Running in snow shoes uphill....it's called youth!
Taking a break! NH traffic!
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Friday, February 13, 2009
The Doldrums!
It's that time in February in NH when its bitter cold, the kids seem to be in school only a few days a week due to conferences, teacher workshop days & of course the snow days. The remainder of the time they are either fighting or throwing wet snow clothes in the mudroom!
The Body Shop Butter supplies are running low, you cannot purchase enough chapstick to keep your lips attached to your face, your hair has a permanent woolly hat ring around it and you are getting fed up with ski-ing, reading, knitting, snow shoeing etc.
The economy is hitting hard at the moment with lots of our friends being laid off and there is very little employment where we live to find alternative employment, thank goodness there is no tax on alcohol here!
On a happier note we are off to FL chasing the sun & Mickey Mouse soon.
Every year when we arrive in a warmer climate after leaving the harsh bitter cold of NH I have this warm internal glow when I see grass and feel a warm breeze, it almost seems like a distant memory.
When I see a coconut tree I just about wet my knickers I am so excited!
The beauty of escaping for a while is that when you return the snow has started to melt & you know that spring will come along with my beautiful Daffodilly's!
Patience my dear!
The Body Shop Butter supplies are running low, you cannot purchase enough chapstick to keep your lips attached to your face, your hair has a permanent woolly hat ring around it and you are getting fed up with ski-ing, reading, knitting, snow shoeing etc.
The economy is hitting hard at the moment with lots of our friends being laid off and there is very little employment where we live to find alternative employment, thank goodness there is no tax on alcohol here!
On a happier note we are off to FL chasing the sun & Mickey Mouse soon.
Every year when we arrive in a warmer climate after leaving the harsh bitter cold of NH I have this warm internal glow when I see grass and feel a warm breeze, it almost seems like a distant memory.
When I see a coconut tree I just about wet my knickers I am so excited!
The beauty of escaping for a while is that when you return the snow has started to melt & you know that spring will come along with my beautiful Daffodilly's!
Patience my dear!
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Questions, questions.
Here are some questions passed on to me by Almost American:
1. Do you think you are a different person here than you would have been if you'd stayed in the UK?
Definitely. I would have worked full time and struggled by being a mother and full time worker. I could not work with my first baby due to visa issues and it took forever to find a job as I am in a very rural area. Unless I want to work in a shop or ski resort there are very few decent well paying jobs around here. In the UK I would have followed a career.
2. If you could live in any other country in the world for a year (assuming there is magically no language barrier, let alone employment or visa issues) which country would you choose and why?
This would be a toss up between France (as we did live there for 6 months and loved it), or Australia as that was always our ultimate goal, however after visiting Australia I found that it was a mix of England and America. So I guess France!
3. What American traditions have you adopted that you never would have imagined being part of your life?
Oh I just love July 4th as I adore fireworks this is probably as my parents never let us have them for safety reasons. Also Thanksgiving day as it is always a restful family day and they are few & far between.
4. What, other than chocolate, do you miss most about the UK?
My family as I just love watching the cousins all blend together as if they have known each other forever. Food wise: bacon wheat crunchies, tea bags, lattes with chocolate on & not cinnamon, granary bread, scones and a good curry or ploughmans lunch.
The English sense of humour as sometimes people do not understand my sarcasm or opinions over here
5. What would your ideal vacation be?
It would be a very long European style one. Starting with a week in a gite in the south of France, onto Portugal, a quick cruise around the Mediterranean. Followed by 2 weeks in Fiji & New Zealand.
Of course it would be with my family and all cost free!
If you would like me to send you 5 question please drop me a comment!
1. Do you think you are a different person here than you would have been if you'd stayed in the UK?
Definitely. I would have worked full time and struggled by being a mother and full time worker. I could not work with my first baby due to visa issues and it took forever to find a job as I am in a very rural area. Unless I want to work in a shop or ski resort there are very few decent well paying jobs around here. In the UK I would have followed a career.
2. If you could live in any other country in the world for a year (assuming there is magically no language barrier, let alone employment or visa issues) which country would you choose and why?
This would be a toss up between France (as we did live there for 6 months and loved it), or Australia as that was always our ultimate goal, however after visiting Australia I found that it was a mix of England and America. So I guess France!
3. What American traditions have you adopted that you never would have imagined being part of your life?
Oh I just love July 4th as I adore fireworks this is probably as my parents never let us have them for safety reasons. Also Thanksgiving day as it is always a restful family day and they are few & far between.
4. What, other than chocolate, do you miss most about the UK?
My family as I just love watching the cousins all blend together as if they have known each other forever. Food wise: bacon wheat crunchies, tea bags, lattes with chocolate on & not cinnamon, granary bread, scones and a good curry or ploughmans lunch.
The English sense of humour as sometimes people do not understand my sarcasm or opinions over here
5. What would your ideal vacation be?
It would be a very long European style one. Starting with a week in a gite in the south of France, onto Portugal, a quick cruise around the Mediterranean. Followed by 2 weeks in Fiji & New Zealand.
Of course it would be with my family and all cost free!
If you would like me to send you 5 question please drop me a comment!
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Verizon where did you go????
Oh I am so ticked off with the world.
We have had Verizon for years, paid our bills, used their Internet & e-mail services and life was fine.
Then they sold out to Fairpoint.....grrrrrr!
They sent an e-mail asking us to change our e-mail addresses and that is where the problem started!
First of all there "handy help" link totally failed so we had no e-mails for 3 days and now that we are up & running we have to let all our blogs, address book etc know our new address.
Not an easy thing to do!
It is tiresome!
Plus change all our accounts that we subscribe to......oh yes and we are still paying the bills!
Where did good customer service go???
I think we will be moving...anybody love their Internet provider??
We have had Verizon for years, paid our bills, used their Internet & e-mail services and life was fine.
Then they sold out to Fairpoint.....grrrrrr!
They sent an e-mail asking us to change our e-mail addresses and that is where the problem started!
First of all there "handy help" link totally failed so we had no e-mails for 3 days and now that we are up & running we have to let all our blogs, address book etc know our new address.
Not an easy thing to do!
It is tiresome!
Plus change all our accounts that we subscribe to......oh yes and we are still paying the bills!
Where did good customer service go???
I think we will be moving...anybody love their Internet provider??
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Laser Hair Removal
Well today I was very brave and decided to tackle the dark growth above my lip with laser removal.
This method came highly recommended by a friend who had done it and gave marvellous reviews.
I very naively thought that it was the American translation for electrolysis, however it is not!
Just to put you all in the full picture here the experience is not particularly pleasant!
I had to lie down on a very comfortable bed. The lady then gave me a pair of metal sunglasses that looked like sunbed glasses but for nerds.
Of course being English I obliged and put them on without question!! Dur!
Then she explained what would happen. A small pain and a flash of light; how simple was that I thought?
I could not imagine how I could see a flash of light as the goggles were very tight and I could not open my eyes.
After hearing the machine warm up.....it sounded very noisy apparently it was (just calibrating whatever that means) she approached me and it suddenly came into my mind what the hell was I thinking as I had not researched this at all!
I suddenly felt a sharp pain (very brief) and then saw a flash of what looked like a red flame! Then the acrid smell of burning hair...gross!
The first image in my imagination was this must look like a "Flash Gordon Movie."
She did this all of 4 times and I was done.
WOW!
Would I recommend this...I'll let you know!
This method came highly recommended by a friend who had done it and gave marvellous reviews.
I very naively thought that it was the American translation for electrolysis, however it is not!
Just to put you all in the full picture here the experience is not particularly pleasant!
I had to lie down on a very comfortable bed. The lady then gave me a pair of metal sunglasses that looked like sunbed glasses but for nerds.
Of course being English I obliged and put them on without question!! Dur!
Then she explained what would happen. A small pain and a flash of light; how simple was that I thought?
I could not imagine how I could see a flash of light as the goggles were very tight and I could not open my eyes.
After hearing the machine warm up.....it sounded very noisy apparently it was (just calibrating whatever that means) she approached me and it suddenly came into my mind what the hell was I thinking as I had not researched this at all!
I suddenly felt a sharp pain (very brief) and then saw a flash of what looked like a red flame! Then the acrid smell of burning hair...gross!
The first image in my imagination was this must look like a "Flash Gordon Movie."
She did this all of 4 times and I was done.
WOW!
Would I recommend this...I'll let you know!
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
What the heck...Groundhog Day?
Now I love living in America and I adore some of the holidays e.g. July 4th with all the patriotism family gatherings and fireworks, Thanksgiving with all the family sat around a huge turkey however Ground Hog Day is an unbelievable day if you ask me.
I do not wish to insult any fellow Americans however holding a large rat up and seeing if he can see his shadow which then predicts the weather is beyond belief.
I can just imagine the response to me holding my pet hamster out in the cold and predicting the weather in the UK.....crazy woman, they would have me certified!
I do not wish to insult any fellow Americans however holding a large rat up and seeing if he can see his shadow which then predicts the weather is beyond belief.
I can just imagine the response to me holding my pet hamster out in the cold and predicting the weather in the UK.....crazy woman, they would have me certified!
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Ski Bunny!
Wow February 1st..you have to be kidding me........... already?
We spent the day ski-ing in the most beautiful; conditions....fresh powder.
Sir L woke us all up at 6.30am to get ready & to hit the slopes at 8.30am!!!!
This was not going to be an easy day!
Anyway we rolled out of bed, gobbled a bagel, slugged a quick latte and hit the road.
Sir L's plan was to ski half the day and get the cheaper pass so we could then go to the outlets in the afternoon. My bargain hunter hubby!
It sounded good however on arrival at the slopes at 8.30am sharp.......the half day passes are only from 12.30 pm onwards...............arrrrrrrggghhhh!
Well the ski-ing was superb & I have to say that as I skied and the power flew from my ski's I was Olympic material! Just in case there were any "spotters" out there ...you missed me!
We spent the day ski-ing in the most beautiful; conditions....fresh powder.
Sir L woke us all up at 6.30am to get ready & to hit the slopes at 8.30am!!!!
This was not going to be an easy day!
Anyway we rolled out of bed, gobbled a bagel, slugged a quick latte and hit the road.
Sir L's plan was to ski half the day and get the cheaper pass so we could then go to the outlets in the afternoon. My bargain hunter hubby!
It sounded good however on arrival at the slopes at 8.30am sharp.......the half day passes are only from 12.30 pm onwards...............arrrrrrrggghhhh!
Well the ski-ing was superb & I have to say that as I skied and the power flew from my ski's I was Olympic material! Just in case there were any "spotters" out there ...you missed me!
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