Wednesday, August 26, 2015
Woo-hoo!
And thus emerges the butterfly
This morning I snapped the obligatory first day of school pics to document the now 9th grader's return to school in the UK. Back into the uniform. Back on the bus. Back to attending classes with kids from all over the globe.
I rifled through the picture vault and rustled up pics from the first day of school when the younger daughter was in 5th and 6th grades. She threatened to kill me if I posted them on social media.
I think it's telling that I had trouble posting the younger daughter's 9th grade pics from this morning because it kept tagging her as her older sister, the college junior.
It seems she is looking more like her older sister these days, coming into her own and moving out of that awkward stage. With a six year age gap, they've finally reached the point where they can wear each other's clothes. Not that it's really helpful or possible with the coed in Texas and the high schooler in England, but there are always school breaks and summers.
Best wishes for a wonderful start to an outstanding high school career. This is it for me, the baby of the two beginning her last four years in the nest. I'm praying for academic success, solid friendships, fulfilling her potential, and a teenage bedroom that doesn't look as if a bomb exploded in there.
I rifled through the picture vault and rustled up pics from the first day of school when the younger daughter was in 5th and 6th grades. She threatened to kill me if I posted them on social media.
I think it's telling that I had trouble posting the younger daughter's 9th grade pics from this morning because it kept tagging her as her older sister, the college junior.
It seems she is looking more like her older sister these days, coming into her own and moving out of that awkward stage. With a six year age gap, they've finally reached the point where they can wear each other's clothes. Not that it's really helpful or possible with the coed in Texas and the high schooler in England, but there are always school breaks and summers.
Best wishes for a wonderful start to an outstanding high school career. This is it for me, the baby of the two beginning her last four years in the nest. I'm praying for academic success, solid friendships, fulfilling her potential, and a teenage bedroom that doesn't look as if a bomb exploded in there.
Friday, August 21, 2015
It's like we live on the other side of the planet
Last Saturday, the husband and his parents moved our college junior into her new apartment at a large Texas university. I must admit, I was kinda sad to miss the occasion. You see, for the past two years I've flown with her to South Carolina to help her move into her dorm and apartment. In January of this year, I also made the trek to her new transfer uni back in Texas to get her moved into the sorority house. This year I'm stuck over here in England unable to help at all.
Mind you, I'm not missing the heavy lifting. And sweating. But I am sad about the fact that I didn't get to meet the new roommates and their parents. Or get to run around and make last minute purchases for the new digs. Plus I need a new college hoodie to represent over here in Europe like all of the other Americans that think it's appropriate to go abroad with their favourite high school, college or pro team logo on their shirt, hat, backpack, keychain, pen, sunglasses, etc. But I didn't get to make a run to the local bookstore for the above college items.
The grandparents snapped a few pics and sent them to me. So yeah, I'll admit the exterior of the apartment complex, brand new this year, looks lovely.
But I still want to see what the inside looks like and I'm getting no cooperation from my incommunicado child. She's busy with rush prep, but surely she could take a couple phone pics and send them to me. I've asked her to do this a couple times now and so I know she knows I want to see it. And I know she knows it's driving nosey me nuts that she hasn't coughed up the photos yet. I love her dearly, but she can be sooo irritating sometimes. Maybe I'll just make a run up there in October when I'm back in Texas (for a little medical procedure, yo) so we can have lunch and I can FINALLY satisfy my curiosity about where she's living.
Mind you, I'm not missing the heavy lifting. And sweating. But I am sad about the fact that I didn't get to meet the new roommates and their parents. Or get to run around and make last minute purchases for the new digs. Plus I need a new college hoodie to represent over here in Europe like all of the other Americans that think it's appropriate to go abroad with their favourite high school, college or pro team logo on their shirt, hat, backpack, keychain, pen, sunglasses, etc. But I didn't get to make a run to the local bookstore for the above college items.
The grandparents snapped a few pics and sent them to me. So yeah, I'll admit the exterior of the apartment complex, brand new this year, looks lovely.
But I still want to see what the inside looks like and I'm getting no cooperation from my incommunicado child. She's busy with rush prep, but surely she could take a couple phone pics and send them to me. I've asked her to do this a couple times now and so I know she knows I want to see it. And I know she knows it's driving nosey me nuts that she hasn't coughed up the photos yet. I love her dearly, but she can be sooo irritating sometimes. Maybe I'll just make a run up there in October when I'm back in Texas (for a little medical procedure, yo) so we can have lunch and I can FINALLY satisfy my curiosity about where she's living.
Thursday, August 6, 2015
We've Arrived
We've been in England for 10 days, seven spent camping out in the new house on blow up air mattresses until this
rolled up the street. We were SO excited to receive our sea container full of household goods. The house is far from being completed to my standards, but we've made a good start. We had to order a bit more furniture - bespoke - and so we'll be waiting on it for a good eight weeks while they chop down trees and crank up the loom to create the upholstery for our new sofa and chair.
Our family wouldn't be complete without the arrival of Ollie,
looking dwarfed by the super tall hedges in our back garden.
Plus the co-ed joined us from her study abroad summer spent in Spain.
We celebrated our return to life abroad with some pics taken at Windsor Castle's Long Walk this morning. In true British style, we had to break out the brolly when the weather alternated between a light mist and weak sun. I can't wait to see the proofs and pick a glorious one of the girls for a wall here in our new Surrey home. Cheers to a successful move!
rolled up the street. We were SO excited to receive our sea container full of household goods. The house is far from being completed to my standards, but we've made a good start. We had to order a bit more furniture - bespoke - and so we'll be waiting on it for a good eight weeks while they chop down trees and crank up the loom to create the upholstery for our new sofa and chair.
Our family wouldn't be complete without the arrival of Ollie,
Plus the co-ed joined us from her study abroad summer spent in Spain.
We celebrated our return to life abroad with some pics taken at Windsor Castle's Long Walk this morning. In true British style, we had to break out the brolly when the weather alternated between a light mist and weak sun. I can't wait to see the proofs and pick a glorious one of the girls for a wall here in our new Surrey home. Cheers to a successful move!
Friday, July 24, 2015
The End is Nigh
Yep, we're about to be deprived of Tex-Mex, sweet tea and Texas temps with our move to England on Sunday. We closed on the sale of our house Wednesday, so it's time. Time to join the husband who has been in the UK for almost a month in his new gig. Time to contemplate setting up our new home. Time to enjoy milder temps. And time to be a little homesick once the new wears off.
Catch up with y'all on the other side of the pond once we get wifi in the house in the first week of August.
Catch up with y'all on the other side of the pond once we get wifi in the house in the first week of August.
Thursday, June 18, 2015
Still Intrigued
The royals are such an interesting lot. Castles and estates, wealth and adoration. The history and pageantry can be awe-inspiring. But the thing that continues to pique my imagination is the contents of Queen Elizabeth's purse.
The carrying of handbags/purses is something obviously inculcated from birth, especially for the older generation. Purses, hats, gloves… all part of the era. While snooping through images of Lizzie through the years, I noticed her handbags have been pretty much the same old rather boring, rectangular shaped ones we see her carrying today. Maybe all of the old age pensioners carry this sort of bag because it's all they've ever known. I'll have to check it out once we move back to Surrey next month.
Black, white, silver, gold and cream are her preferred colors, with practical black being the obvious frontrunner for most occasions. But the burning question is what the heck does she carry around inside her rather staid handbag. Keys to Buckingham Palace? Pressed powder for her nose? Hand sanitizer to get rid of the commoner's germs? Kleenex to wipe the smeared lipstick off her front teeth? A toothpick in case she gets seeds or a bit of spinach stuck in her dental work? I'd just love to know what she keeps in there.
I had to chuckle at Prince George's christening picture because if you look down at the queen's feet, you'll spy her ever present black purse. Really? Why didn't the photographer just move it out of the shot. I say there, Camilla, just put this behind the couch for Lizzie, why don't you? Be a good chap, Harry, and toss granny's purse in that cabinet for a minute.
Eh, maybe the photographer was just lucky to get the old girl to take that highly practical black bag off her elbow where it typically rides, and have her put it on the floor.
Eh, maybe the photographer was just lucky to get the old girl to take that highly practical black bag off her elbow where it typically rides, and have her put it on the floor.
Sunday, June 7, 2015
Leased House (check)
We've got a house in the UK and we zeroed in on it our first day of hunting. We saw 10 houses on a Tuesday and knew this house was ours by Friday. We met the current tenant, a lovely lady from Australia that's relocating to Houston for her husband's job this summer. We told her they'll be all the rage in Texas with their lovely Oz accents.
This house is a bit bigger than we need, but at least we'll have plenty of room for guests. The location can't be beat - just down the street from the 9th grader's best friend and less than a 5 minute walk to the Walton-on-Thames high street.
We've traded 1930s character and charm from our first expat gig house for something a bit more modern. Underfloor heating has replaced radiators that often went on the fritz. And we sincerely hope we won't suffer through any invasion by ants, wasps or even sweet little ladybugs with this new(er) home in the leafy suburbs of Surrey.
Now that school is out, I've been busy plotting furniture and decor. Nothing pricey, but merely more modern than our current rustic hill country chic. No taxidermied critters or nailhead trimmed leather sofas are crossing the pond. Fresh citron, yellow and serene blues are my new color palette for the kitchen, with nary a red rooster in sight.
Here are some pics of our new digs. I'm looking forward to getting everything on the freighter in a couple weeks so I can have it all set up before Momcation 2015-16 (the start of school) begins.
This house is a bit bigger than we need, but at least we'll have plenty of room for guests. The location can't be beat - just down the street from the 9th grader's best friend and less than a 5 minute walk to the Walton-on-Thames high street.
We've traded 1930s character and charm from our first expat gig house for something a bit more modern. Underfloor heating has replaced radiators that often went on the fritz. And we sincerely hope we won't suffer through any invasion by ants, wasps or even sweet little ladybugs with this new(er) home in the leafy suburbs of Surrey.
Now that school is out, I've been busy plotting furniture and decor. Nothing pricey, but merely more modern than our current rustic hill country chic. No taxidermied critters or nailhead trimmed leather sofas are crossing the pond. Fresh citron, yellow and serene blues are my new color palette for the kitchen, with nary a red rooster in sight.
Here are some pics of our new digs. I'm looking forward to getting everything on the freighter in a couple weeks so I can have it all set up before Momcation 2015-16 (the start of school) begins.
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