British Expatriate Network

This is my life, how is yours? ....and other musings

(not necessarily in a logical order)


so......

I was going to tell y'all whats's been going on in my life this past week or so just because....

and

The upcoming 10th Anniversary of Britnet got me thinking.....


This was the first online community I ever found. I found it when I was newly arrived here (just over 7 years ago) and newly pregnant and suddenly realising how different it all was and back when I used to answer "credit card" to the paper or plastic question. In fact it was probably Britnet (in it's old threaded form) that told me what they really meant.

Britnet was pretty busy back then. Now it's pretty quiet. Why? I have the honor/shame of being one of the most prolific posters here, yet I hardly have anything to say these days. Why? Well, for me, I settled in, my children got older. I'm no longer the foreign SAHM desperate for interpretation/explanation and reassurance that I'm not alone. But where are the newbies to replace me and the likes of me?

It is my opinion that we -the Britnetters- have prevented their conception. When beest and I emmigrated 7 years ago, Britnet was all there was to help us. But it was an unsearchable. threaded board. Us newbs asked questions that had been answered a zillion times before. We had no other option. Trolls fed on us, but kind old hands answered us. Now, Britnet has searchable archives. There's very little new that needs to be asked. And so many fewer people arrive unprepared. Britnet (and other expat boards) are victims of their own success.

We should celebrate our success and meet up -I'd love to meet all y'all who are in the US and/or able to make it to Texas in August. Texas in August is only really crappy for people who live there. For visitors -it's bearable and leavable lol We were there last year in Aug. It was fine. We're about as far away as anyone in the US, and we're happy to make the trip -anyone else up for it?

And maybe now is a good time to check back in with each other and see how it's going. This week I have been suffering major MAJOR nose bleeds and I wanted to "share" but i didn't know how to approach the issue -we've become estranged! lol P

so here it is

I was bleeding from my fucking eye! I was crying blood. Really. I had three short easily stopped nose bleeds last Weds (no reason), then on Thursday evening, one lasted half an hour. Friday nothing, thought I was OK, Saturday, got up, peed, blew my nose -and it bled copiously for over two hours. Some of which was after we got to urgent care. then it stopped. then it bled some more. Dr Incompetent tortured me with inflatable tampons and the like (and patronised me in a sexist manner that had the nurse rolling her eyes....), then decided it must have finally stopped because he left some foreign body up there....so I would have to go to the ENT to have that removed.

Yesterday the ENT confirmed there was nothing up there, cauterised the bleed and nowIi look like I've been stuffing blueberries and licorice up my nose.

So that's the abnormal.

For the normal... well let me just describe today and you'll get the picture.

Got up 630. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I help in school starting 830, so I need to shower and dress in semi-decent clothes before I take the kids to the bus stop at 715. 735 back from the bus stop (sub driver, bus was late). Today is crazy day with extra crazy additions this week. I have 20 minutes to (a) prepare a class (b) load the car for the next 12 hours of activity) © have breakfast, check email etc. I got the weekly scrip order (fundraiser for the school) in early yesterday, so i didn't have that to do, but I did it so early, it was actually on the Fedex van today, so I have to add that to my list of things to prepare for.

Preparation
1) Chuck Hebe's Cello in the car (it's too big to go on the bus and has to be delivered to school twice a week)
2) Chuck the scrip stuff in the car.
3) Make a game board for the fractions race game I have invented for my math group (some of the 5th/6th graders who need to catch up with their math in a non-boring way.) Add to car.
4) Find a newspaper for the 3rd grade book group i do after math group. Add to car
5) grab all kids toothbrushes I can find -they have a dentist appointment after school
6) grab all kids soccer stuff I can find -two of them have their first practiice of the season and chances are there won't be time to go home between dentist and soccer.
7) add cool bag of diet coke
make toast to eat on way. leave

get to School

Do Math group.
Do Reading Group
Do Literacy with 1st grade (more work than usual because sub teacher on her 3rd day and at wits' end, needs a rest
scrip has arrived, deal with that, find a promising looking deal on ebay, bid on that
go to visit/take a walk with ceramics teacher/friend who just had major heart surgery and enjoys company to exercise -we walk a mile, have lucnch, walk back

get kids and cello from school, sub teacher puts Thor on bus by accident, Hector and hebe rescue him in the nick of time. Off to dentist. First cleaning for Hebe and Hector since they got braces. not so much fun.

I am relieved to learn soccer is cancelled due to weather since -apart form the rush aspect- we couldn't remember where we put their cleats and tonight was supposed to be my only free night this week (before they scheduled the soccer practices), and I have loads of work to do for the swim team banquet tomorrow (mostly done now), and load of cleaning to do because it's my turn to host lunch tomorrow (not done) and I wanted to make a lemon merangue pie (not done)

So we got home and I had to patch together all the 150 swimmers details for the last season from the scant info i had and send them to the appropriate coaches. Normally, the head coach does this -she has all that info to hand- but on Saturday she had her baby -6 weels early, so we all have to pitch in. Which reminds me, I still haven't knitted the hat which was to be part of our gift for the baby shower which is part of the awards banquet tomorrow....

So am I forgiven for being a tad quiet?


...

Your turn.... mrgreen

....well, I have a 3 month old at the moment.
<-;

BRITNET

Id been in the US about 20 years when britnet opened its doors ,dont know how ifound it but glad i did .
one thing I learnt about the internet is how to find chatrooms some of devious charaterbut we wont go into that right now .
(my knowledge of internet procedure is still st the primary school stage )

I was here a few years when Monster found us she was a newby ,newly transplanted from the the uk ,and to be a new mother , she had plenty to talk about and she did a lot of it -)
one of her goals was to be a MOD and she did everything she could to obtain that goal , I oftern ask myself after fighting so hard a long to be a mod and finally become one does she ever ask herself ...was it worth it...?.

the first I person a got to communicate with was known as * pollywolly * who has since left us for pastures new .


many folks have joined in the years i have been here ,some to post regularly others accasionally but most choice to be part of the *read but dont post * majority . hopefully some new blood not yet found and welcomed will be forthcoming so this one bustling site can once again become the hive of entertainment it was .


keith was around then and like me is still hanging on now. I suppose we can get the dubious title of eilder and older members . on the absence or an other title being bestowed on me ill take what i can get roll lol

in all these years only two ( i believe ) posters have been banned and this is a tribute to our founder NIGEL who in his tolerance and wisdom created A site where therE is something for everybody and all our warmly welcomed .

having posted and communcated with most of you for all this time i have only meet personally one member the member from las vegas going under the moniker of VRB . he like others has seemily vanished of the face of this earth .

MY HEALTH

dont want to bore you with much of that just let if suffice to say i suffer from bouts of allagies , arthritis ,i.b.s and a slew of other annoying conditions that come with getting old .
I dont bleed from my eyes or nose (refer to monsters post ) and as i am not a bleeding heart liberal the loss of that red stuff doesnt usually give me any problems D

MY LIFE

not one that most of your would share no kids here just two little four legged friends who we call our *children * that take as much time , money and love as the two legged types you have in your home.

dont go out much the *high * that was obtianed by going to a noisy and tobacco smelling bar to check out the *local female talent * has long gone from my senses

to be replaced by going out to dine once a week the accasional concert/ play and visiting with friends .

i do have my )honey dues ) that keep me busy in my own home added to the regular trip to our loclal animal shelter to * socialize * by showing love and affection the increasing number of abandond cats that appear at the premises .my duties with the local city administation take some more time (mostly evening ) im a commisoner attending meetings /workshops etc so im not stagnating and looking for things to occupy my time .
just taken on a new venture ( paid but poorly) as a election official so just another reason to attend lectures , seminars and study groups filling in some more of my waking hours .

Melanie works long hours sometimes so i do like to leave the weekends clear so we can spend time together , last weekend for instance we spend our just arrived >>tax rebate << love those words, on some new furniture to arrive sometime in the next 3 weeks and something new for the cats to check out and pick the softest spot to lay around on .
of to have another cup of coffee now and water (sometimes talk to ) my potted plants
later

Hope you feel and look better soon Monster, sounds like you need a new doctor.
Mine on the other hand is all over us like white on rice. Consequently I am now fasting for my colonoscopy tomorrow. With all my scar tissue I will at least be knocked out and not twilighted.
After that I have a months worth of dental appointments, seems 3 of my 4 root canals weren't thoroughly done .
When I can get away from my health issues, I'm restoring my garden and it's looking good.
Sorry, no concentration, no coffee, only see thru liquids today, I hate a day without coffee.

Post pictures, damn it. D

Of her colonoscopy?

Of you bleeding through your eyes.

had mine about 4 weeks back the nice thing about it is you dont feel a thing they give you the date rape drug .
i had my wife bring me coffee in the car when she picked me up, i was into that like it was going out of production tomorrow .
thats all for the next 5 years doctor said ,just a few polops he took care of

We were going to take some then it stopped. but if it ever happens again, you can be sure it'll be caught on camera. It took me a whilke to work out it was coming out of my eye rather than going into it.

Welllll........

Mike is still working away loads...he's in Houston at the mo, en route to Florida in the morning....no idea when he's getting back home, depends on the job there.

Our boat is almost ready, the engine got put in last weekend, Mike has to wire it all up and then I have to make the back seat and sun deck and fabricate the gunwhale rails. The seats that we bought (off t'internet) have to be installed and we need to polish the hull, then comes the test run and just hope the bugger doesn't sink!

My folks arrive next week for a fortnight so I have the big clean-up to do for that.

I have an ultrasound tomorrow to check on my cystic kidneys. Fortunately I got the all-clear with my physical on Monday but we need to know if anything has changed in the renal department. I do have slightly elevated cholesterol but have altered my diet accordingly and with a rise of my thyroid meds I'm hoping I will have the energy/inclination to get out and exercise to get my weight down as I also have raised blood sugar and don't want to go down the type 2 diabetes route which afflicts the rest of my family.

I'm volunteering at our local Girl Scout summer camp this year as assistant program director, so have a few e-mail requests to get done.

Our TAG group is putting on Shakespeare's "King Lear" this year so I've been helping with the rehearsals and now I need to get the costumes made. I can use some that I made for last year's "Twelfth Night" so I guess we'll be OK.

We still have our Britgirls coffee mornings on a Friday...some have gone but others have joined. Babies have been born and all the other kids are growing so fast it's just not funny!

Recently saw the Spice Girls and Carrie Underwood in concert.

American Idol is still a part of my televisual entertainment.

Still not gainfully employed but thinking about it!!

That's about it for me. Life is good and I'm glad I'm here! )

Debs x )

Thanks, Debs, nice to hear how you are doing. You still need to get your arses over here and visit us! D'you think Mike can wangle a Texas trip to coincide with the Britnet get-together?

I'm getting divorced. Mister Dianey has been gone from the house since December. He's being a pain in the arse. I have stopped drinking a lot because he's gone. I do however have a good best buddy friend who likes the occasional piss up. Life is good.

I have also stopped a lot of my hatred for the US. It really is becoming home.

I'm going back to the UK in June. My good UK friend is coming here in August and we're going to the Grand Canyon.

I'm going for my BSN next year.

I've got a new job that allows me to just work two 16 hr shifts on the weekends so I can be home all through the week and pay my bills.

I am currently being chased on the rehab unit where I work by an old biker with spiderweb tatoos on his arms in a wheelchair.

I still want to buy a very small cottage in Cornwall some day to retire in.

Ok here is my more serious answer now I have a little more time

Having finally got my degree last May it took me around 6 months to get a job and that was the month before our first, Lucy, was born. See link in signature for the little website I created. I really like my job with the school district where I work in the computer services department mostly offering technical support to teachers and other employees. Not only is it challenging but also fun and I am lucky enough to work with a bunch of lovely people.

Mrs. Scramble was feeling a little overwhelmed in her school load so cut back on classes because the aforementioned Lucy needs to be our number one priority. She will be getting her Masters degree as a family nurse practitioner and will now be finished in a little over a year I think. She enjoys it now the boring theory classes are over but works herself ragged with that, her job, and our little girl.

Other than my work, I concentrate on spending time with Lucy and the missus, watching footie and ice hockey, and a little reading where I can fit it in. Our health is in good order, we both have high morale and smile most of the time. Life is excellent to us at the moment.

Okay. So I was on my home to England because my department at the U of Oregon was imploding due to the allegations of racism within the college's administration. And, being a bunch of incompetent old white men who's grasp of modern reality was tenuous at best, (in fact our dean had a leadership style very similar to Mugabe), I thought it was best I left before the ship sank.

So I moved to Vancouver to give North America a second chance. I bought and paid way too much money for my condo but it is a very cool place with a nice big deck to sip the icy Stella's and watch the sunset. Vancouver is a good city, great weather, lots of bars and nightclubs, great music venues. And honestly, the girls here are lovely, of course that is in contrast to the furry-legged hippies of Eugene. Lots of Brits here and the airport is only 8 miles away from my place and coupled with the direct flights to the UK the experience is relatively stress free.

I've got more work than I can responsibly handle. I teach at two of the biggest universities here, on a sort of wandering goliard basis. I also do research and provide policy recommendations to the BC provincial government and still do stuff for the Oregon and Washington state education departments. Plus, there are conferences to attend, I'm writing a book on the history of higher education in the UK but I still have time to party with 'da b***ches'. D

I don't think I'll ever really retire I couldn't get my head around that. I'd like just to finish out my days in a cottage in a small village in Kent, teaching the odd class, reading what I want to read and watching Kent play bad cricket.

Interesting to hear how everyone is doing.

May all your health issues clear up and may your sad times turn to good times as soon as possible.

Myself, I don't have very much to report other than the fact that I am extremely happy, enjoying my life and very glad to have made certain key personnel changes in my life over the past seven years.

I do the same job, live in the same house and have no desire to move or live anywhere else in the country or for that matter, the world.

My health is good, I've really worked on taking care of myself lately and it seems to be working out very well.

On Tuesday, I was approved for US citizenship and apparently, I was so amazing that the adjudicating officer wanted me to go swear the oath that afternoon but I graciously declined - my girlfriend said to me a while back that she always wanted to go to one of those ceremonies but didn't know anybody that was in one so I promised her I'd bring her along to mine. So United Kingdom gets me for a few more weeks all to itself, I guess.

I'm not going to set the world on fire or anything but I really enjoy setting a certain special someone's world on fire on a regular basis. ;-)

I've lots of fun things planned for this summer, like weekends away, BBQs, friend's weddings and going to my first rodeo so I'm excited for that all to begin.

That's my life report.