I haven't had much to say of relevance in to the blog world recently, but saw an interesting article today on the BBC:
Why are Americans giving up their citizenship?
On the expat forums I read in the UK, this seems to becoming more prevalent, especially the longer that people are here. So it's not so much the newly christianed UK citizens but more those who have been UK citizens for many years.
I don't think I'd even remotely consider to give up my US citizenship (which would be an option at some stage, once I get UK citizenship). Would you consider it?
Showing posts with label uk. Show all posts
Showing posts with label uk. Show all posts
Friday, September 27, 2013
Tuesday, June 05, 2012
The Royal Jubilee weekend
While spirits were high and the mood friendly, the weather was most uncooperative, and rain dampened much of the Queen's festivities.
I did like this humorous take on the four day weekend:
I did like this humorous take on the four day weekend:
Sunday, February 05, 2012
The snow in my corner of Essex
We had the most delightful snow, Sat night into Sunday. It started around 22.00 and continued on heavily into the morning. It was the first snow of winter in my region.
Slocombe the cat was curious but decided not to venture out onto the roof terrace:
Slocombe the cat was curious but decided not to venture out onto the roof terrace:
I decided to venture to the park, with my snowshoes as we had 4-5 inches. The last time I had the opportunity to use my snowshoes was in Germany, in Feb 2008. We've had a few UK snowstorms since I've arrived, but never on a weekend. Fortunately the weather predictions were good so I had done all of my food shopping on Saturday so to be able to fully enjoy Sunday.
It was good packing snow on the roof terrace, so I made a snowman. We're supposed to have above freezing drizzle tomorrow, so we'll see how long he lasts.
I was a little surprised on Saturday night when I called home to the US; my relatives had not heard about our 'deep freeze' in Europe, or the snow that has been raging across the continent. Usually they keep an eye out for news over here, so it seems that it did not get much coverage over there on this go round.
Saturday, September 03, 2011
Today at the English seaside
One of the things I was looking forward to when moving to the UK from Germany was the ability to be able to easily take a day trip to somewhere along the sea. My former corner of NRW Germany was very convenient for the mountains, but hours away from the seaside.
It was predicted to be 25 today, and will probably be the hottest weekend day until next spring/summer. So I went out early and had time to enjoy the early sun before the masses arrived:
It was predicted to be 25 today, and will probably be the hottest weekend day until next spring/summer. So I went out early and had time to enjoy the early sun before the masses arrived:
Essex has plenty of beaches and coastline, with much of it reachable by train, which is what I did today. This photo is of Clacton-on-Sea, it's a mere 90 minutes on a direct train line from London's Liverpool Street station.
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Back from a week in Germany
I had a chance to travel to Germany this week for work. It's been announced that Benevolent company J will be moving from the Tiny town of B, so I brought along my camera this week, to capture some images of where I spent so many years.
First though, the trip out of Stansted (STN). I had heard that Airberlin is pulling out of Stansted and expanding at Gatwick. They have already cut down the Dusseldorf route from 3 times a day to 2, and now the only direct cities from STN are DUS, Stuttgart and Muenster Osnabruck. Back in the day when I first arrived, AB occupied 4 or 5 of these counters with a customer service team on-site and automated check-in machines.
Now, they've moved around the corner where they only have 2 counters that are only staffed when their infrequent flights are running and no automated machines or customer service. Of course, I can always switch to German Wings to Cologne, but Company J has a corporate deal with Airberlin; as well I prefer them anyway so I hope they do not disappear completely from STN as it's my closest airport to my corner of Essex.
In case you're wondering where else you can go from STN, here's a photo I took while waiting for the AB counter to open:
Unfortunately, there are no flights to the US, although they've broken into the Asia with budget airline Air Asia. However, from late October, Air Asia as well pulls out from STN and relocates to Gatwick.
First though, the trip out of Stansted (STN). I had heard that Airberlin is pulling out of Stansted and expanding at Gatwick. They have already cut down the Dusseldorf route from 3 times a day to 2, and now the only direct cities from STN are DUS, Stuttgart and Muenster Osnabruck. Back in the day when I first arrived, AB occupied 4 or 5 of these counters with a customer service team on-site and automated check-in machines.
Now, they've moved around the corner where they only have 2 counters that are only staffed when their infrequent flights are running and no automated machines or customer service. Of course, I can always switch to German Wings to Cologne, but Company J has a corporate deal with Airberlin; as well I prefer them anyway so I hope they do not disappear completely from STN as it's my closest airport to my corner of Essex.
In case you're wondering where else you can go from STN, here's a photo I took while waiting for the AB counter to open:
Unfortunately, there are no flights to the US, although they've broken into the Asia with budget airline Air Asia. However, from late October, Air Asia as well pulls out from STN and relocates to Gatwick.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Opening the pickled peppers
A while back, in October, I was awash with peppers and decided to jar them up. As the peppers are starting to appear on my plants this year, I'm reminded to eat them to clear out the jars. So how did it go?
Certainly looks ok...no major loss of colour:
Certainly looks ok...no major loss of colour:
Looks ok here too, smells ok:
On taste though, a little too heavy on the vinegar. So they preserved really well, better than Old El Paso version here in the UK that retails for 1.24 GBP a jar, but I need to use them in cooking, so on pizzas, in tomato sauces, etc. where the vinegar will burn off, rather than raw and in a salad. In the past weeks I've been through 4 jars already.
On taste though, a little too heavy on the vinegar. So they preserved really well, better than Old El Paso version here in the UK that retails for 1.24 GBP a jar, but I need to use them in cooking, so on pizzas, in tomato sauces, etc. where the vinegar will burn off, rather than raw and in a salad. In the past weeks I've been through 4 jars already.
So last year was a learning year, this year will be better. :-)
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
The countdown continues...
This week is a small milestone. The UK, like Germany, allows for permanent residency after 5 years of residence. Different from Germany, however, the UK in addition allows for a path to dual citizenship after a few additional activities.
Even though I had Germany permanent residency, it did not count for anything in the UK, so the clock started over again for me in 2009.
5 years x 365 days = 1825 days
This week I dropped into triple digits, so below the 1000 day mark.
The next milestone will be the half-way point of 5 years, in August 2011.
Even though I had Germany permanent residency, it did not count for anything in the UK, so the clock started over again for me in 2009.
5 years x 365 days = 1825 days
This week I dropped into triple digits, so below the 1000 day mark.
The next milestone will be the half-way point of 5 years, in August 2011.
Friday, May 20, 2011
An impressive UK border agent
If you read this blog regularly, you know that I don't have the highest of opinions on the folks controlling the UK borders, in particular, because I'm irritated with playing 20 questions with them when I have a legitimate work permit that is valid into 2012.
Although I'm as equally annoyed when they play 20 questions with you tourists and I'm usually in the queue behind you, although their questioning of how you are getting from London to Shakespeare's house, and the waiting while you get out the Rick Steve's book all marked up with post-its can be endearing (or would be if I wasn't so jet-lagged).
Yesterday, I went through the usual at Heathrow:
what kind of work do you do?
how long have you been doing that?
what is the company?
where is the company?
etc.
Then, a brand new one:
Are you planning to stay for residency and perhaps citizenship?
Why yes, that is the plan. And my tired heart soared, as no one usually thinks that one can have both, or maybe people expect that Americans go home, but no one ever asks that question. In particular, no one has ever asked me that at the border, so it made my dream a little more tangible, that I didn't have to present it or explain it, that someone can see the path, that it seems feasible.
As he stamped my passport he then explained:
In that case, you'll want to take care, they will want to review all of these entry stamps, and we must stamp in the page next to or behind your permit. It those pages start to become too full and the stamps not legible, you'll probably want to get a new passport to avoid any hassles later on with your application.
Not a concern as I need to get a new passport anyway late this year, but I was impressed that he proactively presented the tip.
Although I'm as equally annoyed when they play 20 questions with you tourists and I'm usually in the queue behind you, although their questioning of how you are getting from London to Shakespeare's house, and the waiting while you get out the Rick Steve's book all marked up with post-its can be endearing (or would be if I wasn't so jet-lagged).
Yesterday, I went through the usual at Heathrow:
what kind of work do you do?
how long have you been doing that?
what is the company?
where is the company?
etc.
Then, a brand new one:
Are you planning to stay for residency and perhaps citizenship?
Why yes, that is the plan. And my tired heart soared, as no one usually thinks that one can have both, or maybe people expect that Americans go home, but no one ever asks that question. In particular, no one has ever asked me that at the border, so it made my dream a little more tangible, that I didn't have to present it or explain it, that someone can see the path, that it seems feasible.
As he stamped my passport he then explained:
In that case, you'll want to take care, they will want to review all of these entry stamps, and we must stamp in the page next to or behind your permit. It those pages start to become too full and the stamps not legible, you'll probably want to get a new passport to avoid any hassles later on with your application.
Not a concern as I need to get a new passport anyway late this year, but I was impressed that he proactively presented the tip.
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Schadenfreude
Definition here.
Let's use it in an example:
Heather experienced schadenfreunde when this glorious UK summer weather was cut short by an impromptu rain shower, as it forced her neighbors to take their stereo and their cigarettes inside, as our rooftop terraces are uncovered.
After three hours of listening to their trance music at a volume that could be heard inside her flat, with all doors and windows shut, and earplugs in addition, this unexpected rain was most delightful!
Granted they are students and it is a Saturday afternoon, so their behaviour, while chavish, is not out of line. As they are young people, they will bounce back from this misfortune and hopefully re-group in a bar down the street.
Let's use it in an example:
Heather experienced schadenfreunde when this glorious UK summer weather was cut short by an impromptu rain shower, as it forced her neighbors to take their stereo and their cigarettes inside, as our rooftop terraces are uncovered.
After three hours of listening to their trance music at a volume that could be heard inside her flat, with all doors and windows shut, and earplugs in addition, this unexpected rain was most delightful!
Granted they are students and it is a Saturday afternoon, so their behaviour, while chavish, is not out of line. As they are young people, they will bounce back from this misfortune and hopefully re-group in a bar down the street.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Back from Germany
Posting has been a little lax recently, sorry about that. I had a last minute trip to Germany for work last week. I must admit, the weather could not have been more glorious--decadently spring-like in the Koeln/D'dorf region.
Coming into DE, I can choose between low budget flights to Cologne via German Wings or D'dorf via Air Berlin under benevolent company J's travel policy. I loathe Wings to the very core of my being; I put them into the same category as Ryan Air, mainly because of the lingering memories of when they did not assign seats and I had no desire to join the scrum that involves unassigned plane seating and Germans...as well their 'Happy Snack' concept and charging for luggage just irritates me...so Air Berlin with their assigned seating and one free bag is my choice.
Coming into passport control at D'dorf, I still travel under my DE permanent residency permit. Two years back, I tried to get them to stamp me in, but they refused. Apparently, according to the passport guy, they are not allowed to stamp me as long as the permit is in effect. It is the rules! Ja, ok. So every time since I've just shown the residency page and I've been in 12-15 times and no one blinked twice.
This time, I was in the foreigner queue with a real stickler. I counted 30 EU'ites passing in the EU queue while I was #3 in the Auslander queue. The passport guy was questioning the American in position #1 about what he was doing on this trip to Germany and where he was travelling to onward, and why was he not stamped out of Germany on his last visit (he left from Germany to Belgium by car), and on and on...
The main queue finally ran out of EU people so that guy took person #2, and I got the stickler. I hand him the passport and he scans it and then looks at his screen. I imagine my German travel history now looks questionable at best:
-2003-2009 - a variety of trips in and out, with Germany obviously as a base
-2009 - permanent residency, and then a lot of time out of Germany, once I moved to the UK.
I see him scan and then squint at the screen.
He looks through the passport, page by page, passing all of the expired DE permits and the current UK one.
He looks up at me, and I give him an appropriate German scowl.
He looks once again at the screen.
Apparently he decides that I'm not an easy enough target as he hands back my passport through the slot with a 'Danke schoen'.
At the end of the year I need to renew my passport early in order to be able to get my new UK work permit sticker in Feb 2012 as my pass expires in early 2014 and the new sticker needs the passport to be valid for six months beyond the next permit expiration. So the work permit will go to Feb 2014, therefore the passport needs to be valid until Aug 2014, else they will limit the work permit and charge exorbitant fees to extend it again. My cheapest option is to renew my passport early and not be limited by the UK then.
As a result, as of Nov of this year, I will lose my free access into Germany, until I can claim UK citizenship in Feb 2014, right after getting permanent residency here (assuming that all laws remain as they all now.)
How much do I dread that gap year of 2013 and travelling to DE??
Coming into DE, I can choose between low budget flights to Cologne via German Wings or D'dorf via Air Berlin under benevolent company J's travel policy. I loathe Wings to the very core of my being; I put them into the same category as Ryan Air, mainly because of the lingering memories of when they did not assign seats and I had no desire to join the scrum that involves unassigned plane seating and Germans...as well their 'Happy Snack' concept and charging for luggage just irritates me...so Air Berlin with their assigned seating and one free bag is my choice.
Coming into passport control at D'dorf, I still travel under my DE permanent residency permit. Two years back, I tried to get them to stamp me in, but they refused. Apparently, according to the passport guy, they are not allowed to stamp me as long as the permit is in effect. It is the rules! Ja, ok. So every time since I've just shown the residency page and I've been in 12-15 times and no one blinked twice.
This time, I was in the foreigner queue with a real stickler. I counted 30 EU'ites passing in the EU queue while I was #3 in the Auslander queue. The passport guy was questioning the American in position #1 about what he was doing on this trip to Germany and where he was travelling to onward, and why was he not stamped out of Germany on his last visit (he left from Germany to Belgium by car), and on and on...
The main queue finally ran out of EU people so that guy took person #2, and I got the stickler. I hand him the passport and he scans it and then looks at his screen. I imagine my German travel history now looks questionable at best:
-2003-2009 - a variety of trips in and out, with Germany obviously as a base
-2009 - permanent residency, and then a lot of time out of Germany, once I moved to the UK.
I see him scan and then squint at the screen.
He looks through the passport, page by page, passing all of the expired DE permits and the current UK one.
He looks up at me, and I give him an appropriate German scowl.
He looks once again at the screen.
Apparently he decides that I'm not an easy enough target as he hands back my passport through the slot with a 'Danke schoen'.
At the end of the year I need to renew my passport early in order to be able to get my new UK work permit sticker in Feb 2012 as my pass expires in early 2014 and the new sticker needs the passport to be valid for six months beyond the next permit expiration. So the work permit will go to Feb 2014, therefore the passport needs to be valid until Aug 2014, else they will limit the work permit and charge exorbitant fees to extend it again. My cheapest option is to renew my passport early and not be limited by the UK then.
As a result, as of Nov of this year, I will lose my free access into Germany, until I can claim UK citizenship in Feb 2014, right after getting permanent residency here (assuming that all laws remain as they all now.)
How much do I dread that gap year of 2013 and travelling to DE??
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
The frugal December trip home
Around this time last year I detailed my previous trips home from Europe to the US for the December hols.
Last year I was looking forward to flying back to the US from the UK for the first time, because it seems that there are more options for me. I ended up getting a really sweet deal on TapPortugal, although not the most direct route.
I've been playing around with the options this year, Open Skies appears to be making things easier, in particular as Newark is always an option.
Another possibility for this year is to combine two one ways. United and Iceland Express offer one way flights that are half of the roundtrip costs.
I'd recommend taking a peek at Iceland Express if you are still looking for a cheap route home. Granted they are nothing fancy--think Southwest style. However, I've taken them to Iceland a few times and they are 'cheap and cheerful' as my UK colleagues would say. So far, they were potentially my least expensive option, although all flights do include that Reykjavik connection and US landing cities are somewhat limited...
Until a further speedbump this year is that work suggested that I come back to DE again, in the third week of December when I had my heart set on December 15th to go home. Prices were not looking so hot if I stay that week in DE, by the time I could get back to the UK, prices were awful.
And then I took a step back and thought a little more.
I managed to pick up a cheap miles trip on United, one of their saver awards. For 27,500 miles and 61 USD (taxes), I will be enjoyed the almost last row as I wing it back to the US this year one way...from Frankfurt. While work will not subsidize the inflated cost of leaving later, they will allow to ship me anywhere from the office that would be an equivalent cost to sending me back to the UK. My work meetings are in Cologne, so I'll be purchasing a sale ICE ticket next week.
So after thinking my last transcontinental from DE was well behind me...I'm back.
On a positive note, I'll be able to bring back chocolate santas and hopefully get in a few Christmas markets, just like old times. Who says you can't go home?
Now, to figure out the return to the UK...
Last year I was looking forward to flying back to the US from the UK for the first time, because it seems that there are more options for me. I ended up getting a really sweet deal on TapPortugal, although not the most direct route.
I've been playing around with the options this year, Open Skies appears to be making things easier, in particular as Newark is always an option.
Another possibility for this year is to combine two one ways. United and Iceland Express offer one way flights that are half of the roundtrip costs.
I'd recommend taking a peek at Iceland Express if you are still looking for a cheap route home. Granted they are nothing fancy--think Southwest style. However, I've taken them to Iceland a few times and they are 'cheap and cheerful' as my UK colleagues would say. So far, they were potentially my least expensive option, although all flights do include that Reykjavik connection and US landing cities are somewhat limited...
Until a further speedbump this year is that work suggested that I come back to DE again, in the third week of December when I had my heart set on December 15th to go home. Prices were not looking so hot if I stay that week in DE, by the time I could get back to the UK, prices were awful.
And then I took a step back and thought a little more.
I managed to pick up a cheap miles trip on United, one of their saver awards. For 27,500 miles and 61 USD (taxes), I will be enjoyed the almost last row as I wing it back to the US this year one way...from Frankfurt. While work will not subsidize the inflated cost of leaving later, they will allow to ship me anywhere from the office that would be an equivalent cost to sending me back to the UK. My work meetings are in Cologne, so I'll be purchasing a sale ICE ticket next week.
So after thinking my last transcontinental from DE was well behind me...I'm back.
On a positive note, I'll be able to bring back chocolate santas and hopefully get in a few Christmas markets, just like old times. Who says you can't go home?
Now, to figure out the return to the UK...
Monday, October 11, 2010
Obviously in need of spirital guidance?
It was a beautiful Sunday here in Essex, crazy warm and sunny. New friend Ian and I were out and about. We had separate shopping to do, with an appointed meeting time and place, on a small bridge in town. Plenty of people pass over this bridge, so I didn't mind that I was a few minutes early, it's a fun people watching spot with full sun.
As I was sitting there on my heels with my back against the bridge wall, I was re-arranging my backpack a bit. It was comfortable enough, so I remained there on my heels with my backpack in front of my, just waiting.
A woman of Indian descent walking by says, 'quite a beautiful day'
Heather: yes indeed.
Woman: so unexpected for fall.
Heather: yes
Woman: I'm not sure if you are from around here...or visiting?
Heather: yes, I live here.
Woman: then you would know, usually rain is quite common for this time of year.
Heather: mmmmm.
Woman: it is so wonderful that this weather is on a Sunday, when many people are off from work and can enjoy it.
Heather: yes. (secretly looking at watch, it's bang on when Ian and I were supposed to meet).
Woman: Of course, if you are of Christian faith, it makes your Sunday even more enjoyable. Are you a practicing Christian?
Heather: umm. I was raised Catholic.
Woman: Catholic. (now launches into a spiel about the coming of the end of the world.)
Heather: (thinking: this is sort of lost on me)
Woman: Have you read much of the Gospels? Have you heard the Good News?
Heather: um, no.
Woman: (begins second spiel, on the intricacies of Matthew and John)
Heather: (noticing that Ian is now 3 minutes late)
Ian thankfully shows up and the woman thanks me for the conversation and wishes me a lovely rest of my day. Interestingly, she didn't try to offer me any reading materials.
Do you remember when the Jehovah's Witness tried to convert me in Germany? That wasn't the only time actually. I think I ran into enough of them to cause them to start carrying English materials in my corner of DE, even in the tiny town of B where a woman tried to hoist the Watchtower in Turkish on me when I declined it in German. When I had to revert to German to explain that I wasn't Turkish and couldn't read German, she seemed so terribly disappointed.
I have no idea why I appear to be a magnet for those who feel called to bring the Good News. Apparently though, whatever it is transcends cultural boundaries. In particular, I think I go out a lot less than the average person, especially as I work from home. Therefore, my contact with people is probably lower than average, which makes the number of these interactions even more interesting, as I think I get more than an average number of such meetings.
As I was sitting there on my heels with my back against the bridge wall, I was re-arranging my backpack a bit. It was comfortable enough, so I remained there on my heels with my backpack in front of my, just waiting.
A woman of Indian descent walking by says, 'quite a beautiful day'
Heather: yes indeed.
Woman: so unexpected for fall.
Heather: yes
Woman: I'm not sure if you are from around here...or visiting?
Heather: yes, I live here.
Woman: then you would know, usually rain is quite common for this time of year.
Heather: mmmmm.
Woman: it is so wonderful that this weather is on a Sunday, when many people are off from work and can enjoy it.
Heather: yes. (secretly looking at watch, it's bang on when Ian and I were supposed to meet).
Woman: Of course, if you are of Christian faith, it makes your Sunday even more enjoyable. Are you a practicing Christian?
Heather: umm. I was raised Catholic.
Woman: Catholic. (now launches into a spiel about the coming of the end of the world.)
Heather: (thinking: this is sort of lost on me)
Woman: Have you read much of the Gospels? Have you heard the Good News?
Heather: um, no.
Woman: (begins second spiel, on the intricacies of Matthew and John)
Heather: (noticing that Ian is now 3 minutes late)
Ian thankfully shows up and the woman thanks me for the conversation and wishes me a lovely rest of my day. Interestingly, she didn't try to offer me any reading materials.
Do you remember when the Jehovah's Witness tried to convert me in Germany? That wasn't the only time actually. I think I ran into enough of them to cause them to start carrying English materials in my corner of DE, even in the tiny town of B where a woman tried to hoist the Watchtower in Turkish on me when I declined it in German. When I had to revert to German to explain that I wasn't Turkish and couldn't read German, she seemed so terribly disappointed.
I have no idea why I appear to be a magnet for those who feel called to bring the Good News. Apparently though, whatever it is transcends cultural boundaries. In particular, I think I go out a lot less than the average person, especially as I work from home. Therefore, my contact with people is probably lower than average, which makes the number of these interactions even more interesting, as I think I get more than an average number of such meetings.
Monday, August 30, 2010
The blustery winds bring greetings
While it's still August in the UK, it's been crazy windy and cool. It feels like October and summer is officially over. It's been so windy that I've been keeping Slocombe the cat inside; even though she's easily over 10 pounds in her pudgy state, I could see her being picked up and wisked away in this crazy wind.
As you may recall, my mother sends greetings from heaven to my balcony on special days. With this wind I imagine she finds it easy to lauch things up. As it was her birthday today, she made sure to send somehing up, to acknowledge that I was thinking of her:
This was a catalog, and a heavy one a that, at least 100 pages, and it wasn't here yesterday. She positioned this one next to my lettuce, on the page as you see it. Apparently she sends her love through bic pens to me. Considering the paper floating around in my corner of Essex (chat line adverts, get out of debt fast, etc), this is quite impressive.
As you may recall, my mother sends greetings from heaven to my balcony on special days. With this wind I imagine she finds it easy to lauch things up. As it was her birthday today, she made sure to send somehing up, to acknowledge that I was thinking of her:
This was a catalog, and a heavy one a that, at least 100 pages, and it wasn't here yesterday. She positioned this one next to my lettuce, on the page as you see it. Apparently she sends her love through bic pens to me. Considering the paper floating around in my corner of Essex (chat line adverts, get out of debt fast, etc), this is quite impressive.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Update from the rooftop garden - caterpillars
The great thing about this being only my second summer in the UK is that I can continue to learn what works well on the rooftop and what does not. Brussels sprouts, well, perhaps not so much the winner:
Not sure if they had those 'spot the hiding object' pictures in other places like they did in the US when I was growing up, but this one is a fine one with the nice blend of greens.
And if anyone in Essex wants to feed approximately 15 or so live caterpillars to some sort of pet like a bird, lizard, or whatever else would eat them, please let me know. I imagine they'll taste like brussel sprout leaves since they've basically demolished the two plants.
Of course, I imagine that this veritable siege of locusts, er caterpillars, is due to the fact that their natural predators, the rooftop birds stay well away, due to the every vigilant presence of Slocombe the mightly attack cat.
Good thing I still have one plant out on the back terrace. Now...how to dispose of the caterpillars, beyond throwing them in the rubbish bin. Hmm...
Not sure if they had those 'spot the hiding object' pictures in other places like they did in the US when I was growing up, but this one is a fine one with the nice blend of greens.
And if anyone in Essex wants to feed approximately 15 or so live caterpillars to some sort of pet like a bird, lizard, or whatever else would eat them, please let me know. I imagine they'll taste like brussel sprout leaves since they've basically demolished the two plants.
Of course, I imagine that this veritable siege of locusts, er caterpillars, is due to the fact that their natural predators, the rooftop birds stay well away, due to the every vigilant presence of Slocombe the mightly attack cat.
Good thing I still have one plant out on the back terrace. Now...how to dispose of the caterpillars, beyond throwing them in the rubbish bin. Hmm...
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
187 weeks
That is the amount of time until I can apply for permanent residency in the UK. Immediately after I can start the process of applying for citizenship and then a UK passport so I no longer have to stand in the mega long customs line when flying into the UK--as long as the government does not change the current rules. That would be in 3 years, 7 months, and 3 days, but who is counting?
Sunday morning at Heathrow, returning from the US:
amount of time my UK travel partner spent in the queue: 0 minutes. They had a few booths open and no UK or EU people coming through.
amount of time Heather spent in the queue: 52 minutes. They had 9 booths open for hundreds of people, many of whom had exotic passports and were subject to many minutes of questioning and having to retrive paperwork from backpacks and who were sometimes sent to the 'visitor holding pen' a little fenced in area with seats to await further immigration questioning.
My irritation is that with my work permit I usually get questioned for less than a minute. I've started to come to the desk saying 'same job, same address, left on x date from the UK' in order to save them the effort.
On that point, 1 year, 7 months, 3 days or 83 weeks until my current work permit needs to go in for renewal. The current coalition government is already seeking to change the rules to limit non-EU migration into the UK, so if you're thinking of applying for a UK work permit, time to get cracking. Migration limits are expected to by introduced from April 2011. As is currently stands, migration limits are only expected to impact new applications, meaning that currently approved migrants are excluded. They are, however, increasing the points required for renewal it appears. Fortunately I'm still in the game.
If you're bored, the consultation paperwork is here.
Sunday morning at Heathrow, returning from the US:
amount of time my UK travel partner spent in the queue: 0 minutes. They had a few booths open and no UK or EU people coming through.
amount of time Heather spent in the queue: 52 minutes. They had 9 booths open for hundreds of people, many of whom had exotic passports and were subject to many minutes of questioning and having to retrive paperwork from backpacks and who were sometimes sent to the 'visitor holding pen' a little fenced in area with seats to await further immigration questioning.
My irritation is that with my work permit I usually get questioned for less than a minute. I've started to come to the desk saying 'same job, same address, left on x date from the UK' in order to save them the effort.
On that point, 1 year, 7 months, 3 days or 83 weeks until my current work permit needs to go in for renewal. The current coalition government is already seeking to change the rules to limit non-EU migration into the UK, so if you're thinking of applying for a UK work permit, time to get cracking. Migration limits are expected to by introduced from April 2011. As is currently stands, migration limits are only expected to impact new applications, meaning that currently approved migrants are excluded. They are, however, increasing the points required for renewal it appears. Fortunately I'm still in the game.
If you're bored, the consultation paperwork is here.
Friday, June 18, 2010
From the boat - harwich to hook
Travel becoming civilized again...for 53 GBP (63 EUR/78 USD) I get a private room with clean sheets, a hot shower with free shower gel and a full-sized towel, free tv (watching the first eviction from UK Big Brother) and free wireless internet (using my tiny mini pc):
The nice thing about ferry travel is that you can bring whatever food and liquids along which you can carry. After taking my two law exams this week, I'm relaxing this weekend, before gearing up for work stuff in Berlin starting Monday morning. I brought along plenty of food to avoid the overpriced ferry food costs, including strawberries from my garden, a tiny bottle of wine from M&S, and a hunk of cheddar to go with the wine:
If you want to take this trip, book online at Stena, or use their Irish site if you wish to pay in Euros. You'll get a better deal if you book at least a few weeks in advance. On either side (Hook or Harwich), the train station is on site, so it makes it a nice launching point into NL or the UK.
The additional nice thing--check-in for the 23.45 ferry opens around 20.15 and closes around 23.00. So you're free to come at the beginning and to sack out to try and maximize sleep time for the 07.45 NL landing time...or come towards the end to maximize your visit in the UK.
If you're coming via train in the UK, it's easy, take Anglia Rail to Harwich International station.
I have a busy trip coming up--Berlin, Paris and Brussels. I'll give posting a try, where I can find free internet. :-)
The nice thing about ferry travel is that you can bring whatever food and liquids along which you can carry. After taking my two law exams this week, I'm relaxing this weekend, before gearing up for work stuff in Berlin starting Monday morning. I brought along plenty of food to avoid the overpriced ferry food costs, including strawberries from my garden, a tiny bottle of wine from M&S, and a hunk of cheddar to go with the wine:
If you want to take this trip, book online at Stena, or use their Irish site if you wish to pay in Euros. You'll get a better deal if you book at least a few weeks in advance. On either side (Hook or Harwich), the train station is on site, so it makes it a nice launching point into NL or the UK.
The additional nice thing--check-in for the 23.45 ferry opens around 20.15 and closes around 23.00. So you're free to come at the beginning and to sack out to try and maximize sleep time for the 07.45 NL landing time...or come towards the end to maximize your visit in the UK.
If you're coming via train in the UK, it's easy, take Anglia Rail to Harwich International station.
I have a busy trip coming up--Berlin, Paris and Brussels. I'll give posting a try, where I can find free internet. :-)
Friday, June 11, 2010
the latest from the garden - strawberries
I'm having pretty good luck with strawberries this year. Here's how things have been looking on the balcony. Lapsed time from the first to last photo of this strawberry was around 10 days:
I'm not sure why more people don't grow them in any available space here as the UK weather seems particularly suited for them and they're relatively maintenance free once you get them going.
I'm not sure why more people don't grow them in any available space here as the UK weather seems particularly suited for them and they're relatively maintenance free once you get them going.
Monday, June 07, 2010
three years and eight months
is the length of time i need to work in the UK before i can apply for permanent residency here. (it's five years, like in DE). once i have that shiny sticker in my passport, i can then immediately apply for naturalisation, after taking a few additional steps.
while i could speak of the cultural benefits of integrating into a society by holding a passport for it, i imagine the biggest benefit will be for my travel partners...
last night, we came back on the late flight from Bilbao on EasyJet. The late flight which was supposed to arrive back at 22.35 took off 40 minutes late, so we didn't go to Stansted until after 23.00. (Granted, it did allow us an extra glass or two of Spanish wine and time with our friend there, so there are worse places to be delayed.)
Then, I was well in the back of the queue of whatever intra Europe flights were dumping transatlantic passengers into Stansted at that hour...while they had two people to work the desk for a queue of over 100 in front of me, plus at least another 100 who then came after. there were a few additional queues open on the EU side to cover the hundreds arriving there.
in looking around my queue, the passports were a variety of american, canadian, new zealand, japanese, israeli, and indian. i estimate that the average american tourist gets questioned three minutes upon arriving to the UK, nevermind this melting pot of passports where some of the questioning went on for 5-10 minutes.
my EU travel partner waved from the opposite side of the customs gates, he would pick up the baggage and come back....thumbs up.
he waves from the other side with the baggage...yep, i'm still here.
we inches along painfully--and thankfully i didn't need to catch a bus. it was at this point that i started to calculate how long i would need to get a British passport...then i started to calculate in my head the number of weeks....and then number of days.
total time spent in the queue? -->1 hour, 10 min
while i could speak of the cultural benefits of integrating into a society by holding a passport for it, i imagine the biggest benefit will be for my travel partners...
last night, we came back on the late flight from Bilbao on EasyJet. The late flight which was supposed to arrive back at 22.35 took off 40 minutes late, so we didn't go to Stansted until after 23.00. (Granted, it did allow us an extra glass or two of Spanish wine and time with our friend there, so there are worse places to be delayed.)
Then, I was well in the back of the queue of whatever intra Europe flights were dumping transatlantic passengers into Stansted at that hour...while they had two people to work the desk for a queue of over 100 in front of me, plus at least another 100 who then came after. there were a few additional queues open on the EU side to cover the hundreds arriving there.
in looking around my queue, the passports were a variety of american, canadian, new zealand, japanese, israeli, and indian. i estimate that the average american tourist gets questioned three minutes upon arriving to the UK, nevermind this melting pot of passports where some of the questioning went on for 5-10 minutes.
my EU travel partner waved from the opposite side of the customs gates, he would pick up the baggage and come back....thumbs up.
he waves from the other side with the baggage...yep, i'm still here.
we inches along painfully--and thankfully i didn't need to catch a bus. it was at this point that i started to calculate how long i would need to get a British passport...then i started to calculate in my head the number of weeks....and then number of days.
total time spent in the queue? -->1 hour, 10 min
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Grounded
I've been missing in Blogland for a few days; I was burning the midnight oil studying for a work certification test which I was supposed to take next week, in the US.
British Air tonight cancelled all flights tomorrow, regardless of what comes of the continuing ash saga. On the one hand, I'm a little annoyed having spent all the time in preparation, including taking three days of vacation, on the other hand, the test is regular and will be offered again and I'd rather not fall out of the sky.
From what I've been reading on the internet a lot of people are a lot worse off, missing one-time events like weddings and funerals or having to travel thousands of miles by car to get somewhere or sleeping in airports. I'm still at home with a bubble bath and a glass of white wine on my agenda this evening and no alarm to go off at the crack of dawn tomorrow.
This air situation has been unfolding over here day by day, so I've been carrying on with the assumption that I would travel, although being 90% sure that I wouldn't. Slocombe was deposited at The House of Treats on Thursday as planned and I had all laundry done and everything fresh eaten from the refrigerator. In some ways, it's been a blessing as I've been taking advantage of the time since the cancel to get some things done which are a lot easier without a little furry person around, like shifting plants between the front and back terraces.
Still on the agenda for tomorrow...
-more work in the garden. I've been planting the tomatoes, peas and beans outside in their final homes for the season.
-possibly painting the kitchen and bathroom ceilings. this would be much easier without Slocombe in attendance and the weather here is quite nice during the days, up to 18, so the doors can be left open all day, sans cat.
British Air tonight cancelled all flights tomorrow, regardless of what comes of the continuing ash saga. On the one hand, I'm a little annoyed having spent all the time in preparation, including taking three days of vacation, on the other hand, the test is regular and will be offered again and I'd rather not fall out of the sky.
From what I've been reading on the internet a lot of people are a lot worse off, missing one-time events like weddings and funerals or having to travel thousands of miles by car to get somewhere or sleeping in airports. I'm still at home with a bubble bath and a glass of white wine on my agenda this evening and no alarm to go off at the crack of dawn tomorrow.
This air situation has been unfolding over here day by day, so I've been carrying on with the assumption that I would travel, although being 90% sure that I wouldn't. Slocombe was deposited at The House of Treats on Thursday as planned and I had all laundry done and everything fresh eaten from the refrigerator. In some ways, it's been a blessing as I've been taking advantage of the time since the cancel to get some things done which are a lot easier without a little furry person around, like shifting plants between the front and back terraces.
Still on the agenda for tomorrow...
-more work in the garden. I've been planting the tomatoes, peas and beans outside in their final homes for the season.
-possibly painting the kitchen and bathroom ceilings. this would be much easier without Slocombe in attendance and the weather here is quite nice during the days, up to 18, so the doors can be left open all day, sans cat.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Follow-up on British humor and frugal eggs - a female British perspective
As a second follow-up, after getting a male perspective on the frugal egg post, I wanted to get a female opinion as well. I have two colleagues who work in the front office at benevolent company J. As it's an international company, both have exposure to many people of other lands, and while both have visited other countres, neither has lived abroad. I wouldn't try to guess ages, but the one's oldest child is 30, while the other's oldest child is 20.
H: Hi ladies, I need a UK female perspective. (I regularly do this sort of thing to them--is this dress correct to wear to this UK occasion, is this the correct response to x here, etc.)
What do you think of this egg carton? (Bringing out the now famous one.)
C1: HA!
C2: Hold on, I need to get out my reading glasses...tsk! Naughty! (smirk)
C1: Is this from the US?
H: No, it's from here.
C1: No! How funny.
C2: They were clever.
C1: Fab!
H: So would you purposely buy or not buy these eggs?
C2: If the price was right, I'd buy them, it wouldn't sway me either way, it's just advertising. How much did you pay?
H: 61 p, marked down as they were at the 'best buy' date.
C1: good deal, 10 p an egg.
H: I know!
C2: (pondering) You know....this was created by a man.
C1: Oooooh, definitely.
H: How do you know?
C2: A female wouldn't come up with this way to market eggs.
C1: Don't you know it!
H: Really?
C2: (Now holding the box) Where are these from? Suffolk. Do they have a website H?
H: None that I could find.
C2: Hmmm.
H: So what would a female have said instead?
C2: Something more subtle, still with a double-meaning, but not so forward.
C1: Yes.
C2: Like 'we're fresh' or 'fresh today' or something like that.
H: Hi ladies, I need a UK female perspective. (I regularly do this sort of thing to them--is this dress correct to wear to this UK occasion, is this the correct response to x here, etc.)
What do you think of this egg carton? (Bringing out the now famous one.)
C1: HA!
C2: Hold on, I need to get out my reading glasses...tsk! Naughty! (smirk)
C1: Is this from the US?
H: No, it's from here.
C1: No! How funny.
C2: They were clever.
C1: Fab!
H: So would you purposely buy or not buy these eggs?
C2: If the price was right, I'd buy them, it wouldn't sway me either way, it's just advertising. How much did you pay?
H: 61 p, marked down as they were at the 'best buy' date.
C1: good deal, 10 p an egg.
H: I know!
C2: (pondering) You know....this was created by a man.
C1: Oooooh, definitely.
H: How do you know?
C2: A female wouldn't come up with this way to market eggs.
C1: Don't you know it!
H: Really?
C2: (Now holding the box) Where are these from? Suffolk. Do they have a website H?
H: None that I could find.
C2: Hmmm.
H: So what would a female have said instead?
C2: Something more subtle, still with a double-meaning, but not so forward.
C1: Yes.
C2: Like 'we're fresh' or 'fresh today' or something like that.
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