Facebook has taken over my blog!!!

Facebook
Well, I can't believe it's been 9 months since I've updated this blog!! Facebook has been my main way to communicate to all my pals world wide, but I plan to start a "real" blog about "real" topics.... not just a way for my friends and family to keep up with me... now that almost everyone I care about is on Facebook... not that I LOVE facebook... actually I really hate the principal of it. It's the WalMart of communication. Volume vs. quality!!! Anyhooooooo, we're settling in STL... although JerBear is in Nigeria, but seems like it might be short lived... he's been there since May 2008. Obviously he's been to STL almost every other month since then, but we're trying to work it out..... for better or worse... right? OFCOURSE!!! We're in this together for the long haul. Life isn't easy... we signed on for this crazy ride and it hasn't been too horribly rocky so far! ;-) I'm hoping to stike oil in Kirkwood, so my boy can come home and manage the homefront for a while!!! :-)

If you're reading this, please consider joining facebook or emailing me... I really want to keep in touch with everyone, just dont' have time.... there's that Walmart mentality again.... urgh!!! I hate it... if I was brave I'd put my mobile phone number on here for everyone to be able to call me and make REAL contact.... but this virtual thing is so much safer,..... pathetic,..... what happened to chatting one on one! I'm hoping to get this back into my regimen! :-) Anyone who knows me this is a bit of a joke..... I seem to love to talk!!

update

Jerry's immigration is well on it's way. He got his travel documents and has been at work for the last 6 weeks and now is in transit back to the USA. It's been a while since I've blogged, but other than his immigration not much has happened; been working a lot, and slowly looking at houses to buy. Had christmas without him, but he'll be here for New Year's Eve, so that's good. Here are some photos I've taken in the last few months at the farm.

Our new house

Our house with the Red Door........ Life really is what it is....I took on that motto years ago and thank goodness... I had no idea that it would really need to be a daily meditation for me..... Jeremy's immigration status in this country, our beautiful US of A is undecided so we have been advised to rent a house, instead of buying, whilst we are looking to buy a house and we will hopefully be able to put down roots in STL, where we would like to raise our family. Jam's greencard is not an issue except for the fact that he has to leave the USA to go back to work in Nigeria and then re-enter to be with moi, his wife, his everything, his all... hehe! We have sorted that out, and the next time he is home we will begin the process... however we are still not sure of the outcome. Hence, we will reside in good ol' Kirkwood, MO, (a very lovely, wholesome, wooded, happy community) in a lovely 1950's charming cabin (ranch house, if you're not being as quaint). It really is perfect for us at the moment, it feels very much like my old house on Ralph Terrace.... and I quite love our neighbours, they are predominantly our age people with young families. Louis is very happy and has made many friends. All we (Louis and Me) need is our Daddy to come home.

PGA Tour STL

A GOLF HAIKU:

Went to see today

players from the PGA

They were very good

These guys; Boo Weekly, Jim Furyk, Vijay Singh, and Johnson Wagner, are the one I saw close up. It was practice day and it was very hot and humid, but life was really rough in the VIP corporate tents! ;-) I was surprised I didn't see as many people I knew as I thought, obviously most people who have weekly passes weren't silly enough to come out on the hottest day of the year. It was a pleasure to see these aficionados do what they do best.

go to www.cocastl.org to see where I work

Started my new job at COCA, Center of Creative Arts. It's great so far. I'm the Special Events Manager. I'll be managing of all the fundraising events. It's been a surprisingly easy to transition back to a work environment. I feel like I've been working with here for years..... it's a good fit!

My Folk's House

Here's the link to my parents house that's for sale. I did not grow up this house, but it's still very sentimental. Jerry and I thought about buying it, but realize we need our own place that can be just ours. Click on this link to see the house.
http://www.cbgundaker.com/search/advanced/images.jsp?map_type=1&lat=38.636000&lon=-90.311124&mls_num=80029147

The Place where we are ..... for now....

Here are some shots of the outside of the buildings. It's very lovely and has a beautiful pool. None the less, I'm happy to be looking for our own house that we can call our own and build up this chapter of our lives in St. Louis with a place we can call our own for at least a while. ;-)

In my temporary digs...

Well, I feel a bit "lost in translation." Jerry always said he related to that movie because of his job, but I never really got it until now. Even when I moved over to Edinburgh, it didn't feel like this. Even though I've come "home" it feels so transitional. My home in Edinburgh was my home, we had our own house, our place, I had my routine, etc.... Now I have to rebuild it all. I think that 2-3 years doesn't really amount to much, but it's just the right amount of time to get settled somewhere else, and then it's the right amount to feel like you don't really live where you used to anymore. It's funny. I absolutely support our decision to come back to STL for the time being and I know living in the US is no doubt the right decision, but I just miss my life back there. Maybe, I just miss my baby boy, it's been 6 weeks since we've seen eachother. I'm willing to move to Nigeria at this point if we could just be together for a while. I know he'll be here in a few weeks, but it's hard.... plus, living in Nigeria with servants and a lovely house with gorgeous gardens and resort like grounds wouldn't be so bad either... but I'll settle for the time being until my sweet oil baron comes home to me.

GOT NEW DIGS....

Well, I signed on for a temporary furnished apartment. Since Mom and Dad are putting their house up on the market, Louis and I need to find a new place. Had lots of friends and family offer for us to stay, but you know me... I like my space. I need to be independent and have our own house, especially when Jerry gets back, we'll need our own place, instead of being guests in someone's home. This way we're not feeling like we're in a rush to find a house. I'll post pics once I'm in. It's a one bedroom furnished apartment, nothing fancy, but in a really nice complex with a pool and gym and tennis courts etc... Plus they let us do a month by month lease, when most of them want 6 months or a year. So move in day is Wednesday May 14th. More later.

update

Well, I've been home almost 3 weeks. Can't believe it. Time really flies. I'm been keeping busy, have applied for several positions and been having meetings with people about what I want to do etc.... Had a bday party for Louis on the 10th of April, he's 2. We didn't really have a party, I just made him a little cake to be silly. Been looking at houses in Clayton and Webster (2 areas of St. Louis County). Things are just rolling along......

Back in STL and loving it...

Well, I've been home a week and all's well. Slowly adjusting to staying with my parents, already been out looking at houses... I can't wait until Jerry and I have our own home here in St. Louis!!! I've already taken Louis out to the farm and he loved it! The weather has been fantastic and I feel more active than I was during the gray days over the last months in Scotland. Been applying for various positions, but really need to chase them up and land a job. Also been looking for a car, can't decide what kind I want, looking at crossover SUV's, maybe like a Jeep Liberty.

All in all it feels good to be home, but I miss Jerry and I'm hyper to get going with our new life, but he'll be here soon enough. For now I'm trying to live one day at at time and simply enjoy.

New pal on the royal mile

I made a new friend while we were out playing.

ONE MORE DAY...

Well, It's 9 am on Tuesday, and I only have tomorrow left... then I'm off at 5 am, moving home. I've been feeling really emotional and excited. I wish Jerry was here to go with me, but as a friend of mine said, I'm leaving the way I came. An independent woman of the world. hehehe. Some how it doesn't feel quite the same as it did when I left St. Louis and I felt like I had the world at my feet. I feel like there is still so much I could do here. But you take life as it comes, and I know now that St. Louis is the place I want to be. Jerry and I both agree, it'll provide a better life for us and our family. Excited to bring Louis with us, he'll have so much fun with my Dad and Mom at the farm etc... I suppose the world still is at my feet, but a familiar and more supportive world, and I have my whole life ahead of me to do what I want. I certainly will never regret my experiences over here. Not sure why I'm so emotional about leaving, I suppose I'll miss my friends, and as always... I'll worry I'm missing out on some great opportunity. But I have always believed that you make your own opportunities by being open, willing and honest in all aspects of your life!!
Today I'm heading out with my pal Naomi to see an Ansel Adams exhibit and to play around in town some more.... should be another good day.

Last Sunday Lunch at Carnbee Crescent

I made Sunday Lunch for some of my pals. It was really a nice way to spend my last Sunday here. Since Jerry is already gone in Nigeria. It was very nice to have the house full of people. I made Lamb, w/ homemade mint gravy, roast potatoes, parsnips, carrots, yams, mixed peas/green beans/sweet corn, cheese cauliflower bake, yorkshire puddings, and lasagna. Kirstin brought a fantastic cheesecake for dessert!!! And we had brie and chocolates... etc, etc, etc.... It was really great to have some pals around the house... I love entertaining!!!

Last day of Play with Kingy

My pal, Steve King and I met for coffee and the day turned into night before our very eyes. It

was nice to have the day to spend with a friend before I go.

Leaving thoughts

Well, It's been a short 2+ years... some days it feels like 10 years and others it's like I just moved here. I remember my going-away party in St. Louis like it was yesterday. I had so many dreams wrapped up in moving here. I hoped to take the UK film industry by storm.... funny how dreams change isn't it? I have really bitter sweet feelings about leaving.... I will miss my friends terribly and I know I could do so much more here if we were going to stay.,

Family is really the most important thing, and as they say it's best to bloom where you're planted. I really understand that now.

I feel so lucky to have had the opportunity to have lived in another country, to experience another culture, but I guess when it comes down to it, I'm a St. Louis kinda gal and I can't wait to be able to hang out with my sisters whenever I want and go to all those old familiar places.

I'm really excited to start the next chapter of my life. I don't think it'll be at all the same. So many people say that no matter what when you go home it's the same... but in my case it will be very different,... and I'm really looking forward to that,... I suppose, in the end, there really is no place like home.

Visiting Jerry's family

Here are 2 pics of Jerry in rare form with his cousin Lee. We went down to see the family before I left, his cousin Louise had just had a baby boy, Adam Lee. Unfortunately the camera battery died when we went to see the baby, but was fine for the night we visited the village pub and the boys were 'wetting the baby's head' a tradition of taking the new father out to celebrate the birth. Lee is the uncle, Stephen is the father. Didn't get any pics of Stephen, but he is a lovely guy, not quite the drunken hams that these two were.

One of my favourite places... Roslyn Glen

This is where Jerry and I spent a lot of time walking Louis. It's the park area that su

rround Roslyn Chapel. It's just a lovely area not but 10 minutes from our house. I truly will miss this magical place, not only is it ancient and very historic, it was a place I spent many a peaceful time walking my little buddy. I'll miss being able to take him places in the country that are so close to town.

Noami and Peg's trip to glasgow

Here's me and Naomi in Glasgow having lunch at the

Drum and Monkey Pub. It was fab!

Peggy and Naomi's day of FUN... in Glasgow.

My friend Naomi and I decided that we'd take a wee road trip to Glasgow. It's only 40 miles from Edinburgh. It was so much fun. We just played tourist all day. It was nice to see the city again before I leave. The highlight was the Burrell Collection. It's amazing what this man amassed in his years of collecting artifacts and pieces from all over the world.

There was an Ibis mummy case that's over 4000 years old. It was really interesting.

Found a new walk for Louis and I

Can't believe I never found this before now. It's a park that runs along the Firth of Forth just West of Leith, it's lovely and has paved path that goes on for miles, and goes past some gorgeous old houses along the bluffs over looking the Forth. Louis and I had a nice wee jog/walk. Not quite the Riverfront in STL..... ;-)

My new car.... hehe, It's a rental!

Since I sold my Volvo, I've had to rent a car. It's more like a golfcart with a cover... but it's very zippy and I can park a lot easier and speed around these tight ancient roads. It's a Chevy Matiz, they dont' have them in the US I don't think. Got it from Enterprise, of course!!!!

count down.......

Well there are only 16 days left before I leave!!!!!! Cannot believe it's coming to an end. I'm spending my last days meeting up with all my pals and reconnecting with colleagues from the University etc. Don't want to miss a thing or an opportunity while I'm still here. I actually have my clothes organised in suitcases already to come home... I'm ready, physically and emotionally. It's been a hell of a ride over here and I don't regret coming at all!!! I have missed St. Louis and my family, but it was a chance of a lifetime to study over here and work for the film festival, who knows maybe I'll come back and work with them again some day! Very excited to bring Louis back with me, he'll love meeting his cousins, Roland and Lucy, and it'll be fun to take him around Forest Park, although he's not used to being on a leash, but he's good on it when he has to be on one.

Jerry isn't coming to St Louis until June. He'll be in Nigeria starting his new job there. Hopefully by the time he makes it to St. Louis, I'll have a house all picked out and we can start our life in the USA!!!!

Gavin and Ann Marie's Wedding

The wedding was at Dundas Castle here in Edinburgh. It was lovely and we all had a very nice time. It was fun to see Jerry in a Kilt again!

Traquair House

This is the oldest inhabited house Scotland. It is right outside Glentress where Jerry mountain bikes all the time. They do rent it out for parties, I looked at it for our wedding, but it it was too far outside of Edinburgh. It takes about 30 minutes to get there. After I dropped Jer off to do his downhill run, I took a drive up the road to see it. Very cool, but glad I didn't pick it for our wedding.

Valentine's via Kazakhstan

I received a dozen long stemmed roses today, with a sweet cuddly teddy bear, to take Jerry's place!!! Via a florist in KZ,.. not I assume the internet, really. It was a nice surprise. Can't wait for Jerry to be home.

Nite out with the gals...

Went out to see a friend of ours whose band was playing at the Bongo Club, she's the lead singer. Here's my pals, Isla, Natalie and Naomi. Also had a catch up with some of the gals I worked with at Eleganza. Was great nite!

Trip to Montrose to visit my pal Kerry

Louis and I headed off this past Friday to visit my friend Kerry, who lives in Montrose, which is in Angus north of us, but not as far North as Aberdeen or Inverness. It's a lovely port town on the North Sea. I drove up through Dundee, Arbroath, then into Montrose. Dundee is famous for technological discoveries, and a lot of IT development. Arbroath is where the Scots claim the US declaration of independence was 'copied' from the The Declaration of Arbroath (sometimes called the Declaration of Independence) was Scotland's response to the excommunication. It is one of the great icons of Scotland and is in the form of a letter (in Latin) to the Pope from eight earls and 31 barons of Scotland asking him in rousing terms to acknowledge Scotland as an independent nation and to reject the claims of the English king. The Declaration was ahead of its time as it sets out that the king (previously regarded as appointed by God) could be driven out if he did not uphold the freedom of the country.

"For so long as there shall but one hundred of us remain alive we will never give consent to subject ourselves to the dominion of the English. For it is not glory, it is not riches, neither is it honours, but it is liberty alone that we fight and contend for, which no honest man will lose but with his life."

We took a fantastic walk at Lunan Bay on Saturday, saw the remnants of the cliffside Red Castle. It was unseasonably warm and we had a blast. My other pal Steve King (Kingy) came up to, so we just had dinner and then hung out at Ker's house.... which we all discussed and we think it's haunted, considering it was built in the 1700's.

OUR HOUSE IS SOLD!!!!!!

Well, we've accepted an offer from a lovely couple, the Herbert's. We're very pleased with everything. Just waiting for the final contracts to get finished, as usual, there are some missing documents from the addition of the conservatory on the house, but we think we've found them and it's all under control. Move in date for the new people is 4 April!!!!!! Can't believe it. I better get crackin' with the packin'.

Our House's Sell Sheet , click here to see PDF

The link above should send you to the pdf download for our 'schedule' as they call it here. it's what we give out to people who come look, or for the solicitors to give out.

We've had great feed back from everyone, and it looks as if it's going to sell a lot quicker than we thought. But still the process takes a while, so still shooting for March at the earliest.

Bowling...

Went with Niamh, Mikael, Bruce, Ashley and Jerry for a night of bowling and Pizza... was a good time. Can't wait to be back in STL and go bowling with Kate and Steve. it's very funny how they all assume American's are all major bowlers... must be a Big Labowski thing. ;-) I actually did not have the lowest score, I was 3rd to last in the first game and 2nd to last in the 2nd. I don't ever care about winning,... to me, bowling is something to do while you socialize.

Finally... REAL SNOW!!!!

Well it finally snowed for real, several days ago!! It was fantastic!! It snowed again 2 days ago, and at the moment it's raining, so all the snow will melted by morning. Here is a pic of our back yard the day it was really coming down!!! Can't remember when it was, think it was Jan 4. Doesn't matter, it looked so beautiful.

The house is on the market!

Well, it's about time to wrap this adventure up. We have the solicitors coming next week to get the last details of the house finalised and then all we have to do is get somebody to cough up the dinero!!!!

I really hope it goes quickly and we can be in St.Louis by March. I do love Edinburgh and Scotland and the entire UK has so much history etc.... but I think I've done my time and I'm ready to come home.

"There's no place like home!" Ha. I do feel like Dorothy, I've met some wonderful people here and a few baddies, no wicked witches, but there have definately been some flying monkeys. ;-)
I feel that I've done what I came here to do and soooo much more. I never expected to be so ready to come back to the USA, I never realized how different the rest of the world is and while different is exciting, it also makes you feel very temporary, if that makes any sense. Everything seems transitional, because most things in your daily life aren't really comfortable and familiar, but thats just adjustment and over the last 2 years, I've come pretty comfortable and this does feel like a type of home to me. I guess if it wasn't for the exchange rate and the unbelievable expense of daily living here, we might want to stay, but once again, there is no quality of life like living in the United States. Unless we won the lotto over here.... hahah. Then I'd be buying myself a wee Highland Castle and flying to St. Louis whenever I get homesick.

New Year's Eve

Here's Jerry in his Rusky Fox Fur hat, that he only wears on New Year's eve, (good thing he didn't bring it to Florida last year, hehe)

Since Scotland takes pride in claiming they are THE place to be on New Year's Eve and that no one celebrates it like they do, AND Edinburgh is the biggest Hogmanay (that's the New Year Celebration) Party in Scotland, we thought we'd stay here and do the street party. Honestly, it was cool, but it was just like any other big crowded street party.... the fireworks were fab, though. It was fun and I'm glad to say I've seen it.