ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
United KingdomHow Did You Move Your Stuff?
Back to topic:

I brought over an extra case and also used UPS which took 4 days door to door. I had to list everything, sign a statement that it was all my personal goods, and that they were over a year old, and I had no intention of selling anything. I didn't need to supply a copy of my visa or anything. Of course, rules could have changed since then.

Really take a long hard look at what is important to you. I shipped 7 HUGE boxes over and nearly 3 years down the line, I would say I have got rid of at least 3 boxes of the stuff. Then again, I am always aware of not building up a bulk of ####### as we intend to move back in a few years.
Lou LouFemale02007-02-17 10:54:00
United KingdomHow Did You Move Your Stuff?

better than with Adolph Hitler and Carmen Electra!

:blink:

I have never run into anyone with the same actual birthday...and tbh, I don't know why seeing one here excited me so much...given the statistical chances of all the people in the world and only 365 days to choose from, lol.


So it's just you, me, Hitler, Carmen and TheZilla. ;)
Lou LouFemale02007-02-17 10:50:00
United KingdomWedding Plans

Elope. :whistle:


I tell ya what, we didn't elope, but we had a TINY wedding. Just me, hubby, and a couple of friends as witnesses. That was it and it was wonderful. It was OUR day and we did it exactly how we wanted it. :)


We didn't elope either, but we had a tiny wedding too. Just us and a couple of strangers off the street. It was fab. :thumbs:
Lou LouFemale02007-02-26 10:55:00
United KingdomWedding Plans
Elope. :whistle:
Lou LouFemale02007-02-26 10:30:00
United KingdomUK Tax help please.......

Hi ALl.

I moved to the USA in November 2006, and got married on a K1 fiance visa December 1st 2006.

I was self emplyed from Jan 06 - Nov 06 when I left. I didnt file a tax return before I left, or notifly them I moved abroad. I have been ignoring it hoping it will go away.......I think I needed to file this JAn 07 for the end of that tax year, and then what do i do with this tax year?

I have 2 questions (morals aside)

1; Will the USA find out when I do AOS and could it effect me?
2; Will the uk tax people find me, or just ignore it if i am not at that address.

I feel so bad about this and keep putting off doing anything cos I know I dont have the money for a tax bill, and I figure with a new name in a new country it wont matter? I know thats bad....Any ideas anyone?
I did pay tax as a PAYE before I went self employed.


1 - No, this will not affect your AOS in any way.
2 - Who knows - they may at some point??

I was self-employed in the UK too. I was a tax and NI payer but that is not the point. This is just my experience with the tax office and being self-employed.

The only thing I think it would affect is if you returned to the UK and started work again. Never say never and all that. I assume, because there was no tax paid, and they did not even know you were working, there is still the issue of NI contributions unless you were registered as unemployed. That means your NI contributions have not been paid for those months. Most would argue that there probably won't be a pension available for you when you retire, but NI contributions also count towards sick pay and other things I can't be arsed to look up. Again, this isn't relevant to you if you plan on never returning, but that is the question no one can answer from the future, near or far.

I don't know. That's the only thing I can see happening. But like Mark says, going back at some point would make it difficult, and there would be a huge bill waiting for you once you kick into the system again.

Personally, I'm too much of a worrier too. Call your local tax office back home. I have ALWAYS had very good luck with their staff. They are friendly and helpful, and surprisingly know what they're doing most of the time! But that is your choice. For now, you don't have to worry yourself -- people have done a lot worse! PM me if you need help. :)
Lou LouFemale02007-03-07 19:23:00
United KingdomHow are you getting around the mothers day issue?
There is no issue with Mothers Day, surely? If you usually send cards and gifts, what is to stop you now? There are plenty of cards out there that are plain so you can write your own message. Endless of flower companies too....Tescos, M&S, Next, etc. all do those fancy ones and even bunches.co.uk which are budget priced have been reliable for me in the past! Most of them come with a card for an extra few quid.

I buy 2 cards when Mothers Day comes around here. My Mum gets another one then, and I save the second one for the following year. My Mum is not in the best of health, and 70 next year, so there is always this thought in the back of my head whether she will even be around to recieve it...and that feels horrible.

It's not that hard to remember or find out the correct dates. Most diaries list International holidays and special days. No excuses for your Mum. :no:

Jezelbel -- I agree with Lisa. Your future MIL is just finding it hard to accept her lil 'un is leaving. She is not dealing with it in the best of ways, and sounds like she's crying out for some support and attention. She needs him as much as he needs her.

Edited by Lou Lou, 13 March 2007 - 07:05 AM.

Lou LouFemale02007-03-13 07:04:00
United KingdomIn theory......

If a UK male citizen visited his US wife-to-be, BEFORE filing any K1 and while visiting decided to get married on the spot, what are the pros and cons? What is the procedure? What is likely to happen and what is the worst that could happen?



In theory you would be entering the country with immigrant intent as it's written in black and white right here for the world to see!

Is it worth the risk? That's up to you. Plenty of people have done it, but there's no way I would put my ####### on the line. :no:
Lou LouFemale02007-03-15 08:47:00
United KingdomThe VJ pub chatter thread

I love the random questions like "what road runs from Kent in to lodon..."


The London Road?


Depends where in Kent, doesn't it? One of the main ones is the A2. That's the other great thing about a pub quiz - the drunken disagreements. ;)

Our local has a pub quiz but it doesn't feel the same with US general knowledge. :no:
Lou LouFemale02007-03-05 21:09:00
United KingdomThe VJ pub chatter thread

Oh, and I WISH i had a full purple fur coat! Sadly mine's only cuffs and collar....



Had to have a chuckle to myself about that. "Cuffs and Collar" often refers to something else in the UK. For example, "I bet her cuffs and collar don't match" ;)

My whine for the day, and actually the entire week is the weather. Another classic brit pub subject. Away with the snow! We've had 10 inches over the last couple of days (which isn't that much), and expecting another 10 this week on top of a massive 30 inches on V day. I know I can't complain too much, cos I do live around several ski resort areas, but geez, I've had enough and need some warmth. This week our night time lows are -23c (-11f) and getting to a balmy -17c (1f) in the day. Don't even go there with the wind chills. I know we get cold and snow like this, and do every winter...but in March? I long for spring and daffodils in Hyde Park. :(
Lou LouFemale02007-03-05 10:02:00
United KingdomThe VJ pub chatter thread
Forgot the most obvious one. My dad's cousin was Tommy Cooper. :secret:

There is no chance to celeb spot in dullsville Vermont. Sandra Bullock's sister runs a bakery/deli a block away but that is about it. Sandra does visit and when she does, there is a line half a mile long to see her serve. There may be some others poodling around at the ski resorts but buggered if I'm going there to spot them. I miss Heat and Now magazine for some trash reading.
Lou LouFemale02007-03-04 12:18:00
United KingdomThe VJ pub chatter thread
That is funny - I have also seen Palin, Wogan and Ross. I used to have an office overlooking the actor's church in Covent Garden and would often spend many afternoons star spotting. Way too many to mention. Loads of The Bill actors seem to hang out in Brighton too for some reason. Me and me mam once saw Princess Margaret coming down an escalator in Harvey Nicks. My Mum didn't realise who it was as she was too busy looking at her hands and turned around and said to me "She doesn't do much housework". :lol:

I also have worked with some 'celebs' on books - Rick Stein (lovely bloke), Jamie Oliver (no comment), Philip Pullman (no comment, again), Kevin McCloud (a big dirty flirt), Mary Quant (she's VERY shy but sweet), Carol Vorderman (great nights out getting pissed), Miriam Stoppard (NOT nice), and my favourite claim...Sister Wendy :thumbs:

Eddie Izzard and Paul O'Grady were regs in the pub where I would go for lunch at work and Richard Branson went to my local when I lived in Maida Vale - he is one of the nicest blokes you will ever meet. Laurence Lewellyn Wotsit was my neighbour for 4 years who was very nice but his wife held VERY loud parties. We also used to see Vic & Bob in the pub next door to our school so lunchtimes were spent glued to the windows.
Lou LouFemale02007-03-04 12:13:00
United KingdomWhat do you miss that you never thought you would?

My husband is surprised by how much he misses roundabouts.


:lol: We have one here in town and literally nobody knows how to use it. Cars stop in the middle to let others on...and one truck went around the middle of it, instead of on the road. :rolleyes: Don't get me started on the lack of signaling and talking on their phones. :bonk: The driving test is way too easy. I didn't even have to get in reverse gear for mine. :help:

Edited by Lou Lou, 07 March 2007 - 08:48 AM.

Lou LouFemale02007-03-07 08:47:00
United KingdomWhat do you miss that you never thought you would?
Yeh, this is my 3rd full winter and I don't like it anymore. The first was a novelty and I'd always be out in it...the second was OK for the first 3 months, but then I got tired of it...the third I was ready for it to be over by 1st December. I don't know what I expected cos it's a ski resort area so it's gonna be nothing but snow for 5 months, right? :wacko:

The longing for food items does diminish, and when you go home to stash up on your favourites you realise they maybe weren't quite so good for you after all.

I do miss the British sense of humour too. A lot. There is a large dose of irony deficiency over here. :ph34r:
Lou LouFemale02007-03-05 21:16:00
United KingdomWhat do you miss that you never thought you would?
I went through all manner of things that I missed over the past few years. I think the main one for me is the weather. I love grey gloomy days, I love days when you stay in cos it's pissing down, I love the wind, I love the spring air. I just don't get that here. Don't laugh. :lol:
Lou LouFemale02007-03-05 19:45:00
United KingdomUK Recipe Thread
I can get currants and sultanas in my local co-op. Candied peel can be bought at an Italian deli if you have one near you. I don't, but I know most delis sell it. If you're still out of luck, buy them online. I'm sure plenty of places sell them. The secret to a decent fruit cake is to soak the fruit in booze. And lots of it.
Lou LouFemale02007-03-19 11:30:00
United KingdomUK Recipe Thread
I'll second that Indian cook book. It really is quite good. There is always good old Madhur Jaffrey - she has several good books. And this one is my new bible at the moment:

http://www.amazon.co...s...8035&sr=8-1


As someone who has worked in publishing for donkey's years, it is illegal to copy & paste recipes from a book on to a public forum, so please do it in private if you have to do it at all. It really is annoying when you see this -- these authors don't really get much money from writing a book, you know. There are endless recipe and copywrite free sites out there to gain a wealth of information. Even Delia has a flurry of her recipes for free online!

My tip for curries would be to use curry leaves and to grind your own spices - not buy a premixed spice. They really do make a difference. Cooking meat on the bone adds lots of flavour, and ghee or coconut milk add that essential fat!
Lou LouFemale02007-03-19 07:52:00
United KingdomReally Dumb questions you've been asked about the UK
I've only had one incident happen to me.

My dental receptionist is called Sandie and she sounds like a complete dipshit. She speaks really s l o w l y and you'd mistake her for a real hick. Anyway, it's obvious she isn't as she has to deal with health insurance companies, and for that I take my hat off to her. But...

Sandie: "Hiyyaa, it's Sandie from Dr Herbert's surgery"
Me: "Oh hi Sandie"
Sandie: "Just reminding you that you have an appoinment tomorrow"
Me: "Yes, thanks"
Sandie: "Did you have a nice Thanksgiving"
Me: "Yes thanks, did you?"
Sandie: "Yeh, I had a real good time...didya celebrate and see ya family?"
Me: "No, not really seeing as I'm English an all...we don't really do anything"
Sandie: "So you don't have Thanksgiving in the UK?"
Me: "Umm, no"
Sandie: "How come?"

Now I had been waiting to say this all year..

Me: "Well, we celebrate it on 4th July instead"
Sandie: "Really? well that's kinda odd"

Long pause

Sandie: "I can't imagine eatin turkey in July"

True. Every bit of it!
Lou LouFemale02007-03-19 11:39:00
United KingdomVaccinations

Thanks for the advice! Do you recall the name of the clinic in Victoria, or is it just one of those MediCentres in the station itself? I'm sure we'll try the GP route first, always worth a shot...(pun NOT intended! :lol: )


It was the Medicenter. You will point out to him that getting titres also involves needles, so he has to endure one or the other. But that is one needle for blood, rather than several if he needs more than one vaccination.

Poor thing having rubella - that is painful! When I was a baby, we never got immunised but then only girls got jabbed age 11-12 at school.

My titre results were interesting. I had extremely high readings for all of them which meant I was safely immune. The rubella was so high, the nurse said if I had gone through with an MMR it would have made me very sick.
Lou LouFemale02007-03-24 10:49:00
United KingdomVaccinations

Does anyone know if the doctor can give you a waiver for some of the jabs if you've actually had the diseases? Bruce didn't get the MMR as a kid, but actually had measles, mumps and rubella (poor thing) as well as chicken pox. I assume that you develop antibodies to the diseases that will be detectable in the bloodstream, and his medical records would confirm that he had definitely had the diseases. Whether or not this is acceptable to the Embassy is another kettle of fish, but as he is squeamish of needles (and he already knows he has to get a tetanus jab) it would be nice to spare him a few extra holes in the arm/bum! :)


If he wants to spare the needles, he'd have to get titres done. He could try and get his GP to do them for free but most of them won't. Otherwise lots of private clinics do them for a good price. I got mine done at the clinic at Victoria station for convenience. It took about a week for the results. I'd like to point out that I got titres because I do not agree with pumping my body with viruses I already have -- not because I'm a big girl about the jabs. :P
Lou LouFemale02007-03-24 09:22:00
United KingdomVaccinations

No Shingles is a reactivation of the varicella zoster virus (chickenpox). So in theory, you can catch chickenpox three times and STILL get an outbreak of Shingles at some point... :dead:

The actual Chickenpox virus can remain dormant for decades. When reactivated, the virus spreads down peripheral nerve fibres and produces intense pain. They are most common on the torso, but can also appear on the face or other parts of the body.

Outbreaks occur for many reasons, most of which are a result of events which decrease the immune system such as ageing, severe emotional stress, severe illness or long-term use of steroids. There have been recorded cases of outbreaks occurring due to unmanaged stress or other stresses to the skin such as pinching, scratching, or biting.

<End of Medical Lesson>

:P


Do you write on Wikipedia, Mags or are you just paraphrasing from it? ;)
Lou LouFemale02007-03-24 09:19:00
United KingdomIts ALMOST eastery time!
(There are an awful lot of BNP members in here :P :whistle: )
Lou LouFemale02007-04-06 07:51:00
United KingdomIts ALMOST eastery time!
http://www.englishte...aster-eggs.html

This place has some damn fine sales and they're quick too. My stuff came in 2 days. If you sign up with them (it's free), they offer free shipping at certain times over the year (this time being one of them!), so you can really stock up. Bit late for the weekend, but who cares when you eat easter eggs.
Lou LouFemale02007-04-06 07:44:00
United KingdomI'm so glad this weekend is about over..

I don't see how these couples do it that wait a month or so after receiving their visa to do the moving. Sure, its smarter, especially with the exchange rate on money, but that flight is going to be booked AS SOON AS he receives that visa. And it'll be within a weeks time, hopefully the following day or so. lol I'm very impatient and he seems to be getting that way as well. At least on this subject.


I waited 3 months after getting my visa. I guess I didn't see a rush, and it was more of a transition than a big move. We had already been together for 6 years so it was more of a matter of one of us getting around to moving properly rather than starting a new life together. Your time will come...just think of it as a matter of hours rather than looong days. :thumbs:
Lou LouFemale02007-04-09 07:51:00
United KingdomI'm so glad this weekend is about over..

You actually get far more Official Holidays in the USA than you do in the UK:

Federal Legal Holidays 2007
• January 1, 2007: New Year's Day [Jan. 1 every year]
• January 2, 2007: national day of mourning, Gerald R. Ford
• January 15, 2007: Martin Luther King Day [3rd monday in Jan]
• February 19, 2007: Presidents Day (observed) [3rd monday in Feb]
note: Presidents Day is also Washington's Birthday (observed)
• May 28, 2007: Memorial Day (observed) [last monday in May]
• July 4, 2007: Independence Day [July 4 every year]
• September 3, 2007: Labor Day [1st monday in Sept]
• October 8, 2007: Columbus Day (observed) [2nd monday in Oct]
• November 11, 2007: Veterans' Day [Nov. 11 every year]
• November 22, 2007: Thanksgiving Day [4th thursday in Nov]
• December 25, 2007: Christmas Day [Dec. 25 every year]

Whereas the UK gets these official days off:

New Year, Good Friday, Easter Monday, May Day, Spring (May 28th), Summer Bank Holiday (August), Christmas and Boxing Day.


Hardly anyone gets all those days off in the US, but a huge majority of people in the UK get the official holidays. I can count only 4 of those US holidays where I have had time off. I always had those 8 days off in the UK. Plus the holiday entitlement people in the UK get compared to the US. I'm SO glad I'm self-employed -- I could not stick the lack of holidays in a proper job here. :whistle:
Lou LouFemale02007-04-09 07:48:00
USCIS Service CentersHow many wished they lived up north to apply through Vermont?

You guys, remember that living within the realms of the VSC means you have to live in (essentailly) New England - and we have to have something nice to make up for the lousy winters!!

You'll all get there, and hold onto the end result.

:star:


Hah, I was just about to type the same thing! Plus, not everything is fast through VSC. The removal of conditions is much slower than other service centers. You take the good with the bad...

I'm sure no one would want to swap for a VT winter....
Lou LouFemale02006-12-14 17:36:00
United KingdomP85 - Claiming back UK tax when leaving UK permanently

You are allowed to earn up to £5,225 for tax year 2007/8, TAX FREE. Anything over that you are taxed. When you leave the country, if your earnings from April 1st to your leaving date are under this £5,225, you get all the tax you paid refunded. Any earnings over that limit may be partially refunded....I think that depends on your situation. But, anyone leaving for the US pretty soon, should get all their tax refunded (since April 1st).......unless they are earning a considerable salary.
The P85 is pretty easy to complete, and they can pay the money straight into your bank acocunt if that is what you request. I have done it a couple of times before and got the refund within a few months.
Hope this helps.


My husband is afraid that if he fills that out, he won't be able to use the NHS anymore. :lol: :lol:


Once he lives in America as a PR for 3 years, he won't be able to use the NHS anymore without returning to the UK and fulfilling residency requirements again.


I can't find any official thing about this right now though... but I've come across it a few times, online and once on a TV show about British people living in Spain.


It's 3 months...

http://www.nhsdirect...?articleId=1963

And if you return for a trip...

http://www.nhsdirect...?ArticleId=1086
Lou LouFemale02007-04-16 09:53:00
United KingdomFrey Bentos pies
Bleurgh :o have you seen the ingredients of one of those things? Don't they have a shelf life of about 20 years like Twinkies? I'm sure your heart is pretty relieved that you're not having them any more. Just pour 3 tablespoons of salt over some lumps masquerading itself as 'meat', add some brown salt water, sorry I mean gravy, and stodge disguising itself as pastry, and there you have your Fray Bentos pie :dead:

(All in jest of course :jest: but sorry, that is one thing I'm glad customs doesn't allow into the country :thumbs:;))
Lou LouFemale02006-02-03 04:35:00
United KingdomRegarding Time Lines and Interviews and other topics... :)
I asked for a later interview date in a short covering letter with my packet 3. They were very accomodating and even gave me a day within the dates I asked for.
Lou LouFemale02006-04-28 13:28:00
United KingdomCHECK YOUR VISA CAREFULLY
To add to this, check your visa once you have been processed at the POE. When I came through Philly the POE's handwriting was so poor it was actually read as a R1, not K1 which led to all kinds of problems with me not being in the system. I couldn't get a SSN and didn't understand why. After several trips to the local USCIS office they discovered the mistake thank gawd. It led to me having to drive up to the Canadian border and entering the country (I was in no man's land area so didn't actually leave the US) and then be processed again at the Canadian POE.
Lou LouFemale02006-05-15 14:45:00