Mish's Witterings!

While writing an LJ reply to my friend Beth just now, I remembered my first ever Thanksgiving celebration which was in South Wales. A group of us decided to use the weekend to do some serious eating and make some medieval clothing for a special event at the beginning of the following January. As this holiday is not celebrated in England, this was my first experience of it. Things could have gone horribly wrong as, the American couple who were our hosts had 3 house cats and lots and lots and lots of cat hair everywhere! I was so ill after staying the first night there that I had to sit in my car for 2 hours and just breath!!! I was literally green from trying to take in too much oxygen! Fortunately, 2 doors or so away was a B&B and I arranged to stay there. I rested a while and then it was arranged that a chair was put out on the front porch area (not like the porches they have over here - tiny in comparison!) and people took it in turns to talk to me as they sat in the hallway of the house, while the rest sewed or cooked!! They called me 'The Little Match Girl' as I sat looking in on all the goings on of the house!

We had Thanksgiving dinner that night out in the garden, on patio furniture. Don't forget, this was not Alabama with it's winter temperatures sometimes being in the 70s like yesterday! No, this was South Wales, where you're lucky if it hits 50 in November and I think it was probably more like 40 degrees when we sat down and ate our Thanksgiving dinner - which was so yummy by the way! We had a wonderful time and I didn't have to miss out! Now that's friendship!!

So, on this wonderful Thanksgiving morning, where I sit in my lovely little house, with my amazing new husband and my cutesy doggy, I am so thankful for my life and of course for my friends and family, who I love so much, no matter how far away they are!

Current Location: computer room
Current Mood: content
Current Music: Blackmoors Night

Well, we finally did it!!! Managed to tie the knot without even a hitch!!!! The wedding went absolutely perfectly, it couldn't have been better I don't think. The weather was glorious, the setting perfect. I was so excited, I could hardly contain myself!!!! I thought I'd be nervous about it but I wasn't at all (except for just before my walk up the aisle!!!!) I just couldn't wait to see Mike at the alter (type-thing). It was just such a wonderful day. Only thing missing was the people that couldn't make it from across the seas,

Here's some pics ...

Current Mood: relaxed

Well finally there has been a bit of sun around. Thank goodness, it's been pretty grey here this last week and bloody freezing too! Today is alot warmer and apparently it's going to improve as the week goes on.

Last weekend was spent with my friends Jon and Lorna, in their new farm house in Dorset. Well actually, it's not new as such, as it was built in about 1650! It's beautiful and set in a gorgeous village, about 10 minutes from the sea. We went on some walks in the blustering wind by the coast. It was true British weather at it's finest. Nothing quite like walking on the beach in the freezing cold. Just ask Mike about the time I picked him up from Gatwick in late August and brought him to my sister's in Brighton. We decided to go to the beach as the sun was out and he sat there shivering with the picnic blanket around him, not believing we were making him suffer! I mean he had gone from about 100 degrees to about 65!!!! Bit of a jump eh????

Only one more week of work until the Easter holidays! I'm looking forward to spending a long weekend with my 2 sisters in a cottage in Somerset amd then spending the rest of the week there with my eldest siter and my niece and nephew. I'm just hoping the weather will be ok.

Current Mood: excited

I've just realised over the last 2 days how heavily I rely on internet access! Our BT phone line has been down (which means our ADSL too) and to be honest, it left me completely floundering! I hated it. How sad is that?????

Anyway, it's back up and running now and I'm in touch with the world once more. Phew!Crisis over.

Current Mood: relieved

Well, things have settled down again here and I'm adapting to working in London AGAIN! Had a horrible bug yesterday though. Couldn't get out of bed and had a very painful stomach. Felt so pathetic and very sorry for myself! Wasn't even up to talking to Mike on Skype for very long!

Today is a really bright and sunny one and that's making me feel better. I'm taking it easy as I don't want to risk the bug reoccurance!!!! But feel 100% better than yesterday thank goodness. Looks like I'll still be able to work tomorrow which is good as at the moment I owe the school money for being in the States for 2 weeks. Didn't really want to have an even smaller pay packet than the one I'm supposed to get at the end of the month!

Current Mood: relieved

Well life in London has settled down a bit. The sun is shining at the moment which is wonderful and isn't such an anomaly - despite Mike's reports!

I had some great news on Thursday evening... I went online to check the status of my visa progress and found that our first step has been approved!!!! YEAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!! Can't bloody believe it! When I checked just 2 days before, it stated that they were dealing with paperwork received in August. Ours didn't reach them until the end of November, so I can't believe they've dealt with it already!!!!

I believe the next step is that the bumph is sent on to an office in New Hampshire for some further checks, and then onto England, to the embassy!!! We feel so relieved that at least we're on the way... USA, here I come...

Current Mood: jubilant

Well, I've made it back to the UK again and suprisingly enough it's been raining since I arrived!!!

Fortunately I don't have to go back to work until next Monday as the children are on their half term holiday or mid-term break. That means I have a few days to adjust back in to life over here. I am actually off to Edinburgh on Thursday to spend a long weekend with our friends Drew and Jenny. I haven't seen them for about a year and a half, so I'm really looking forward to that. Drew is probably the most sarcastic and dry person I've ever had the pleasure of knowing and Jenny, in contrast, is one of the sweetest. An example of his humour is that when I told them that Mike had asked me to marry him, he sent an email saying that I must have beaten him over the head and forced him into this act - or something of that nature! It was hilarious. I just never believe anything he says!!!!Here's a pic of Drew, Jenny and another friend, Tanya (who's sitting at the other end of the sofa) at one of my most favourite places in the whole world - Mansell Gamage. It's a converted 12th century church that used to be a holiday let. We've stayed there on numerous occasions and I only have wonderful and happy memories from there!

Current Mood: content

Well, I've been really slack on the journal writing thing since new year. I guess getting back into the world of work has been a bit of an adjustment - as well as getting used to London life again!

It's been pretty rough over this last couple of weeks. Mike came over to defend his PHd and to spend time with me, and had a bloody awful time at the university. We'll see what will happen with that in the future. To cheer him up, I arranged 2 days off of work and booked a long weekend in Rome. We left on Friday morning and had a wonderful late afternoon and evening there, soaking up the sights and stuffing our faces! It was at 6 am on Saturday morning that we realised Mike's sister was trying to get in touch with us. She finally managed to get through on my mobile to let us know that Mike's dad had died suddenly. It was totally unexpected. He had been totally healthy and had just suffered a severe heart attack. The shock was overwhelming. We spent the next few days travelling, getting back to London and then flying on to Alabama. We were really worried that INS wouldn't let me in the country as we have a fiance visa going through at the moment. Actually they were really lovely and I had no problems whatsoever. Unfortunately, I have to return to the UK next Sunday and continue the waiting game there.

Things have definately gone a bit topsy-turvey. My future over here seemed pretty set. Our house, all cosy and rustic, had become home. Now, when I return, we'll be moving into the big house with Mike's mum. It is beautiful up there, but I'd kind of got attached to living here and am not quite ready for what we thought would be our future in another 10 years. There are huge amounts of stuff to do before it will be ready to live in and I wish I could be here to help out. I feel so mean leaving them all when it's so raw. Mike really needs me right now and I'm going to be 5000 miles away from him!

Since we've lived out here, we had got so used to hearing the sputtering engine of his dad's Rabbit, roaring up the driveway. "Time for tea?" was his usual greeting. I miss him so much. When you see someone nearly everyday for a year, you kind of get used to them. He was so welcoming to me and made me feel so much a part of the Leberman family. I don't know how we're going to manage without him.

Current Mood: sad

Well, it's been so busy around here, I just haven't had a chance to write my journal!

Christmas has been spent catching up with friends, spending quality time with family and eating far too much!!!!!

It's been so lovely to be over here, there's just one thing missing...MIKE!!! It's been hard to spend this time apart but I guess I just have to be patient and our time will come - I miss Taco too!!!

Yesterday I arrived in Brighton to stay at my sister's. She has a house full with 9 of us all under the same roof! It's been wonderful though. This morning we all had a stroll along the seafront. It was VERY cold and windy, but the sun was shining and it was wonderful to see the sea again. The waves were crashing and we noticed 4 nuts surfing!!! Three of them were using kites to carry them along the waves. It was very cool. My dad took a great photo of it which I'm going to try and upload to my LJ when we get back to London.

Current Mood: chipper

Well after a hectic week of having my sister, niece and nephew staying here at my parents, I now have a moment to update!

It really has been a wonderful week. My niece, Isabelle, and nephew Edward, are so great. They are 7 and 5 years old now and are really fun to be with. Their conversations are so funny and it was so wonderful to be able to spend so much quality time together with them. Not to mention spending time with Sue, my eldest sister and best friend. It was like being kids again. We'd lie in bed chatting late at night, having a good old moan about our parents (as all good daughters do) and giggling about events in the day or the past. It was wonderful.

I also feel a bit like this Wedding thing is actually going to happen as I've been thinking and talking about how we can do things and about what I'll be wearing! I've even gone into a bridal shop and looked at some stuff! Very exciting!!! It's making it all a bit more real.

I went out last night to a gathering of old work friends and had such a brilliant time. Much eating, drinking and chatting was shared and I even managed to last til 4 am, something I've not managed for years - yes, I must be getting old!

Now looking forward to a few days of rest and relaxation. In fact, I'm not leaving the house or doing anything strenuos until tomorrow evening when I'll drag myself to a delicious Thai meal with my friends Laura and Fiona. Then on Sunday I'll be sharing a Czech Christams with my friend Tanya. Christmas day and Boxing day will be filled with food and crappy films. Oh life is so hard at the moment!

Current Mood: content

Well, I had a pretty busy day yesterday. The morning was spent frantically Christmas shopping with my mother - not a very easy person to shop with as she wants to look at EVERYTHING!!!! In the afternoon I made my way over to one of my closest friends who I lived with in college. She now has a hubby and 3 children, one 6 year old and a pair of identical girl twins who are 4. They are adorable. Our plan was for us to put the kids to bed, her husband to go out and us to sit and brouse through bridal mags. We had a blast and managed to drink lots of wine and stuff our faces with chinese take away. We had such a girly time and even watched 'Pretty Woman' on DVD, a film that we had watched about a million times over on video together, in our youth! I stayed overnight and took the picture I've included this morning. The kids are all wearing the Christmas pressies I bought them from the States.

Current Mood: mellow

Well today I went in to my old school (where I worked for over 12 years) to see old friends and to sort out what I'm going to be doing in the new year. My previous head teacher has offered me a full time post, covering classes when people have planning time or are on courses. I am so lucky, I can't believe it. I picked up my contract and it all looks marvellous. It will be so wonderful to have a bit of an income for a change!

I was amazed when I walked in the door there, I was immediately pounced on by a child with, "Hello Miss Horowitz" and it continued from there. I can't believe how many children knew me! I have never taught any of them, just lots of brothers and sisters and cousins. I guess they've seen me around too, in assemblies and the like. It was very touching. I actually felt like a bit of a film star!!!!!!!!!

It really has been a lovely day.

Current Mood: bouncy

Ok you experienced livejournal people, how do I send my friend Nickie a link to some of you so that she can get to know you lot if she chooses?

Current Mood: confused

Well, after about 21 hours of travelling, I finally made it back to ol' Blighty! Very weird to hear so many people around me who sound the same as I do :)

Had a very amusing moment in Chicago...I was sitting in a departure lounge, waiting for my connecting flight to come up on the screen so I could place myself appropriately, when an American Airlines employee made an announcement on the loud speaker. He wished everyone a Merry Christmas and proceeded to sing us a carol, Nat King Cole style. It was amazing. He had a fantastic voice and when he had finished, everyone clapped. It was like something out of a film. Definitely a Kodak moment!

Current Mood: chipper

Well, thanks to a bit of encouragement from some comments on my first journal, I feel inspired to write a little more today - this is helped by the fact that my 'last night in the US romantic evening with my fiance' has been ditched thanks to him having a 102 temperature!!!!! He's now in bed, trying to get rid of the lurgy.

I have mixed feeling about my soon-departure. On the one hand I can't wait to see my parents, sisters, friends etc, but on the other, I can't believe I'm going to be away from my new home, family and friends for so long. The fact that the time is unknown doesn't help either! One thing that will be great is that I won't be the one with the strange accent that no one understands for a while. They won't ask me where I'm from every 2 minutes! I'm not kidding, it's got to the point where, when someone asked me the other week (and I think I was a little pre-menstrual!) 'I love your accent, where are you from?', I could have screamed! I just thought to myself, 'Well this is what I'm going to have to put up with for the whole of my f***ing life!' I so should have replied - 'Union Grove!' That would have shut them up for sure!

I've just realized, as I've read back over what I've written, that I've put in rather a large amount of commas! No idea why. I seem to have a bit a punctuation fetish!

Our new digital camera arrived today and I'm about to go and have a fiddle to see how it works. Mike always takes the mickey out of me for reading all the instructions before I try anything out - but I just can't help it! There's a HUGE instruction book for this one and I can't wait to get my hands on it!

You know, once you start, this waffling really isn't too bad!

Current Mood: amused

Well, this is my first ever post to a live journal! I am currently sitting in an Irish Cafe in Hunstville, with Susanna. She has persuaded me to have my own journal and I'm kind of nervous about it. Have no idea what I'll be writing about!

Current Mood: nervous