Notes from England - Nearly Two Weeks On

Hello all!

Well, I'm here in England and loving it to pieces. I've been a busy boy since arriving but I'm dearly greatful for that. So what have I been up to?Well I arrived on Saturday morning, 14 October. (Americans, get used to dates showing up the wrong-way-round from now on) Helen picked me up from the airport...but I'm getting ahead of myself. Where shall I start? The flight, I suppose.

Nic, awesome as he is, agreed to take me to the airport in Chicago so I could catch my one-way flight. This saved me the hassle of having to wheel two suitcases, carry-on bag and backpack a few blocks from Union Station ot the subway to O'Hare. Nic, you're awesome. Thanks so much. Josh and Carey, you rock too. It was fantastic having the company of you three. I miss you all. Aaron, Bourgie, Jess, I know you'd have made it if you could have, and you were all in my thoughts.

So I checked in at the AA desk and was told that although he has me in an assigned asile seat as requested, he's got another asile seat in a different section wherein the other two seats are empty. He asked if I would like to be moved and in the hopes that the other two remained empty as it was "not a very full flight". Of course I agreed, and was relieved upon takeoff that the two seats to my right (I was in the centre secton, second row back) were completely empty. After dinner, I stretched out with my three pillows and three blankets, cranked up some LotR on my iPod and went to sleep for the next 3.5 to 4 hours. I awoke to the sound of a tray table slamming down in an "I'm a child and don't know any better" sort of way...only to find breakfast was being served and we were about an hour away from Manchester. It was the best flight I think I've ever had.

So I made it into immigration, and as many of you know, this was a point that was really concerning me. I mean...they always ask for your itinerary, because they want to make sure you're leaving the country. Then they ask a series of questions regarding your visit, because they want to make sure you're not doing anything you shouldn't be, and they want to make sure you're leaving the country. Then they ask you when you're leaving the country, because...well you get the idea.

There was a couple in front of me that must have been doing something out-of-the-ordinary, because it took this one couple a good 10 minutes to get through. (Bear in mind it generally takes 30-60 seconds) When it was my turn, I gave the nice man behind the desk my passport, sans itinerary. (I'd not printed one, since I didn't see the point in showing him evidence of my return flight as there wasn't one) The conversation went more or less thus:
"How long will you be staying?"
"Actually, on this visa, just a few months, until December. Then I'm leaving the UK and re-entering on a fiance visa."(He flips through my passport to the fiance visa page)
"And what is the purpose of your visit now?"
"Planning our wedding."
"And you're only staying until December?"
"Yes, and then I'm leaving to Paris or something similar, and re-entering the UK on my fiance visa once it becomes active on 1 December."
"So you're here for a number of weeks as a visitor, then you're leaving the UK to Paris...do you have that ticket?"
"No, I've not bought it yet."
"But you will do, and then you're re-entering the UK on this fiance visa?"(Yes, it was really this repetative)
"Yes...because that's what the British Consulate told me I had to do." (At the words "British Consulate" his eyebrows perked up as did his tone of voice)
"Oh! Right then!" ~ STAMP ~ "Next!"

So Helen, lovely girl, picked me up from the airport. My plane was about an hour and a half late because Chicago had...get this...windy conditions. You don't say! Anyway, we got home for 09.00 and I grabbed a quick shower to wash the last 8 hours on a plane away. We had a 10.30 appointment with the wedding department at Debenhams. (No rest for the weary! Ha ha)
Actually, it was all very exciting! For so long, I've felt rather useles...as if I'm not of much help at all to Helen other than to supply funds. But now I can feel as though I'm an integral part to planning this wedding! And it all started with Debs. We went in and met Steve, who was to help us set up our wedding list. He explained how it worked and helped us fill out forms on the computer and get it going properly. Then...the excitement began. We were given a clipboard with forms and a pen...and a scanner.

I took the scanner, Helen took the clipboard, and we ran round the department store scanning barcodes of items we wanted on our wedding list. I.E., items we want for our wedding should people want to buy us something. The idea being that our guests needn't go, "Gosh, I wonder what they want/need?" It's right there in pixelated black & white for all to see. Not only that, but guests needn't worry about wrapping or shipping or carrying or anything...it will be delivered to our home! How cool is that? Want to see?

www.debenhamsweddings.com

If you go to that link and enter wedding number 67731 (or search by Helen's surname, Capper, or my surname, Burns) you can see our list. How fantastically organized are we? Ha ha. As an American...with family and friends coming from the States, I'm particularly intrigued because I can understand how it could be difficult wrapping a wedding gift and either packing it in a suitcase or trying to get it on a plane as carry-on.

Anyhoo, that was our Saturday. I even got to do a bit of driving! w00t! We also received word that our mortgage for the new apartment (currently being built...we've got a roof now!) has been approved...that means we'll really have a place to live after the wedding! Yay!
Sunday we got up and went to the 8.15 mass at St. Peter's where we're being married. If I've never told you about this service, it's amazing. It consists of a gospel reading, a short talk by the vicar, prayers for the less fortunate, and the celebration of the eucharist. And considering there were at most 9 people in the entirety of the congregation...all of which Helen and I were younger than by no less than 40 years, it was, shall we say, brief? It lasts for about 20-30 minutes. It's a great way to start a Sunday, I can tell you!

We got back home and had chocolate-laced croissants and tea for breakfast...extremely yum if you ever get the chance...and then we popped out to the garden centre where they've already put up their award-winning Christmas displays. We love the displays, but had a genuinely productive reason for going - we've been looking for decorative ribbons and garland and such to adorn the two lamp posts that sit atop the gate on either side as you enter the courtyard/cemetary at St. Peter's for the wedding day. We found some, but they were £30 each...and we both felt that was a bit steep.

We finished with a nice dinner at home and even Amy came by to visit and eat with us. (She's got a massive new 4x4. It's a Suzuki something-or-other and looks as though it could flatten most of the cars driving British roads)

The remainder of the week was fairly quiet. With Ann & John (my future in-laws) as well as Helen all off to work, I was in the house all day by myself. I'd keep myself occupied, of coruse. There were dealings with the mortgage people I'd have to chase up...or with the solicitor who's handling the exchange of our new property...or with the wedding list and how things seem to have been a bit buggy...that sort of thing, you know? I also got in the habit of going on a walk 'round the neighborhood, the pics of which some of you have already seen!
Anyway, so went my first week in England. Then this last weekend, Helen and I went to see the Vicar on Friday night. We had to give him all sorts of official information about me and about Helen...things that will make the whole thing legal, you understand. And we discussed the wedding readings and the hymns to be sung...we discussed orders of service and even the war in Iraq. Father Michael is awesome.

Saturday we went to the housing development to pick our new kitchen! Ooh! We picked tiles for the bathroom, countertops for the kitchen, cupboards and drawers (and pulls) for the kitchen...it was great! We're having walnut wood in the kitchen. It's not as light as an oak but not as dark as say...oh...a mahogany, I guess. It's a really nice mid-tone. It will go really well since we've got a beach dining table, whose chairs have a dark brown faux leather cushion. So between the light brown of the beach, the mid-brown of the cupboards and the dark brown of the chairs, it will all flow together really well. The countertops will be a slate-grey with an almost marblized finish...in that the grey isn't solid, it's sort of swirly. The tile in the bathroom are large white tiles, with small tiles that have a sort of silver-grey criss-crossing swirl through them as trim. This will go really well with any linnens we put in the bathroom, and the colours we're planning on are cream and light blue.

Saturday evening we went to Rachel & Jonny's house for a party. It was really sweet of all of them to welcome me so warmly. Rach & Jonny were there, (obviously) as was Laura & Andy, Phil & Natalie, Dave, Louise & Jim. You can see pics at the link below -

http://www.cig.canon-europe.com/album/sharerec.html?id=C8194F664E2B341ABD119726E0EBCD7F&locale=en_GB

Rach, Jonny & Laura were absolutely fantastic. They put on a fab spread of food...no fewer than six pizzas (one which had spinnach and what I believe was ricotta cheese that was very yum) as well as four flavors of crisps (that's chips to you us Americans), dips, salads, and drinks. Then they brought out champagne for everyone and Laura presented a cake she made herself...complete with sheet icing...formed into the stars and stripes. (This in addition to the stars and stripes and Union Jack that were hanging in the hallway as you enter the house...not to mention all the little flags stuck in the sandwiches and crisps!) It was delicious. It appeared two sheet cakes stuck together with a layer of apricot jam in between. Really, really good and so very kind. She even got all 50 stars on it, as well as the 13 stripes!

We sat round and played a few rounds of a new game too called "Articulate"...but Laura goes into much better detail about that on her blog, so click on her myspace if you want to know more.

Sunday came and we went down to...Leicester...prounounced "Lester"...and I'm not sure I have the spelling right...to visit some of Helen's family. It was about a 2 hour journey, so by the time we all got back, we were all pretty ready to rest for a bit. But it was nice to be able to make more connections to Helen's family.

Likewise, yesterday I went out with Ann & John (they're both teachers and off school this week as it's mid-term) to visit even more family in Wales. We met Auntie Jean who's an absolute scream if you ask me. She was hilarious...great sense of humor and able to find humor in even unpleasent situations. We stopped in Betws-y-Coed...pronounced, more or less, Bet-us-ee-co-ed...to have a drink, as John swears by the loose-leaf tea served in the Alpine Cafe there. It's a gorgeous town, and I've been before with Helen. Set right into the mountains and rocks, and a river running through it...very picturesque with massive pines that two people would be hard-pressed to touch hands if they wrapped their arms around.

For my part, I had a hot chocolate...which had an unusual characteristic They basically made it with hot milk, which isn't so unusual because any Starbucks can do it the same way, but the chocolate came in the form of a block of chocolate stuck to the end of a wodden dowel and dunked into the hot, foamy cream. You then swirl the stick around the inside of the mug until all the chocolate is melted, ending up witha frothy, foamy, rich, chocolatey treat.
They also had on their menu what is touted as the world's rarest tea. And I quote:

World's Rarest Tea
£8.50 per person per pot

Jun Shan Silver Needles
(£113 per 100gms)

This tea is picked on just one morning in the year and in Imperial times by young girls wearing silk gloves and using scissors made from gold. In the pot the leaves stand like spears and then dance in the water.

This is a yellow tea with a pale yellow liquour, a fine aroma, and a rich taste.

Infuse 3 - 5 mins. Best without milk.

Nope. Not joking. Wish I were...but I'm not. Somehow, when I saw it I thought of Kevin Carey. I think you ought to make a day trip out to Bewts just to try this! No, I don't know if it's any good. For £8.50 per pot though, it better be damn good. Because at that price you ought to be damn impressed or damn disappointed.

Anyway, that's all for now. I'm not going to make a habit of recounting every single day that passes, but I thought you would like to know what life has been like for me these past 10 days.
To my American family, I miss you all and can't wait to see you again very soon. Take care of yourselves so you're in fit shape come January!

To Jessica - I'll be contacting you soon to see if you can help me with something.

So, what do you all think?