why I first emigrated to OZ in 1965 when I was 19,

But now I am a senior citizen and I have now entered into what I call the final or as some say the Autum years of my life, I look at things a lot differently now,

Now my desire to return to England at this stage in my life is so strong that if I just say I am so looking forward to it or that I am so excited about returning would be a total understatement, since I booked my flight in January of this year I can think of little else,

The Weather, well I can tell you that I will embrace the English weather with open arms, I say hey bring on that rain, hit me with your worst weather, (cause for the last 14 years in the desert it only rains 3 times a year on average and we only get about 3 inches of rain each year) now I can say to England I need the rain, I want the rain, and I want it often, and give me that humidity in the summer cause its good for my skin problem,
Cause now Im ready for it, I know exactly what to expect,
My mind these days goes far beyond the weather, ---- now I look at all the positive things (only) of life in England (today) not how it was way back when,

So I am going back to my native land of England, with all the good and bad, hoping that she will open her heart to me and reach out and give me a real big bare hug and whisper in my ear and say rodney everything will be fine from now on --- because your finally home where you belong,

You know the real important thing about any country is not so much about the beauty of nature cause both USA and the UK are both so rich in beauty,
(OR) about the politics or the way the countries are run by the Governments, or about anything else, The single important thing about a country when you look at it from deep within your soul and your heart is quite simply ------
(THE PEOPLE)

I truly believe that the main reason all of us ex-patriots who have made the decision to move back home is ------ we want to be with our people again,
We miss the British humor, we love how the people there are still happy and cheerful even in the times when all the cards are stacked against them,
And a lot of us miss our family so much,

Last night when I got home from work at 1am in the we we hours of the morning, I called my Daughter in England and we had a great talk about so many things, we talked for close to 2 hours,
And it was wonderful, she told me how much she has missed me all these years, (even though we have always kept in contact with each other often through those years)
She told me how excited she is that I am coming home, (her council house is only 2 miles from where I will be living)
She said she is so happy that I am coming home for good this time, and there will be no more tearful goodbyes to go through,
I seconded all of her feelings, I told her that I feel exactly the same way,

And we talked about my grandkids and great grandkids, two plus two, all living in the same town so I will get to spend lots of time spoiling them all rotten
And she said that she has arranged for her and a friend to be at Gatwick to pick me up and drive me home to Pompey to my Mums house,
And at that point a few tears came into my eyes, I said OH thanks so much, that means so much to me, and I told her that she is the very best thing that has ever happened to me, and I really mean that,
And she said Dad I regret all these years we have been apart and that we have missed so much of each others lives but now you are coming home and your coming home for good, ---- that is all that matters, and then she said NOW lets get on with (LIFE)

Well Elizabeth I hope I answered your question --- of course a simple yes or no would have been OK he he he he he sorry that this post was so darn long,
But you see there is so much more to be looking forward to over there, the weather to me is not that important anymore, being with my family is !!!!!

Take good care Elizabeth and everyone,
Rodney.

Fish n Chips 56

Come on Rod, Youve got me in Tears...

For some reason I didnt realsie you had a daughter, Wow you are a Lucky Lad...

sallysimmons

I didn't know you had a daughter and grandkids either!

What a moving post. You are going to be so happy, arriving and being welcomed back into the arms of a loving family. I'm a little teary now too

Wawa

Rodney, your post brought tears to my eyes, it was beautiful - you are going home to so much love, I wish you the absolute best! Time will fly - you dont have much longer left in crappy old Vegas Me for one, will never complain about the UK weather. I love the rain, like you, I lived in drought-like conditions for years, and it really makes you appreciate the rain. Of course I do not appreciate the weather in Canada and I am dreading the next winter

Mummy in the foothills

Awww Rod you made me all teary too.
I've cried enough for one day I was at my friends Dads funeral before lunch and seeing all his friends and family gathered and talking about him made me want to go home even more.

Boodles

Don't hold back Rodney...tell me how you really feel. I am so very happy for you having so much family to welcome you home, if I ever manage to make it back it will be just my husband and I. I am not complaining, I have a great husband, but, it would be wonderful to have family also, and, like you, will welcome the rain and not complain about the grey skies because I will have so much more to be grateful for. Elizabeth

cheers

I think they call that 'looking through rose colored glasses'!

I believe in trying to look at what may hit me.

Yes, I think of the things I'm looking forward to but I have to balance that.

Should I jump in the first taxi to Heathrow and the US when they charge me £6.50 for fish and chips?

I'm sure we will run into a lot of things there in the UK and say 'hey, they are riping us off'

One last thing, and I realize my post is fragmented, I can't get over how people have fixed up their bathrooms and kitchens in the UK.

Cheers

Boodles

Well Cheers, I may be looking through rose coloured glasses but as my vision is not as good as it was when young, maybe the added colour will help Elizabeth

wingandapray

Nearly!!!Born in UK but went to US at 3 months old-came back to england 8 years old dragged to australia at 13 (10 pound thing) then treated like crap-u got that VERY right!-because of this I have to completely restart my life and in your 50's not easy-thats how behind I am-no UK pension and I will have to start again!

trottytrue

Rodney your post was one of the most moving I have read, it truly brought tears to my eyes . You are so lucky you are entering into a new phase in your life and it may not be all hills there will be some valleys but OH those hills will be wondeful. To re-start that relationship with your daughter is going to be so sweet you will never be alone again. I wish you so much joy. Christmas this year will be a wonderful time for you.

sallysimmons

I don't know about that --- the reason all those people have such nice bathrooms and kitchens is that it's so cheap to do there. Here, a new kitchen will cost you $50K - there, more like $5K.

The US is a giant money-making machine. No matter what you want to do, someone has figured out an angle to make money off it. So far, I have figured out that the following are cheaper in the UK:

- property tax
- utilities
-car insurance
- house insurance
- healthcare (of course!)
- travel

About the same:

- Food and groceries

More expensive:

- housing
- petrol
Nothing to feel ripped off about in my opinion.

Jerseygirl

Very well said.

Edit: You forgot:

- Window cleaning

- Gardening/Landscaping

Mummy in the foothills

£6.50 for fish and chips? Yes please, it was more expensive than that last summer when I was there.
I can't get over the kitchen and bathroom thing either. My Mom has had her house same amount of time as me (17 years), they moved in, new kitchen, and just 4 years back, new kitchen I still have the one that came with the house, we put new taps and door and drawer handles. I priced a new one, and off the shelf stuff at home depot was over $10, 000 and that was a few years back and us pulling out the old and installing the new ourselves. I'll live with it

Fish n Chips 56

Oh Sally you have that right.

Kitchens and bathrooms, Heck they have been ahead of us in that market for many years, some of my in laws have had underfloor heating and heated towel racks for years, I know they have been available here for a long time but I don't know of anyone with them.

My in laws have dimming lights recessed in the kick plates of their kitchen, its a nice effect at night as you walk in, These are just average people...

General upkeep of a home has to be cheaper in UK, Its Brick, No Exterior of house to paint every 5-10 years and No new roof every 15- 20 years, it all adds up.

Not to rain on your parade but I think Brits are ripped off when it comes to New Cars, I'm not sure about prices today but for many years it was thousands cheaper to buy a UK spec car in Europe and import it back into the UK, and Yes it was still cheaper after import taxes, there was a big stink about it, Brits are an easy touch as they love buying new cars and makers know this, my relatives are always buying new cars, and nice ones too, they just seem to have the money, while on the subject some of the cars are way ahead of ours, they've had options on Accord Camry type cars for three years that are just showing up on cars costing $50-60000 here in the USA.

Remember the UK has two taxes built into the price of a new car, Car Tax and Vat, both add thousands to the price of the average car.
Slightly Used cars can be a very good deal versus a New one.

Americans may think cars are expensive here, I think they are priced fairly.

Its a well known fact that Britain is an early adopter of technology, I've seen things while over the UK that turn up a year or two later over here, They have the money to spend and seem to live that keeping up with the Jones's lifestyle, always wanting the latest things.

Computers seem expensive in the UK, Id say you pay in £s what you would pay in $s here.

Quality of TV reception has always been better than here, British standards were set much higher than ours, today I think we are on par with HD if you can afford it, I cant, I think American Cable TV is Rip, just add up the monthly charges.

The Brit's get American programmes like Dexter on regular TV, here its available on Showtime a premium channel, More $$$.

I have AC, I really think that's an option I would enjoy in the UK, Non of my in laws have that, most people would say they don't need it, I say its a great thing to have when you do.

I think Brit's win when it comes to vacations, 4 weeks after one year on the job, how many of your friends in America get 4 week vacations even after 8 or 10 years ??? plus the availability of cheap foreign holidays if you can make that last minute decision, I'm not sure if those are so cheap anymore since the financial collapse.(?)

They do get screwed on airline prices, the charges are unreal, there's a charge to buy your ticket online with a credit card and a charge to pick your seats, the charges are endless, I hear luggage limits are less than ours in most cases too.

Ryanair used to have some good deals, My pal went from Doncaster to Ireland for £10 return plus taxes, I hear Virgin has good deals too, you have to look out of these on teletext and in the newspapers.

Healthcare is The Biggy for me, Britian has a much fairer system than we do, the major corporations in the USA like to keep the working class down, lets face it they couldn't care less about us, Its all about The Dollar and it being in their pocket certainly not ours, the Government is all bought and paid for by these corrupt corporations, ((( Either party))) The American public is BS'd/ Conned/ Brainwashed into thinking they have the best of everything, it simply isn't so.
Sorry for the rant.

Everything you buy in the UK has to have extra £ tagged on to take care of taxes and benefits the Brits receive, that 4 weeks vacation has to be paid for by someone and that someone is the consumer, their Minimum wage is higher too, these costs have to be covered.

Fish n Chips 56

£6.50... Huhhhhh I paid $10 for some Great Fish n Chips out here on the west coast today, Thats a great deal for Fresh Cod, the Bummer is I have to drive 50 miles to the Chippy, so that's 100 miles round trip, a 2 hour drive, $10 for Fish n Chips and $15 for Gas, I do it two or three times a month, some people like Steak I love Cod.