This month has been all about putting down roots. I had a bit of a wobbly when our shipping arrived (as mentioned in my previous blog post) but I got over that surprisingly quickly and the rest of the month has been plain-sailing.
Grant has been working on a contract in Scotland for the last 2 1/2 weeks and will finish up there next week. Work seems to be going really well and the money is very good, so we're relieved about that. According to the agency he is working through, there will always be contracting work available. Ideally he'd like to have a permanent job that is more local, but for now the contracting will do and it's good UK experience for him.
We had our first experience with the NHS recently. Our little granddaughter Issy got really sick quite suddenly and was running terribly high temps. Rox made an appointment at our local GP where we are registered. Issy was seen by the sweetest doctor, who examined her thoroughly and diagnosed her with tonsillitis, she was put on a 10 day course of antibiotics and Roxy was told to bring her back anytime if she had any concerns. So our first experience of the NHS was a positive one. In other medical news, Grant and I recently got letters in the post, inviting us to come into our GP's rooms for a free, comprehensive health check. I can't say I'm very excited at the prospect - I loathe going to the doctor - but we will trot along there as soon as we are back from SA.
Talking of SA, in a week's time we hop on a plane and head back to South Africa for 2 1/2 weeks for our daughter, Paula's, wedding. It's going to be quite surreal to go back there. To be honest, I'm half dreading it and I'm a bit nervous about it - I don't want to have another wobbly like I did when our shipping arrived. The timing isn't really ideal is it? I'd like to have been here for at the very least 6 months before venturing back, but circumstances dictated that this was the right time to have the wedding, so off to SA we go!
There is no doubt whatsoever that England is my home now, I'm feeling wonderfully settled here. So I think it's going to feel really weird being back in SA, I imagine it will still feel very familiar, but it won't be "home" - or will we immediately feel at home there? My gut says "no", but who knows? It will be an interesting experience either way.
Random thoughts about this month:
* I love it here! I absolutely love our little town and the life we are living here. It has far exceeded my expectations.
* I am starting to relax into things - up to now I have been waiting for a drama, I've had a sense of "it can't be this easy to pack up my life and move across the world - there has to be a big drama around the next corner" Well, it's beginning to look like there isn't going to be a drama (touch wood!) so I am starting to breathe more easily.
* Issy is picking up the sweetest British accent, I could listen to her talk all day, it's adorable!
* We are having the most amazing weather - from what I've heard it is very unusual for this time of year. Yesterday we were walking around in jeans and T-shirts. It gives one a taste of what it's going to be like living here in Summer and I like it!
* Hobnobs are wonderful and I am going to have to be very careful that I don't end up with "Hobnob hips"
* I love the parks in the UK. So many lovely places to take the kids to play.
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| Excuse the outfit.... Issy has a rather unique sense of style! |
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