I watch too many romantic movies!

Definitely understand the friend thing. Priorities change and people don't quite seem the same after time. I'm not friends with a lot of people I used to be before the LDR. Not that I always had a ton of close friends. But the really good, true friends are still here. Se la vie!

side note: just had a fun little chat with a fellow originally from Ireland, now lives in San Fran, here for a meeting. Good times. I love the UK.

Hello ladies!

Seems things are going along well for you all for the most part. Sorry Anna about the comments. The others said it better than I could.

Chi_chi- wow about the quick turnaround on the passport! How exciting, really!! Hopefully you get those docs from Ian ASAP.

Not much new going on around here. Just working working. Have a baby shower for a co-worker here given by my department (it's in the school library!) after school today. That should be fun. Otherwise, it's just a chilly, grey, rainy day here in GA! Counting down the days till it's warm again.... Hopefully not much longer. I'm ready for sandals!

Ok, back to class... y'all have a super Humpalump day!

Hellloooooooo, ladddiiieeess!!!!

*ahem*

How are things today?  I know it's early...but most of you will check this while you're at work.  So tell me how you're doing?!

Chi...you're applying for your visa soon?  YAY!  Let me know how things go (I'll be applying in a few weeks here).

Beth, how was the baby shower?

Becca, how are you doing???  Things getting any better with your friends? If you need a good vent, I'm here for ya.   We're ALL here for ya....because we can relate.  *hugs*

I miss Josy...lol.  I know she's having a fantastic time with Jason, but still.  Maybe I'll text her later to see how she's doing?  Yeah...I think I will.

So I was told by Ian in an email last night that I need to slow down.  As you all know, I'm trying to do anything and everything before he arrives here (which, today it's exactly 5 weeks until he lands!)...and lately I've felt frazzled.  I've been running into things, forgetting stuff, not sleeping well, AND we had a meeting at work the other day and I pointed out that my head and heart isn't in the work anymore, and my boss said "That's a problem."  So I started crying...lol.  He sort of apologized and said he understands, but still......so I have to not think while I'm at work and just be a workhorse again, since I NEED my job right now...plus I've never not cared like this before.  But then my co-worker Renee said "You've never gotten married and moved to another country before!  So there ya go, kid-o!" 

I honestly don't know how we all do it sometimes...lol.  I mean, going through life here while the one we love the most is 3-4 thousand miles away.  We deserve medals....or trophies....or more paid days off. :p

"You need to slow down"??  Are there things that need to be done that he could do so that you dont have to be so frantic? 
What else still needs to be done before the wedding?  I know for me, it helps to write down the things that need to be done and actually white them out instead of cross them out or check them off because then they are totally gone from your list!

I totally understand your head and heart not being in work -and I am sure your boss understands that too, but you do have to pretend for the next 6 weeks.  (although I have no idea how you will do it!)   I imagine its not far off before I feel that way too and its going to be a huge struggle!!  You can do it, Patty!!!

Where did Josy and Jason go this week?  Weren't they going out of town?

And you are right, Patty, I sometimes dont know how we do this either... Imagine how wonderfully different things will be when you are physically with the person you love.  It seems so simple, but means so much... and you dont really understand HOW much until you've lived this way. Ugh, now I'm feeling sorry for all of us!

Aww Patty *hugs*


The situation with my friends is that I haven't spoken with them in a few days. I disconnected AIM and only kept gtalk for my best friend and skype for my mom.  Everyone else can piss off right now as far as I'm concerned.

but Tim and I had some conversations recently that really point to marriage.

For example, we were talking about going on Holiday and the train stuff he wants to do and things he wants to do with his best mate, and how he would have to figure out a way for me to come along and would try to balance train stuff with stuff I want to do, and we tentatively agreed to each of us taking one separate holiday (mine will likely be a trip to the US for Thanksgiving) each year and one (or two) holidays together each year. 

We decided that after I'm here "forever", we won't be going away each month on his long weekend (the way the shifts work, every 28 days he has 4-5 days off in a row). Mostly to save money. But we'll still probably average 3-4 "long weekend" trips each year.

I've been told I won't need to work at all if I don't want to, but I am going to see about working part-time for some extra money we can use as a slush account and to help fund holidays and weekend breaks.  But then when we start having kids, I want to be a Stay at Home mom/mum until the kids are school-age,and then only work during the hours the kids are in school (that's how my mom did things when I was little, and I think it was the best for me).

Oh! And when we decide to get married, I'm going to be in the US for at least 6 months before so I can put my cat through the PETS scheme (unless my mom asks to keep him), and Christmas 2009 I will be in the US (because I don't want my last Christmas at home to be the crap one we had in 2007).

I'm finding it really amusing that we've been making all these plans and discussing things without things actually in place.

--

And in some really rotten news, Tim's car was in for it's annual service earlier in the week,and next week it has to go in for services that are going to cost £750! Eeeeeep!  (So we decided no long weekend away in March, even though it'll be our last long weekend together for a while).

I think thats how these things usually progress, Becca - you start to talk about plans as "when this or that happens", but never giving any dates to them and then it moves into specific time frames and then specific dates.  Everyone has their own comfort zone and I imagine that the time you begin to spend apart in March will be when you both decide (separately and then together) how quickly everything else progresses.

Hopefully by the time you need to do the PETS scheme with your cat, I will be an expert - my little Mirra (my dog) is going to the vet Saturday (!!) to start hers!  Its the first step to moving.  Woo!

Oh, and haha, look what I saw in the Daily Mail today (yes, I read the Daily Mail - no comments about how that makes me a horrible, uneducated chav, please): http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1150131/With-ring-I-spend-18-thee---M-amp-S-launches-credit-crunch-wedding-bands.html
I told David I want one   Just as I strangely now think that weddings are frivolous, I also strangely think diamonds are as well.   This way, I can have a new ring every year or so - much more fun!

lately I've felt frazzled.  I've been running into things, forgetting stuff, not sleeping well....my head and heart isn't in the work anymore

Oh Patty, that has SO been me since the wedding plannin ensued!! And some of it carried over afterwords as well. I think my memory will never quite be the same (the motherboard must have been short circuited from all the frazzles), and I can still feel a very slight twitch in my eyelid from time to time. Of course all this visa, and family here, husband there nonsense doesn't help either! But we'll all get through it. No worries!

Hoping DH gets all his stuff together ASAP so I can send in the visa app. I emailed to remind him to get the letter from his boss today to prove his employement. Sure wish he'd take the time to write back and acknowlege if he can or cannot do that today. Sometimes he is so vague! Just says "yeah, I'll get it done". Or when I ask how much he still needs he goes "yeah, I'll get that together". MEN!! 

Oh, how I'm grateful for you ladies.   How were your days today, btw?? 

Carey, funny you should say "isn't there anything Ian can do over there?" because in an email he wrote me this evening he said he wants me to wait to pack not only because I'm frazzled, but because he feels like he NEEDS to do something.  He said he feels like "a stupid idiot just sitting here."  Poor guy.  But really, there isn't much he can do.  He can't call anywhere because he's at work.  He can't clean my house from there...although that would be pretty flippin' awesome if he could.  I'll save some packing for when he's here....if I can get a little done here and there, so be it, but I won't rush.  I will take your advice though, Carey, and make lists.  It's just lots of little things at this point.

And glad I'm not the only one that's felt like this, Chi.  Good to know I'm in the boat with a good person.   Are you excited to apply for your visa? 

Becca, so you and Tim are doing all that talking.  Do you think he might be ready soon to pop the ol' question?  I know once Ian and I started discussing that sort of stuff, getting engaged wasn't far off.

I had other things to ask/say, but I can't think.  I'm hopeless anymore...lol.

I had a very interesting chat with my boyfriend tonight. He said that instead of me coming over for a few weeks in the summer, he wants me to think about staying months, as long as possible basically. Just depends on his living situation. Pretty big and exciting!

Digitalsea - that's wonderful! And completely worth it. Both JEP and I can tell you!  It also really does start to put the old marriage wheels turning

I'm not sure if he's getting closer to asking me or not.  I honestly think he might be ready, but is still just a little on the scared side of things.  I think if we don't get engaged before I go home, then I'd almost bet on his visit over the Summer. Even his family thinks he'll do it after I'm gone and he starts to actually miss having me here.


LOL at the £18 rings.  There was a really funny post that made it to stupid_free on LJ from the weddingplans community where a girl was whining about how an ebay seller wouldn't refund her the money on an engagement/wedding ring set and the thing turned out to only have cost her $12. The comments were pure gold, mostly telling the girl she was an idiot for complaining (and in some cases wanting) about such a cheap ring.  Now, I don't think someone should go into a store or look online deliberately for cheapo rings, but if that's what someone honestly likes and wants - why not?  Isn't it the sentiment behind it that counts, anyway?

Personally, I don't like diamonds, either.  I love my butterfly ring because it has clear topaz stones, so they're all iridescent and shiny.  Tim and I walked past a jewelery store a few weeks back and he wanted to know why I wasn't stopping to look at rings and I told him that I had the perfect ring and if he wants to get engaged I didn't want to replace my butterfly!  (And honestly, most people seem to think it's an engagement ring, anyway....)

Carey - you'll have to keep me updated! Everyone says the PETS thing is super easy and painless, but it still freaks me out.  The only way I won't be moving Will (my cat) is if my mom really wants to keep him.  I know she and him have gotten closer while I've been away, but he was my cat to begin with (I got him when I lived in my first apartment alone!), so technically he's my responsibility.  And I love him to pieces and he's my best friend, but if it'll be less stressful on him to leave him in the states, I will. Even if I really sometimes feel I need a furry cuddle here (and Tim's cat is sooo not into the cuddle thing. Hell, she won't even stay on the bed or on the sofa if you move an inch.)

ooh Patty not trying to bust your bubble but it's possible you will be frazzled until the day you get off the plane I was anyway:) it will be ok

Well we are all good! Got to see little Kermit's heartbeat yesterday which was FANTASTIC the most beautiful thing in the world.

My hen night is tomorrow:) we made all the plans before we found out I was pregnant hahaha but hopefully is still way fun and I don't fall asleep somewhere at 9:30.  I can't belive we're getting married in a week! AAAAAAAAAAAHHHH

Hope you all keep on being strong everything seems to be going good for everyone that makes me happy:) Bye ya'll

Oh, Jamie, have fun at your hen night!  YAY!!!!  Getting married in a week!  *does a dance*

And ladies, I wasn't big on diamonds either, but for some odd reason I've kinda grown to love 'em.  I have diamonds in my engagement ring, and even though I've worn it for almost a year now, I still admire it...lol.

Digitalsea, I'm so glad you might get to spend even LONGER with your SO.

So, any plans for the weekend, ladies??  This weekend is the only full weekend I'll have off for a month, and the only one I've had this month.  So basically I've worked every weekend for almost 2 months.  I pray that I get my visa while Ian is here and I won't have to go back to working weekends ever again here...lol.

Have a good Friday, be safe and warm!!

It's a gorgeous day in Lincoln today.... too bad Tim's on 2-10 today, 2-10 on Sat and 6p-6a on Sunday.

Tomorrow his brother is coming over so they can survey the rest of the yard to add an addition to the garden railway, but if the nice weather holds up, I might ask Tim if we can go to the shore on Sunday for a few hours before he goes to work. He doesn't live that far away from Skegness.

Yay Jamie!  Where are you going for your hen night?  Are you all set for the wedding or do you still have some loose ends to tie up between now and then?   Glad little Kermit is ok!

Thats wonderful Digitalsea - would you be able to take such an extended time of work?

Patty - how long is Ian going to be there? It seems that currently, visas are being processed super quickly, so its a definite possibility! 
No weekend plans for me other than the vet visit and spending time with Dad. I think I'll spend some quality time with my bathrooms and kitchen too - cleaning. Blech.  What will you be doing with your full weekend, Patty?

I started to have a little mini panic attack re: my dog this morning.  Thinking, omg I wont be able to leave her alone right away (it will take her probably 2 weeks or so before she is comfortable in the house!), shes going to destroy something in David's house, shes going to hate me, shes going to die on the plane, David's going to be an ogre to her and expect her to stay outside, shes not going to be able to handle all the stairs in his house.. etc. etc.  I need to go to the Pets board for some reassurance about how they adjust!   I imagine this is the first of 738929 panicky moments to come...