March 06 *#* all around the world

[UniS]

sorry couldn;t think of a funny title. but here goes.

Anyone with Dcs born March 06 welcome to come on in and introduce yourselves.

hows the packing uni?

Hi everyone

packing... hwta packing? we are being VERY calm about this move. nothing is packed, not one thing. We are not even picking keys up till a day after we complete. Can;t be arsed to rush back early from a work day.

Have arranged loan of a small van and trailer to shift a container grown tree and worm bin and few other garden things at the weekend. Otherwise expect to gently move a box or two at a time all next week, then have removal firm doing a van load of furniture a week monday.

its all a bit too calm...

I have been taking boy out teh way any time estate agents are showing potential new tennents round here. Don;t want the stress of him having strange people in the house again, he hated it when we were selling.

That all sounds very sensible and relaxed uni ...great to avoid moving hell! Well done

DD2 screaming for more lindt bunny in her high chair... I only gace her a tiny taste...rod for my own back methinks?

Autumn is settling in here...lovely...warm days, cool nights, crisp air, love it.

Astro that sounds lovely apart from the demanding dd2 in highchair

Uni, fab, well done on the chilled out approach to moving you I'm dreadding us ever having to move, I live with a horder, and no matter how much I try to sort him out......

So did I mention our car died? well its been partially resurrected, we have some sealent in it, which will last for ? long, advice is to keep journeys short and trade it asap, but at least we can get about a bit again, with a lovely flask of hot water and a towel in hand, just in case am looking for a new car.....

Boy has a school place, at last. Dev on seem to be one of teh latest counties to tell people.
hes going to teh village school.

We have keys to our new house, spent today measuring, cleaning carpets, mowing grass and getting the bits to do the urgent electrical repairs and paint the kitchen wall.

Moving total so far-
2 unicycles, a few of boys toys, lawn mower, one of my toolboxes.
Borrowing a trailer tomorrow to move some gardeny stuff.

that's great news about the school Uni and the Keys for the house too yay, happy moving! hopefully good weather will continue for you too, always helps when your shifting stuff about.

Looks like its all coming together for you guys Uni Really glad...its been a while huh? Worth the wait? Great to hear about school too

bumped in caddy on FB chat. They are loving it there so far but still house hunting.

Kindy and home school back on today...apparently my diet starts too

Afternoon all,

I'm back although I haven't really been anywhere - just in school holiday hell!! How much arguing can 2 small girls cram into 2 weeks?????

Great to hear that you are possession of your new house Uni and love your relaxed approach to moving. New house, boy in school...sounds good.

Friz, get a new car whilst you can still trade yours in I'd say....don't let it die at the side of road (remember our experience??)!

Astro, autumn sounds lovely for you but we had 2 glorious weeks and then today back to drizzle and the heating on!! Was that summer come, and gone, early??? NOOOOOOOOO.....

I am easing myself back into work gently today...weighed in (now lost 10 1/2 pounds), went to quick meeting, home for lunch and became engrossed in tales of stranded people and the ash cloud! TBH I wish I was stuck on my hols like our neighbours in Malta. I certainly wouldn't be camping at the airport like some saddoes - get out there and holiday people!!

Anyway, need to get girls soon as Tilly is going to a Streetdance class at a local community centre to see if she likes it. Very low key and only £1 for an hour....

LL summer will be back by the weekend apparently

Hope the girls had fun at dance class, glad to hear Caddy is doing ok

I'm planning on trading the car, just have to find out if we're going on holiday or not 1st, which will be totally up in the air of course due to current situation (not going for 6 weeks, but obviously this could change)

still summer like down south today!! have been painting kitchen. so VERY nice to get out and walk up to collect boy from preschool. The bike trailer/buggy has been very usefull as a trolley. I like moving house by bike or on foot!.

Fingers Xed for Caddy.

Most of boys preschool mates have got into village school, but not I gather everyone. BUT some families do cart their kids out here 4 miles from town for preschool in hope of getting a space at the school. I'm not too sorry if its one of those families.

I think I've just seen dd2's future calling on TV, weightlifting, the girl whose in the Britains under 17 team just made me instantly think of dd2 holding the door shut against her dad, she has soo much strength!

for you new house Uni, happy painting/doing to your style.

wonder if said weightlifter is student at Ivybridge Community college. One of their PE staff was/is an Olympic women's weightlifter, and they seem to have a very strong ( if you pardon the pun) weights team.

I think boy MAY make it as an amuetur cricketer. he was VERY ken on sunday, didn't want to leave the pitch so the men could start their game. Then mean mummy made him WALK home, the direct way. so, up onto the shoulder of the moor and down other side, only about 2 miles (by road its about 5). he whined all the way up, then had a lovely time floating sticks and leaves in every little streamlet we crossed, and bounced down the other side very happy. 4 yr olds, don;t you just love em.

I saw that weight lifter too - lovely girl. Was a bit freaked out by the synchrinised swimmers TBH. Like bags of sinews and sooooo waxed!!

Forgot to say that Tilly learnt to ride her bike last weekend - first time with no stabilisers she rode 2.5 miles round the reservoir! I know she's 6 (I hear Uni tutting) but we just haven't used the bikes much so am really proud of her. We are going to get the 'proper' bike out of the loft later for her and upgrade Kiah to Tilly's bike. She did the 2.5 miles iwth stabilisers which is really good as she was petrified a week or so ago!

Uni, hope the painting is going well - what colour is the kitchen?

Friz...fingers crossed for your hols then....6 weeks for the ash to settle...

kitchen is soft peach, with white gloss on door frames and window frames. units are oak ( I think) with dark grey brown counter top and the splashback is tiled with small tiles in beige, peach, blue and oatmeal. Floor is grey/yellow sandstone colour tiles.
Painting all done now, just need to clean the kitchen tomorrow and then we can start moving in. also need to fit a curtain rail in boys room and the spare room and get a replacement light fitting for the one that was broken when I opened the box.

well done on the bikes. Thats a respectable first outing, what ever age, its still her first trip like that.

We found a house (to rent for a year)! It even has a swimming pool! Photos on blog. The password is our surname without caps. (Not sure that Uni knows that but the rest of you are on FB so not too tricky...)

We still don't have regular or fast internet but we will by May 1 which is move in day.

Both my little monkeys have learned (taught themselves ) how to swim during our time here. It is hot everyday and the pool at the serviced apartment is the best place to cool off.

No time for a proper catch up or a big post but Congrats on the house Uni! It sounds lovely.

Welcome back Caddy! Good to hear you are settling in and have got a house sorted. Wish my two would learn to swim - DP is just off to the pool with them after school. We should take them more often really.

Uni, the kitchen sounds lovely....I can just see you baking apple pies in there .

I have work coming out of my ears...I planned to go for a massage this afternoon but just can't fit it in. Off to the theatre later though and then girls are at a sleepover tomorrow night so no bedtime 2 nights running!

Have good weekends all...

two new houses! Congrats to Uni and Caddy, very pleased for you both.

Painting all sounds lovely Uni, must be so nice to have things as you want them and starting to settle in

As for your resort house caddy...I know where we'll be stopping over next time we fly to Europe! I hope it is not to stressy getting moved in - when does your shipping arrive? I loved seeing you and your beautiful family on the blog

We had a bit of a bad day today - were in a carpark (me and the 3 kids) and a young woman's car had broken down - coolant and steam coming out, she was talking on the phone (I assumed to AA equivalent)...we were on the way to the toilets as DD1 was "busting", so I smiled in sympathy and thought I'd ask on the way back if she needed anything. Just as we left the toilets we heard terrible screaming like I've never heard before, people running, me trying to stop DD1 and DS from going back into the carpark as I didn't know what they would see. Eventually I had to leave them with the buggy and go and see, the girl had taken off the radiator cap and the steam and blown out and burnt her all over her arms, though thankfully it didn't seem like her face was burnt. Fortunately lots of people had run for water from the pub and were helping her and ambulance arrived quickly, but we were all pretty shaken, DD1 especially, and me too...wishing I'd stopped to talk to her on the way to the toilets

And then after than a stupid girl ran right out in front of my car (she was oblivious - talking on her mobile grrr) and I almost hit her - swerved to miss her...what a day!

Long weekend here as its ANZAC day...we had some friends coming for lunch on saturday but they are ill so now the weekend stretches before us. DH has some DIY in mind...I have some sewing projects to start and some knitting to finish (started in Europe in 08!!!).

Astro, what a horrible day...bug hugs for you. Hope the woman is recovering as well as you and DD1.

What a lovely start to your blog Caddy. I think you are settling in well as it's such a culture shock eh? Soooo tempted to come and visit - shall we stop all house improvements and run away instead? Keep us updated on all your adventures

for your lovely new house Caddy, was lovely to see the blog,how fab is the pool I'm loving your soon to be kitchen, the brackets on the wall units made me , not sure I'd survive with just two rings on the hob though, mind I am thinking european cooking, which you won't be doing much of!

Astro {{{Hugs}}} for your day, horrible for the poor girl, that's what went wrong with my car, but thankfully the auto service were very keen to tell dh to not touch the cap, very for the girl in question that she wasn't given the same advice.

LL yay for the bikes it's so lovely now they're all growing up and you can start doing 'out' type things eh? yay for lots of work too, even though it is meaning you missing a massage, think of the cash!

Uni, well done to boy for making it all the way up the moor and down have fun finishing off the house this weekend, it all sounds lovely

Been busy working here n visiting sick relatives. Tomorrow we're off to the theater, The Gruffalo with the Grandparents and the kids

Quick hello again,

Thanks for all of the positive comments. (More from you lot than my RL friends and family... ) My mil is less than impressed with our decision to move here but I wasn't expecting the cold shoulder treatment.

The kitchen is truly dire but you cannot even imagine the things that we have seen. A kitchen at all is progress as several of the places we saw had virtually nothing or simply a place that they call an 'outdoor' kitchen which amounts to a place to cook things on an open flame.

I requested an oven (with four ring hob) and a washing machine and the landlord was willing to comply. I shudder to think what they might look like; I could regret the decision to not find my own.

I spent the morning at the hair salon and my hair is back to being a short bob. PHEW! It cost $15 and it might be one of the best cuts I have ever had. I think the young hairdresser nearly went into shock when I paid her double but I haven't had my hair cut in 18 months and in Switzerland it would have cost more than $60 for a quick, shoddy job. I will certainly be going back! Look for photos on the blog when I get over my laziness.

Off to take some photos of the traffic from a cafe. (Hard life, eh?) We are supposed to sign the lease tomorrow and eat with our landlord. I hope that Charlie is not too much of a nightmare. The older three have some manners but the princess is dire and getting worse with every passing day here with all of the attention.

Hey Caddy, good to hear you are settling in, hope that oven has turned up!

Uni, how's the home making going? Can you come round and paint our house next??

I've had a really hectic week after a lovely weekend - did an 8.5 mile run (walked up the big hill!) with DP on Sunday and felt really good. Achey next day though! Then had meetings here there and everywhere and all my Lottery groups have come up with a host of problems on a daily basis. DP drove me to a meeting in the lakes yesterday so I could work on the way up and snooze on the way home. Also went to New Balance factory shop for new trainers - too white to wear though! Need some mud!

I have a lunch meeting today and then am running home...better get some work done for a couple of hours...

What are your bank holiday plans Uni and Friz?? Caddy and Astro can just tell us their normal exciting, living in hot places plans!!!

Didn't know NB had a factory store lakes way LL, where is it?
Yay for lots of work, hope they're all paying you well
Plans are work, looking after kids whilst dh works and a bit more work! we have some of dh's mates upto stay too (they're off to the woods!), so will be racking and stacking the kids into what ever room space we can find, am even hoping that they may visit the grandparents on sat, so we can go out, but nothing confirmed yet......

Caddy the house will be great! hope your littlest behaves (has behaved) for the dinner

Stores in Shap (just off M6)and Keswick. I am converting to their trainers because they are made in the UK - they had a basket of big size samples so DP got 2 pairs for a tenner each. Mine were £50 but down from £75, top price was £75 for £100 shoes - soooo many different types! I wanted grey and pink but they didn't have them in my size so settled for the cheapest which are WHITE and orange.

Did my run home from work (in old trainers!) in the drizzle - 8 miles!!! Tiring but did it in 1.5 hours including walking up the hill home. Pleased with myself.

Friz, your weekend sounds hectic - I love the thought of slotting kids in. My sis and the kids are staying on Sat night as our DPs are off walking and pokering.

Now...I am going to try and book a massage for this afty as my voucher is a month old already - a travesty!

not forgotn you guys. just VERY busy in RL. on balance moving house 3 days before going to other end of the Uk for a convention may not have been the brightest thing we ever did.

Broadband is wrking now, but only for the net book as phone sockets are in wrong lace and PC is still in a box. so router/modem is in teh kitchen and I'm Wifi from living room.

thought of you as we drove up and then down the M1.
Boy had a great weekend, played with lots of other kids and was very socialble. even went to a birthday party.