Moving Progress

Well, we have managed to move nearly all of our belongings from the bungalow to the Big House. The Big House is very spacious and cool. The brick really keeps the heat out- we haven't used the air conditioning much. That's saying a lot, since it was over 100 degrees Friday and Saturday while we were moving.

Today, I'll be cleaning the bungalow and packing up the very last items. It's so bittersweet. I've loved my bungalow so very much. Mr. Radar likes the big house. He has an office and a man cave. He has been very cheerful. I'm sad to lose my kitchen. It truly is the most beautiful kitchen. Big house does have a big kitchen, but it's hardly functional at all. It has a terrible lay out and a few unusable drawers. It does have a gas oven and cooktop, which is a plus for me. To ease my pain, Mr. Radar got me a new Shark steam cleaning floor mop. It is so cool. It does my OCD heart good.


We did get a new washer and dryer from the bargain center at HHGreg. They have a whole section of appliances that are floor models, or returned, or slightly dinged. We got slightly dinged Frigidaire Affinity front loading washer and dryer. They are very nice and they were quite a steal. Just as nice as our LG Washer and Dryer at the Bungalow.


Mama Bee (Mr. Radar's mom) and I also managed to paint the master bedroom. Our renter, (who shall be known as the Librarian) helped out too. We still have so many rooms to go, so I'm hoping to shore up some more help. One of our friends suggested throwing a Pizza & Paint house warming party. Invite all our friends, tell them to bring paint brushes & rollers, feed them and give them alcohol. Oh, and of course, ask them to paint. It could work, right? What do you think?

Images from here and here

Bye Bye Blue Bungalow

Several posts ago I told you about our difficult situation regarding our bungalow. We rented the bungalow in anticipation of moving to London. Our change of station was cancelled at the last moment and we had no idea what to do. Should we leave our renter homeless? Should we try to find another property to rent for ourselves? What to do?!!

It's been a stressful situation all around. At first, Mr. Radar and I tried to find a new property for our renter. There wasn't anything comparable and we felt guilty all around. When an opportunity to rent-to-own another property came along, we decided to take it. It wasn't an easy decision. In fact, I've cried nearly every day for the last three weeks. (I'm doing better now, for the most part). I love my bungalow, and it has been a lovely home. We hope our renter loves it as much as we do. We may even keep the bungalow in the long term as a rental property. We haven't decided that yet.

There are a lot of pluses to the new property. It's only two blocks away from the bungalow. It's a two story brick Federal style house. It's very large- nearly 2,500 square feet not including the full (but unfinished) basement. It has a garage as well. The house has tons of potential but needs a lot of work. It needs bathroom & kitchen upgrades, as well as new paint and flooring.
For right now, all we can do is paint.

Cue Martha:


Today, I'm heading over to the Big Orange to get some of Martha's swatches and look at some ceiling fans.

Image from here

Pictures from Mr. Radar's House Hunting Trip

Mr. Radar is in London on a house hunting trip, has sent me some pictures of Balham and Clapham South from his iPhone. Not the best quality, but it gives better detail into the housing stock than what I could find on the internet.





I'm so excited. The brick Victorians were exactly what we are looking for. You can't tell from the pictures, but Mr. Radar informs me that these pictures were taken on the edge of Clapham Common- the giant park.
Let's hear from Mr. Radar himself:
"I really like the area. There are a variety of small shops several coffee shops and the area is quite large. The area around the tube station is lively and the residential streets look clean and kept. There is a great mixture of families, students, etc. I think you will like this area."

The Big Purge

Things are at a stand still for right now. I've packed all of the boxes I can- but I continue to parse down unnecessary stuff. I've given away appliances, furniture (two huge 7 foot tall wardrobes!!), clothes, bags, and a childhood toys. Nothing pained me more than seeing our cats go to a new home.
Scout and Louise, our two lovebirds, have gone to live with Mr. Radar's parents for the next three years. We've visited them quite a few times since dropping them off in suburbia, and frankly, they don't seem to miss us at all!


Scout pictured above. Louise is elusive, and frankly a bit scared of the camera. There are no known photographs of the two of them together- so just revel in the cuteness that is scout. Photo creds to Mary in STL.

Long day of Immigration details

There are so many intricacies to immigrating to a new country- even if it is temporary. Our visa process is progressing, though there are many more steps to complete.

Poor Buddy's European Union passport, otherwise known as the Pet Travel Scheme, is not going so well. Our vet has never processed an international pet passport and basically refused to help us. After 3 hours on the phone with USDA, I found the APHIS veterinarian in Ohio. I spent nearly an hour on hold just to talk to a representative for Ohio APHIS. After all that, she did not tell me anything that I didn't already know.

In short, Buddy will be very confused, but unharmed. We are assured that the microchipping and blood tests are harmless, and are considered routine veterinary processes. Buddy will stay with his grandparents for three months, but remain with us in England for the other 2 years and 6 months.



For anyone else going through this, your cat, dog or ferret needs:

A special ISO compliant microchip
A new Rabies shot, done after he/she is microchipped
THEN a TITER Rabies test. The test can only be processed at the Kansas State Rabies Laboratory.

IF there is enough antibodies in the pets system, she begins her six month wait to enter the UK. Pets could go to the UK after the above steps are completed, BUT they will sit in quarantine for up to 180 months.

Also:
Need a letter from the veterinarian
Need to take a special form (EU 998) to the USDA APHIS facility. The nearest one to Dayton is in Pickerington, OH near Columbus. Hopefully, they certify our paperwork.

Lastly, the pet needs to be treated for fleas and ticks 24-48 hours prior to departure.

THEN the pet has to go to a certified airport, using a certified route (non-stop to London via Gatwick or Heathrow only).

It's all worth it to have Buddy with us. He'll get to spend time with the British mutts, play in British fields, and maybe even chase a pheasant or two.

Mind the Gap

Mind the language gap, that is. I'm currently searching for books to help us adjust to the Queen's English. I don't want to accidently insult someone's grandmother. My goal is to brush up on the Brits before taking off for Old Blighty. Here are a few books I think might help. I will review the books in a later post.


I'm definitely getting "Rules, Britannia" by Tony Summers Hargis.



I'm also considering an anthropology text, "Watching the English: The Hidden Rules of English Behaviour" by Kate Fox


"Brittania in Brief" looks like it would be good for someone going on holiday.

New city, new neighborhood

We put together a little wish list for our new neighborhood in London. Finding a neighborhood that fits is a tall order. We value civic engagement, green space, transportation links, and friendliness. Finding a neighborhood in London with these qualities will be difficult, but we're up for the challenge.

Here is our wish list, in order of importance.

1) Price is very important. We have a budget specified by Mr. Radar's employer. Although this budget is generous, London is expensive and some areas are simply out of our price range. Adorable Notting HIll, trendy SoHo, and posh Chelsea are out of the picture.
2) Proximity to Mr. Radar's office. We would like to find something within a 1.5 mile radius of his office, located in Camden Town, North London.
3) We need at least two bedrooms and a decent sized kitchen.
4) Neighborhood character. We want something with access to pubs, markets, and a park to walk our dog.
5) Modest garden for our dog, Buddy.

University College London, where Mr. Radar will work.

*image courtesy of http://ucl.ac.uk

Our wish list is pretty big, I know. From scoping out online lettings sights, I know that there are flats & terrace homes available in our price range that satisfy all of our criteria.

Neighborhoods in consideration: Islington, Kings Cross, Canonbury, Kentish Town, Tuffnell Park, and Holloway. We also like Swiss Cottage and St. John's Wood, but they are a little farther from Mr. Radar's office than we would prefer.

And so it begins...

Beginnings and ends always seem to be filled with boxes. Fragile ones, heavy ones, dreaded ones. Some boxes-filled with pictures and memories-bring delight. Others contain unwanted items never to be seen again. Today, there are boxes everywhere, imposing order on chaos.



I am moving. In fact, we are moving across the pond. I'm following my husband, Mr. Radar to the land of fish and chips. I have about 7 weeks to grab all my stuff, my dog, and my husband- and hop a plane to another world. I'm not really the expatriate or adventuresome type. I'm a wife, writer, and urban advocate. Mr. Radar is a bit of a mad-scientist, and is taking a three year research assignment in London. Many friends have asked me to chronicle our time in London.

This blog is my attempt. In the next weeks, I anticipate struggles as we say goodbye to our beloved home, bid our friends farewell for now, and try to navigate through our new world- sans a few boxes, of course.