The fun of our in process

We're traveling this week to in process at various bases around England. First we're up by Oxford at RAF Croughton. And while I can hop on the internet for blogging and email checking, I can't log in to Facebook...seriously, what will I do?
Then tomorrow we head over to Lakenheath for more in processing fun. But not only will that be fun but we get to see our friends Jim and Jean while we're there! Jim has been a friend of mine since he first stumbled into the doors of Peace Lutheran Church as a lowly AFIT student and was immediately overtaken by the Hedlund family. It's a really long story BUT if it wasn't for Jim coming to church I would have never met Victor....it's a REALLY long story.
Today was also our first day to experience driving in England. We rented a car and it came manual (apparently you have to request automatic) and without blinking an eye, Victor took to it like a fish out of water! Ok, so it wasn't that bad and once you get used to the backwardness of it all, it's really not that scary. Of course, I haven't tried yet but maybe he'll let me drive on base. We pick up our car this week too so that will be strange to drive an American made car on the left side of the road.
So far I've been taking long naps during the day but sleeping well at night. Getting adjusted really takes some time. It will be a while before I can start posting photos but as soon as I get set up you'll see where we live from my point of view. However, we've been so exhausted we haven't even thought of getting out the camera.

We made it! And I edited the address because I had it wrong!!

Well kids, we're in England and it's fabulous! Yesterday two Yanks from Vic's office picked us up form the airport and really helped get us around. They live close to our hotel and showed us around Portsmouth. We went to the touristy area for dinner and mainly to stay awake. It was similar to the San Francisco Fisharman's Warf but also nothing like it. Maybe just the water part. And the weather is just like Seattle- yesterday it was really sunny and everyone was shocked and in love with the sun. Today is half as sunny (but the sun is still out) and big clouds. This is the EXACT opposite from where we just came from. I think we'll be suffering from weather shock more than culture shock.

Just to let you know, I totally forgot about where I was moving until I actually got here:
1) I live on an Island. Totally forgot that.
2) I live near the ocean. Totally forgot that too.
3) I'm the one with the accent. Yeah, it's not REAL until you actually get here.

So if you want to see where I live check out the official website on Portsmouth at http://www.visitportsmouth.co.uk/
And as for now we don't have a place to live but we do have a post box. So if you really want to send us something use this address:
PSC 50 Box 541
APO AE 09494
It's the mail box we have on the closest base about two hours away. If you send something there it's just like sending it in the US so there is NO extra postage.

That's it from the Island. I'll be keeping more updates when I have internet at home.

Are we there yet?

So we moved into a hotel on Thursday night and I'm just about ready to get on an airplane as soon as possible. However, there is the flip side of not really wanting to leave so soon after moving here. I'm really just starting to make some good friends and saying goodbye just isn't fun. Victor was teasing me the other day when he said that I should just be mean to everyone so it's easier to leave. Ummmmm, I don't think I can do that.

The plus side of living in a hotel is that we have cable and we can watch the Olympics! But we don't really spend much time here so that makes a difference.

We leave on Wednesday at 1pm and there is still a lot to do. Once we get to England I have a feeling that my internet access might be limited so let's hope that I'll keep up with the blog....and facebook....and ravelry!! Arugh, I think I'm addicted.

Olympics 2008: I can't believe I don't have a TV

I just watched the Men's 400m relay on NBC.com and it was so amazing I can hardly find the words. I read an article about the win on Yahoo but then decided to watch it because it sounded too amazing. Tears were in my eyes as I watched the final 50m. And I wonder if I'm sentimental because I have some hard core swimmer friends or because I'm moving out of the country in a week.

Seriously, if you haven't seen it then you must now!

Just click here!

Ou est la piscine?

This one is for my cousin Molly who loves French. Also, I love Flight of the Conchords. It's a good match. And if you don't like this video then you might want to catch FotC on HBO and see why they are hilarious.

What are those photos about?

Ok, so I didn't really explain any of my photos. Here's what they are about:

The first three are of me, Patric, James and Mark on our canoe trip to the Cranford Canoe Club for ice cream. We picked up the river in their back yard (how cool is that?!) and headed down stream about a mile to the boathouse. What a life!

The Snicker's cupcake was at Dylan's Candy Bar in NYC. Too amazing for words.

Next I have a photo of James in Central Park where I taught him how to knit. He turned out to be REALLY good! Must be in the genes.

Then there is the crew hanging out in Central Park on a gorgeous day. Elisabeth had a friend in town from Florida and we had an adventure in the City.

The next two are from when my grandma Judy and I went to Ft Wadsworth on Staten Island. Of all the years I've been to SI I have never been there.

And here's grandpa at Staten Island Historical Society Museum. We didn't actually go in but we did walk around Old Richmondtown. Good times.

Finally, the Alice Austin House.

I wrote about all these places a few posts ago but now you can see what I'm saying. For more photos, I'll be posting them on my facebook soon.

New York (Jersey) Adventure!

I heart NY

It feels like forever since I've been here but really it has only been one year. Last summer: about the same time. The past few days I've been hanging out with my grandparents and it's been GREAT! They live on Staten Island and even though I've been coming here my whole life, there are things I did on this trip I have never done before. At the end of Hylan Blvd, a few blocks from their front door, is the Alice Austin House. I've always known that it existed but never checked it out until this trip. You can also see this house in the movie: How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days....ok not the house but in the scene where he's teaching her how to ride a motorcycle, you can see a white picked fence in the background and a house...that's it! Then I went to Fort Wadsworth at the end of Bay St. also located very close to my grandparents house. It is right at the base of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge. When my dad was a kid, my grandpa took him and his brother to watch that bridge be built. How cool is that? Also, we took a walk around Old Richmond Town and caught a glimpse of what life was like in 1780. I'm not sure when my family came over on the boat but I don't think they would have lived in any of these houses.

And since my grandpa got a new car, he let me drive all over the Island. We went up the hills and into neighborhoods I never kenw existed. And most of all we had a good time. I heard all the old stories over and over again along with a few new ones. Now that I'm married, my grandpa wanted to make sure I knew about the birds and the bees...a conversation I thought I would never have and not sure I ever want to repeat.

Now I'm in New Jersey visitng with my cousin and her kids. Tomorrow I'll go into the city and decided that since I have become a knitting fiend I'll check out the good yarn stores. So I emailed Kay from Mason Dixon Knitting to get some advice and she so brilliantly replied! Now I have a list of a few places that I'll be parusing tomorrow and see what I can come up with. I packed all the yarn and I'm running out of what I have stashed for the trip to England!! So, unfortunately (?) I might just have to get come NYC yarn. Good times.