It's the last day of 2011 and tomorrow will be the first in 2012 and the beginning of what will be an enormous year for us!
Yesterday was a very weird day for me and pretty unusual for Mike too. We went over to Brooklyn to meet his uncle Cecil for the first time and were joined by his uncle Denzil who we have met in Barbados, his cousin Keith (who could be his older twin were that possible) and a good friend of his father's, Vincent, who was present when his father wrote his will.
We spent a lot of time in the morning working out to how get there given the apparent complexities of the Subway journey and some concern about the safeness or otherwise of the area we were travelling to - Bedford Stuyvesant http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bedford–Stuyvesant,_Brooklyn
We chickened out and opted for a taxi but it took sometime to find one that knew how to get there! Eventually, having failed to find a yellow cab we took a private hire vehicle at an agreed reasonable rate. It was a classic Brooklyn Street of brownstone buildings with high front steps going up to the front doors.
We had a lovely day, Mike's family were so pleased to see him and he reminded them all so much of "Super" his dad who died this time last year. Uncle Cecil cooked for us and the day whiled away while they all reminisced and "chewed the fat". If someone had told me 10 years ago that I would one day be sitting in a house in Brooklyn with 4 elderly Barbadian men and Mike discussing at length the details of their prostrate troubles I would have said they were insane!!!!
We made it back on the subway with a bit of help from Keith, had a couple of cocktails and a debrief in a bar before heading back to the hotel. Contrary to everything we have heard about travelling on the subway at night, it was full of normal people simply going about their business. All in all, we are sure that all the uncle's have Mike's best interests at heart and simply want to make sure that his father's last wishes come about. Bedford Stuyvesant was a really charming traditional Brooklyn neighbourhood and no way the scary place described on the internet - we would happily travel back there under our own steam.....
Saturday 31 December 2011
Friday 30 December 2011
Friday before New Years Eve in NYC
The week is quickly slipping away! Yesterday we met up with an old friend Lynn who I met in Nepal about 8 or 9 years ago. She lives in Pennsylvania but every time we get over here she make the trip down to meet up with us.
We headed straight down to Grand Central Station and after a coffee laced with a liquor of our choice in the Michael Jordan bar (as Lynn said, he needs the money) had a long slightly boozy lunch in the Oyster Bar. http://www.oysterbarny.com/
We had a long catch up over a selection of delicious oysters from all over the US, crab claws, smoked trout, sardines and chowder.
Had our first NYC subway experience and headed up town to the "Container Store". This was an "only in America" experience. A shop that sells nothing but containers of all shapes and sizes for offices, bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchens, under-bed, loft............the top sellers yesterday were specially designed containers to store your Christmas tree and decorations in ........http://www.containerstore.com/
After Lynn got the magnetic bulletin board she wanted for her kitchen because her fridge is not metal, we spent the rest of the afternoon wandering around the shops on Madison, Park and 5th Avenue before Lynn caught the train back and we retired exhausted to our room for a lazy evening in the nest watching TV!
Today we are heading down to Brooklyn to meet up with Mike's uncle Cecil and later on the rest of the family.......
PS for some reason the "blogger" won't let me load any photos! Got a great one of Monkey at the Bada Bing which we'll have to try and load when we get home.......
We headed straight down to Grand Central Station and after a coffee laced with a liquor of our choice in the Michael Jordan bar (as Lynn said, he needs the money) had a long slightly boozy lunch in the Oyster Bar. http://www.oysterbarny.com/
We had a long catch up over a selection of delicious oysters from all over the US, crab claws, smoked trout, sardines and chowder.
Had our first NYC subway experience and headed up town to the "Container Store". This was an "only in America" experience. A shop that sells nothing but containers of all shapes and sizes for offices, bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchens, under-bed, loft............the top sellers yesterday were specially designed containers to store your Christmas tree and decorations in ........http://www.containerstore.com/
After Lynn got the magnetic bulletin board she wanted for her kitchen because her fridge is not metal, we spent the rest of the afternoon wandering around the shops on Madison, Park and 5th Avenue before Lynn caught the train back and we retired exhausted to our room for a lazy evening in the nest watching TV!
Today we are heading down to Brooklyn to meet up with Mike's uncle Cecil and later on the rest of the family.......
PS for some reason the "blogger" won't let me load any photos! Got a great one of Monkey at the Bada Bing which we'll have to try and load when we get home.......
Thursday 29 December 2011
Monkey Hits NYC
So Monkey is now 3 days in to his first trip to the USA and having a taste of the big adventure to come in 2012! We arrived on the 27th about 14.30 and took a cab to the Kimberly Hotel at 145 East 50th Street http://www.kimberlyhotel.com/?mcid=gptag52k1. Great little hotel in a great location, although we won't be having anymore drinks in the bar on the roof at $28 for two Gin and Tonics! The rooms are spacious and comfortable and the staff are friendly and helpful. The bed is like a huge comfy nest!
Just an hour or so after we arrived, we met up with Mike's niece and her friend for a Porto Rican meal in Sofrito's. http://www.sofritony.com/ It was a little weird to spend and evening with people that we had only just met for the first time in NYC at the equivalent of 2am in the morning in the pouring rain but it was a good night and lovely to meet Sherry for the first time. The food was good, although the mixed appetiser platter was pretty intimidating and meant that salads were in order all round for the main courses! The complimentary egg nog was lovely once we realised it was not a dip for the toasted sour dough bread!!!!
Next day, after picking up some breakfast en route, we spent the morning and early afternoon on the Soprano's Tour! http://www.screentours.com/tour.php/sopranos/ Monkey did not make into the Bada Bing as he was under-age but he got pretty excited just to be in the car park! Honestly, if you are a Soprano's fan it is a not to be missed experience. From the drive into Jersey that Tony takes at the start of every episode, to sitting at the actual booth in the restaurant in the last ever episode, it was a great way to spend a cold day! The guide was an ex-actor in the show and very knowledgeable and passionate about the show and the people who worked on it.
After that we had a stroll through the city and picked up some tickets for a play called Stick Fly. More on that later..........
Back to the hotel and, after a quick freshen up, and adding a few layers of clothing in an attempt to keep out the freezing cold we headed out for something to eat in a Mexican at the end of the road
http://www.doscaminos.com/. It didn't look like anything from the outside which is often the way in this city but we had some of the best Margaritas and Mexican food we have ever tasted and have booked to go back for New Years Eve!
The evening ended at the Theatre where we saw Stick Fly. http://theater.nytimes.com/2011/12/09/theater/reviews/stick-fly-at-the-cort-theater-review.html
Slightly, confusing play but thought provoking. Started out as if it was going to be slightly self-indulgent examination of the issues of race and class from the perspective of a wealthy upper class African American family but did turn out to be about much more than that and actually illustrated that issues of class, gender and parent/child relationships affect everybody in the same way irrespective of the colour of their skin.
Saturday 24 December 2011
US B-2 Visa Application OMG!
Yesterday I spent 4 and a half hours submitting our DS-160 on-line Visa Applications. OMG! I am surprised anyone ever manages to get to the end of this process. If you are ever thinking of trying it, read this post before you do and it might save you a few hours.
We quickly established that we need to make an appointment for an interview with the Embassy in London and fill in an on-line application form. However, we also quickly discovered the first hurdle. Many years ago, 13 to be precise, Mike had a minor altercation with the law when he damaged a door. Yes, I know, the crime of the century, he damaged a door. Its a long story best told at another time in another place. The thing is that even a minor incident like this renders one potentially ineligible to visit the US on a B-2 Visa, or on any other visa for that matter!
Before we could even submit an application we had to go online and request a Police Certificate for him that would outline the details of the heinous crime. Police certificate arrived a few days later, all very efficient and very quick. The certificate read simply "No Trace". Back on the phone to the Embassy for further instructions. After paying Mike's $140 Application Fee we were given our next set of instructions.
Next step, download and complete a VCU 01 form and write, date and sign a Sworn Statement telling the location, date and circumstances surrounding said heinous crime. Scan Police Certificate, VCU 01 and Sworn Statement and email to the Embassy then await their response.
48 hours later, again very efficient and rapid, email received stating that we can now make an appointment for our Visa Application interview....yippee!
That brings us to yesterday when we finally phoned to make our appointment and I paid my $140. Appointment made for 09.00 on Friday the 6th of January at the London Embassy in Mayfair. Great news despite the logistical challenge of getting there for 9am without spending a fortune on an overnight stay. Not impossible though, just a case of catching the 06.40 from Birmingham International. When we are in London we are also going to open a US Bank Account to make the management of our finances easier when we are there.
We were then told the list of requirements to ensure our interview goes without hitch. If we contravene any of these requirements we will be sent away with a flea in our ear and made to return on another occasion when we can get our act together properly!
The requirements are as follows;
Next and final step, complete the on-line DS-160 and print the bar coded confirmation page.
Easy to say! This consisted of a multiple page on-line form that timed out every time you did not complete the page within the defined time period requiring you to log-in again using the Application ID and some passwords and security questions. Problem was that you could not predict the information required and the level of detail required involved digging out CVs, family trees, old pay slips, scanning through passport stamps etc etc etc.....Everytime you had to look something up you got timed out and had to log-in all over again and so the afternoon whittled away. ...........
Information required included;
Just as I was truly losing the will to live came the point to upload a photograph that met the requirements. All the photos on our PC would not load, were unsuitable or the file was too big. We took some new ones and saved them but again the files were too big (so much for our expensive camera!). We resorted to taking the photos with the Blackberry but had to load them onto the Mac and not the PC as we don't have right software on the PC. Had to do this downstairs where the Mac is permanently connected to the Internet cable as the signal has been so **** recently that the wireless won't work. The Mac could not read the photos so eventually we emailed them to the PC from the Blackberry and attempted the upload. Mine worked and Mike's did not as it was too ******* dark.......OH MY GOD! Can you tell from the photos how thoroughly ****** off we were by this stage? Sorry, but I could not even be bothered to do my hair or put any makeup on. Friends and family, I know you will find this hard to believe.
So, if you are ever thinking of applying for a US Visa - Be Warned! This process is truly a test of your genuine desire to go there...........................
To be fair, so far everything has happened fairly quickly and the people we have spoken to have been friendly, helpful and courteous without exception. We started a few weeks ago by doing a bit of on-line research to find out what Visa we needed and how to go about it. The US Embassy Page http://london.usembassy.gov/visas.html is very helpful and explains everything you might need to know very clearly. When you ring you always speak to a Scottish person so I can only presume their call centre is based in Scotland somewhere. I suppose this could also explain why they are all so delightfully efficient and helpful too!
We quickly established that we need to make an appointment for an interview with the Embassy in London and fill in an on-line application form. However, we also quickly discovered the first hurdle. Many years ago, 13 to be precise, Mike had a minor altercation with the law when he damaged a door. Yes, I know, the crime of the century, he damaged a door. Its a long story best told at another time in another place. The thing is that even a minor incident like this renders one potentially ineligible to visit the US on a B-2 Visa, or on any other visa for that matter!
Before we could even submit an application we had to go online and request a Police Certificate for him that would outline the details of the heinous crime. Police certificate arrived a few days later, all very efficient and very quick. The certificate read simply "No Trace". Back on the phone to the Embassy for further instructions. After paying Mike's $140 Application Fee we were given our next set of instructions.
Next step, download and complete a VCU 01 form and write, date and sign a Sworn Statement telling the location, date and circumstances surrounding said heinous crime. Scan Police Certificate, VCU 01 and Sworn Statement and email to the Embassy then await their response.
48 hours later, again very efficient and rapid, email received stating that we can now make an appointment for our Visa Application interview....yippee!
That brings us to yesterday when we finally phoned to make our appointment and I paid my $140. Appointment made for 09.00 on Friday the 6th of January at the London Embassy in Mayfair. Great news despite the logistical challenge of getting there for 9am without spending a fortune on an overnight stay. Not impossible though, just a case of catching the 06.40 from Birmingham International. When we are in London we are also going to open a US Bank Account to make the management of our finances easier when we are there.
We were then told the list of requirements to ensure our interview goes without hitch. If we contravene any of these requirements we will be sent away with a flea in our ear and made to return on another occasion when we can get our act together properly!
The requirements are as follows;
- do not arrive more than 30 minutes before the scheduled time slot
- do not bring anyone with you
- print and bring the bar coded invitation letter
- print and bring the bar coded receipt of payment for Application Fee
- bring all the documentation relating to Mike's heinous crime
- do not bring mobile phones or any electronic devices with you
- do not bring large bags with you
- complete the DS-160 on-line and print bring the bar coded confirmation page with you
- bring your passport with you
- bring a photograph with you that meets certain detailed requirements
- provide evidence of funds sufficient to cover all expenses while in the United States
- provide evidence of a residence abroad to which you intend to return at the end of the stay in the United States. This is generally established by evidence of family, professional, property, employment or other ties and commitments to some country other than the United States sufficient to cause the applicant to return there at the conclusion of his/her stay.
Next and final step, complete the on-line DS-160 and print the bar coded confirmation page.
Easy to say! This consisted of a multiple page on-line form that timed out every time you did not complete the page within the defined time period requiring you to log-in again using the Application ID and some passwords and security questions. Problem was that you could not predict the information required and the level of detail required involved digging out CVs, family trees, old pay slips, scanning through passport stamps etc etc etc.....Everytime you had to look something up you got timed out and had to log-in all over again and so the afternoon whittled away. ...........
Information required included;
- Personal details including National Insurance and Passport Numbers
- Travel plans and an address in the US
- Details of any previous visits to the US
- Details of a contact in the US
- Mother and Father's details and birthdates
- Details of relatives in the US
- Career and Educations details
- Spouse and travelling companion details
- All the other countries you have ever visited
- A long list of security questions about communicable diseases, terrorism, human trafficking, genocide, drug use, espionage, prostitution, money laundering, torture, murder, child soldiers, etc etc etc.......does anyone ever answer yes to any of these questions?
Just as I was truly losing the will to live came the point to upload a photograph that met the requirements. All the photos on our PC would not load, were unsuitable or the file was too big. We took some new ones and saved them but again the files were too big (so much for our expensive camera!). We resorted to taking the photos with the Blackberry but had to load them onto the Mac and not the PC as we don't have right software on the PC. Had to do this downstairs where the Mac is permanently connected to the Internet cable as the signal has been so **** recently that the wireless won't work. The Mac could not read the photos so eventually we emailed them to the PC from the Blackberry and attempted the upload. Mine worked and Mike's did not as it was too ******* dark.......OH MY GOD! Can you tell from the photos how thoroughly ****** off we were by this stage? Sorry, but I could not even be bothered to do my hair or put any makeup on. Friends and family, I know you will find this hard to believe.
Wednesday 21 December 2011
Monkey's trip to New York City
Monkey is getting ready for his first ever trip to the USA with a little taster in the form of a week in NYC. We are all heading off on Boxing Day and will be taking him with us. He is thinking about where he wants to go and what he wants to do while he is there but if you have any ideas please let us know and we'll do our best to oblige and obtain photographic evidence.....come on guys.....
Last few days before Christmas.......
Presents wrapped and under the tree.
Food almost bought - we'll be finishing that today. Collecting the turkey tomorrow.....
Got to buy a little table for the extra people who won't fit round the main dining table.
Got to tidy the house and get started on the cooking.
Oh yes, and pack for a week in New York City. We are off on Boxing Day. Thankfully all booked and paid for - just need to watch the spending money. Going to catch up an old friend while we are there and meet up with some of Mike's relatives. We might even do some prep for the trip and investigate the costs of bikes and mobile phones etc.....
The main reason for the trip is actually to meet Mike's relatives. His Dad died in Barbados 12 months ago and has left him a third of a large plot of land with the other two thirds going to his half brother and sister. (Oh yes, who he has never really met!) We think we really want to sell our land and might take the opportunity to talk over with them and see how it fits with their own plans. Whatever happens it should be interesting and good to meet them. We are spending New Years Day with them.
Deal Breakers!?!
Today we have been thinking about what the deal-breakers, if any might be.
The viewings with the Letting Agencies went well and they reckon we should let without any difficulty and get around £1100 a month as a minimum which is encouraging. There appears to be a high demand for houses as opposed to flats for renting at the moment with currently none available in our village. Rather pleasingly he described our house as immaculate and has reassured me at least that we are not going to have to loads of odd jobs and re-decoration before we leave. So while this might have been a deal breaker it looks like there should be no problem there! Bingo!
Second deal breaker could have been if Mike did not get his Early Retirement. While he has not had final confirmation and does not know what his pension will look like after augmenting it with the severance money the noises are all very positive and we are feeling less concerned about this one. It seems the steps in the process are pretty much a formality but it will be nice to know for sure....
Third deal-breaker could be the Visa Application - we have been asked to provide some extra documentation and there is a teeny weeny tiny chance that they might turn us down but this is highly unlikely. We did talk about this yesterday and decided that the back-up plan should be to do the same thing in Europe or even Australia.
Honestly, these are the only things that could stop us other than fear.......and we are on that one like a ton of bricks when it raises its head....
One other possible risk could have been my shoulder surgery and yesterday I got a second opinion on that from an excellent shoulder surgeon recommended by a friend. He has completely reassured me that I don't need to do it now and it might be years before I get to that point. He has suggested that I transfer to the NHS under his care and see him again when we get back from the USA in 2013.
So, the Visa could be a deal breaker for the USA but not the concept so nothing is really standing in our way.
The viewings with the Letting Agencies went well and they reckon we should let without any difficulty and get around £1100 a month as a minimum which is encouraging. There appears to be a high demand for houses as opposed to flats for renting at the moment with currently none available in our village. Rather pleasingly he described our house as immaculate and has reassured me at least that we are not going to have to loads of odd jobs and re-decoration before we leave. So while this might have been a deal breaker it looks like there should be no problem there! Bingo!
Second deal breaker could have been if Mike did not get his Early Retirement. While he has not had final confirmation and does not know what his pension will look like after augmenting it with the severance money the noises are all very positive and we are feeling less concerned about this one. It seems the steps in the process are pretty much a formality but it will be nice to know for sure....
Third deal-breaker could be the Visa Application - we have been asked to provide some extra documentation and there is a teeny weeny tiny chance that they might turn us down but this is highly unlikely. We did talk about this yesterday and decided that the back-up plan should be to do the same thing in Europe or even Australia.
Honestly, these are the only things that could stop us other than fear.......and we are on that one like a ton of bricks when it raises its head....
One other possible risk could have been my shoulder surgery and yesterday I got a second opinion on that from an excellent shoulder surgeon recommended by a friend. He has completely reassured me that I don't need to do it now and it might be years before I get to that point. He has suggested that I transfer to the NHS under his care and see him again when we get back from the USA in 2013.
So, the Visa could be a deal breaker for the USA but not the concept so nothing is really standing in our way.
Sunday 18 December 2011
Oh and another thing....
Forgot to say that my request for Employment Seeking Leave has been turned down. Charming! Not the end of the world though. That means that my last working day will definitely be the 31st of January 2012. Should have all the money in the bank by mid-February when we will be able to start making some actual bookings!!!!!!
Progress update...things are starting to come together....
Well, its been a busy week. Being made redundant seems to be pretty hectic. Tuesday I had an admin day and spent the whole day on the phone or the computer sorting stuff out for work and some stuff for the future.
The Camper van estimates are coming in thick and fast but we keep coming back to the "Highway Camper" offer and no-one else seems to be able to beat it. Rudolf is the guy we have been communicating with and he always answers all our questions quickly and the feedback had been great from previous customers. So at the moment it looks like we'll be going with him. When we have the Visa we will book which is likely to be early the New Year. Excited....
Good news is that I rang the Tax Office about my £2000 underpayment for 2011 and it turns out I have almost paid it already as they have been taking it out since last April! BOOM! Great surprise but it does explain why I have been feeling a bit short most of this year and just thought it was due to the extra pension contributions I have been paying. Result!
Wednesday we had a couple of redundancy related meetings in Birmingham. One about Out-placement Support and we are probably going to take advantage of the "re-focusing" stuff which helps you to work out what you really want to do and what motivates and fulfils you. This should help us decide what we might want to do when we get back from the USA. We also had a financial awareness session and it was reassuring that we have already covered most stuff with a few minor exceptions such as topping up our state pension if we will fall short of the 30 years of contributions needed for full eligibility and making sure we do a Tax Return on the 6th of April.
On Thursday evening we had a appointment at the Apple shop in Solihull who, after we increased our memory space, upgraded our Mac Book for us to the new Lion operating system. We are going to book in for some workshops about how to get the most our of your Mac as we have been working with PCs for so long we don't really know how to move around the Mac and do the same things that we do on the PC.
Also last week I sorted out all my evening dresses from the loft most of which cost a small fortune and have been worn once or at most twice. They are all now on EBay and if they sell we will have a few more dollars in the pot. I'll know by Wednesday how much they have gone for (if at all). Fingers crossed.
Saturday night we spent with some very old friends and had a lovely evening. We have managed to catch up with more people these last few weeks than we have for ages. Its shocking how when you are totally focused on work you let the important things slide............no longer.....
So, its Sunday now and we are cleaning a tidying up a bit to show the house in the best light when the Letting Agents call tomorrow. We have a few booked in and are interested to find out what they think we might be able to get in rent. Lots of questions to ask about the whole process so by end of play tomorrow we should have some answers.
The Camper van estimates are coming in thick and fast but we keep coming back to the "Highway Camper" offer and no-one else seems to be able to beat it. Rudolf is the guy we have been communicating with and he always answers all our questions quickly and the feedback had been great from previous customers. So at the moment it looks like we'll be going with him. When we have the Visa we will book which is likely to be early the New Year. Excited....
Good news is that I rang the Tax Office about my £2000 underpayment for 2011 and it turns out I have almost paid it already as they have been taking it out since last April! BOOM! Great surprise but it does explain why I have been feeling a bit short most of this year and just thought it was due to the extra pension contributions I have been paying. Result!
Wednesday we had a couple of redundancy related meetings in Birmingham. One about Out-placement Support and we are probably going to take advantage of the "re-focusing" stuff which helps you to work out what you really want to do and what motivates and fulfils you. This should help us decide what we might want to do when we get back from the USA. We also had a financial awareness session and it was reassuring that we have already covered most stuff with a few minor exceptions such as topping up our state pension if we will fall short of the 30 years of contributions needed for full eligibility and making sure we do a Tax Return on the 6th of April.
On Thursday evening we had a appointment at the Apple shop in Solihull who, after we increased our memory space, upgraded our Mac Book for us to the new Lion operating system. We are going to book in for some workshops about how to get the most our of your Mac as we have been working with PCs for so long we don't really know how to move around the Mac and do the same things that we do on the PC.
Also last week I sorted out all my evening dresses from the loft most of which cost a small fortune and have been worn once or at most twice. They are all now on EBay and if they sell we will have a few more dollars in the pot. I'll know by Wednesday how much they have gone for (if at all). Fingers crossed.
Saturday night we spent with some very old friends and had a lovely evening. We have managed to catch up with more people these last few weeks than we have for ages. Its shocking how when you are totally focused on work you let the important things slide............no longer.....
So, its Sunday now and we are cleaning a tidying up a bit to show the house in the best light when the Letting Agents call tomorrow. We have a few booked in and are interested to find out what they think we might be able to get in rent. Lots of questions to ask about the whole process so by end of play tomorrow we should have some answers.
Tuesday 13 December 2011
Letting the House
The topic on our minds today is the Letting of the House while we are away. Furnished or unfurnished? What fixtures and fittings to leave? How much will we get? Which agent to use? Where can we store our stuff? How much should we keep? What should we throw away? What should we give away? What should we lend? What could we sell on EBay?
So the list is endless but this is where we are at the moment....
The immediate plan is to get a few letting agents round to give us some estimates of how much we will get for the house and what we need to do to maximise our income from the house. We have no idea what they take in commission and what their service includes and doesn't include.
From our informal research we think unfurnished is probably best but we'd leave all the white goods and the blinds and curtains, floor coverings and light fittings. We do have a couple of expensive (and rather lovely in my opinion) lights in the dining and living rooms and are still debating what to do about them. The more you go down the path of what is a cherished possession that you could not live without, the more you realisee that very few things fall into that category beyond memento's and pictures of much loved friends and family......A balance has to be struck between getting rid of all our possessions that we can't take with us and having enough "stuff" to set up a home again when we return wherever and whenever that might be.
After spending some time chatting this one through with friends over the weekend we came up with the idea that we might be able to store some stuff in a lock up in our own garage and also in the loft but we also need to check that this will not reduce the rental value of the property too much. We are also going to try and persuade people to "borrow" or "baby-sit" buts of furniture for us. Mike's daughter and Granddaughter have already bagged the big HD TV! Clearly, this option could off-set the costs of long term storage.
This week I am going to start the process of sorting through the contents of our drawers, shelves and cupboards and start the process of selling some of the best stuff on eBay such as books and ballgowns. I don't think I can part easily with much of my kitchen equipment so that might all end up in the garage. Next option is the Charity Shop round the corner who might be seeing a lot of us over the coming weeks but I must resist the urge to buy..............
As ever any ideas or advice gratefully received......
So the list is endless but this is where we are at the moment....
The immediate plan is to get a few letting agents round to give us some estimates of how much we will get for the house and what we need to do to maximise our income from the house. We have no idea what they take in commission and what their service includes and doesn't include.
From our informal research we think unfurnished is probably best but we'd leave all the white goods and the blinds and curtains, floor coverings and light fittings. We do have a couple of expensive (and rather lovely in my opinion) lights in the dining and living rooms and are still debating what to do about them. The more you go down the path of what is a cherished possession that you could not live without, the more you realisee that very few things fall into that category beyond memento's and pictures of much loved friends and family......A balance has to be struck between getting rid of all our possessions that we can't take with us and having enough "stuff" to set up a home again when we return wherever and whenever that might be.
After spending some time chatting this one through with friends over the weekend we came up with the idea that we might be able to store some stuff in a lock up in our own garage and also in the loft but we also need to check that this will not reduce the rental value of the property too much. We are also going to try and persuade people to "borrow" or "baby-sit" buts of furniture for us. Mike's daughter and Granddaughter have already bagged the big HD TV! Clearly, this option could off-set the costs of long term storage.
This week I am going to start the process of sorting through the contents of our drawers, shelves and cupboards and start the process of selling some of the best stuff on eBay such as books and ballgowns. I don't think I can part easily with much of my kitchen equipment so that might all end up in the garage. Next option is the Charity Shop round the corner who might be seeing a lot of us over the coming weeks but I must resist the urge to buy..............
As ever any ideas or advice gratefully received......
Saturday 10 December 2011
Meet Monkey
Today we'd like to introduce you to Monkey. He is a funny little man that has lived with us now for 11 years. We threw him in the trolley once at IKEA and he has been a part of the family ever since. He has been misused and abused by the kids when they were teenagers, tossed around by small children and cherished so much by one particular nephew (you know who you are Geordie!) that we almost let him take Monkey home with him before Mum intervened.
Over the last few years since all the kids have left home and the nieces and nephews have grown up, Monkey has retired from active service and resides in silence and isolation in the spare bedroom where he occasionally entertains overnight guests. We have decided it is time for Monkey to have a big adventure and we are going to take him with us to the USA!
This is where you all come in. We'd like you to tell us where you'd like Monkey to go and what you'd like him to do while he is in the USA. In return we will do our very best to take him there and post pictures of him on this blog.
In today's picture he is sitting at my desk. Where would you like to see him next?
Oh and one other thing, Monkey needs a name! He has always been known simply as Monkey and we thought for the trip it might be nice to actually give him a name. What do you think? Should he continue to be nameless or does he deserve a name? Any suggestions........????......?????
Which Camper Van.......
Today we have been doing some serious research into the Camper Van. What size to get, who to get it from when and where........
We want something that is reliable and comfortable and big enough to accommodate a couple of extra people if from time to time friends and family want to join us on the road for a week or two.
Renting for the duration of the trip seems to be the most expensive option and is probably not feasible anyway as most companies only rent for up to 90 days.
We initially thought about pitching up and buying one with cash and selling it at the end of the trip. Mike raised some valid concerns about selling it back in the current climate when the time comes to go home. We watched Billy Connolly drive Route 66 on TV recently and he met a guy who had been trying to sell a gorgeous motorbike trike thing for over a year with no success. Apparently the double whammy of recession and the price of fuel means that motor vehicles and the like are not selling in the US at the moment.
So the next best thing seems to be to enter into a buy-back agreement with an RV Rental Company. I have run a Google search and sent out some emails today asking about availability and quotes and await the responses with anticipation.
We have already done some early research with a small family run business called Highway Camper. They quoted us US $ 16,500 including tax & registration plus insurance at US$ 220 per month for a 2006, 22ft Ford E350, Winnebago Chalet with a re-purchase price of US$ 4,000. They have given us some references of former clients and we have contacted them all today. The references were glowing! It might just be that the first company we contacted is the one but we'll await the results of the further research.
We want something that is reliable and comfortable and big enough to accommodate a couple of extra people if from time to time friends and family want to join us on the road for a week or two.
Renting for the duration of the trip seems to be the most expensive option and is probably not feasible anyway as most companies only rent for up to 90 days.
We initially thought about pitching up and buying one with cash and selling it at the end of the trip. Mike raised some valid concerns about selling it back in the current climate when the time comes to go home. We watched Billy Connolly drive Route 66 on TV recently and he met a guy who had been trying to sell a gorgeous motorbike trike thing for over a year with no success. Apparently the double whammy of recession and the price of fuel means that motor vehicles and the like are not selling in the US at the moment.
So the next best thing seems to be to enter into a buy-back agreement with an RV Rental Company. I have run a Google search and sent out some emails today asking about availability and quotes and await the responses with anticipation.
We have already done some early research with a small family run business called Highway Camper. They quoted us US $ 16,500 including tax & registration plus insurance at US$ 220 per month for a 2006, 22ft Ford E350, Winnebago Chalet with a re-purchase price of US$ 4,000. They have given us some references of former clients and we have contacted them all today. The references were glowing! It might just be that the first company we contacted is the one but we'll await the results of the further research.
Friday 9 December 2011
Quick update.....
I had my first individual consultation meeting today and it turns out it might be possible for me to get Employment Seeking Leave too just in case a secondment opportunity with the company comes up before April that I could take and defer my leaving date until I reach 55 and then I could take Early Retirement too. Not sure how I feel about this as I have lost the heart for it now and my head is already in the Camper Van...... On the other hand it would make a massive difference to the finances and make the trip a lot more comfortable but much further away.
Let's see what happens!?
Have got a referral sorted for the shoulder specialist and a date to see him in a couple of weeks time.
Have rung the mortgage company and the lower monthly payments will start in January
Mike has started the quest for Early Retirement and sent off all the various emails requesting the Employment Seeking Leave and approval from the Trustees.
Let's see what happens!?
Have got a referral sorted for the shoulder specialist and a date to see him in a couple of weeks time.
Have rung the mortgage company and the lower monthly payments will start in January
Mike has started the quest for Early Retirement and sent off all the various emails requesting the Employment Seeking Leave and approval from the Trustees.
The adventure begins.....
So, its Friday and we are beginning to get our heads round the fact that we have both been "deselected", are "surplus to requirements" and about to be "outplaced". Together we have given 25 years of "devoted service" to our company but this has suddenly and somewhat unexpectedly come to an end.
We heard the news on Monday but have been anticipating it for the last 3 months when we were notified about the huge "down-size" and the company entered the 90 day period of collective consultation. We just had to wait for the final decision which was complicated because both of us were involved and a number of different scenarios were possible from both of us being retained, both of us being redundant and everything else in between.
Its sad and its almost impossible not to feel hurt and let down, rejected, undervalued, angry, bitter, scared, confused and a myriad of other emotions. BUT - we are going to make the best of a bad situation, seize the opportunity and have the adventure of a lifetime!!!!!!
So its no more talk of the past, only the present and the future! We have got to get over it big time! Close the door on that chapter of our lives and literally hit the road. Yippee! USA here we come.....Our plan is to rent out our house, head off to the USA, buy a camper van and travel the USA for a year.
We have decided to keep a record of our experiences over the coming year for many reasons, the main one being simply to capture everything we do for our own memories, but came to the the conclusion that a blog might be the best way to do this as, when we are away, our friends and family will be able to follow our progress and share our adventure. Also, we thought it might help others who find themselves in a similar situation work through the practicalities of dealing with redundancy and even planning a year out or extended road trip.
We are "mature" in years and have never "blogged" before so this is our first attempt but so far so good....thank you Google for making it so easy!
So, what have we done so far to make the fantasy a reality?
I have created a little spreadsheet to work out the finances and see whether we can even afford to do it and so far its looking good. Mike will just qualify for early retirement by a couple of weeks and, although his pension will be considerably smaller than we were anticipating had this not happened, by paying his severance money into the pension it will boost it a bit and reduce the amount of tax he has to pay. So from Mike's pension and renting our house out we will have small income. To boost that even further we have decided to reduce our mortgage payments by extending the term from 6 to 11 years which essentially halves the monthly payment. We need to firm up all these figures over the coming weeks but estimate that we might only eat into the severance "pot" by £20,000 or £30,000 over the year.
This week we have started the process of getting visa's for travelling in the USA for more than 90 days. We are hoping to get them for a year but are aware that this might not happen and we may only be able to stay for 6 months at a time. The plan if this is the case is to drive into Canada for some of the time.
Mike is clearing his half of the office of all work-related material and I will begin this process next week. Today I am going to ring the mortgage company to confirm our decision around this. I have my first individual consultation meeting at 10.30 when they'll tell me how much money I'm getting. Before that I'm off to see my doctor at 09.10 to ask for a referral for a second opinion on a shoulder problem I have. I need a joint replacement but am not sure whether to leave it until we come back when I will no longer have private healthcare. This also raises the risk that the trip could be spoiled if my shoulder deteriorates while we are away. Even if it stays the same I still have a lot of pain and some disability and will need to find a way to get a years supply of my prescription medication for pain relief. The alternative is to have surgery in January which will be my last month of employment when I will still have healthcare cover and should be fully recovered before we go in May. Big decision that is important to get right.
May is the planned date of departure because in order to qualify for retirement Mike will take Employment Seeking Leave from the 31st of January for 3 months and remain employed until the end of April when all his money will come through. I on the other hand, will be on the Pay In Lieu of Notice option which means I will finish work on the 31st January.
So, that's the scene setting done. We'll keep you updated on our progress......
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)