Did you accomplish anything today?

[jbeany]

Pern stories- what do you need Jbeany? I have some extra ones.

I ordered the few I didn't own on my paperback swap site, so I'm good now - except for the newest one that's only out in hardcover.  I wishlisted that - and it can wait until it's in paper back and affordable - or I can get it on the swap site.

My kebobs turned out fabulous.  If you haven't tried grilled cucumbers, you are missing out!  There were a few leftover because some of the crowd backed out at the last minute - and I was informed I was not allowed to take them home.  They were eating them for dinner after I left.   

I collected an entire trash bag full of litter while kayaking this weekend at the cottage.  Ugh.  But, the lake and canal look sooo much better.

  to Leanne.

[Poppylicious]

I went back to work after my two month summer hols.  I didn't even need to as I don't work on Thurday's, but there was a meeting I didn't want to miss.  I'm just far too dedicated. 

[Cynna66]

Not really. Talked to my boyfriend. Talked to my son. Played World of Warcraft for like two hours. Got the coffee I ordered. Made dinner. That's pretty much been it for me. A very lazy day.

[galvo]

You are an inspiration, pops!

[jbeany]

I was all green and environmentally friendly today - or just cheap, depending on how you look at it.  I took the bus into town today to volunteer at the pro bono clinic.  It's $3 round trip on the bus.  It's $7 a day for parking, not to mention the cost of gas these days.

It was the first time I've tried riding the bus system.  The last time I rode a bus on a regular basis, it was a big yellow one with "PUBLIC SCHOOL" on the side.  It took me a bit to fumble through the website last night and find the quickest route, but I love some of the website features, like real time updates on when the bus is going to arrive at your stop.  If I get a job on the bus routes, I think I'll want a smart phone just for that.

[cariad]

Oh, that's funny jbeany because I have to familiarize myself with my local bus system, too. I am not allowed to drive the car that work is loaning Gwyn - insurance issues - so I have not driven in almost a week. That means walking everywhere, so I walked to the Sainsburys and I walked to collect the boys from school. Once I got to the school and herded both boys out the door we went to check the bus schedule at the terminal across the way. The bus wasn't arriving for 45 minutes, so we walked back. 1.8 miles each way - I coaxed the kids onward using chocolate covered caramel wafers from aforementioned Sainsburys visit.

Gwyn is being sent to France next week and I cannot make them walk that twice in one day, so hope I can suss the routes by the end of the week. We cannot afford 2 cars at the moment (can't even afford one) so I need to learn the public transit system.

I have to return to the US to get a proper visa, so that needs to be planned and booked. Oh bureaucracy, how I loathe you.

[jbeany]

Okay, that makes no sense whatsoever that you can't go to the embassy in London to deal with the visa.


I went into the law clinic to volunteer for what I expected to be an hour intake.  It was two, and by the time I got out, every student in the class had arrived, and I ended up helping for a full 8 hours with a little bit of everything.  Everyone was in crisis mode today, and they were all too new to figure things out on their own.  I'd forgotten how brain dead you get after 8 hours of paperwork and clients!

On the other hand, too busy for more than a nibble for breakfast and lunch is a great diet plan.  I had a stick of string cheese for breakfast, and a big handful of almonds for lunch.

[cariad]

Okay, that makes no sense whatsoever that you can't go to the embassy in London to deal with the visa.

It is way beyond making no sense! It is as if British Immigration has declared war on common sense. And they are winning. At Passport Control, the officer told me specifically to NOT apply while still in the UK or it would be rejected and I would have a flag on my passport forever. She said FOREVER. Because mistakes can apparently never be corrected when it comes to travel. I was hoping this was just a case of people who are paid to do a job not knowing it very well, but no, she was absolutely correct.

She leaves. Aidan is starting to panic. Gwyn is standing smugly through a set of glass doors, and he leans through them so I can say "I think I'm a political prisoner!" He starts dancing around telling me how free the air is on the British side. It seemed to help calm Aidan down. I told Aidan these are reasonable people and that all will be well.

Then her supervisor came over and he told me that they were going to let me in to the country (gee, thanks, I guess. So, you don't want to create an ugly incident by barring me from living with my children? That's so very generous of you.) He said I could even travel throughout the EU but if I returned to the US and then tried to go back to the UK they would, and I quote, 'bounce you back to The States'.  I am really curious what this would look like and who would pay for my flight, but I so don't need the aggravation so any temptation to try it evaporates immediately.

There are 3 different visas that I looked into in an effort to determine which one I might need. The first was a marriage visa - hey, I have one of those, sounds like the visa for me! No, Gwyn and I have deduced that this is for people who want permission to marry a foreigner in the UK and this one sounds like quite the nightmare to get so no loss there.

Next, my hopes were raised by a Family Permit Visa. I also have a family! And, this is one of only 3 visas given out in countries other than one's country of origin. Research indicates that I can expect to receive one within 3 days in Spain if approved. Oh, but it turns out, and this really takes the biscuit, that this visa is for UK citizens who work at least 6 months in the EU and then want to bring their family over to live with them in the UK. This is a classic back door for legal entry into the UK without any of the hassle, but it does not apply to our situation, so no luck.

Finally, I resign myself to the ghetto-ized Spousal Visa. I can fast-track it for an extra fee but I need our marriage certificate which is on the boat with many other essential documents that we inadvertently shipped rather than packed with us. I will just go to Chicago because I know the area, can drop in to Northwestern, maybe visit a few people in Milwaukee, then, my favourite part, LEAVE. 

I do get to visit the embassy in London, however. Oh, joy. I have to take my kids there to get their passports which are thankfully issued automatically. This is called Citizenship by Descent and it is only open to one generation born outside the UK. I have already told Aidan to have his kids born in the country, then tell them to have their kids born in the US and everyone should just flip back and forth each generation to get the benefit of dual citizenship. I can become a citizen in five years and will probably do so, based on the same reasoning that drove us to get Gwyn his US passport.

[jbeany]

Sent a thank you for my interview, after hunting all over to find the correct spelling of my interviewer's name.  Way to many ways to spells all the Dutch names in this area to take a guess!

[cassandra]

[/quote]
.....
Finally, I resign myself to the ghetto-ized Spousal Visa. I can fast-track it for an extra fee but I need our marriage certificate which is on the boat with many other essential documents that we inadvertently shipped rather than packed with us. I will just go to Chicago because I know the area, can drop in to Northwestern, maybe visit a few people in Milwaukee, then, my favourite part, LEAVE.  ......
[/quote]

Dear Cariad, is it maybe possible to call the place you married, and ask them to fax either you, or the embassy a copy of your certificate?

I managed to sell our house in (dare I say.. The Netherlands, from the UK) like that.

love Cas

[jbeany]

I received a book in the mail from my book swap site today.  Hurray, I love adding to my to-be-read pile!  Opened the package and found a book in library bindings, still with bar code attached, the pocket for the check out card, and NO stamp anywhere that said WITHDRAWN.  Just a cheery note from the previous "owner" with "Enjoy!  It's a first edition!"  Hmmm.....

Ah, gotta love the internet.  It's from a community college in PA.  The college website gave me the library number, and I got bumped around from person to person for a bit until I reached the right one.  Yup - it's been stolen.  So, I'm sending it back - right after I read it, of course!

[MaryD]

When I bought this house two years ago, I thought I had a gas oven because there was gas for stove-top cooking.  The first time I went to use the oven I felt so CHEATED.  I hate electric ovens with a passion.  I only used it about 10 times. 

A few days ago I bought a gas oven.  Oh my!  The poor dishwasher is having trouble keeping up with the oven.  I have made four Christmas cakes, two roasts, some cheese straws, roasted some nuts, Anzac biscuits, and now another roast and a new chocolate cake recipe.  The kitchen is dusted with dutch cocoa powder, and the dishwasher is threatening to go on strike.

[CebuShan]

The weather was beautiful here today, so I got all my laundry done and hung out on the line. I know it's strange but I love hanging my clothes out. It is very relaxing for me.

[jbeany]

I ended up with am electric stove at my new place.  There were hook-ups for both, but the house was so old and there clearly hadn't been a gas stove in so long, I wasn't sure I trusted the hook up. I didn't want the additional expense of having it checked and possibly repaired.

[MaryJoe]

 MaryD - Could you put on your mailing list for baked goods?  I'm not a big baker, when my husband or son sees homemade goodies in my kitchen they want to know who's having a bake sale!

[Riki]

The weather was beautiful here today, so I got all my laundry done and hung out on the line. I know it's strange but I love hanging my clothes out. It is very relaxing for me.

I know EXACTLY what you mean.  I love doing laundry.  In our old house, I couldn't get up and down the stairs to get to the washer and dryer, but now they're in the kitchen.  The only problem I have now is being able to bring the hamper downstairs and hold on to the railing at the same time.  Mom actually bought me a smaller hamper so that's not a problem. *G*  And if I want to hang the clothes on the line, I just have to step out the kitchen door, and around the corner to our shared back yard, and I can actually reach the clothesline.  I couldn't at the house.

[cassandra]

Wow, fantastic to try to organise everything for the nxstagemachine that will arrive this Thursday, as they told me that a week ago Thursday. The bed comes Wednesday. I just ordered a kitchentrolley, waterproof mattress-cover etc today, which might come Friday. Now I start cleaning the rest of the house. Good thing I'm still having some kind of adrenaline rush

     

[cariad]

I had labs drawn this morning (only two weeks late, I'm improving!!!!) and my final polio and HepB vaccines. Those were maybe a month late, but it seems that it should all be ok. They do vaccines differently here so no one seems exactly sure if they gave me the right thing, but I'll find out in a month when they draw titers. I am so relieved to be able to be done with the vaccines for a few years, and be back on schedule with blood draws.

I have the best news to pass along to my boys. They do not give children the flu vax here! Aidan will be overjoyed.

I also got the boys off to their half-term sporty camp on time. Will spend the next few hours sorting through clothes and books and giving as much to charity as possible. I wanted to start a little game on here to help with the clutter called Keep, Chuck, Donate, Sell or similar in which I would post pics of items that we cannot seem to make a decision on and welcome opinions, but it may be too time consuming and/or too boring for anyone but me.

[billybags]

I painted my down stairs cloakroom to-day, walls ceilings , not bad for an old one. Feel shattered now.

[MaryD]

Billybags - Shattered, maybe, but no doubt very virtuous     

[Ricksters]

I finally gave in to the idea that summer is over for this year....Started putting the summer clothing away and getting out the winter ones....Pretty good for me..I am usually in a hodge podge until almost Thanksgiving and so unorganized!

Ricki

[Riki]

I had an eye appointment this morning and had my pupil dilated.  It took forever for them to get back to normal.  I discovered that Windows Narrator will not read anything on the screen unless you've typed it.  I was not a happy camper.  I couldn't do anything.  I wanted to get some stuff done for my cake decorating class.  Mom ended up doing it for me because I couldn't do it myself

[jbeany]

Helped with a trial this morning.  Went out to lunch with the legal team and the rest of the students, came home and cleaned the living room, did some research to send to the client.  Now preparing for the costumed onslaught....  Happy Halloween! 

[kitkatz]

I got up and went to work. Taught all five periods, then ran around school on my prep period doing things that needed doing.
Left school right after school, almost hitting the principal ont he corner LOL on my way out!

[Riki]

I iced a cake.. all by myself.. *LOL*  It was not as easy as it sounds, and it took all day.  I made 2 batches of icing, with several different consistencies and several different colors.  It wore me out, but I'm impressed with the outcome..

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152217925660387&l=396cc06de1