It feels like a short week, as last week’s “newsy email” went out last Tuesday after the Oxford trip.
As John and I walked through town last Saturday afternoon to get a few items from the grocery, we started thinking up our next trip. With getting American holidays here, we are trying to use them to visit some new places only a couple hours away. So February will be the North Norfolk coast. Folks have suggested a couple heritage homes to see, castles and ruins as well. I’m hoping for a cliff walk or beach walk if possible. On the way home from the grocery we stopped in town at the “chippy” and got fish and chips for John, fish and mushy peas for me. Because we planned ahead, we brought a hot/cold bag, which did a good job of keeping the dinner hot while walking home. Each trip to the store is a mile each way, so a nice walk. Completely dark by 5 on the way home. There is sidewalk all the way, which makes walking so easy! I also found “forced” rhubarb in the store, and will make a dessert with it sometime this week. Forced means grown indoors and ripened before its seasonally available here.
I got to go to a pub lunch (only 4 miles away- driving) with 4 other expats. It was a delish lunch, and the company was good. These ladies are my age- give or take 10 years either way, and they get together for lunches, view historic homes and have parties. So nice of them to include me.
Still waiting on 1 piece to mail to be able to sign up for NHS here. Just so you know, we are not taking advantage of the “free” healthcare. The company John is working for pays into this system. I don’t know if the snippy lady at the doctor’s office desk knows this. Or maybe she has bad days like we all do sometimes. Anyway, I will be glad to get connected to some healthcare soon- or not-soon…
I called the lady in charge of the U3A Stretch & Relax group…but that class is no longer being taught. They do have another on Wednesday afternoons, which I will try- if its still current. It takes effort and time to become connected here. I will keep trying.
I also went with a British friend to the closest Aldi, which is about 15 miles away. She was helpful with driving info, signaling- which is more complicated here- especially in round-a-bouts, one lane roads etc. The prices were excellent there, but as it was hard to get to, and in an industrial area with many trucks and round-a-bouts….I may give that a pass for now. Just the 2 of us most of the time…we just don’t need that much food. We do have commissary privileges too, and soon I expect to be proficient enough to drive there on my own. I could do it now if I pushed myself...
John has had a new desk at work, which is wonderful, as he had been sharing one with someone who was gone awhile. The team he is in has added a couple new folks, and the IT team is trying to move them all into an area together, instead of them being spread amidst other teams. Maybe this will be complete in a couple of weeks.
As always, answer back if you want. Forgive my misspellings and improper tenses…or at least explain them to me in private. Its an adventure that we are starting to become comfortable with…but we don’t stop missing you any less! Come visit any time. I believe there are currier services directly from the airport to our house….so that would be worth it to not have to do the tube and the train to get here. Plenty of beds and tea- coffee too!