Originally Posted by Silly Sod

Ha ha. Manc, me old china. Great to hear ya bud. That put a smile on me fizzog before bed. Hope u are well bud. (Ggggrrr - wish there was a android app for be lol). We'll catch up soon mate.

JG - thanks for that. I thought anti-bi's would be the thing. Instead sent us to this specialist food place. Prolly getting a pay off lol.

Well. Good nite gang. Ive missed the banter

Originally Posted by Silly Sod

Good morning to all my dear old friends across the old pond

I hope you will all forgive my only very occasional check ins here. Life has become very busy I'm afraid, or I am glad to say - or something like that. So, if it isn't too tedious, I shall give those of you who know me (and give a monkeys) an update.

We are still here in rainy old Lancashire. My lovely wife and the Step Sod, who is doing great at school and has taken to the damp like a true native, are happy and settled. We were worried - prior to and following our eventually sorting out all of the time wasting and problematic custody stuff with her biological father - that the kid wouldn't like the UK, would become homesick, would be problematic etc.

However, from the minute she stepped off the plane, she seemed to settle right in. She is doing better in school here than she ever did in the US. Her school reports tell us that not only is she in all of the top sets for her subjects, but that she is also a likeable kid and quite humble in her dealings with others. I had worried that the popularity an American accent might impart in sleepy Lancashire would go to her head - but it seems not.

As for Myself and Mrs Sod - I am working in IT sales (still, and still hate it - but grateful to be working at all) while studying for a degree in Software Engineering. Mrs Sod is due to resume her studies via distance learning from the Uni of Arizona. She works part time at a local primary school and hopes to move into teaching. Right now she volunteers as a classroom assistant in the mornings and works as a lunchtime assistant in the afternoon. My mum was a lunchtime assistant, but in those days it was called a dinner lady. A noble occupation IMO, even if it is only for now.

We have a nice little house with a nice little garden front and back. We have an nice little King Charles Spaniel , which I rescued when near death from starvation and abuse (and which Step Sod, after two weeks became bored of, as all kids do when the reality of their dream pet/companion kicks in ha ha). Nonetheless, she is a happy little thing. Everyday she wakes up and you'd think it was her first day on earth, as happy as she is to see us all again. Basically, daft as a brush

So. All is well here. As well as things can generally be. Our long term plans: We are thinking about returning to Michigan, when Step Sod has finished school, four years from now. Though it will be a slog for, as some of you know, last time I was there wasn't in the most official circumstances. Still, we have a lawyer friend (immigration) in Mi who is happy to help, so you never know. Nothing worth doing comes easy. But, if that doesn't happen, we are happy where we are.

Well folks. I hope this rather long update is not boorish. I had thought to fill in a lot of blanks for those who may wonder what has happened to us since I last wrote. Apolofies if I have sent anybody to sleep. It would be great to hear updates from all of my old friends here, if you have a mind to write.

Strangely enough, I do miss you guys. Especially my fellow Michigander expat - Mozoo

By for now

The Sod.

Originally Posted by another bloody yank

Glad to see you!

Sounds like things are going very well, why on earth are you thinking of returning? This country is going to hell faster than you can blink. Republicans, illegal immigrants, the economy, the weather is killing people left and right, taxes are rising, the country's youth are on some kind of rampage, or would be if they weren't so apathetic. Did I mention the weather?