I'm pregnant! So maybe you wondered why my posts were few and far between these past couple of months. It was partly to do with how busy we were...but mostly to do with how tired I was. Prego tired is a whole different kind of tired than anything I have ever experienced before in my life....including mono tired. I would seriously come home from work and want to go straight to bed! While I was never actually sick...somedays I think it might have been better if I was. Food was not a friend and I found myself reverting back into my little kid eating habits. Everything had to be plain, cereal was a very good friend followed closely by toast...ya know a real great diet. lol Saying that I feel very lucky to escaped so far without too many prego "war" wounds.
Disney was fabulous...a bit tiring and hard on the stomach but a really good time. Nothing like American food to cure you of your morning sickness...NOT! I did well I think and ate more than I probably had in the last month in Disney. Only had one day were I was totally down for the count. It was fun to tell my parents the big news and watch Jeff's reaction as well. I got to tell a few close friends in person and that was pretty sweet as well.
So yep...that is our big news! Baby Tetchner is due July 11, 2013. Although we will see if that is the real day that it finally decides to make its appearance. I have had my first ultrasound....so crazy to see a lil person inside of you!!! So crazy! "It" didn't want to cooperate at first so I had to cough and then jump up and down until "it" flipped into a better position for the scan lady. Still so crazy to me that we grow inside our moms and then come out....God has crazy yet very cool ways of doing things. In a few minutes we go for my first midwife appointment. Yes, everything is done my midwives here....doctors are only seen if there is a big problem. Different ways of doing things but obviously babies over here turn out just fine.
We are more than excited about our lil bun in the oven. I am now accepting any "I couldn't live without this" prego advice from you recent moms/dads out there. There is so much stuff for lil kids that I don't even know where to begin. I mean seriously...I was looking at a catalog and had to put it down because I was like wow...this is so overwhelming! I guess welcome to being a parent! lol But for real...any helpful hints on where to buy stuff cheap (in the US or UK), any must haves, or don't bother with that would be greatly appreciated. Hope this finds you all well and enjoying the new year!
Monday, January 7, 2013
Christmas Letter 2012
Dear Friends and Family,
As you get this letter you might be thinking, wait a minute, Christmas is over. You missed the boat here, Shara. And, for being late, I am sorry...not normally my style. But this year has proven to be an interesting one, jam packed with events all the way to the end. So forgive me for being late but you will see why soon.
This year started off with some of my Rich Township teacher friends coming to visit England! It was super fun to celebrate the New Year with my good friends in my new country. I should have known then what an eventful year it would soon be. Back in the first few months of 2012 I was learning how to drive. It proved to be a frustrating adventure but eventually resulted in me getting my U.K. driving license. While I have been driving a car for nearly 16 years (you know half my life!) I still have to be classed as a beginner...so annoying to me and my insurance bill. But we will quickly move on.
In April my parents came to check on me and Mark for THREE weeks. Yes, you read that correctly 3 weeks! While at first I was a bit apprehensive about having my rents live with us for that long it proved to be the perfect amount of time. We were able to show them London, where Mark is from up in Durham, and just our every day “normal” life. I think the trip put my parents at ease knowing I truly am ok living in England; and, they seemed to throughly enjoy their stay.
While they were with us in England, my mom had set up a schedule of people to go visit my grandma (who was in an assisted living facility), since she has gone everyday up until that point to visit her. This, to me, has become known as grandma’s good bye tour.
You see, shortly after my parents got back grandma fell; and, all very rapidly went downhill from there. Grandma died at the end of May, although I really don’t look at it like that. To me, grandma went to go sing for her King, a day she wanted more than any other. I was honored to be able to speak at her memorial service and know that she is rocking out to her hymns and in complete glory!
Although the beginning of coming home was her memorial service, my trip back to Chicago for the first time since leaving was AMAZING! Five weeks of visiting with friends, eating real food, shopping at Target and Kohls...drinking ice tea was glorious! Mark kept saying, “you do know you have to come home (aka England) right?!?” Yes, yes, I know all good things must come to an end...but my time home reassured me that I have some of the best friends a person could ever ask for and even though I am far, far away some things will never change!
Once I got back to England I found a job working not as a teacher, but as a home and leisure assistant in a grocery store. It is the EASIEST job I have ever had. I stock shelves, work on a checkout on occasion and have NO responsibility whatsoever! I love it! I miss my kids and teaching, and let’s be honest the paycheck was nice, but this no grading papers or dealing with parents is glorious. Mark is happy because I get out of the house and get to feel like I am contributing a bit more to “us”; and, I love it cause it gives me something to do. Sad though, that I get more praise for doing a good job stocking shelves than I ever did teaching which my students, (not to brag) thought I did a darn good job at. But that is a whole different story!
So...I said you would soon see why my Christmas letter is late this year. Well the topping on this year’s “cake” was that my parents decided to take us for a big family vacation to Disney World. Yep, the whole Griffin/Tetchner clan spent ten days in Disney World. While this is suppose to be a place for kids it seems that the Griffins have never truly grown up. So there we were, all five of us hanging out with Mickey and Minnie. It has been an awesome experience! Tons of fun and many memories made. Mark may think we are a bit more crazy than previously but he seemed to join right in after a few days!
If you have made it this far, you deserve to find out the biggest news yet.... Mark and I are expecting our first child, due around July 11. We both think it would be hilarious if it was born on July 4 for obvious reasons. This new lil person has already sent his mama for a loop! I keep telling Mark I am going to have words with “it” when it pops out. I hate feeling sick...and the tiredness...well, Shara is just not used to someone else dictating her life. Mark just laughs. We are both super excited and know 2013 is going to be a life changing one!
With that I am going to go out to the pool...yes, you read that correctly! (We are still in Disney for a few more days!) I hope you and yours have had a wonderful Christmas and an even better New Year! Remember “Wise men still seek Him.” Gods blessings and peace to you. Merry Christmas...even if it is a bit late!
Love,
Shara & Mark
...and little baby bump too!
Sunday, December 16, 2012
Disney Baby!
So it has been a while since I wrote on here last. Sorry about that to those of you who keep coming here to see what is new. The lack of blogging should tell you two things....1. not much is new...
2. things are crazy busy. Let me see if I can recap the last month for you.
Thanksgiving was really strange this year for me. Obviously they don't celebrate Thanksgiving in the UK so it is just like any other Thursday. Strange if you are use to eating more than you should and just hanging out for an extra long weekend. I was in the UK last year at this time of year, but it didn't seem to effect me as much as it did this year. It was so strange to be going to work on Thanksgiving and not being in a food coma after eating and eating and eating. It was nice to be able to explain what Thanksgiving was to some of my co-workers but still...just strange to know what was going on back home and not having any one else around you be able to commiserate with about it.
Per my own little tradition Mark and I put up our Christmas tree the weekend after Thanksgiving. I use to do it on my day off, Black Friday, but since that was a normal working day again...the weekend was going to have to do this year. We debated wether or not to go through the hassle of putting it up or not since we were going to be gone for Christmas but decided it just wasn't right not having a tree. So the tree is up and well I think looks pretty stinking good! lol
So the title says it all. My parents have planned a family vacation for us all....yep Jeff is here too...to Disney World. Now you might be thinking aren't you all a bit old for Disney? And well the answer should be yes but in this case it is a big NO! We are a Disney freak family, although Jeff won't admit it he is, and so we are here for 10 days. It is so much fun to be here seeing my parents act like little kids and being able to reminisce with my brother about what it was like 19 years ago when we were here as kids. Some things have changed and others have stayed just the same. I think Mark thinks we are all a bit wacky but by now he knows that so he just sits back and enjoys the show. It is nice to be in the warm weather and sunshine as both are extremely lacking in the UK. In fact I am about to put this computer to the side and go to the pool.
Today the family wanted to go see the Hobbit and well I just don't get why you would want to be in a dark theater on a day like today so the privilege of being an adult and being here is you can say NO! So they all went off to the movie and I am going to go lay by the pool. A win win for all of us I think. I have to meet up with them all at Epcot later on but it makes all five of us all get to do what we want. And for that I am one happy camper.
I still need to do my Christmas letter....so that might get worked on a bit later too....we shall see how good the sunshine feels. So if your Christmas letter winds up being more like a January hello letter you know why. Hope you are all enjoying this season and counting your blessings. Love from Disney World... Peace....Im going to the pool! EEEEE!!!!!!
2. things are crazy busy. Let me see if I can recap the last month for you.
Thanksgiving was really strange this year for me. Obviously they don't celebrate Thanksgiving in the UK so it is just like any other Thursday. Strange if you are use to eating more than you should and just hanging out for an extra long weekend. I was in the UK last year at this time of year, but it didn't seem to effect me as much as it did this year. It was so strange to be going to work on Thanksgiving and not being in a food coma after eating and eating and eating. It was nice to be able to explain what Thanksgiving was to some of my co-workers but still...just strange to know what was going on back home and not having any one else around you be able to commiserate with about it.
Per my own little tradition Mark and I put up our Christmas tree the weekend after Thanksgiving. I use to do it on my day off, Black Friday, but since that was a normal working day again...the weekend was going to have to do this year. We debated wether or not to go through the hassle of putting it up or not since we were going to be gone for Christmas but decided it just wasn't right not having a tree. So the tree is up and well I think looks pretty stinking good! lol
So the title says it all. My parents have planned a family vacation for us all....yep Jeff is here too...to Disney World. Now you might be thinking aren't you all a bit old for Disney? And well the answer should be yes but in this case it is a big NO! We are a Disney freak family, although Jeff won't admit it he is, and so we are here for 10 days. It is so much fun to be here seeing my parents act like little kids and being able to reminisce with my brother about what it was like 19 years ago when we were here as kids. Some things have changed and others have stayed just the same. I think Mark thinks we are all a bit wacky but by now he knows that so he just sits back and enjoys the show. It is nice to be in the warm weather and sunshine as both are extremely lacking in the UK. In fact I am about to put this computer to the side and go to the pool.
Today the family wanted to go see the Hobbit and well I just don't get why you would want to be in a dark theater on a day like today so the privilege of being an adult and being here is you can say NO! So they all went off to the movie and I am going to go lay by the pool. A win win for all of us I think. I have to meet up with them all at Epcot later on but it makes all five of us all get to do what we want. And for that I am one happy camper.
I still need to do my Christmas letter....so that might get worked on a bit later too....we shall see how good the sunshine feels. So if your Christmas letter winds up being more like a January hello letter you know why. Hope you are all enjoying this season and counting your blessings. Love from Disney World... Peace....Im going to the pool! EEEEE!!!!!!
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Dinners...
So this post will be mostly about dinner...well dinners. You see I have decided to get brave and start cooking a "traditional" Sunday dinner. I really didn't know people still did that until I got over here cause Sunday back home was always eating out after church. Considering I hadn't cooked anything for myself other than mac and cheese or the occasional frozen pizza the thought of a huge meal seemed really overwhelming to me. I have been here over a year now though and know how much Mark enjoys his huge Sunday dinner when we go up to his parents, so I thought I would give it a try. What do I have to lose?
So the past 2 Sundays we have had HUGE meals. Like Thanksgiving style huge meals. The first one was a turkey, with roasted potatoes, mash potatoes with spring onions in them, yorkshire puddings, veggies, stuffing, cranberry sauce...and one over filled hubby! lol The second one was a roast (beef) with most of the same minus the stuffing and cranberry sauce. They were delicious if I do say so myself and I had a more than happy hubby on my hands. I think cooking is all about having confidence. I would have never tried doing that a year ago...ok lets be honest 3 months ago. But confidence in your own kitchen...knowing how long things take and just working with food makes big things seem so much smaller. I knew how to do most everything I cooked on its own it was just putting it together. I guess I am just thankful that cooking has come more naturally than I thought. While I am no Betty Crocker or Chef Boiardi? (the spaghetti O's guy) I can feed the two of us...more than feed us lol which is a wonderful surprise!
Speaking of dinners... Mark and I went out to dinner 2 weekends ago now. We went to a restaurant where you sit right next to another couple...kind of like in the Oakbrook Cheesecake Factory. Where you have to slide in and out and hope you don't knock over the drink on the table next to you as you and your coat, purse, or big body in my case squeeze through the tiny gap in the tables. Well we were about half way through our dinner when the most random thing happened. These 2 Asian women start coming our way...dressed in well...not much. They are not speaking a word of English and are followed but two older gentlemen. The girls seems to be in there 30's/40's while the guys in there upper 60's. Now the guys where British...spoke only English and all four had wedding bands on. I was SO confused. The girls were talking to each other...and then the one would try her English out...chicken.....wig...wi...wing....Mind I could probably have touched this girl if I stretched my arm out all the way. I get the giggles because it is so random...I can't look at Mark cause that just makes me laugh harder and everyone in the restaurant is now staring at these people. The men are pointing at pictures and saying words loudly while the girls are giggling and trying out random English words. Lets just say Mark and I didn't stay much longer cause I couldn't keep it together. Once we got outside Mark said they were purchased brides. Shipped over to Britain from their homeland to marry these older guys... So crazy to me...so crazy. But we had the giggles the rest of the night with the whole chicken wig...I mean wing scene.
Not much else is new here. Christmas is going to be here before we know it. My grocery store had Christmas music on yesterday which just seemed strange. I mean I love Christmas music but to know they don't have another holiday until then is just wrong. I wish we could be coming home for Thanksgiving but that just wasn't in the plans. I am super excited to be going to Disney soon with the rents...to see them and Jeff but also to see the SUN and feel what warm weather actually feels like. So much to do before then it is ridiculous but I guess that is part of what makes Christmas time so fun. Well I am off to go to work...hope this finds you well. Till the next time!
So the past 2 Sundays we have had HUGE meals. Like Thanksgiving style huge meals. The first one was a turkey, with roasted potatoes, mash potatoes with spring onions in them, yorkshire puddings, veggies, stuffing, cranberry sauce...and one over filled hubby! lol The second one was a roast (beef) with most of the same minus the stuffing and cranberry sauce. They were delicious if I do say so myself and I had a more than happy hubby on my hands. I think cooking is all about having confidence. I would have never tried doing that a year ago...ok lets be honest 3 months ago. But confidence in your own kitchen...knowing how long things take and just working with food makes big things seem so much smaller. I knew how to do most everything I cooked on its own it was just putting it together. I guess I am just thankful that cooking has come more naturally than I thought. While I am no Betty Crocker or Chef Boiardi? (the spaghetti O's guy) I can feed the two of us...more than feed us lol which is a wonderful surprise!
Speaking of dinners... Mark and I went out to dinner 2 weekends ago now. We went to a restaurant where you sit right next to another couple...kind of like in the Oakbrook Cheesecake Factory. Where you have to slide in and out and hope you don't knock over the drink on the table next to you as you and your coat, purse, or big body in my case squeeze through the tiny gap in the tables. Well we were about half way through our dinner when the most random thing happened. These 2 Asian women start coming our way...dressed in well...not much. They are not speaking a word of English and are followed but two older gentlemen. The girls seems to be in there 30's/40's while the guys in there upper 60's. Now the guys where British...spoke only English and all four had wedding bands on. I was SO confused. The girls were talking to each other...and then the one would try her English out...chicken.....wig...wi...wing....Mind I could probably have touched this girl if I stretched my arm out all the way. I get the giggles because it is so random...I can't look at Mark cause that just makes me laugh harder and everyone in the restaurant is now staring at these people. The men are pointing at pictures and saying words loudly while the girls are giggling and trying out random English words. Lets just say Mark and I didn't stay much longer cause I couldn't keep it together. Once we got outside Mark said they were purchased brides. Shipped over to Britain from their homeland to marry these older guys... So crazy to me...so crazy. But we had the giggles the rest of the night with the whole chicken wig...I mean wing scene.
Not much else is new here. Christmas is going to be here before we know it. My grocery store had Christmas music on yesterday which just seemed strange. I mean I love Christmas music but to know they don't have another holiday until then is just wrong. I wish we could be coming home for Thanksgiving but that just wasn't in the plans. I am super excited to be going to Disney soon with the rents...to see them and Jeff but also to see the SUN and feel what warm weather actually feels like. So much to do before then it is ridiculous but I guess that is part of what makes Christmas time so fun. Well I am off to go to work...hope this finds you well. Till the next time!
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Fall is here
Well bye bye summer...although here in the UK it doesn't really seem like we even had one...but hello fall. Unlike Chicago, where the sky is almost always pretty blue in October it has been mostly rain and mist here in the UK. The leaves on the trees are changing and it has definitely gotten colder. Hopefully we will have a few more nice days before the really cold stuff gets here. Work is still going really well. I have learned how to do a few more things...like audio/dvds and newspapers/magazines. I feel a bit guilty saying how much I love it cause I know I could be doing so much more but it is so nice to have an easy job. Yeah I have to move a lot more...like big boxes and stuff to stock the shelves. But the lack of stress (even if that means less pay) and lack of any real responsibility is glorious. I couldn't do this for forever but for now it sure is nice. Work 4 days off 3...and have yet to work a weekend in 2 months on the job. I don't know many retail people that can say that and for that I am more than thankful!
A few weekends ago Mark and I went up to his parents house to celebrate Mark's dad, Eric's birthday. I decided I would bake a cake for him as part of our present. That is what I call stress. The Tetchner's all seemed to think it was great and it did taste ok...moist and well how a cake should taste. But I knew how silly it looked compared to what it could have been. I tried to ice it but didn't have an icing bag...so had to use a ziplock bag. It worked ok but an 8year old probably would have done about the same job. lol The part that made me laugh even harder was the grocery store shop to try and buy cake mix and icing. They literally only have 3 kinds of cake mix and 2 kinds of icing. If I remember correctly we have like half of an isle full of just that stuff. It made me laugh and also stressed me out cause while sometimes too many choices is hard...the lack of choice in what I wanted to do but couldn't do was almost worse. O well...cake was yummy and I guess that is all that really counts.
The past week and a half or so I have been sick...first time in a REALLY long time. I am immune to most things in the states because of being a teacher...or so I think. I can't honestly remember the last time I had a cold or a cough. Well I must not be immune to whatever strand of ick was going around in the UK cause I was down for the count for a few days. Mark got me to take this horrible (tasted like it was from 1920) cough medicine. It made me gag...but he still managed to get the second spoonful in me like I was a small child. Yes head going side ways to stop him and everything...it was comical after the fact but left such a horrible taste. I decided I had to get real cough medicine so went to the UK version of Walgreens. All I really wanted was NyQuil but they don't do that or any kind of cold stuff that I even recognized. I eventually got something that at least said Robitusion on it...even though it was still different from stuff in the states and that seemed to help me not cough every 2 minutes. Thankfully I much better now. The flowers brought home to me by my hubby were a nice get better surprise which makes me think being sick wasn't all that bad if I always get flowers from him in order to help me get better.
Mark has been on a course all this week and I have been working the really...really early shift at work. I think we are both really looking forward to the weekend. I have the house spotless which will soon change with his walk through the door but I am glad I finally have the roommate I always wanted. ;) While the alone time and quiet is nice for the first little bit I miss having someone to talk to after a while. I find it hard to believe that I spent many a years living by myself with such quiet on most evenings. It seems so strange now...funny how time changes things.
Not much else is new. Hope you all are doing well. Seems so strange that I never know who reads this yet you know who you are... and know what is going on in my life. Wonders of the internet. Well Happy Halloween...go eat some candy...and enjoy the outdoors before winter comes! Blessings.
A few weekends ago Mark and I went up to his parents house to celebrate Mark's dad, Eric's birthday. I decided I would bake a cake for him as part of our present. That is what I call stress. The Tetchner's all seemed to think it was great and it did taste ok...moist and well how a cake should taste. But I knew how silly it looked compared to what it could have been. I tried to ice it but didn't have an icing bag...so had to use a ziplock bag. It worked ok but an 8year old probably would have done about the same job. lol The part that made me laugh even harder was the grocery store shop to try and buy cake mix and icing. They literally only have 3 kinds of cake mix and 2 kinds of icing. If I remember correctly we have like half of an isle full of just that stuff. It made me laugh and also stressed me out cause while sometimes too many choices is hard...the lack of choice in what I wanted to do but couldn't do was almost worse. O well...cake was yummy and I guess that is all that really counts.
The past week and a half or so I have been sick...first time in a REALLY long time. I am immune to most things in the states because of being a teacher...or so I think. I can't honestly remember the last time I had a cold or a cough. Well I must not be immune to whatever strand of ick was going around in the UK cause I was down for the count for a few days. Mark got me to take this horrible (tasted like it was from 1920) cough medicine. It made me gag...but he still managed to get the second spoonful in me like I was a small child. Yes head going side ways to stop him and everything...it was comical after the fact but left such a horrible taste. I decided I had to get real cough medicine so went to the UK version of Walgreens. All I really wanted was NyQuil but they don't do that or any kind of cold stuff that I even recognized. I eventually got something that at least said Robitusion on it...even though it was still different from stuff in the states and that seemed to help me not cough every 2 minutes. Thankfully I much better now. The flowers brought home to me by my hubby were a nice get better surprise which makes me think being sick wasn't all that bad if I always get flowers from him in order to help me get better.
Mark has been on a course all this week and I have been working the really...really early shift at work. I think we are both really looking forward to the weekend. I have the house spotless which will soon change with his walk through the door but I am glad I finally have the roommate I always wanted. ;) While the alone time and quiet is nice for the first little bit I miss having someone to talk to after a while. I find it hard to believe that I spent many a years living by myself with such quiet on most evenings. It seems so strange now...funny how time changes things.
Not much else is new. Hope you all are doing well. Seems so strange that I never know who reads this yet you know who you are... and know what is going on in my life. Wonders of the internet. Well Happy Halloween...go eat some candy...and enjoy the outdoors before winter comes! Blessings.
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
In a year...
So a year ago I wondered where I would be...well I knew I would be here...but how I would be doing? Would I survive the new culture? Would I make friends? Would Mark and I still be so happy to just be with each other after dating so long from so far away? Would I be able to cook? Would I fit all my "stuff" into an English house? Would I find my way around town? And many....many more questions.
Well the answer is YES! I am still super happy to be with my hubby all of the time. Going from seeing each other only a few days out of the year to everyday is a most wonderful change! We truly enjoy each others company and I am so thankful for that. I can cook, and drive, and find my way just about anywhere. I am working and making friends. I have gotten our house set up and by gosh with a little effort all of our (I mean mostly my extra clothes) fit...somewhere. While I do miss home, the food, the people, being some place I know...I feel like I have really done well in settling here in just one year. I am so thankful for this experience and how supportive all of you have been for me. So a year in...all is well.
In fact the last 2 weeks have really been encouraging to me. We have a way we do things and it is so great to have someone to share my weekends with...even if it is just staying in our pjs all day. This past weekend we pulled out the bushes in our front yard. They were mostly dead and looking horrible so we finally got permission to take them out. It was a project...but it was so fun to be able to do it together and get it done. Funny moments were had...Mark and I jumping in garbage bins to make it fit in to be hauled away...both of us being afraid of the ridiculously big spiders that we found...showing Mark how strong I really am...tehe...even though he is still stronger. Ya know it was just good. We also moved our bedroom around which gives the room a new (nice and free) look.
Honestly I just can say enough how thankful I am for Mark and how easy he has made this transition for me. I mean I knew this would be a big change and I prepared myself for it...but it is so awesome to see how a year has gone by and that really I don't have one regret about it. Mark has been amazing at reading my moods and listening to me go on and on about how food in the states is better and how I would do it this way if I were home. He is a rock star in my book....(but don't tell him that cause we don't want him wanting another bike out of this ok!) He will always say well this is our home now and when we go back to the states you will feel my pain when I want fish and chips. I don't mean to be cheesy I just have to say he is the best.
With that I need to get myself ready for work. I hope all of you are enjoying the start of fall. The leaves are just beginning to change here at it is so pretty! Hope you all are well.
Well the answer is YES! I am still super happy to be with my hubby all of the time. Going from seeing each other only a few days out of the year to everyday is a most wonderful change! We truly enjoy each others company and I am so thankful for that. I can cook, and drive, and find my way just about anywhere. I am working and making friends. I have gotten our house set up and by gosh with a little effort all of our (I mean mostly my extra clothes) fit...somewhere. While I do miss home, the food, the people, being some place I know...I feel like I have really done well in settling here in just one year. I am so thankful for this experience and how supportive all of you have been for me. So a year in...all is well.
In fact the last 2 weeks have really been encouraging to me. We have a way we do things and it is so great to have someone to share my weekends with...even if it is just staying in our pjs all day. This past weekend we pulled out the bushes in our front yard. They were mostly dead and looking horrible so we finally got permission to take them out. It was a project...but it was so fun to be able to do it together and get it done. Funny moments were had...Mark and I jumping in garbage bins to make it fit in to be hauled away...both of us being afraid of the ridiculously big spiders that we found...showing Mark how strong I really am...tehe...even though he is still stronger. Ya know it was just good. We also moved our bedroom around which gives the room a new (nice and free) look.
Honestly I just can say enough how thankful I am for Mark and how easy he has made this transition for me. I mean I knew this would be a big change and I prepared myself for it...but it is so awesome to see how a year has gone by and that really I don't have one regret about it. Mark has been amazing at reading my moods and listening to me go on and on about how food in the states is better and how I would do it this way if I were home. He is a rock star in my book....(but don't tell him that cause we don't want him wanting another bike out of this ok!) He will always say well this is our home now and when we go back to the states you will feel my pain when I want fish and chips. I don't mean to be cheesy I just have to say he is the best.
With that I need to get myself ready for work. I hope all of you are enjoying the start of fall. The leaves are just beginning to change here at it is so pretty! Hope you all are well.
Monday, September 24, 2012
The interesting world of retail...
So my job has been keeping me busy. I actually like it quite a bit. I am working 30hrs a week...over 4 days. It is perfect for me and I love how EASY it is! At first my feet had to readjust to things...and they daily reminded me of how much they would rather be sitting than standing...but they have gotten back into standing all day shape which makes me a very happy girl. I work as a home and leisure assistant. Really I stock shelves most of the time and help out on the "till" aka register when the lines get too long. Yes...over here when there are lines of 2 or more people they open all the checkouts! I don't think I have ever seen all the checkouts open anywhere in the states...but over here we use all 20 of ours.
It has been really interesting to me to see the ins and outs of behind the scenes at a grocery store. How fast stuff comes in and then goes out to the public...how much people buy of things that you think I only buy this once a month. One of my jobs is to shelve garbage bags...seriously everyday in the morning they are almost empty...who knew that grocery stores stock those types of things daily! Not me! It has also been really interesting to see my near OCD level of cleaning/organizing come out. I am super organized and love making things organized....and well obviously that is helpful when you are putting things out on shelves and making it look nice. I won't lie I am in a bit of heaven cause I like getting it all to fit and to look pretty...it is constant instant gratification for me. Sad as that sounds I really do enjoy it.
What surprised me the most was how much I am appreciated and told that I am doing a good job. In my 9 years of being an educator...especially while I was at District 227...Rich Township...I was very rarely if at all thanked for my hard work in teaching some rough kids, or going out of my way for helping students in need. I don't think I ever got a genuine compliment on my classroom and or a thanks for going out of my way when I spent my own money on supplies. All they wanted was more for nothing and treated me like crap. Here...I do a less important...or less skilled job...and receive more thanks/praise for doing a great job. Sad statement on reality for teachers and sad that it is the truth. I love being a teacher and did it cause that is what it took to do my job I thought well...but to be thanked which takes little time but means the world really isn't all that hard to do. For those of you on the "boss" side of things...it makes a world of difference to those who work for you....to little words that will get you more of what you want for free than anything else....thank you!
Work had filled up my days so the weekends are really great to just kick back and relax. A few weekends ago I went to go see Gemma, a good friend of mine...married to the guy who was are best man. Daz, her husband, is away in Afghanistan so I went to keep her company and spend some long over due girl time together. It was Fabulous! We went to Cambridge for one day and looked around and went into shops that neither of our hubbies would. Meanwhile Mark was chilling with his boys back at our house and got to do boys things...which I am more than willing to let him do all on his own. We both had great weekends and I think made us appreciate the other person just a lil bit more.
With my day off...usually Mondays...I get to catch up on things. Finish washing clothes here, do the grocery shop, clean house...you know do all that kind of stuff. It is great to have a day to get it done without interruption (cause Mark usually has other ideas of how to spend the weekend like looking at cycle stuff and what not). Speaking of cycles Mark is still cycling to work. He does about 25 miles total in a day to and from work...just over 12 miles one way. Because he has proved to me that this isn't just a phase...we bought the most expensive thing we have ever bought as a married couple....Mark's new baby...a Giant TCR Composite 3 bicycle. For those of you who know anything about cycling this is a nice bike. I honestly am impressed with just remembering the name of it there...see I do pay attention...but it is REALLY nice. Mark was like a kid at Christmas...almost shaking when he got his hands on it. I said it earns me best wife status for a good few months...he agreed and lets just say I haven't cooked in 2 days. lol Worth it for us both! So yeah...guess it does pay off to have a second income coming in.
Really not much else is new. The cold weather has come in with full force here....heat is on and coats are needed. Hard for me to believe that I have been here almost a year! If you would have told me half of what this past year was going to contain a year ago I would have laughed...it has been an excellent adventure so far and I can't wait to see what year two brings. Well enough rambling from me...and spelling errors too. Im off to do the grocery shopping. Hope you all are well!
It has been really interesting to me to see the ins and outs of behind the scenes at a grocery store. How fast stuff comes in and then goes out to the public...how much people buy of things that you think I only buy this once a month. One of my jobs is to shelve garbage bags...seriously everyday in the morning they are almost empty...who knew that grocery stores stock those types of things daily! Not me! It has also been really interesting to see my near OCD level of cleaning/organizing come out. I am super organized and love making things organized....and well obviously that is helpful when you are putting things out on shelves and making it look nice. I won't lie I am in a bit of heaven cause I like getting it all to fit and to look pretty...it is constant instant gratification for me. Sad as that sounds I really do enjoy it.
What surprised me the most was how much I am appreciated and told that I am doing a good job. In my 9 years of being an educator...especially while I was at District 227...Rich Township...I was very rarely if at all thanked for my hard work in teaching some rough kids, or going out of my way for helping students in need. I don't think I ever got a genuine compliment on my classroom and or a thanks for going out of my way when I spent my own money on supplies. All they wanted was more for nothing and treated me like crap. Here...I do a less important...or less skilled job...and receive more thanks/praise for doing a great job. Sad statement on reality for teachers and sad that it is the truth. I love being a teacher and did it cause that is what it took to do my job I thought well...but to be thanked which takes little time but means the world really isn't all that hard to do. For those of you on the "boss" side of things...it makes a world of difference to those who work for you....to little words that will get you more of what you want for free than anything else....thank you!
Work had filled up my days so the weekends are really great to just kick back and relax. A few weekends ago I went to go see Gemma, a good friend of mine...married to the guy who was are best man. Daz, her husband, is away in Afghanistan so I went to keep her company and spend some long over due girl time together. It was Fabulous! We went to Cambridge for one day and looked around and went into shops that neither of our hubbies would. Meanwhile Mark was chilling with his boys back at our house and got to do boys things...which I am more than willing to let him do all on his own. We both had great weekends and I think made us appreciate the other person just a lil bit more.
With my day off...usually Mondays...I get to catch up on things. Finish washing clothes here, do the grocery shop, clean house...you know do all that kind of stuff. It is great to have a day to get it done without interruption (cause Mark usually has other ideas of how to spend the weekend like looking at cycle stuff and what not). Speaking of cycles Mark is still cycling to work. He does about 25 miles total in a day to and from work...just over 12 miles one way. Because he has proved to me that this isn't just a phase...we bought the most expensive thing we have ever bought as a married couple....Mark's new baby...a Giant TCR Composite 3 bicycle. For those of you who know anything about cycling this is a nice bike. I honestly am impressed with just remembering the name of it there...see I do pay attention...but it is REALLY nice. Mark was like a kid at Christmas...almost shaking when he got his hands on it. I said it earns me best wife status for a good few months...he agreed and lets just say I haven't cooked in 2 days. lol Worth it for us both! So yeah...guess it does pay off to have a second income coming in.
Really not much else is new. The cold weather has come in with full force here....heat is on and coats are needed. Hard for me to believe that I have been here almost a year! If you would have told me half of what this past year was going to contain a year ago I would have laughed...it has been an excellent adventure so far and I can't wait to see what year two brings. Well enough rambling from me...and spelling errors too. Im off to do the grocery shopping. Hope you all are well!
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