The Waiting Game

My long form birth certificate finally arrived from the UK today, 15 days after I placed the order online. Gee, I am sure glad I paid the extra cash for what I thought was express delivery. In actual fact, what I paid for was not to have it delivered quicker, but processed quicker. Kinda frustrating. So I booted into town and sent Channing's passport off, yet again, with several stickies attached saying, “Rush. Urgent. Please process and return asap.” Not that that will make any difference. It is what it is at this point. Just like with everything else that we have had to plan for our journey. It eventually gets here. Just not always within the time frame we would prefer. Now we sit and wait...again.

What Not to Wear

We pulled the luggage out of the closet on the weekend. We are each taking one large suitcase, one small carry-on style, and a back pack. Narrowing down what to bring is a challenge. Do I take this grey sweater or this pair of pants? Do I need this jacket or these black shoes? I try to envision what I will be doing and where I will be going and the clothes that will work for each situation (what if I happen to run into Paul or Mick). At one point, I felt like I had my entire wardrobe out on our bed! Rick suggested that I try to pack like I am going on a six-week vacation. Twice I have gone through the mound and picked off things that I could live without. I kept reminding myself that if I arrive in the UK fully loaded, it won’t give me much of an excuse to shop now, would it?

Christopher's Inn

We have booked Rick into a hostel in London, well, Greenwich, called, "Christopher's Inn." It sounds like the kind of place that serves cucumber sandwiches, cranberry scones, and earl grey tea. The pictures tell me, however, that he had best search out the local pubs for grub. The rows of metal bunkbeds, simple bedding, and chrome sinks put me in mind of a woman's detention centre and somehow runny oatmeal and burnt toast come to mind. The only difference is that the front desk staff won't be taking Rick's fingerprints and doing a cavity search upon his arrival (we hope)!



One of the pubs that is recommended on their website is called, "Sheppard's Bush" and another is "Hammersmith". Perhaps after he has done a crawl (or two, or three) between the two establishments, he will be looking for "Smith hammered Sheppards in the bush?"



It's a good job that my Canadian Ass will not be arriving the same time as Rick and without my much needed supervision. Rick and Chan can't enter a grocery store without rough housing in the cereal aisle and I am only a few feet away (comparing fibre vs. sugar content, of course). How on earth can I expect cooperation in any shape or form from not one but two asses? Not gonna happen. My Canadian Ass stays put for now. I bought him a leash the other day and I am not afraid to use it.....on Rick that is!

A Journey of a Thousand Miles

It is said that the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. It feels as though I have taken thousands of steps since Rick accepted the teaching job in the UK! It’s time for a pedicure.
Two weeks from today, Rick will be flying to London. We hit a glitch with Channing’s passport so we aren’t all ready to go yet. In hindsight, this probably works out better. With Rick leaving before us, it will give him the chance to check out some places to rent without Chan and me tagging along and needing our numerous bathroom and snack breaks. Rick is a seasoned traveller – I am not – and he is quite comfortable staying in a hostel and living out of a back pack. Okay, I don’t need the Hilton but I do need my pillow and I can’t go for hours on a handful of wheat thins and a cup of coffee. So I am trying to wrap my head around us not leaving as a team and how it will feel being here while Rick has already started our journey.