Bits and Pieces....

Things here in Doncaster have been going unusually well.  The Dragon is being quite kind and I am happier....  I think the reason for both of those things is that I am moving Friday night.

Friday Chris got off work early and we ventured into Sheffield... I wasnt impressed by anything there except the fact that we drove past a street called:   Butt Hole Street (I kid you not, how would you like to live there?!?!?) and a Wilcox Street.  All in all the visit was boring and it took us 2 hours by bus to get to our appointment and even longer to get home.  It is times like that, that I really REALLY miss my car. (It would have taken 20 minutes by car).

Saturday night we went to the ward social - a talent show of sorts, including the award winning road show.  It was a good night.  The road show was great and it took place in America, they were all cowboys, so it was fun to listen to them all try to do an American accent.  At one point the missionaries (2 sisters and 2 elders) got up and did a lip sync (I spelled it sink at first) to a Sons of Provo song.  They were all dressed in street clothes and were mouthing the words and jumping around on stage.  I thought it was great, but I think it verged on breaking missionary rules.  I was thinking... the fact that they even know that song exists just goes to show they are from Utah and Idaho.  I am sure it is something the ward will be talking about for YEARS to come.  We got a ride home with Chris' friend Colin and his wife Amanda.  Colin is in a wheelchair and he has this great car that is all controlled by hand.  When we pulled into the parking lot he said, 'not bad for my first time driving in rain.' Which, I am glad he decided to wait until we were safely in the parking lot to say.  On the way out of the parking lot he was backing up and, you must understand, people in England get REALLY close to cars when they park.  They are parking pros and could fit into spaces with just inches to spare.  Anyway, Colin was backing up and getting really close to the car behind us, but I just thought he was looking and getting close, and then he hit it.  And then, in the church parking lot, he said, 'lets get out of here!' and we drove off.  In my defense I dont know who the car belonged too so I couldnt tell, and it didnt do any damage to his car, I doubt it did damage to anyone elses. 

We went to church yesterday and although, there are people I will miss (just a few) I am so glad to be going back to March.  I've done all my packing, which is unusual for me to be done this soon, but I just cant wait to get out of here.  The Dragon is having her daughter and granddaugher here until Thursday so it will be a good send off to know just why we are going... as if we dont already know.

Moving House.... again...

Hello Blog Readers! 

As you can tell my the title we are moving house again....  Olga (The Dragon) talks too lound for her own good, but this time, loud enough for my good.  I overheard her talking to her son saying she was going to just have the house empty for her trip to Australlia.  Chris and I were blind to this fact  until I heard this - at which point we talked about it and decided to have Chris ask her ;) She said she did want us out so we were back to asking his parents to take us back - which I didnt feel too bad asking about, because at dinner the other day Chris' mom and dad both spoke to us about how much they wanted us back.  And there is a perk to moving back.... a car.  Thats right... look out England -- Jamie is going to be driving! 

So pretty much these last 2 months up here have been a waste, we never would have moved up here, had we not had the offer to have a house to ourselves while she was gone.  Even then not just the last 2 month, but since we got here in July, because since then we'd been planning to move up.  So we miss out on 3 months of work, maybe our own place to live, and a lot more piece of mind for me.

I have been completely depressed while we've been here in Doncaster.  I have been taking St. Johns Wart to help, and it takes the edge off a little.  I was sad in March (Chris' parents house) but I think a lot of that was homesickness... Here I have had a hard time the whole time, and that is with the homesickness under control (I think).  It is a chore to get out of bed, it is a chore to act happy around friends and family and Chris.  He knows I have been struggling but not the extent.  As much as I hate to say it, I feel better knowing we are moving back.  I will be around my amazing Mother-in-law, a great church group, my sister-in-laws, and all the other family.  Dont get me wrong there are things here I will miss, the friends I've made here and especially the landscapes. 

I hope things get better in March.  Every now and then I get a far off view of happiness and contentment but right now it seems quite far away.  I am having a birthday in a few weeks and look back at the last year and realize that most of it has been filled with UN-happiness and I hate that it is a whole year wasted.  I hope this year will be better and I hope that I can appreciate things more. 

I feel alright now... I must, if the only thing I am REALLY sad about today, is having to take down my Halloween decorations before Halloween.

Same Old Same Old

Autumn has officially hit England.  It has gotten cold and rainy and is starting to get dark quite early!

I really miss my Utah autumns.  Here, you can tell it is Autumn, but the leaves on the trees are slow to change colors and Halloween here isnt what it is in America, and they, of course, skip right through Thanksgiving.  Yesterday on television I saw a Christmas commercial.

I knew when I left Utah there would be several things I would miss, but on a daily basis there are things that I end up missing that I didnt even think of when I decided to move. 

Today I miss my Utah autumn.  Give me those mountians full of color over England any day.

If this is what getting old means.... I'll pass, thank you.

It is 11:30 in the morning and we are having a party here at the house!

Guests:  Olga, her slightly younger sister Norma, Norma's husband George, the home health nurse and the "foot guy".

Let me set the mood. 

All the old people in the house can not hear at all.  The television is up to mark 72 (out of a hundred), and they are all yelling over it to hear each other talk.   They are talking about me and my husband, I say talking... I mean yelling - and also just putting a few "lousy foreigners!" jabs.

The "foot guy" came late, but as the entertainment of the party he was greeted with much happiness.

Who is the mysterious "foot guy"?  He is a man that comes to the house and clips the toe nails of old people and files away their rough skin (I think I might have just found the worst job in the world).

So I sit here in the room, the room that they just walked into and put their shopping carts in, and I can hear them yelling and I can hear toe nails being clipped and I can hear the nurse talking about wounds and oozing and in between my trying to hold down my breakfast I think.... If this is what getting old means.... no thank you!

Just the Right Thing to Say

We live with an old, deaf, blind and quite opinionated woman.

For weeks now, she has been telling me what a bad wife I am to my husband. 

If we have left-overs, I should make him a warm meal.

If I make him wait in town for me, I should be there to meet him.

If I ask him do some laundry (which I rarely do), I should be doing it.

And on and on and on....

A few nights ago it got to be too much!

Jamie:  Chris, I am a bad wife.  I didnt make your sandwhiches for you for lunch tomorrow.

Chris:   Jamie, you are not a bad wife, I can make my own sandwhiches.

Jamie:  Yeah, but if you do then Olga will just say how bad of a wife I am.

Chris:  Look at her, her first two husbands left her, I dont think she can tell YOU how to be a wife.

And that was just the right thing to say.

An Update....

Greetings from Doncaster, England!  We are here, and I admit I am slow at posting.  Things have been, should we say, a little difficult here at the Flattley/Eagle household.  No, no, nothing bad just some adjusting.  I think I am finally finding my groove and am able to write a semi-happy post. 

Moving to a different country is DIFFICULT!  I didnt think it would be as hard as it has been, but what do they say, time heals all wounds and I am getting the hang of this England thing.  If you were to talk to me on the phone, I've been told, you'd hear a definate English twist to my questions and some of my words.  I am begining to spell the english way (centre, tyres, kerb) and even date my journal the english way (26.09.06).  Although we lack a car at the moment, I have been reading the highway code and have to re-learn how to drive.  I have to tell my brain that things are backwards and usually re-read the page 2 or 3 times before I "get it".

We are living with a blind (almost), deaf (almost), old (very) Essex woman.  She is very opinionated and very VERY loud.  She has been nice though, and has made us feel very much at home.  She is traveling to Australlia for 6 months in the end of October, which I should be sad to see her go, but secretly (I guess not so secretly) I cant wait.   

So there is the update.  Hopefully I can keep more up on my post now, that is if I have time between doing nothing, and doing nothing.....

So Long, Farewell......

The time has FINALLY come for Chris and I to move up to Doncaster.  This Saturday we are saying goodbye to the caravan, the family, the amazing branch, the noisy trains, and the city of March.  Am I sad?  Yes!  I am sad because I have really grown to like my new family (especially my mother-in-law -- and that isnt kissing up -- she doesnt read this).  It is also scary to go to a new city that Chris and I know nothing about at all.  Chris is brave... he already has job interviews set up and doesnt know how to get to them.  I am going to hold things off until I get a little settled.   We are going to be staying with an old lady called Olga who is gone with her senior friends a lot and is legally blind.  I am wary of moving in with someone that I dont know at all but the other day when Chris called her (he always does, I dont understand anyone on the phone here) she asked if we wanted her to get us any food for when we come on Saturday.  I have a feeling it will be like living with a grandma - a grandma who I cant understand - but a grandma none the less.  It will be good to get on our own.  Olga informed us that she will be gone all next week.  I turned to Chris and asked, 'What are we going to do with a house to ourself?????!?'  It is something we've never NEVER had.  It will be strange for him to go to work each day, strange to have a bathroom in the same house as us, strange to have some space, and strange to have a closet -- we havent had one of those since we've been married.  I dont think she has the internet so it might be a while until I write again, but its my blog - you faithful readers are used to that!