Random pictures

A lot of the photo's I take I upload to Facebook.  Most of you will not have access to that website, so here is a selection of recent photographs:

Pepper exhausted after watching us put up the Christmas decorations

As before, click on any picture to enlarge it

 Pepper wearing her Christmas bow.  Taken on Christmas morning.

This must be my stocking!

Vicky's Birthday is coming up soon!

New Tshirt

Wonderful Christmas ornament from Mom last year.  Notice the colour of the ribbon ...

About to devour a 'blooming onion'

Watching the game against Bolton online with my Ryan Taylor mug!

Christmas with my Wife!!

I don't want to talk about last year, I have already covered that in a previous post.

Christmas Eve.


The day I Married Vicky, I gained four!!, neices and nephews.  It was decided that we would go to my Sister in Laws house around 7am and let the kids open their presents from us.  We all went in our pajamas, and of course, I wore my NUFC dressing gown, and black and white Christmas hat.

We ate pancakes, and there was a chocolate Birthday cake for me too!

It was a lot of fun, watching the kids open their presents.  Highlights for me were watching the eldest Nephew open his Zombie console game (Dead Island), he was nearly screaming haha, and I 'helped' the younger boy build his lego Harry Potter train set.  I only put together a couple of pieces, but I SO wanted to build it myself.

At one point he had to take the dog out (they have a pug), and I could have finished building it, but I took a step back.

Afterwards we all watched A Christmas Story (1983).  http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085334/

At the end of the movie, the family go out for a Chinese meal, and this is exactly what we all did as well.


The food was like a chinese restaurant back in England, except the 'doggy' bags were the cardboard tubs like I have seen on Roseanne.  I of course finished mine.


Christmas Day!

I didn't set any alarm, but as always, the dog wanted to go outside, so I was up around half six.  Mom woke around the same time and put on some Christmas music.  I went back to bed, but it didn't last long.  Mom decided to wake my Wife and I up by turning on our bedroom light!  Reluctantly we got up.


Vicky and I had initially talked about a 'limit' for spending on each other.  This was ignored by both of us.

I wanted Vicky to open her presents in a certain order, and Mom was very interested in a particular present I had bought her.  One of my Wifes 'big' presents (they were all big and wonderful really) was a Kindle.  Mom was eager to know when I was giving this to Vicky.  Mom was being secretive about it, and I assumed that she had bought her a cover for it.

I was mistaken, and very wrong.  Mom handed me a present from my Wife, and opening them together, I found I had received a Kindle too!  This was a huge shock, I had no idea!

As many of you will know, Vicky is a huge fan of the ship Titanic.  I always try and get her something Titanic related.  This year I bought her Titanic-Monopoly, and yes, one of the pieces is the iceberg!, and a book called, The Other Side of the Night, an account from the other ships involved the the night the ship sank.  I can not take credit for it though.  I found it on her Amazon wish list.

As well as the Kindle, I received an awesome Calvin Klein shirt from Mom, a Christmas ornament with a picture of Me and the dog!

I am sorry to go on about the presents that day, Christmas should not be about what gifts we give or receive. 

But I think we all did very well this year.  Other favourites were more Ringtons teabags and Mars Bars!

Mom bought Vicky and I a joint gift.  Opening it up, it was a stained-glass sun catcher ornament.  All the way from Durham Cathedral!  But Mom had bought this from her recent trip to Chicago.  Amazing.

When Vicky visited me in February this year, we spent the day in Durham, and Loved the Cathedral.

For months I have wanted to buy The Walking Dead tv show and the Harry Potter box set, but I was very good and held off buying them.  Just as well, as I received them both for Christmas.

For breakfast, we ate my suggested english family tradition of bacon sandwiches and Bucks Fizz.  This went down very well!


The afternoon we watched the first Jurassic Park on blu-ray, and then the final Harry Potter film.

I was very pleased that Jurassic Park was just as good as the first time I saw it.  The film is nearly 20 years old, and the computer effects of the dinosaurs still hold up today.


I have pictures from the holidays, but I'll edit these in later, or give them their own post.

Birthday in Virginia

Last Birthday was awful.  Thousands of miles away from my Wife, and knowing Christmas would be the same.

I took the day off work, as a temp worker, naturally I didn't get paid, but I didn't mind.

My Wife and I went to see the new Mission Impossible film.  Using another free!! gift card through her work.  (I think we've only paid twice for the cinema, it's pretty awesome).  There was a lot more humour this time around, but it was a great movie.  Afterwards Vicky took me to a restaurant called the Outback Steakhouse.

http://www.outback.com/menu/pdf/C114.pdf

I have always wanted to try the Blooming Onion.  3,000 gut busting calories of wonderfulness.

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For the main meal, I had an 8oz filet steak.  Another wonderful food in my stomach.

I did really well with presents.  Vicky gave me these two unusual Newcastle ones:

Yes!, that is a genuine Newcastle Brown Ale hand pump!  I also received Mars Bars and more Ringtons tea.  Always welcome (HINT HINT) for future Birthdays / Christmas.  Or anytime really ...

Christmas 2009

Before Christmas 2009 ...

It's quite sad that my favourite Christmas was receiving a big sack of lego.  I think I was 7 or 8.  No particular stand out day with family, it was all about what Santa brought me. 

Two years ago ...

When I met the woman I fell in love with.  Who is now my Wife.

That Christmas, in 2009 was the best one in my life.  I had a wonderful Birthday with my 'girlfriend', and two days later, I spent Christmas day with my 'fiance'.  This year, I get to spend it with my Wife.

Last year was the worst stuck in England, doing Christmas over a webcam.  That morning I phoned my Wife.  To wish her Merry Christmas.  I burst into tears when I heard her voice.


Christmas is not about what Santa brought you, it's about sharing the time with people you Love.

I will still be on the webcam again, but this will be different.  A wonderful reverse of last year.

I Love my Wife dearly, and I get to spend Christmas with her.  When I wake up she'll be there lying next to me, and a doggy will greet me as well.

Life is good, and I am living it.

Christmas decorations!

The main lounge:

Click on the pictures to enlarge

Our own lounge:

Notice the flags either side of the tree ...

In the middle, a custom bauble.  A Christmas present from Mom.  Includes the 'Tiffany' colour bow.

 

Every tree should have a Titanic and Elvis connection

 

Snow on it's way!

The local news is warning of snow coming our way.  Outside it is currently 'spitting' with the white stuff.  Most of today, we've seen a lot of rain, hopefully this will prevent it lying on the ground.

In preparation, we have two snow shovels next to the front door.

TV3Winchester, our local tv channel posted this picture on their facebook page, this is Augusta in West Virginia, about 50 miles west of us.

Keep your fingers crossed our front garden will not look like it did nearly two years ago:

Evening edit - The local tv station got it wrong.  We woke this morning to no snow.  It will come, but just not yet.

Thanksgiving

I am sorry I have not updated this since Thanksgiving.

Traditionally Thanksgiving is on the third Thursday in November, also meant I had two days off work.  Naturally being a 'temp', I didn't get paid for those days, but it was nice to have a 4 day weekend.

Being the English guest, I thought it would be fun to bake the Pumpkin pie.  Here is my effort.  I shared making it with my Wife.

We had a big dinner at my sister in laws.  There were nine of us!

On the Monday night, niece Julia took part in a local School parade around the town of Winchester, several schools and clubs took part, and it was awesome to see Julia at the front of her school.  It started at 7pm, and we were lucky to arrive on time, driving all the way from working in Reston / Herndon.

On Friday, I had two interviews for the job I am temping in.  First was with my boss, who was 25 minutes late, and the second was a telephone interview with a manager from another office.  This chap was 50 minutes late.  Not the best preparation I have had for interviews.

This weekend, we're putting up the Christmas Tree!  There will be two.  I've brought in the large one from the garage, this will go in the main front room, and Vicky and I have our own Christmas Tree.  I am especially looking forward to putting this one up, as Mom bought us a personalised bauble last year.

Last Christmas, Vicky and I were separated of course, and we spent a lot of time with each other over the webcam.  I watched Mom and Vicky set up our Christmas tree, and it sucked.  It was nice to watch, but to not be a part of was awful.

The weekend before Thanksgiving

On Friday Vicky and I arrived home to find that Moms new fireplace had arrived!

I had a choice, I could help build it straight away, or wait until Saturday morning.  With the Manchester City game on live here, I opted for erecting it in the evening.

It's a beautiful piece.  I took my time assembling it, knowing my luck, I would scratch it!, and Vicky helped me position the heavy top into place.  The fireplace even comes with a remote control!  Sadly we've had to remove the vcr (no bad thing), as there is only room for the blu-ray player and the cable box.

CLICK ON ALL PICTURES TO ENLARGE

Afterwards for a treat, we watched a couple of Tom Jerry cartoons.  A recent blu-ray purchase.  The first 30 odd T&J cartoons have finally been released uncut and with their original title cards.  All cats are now seen smoking and 'black face' gags are back in.  "Tom and Jerry Golden Collection Vol 1 is intended for the Adult Collector and May Not Be Suitable for Children"

Yesterday after the manchester city game I had my second driving lesson.  Last week I drove around a school car park, and then a residential area.  This time we took to the motorway!  Essentially the lesson involved driving for an hour in one direction with the odd traffic light and turns, then after a short break, we came back the same way.

Today we watched Dial M For Murder.  A film I had never seen before.  Previously I have seen the stabbing scene many times.  I thoroughly enjoyed it.  I loved the Inspector, and there were some wonderful lines.

Boys and their toys

Just a little update so far.

Still no interview at work.  They keep putting it back all of the time.  There is a rule where a company can buy me from the temp agency for free after three months of employment.  This would have been the middle of October.  I just want to get it over with.


Yesterday afternoon I had my first driving lesson.  I think it went ok.  It's the first time I've been behind a wheel since last year.  Vicky drove me to a deserted car park, and I had a go for an hour or so.  Next Saturday (after the match of course!), I'm going out for a two hour lesson.

Here is one of my new 'toys'.

CLICK ON THE PICTURES TO ENLARGE THEM


It's an internet radio.  It connects to thousands of radio stations worldwide.  From the picture, you can see I'm listening to BBC radio 5.  I can use my computer to listen to english radio, but to do it from an actual radio is very cool.

Here is a wireless speaker.  It works via bluetooth so I can stream any sound from my computer anywhere in the house.  It has a rechargeable battery, and is also mains powered too.  I have used this to listen to football back in England, just because I can!

A lucky exiled football fan

On May 22nd 2011, I sat in the stadium of Newcastle United, in the same seat I had been in for the last eighteen years.  I witnessed Newcastle score three goals against West Bromich Albion before conceding three for a draw.
After more then twenty years of football.  This was my last game in England.  I emigrated to America a couple of weeks later, and I was concerned if I would ever see my team in person again.  Moving to another continent between seasons helped, I wasn't distracted by the english media.  The closer it got to the start of the 2011/2012 season, I started to rely on websites for news about my team.  I had to.  The American media never cover the English Premiership.  Occassionally Manchester United and Chelsea will have
a tiny footnote dedicated to them in the sports section of a major newspaper.

Once Newcastle started their first friendly games, I found myself using the website Twitter every day.  Fans and Journalists would 'micro blog' about their day before the match, and I would be able to follow their thoughts during the games too.  Not always about who scored, or who was sent off, users would tell the world which player was playing well, and who wasn't.

As an ex patriot, Twitter has become my lifeline for news about my team.  Newcastles first game of the season was broadcast live on Fox Soccer Channel, and the next few were as well.  My cable company has a few dedicated sports channels, the others by ESPN.  Both networks also have their own website that streams English Premiership.  The quality of the picture is excellent. 
As of writing, I have seen all but four games live.  Two were not shown in America.  The League cup game against Nottingham Forest, and the Monday night game at QPR.  I haven't missed a goal either, one of the channels has a nightly highlights program.  I see a lot more football here in America.

I feel very fortunate that I can keep up to date with the ongoings of Newcastle United Football Club, I can follow Twitter and the bbc sports website anytime.  Apart from physically being at the match, I find out what is going on instantly.

Following a favourite team from abroad isn't so hard after all.

This blog entry was thought about as I mean to update you all with some new 'boys toys' I have purchased recently.  One being an Internet Radio!

Expect pictures this week.

How'd they cut the power man? They're animals!

Saturday marked two years to the day that I met with Vicky for the first time in Person.  I had plans, but they had to wait as the weather inconvenienced a little. 

The local news TV3Winchester and local website Clarke County News warned us about a severe snow storm approaching over the weekend.

They were not wrong!

Here's Pepper outside 6am on Saturday:

CLICK ON THE PICTURES TO ENLARGE THEM

It doesn't show the severity of the storm, but these pictures will:

We left early and drove to Winchester, Vickys Sister wanted to borrow some films, and we brought back a poster she had loaned:

Returning home, we surveyed the damage to the garden, and to the road outside.


The road is a back way into the local school:

Fortunately, though the tree had fallen on the front porch, no major damage had been done.  But, the power was out.  Neighbours too.  Vicky phoned the Police, who told us to phone the 'Berryville Town'.  Equivalent of a local council.  Naturally they were closed until Monday.  I managed to google the contact details of someone who works in the school.  The driveway itself is owned by the school, and we and a neighbour are allowed to drive on it to park the cars in our back gardens.

Wrapping ourselves up a bit more, I made hot chocolate on the stove (thank god for the gas oven!), and we contacted Liz in Winchester to see if she was ok.  She had power, but a couple of streets nearby were cordoned off because of tree's falling.

After a couple of hours we made the decision to load up the car and stay with Liz until power had been restored.


There were ten people, and three pets all in the house together!  We ate home made pizza (which was delicious), and drank beer.  I also gutted out my first pumpkin!  I thought they were solid inside, and surprised they were not.

Earlier in the afternoon Vicky and I went out for a walk, and saw this:

 

 Sunday we all ate a huge breakfast of sausage, eggs and pancakes, before returning to a normal house.  I cleared some of the fallen tree from the porch, but we'll need help from Liz's other half, he owns a chainsaw!

One of my favourite early memories with my Wife is the day we stayed in and did nothing.  That day we watched Bambi, a film I had not seen since I was little, and yes I did have something in my eye, even before 'that' scene, (a scene which I call the 'psycho shower scene for kids').

As a surprise I purchased Dumbo on blu-ray, so we took over the sofa and watched it together.  Afterwards we watched the ghost movie The Others, a film I urge everyone to watch.  This was my first time.  Last thing before sleep was a new episode of The Walking Dead, a film quality (and budget) horror tv show.

Midnight showings and tests!

Yesterday was a very busy day for me.  Vicky and I woke up around 7.  I had a test to take at the local dmv (dvla).  For a few weeks now I have been learning Virginia's highway code, and on Saturday I took the written driving test.  On the way there we picked up breakfast at Dunkin' Donuts, I had three doughnuts, a coffee and a sausage biscuit.  I normally pick up 6 doughnuts, but I had my mind on other things.  We queued up and I was given a ticket and told to sit in an area that looked just like Argos, and waited until my ticket was flashed up on the television above.  The test is in two parts, and it is done on a touch screen.  I had to answer ten road sign questions correctly before I could go onto the next part.  Had I got one wrong, I would have to re-take the test next week, paying $2.  Fortunately I passed this first part.  There was a young girl doing the test with me at the same time.  She was probably 16, and I felt a bit old.  The second part of the test is a 25 multiple choice question, to pass this you must get at least 20 correct.  I passed with 24/25.  I can't remember which one I got wrong, but I wasn't bothered.  One question did make me laugh.  'One 12 ounce can of beer is the equivalent of ..., and I chose the 'one shot of liquor' answer.

But if you can drive at 16, but not drink till you are 21 ...

I understood why the question was there, but I found it amusing.

I now have a temporary learners permit from the dmv, it is the same as the UK provisional license, I can drive straight away, as long as there is an experienced driver in the car with me.  The real license will be in the post next week, or later, and I will now look into taking lessons with a local driving school.

We got back in time for me to see the Newcastle game against Wigan, again the Toon was shown on normal telly!

Late last night I had the thrill of seeing a once banned film at the cinema with my nephew, at midnight!  My Wife mentioned to me a while ago about a showing of a horror film at one of the larger cinemas in the area.  Google 'imdb zombie (1979)'.  It was one of the films banned in England in the early 80's.  Something the Daily Mail termed a 'video nasty'.  The only reason this film is as well known as it is now, is all down to the UK banning it originally.  The saying any publicity is good publicity is very true here.  99% of the 70 odd films banned during this early 80s period are rubbish that should never have been giving the wide publicity as other films, but thanks to being 'banned', they create an interest that extends, and now thanks to the internet, and the cheapness of making the DVDs, all but one or two of them are easily obtainable on DVD now.  Zombie can now be bought legally in England with its uncut 18 rating, and is very tame now.

The main reason behind the midnight showing last night was to advertise the blu-ray release of the movie.

I did say I saw the film with my nephew.  He is only 14, but there is a strange law in America.  The film is an R rating, which means children can see the film if they are accompanied by an adult!  I think he enjoyed himself, and I hope the cinema has showings like this again.

I arrived home around quarter to two in the morning, our brave dog pepper decided to let me into the house before barking like crazy at the intruder, but only once I had got as far as the bedroom.  Thanks dog.  Perhaps smelling me first before waking up the house would be nice.

It's now half eight in the morning, and I'm up for the manchester derby on the telly.

I'll have a bowl of mini shredded wheat and a cup of Ringtons Tea for breakfast.

Next week, I'm supposed to be having my interview for my job at Oracle.  They've been putting it off for a while, but I'm 99% certain I will have the job permanently soon.  Vicky and Mom told me that there is a rule/law in America regarding temp agencys.  If I'm working for a company through an agency, and they want to employ me, they may wait three months before hiring me.  This way I can be given a free transfer, just like football!, Oracle would have to pay the agency a fee to release me earlier than the three months.

I've been told that as well as a proper interview, I had to also take part in a telephone interview with someone from another office.  This is to show there is no bias.

A sign from home

I have a few blog posts in mind, but these will have to wait.  Monday at work, as usual sucked.  But, arriving home, there was a parcel for me.  Forgetting I had ordered anything, I looked closer, and there was a North Shields address on it, and my Dads handwriting!!

I have a few local posters on the walls here, I'll show you these later on in the week.

THANK YOU DAD!!

Random pictures

Didn't they change their name years ago!  Food Lion, Berryville

 Doggy has such a hard life ...

Leesburg, Virginia

 Frogs Legs seen in Food Lion, Berryville

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Films Family and Rest

This weekend we had the nephews over to stay as the youngest Niece was having a friends sleepover for her Birthday.  My Sister in Law has four children.  Two boys and two girls.

Knowing that the boys are like locusts when it comes to food, I hid my english goodies in a higher cupboard (Mars Bars and Chocolate Hob Nobs) before they arrived.  Death would be too good for the child that ate my chocolate!

Saturday was a lazy day, the eldest and I watched Piranha3D on my new blu ray player, (I'll post pictures of this later), and as a family, the original Mummy followed by the Abbott and Costello version.  Mom cooked chicken drumsticks for everyone and we ate those during the films.  Before I went to bed, the eldest asked me about a film called Flight of the Living Dead (a cash-in on Snakes on a plane), a film so poor I am happy to not watch ever again.  I was surprised he also thought it was poor, a 14 year old not liking a zombie film, who knew!

Sunday, another lazy day, the children left early, and Vicky and I just lazed about watching telly and wasting time on the internet.  Later we watched Erin Brockovich, I had not seen it before, I was surprised that Julia Roberts won the Oscar for the performance.  That year must have been slim pickings for actresses!  But enough to want to see the Directors other films.

Later on was the inevitable 'getting ready for Monday' sadness.

I have more pictures to upload here, and there is my new boys toys to talk about too.

Hunting for Pumpkin ale

Vicky and I were on a quest yesterday, to find Pumpkin ale.  Sadly, we couldn't find the one that she previously liked, we ended up buying 14 different bottles.  We visited a place called Total Wine, in Sterling. We spent so long in there, it is now my favourite place for beer.

CLICKING ON THE PICTURES TO SHOW THEM FULL SIZE
and again click on the picture to enlarge them

Some bottles of beer I want to try out, especially the 'Brown Ale', and I just had to buy the Grolsh.