An Update..Finally!!

So I recently got a message on Facebook from my good friend's mother about wanting to be my friend and how she enjoyed reading me on my blog. I of course felt really guilty because I haven't written in my blog in several months. I seem to go through these kind of spurts, but alas I'm back again. I'll try and run through quickly what has happened in the last few months

First and probably the biggest is that we have moved back to the USA. We knew it was coming but we still weren't ready to go. I miss all of my friends that we made there and maybe here soon, I'll write about that. Here are our bags at the airport in London. It was a very LONG and sad day. I think I cried for 3 days straight saying good-bye to everyone. We weren't ready to go but the military doesn't care if you are ready or not, you are just going. So here we are, in Oklahoma where Tim is stationed at Tinker AFB.
This was our hotel room/apartment for about a month. We wanted to kill each other on more than one occasion, it was just to small. Most days were spent in the bed room because it was the place where I could put Max down on his stomach, every where else he would have been stepped on by either me or the puppies.

My Dad came to visit while we were in the hotel. He gave us his old Ford Ranger so we didn't have to buy a 2nd car (thanks Dad!). I think Max has some of my Dad's features. Currently he has my father's blue eyes. (Tim has brown and I'm hazel).

We have also started Max on solid foods, here he is eating carrots. He is now starting to get picky about what he eats, it makes me want to scream. But we are working through it.

We are also new home owners. We bought this house at the end if June. It is a great house, one that can hold all of our stuff, well most of it. We have started selling some of our stuff because we have closets now. In England they don't have closets or at least not large ones if they do so we bought LOTS of dressers. We got rid of 2 of them and working getting rid of the TV stand. God love Craig's List.

Right now I'm working in getting the rest of the house unpacked. For the most part it is done, just some odd and end stuff left to do. More annoying than anything. I have also started working on Max's baby book. I didn't buy one because most of the ones that I looked at didn't have what I was looking for so I decided to make one. I have lost of scraps of paper and stories written down that I need to compile and put in one place. I'll take pictures once it looks a little more organized. That's about all for now, going to do my best to keep up with this again. I can tell I'm rusty, my typing in very slow ;-)

Good-bye Old Friend

Well our time here is coming to a close rather quickly. I don't like it but I'm ready to leave and start the next chapter of this life journey. Before I go I have a few good-byes to say. The first one is to my car. Yes, that's right, you can't forget your car. The old girl has been good to us, so good that I would buy a Honda anytime day or night. They are good quality cars that you can beat the shit out of and they still work.

Our 1993 Honda Accord was bought from a guy that Tim worked with when we were at Lakenheath for $2000. We have more than gotten our money's worth out of her. She has been to so many place to include but not limited to Liverpool, Nottingham (Robin Hood country), London, London Gatwick airport, London Heathrow airport, London Standstead airport, Bristol, Bristol airport, Birmingham (several times), Norwich, Cambridge, Oxford, Wales (the country..several times), and well a few more places but I can't remember them all right now. We bought the car with 98K miles on it and it will be close to 180K when we give it away. Yes give it away. See, the old girl is on her last leg. She just needs to make it another 10 days before we have to go.

She has a few problems that aren't really worth fixing so we aren't sure what is going to happen to her. Currently she has an oil leak, the back quarter panel is being held down by duct tape, the passenger side window is off the track thus you can't put it down, the back passenger side window will go down but not up thus you can't put it down either, it needs 4 new tires, the driver's side mirror is being held in place by a 2p coin, there is a dent in the front quarter panel that every time you open the door the light pops out, the front speakers are blown, the breaks are squeaking, and the CV joints are leaking and loose, to name a few things. So needless to say there is to much wrong with it to save it. Poor girl....

But as with all things in life it must come to an end. Thanks for all the good times we've had over the 5 years that we had you. You were good to us and you will truly be missed. My first of many good-byes that I have say before I leave this country. It's almost time to cry.

London Trip (pic heavy)

These aren't in exact order and I'm to lazy to try and put them in order so I'm just going to post them. These are the pictures we took when we went to London last Friday.

Bri, Dad, and I on the London Eye
Bri, me, and Tim on the London Eye
Street entertainers. They were outside the London Eye and they are Bri's favorite. You drop money in their bucket and they start doing their thing, what ever it happens to be.

On the bridge
Bri's pic of tulips in one of the gardens
Bri on the Tube (a.k.a. subway)

Bri taking pictures on the London Eye
I think this one got taken on accident???
Tim taking a picture of Dad and Bri and Dad taking a picture of Tim taking a picture. Did you get all of that?? Confused me too.
My picture of the tulips.

Update on FSL and Daughter

They have both been formally IDed. There is no determined cause of death, we are waiting to hear more from the news. When we did see them she did not seemed distressed at all. She was very upbeat and bubbly. Our questions are how did she get in the lake. Was she hit on the head and thrown in there? Was it suicide? Did she kill the daughter first because she wasn't able to walk so she had to be carried? Did she take a bunch of pills and then went into the lake with her daughter? All questions with no answers.

****Another recent update****Both people have drowned. This is the cause of death according to this source. The article says that the Police are treating these deaths as "unexplained."

I Know a Dead Person

We have been in this house just over a year now. When we first moved to the village I would walk the dogs during the day when I was doing nothing. One of the first days that I walked I met this woman who ran the flower shop in the village. She was very nice and we walked together as I didn't know where I was really going. She kinda gave me the low down on the who what and where in the village.

The past few days have been slightly chaotic around the village and more specifically my lake. See the flower shop lady (FSL) and her daughter had gone missing. The thing that makes this even scarier is that Tim and I saw her the day before she went missing.

On Saturday we took the dogs for a very long walk down in a direction that we usually only walk on the weekends. On our way back we happened to run into her, her daughter, and some man that she was with. We chatted for about 5 minutes maybe a bit longer but that was about it.

Monday there were all kinds of reporters around the sailing club which is where this FSL lived. There were helicopters circling the lake and the vans were blocking up our main road out of town. When we finally figured out what was going on the neighbor was walking his dog and I told him what I knew. He walked down to where all the reporters were and told them, with my permission of course.

Yesterday I was pulled out of work to go and speak with the police to make a formal statement. Tim was there as well. My interview only took about an hour or so and Tim's was a little longer because we were trying to figure out whether we saw FSL on Saturday or Sunday. So I had to run home after my interview and look on Tim's camera because he took pictures on the day. Not of them obviously but at least we can pinpoint the day and time. It was Saturday, FSL was last seen on Sunday. But our information gave them a suspect because of the man that she was with and the time and date that we got off of the camera.

As I was returning home I ran into the neighbor and told him what had happened to Tim and I at work. I was then informed at that time that they had pulled two bodies from my lake. MY LAKE!!! The one that is right behind my house!! The bodies haven't been IDed, that is suppose to be done today but come on...we know who they are. It is very sad and then scary at the same time.

I mean I can't tell you how many times I have left the doors open and taken a nap on the couch. Our gate is never locked. It is now but the gate is only waist high but well I guess every little bit helps right.

They are still looking for the man that we saw the other day. Of course they aren't going to tell us whether he is the suspect or what. I have watched enough of those crime fighting shows and I know how the process works or at least partially. But no word has been released as to how they died or why they were thrown/put in the lake. Just makes you wonder.

****My Important Note****When I was being interviewed I was asked to describe what this man looked like and what he was wearing and how tall, etc. I found this very hard in the fact that I wasn't really paying attention. I guess what I'm trying to say is just be more observant of your surroundings. Pay attention to people's names. What color hat/shirt/pants/shoes were they wearing? Color and length of hair? Curly or wavy? How old did they look? what is the make and model of the car they were driving if they were driving? Did you get a plate number? We were introduced and I don't remember his name and it key pieces like that that can make or break it.

So pay attention, you just might be able to save a life...

News Stories below
Fears for missing florist and girl
Bodies Of Woman And Girl Found In Lake
Bodies found in search for florist

Snow Day #3

Yup...Snow Day #3....I'm home again. Going stir crazy, no human contact for the last 3 days. Not sure what I'm going to do. Oh well, will take the ruler picture again once it stops snowing. I think we got another 4 inches or so. I remember the close the door this time though.

Snow Day Pictures

Just some snow day pictures. There was no one for me to make a snowman with so I just made a little table one. He has already fallen over outside. Fun times.

Snow Day!!!!

I'm taking a snow day, so I'm home. Not sure what I'm going to do, probably finish up one of my many projects/chores that I need to do. I cleaned the kitchen really well the other day and did everything except the floor. I have to steam clean it, I have carpet in my kitchen. Don't ask, I'll just say it is England. I also have carpet in all of my bathrooms, again, it is how they do stuff over here. I was sewing last night, need to finish a project there too before I start another one, as bad as I want to start another one. I can probably get that one finished, at least most of the way done till I have to go down to my sewing group to have them help me put it together. It is easier with more hands.

A Year in Review

Okay, so this isn't toally done because some of the other pictures on my computer and my wireless internet decided to die on it and I haven't had the chance to go to the store and a. buy a new wireless device or b. buy a REALLY long cable to make my house look getto by running the cord from my bedroom to my studio. Go figure...of course Tim just left yesterday so everything is going to hell in a hand basket. Explain more of that later but my Year in Review photos. I want to do a scrapbooking page on this too...we'll see how much time I have.

January

My Christmas tree for '07...we took pictures late...obviously. It took up the whole room.

February

Tim on the couch with the puppy...love this picture

March

Saying good-bye/see you later to our old neighbors in Thetford. We still keep in touch, we spent boxing day (26 Dec) with them this year...again, more on that later.

Our new house in the Cotwolds (<--Another part of England)

April

Yes, snow in April

Then it got warm...gotta love English weather

May

Maggie running around like an idiot...love her though...how could you not???

The Duck Races

June

Tim trying to make Maggie swim, she isn't much of a swimmer but likes to cool off, it was hot!

July

The air show that got cancelled, this was a small show the Red Arrows did.

Berry picking...yes I have pants and a sweatshirt on in July, it wasn't much of a summer here.

August

Tim's Mom and Gigi (his neice) came to visit

Warwick Castle

September

Taking sample shots for possible family portraits for people on base.

So that's all I have for right now. I have more pictures but well I also have a life and would like to get some sleep as well. I'll try and get around to posting the other pictures but well, don't count on it, I wasn't counting on my internet going out and well I just kinda lost my mojo with this whole project. Although, that being said, I should finish it cause part of my New Year's resolution was to make sure that I finish what I start. But I have to take care of the internet problem first. Look for an updated version of this post soon.

My Favorite Season

Tim and I went out on Sunday and took some pictures down by the lake across the way/street. Here is one of my favorites. I have a few others but not sure if I'm going to post them here. Tim might try and sell them, but I'm not sure that many people are going to want a heart with TA in the middle.

Fall is definietly one of my favorite seasons. It is right up there with spring and I like them both for the colors of the leaves, trees, and flowers. Although both seasons take a toll on my allergies, but I guess that is the price you pay for beauty.
I always feel like I'm a step behind the color change. One day I will be walking or driving and I'm looking around at all the leaves and trees changing and I think to myself, tomorrow I'm going to come back with my camera and take a picture of that. Then tomorrow comes and the leaves have already fallen off and are an ugly brown color and not that pretty yellow/red/orange color.
The rainy season has begun for the most part. It is getting darker sooner and colder for longer periods of the day. Not that we had much of a summer anyways....2 years running now of no summer.
My job is going well, I haven't really done anything as I don't have computer access so basically I'm going to get paid to sit around. It's fun times. I'm going to bring a book today so I'm not totally bored.
Other than that, noting really to report. Until next time....

We have roses

We have started to get roses in on our climbing rose bush that is going up the side of the neighbor's garage. They look so nice. I just wish that I could get to the top and see more of them. Juat wanted to share something that I get to see everyday that makes me happy, might do the same for you.

Pictures as promised

Here are the pictures I promised a few days ago...this is the "normal" walk for the dogs, well at least most of it.

Puppy swimming in the river, we call it the puppy treadmill cause he will do this for as long as you let him.I'm working on my camera skills, they are getting better.

The huge field that the puppies get to play in

There were some others but I didn't think they were good enough to put in here but when I take some more/better pictures I will post. ttyl