ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
Removing Conditions on Residency General DiscussionCase cannot be found?
Agreed with others - I got the 'case not found' message until the day my ROC was approved. :)
Alex & RachelFemaleEngland2012-01-09 11:33:00
United Kingdom~Off Topic Thread~
QUOTE (Jeraly @ Mar 20 2008, 10:43 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
OMG - did you like read my mind or something?! That is exactly what I have in mind - with a little tiffany lamp or a baker's lamp - you know the brass ones with the green shade? The map kills me though - I have seen a gorgeous one I love here - too much time looking at the stupid magazine on trans-Atlantic flights!!! It is perfect but I don't know how I will make it work with my wall-covered shelves!!!

Know how you feel!! And have gone off on green tea - have been drinking nettle and peppermint tea, lemon and ginger tea and cherry and cinnamon tea smile.gif I need to get some more chamomile though smile.gif

Well, you know what they say about great minds thinking alike! biggrin.gif

That's an awesome wall tapestry - if the furniture was dark/old-fashioned it'd go perfectly!

My green tea's flavoured with pineapple and grapefruit, it's yummy. I must admit I'm not too keen on ordinary green tea - and I really only dunk the teabag in for a few seconds because otherwise it tastes too bitter. Peppermint and fruit teas are awesome, though!

QUOTE (Crikey! @ Mar 20 2008, 10:47 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Good morning afternoon everyone. smile.gif Rachel, your library sounds lovely. Definitely include the fireplace because California gets cold too. I miss my old fireplace and would love to have one here so I don't have to turn on the furnace when it gets chilly. (Did I mention that I believe anything under 70f/20c is chilly? blush.gif I've definitely moved to the right State.)

It is raining here finally. I love the rain. We don't get enough of it. You know what I think is awesome? When the sprinkler system comes on during the rain. mad.gif ('Awesome' is such a versatile word, don't you think?)

Good afternoon! It's true - California is a little chilly at times. I was thinking more of how sunny it usually is. It seems wrong to have a fire going on a sunny day, no matter how cold it is! Still, it's not going to be sunny every day so I could always have a fireplace for those few rainy days. luv.gif

I'm a little chilly under those temperatures, too. Maybe I have poor circulation - perhaps that's why I have a pet snake!
Alex & RachelFemaleEngland2008-03-20 07:33:00
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Good morning! smile.gif

Yeah...overcast here, too. Maybe I'll go and make a green tea.

I know that sometime in the future Alex would like to move to another state - he has his eye on Washington. I'm really not so sure, though - I've been dreaming of all the Californian sunshine! I was hoping to stay away from grey clouds and rain for a while. blush.gif
Alex & RachelFemaleEngland2008-03-20 05:23:00
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I have a fair few books, too - of course the problem is that they're all here, in the UK! wink.gif I'm going to be getting rid of all the ones I definitely won't re-read, although I'm also going to keep quite a few - it'll be more economical to ship across a couple of boxes than to sell them and then buy new copies once I'm in the US.

The library's the one room for which I have a definite vision in mind...floor-to-ceiling bookcases, leather reading chairs, a large wall map, and I'd like a free-standing globe, too...a fireplace would complete the setting, although it'd also be redundant in California. biggrin.gif
Alex & RachelFemaleEngland2008-03-19 17:37:00
United Kingdom~Off Topic Thread~
QUOTE (elmcitymaven @ Mar 19 2008, 06:30 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I ran away from work and am now intermittently reading and snoozing in a big comfy leather chair in the main university library. I feel cozy on this wet, grey day!

Oh, sounds blissful! One of the main life goals that Alex and I share is to eventually have a big enough house that we can designate one room as being solely the 'library' and have two big leather reading chairs.

QUOTE (Mark and Hannah @ Mar 19 2008, 07:33 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Today has been surprisingly sunny!

I also met by random chance in the street today someone I haven't seen since I was 16 and now he's been ordained and is living in my hometown... small world.

And today Mark met with the pastor and made a tentative wedding date of 6th September - so I'm hoping we can keep to that date!

I hope that you can, too!
Alex & RachelFemaleEngland2008-03-19 15:15:00
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laughing.gif

You have no idea how often I use 'awesome' when I speak - I'm more careful when I write but I can't take the time to find more varied alternatives when I speak. I didn't really notice how often I said it until my dad visited New Zealand and returned with a cap for me with 'Awesome' written on it - he said it suited me perfectly! blush.gif

Happy Wednesday redkitty! Crikey! I feel like I haven't seen you in ages!
Alex & RachelFemaleEngland2008-03-19 06:55:00
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I'm moving to California - but I still wouldn't want to experience Florida's weather! The weather can also be quite humid in the UK and two? three? summers ago (the last time we had a proper summer, really) I remember arriving at work with my shirt wet through it was so humid. I found California's heat far more bearable because it was very dry.

Reading back through the thread I see I agree with a lot of other people, too!

I really miss the sun - although it's quite sunny today. I have an office with a big south-facing bay window and when the sun is out it's glorious.
Alex & RachelFemaleEngland2008-03-19 05:02:00
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QUOTE (Jeraly @ Mar 17 2008, 06:58 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHh I think I want to scream!!!!! Am sooo fed up with all this BS now - theyve introduced a new police check thing so the one I have might not be valid and I already sent back my packet 3. Not only that but this whole HPV vaccine thing is doing my head in cause I don't understand it... it's all just money that I don't have and I am sick of it.

Rant over... and not very OT either but am SOOO annoyed mad.gif

*hugs* sad.gif I'm going to have to see the doctor about getting the HPV vaccine too - but it is so expensive! It's all very frustrating and sometimes I wonder how I'll ever be ready but I just have to try and concentrate on one thing/day at a time and know that in a few months the most difficult stage of the visa journey will be over.

QUOTE (StillThePrettiest @ Mar 18 2008, 08:06 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
what happened with the police checks? blink.gif

They've introduced a new style of police check - it's only valid for 6 months and costs £35 (but you receive it within 10 days instead of the usual 40 or so).
Alex & RachelFemaleEngland2008-03-18 04:45:00
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I'm always a little bit cold and I love to be wrapped up all toasty warm at night. Blankets just annoy me; they're always falling off the bed and getting muddled up. It's so easy to make a bed when you have a fitted sheet and a duvet!

I've never really found it too warm for a duvet except in California in summer - then I'll just have the one sheet. It doesn't feel like enough 'protection' when I sleep on my own, though - yes, I'm a big baby and like to feel all secure tucked up in bed tongue.gif

Edited by Alex & Rachel, 17 March 2008 - 04:41 AM.

Alex & RachelFemaleEngland2008-03-17 04:41:00
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Ooh no, how cruel of you to share those delicious looking links...I'm trying to go sugar-free! tongue.gif

Guinness is an excellent name for a cat! My parents' rescue cat is called Murphy - and his brother was Guinness!

I loooooove my duvet here in the UK but it's growing rather old and stained now (well, only about four years old, but I spilled tea on it in my third year of uni - never did get the stain out) so I wouldn't bring it over, but it's rather tempting to buy a new pocketed goose-feather one especially to ship to the US. It wouldn't need to be a heavy tog as California never gets too cold...
Alex & RachelFemaleEngland2008-03-15 13:46:00
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It must have been! ohmy.gif

Fortunately Alex is short and skinny so it's not too much of a squeeze but somehow I still end up pinned against the wall while he's sprawled across 3/4 of the bed...
Alex & RachelFemaleEngland2008-03-14 08:46:00
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Well...I have a double bed but no one to share it with in the UK, but when I move to the US we'll be sharing a single bed! D'oh!
Alex & RachelFemaleEngland2008-03-14 08:38:00
United Kingdom~Off Topic Thread~
Uh oh, Charles, now you've gone and done it! tongue.gif

Morning all.

I'm pretty good at getting a duvet cover on a duvet, now. I have to stand up on my bed to shake it because there's not enough room in which to do so otherwise.

If you have two duvets in one cover and they weren't designed to go with each other then I'd recommend sewing velcro onto each corner so they can stick together smile.gif
Alex & RachelFemaleEngland2008-03-14 08:23:00
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I found some perfect shoes! And they were only £25...score, I guess wink.gif

That's a really lovely bag, elmcitymaven!

debz - great to hear that you arrived safely and had a smooth journey. smile.gif
Alex & RachelFemaleEngland2008-03-13 11:06:00
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That would be ideal - those of us who comfort-eat when we're stressed sharing any weight gain with those who lose their appetite when they're stressed!

I'm in the former group and my housemate is the latter - she's always grumbling about having to make herself eat to keep her weight up and I'm always grumbling about trying to satiate my appetite so I can keep my weight down!
Alex & RachelFemaleEngland2008-03-06 09:01:00
United Kingdom~Off Topic Thread~
QUOTE (Mark and Hannah @ Mar 6 2008, 12:21 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Morning happy.gif

I'm feeling a bit down in the dumps at the moment and have resorted to comfort in the form of chocolate biscuits *sighs*

*hugs* Nothing wrong with chocolate biscuits - I strongly believe in chocolate's anti-depressant qualities! I hope you feel better soon sad.gif

QUOTE (charlesandnessa @ Mar 6 2008, 01:37 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
g'morning everyone. marmite - bleh........

Morning, Charles! I'll be sure to send some twiglets your way tongue.gif
Alex & RachelFemaleEngland2008-03-06 08:47:00
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Ooh - I think I know the type you mean; I love those! And I love silver jewellery, too. good.gif

Good morning everyone smile.gif
Alex & RachelFemaleEngland2008-03-06 05:43:00
United Kingdom~Off Topic Thread~
Best tagline ever - you either love it or you hate it!

I love marmite - but spread VERY thinly! I also love twiglets, which are marmitey.

Ribena was always such a treat when I was little...
Alex & RachelFemaleEngland2008-03-05 15:58:00
United Kingdom~Off Topic Thread~
Aw, congratulations! Glad to hear you had a good time, and it's always sad to leave crying.gif

Have you been telling people of your 'official' engagement? I felt it would be too odd to make a proper announcement as most people already knew we were getting married, so the most I did was change my facebook status - and then once I started getting congratulatory cards I wondered if I should've told people personally.

Any photos of the ring? Sorry, curiosity strikes! smile.gif
Alex & RachelFemaleEngland2008-03-04 05:21:00
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Good morning UK folks!
Alex & RachelFemaleEngland2008-03-03 06:06:00
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Thank you! good.gif
Alex & RachelFemaleEngland2008-03-02 16:05:00
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Sounds like you're well prepared, mustang-sally! Have a great flight smile.gif

Do excess baggage pack for you?
Alex & RachelFemaleEngland2008-03-01 18:44:00
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Aw! That was awesome of them, what a lovely gesture! biggrin.gif
Alex & RachelFemaleEngland2008-02-29 12:48:00
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Congratulations to Bruce!

Happy Friday, everybody smile.gif
Alex & RachelFemaleEngland2008-02-29 05:19:00
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I'm starting to really worry about financial matters. For example, clothes. I haven't factored in money for clothes anywhere in my budget or in Alex's earnings and I'm getting to the stage where my clothes and shoes are getting really quite old/worn/holey. I'm not going to have any decent clothes for interviews!

Good morning, folks. I hope English Muffin had a lovely wedding! Did anyone feel the earthquake last night? It was mildly disturbing - thought someone was trying to break in at first!
Alex & RachelFemaleEngland2008-02-27 04:29:00
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Good afternoon. It's almost hometime!
Alex & RachelFemaleEngland2008-02-22 12:01:00
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I'm making a curry tonight. I've realised I have to fit in as many curries as possible before moving to the US; where curries and curry pastes are far less plentiful!
Alex & RachelFemaleEngland2008-02-22 10:41:00
United Kingdom~Off Topic Thread~
Good morning!

Hope you are feeling a little better today, julez.

Poiteen, those hours sound horrid indeed sad.gif

Woo, so glad it's Friday biggrin.gif
Alex & RachelFemaleEngland2008-02-22 06:42:00
United Kingdom~Off Topic Thread~
Good morning!

Well, my Valentine's day parcel to Alex arrived yesterday, and his to me arrived today, hurrah.

I have a stinking head-cold, bleugh. I have a sinus headache and runny nose! dead.gif
Alex & RachelFemaleEngland2008-02-21 08:55:00
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I'll be taking golden syrup!

Congratulations on getting married, julez! biggrin.gif And that is a very bizarre present - are they normally bad gift-givers?

I have one aunt and uncle who send rather strange gifts - a Disney nightdress for 8 year olds to my sister when she was 14, for example - and it's good fun trying to find ways to compliment the gift when writing thank you notes.

Hannah - you must be having so much fun with Mark! Can't blame you for not being around at all. I'm starting to grow very bored of this whole visa process.
Alex & RachelFemaleEngland2008-02-20 12:07:00
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Happy 2nd Anniversary! And may you have many more happy anniversaries to come smile.gif

One of the best parts, for me, of marrying someone from a different country is automatically having access to two countries, two different cultures and ways of life. Travelling and getting to explore a little more of the world is great, and I grow very restless after staying in one place too long - I don't understand how some of my friends from my home town can manage to continue living there and dating the same guys they met in sixth form - each to their own, I guess.



redkitty - I love your B&W wedding photos - you both look so relaxed and happy and they're gorgeous shots.
Alex & RachelFemaleEngland2008-02-18 08:18:00
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I'm here! Just waiting for everyone else to post first tongue.gif

Sunny and chilly here, too. I'm always nervous walking to work in the mornings because I'm afraid I'll slip on the frosty pavement, and I've started taking my gloves in my bag because otherwise my hands go numb with cold at night.

But during the day, sitting in the office? It's beautifully warm, and I start to doze in the sun.
Alex & RachelFemaleEngland2008-02-18 08:03:00
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laughing.gif
Alex & RachelFemaleEngland2008-02-15 10:21:00
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Good morning all!

I spent last night at a friend's house...she'd said I could sleep in her bed (she's absent this week) so I wouldn't disturb my housemate. I brought along my own sheet so she'd come back to the same clean bed that she'd left. Woke up this morning and...whoops, I bled all over my sheet, her sheets and the mattress cover. blush.gif

Fortunately the sheets went straight into the wash and when I checked back at lunchtime everything had come out pristine - no stains anywhere! So I've left the sheets to dry and cleaned her kitchen and left a big bar of chocolate by way of apology.
Alex & RachelFemaleEngland2008-02-15 09:35:00
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Oh no, poor Bruce! I'm sending healing vibes your way - what a way to spend Valentine's! sad.gif
Alex & RachelFemaleEngland2008-02-14 11:41:00
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Eek! You meanie. Good morning then, Charles!
Alex & RachelFemaleEngland2008-02-14 10:36:00
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Happy Valentine's Day! And I'm not exactly sure I want to say good morning back to Charles tongue.gif
Alex & RachelFemaleEngland2008-02-14 09:38:00
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Hmm...I'm not really sure what to think about this:

I broke up with my ex a week before I started dating Alex, so I expected there to be some resentment, but after a couple of months we started to meet up again as friends and he seemed fine. This was back in June 2006 and since then I've seen him maybe once a month, we'd meet up for a chat and a film.

Anyway, all seemed fine until December, when I was 'officially' engaged. My ex said congratulations, etc., and continued to chat to me, but then I found a blog entry (on his website, and also linked through facebook, so I was hardly snooping) talking about our relationship, and how much he blamed me, and he sounded really bitter. I thought it a bit sad that he hasn't been able to move on after 1 1/2 years but decided that I was better off ignoring it.

After I came back from California we met up again last month for a cinema trip and he seemed very amiable and I lent him a few DS games as I promised (my favourite games, too - just wanted to share crying.gif )

After that trip...nothing. He wasn't online for a week afterwards (I could usually find him on AIM every day when I was at work). I stopped signing into AIM at work after a while because I only used to sign in to chat to him in the first place.

Now today, I was idly checking facebook and he's..de-friended me. I've also been blocked on skype/AIM (or I presume I've been blocked, skype suddenly said 'no contact details have been shared with you.' Um, harsh! He hasn't de-friended any of my friends (who are also on his friends list, despite the fact that he has never seen or talked to them without me). I don't know...it's one thing to stop chatting to someone, it's going a step further to physically block them (I hadn't even been messaging him or trying to get hold of him lately...) Plus he has my games! They'll probably have to be written off as lost now sad.gif

I'm disappointed that this has just suddenly happened, a year and a half after we broke up, and that he didn't have the decency to at least say 'I need to stop talking to you'. Bit suspicious too to do it the week after I've lent him some games! (All imported for me by Alex).
Alex & RachelFemaleEngland2008-02-13 16:10:00
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I'm a cold-blooded person who loves to bask in the sun, so I'm actually pretty happy to be moving to California. I have visited at the height of summer so I know how hot it can get, but to be fair I've not actually worked in such hot weather, and I know living in a hot climate can be very different from holidaying in one.

Still, if I go in autumn I'll have a very enjoyable warm, sunny winter and spring before I start complaining about how I'm meeeeeelting.

It's actually rather worrying how the UK doesn't really have seasons any more. I swear that as a child in the 80s phrases such as 'April showers' still held true. Now anything seems to go! wacko.gif
Alex & RachelFemaleEngland2008-02-13 10:23:00
United Kingdom~Off Topic Thread~
QUOTE (weedebz @ Feb 12 2008, 05:02 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
the hint with midges is eat stuff with yeast in it (real beer, marmite, doughy bread) around 24 hours before...you sweat it out through skin pores and midges hate it. Although you can't smell it they can and they will leave you alone. I also spray all my clothes with citronella.


Useful to know! Thanks good.gif

QUOTE (charlesandnessa @ Feb 12 2008, 05:08 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
lemme know when you get acquainted with chiggers in the usa tongue_ss.gif


Ouch, that's the only thing I don't like about the US! I'm leaving what must be one of the safest countries in the world (no proper hurricanes, no tsunamis, few damaging earthquakes or tornadoes, only one poisonous creature, no giant spiders, no rabies, etc.) for a state that has poison oak and black widows and a huge fault line running straight through! Oh well, California also has humming-birds, and I love humming-birds, so it's not all bad.

Daffodils and snowbells a-plenty here, too! I'm hoping that maybe when I visit my parents in March the bluebells will be out; they flowered early last year, and my parents live very close to some fabulous bluebell woods.
Alex & RachelFemaleEngland2008-02-13 06:39:00