Very Important Information

Doing your visa application isn't all that hard. It took me about 45 minutes. Now, I did sendd a couple of questions to my informant in UK... (informant? guru? friend?) But really, it wasn't all that hard to do. Thank GOODNESS.

Now I have to set my biometrics appointment, I guess.

Work Permit Packet

The great thing about getting your work permit, is you have your work permit.

THe less than great thing about it is it opens up a whole new wad of questions. For heaven's sake, I don't even know what all these forms mean! Never mind the stuff I do understand.

But I'd better do all I can now. While the babies are still asleep. For a few more minutes, anyway.

Patricia, I am going to need your help!

So Begins the Grand Escapade

Well, I've made it through the first leg of my sojourn: I've left Texas. It was so hard saying farewell to friends there, but the thing is, I'm not dead. It's as easy to visit England from Houston as it is from Detroit, so I expect my fellow Houstonians to come visit.

(Amazing, actually, how much more likely it is I'll have visitors in little Dunstable than I had in 4 years in Houston. And I just bet there'll be fewer excuses or reasons why they tried to get down to Texas to visit but just couldn't find the time, or money, or inclination...)

Well, whatever. Part One: finished. And the work permit should arrive in my hot little hands tomorrow. Nearly 2 full months later. And tomorrow I'll run the Mommy gauntlet: that is, tomorrow I'll have my nieces (twins, 8 months old) all day, all by myself. It's a practice run.

I am not good with babies. I like them when they're clean, cuddly, sleepy, or silly. Poop or puke or scream or cry, and I am completely lost. Yet when they turn two or three and develop personalities (and a vocabulary) and are at least mostly potty-trained, they are my FAVOURITE little people.

Good news: the adoption question won't come up for at least another year. Bad news: I still have the practice run tomorrow. And next week we add in my (4 1/2 year old) other niece. And what is the sum of those parts?

Answer: I'm moving to England in six weeks.

Anyhow. I guess everything is in hand. I have no reason to be intimidated by googly little babies with great big indigo eyes and matching teensy teeth in their otherwise toothless smiles. But is it wrong that I'm kind of relieved I won't have to make any lasting decisions until they're closer to human?

Okay, I am overwhelmed. THis was supposed to be the easy, calm part of my move. Sigh. We'll see...

News

Okay, well...









.....I guess I could say.....











...that there's no news...










but I would totally be lying











because....




















MY WORK PERMIT FINALLY CAME IN!!!!!!!!!

C'est fini.

As I blog this I am working my very last minutes of work in this country.

In this country!

In 2 months I hope to be settled in and starting to figure out living and working in another country.

Hooray!

HEADLINES FROM HOUSTON!!!!!

http://www.chron.com/disp/commnts.mpl/headline/metro/5845817.html?plckCurrentPage=0

Is this news? Is it really?

Please note.

THERE IS A 35-DEGREE (F) TEMPERATURE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HERE AND THERE! THIRTY-FIVE DEGREES!!!

Have I mentioned lately how much I love rain and cool weather? It was 99 here Monday. 99. The heat index said 108, I think. It was frickin' hot. And the humidity turned the air into chemical soup (we are surrounded by chemical plants and oil refineries). Boiling chemical soup.

Meanwhile, it's in the 60s in Britain. Is that fair?




HECK YES IT'S FAIR!!! That's why I'm moving!!!