Last "Vacation" Weekend

Well, Tuesday marks my return to full time employment. While I'm excited, and looking forward to joining the team at Combat Stress (especially after a successful meeting day this past Monday,) I'm still a bit sad to see our "vacation" here in the UK come to an end. We've had a busy and eventful weekend, so I'll do my best to recap.

Last week on the recommendation of our only new "friend" here in the UK (our banker,) we tried a local Indian restaurant, Blue Mint. Like, REALLY local... it's a 5 minute walk from our front door at most. I'm not normally a huge fan of Indian food, but wow, this place is fantastic.

So much food!

On Friday, we went into London. We had plans to meet the Longhursts for dinner and drinks, but we figured we'd head in early to beat the rush hour commuters. Since we had some time to kill, we browsed around The British Museum, checking out various mummies and other antiquities plundered by the British Empire of old, finding amazing items at every turn. The central courtyard alone is amazing.

After that, we went off to The Tottenham, to have a drink while we waited for the Longhursts to arrive. Unfortunately for us, this pub is very centrally located, and it was about 5pm on a Friday. These two factors meant that the pub was PACKED with local and tourists alike. We did have some exceptional people watching while we waited though, and before long, the Longhurst clan arrived. We shared another pint (or two in some cases,) and then ventured out to find our Italian restaurant. All in all, a great evening. Anna even made sure we got home safe and sound.

Anna keeping an eye on the train schedules at Waterloo Station.

Saturday was a beautiful day here, so we did a bit of exploring. We initially set our sites on a garden show at a local school, but since we arrived 1/2 an hour before the doors opened, we decided to move on. We eventually found an amazing little park just South of Epsom town center where we did our best to soak up a bit of sunshine before moving off to have some lunch at the Bamboo Basket.

Epsom Park

After lunch, we discovered the farmers market in Epsom, where Anna managed to score a great deal on Carrots and Strawberries. Such a good deal, we're relatively certain the fruit and veg must have "fallen off the back of a truck," but hey, at least we got a great deal! At an rate, I was able to get this great picture of Anna "wheelin' and dealin'" in the market, right in front of the clock tower.

Photo not actually taken on the set of Eastenders

By evening, we were apparently feeling a bit brave, and figured we'd try out the "Tex Mex" restaurant around the corner. As it turns out, it was neither very "Tex" nor "Mex." We probably won't be back, but at least we can say we gave it a go.

Today was a bit more low key, we sorted out our online banking and budgeting tools (exciting!) and ran a few errands in between. To celebrate the end to our vacation, we decided to return back to Blue Mint one more time for another excellent Indian dinner...... and then off to the pub for one more pint, because why not?

Now we're back in the flat, enjoying a quiet evening. Even the station looks quiet tonight. Big week ahead, wish us luck!

We have a friend!*

*in this case, the term friend may be refer to banker.

While "friend" may be an exaggeration, the most friendly person we have met so far who remembers our names is our Barclays banker, Kate. In addition to banking advice, she has helped us to sort out some other things and has even gone so far as to threaten a doctor at the GP practice to which she referred us to ensure we receive good service. Sounds like a friend, right?

The last three days have been eventful! Yesterday, we discovered The Ebbisham Centre, which houses our local library, council office, a cafe, and some community classes. One fitness class is of particular interest to me and is certainly not something which was offered in The Woodlands:

Shakalaka Workout

Two nights ago, we fancied a pint (are you surprised?) so we went to The Assembly Rooms, our local Wetherspoons. Ladies- when you visit, we must stop at this pub if only for you to see the restrooms! I won't post a spoiler of their greatness, but so you know I am not fibbing, this is a snapshot of the hallway entry to the loo:

Are posh loos - ploos?

Today, we set out to see what the journey would be like for Sean if he rode the bus to work. Unfortunately, the pavements in the area from the bus stop to his place of work are extremely narrow and there is much traffic speeding by. As if from a scene in a movie, we even got majorly splashed when a large truck sped through a puddle. Ultimately, we decided Sean needs a car much sooner rather than later- because walking isn't a terribly safe option. Tomorrow, we will begin with step 1 of a car purchase and try to figure out where he could park a car- as there are currently no parking spaces available in our building's garage. #We'reNotInTexasAnymore

Despite the most unpleasant walk, we did pause so I could snap a photo of Sean outside of his new place of employment:

Tyrwitt House - Home of Combat Stress

After a long walk to Leatherhead station, we made our way to Hampton Wick to see my Great Aunt Joyce (don't worry, Mum, we brought her a pack of Wispa bars!) The second we walked in the door, she said "I have a picture of you both right there!"
We had a nice time with her and we went through many photos. She seemed to be having a moderately lucid day and her appetite was good as a plate with only one speckle of powdered sugar left was on her side table. (Sidebar: that is how I know we're related, because even though Cotillion teaches one to leave a small portion of food on one's plate to be dainty- a true Todd/Kerr/Pliszka wouldn't actually leave a bit of pastry or cake.)

Joyce looking at an old photo of her home in Portsmouth and telling me (rather matter of factly) about the bombs that were dropped there. 

 

I feel I can't end this post without some new pub photos... so, just for you:

Sean, a pint, and some mustards

Oh look! Another new cider!

And with that I bid you Cider wishes and Sausage Roll dreams! (Does a reference to Lifestyles of the Rich and  The Famous date me?)

IKEA YouKEA we all KEA

As Anna mentioned, we made a trip to Ikea in Croydon on Friday, and arranged to have a number of items delivered. As expected, first thing Saturday morning we received an Ikea delivery which included all items we brought to the delivery counter on Friday. Unfortunately, this did not include a handful of items which, as far as we can tell, were left by yours truly at the checkout. Cue sad trombone.

So, BACK to Ikea we went. I have to say, customer service was very helpful, even checking with security to see if there was anything they could do for us, but in the end we were SOL. Luckily it was only about £20 if stuff, so we decided to run back through the Ikea hamster maze once more, and grab the missing items (plus some others along the way.) needless to say, I've now had my fill of all things Ikea.

The rest of the weekend has been spent picking up various household items, and building various Ikea things. Well, maybe a trip (or 2) to the pub as well.

We ventured to Wimbleton today, so I could buy a new suit jacket from Debenham's... This became an adventure in and of itself, since all trains in and out of Epsom were canceled today due to "Engineering Works." Here I am, attempting to figure out how to get home.

At any rate, I was able to find two new jackets and a backpack, all on sale (score.) The helpful Debenham's cashier even tried to warn me about taking these items through customs on the way home. It was fun being able to explain to her that we live here now, though no one here can seem to understand why we left the US. We also stopped into Paperchase (Anna's favorite stationary store) before attempting to get home. Spoiler alert, we made it home successfully!

Tonight marked the first meal cooked in our flat (Pasta & meatballs with a salad... Nothing too adventurous.) We were even treated to some of England's odd weather, as it snowed at 50 degrees (F) while the sun was out, causing a rainbow (snowbow?) 

All in all, we had a great weekend. Tomorrow brings my first day of work at Combat Stress... Kind of. I'm going in tomorrow morning to meet the team, and to join in for the "network overhaul kickoff meeting." Should only be there a couple of hours, but I'm excited (and a bit nervous) about it all. Hopefully I'll write more about this tomorrow!

One more week before I go back to full time employment, and still lots to do. Here's hoping for a successful and productive week!

Fish Friday

I'm pleased to be writing my first blog post from our new home in Epsom, Surrey!
After a quick and comfortable flight from Houston to London, Sean and I arrived at Jubilee House to enjoy our new digs. We love it! (The welcome bag and prosecco in the fridge were a nice suprise!)

Tea and Biscuits make for a great welcome bag!

After a much-needed nap, we headed over to Barclays to open our UK bank accounts. The service was great, but it takes *a lot* longer to open a new account here than in The US. The processing time was made interesting, however, while our banker told us all she knew about Texas from the MTV program, Big Tips Texas. According to her comments, it paints a "great" picture of the lone star state.

Following that, we went to acquire new sim cards for our mobiles, but apparently acquiring sim cards is a privilege only afforded to those with British-based bank cards in hand...and as we had only just opened our account- we were denied the opportunity to pay money to a business. Luckily, we were both too tired to be frustrated, so we did what any newly-arrived Briton would do: came home and ordered a sweetcorn pizza!

I didn't even have to bring a can of niblets to the pizza shop!

Today, we awoke after only 12 hours of sleep and set off to the promised land for new flat-dwellers, Ikea! The journey reminded me of a prior quest (Sarah and Claire) to locate the Ikea in Budapest. Much like that time, Sean and I felt so accomplished to have arrived, we took a victory photo:

Rentysomethings in their natural habitat.

While it took us the entire afternoon, we managed to locate and purchase just about everything we needed- right down to the exact same dish brush we purchased at Ikea Houston. Ah, globalization.

Upon our return from the Ikea safari, we decided to partake in "Fish Friday" at the local Wetherspoons.There is little I like more than taking photos of Sean with a pint, so I'll sign out with a gem for your viewing pleasure:

There might be a cider in this photo, too...

Leavin' On a Jet Plane

Well, this is it, our last night in The US! We're checked in to our flight, nearly packed, and nearly ready to go. We celebrated by enjoying one final meal from Chef Chan's with Joe and Deborah, paired with a generously gifted bottle of Dom Pérignon (Thanks Joe!) 

Of course Anna had to make sure the bottle was empty.

We had a bit of an issue this morning with Chad's travel plans. As we discovered at the vet today, the microchip number we were given by the rescue organisation he was adopted from does not match his actual microchip. Long story short, this can be sorted out, but will delay his travel a bit. If you ask me, I don't think he minds.

We also sold the black CRV today, which for those of you scoring at home, now makes us homeless AND car-less! Boxes have begun to arrive at out flat in Epsom, and our wire transfer made it to the property management company today, so we will actually have a place to live upon arrival! I suppose we won't be homeless much longer at least.

Well, off to sleep I suppose. Tomorrow is the day!

If drinking fruity beverages is wrong, I don't want to be right.

Those of you who know me well or have sat near me at a bar are aware that in addition to cider, I have a weak spot, nay ravenous appetite for frozen fruity beverages. What's more than the palatability of the fruity beverages, is the lighthearted embarrassment I cause my father when out to eat as a family and he has to "be seen" with the usually multi-colored adult slushies. (Let's call them what they really are.) Truly, the facial expressions he generates upon my receipt of a Pappadeaux's Twisted Hurricane or Mango Tango Margarita is priceless.

Oh the humanity!

 What tastes most delicious with multicolored adult slushies is a full-on Tex-Mex meal at Guadalajara in The Woodlands. For the last ten years, my allegiance to Guadalajara's spinach & chicken enchiladas, Charro beans, and Pechuga Victoria has been steadfast.

As our departure is now less than 48 hours away, Sean and I took the opportunity of having dinner with our dear friend, Sarah, to enjoy my favorite restaurant's food and fruity drinks. (Well, Sean had a Dos Equis, but I will forgive him.)

(l to r) Mango & Strawberry Twister, Sangria & Margarita Swirl

Corn and Onion grilled Green Beans, Raspberry-Chipotle Chicken, Hacienda Rice with sausage

Torta de Tres Leches, Queso Crema Flan

Belated apologies for making you hungry- but I will need this record of deliciousness in a few weeks time when I begin having Tex-Mex withdrawals.

Despite Friday night being a hard act to follow (and Dad needing some recovery time from the beverages which inspired polar bear swimming,) we had a great weekend with my family!
On Sunday, we had a farewell meal with Aunt Judy and Joe and The Leyenbecks!

Aunt Judy, Joe, Anna, Sean

Aunt Judy personalized our card!

 

 

 

As it was the last time we will see Huck for a while, I'm happy to note we were able to teach him a very useful skill during his visit: throwing ice cubes into a swimming pool. At one point, Huck even pledged to stay with Sean and I- though we later learned this was, in fact, only so he could continue the great ice cube pitching session. I'll take it as a triumph anyway.

I'm sure there is a "stole my friends' kids UK visa"

As the clock is now turning midnight, I'm headed to bed. This whole unemployed thing has messed with my routine 6pm bedtime. I'm really really ready to be working again- so UK job can't come soon enough!

I'll leave you with a stellar selfie I forced Sean to take during our departure from the restaurant tonight.

Thanks for the memories gluttony, Guadalajara.

Just Another American Friday Night

Well, the inaugural pool swim of 2014 has now occurred. Fueled by several beers and a little beginning-of-the-weekend gusto, Sean and Dad swam a lap in 60-something degree (Fahrenheit) water. Before the cerveza kicked-in, Sean tested the waters...

La Piscina de Pliszka

In honor of our last Friday night in America for a while, I felt the need to listen to the 1812 Overture. While Tchaikovsky may have written it for The Russians, good ol' America has adopted it and made it the soundtrack to all U.S. kids' Fourth of July memories. I may have been a few drinks in and holding bottles of steak sauce, but it didn't stop me from trying (and failing) to time my jumps to the cymbals. 

All in all, Sean and I feel we really America-ed it up tonight. To prove it, here are Sean and I barefoot outside with a tray of grilled sweetcorn in front of the smoking grill. Texas ain't too bad in March....

Sweetcorn for the Soul

Before all of this, Mum and I had a fantastic pamper session at the local spa- I'm guessing manicures in London will cost more and (for the places I could afford) not provide free wine and mimosas... so I'm really glad to have gone!

Anna's color: La Paz-itively Hot Pink

, Mum's color: I'm Not Really a Waitress Red

Last Night, we had the pleasure of sharing a Japanese meal with our now old neighbors, Ben and Kayla. The meal was fantastic, but what I think Sean enjoyed more was the pre-dinner drone flight. Ben managed the controls while Sean wore the go-pro camera goggles. They were quite a team!

Drone on the Bayou

A Bird's Eye View

Well, I have just a few things left on my to do list before our departure...
1) Drink a Sangria/Margarita Swirl at Guadalajara
2)Drink a Mango/Strawberry Margarita Twister at Guadalajara
3)Pack everything I own

Wish me luck!

Nine Years, One Month

Friday, March 14th at about 2:30 CST - this is when my 9 years and 1 month employment at Total Solutions came to and end.

Mike and I shared a quick phone call, exchanging our appreciation for each other, and promised to keep in touch. He had a bourbon in my honor, and that was it. Freedom.

It's been a fun ride, enjoyable and rewarding for the most part, and I'm glad I got to be part of the growth of a small business. Timing seemed to work out well for our move though, in that TS had evolved in such a way that working remotely really didn't make much sense anymore. It was, without a doubt, time to move on.

Now, my focus is on the future as I continue to prepare for my new position at Combat Stress. I just learned today that my laptop is getting configured, and my desk cleared out to prepare for my arrival. I don't know if I've ever been so excited to start a new job... Usually, I'm filled with dread and anxiety , but not this time. My new boss Richard has gone to great lengths to prepare me for this position, and I couldn't be more greatul. 

But first, we have to cross an ocean. I will try to enjoy my 2+ weeks without working, though I think it'll all go by pretty quickly considering all the little odds and ends we have left to take care of. Exciting times on the horizon, that's for sure.

As for the present, we had a great evening with Anna's parents. One last great American cookout. I'll let her write about that though... I'll just day this: the drunken glow of beer does not warm you up enough to jump into a 62 degree swimming pool.

Visa Watch 2014

It's been a while since I've blogged, but I think I began to believe thinking too much about our move meant my visa would never arrive. As of yesterday morning however, (nearly) all worry and concern faded away with a single UPS package. Somehow I was able to convince the good people of the United Kingdom that I am, in fact, not a delinquent and am worthy to stay for a while and work in their fine country! - Achievement Unlocked! - Visa Acquired!

While frustrating, I now say with relative confidence that we have mastered the process of obtaining a Spouse Visa from the UK. I won't go into great detail here, but lets just say the directions outlined on the UK Immigration website are.... lacking. What we thought would originally take 3 weeks processing at the British Consulate General in New York actually ended up taking 8+ weeks processing in NY AND in Sheffield, UK, $300 in additional expediting fees, $100 in international courier fees, and a week spent frantically gathering highly detailed "additional documentation" at the request of the Entry Clearance Officer. Fun times!

Through it all, there were a number of instances where Anna and I both though that this was never going to happen. My Visa would be rejected for one reason or another, we were sure of it. Maybe the entry clearance officer just had a thing against "Seans?" What if the marriage certificate, bank statements, Valentines Day cards, AND multiple photos we provided still weren't enough to convince this magical person in Sheffield that we were actually married for 5+ years? In retrospect, we worried quite a bit about ridiculous impossible outcomes, but at 5am when a cat is meowing at your face, this is what runs through your brain.

Oh, and one more complaint. The Sheffield Visa office seems to enjoy sending purposely vague emails. "You'll hear from us shortly." ....nothing for a week. "A decision has been made on your visa application." ....is that a yes or a no? So frustrating!

Anyway, we have everything we need now. BA tickets booked for next Wednesday, flat lined up... We're in the home stretch now. Anna's just finishing getting everything set for Chad's travel, and we have some boxes to ship, and one more car to sell - the Gold CRV went off to the big Carmax in the sky this afternoon.  That's about it though. We're actually moving to England. Holy shit.

Nearly every evening we have left now is spent with friends and family, and filled with bittersweet goodbyes. Some of our friends threw us an excellent going away party on Saturday evening:

...and a fantastic brunch with Lydia & Amy down in Houston at Benjy's on Saturday morning. I had the BBQ Brisket Migas, because it was the most Texan thing on the menu, and I better enjoy it while I can.

Mmmm... Migas. Anyway, hopefully I'll update a bit more frequently now that things are definitely moving forward. Exciting times ahead!

The Monster at the end of this Book

On several occasions in the last month, Sean and I have said "we really need to blog about this." Due to the nearly daily ups and downs of this process, however, I think neither of us have had the energy to reflect on the process enough to create a blog entry.

I decided to force an entry today, however, because so much has happened in the last month and no matter where this journey takes us- I want to remember it all. I want to remember it because while stressful, this is the life change Sean and I are making together about which I am most proud.

On February 21st, we closed on the house. We really didn't feel sad leaving the house- it was all sort of matter of fact. However, we did pause to take a few photos outside as it was a sunny day!

Officially homeless, Mum and Dad have graciously opened their home to us for this short transition period. It has been lovely and even Nigel and Chadwick have enjoyed causing kitty trouble as a pair- such as getting into Mum's knitting bag.

Le Chat Noir, Le Chat Blanc

My work transition has gone okay. While emotionally I still feel very tied to work, I am mentally ready to disconnect. Many colleagues have wished me farewell...one meeting group even had a cake for the occasion, although Mum insists a true Brit wouldn't claim our move as a relocation to "Europe!"

 Yesterday was officially my last day, however I have a few remaining tasks to finish so I can sleep at night! My replacement, Allison, is amazing. Despite the craziness of the role, she is managing things well and is even still laughing at some of the ridiculous parts of the job!




I've been waiting to get to the end of this post to update on Sean's visa process. (This reminds me of a children's story called "the monster at the end of this book.")

In a nutshell, the visa website incorrectly auto-directs users to submit the wrong visa supplements. While instructed to submit a certain set of info to the New York office, a different set of requirements are to be sent to the Sheffield, UK office. We were given one week to come up with new required documents and a job for me (as Sean's sponsor.)  

The universe aligned, and we were able to get everything in order, however today marks 1 week since it was all submitted and we still don't have visa confirmation. 

For those of you counting, we have 13 days to our targeted move date. All a bit stressful to say the least.

 

I just hope "the monster" at the end of this "book" is a lovable and friendly Grover, not a back to the drawing board challenge!