Sexy Chicken Was Here...

I'm a Lucky Girl

2012-02-13T22:22:00.000-06:00

Tonight's communications class discussion was "gender". We divided the class into men and women and we asked each other questions about the opposite sex. I couldn't think of any questions. Personally, I don't think men are that complicated. I truly believe the words of Jeff Foxworthy when he reveals the answer to the big question, "What are men thinking?" to which the answer is "I want a beer and I want to see something naked." I found the women to have negative feelings toward men, that they are "all" insensitive, selfish, forgetful, and thoughtless. The girls in my class had all sorts of questions for the guys, questions that I thought were pretty stupid. Then I realized... these questions are stupid to me because the man that I am in love with doesn't do any of this stuff. I just sat back, and listened.

Question 1. Why do men love video games so much?

Really? I'm like, "duh." The guys couldn't even really answer that one. The instructor helped them along by suggesting maybe it was because it was a challenge or competitive and the guys thought that was pretty accurate. Otherwise they were just saying, "cause they're just fun". Vern appreciates a good video game, but he wont sit there for hours. He doesn't like to be stationary, he's more versatile in that he will play video games, read, cook, watch a good movie, or chat with me. If anything causes him to sit for a long period of time it is because he is working on one of his computers. He gets caught up with it, wants to fix what he is working on and on occasion loses track of the time.

Question 2. Why do men not throw away torn underwear or socks?

The guys thought this was a pretty funny question. They both said they replace their undergarments when needed, but sometimes something can have a special meaning or memories attached to it which one guy stated. I don't think Vernon has worn out socks or undies, he's too tidy of a person, but if he does, it's simply because he doesn't think to pick any up. He takes pretty good care of himself for a single guy.

Question 3. Why is it the mother's job to change poopy diapers?

My thought on that is what kind of guy are you with that can't even change his own baby's diaper? We weren't able to get to this question, but then I don't think any of the guys in the class have kids. Vernon was the type of dad who changed his kids and didn't complain.

Question 4. Why do men get to go to camp for 2 weeks and the women can't take off when they want to?

My thought again is what kind of guy are you with that wont let you go anywhere? I find this to be very sad. I know for a fact that if I were physically with Vernon, and I wanted to visit a friend or go on a girls weekend or whatever, he'd not only tell me to have fun, he'd make sure I had enough money. I don't understand couples that get all bent out of shape over stuff like that. Couples should do things as couples AND as individuals. I honestly feel like there is something wrong with a relationship if one does not like the other to do things without them, ever.

Question 5. The king of all the questions asked. Why do men forget birthdays, valentines day, anniversaries but they remember opening day for gun season and muskie fishing?

This question was asked and one of the guys said, "Oh thanks for reminding me, I forgot about Valentine's Day." That was funny! Then his answer was "Because it's just like any other day. You women are special to us every day, all the time. We love you just the same." As he smiled his adorable smile. I thought that was a good answer. I do think that men get the short end of the stick when it comes to these days. But.... I will say that in the 12 years I have been with Vernon, I have been spoiled and treated like a princess for all of my birthdays and Valentine's Days since. I haven't always been able to send him anything because of money, but he has always managed to send me something whether it be a single rose in a vase or a stereo system I had my eye on. He always makes me feel special. If you want to see what I got last year, check out my blog post Happy Valentine's Day to Me.

Before I met Vernon, I was alone. Most single folks who are alone hate Valentine's Day and curse it. I LOVED it! I sent Valentines to my friends, got my daughter Valentine themed clothes and gifts, gave out heart shaped candy, wore red or pink and just really enjoyed the day. I liked to hear about my friends who got spoiled by their husbands or boyfriends. It made me happy. Now I'm the one getting spoiled, but then he makes me feel special each and every day. He loves me, what more could a girl want?

Super Bowl Sunday and Other American Traditions

2012-02-05T16:01:00.003-06:00

Photo taken by my cousin Holly while enjoying the festivities in Indianapolis.

Sometimes I wonder that if I were in England, what traditions would I bring with me as an American. Every family has their own traditions but overall, Americans have the same traditions when it comes to holidays and certain times of the year. Why am I picking American traditions as a topic today? It is the Super Bowl today! Although my team (Chicago Bears) is not in the Super Bowl this year, it is still a day I look forward to every year. It is awesome when your team makes it to the Super Bowl. The last time the Bears were in the Super Bowl was 2007 and they lost against the Indianapolis Colts. I DO remember the year they won the Super Bowl. It was 1985. I miss those days!

Chicago Bears - Superbowl Shuffle by jpdc11

So how would I bring the Super Bowl to England? Well first unfortunately we would have to record the game because it wouldn't start until 11pm. Then we would probably have the party the following week. I would invite Vernon's family, our friends, and encourage the kids to stick around too. I would make beer brats and hamburgers and have all the snacks anyone could want like cheese, sausage and crackers.. and not English sausage, it would be summer sausage. Not sure if they have that out there or not... I would definitely have to plan ahead to make sure I had all the foods necessary to make this a true Super Bowl experience. Then there is the football pool. I am participating in my first office pool so I'm anxious to see how that turns out. My next favorite thing about the Super Bowl are the COMMERCIALS! My most favorite commercial aired last year.

The halftime show entertainment can be great, or it can really suck, or it can involve a wardrobe malfunction that people will talk about for years to come.

Another American tradition which is also a holiday is Thanksgiving. I really want to show Vernon and his family what I love so much about Thanksgiving. Getting together with family, turkey, mashed potatoes, and all the extras with dessert featuring pumpkin pie! There is also the traditional Thanksgiving Day football game. It would be such a wonderful day and I would really enjoy cooking a traditional American Thanksgiving meal for my English family.

Another tradition / holiday would be the 4th of July. I never really got into this holiday because fireworks scare me and annoy the crap out of me when I'm trying to sleep at 1am, but I do like the picnics and all the stars and stripes. Maybe that week we'd have an American Day and go out that weekend for a picnic or something. That would be fun. This past 4th I was in a parade and I admit to having fun.

Well, the game will be starting in another hour so I'm going to finish up this post and get out my football pool sheet to see if I win any money. I have some good numbers so we'll see how I do.

Wish me luck!

Happy Birthday Vernon!

2012-01-08T22:06:00.000-06:00

Happy Birthday to the man whom I love.
The man who makes me feel like a princess each and every day.
The man who tells me I'm beautiful, sexy and wonderful every time he talks to me.
He adores the way I talk, the way I tell stories and the way I express myself.
I never feel like I have to make excuses, or that I have to prove myself to him.
It's been 12 years and he still gives me butterflies.

Happy Birthday to the man who loves my daughter.
The man who has been a father figure to her for many years.
The man who tells her he is proud of the woman she has become.
He admires her talent, creativity, and maturity.
She appreciates, loves and respects him.

Happy Birthday to a wonderful and loving dad and granddad.
The dad who has always put his kids first.
The dad who wants nothing more than his kids to be happy and healthy.
He is there when they need him and teaches by example.
They have always been able to depend on him.
He is loved and trusted by his granddaughter, and he simply glows when she is around him.

Although we have been apart these last 12 years, I feel so very close to you all of the time.
I can't imagine life without you, and I can't believe I managed to function before I met you.
I wish I could be there with you for your birthday and treat you the way you deserve;
Because you have done nothing but make me feel like the luckiest most special woman in the world.

I love you Honey. Happy Birthday.
I am yours forever.

A Saturday Out With Vernon

2011-10-03T01:04:00.000-05:00

From the top of the ski jump hill, lens on full zoom.

A day out with Vernon you say? How is that possible with him being over 3,500 miles away? Well, sometimes I go places and sometimes I'll even force myself to go out so I can take pictures and tell Vernon about it later. Today was a beautiful Fall day so I wanted to go out and take pictures of the fall colors and show them to Vern. Unfortunately we aren't at peak colors yet, I'll have to go out again next weekend and see if they are any brighter, but I went out anyway and took some nice photos and went places I think Vernon would have wanted to go. I also drove around town appreciating where I live, and the beautiful day. I took pictures of things Vern might want to see. I think I was out for about three hours, throwing in a few errands here and there. I had a great morning, and then this afternoon was spent on an online video call with Vernon. It's like I spent the entire day with him. Here are the rest of the photos I took while out and about this morning.

Where do you like to go with your Sweetheart when he/she can't be with you? Do you ever find yourself appreciating things you see every day when you try to see them as if you were experiencing it with that other person? I find myself doing this quite often.

From the top of the ski jump hill, lens on full zoom.

From the top of the ski jump hill. Observation deck to left.

Flagpole at Veteran Memorial at top of ski jump hill.

Mountaineer Stadium

Menominee River, the border between MI and WI

A small corner grocery store.

Party Like it's 1999.

2011-09-20T14:12:00.000-05:00

This week will be 12 years. In the beginning I never thought our distant relationship would evolve into something so amazing and wonderful. Next to my daughter of course, Vernon is the best thing to happen to me. I can't imagine life without him, nor do I want to remember life before him. He is my soul mate, my partner, everything I didn't know I wanted in a man until I met him. To get more of our beginning you can check out My First Blog Post or the "About Us" tab at the top.

Other couples know exactly when their relationship started. They also know who said "I love you" first, and when. Some can even tell you the cute little story behind it. I don't really know how it happened with us? It just happened. We started as strangers in two different countries who just wanted someone to talk to and now, 12 years later, we can't imagine life without the other. I do not regret one day, one hour, one minute or one second with him.

It was mid to late September of 1999 that I decided to write to him. And he promptly wrote back. Everything was so different back then. His youngest was 3 and both of the older kids were 7. It feels like a lifetime ago when Heidi was that young. Here is a bit of historical information from the year 1999.

*This list is by no means exactly accurate or verified. I simply Googled various websites to find this general information for entertainment purposes.

Economy
Gas: $1.25/gal Petrol: 61p/ltr
Milk: $2.75/gal
First class US stamp: 33 cents
UK minimum wage: 3.60 pounds/hr
The Euro is introduced
WalMart buys the UK chain ASDA

Entertainment
Top movies: Matrix, Star Wars episode 1 - The Phantom Menace, American Beauty, American Pie, 6th Sense, Big Daddy, Office Space, 10 Things I Hate About You, Boondock Saints, Cruel Intentions, Notting Hill and the Blair Witch Project.
I feel 1999 was an awesome movie year. This is only a handful of them.

Best Picture: American Beauty
Best Actor: Kevin Spacy
Best Actress: Hillary Swank

TV Shows: The Sopranos, Futurama, and The West Wing

Music: Backstreet Boys - I Want it That Way
TLC - No Scrubs
Britney Spears - Baby One More Time
Cher - Believe
Ricky Martin - Livin La Vida Loca

Books on New York Times Best Sellers List:
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone - JK Rowling
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - JK Rowling
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - JK Rowling
Hannibal - Thomas Harris
The Testament - John Grisham
Bittersweet - Danielle Steele
The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon - Stephen King

Sports
FIFA Women's Soccer World Cup-US defeats China in shootout
FIFA Men's Soccer World Cup-France defeats Brazil 3-0
Superbowl champs-Denver Broncos defeat Atlanta Falcons 34-19
NCAA Men's Basketball champs-Connecticut defeats Duke 77-74 (Michigan State was also in the final 4!)
World Series-New York Yankees defeats Atlanta Braves 4-0
Michael Jordan announces his retirement. (for the first time)

Technology I did a guest post on how technology has changed over the last 11 years and how it affected my long distance relationship. I'm quite proud of it. Feel free to check it out.

Businesses were starting to advertise on Dot.com businesses online.
Online auctions sites were the new rummage sales where you could bid on other people's junk..
Chinese government restricts internet use, aimed especially at internet cafes.
The Melissa Worm infects MS word processing and email systems around the world.
The Blackberry was introduced but didn't reach a million subscribers until 2004.
The world was panicked and getting ready for the predicted Y2K crash when date/time reached 010100 00:00:00. I really wasn't too concerned. Nothing happened that I know of. My sister sold generators at the time and it was a very good year for their company.

Politics
President of US: Bill Clinton
Prime Minister of UK: Tony Blair
President Bill Clinton begins impeachment trial in the Senate.
Pro Wrestler Jesse Ventura is sworn in as Governor of Minnesota

Other Major Events of 1999
Hurricane Floyd hammered North Carolina
Columbine High School massacre happened in Jefferson Co, Colorado
Millennium Dome opens in London.
Ladbroke Grove rail crash in West London kills 31 people.

Another big major event is worth mentioning here. On October 12, 1999 the world was able to proclaim "The 6 billionth living human in the world is born". Vernon made a beautiful post about us and it was titled 6 Billion to One, We met in September, and the world didn't reach 6 billion until October, but then One in 5 Billion 999 Million 999 Thousand 999 to One just doesn't have the same ring to it.

So many things have changed since 1999, including us and our relationship. We love each other more and more every day so after 4,380 days that's quite a lot of feelings we have for each other. Also, physically, I don't think we changed a bit... and I'm stickin' to that.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY HONEY. I LOVE YOU SO VERY MUCH AND HAVE CHERISHED EVERY MOMENT YOU HAVE BEEN A PART OF MY LIFE. I AM YOURS FOREVER. <3 <3 <3

Seven Posts of Past

2011-09-16T00:12:00.000-05:00

Thank you Sarah @ The Ex-Pat Bride for nominating me to participate in this. I don't usually go back to my old posts and it was fun and enlightening for me to read past posts. I can't believe I have had this blog for over a year and I'm amazed at how much I've learned. I value the friendships I have made and the camaraderie amongst other bloggers. Most of all it has helped keep Vernon and I close over the 3,500+ miles that we have to face every day. Vernon enjoys my posts, and so do my family and freinds. I also hope I have given encouragement and hope to others in long distance relationships. Well, enough babbling, on with the meme.
The rules of this meme are as follows:

To unite bloggers (from all sectors) in a joint endeavor to share lessons learned and create a bank of long but not forgotten blog posts that deserve to see the light of day again.

Rules:

1) Blogger is nominated to take part

2) Blogger publishes his/her 7 links on his/her blog - 1 link for each category.

- Your most beautiful post

-Your most popular post

-Your most controversial post

-Your most helpful post

-A post whose success surprised you

-A post you feel didn't get the attention it deserved

-The post that you are most proud of

3) Blogger nominates up to 5 more bloggers to take part.

4) These bloggers publish their 7 links and nominate another 5 more bloggers

5) And so it goes on!

6) The site Trip Base will be sharing the best posts from participating bloggers on their blog and everyday on Facebook and Twitter at #My7Links

1. Most Beautiful Post: A Castle, Shopping and a Baby!
During my most recent trip across the pond I got to see my first castle, go shopping with one of my dearest friends and a baby was born. I couldn't have asked for a better trip.

2. Most Popular Post: Happy Father's Day!
I was actually surprised at how well this one is doing. It is my most popular post and still going strong. I guess this is the day of the dad. I find Vernon's dedication to his children very endearing and very sexy. He's a wonderful father.

3. Most Controversial Post: Are You Crazy?!?!?!
I don't really write about controversial topics, but this one was full of venting. I guess I can't expect everyone to understand or accept our relationship, but I don't like being made to feel like there is something wrong with it.

4. Most Helpful Post: Dear Kimberly:
Someone from the Loving From a Distance site reached out to me asking advice about her long distance relationship. I replied and then turned it into a blog post. She and I are now friends and she is still in her LDR. It's a bit wordy, it's not a popular post, but if someone is looking for advice on LDR's this is the post to read.

5. A Post Whose Success Surprised Me: Monthly Milestones - June
This is another meme that I participate in and is sponsored by Sarah @ The Ex-Pat Bride. I'm surprised it has done so well because it is really short and basically consists of a to-do list for the month. Nothing exciting or earth shattering.

6. A Post That Didn't Get the Attention it Deserved: Three Very Special Children
Nobody likes to read about sick kids, but I was hoping this post would have done better than it did. Two of the three children have long journeys ahead of them and they come from such amazing families. The third had had his journey and has thankfully started kindergarten. I felt like I didn't do enough for these kids, like I didn't write the article well enough to catch the interest of readers or other bloggers. But then I thought if I got them at least one donation or caused a reader to donate their money or time to a charity of their choice, then I guess I succeeded.

7. The Post I am Most Proud of: I Have Been Featured on "The Ex-Pat Bride"!
I was really excited when Sarah @ The Ex-Pat Bride contacted me asking if I would guest post on her blog. At first I was like, "why?" I don't have many readers, I'm not special. I don't even know what I'm doing half the time as I'm trying to post these blog entries. She is one of the sweetest people that I know and was really flattering and excited to see what I came up with. I decided to write about how technology has changed in the last 11+ years and how it has affected our long distance relationship. I figured Sarah's readers are pretty young and would find this article interesting. It was more of a structured researched article as I wanted to provide Sarah with a quality post. My posts are usually random and unorganized but I want my blog to be somewhat candid.

The bloggers that I am nominating are:

Sarah @ Crafting with Sarah
Christy @ Castles, Crumpets and Craig oh my!
Betsy @ Betsy Transatlantically
Yvonne @ Welcome to my World of Poetry
Brittany @ Tales From a Sailor's Soul Mate

Wish You Were Here

2011-09-14T13:36:00.000-05:00

There are days when this long distance relationship is something that I am used to and have become accustomed to living with. Then I have days where I'm like "Damn! Damn! Damn! What I'd do to have you here." I miss you Honey.

My Blog May Have Been Compromised?

2011-08-27T09:43:00.002-05:00

My Chrome readers are getting a Malware warning. I don't want to spread anything further if my blog has been compromised so I will be taking down. (If I can figure out how to do that?) I did a scan on my computer and all looks good on my end so not sure what the problem is. I have been doing a lot of research and I'm following the steps I need to make sure my site is not a danger to my readers. Please bear with me while I try to get this fixed! Visit my facebook page Sexy Chicken Was Here for updates. Thanks.

Friday Five - My favorite "English" foods

2011-08-26T14:51:00.001-05:00

I have taken a few trips to England to visit my charming English man and I have come to find some foods over there that I can't do without during my visits. They may not necessarily be "English" but I found them in England so to me, they are.

1. Curly Wurlys

I bring home several 5 packs every time I go. I found a bar hidden in my sock drawer today which prompted this theme and I can't wait to enjoy it this weekend!

2. Galaxy Ripple

OMG! I mean OMG! I wanted to try Flake Chocolate and Vernon said that I needed to try a Galaxy Ripple to get the "full experience" of having flake chocolate for the first time. OMG! I brought a bunch of these home too.

3. Black Pepper and Sea Salt Chips-Crisps

I have to say that the chip selection is not what I'm used to. One year I picked up what I thought was a family size bag and when I got back to the apartment and opened it up IT WAS FULL OF A BUNCH OF LITTLE BAGS! HUH?!?! No wonder we're the fattest country in the world. Anyway... the selection has improved over the years, I can now find American pretzels! Woo Hoo! Anyway, while I was there one year I thought the black pepper and sea salt chips sounded good. I don't know if they were available here in the US, my city in Upper Michigan or simply in my store. Maybe they always have been and I never noticed. Well, I noticed them in England so they are "English" to me. When I am there, those are my snack of choice.

4. Jacobs Jam and Cream Biscuits (Cookies)

I normally don't buy cookies at home, but these are amazing and I also bring several packages home with me. I've looked for something like this here at home and I have had no luck. I'm sure we have something like them but maybe it's best I don't find anything. That's all I need is cookies in my kitchen.

5. Potatoes

OK, I know what you are thinking... "Potatoes? Um don't you live in the United States? Home of the Idaho Potato?" Yes, and they are yummy! But, what is missing from this picture? Think. Look at it closely... DIRT! Yes! The potatoes in the grocery store where Vernon shops sells potatoes in these plastic bags and they are clean. I love this!! I really dislike scrubbing vegetables, especially potatoes. I buy a bag of potatoes and there is dirt everywhere because there are holes in the bag. If my grocery store sold clean potatoes I would buy them.

OK, so 4 out of 5 is junk food, but believe it or not I always lose weight when I go to England and I think I eat more. I don't get it but it happens. I have my theories but that is for another day and another post.

Guest Blogger: Sarah

2011-08-12T01:15:00.002-05:00

I asked Sarah to write a guest post because I think she's awesome! She too is in love with a very lucky, very charming British man. I think Chris and Vernon have to be the two luckiest blokes in England. Sarah and Chris have been in a long distance relationship for over 3 years and they are getting married in a few months. I love keeping up on the wedding plans as she has kept her readers up to date during the entire process. I find Sarah to be very funny, intelligent and such a sweetheart. And no, we have never met, but it feels as if we have and I always look forward to reading her blog posts. Please show your appreciation for Sarah and leave some comments. She is very gracious and I consider her a friend and I know she would enjoy to read your feedback.

I also want to add that Chris proposed via YouTube video. I lost count of how many times I have seen it, but it always makes me cry. It won them a honeymoon to Thailand... such a deserving couple.

An American Girl’s Guide to British Men

Although Kimberly may be even more of a master on the subject, I fancy myself quite the expert when it comes to British men. I’ve lived in the UK for a total of about a year and a half and have been dating one for almost four years.

In my experience, I’ve found the American woman/Brit bloke combo works very well, and is actually more common than you may think. So for all you ladies out there thinking that you fancy yourself your very own Mr.Darcy, (that’s what I sometimes call my Fiancé) I’ve made a lovely list (list? whoops my American is showing) for you, of dos, don’ts, and things to expect before entering a relationship with one of those dashing and debonair heartthrobs. Just think Hugh Grant or Colin Firth circa Bridget Jones.

*Disclaimer: The use of stereotypes in this article are merely for humorous purposes and are based on the results of my own experiences. (i.e. FACT!)

· DON’T get on the tube after a long walk through rainy London town and proclaim in your American voice volume standards that your pants are all wet. Pants, ladies, means underwear... as in panties. And on that note, DON’T engage him in an argument about whether or not Gerard Butler was wearing pants in 300. (That was seriously our first ever argument).

· DON’T offer to make biscuits and gravy for breakfast. He thinks biscuits are cookies and will be thoroughly confused.

· DON’T expect him to have a car, a degree, or a savings account. Although in America we may think these are essentials before dating anyone, they are simply not priorities in the same way in British culture.

· DO expect to swoon after he says the simplest of sentences. For some reason I love the way he says “toilet” and “chuffed” and even “no” ... although I don’t like hearing that word too much.

· DON’T be surprised when he drops a bucket in front of you when you tell him you are “sick”. That means barfing. You should say “ill”. And yes, no matter how used to it you get, saying the word “ill” will always make you feel pretentious, or like you are in a low budget period drama.

· DO let him do all the navigating. He grew up riding trains and buses (both of which are still new and exciting to me) and is most likely never completely lost. Just make sure you do the actual scheduling, Americans have a better knack of time management if I do say so myself.

· DO not feel bad for relying on him to pull you out of a sticky situation. After all, he knows how to “keep calm and carry on.”

· DON’T expect him to help you write this post.

· DON’T expect him to have perfect teeth. Their dentists don’t force them into braces at the slightest of over-bites.

· DO expect to have to do math just to talk about the weather. (F/C)

· DO expect to have different ideas of what constitutes clean carpets *cough, cough*

· DO try not to judge when he wants to put corn on his sandwiches or pizza

· DON’T try and drink him under the table. Even if he swears he “doesn’t drink anymore”.

· DO expect that he will laugh when you have problems navigating the smallest of roundabouts. They are simply part of Britain’s natural landscape.

· DO expect him to complain about any car trip that is longer than an hour (“5 hours?! We could’ve been in Scotland by then!”). Yet he can sit through an all day movie marathon.

· DO expect that he will be whole-heartedly on board for celebrating Thanksgiving. To him, it’s basically like an early Christmas dinner that you’ll cook.

· DO expect him to ask to use the “toilet”. He means he wants to use the sink also.

· DO expect him to be able to write the mushiest of love letters and emails. (When he wants to).

· DO expect that he will be willing to literally run to the store at “stupid o’clock in the morning” to buy you medicine when you have cramps. Or leave work to get a taxi and take you to the doctor when you are sick (ill).

· DO expect that he will be willing to spend hundreds of pounds and cross the ocean to be with you, even if only for a few weeks.

· ALWAYS expect that he’ll be able to vanquish your ever present doubts and insecurities to make you feel like the most beautiful girl in the world, (even if you are American).

· DON’T take him for granted, he will be the best thing that ever happened to you.

How does one strim?

2011-08-08T06:22:00.001-05:00

Strim: v. (UK) To use a strimmer. Um... ok? What is a strimmer? Vernon and I had this conversation. It is one of many conversations that we have had regarding a word that one of us uses and the other's reaction is "I beg your pardon?" or in my case, "huh?" Vernon has been working on his front yard, ("front garden" for those of you who don't speak American). He mentioned how he wanted to get a push mower of some kind. I felt his front yard / front garden was a bit small for a push mower so I suggested a weed whacker. I then heard, "I beg your pardon?". I giggled because I knew I'd get that reaction. I didn't know what they called a weed trimmer in the UK but I like to keep him on his toes. He informed me that they are called strimmers. I didn't really understand how that word came to be. I actually thought I mis-heard him. I Googled it and it's simply a merging of the words string + trimmer = strimmer. Pretty logical.

One of my favorite blogs, ameringlish has a word of the week. I don't believe this was one of them but I always look forward to her weekly word because sometimes it is completely new to me, and other times I laugh and can remember the conversation that Vernon and I had regarding that word as we learn each other's language through the years.

Monthly Milestones - July

2011-08-01T07:36:00.000-05:00

Another Monthly Milestone post means summer is coming to an end. I'm dreading the snow already. It's been a crappy summer with my knee being all banged up but all I can do is keep on working on it and be very careful.

I had a few things I wanted to accomplish in July. It never happened. No cleaning out the garage or anything like that took place. I'm having enough trouble keeping up with my laundry. I also didn't sign up for a class. I have no money. I'm going to lose my spot in the program if I don't register for school this semester. I really don't want to lose the progress I've made on my degree but I'm still trying to pay off the heat bill left over from the winter. I really need a class to keep me occupied in the evenings, especially right after Heidi leaves for school which will be the beginning of September. It was an emotional, difficult miserable month. I know I'm supposed to be looking at the positives but I don't see them right now.

What are my goals for August? I don't know? I'm sitting here thinking of the things I want to accomplish and I just want to stay in bed and do nothing. I have my business trip at the end of the month which I'm nervous about because my knee still hurts when I work out. My daughter leaves for college while I'm gone and then I wont see her until either Thanksgiving or Christmas. I don't want to cry as much as I have been lately. It has kind of been a daily thing for me so I guess that's my goal for August, to stop crying so much over nothing.

Maybe I should make a daily list. Nothing major, even if it's just one item I want to accomplish. (Is that still considered a list?) Then when I complete that task or tasks on that list or non-list I will feel a sense of accomplishment and not the miserable loser that I feel like today. I am also going to make sure I work out every day... I'm calling that "Operation Metallica" because I want to be able to stand for the entire Metallica concert at my conference unlike the Stevie Wonder concert at last years conference.

In a sense, I guess I did end up with some goals for August, which will include a trip to the doctor to help me get a handle on whatever is going on with me. My outlet for all things miserable is this blog so don't worry, I'm not going anywhere.

Friday 5 - What a Babe, Hubba Hubba

2011-07-29T21:55:00.001-05:00

Today I am trying the meme Friday 5 which is being hosted by Living Like the Kings. I noticed it on The Expat Bride. I like her list of famous men that she "loves slightly less than her groom" and I thought that this would be a fun list to put together. So, here is my list of famous men that I'm quite fond of, but not as much as my sweet Englishman.

1. TIM ROTH

Ok. anyone that knows me is now saying, "DUH", including Vernon.

2. DANIEL CRAIG

Um... see a pattern here? I couldn't make up my mind which pic to post so feel free to enjoy both! ;)

3. CHRIS EVANS

God bless America!

4. CRAIG FERGUSON

He's just super charming and super funny.

5. TIM ROTH

DUH.

Three Very Special Children

2011-07-25T23:12:00.001-05:00

I have had the fortune to follow the journey of a very special 5yr old boy who was diagnosed with a Wilms' tumor on his kidney. He had his kidney removed and went through months of chemo. I know this boy's dad professionally. It was tough reading through every Caring Bridge update knowing he and his family were facing this tragedy. Well, I was given the opportunity to meet this amazing little "warrior" (as his parents called him) at his "cancer free" celebration and I was amazed. This kid did NOT have an ounce of brat in him. I watched him play. He included the other kids and shared with them. When adults spoke to him he smiled and gave them his attention. He was still a 5yr old that would rather be playing than talking to a boring grown up, but he stood there smiling while I introduced myself and he nodded yes or no to questions I had asked him. The coolest thing about this sweet kid is that he is probably the biggest Star Wars fan EVER! I wanted to hug him. I wanted to hug his dad and his mom who I briefly met once about 3 years ago. I was really impressed with this skinny little bald kid (who actually did have some peach fuzz growing on his head). As I followed his journey I would be filled with sadness, amazement and shame. Shame? During the same time I was going through recovery of both a knee and back injury. I often cried and hated everyone and everything and felt like this was all going to last forever. Then my thoughts would go to this little warrior who had to endure being poked and prodded and drugged to the point of being sick and losing his motor skills. I felt so ashamed for whining about having to use crutches and not being able to leave the house due to the pain I was in. What my colleague was going through with his son is the sort of thing that puts life into perspective and makes you realize how very strong we can be.

Next I want to mention a special little 14mo. old baby. She is the niece of one of my best friends who I have known since high school. In the same week that I celebrated with the little jedi warrior, I received the terrible news of this little peanut. She’s got Neuroblastoma and her journey is just beginning. Her family is holding a benefit to raise funds for her care. There is a facebook event for those who would like to attend the benefit or learn how to help. There is also information on how to donate by checking out Julia's Journey. This hard working farming family is one of the kindest families I have the honor of knowing and it breaks my heart to know their sweet little daughter/niece/granddaughter is going to have to endure these surgeries and cancer treatments. My thoughts and prayers go out to Julia and her family.

Finally, I came across an amazing story because I follow Vernon’s local news on facebook,This Is Somerset. I read about a sweet little boy who is 1 of 500 in the world with a very rare disease called Lymphangiomatosis. I guess from reading up

on it, it is very fatal and very painful. Why does it have to reach such a beautiful little boy? To raise funds for his care and raise awareness of this terrible disease, his dad is walking around the UK. YES! He’s walking around the UK! What an amazing task. You can follow the walk on their facebook page,Walk-For Lymphangiomatosis and they also have a website which includes detailed information about the walk and how to donate. He started his walk on Sunday, July 24 and is doing well. If you are in the UK, check out the map, he may end up walking through a town near you. I have never met this family, but I now think of them every day and have been keeping them in my prayers.

I have really been touched by these three Sweethearts and their families. Please keep these children in your thoughts and prayers. If you can donate or send them encouraging words I'm sure it would be appreciated. I like to be optimistic and hopeful and feel that this is just temporary for all three of these kids and they will grow up to be incredible amazing adults who will make a difference in this world, mainly because they come from such loving parents and incredible families who live in supportive communities.

I Need a Saffron Fix!

2011-07-20T10:08:00.001-05:00

Wordless Wednesday

Are You Crazy?!?!?!

2011-07-13T03:42:00.001-05:00

That was the reaction I got today when I mentioned Vernon, where he lived and how long we have been together.

I was making a medical appointment and the lady taking it asked me which day was better.
I said, “Any day is fine, I have no life. All I do is work and go home.”
“So you don’t have a husband or a boyfriend”?
“I have a boyfriend; he’s just 3,500 miles away”.
“Where does he live”?
“England”.
“How long have you been together”?
“11 years”.
“Are you crazy? How do you do that? I don’t think I could do that”.

She continued to ask questions, and I continued to answer them. I love talking about Vernon and our relationship. I love telling people how wonderful he is. I love telling people how loving his family is. Then I started to feel awkward because the questions were sounding like she thought that this relationship wasn’t healthy or normal. I felt like I shared too much with a non LDR (long distance relationship) person. Some think our relationship is really cool, and others think it’s not possible or real. She was amazed that we don’t worry about each other cheating. If you are married or have a boyfriend/girlfriend… do you worry about your partner cheating? Trust is trust. It shouldn’t matter if you are living in the same house or 3,500 miles away. My response to her was “That was never an issue. We have always trusted each other”. I don’t like that I let people make me feel awkward about our relationship and how we met. It’s not traditional and you don’t hear about them working out very often… but because of the blog circles that I travel in, I find more working LDR’s than I find working marriages and couples. I just wanted to get out of there, but she wanted to hear more. She kept saying, “Are you crazy? I don’t know how you do it”. Then she announced my relationship to her co-worker and she looked at me like I was an alien from outer space but managed to say a polite, “wow”.

I can’t imagine my life without Vernon. No, we don’t have a conventional relationship, but it is very real and the only thing I would change is the amount of land and water between us.

Monthly Milestones - June

2011-07-01T23:10:00.001-05:00

Well, I have 3 more followers this month, and my goal was 2. Pretty awesome! Not only that but I have found several new blogs and connected with several other bloggers. I have been enjoying reading the various expat blogs, mommy blogs, writing blogs and even a blog about blogging. I have added twitter and facebook buttons, and tabs including a daily photo. Vernon really likes that feature. It's fun for me too.

July I have a lot to do. I want to clean out the garage and start purging my belongings. Sell, charity or toss. It is important that I get rid of as much as I can. I also want to register for fall classes, I haven't done that yet. Well, it will probably only be one class because I can't afford to take two. I really wish I could take two.

I again hope to add two more followers. I've been meeting some really cool people out here.

A Rough Week

2011-06-26T00:12:00.000-05:00

Vernon has been off of work all week. He's around to chat most of the day, we Skype when I wake up in the morning and we Skype when I get home from work until the wee hours of the morning for him. I love the extra time "together". We've been talking about silly things, we've been talking about serious things, and sometimes we just sit there and look at each other. When it's time to say goodbye I get very sad and stressed. I just want him here. Tuesday morning I had physical therapy. I woke up early and was tearful and sad. I really didn't have a reason for it. I was on the verge of tears throughout my therapy appointment and then began crying toward the end because I couldn't step up with my bad leg. The poor Dr. thought he made me cry but it wasn't that. I spent the day fighting tears or hiding in the bathroom at work when I couldn't hold it back any longer. Wednesday morning I woke up and Vernon and I had a Skype call. He teases me because I have trouble waking up. We had a nice time talking and then we chatted throughout the day. When I got home I was sad and tired and just wanted to go to bed and watch Netflix or something. I then started missing Vern and began to cry. The crying just got worse, it's the kind of crying where my entire head was stuffed, my nose was running and every time I swallowed my ears would pop. I couldn't stop. I missed Vernon so much. This went off and on for a few hours. There was a pain in the middle of my chest and I felt sick so I didn't have any dinner. I cried until I was finally able to fall asleep. Thursday morning was therapy again but I was able to Skype with Vernon after work. My eyes were puffy and burned all day from crying the night before. After we hung up it happened again, but I only cried for about 15 minutes. I wasn't going to eat, but I told Vernon I wouldn't skip dinner tonight so I made myself some hot dogs. He really doesn't like it when I skip meals. Friday morning I got to wake up to Vernon again, and then after work we were on Skype again till Vernon's eyes were glazed over from his lager and lack of sleep. I love the way he looks when he's sleepy. He's so cute. Friday was a tremendous day, lots of good things happened and I was not sad anymore.

I love Vernon. I know he loves me. He makes me feel so special, beautiful, wanted, happy and loved, but I still feel sad at times. I will never regret the decision we made to have a long distance relationship because nothing is more important to us than our children; but I still manage to have the occasional bad day, even after 11 years.

Happy Father's Day!

2011-06-19T13:41:00.000-05:00

I would like to say Happy Father's Day to three of the most important fathers in my life.

My English dad: "He is a very tall man". That was my first thought when I met him several years ago.

He is loved and highly respected by all in his family. He is often surrounded by his grandkids and as of April 2011 he is now a great grandad. He likes to play and have fun and I have never witnessed him grumpy or impatient. He is a perfect example to his grandsons on how to have a good work ethic, how to treat the women in your life and simply how to be a good man. He is one of those dads who will come to your rescue if you are having car trouble or need a hand with moving and home repairs. He doesn't expect anything in return. When I am there I don't feel like a foreign visitor. I feel like part of the family, I feel loved and accepted and missed when I am gone. He is a wonderful man and I am thankful that he is a part of my life. I can see why Vernon is the man he is today.

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My Dad: He is my Superman

I don't even know where to begin. He's the guy who taught me how to play baseball and basketball and ride a bike. Most importantly he taught me that the only way to get the rebound was to "sacrifice my body!" He rescued me from my runaway tricycle as it was taking me down the hill way too fast. He picked me up after I went face first into a tree on a sledding hill. He took me trick-or-treating on the John Deere Tractor. He took me to lots of Brewer games, a Bucks game and I even got to see the Harlem Globetrotters. He taught me how to fish and how to do my taxes. He taught me how to balance a checkbook and look for a job. He coached me on interviews and helped me do my homework. He also made sure I had change when I went out so I could call home if I needed a safe ride, and I always knew I'd be much better off by calling him no matter what situation I was in. He even didn't accuse me of lying when I wrecked the car on the way to my ACT's and I told him it was a hit and run while parked. He knew better... but never called me on it. I have often felt like I have disappointed him because I did not follow the path he laid out for me. But then we have moments where I do feel that he is proud of me, and the woman and mother I have become. If it wasn't for the Christian upbringing and the work ethic, I don't think I would be very happy with who I have become or where I am in life.

My dad is also a wonderful grandpa. He has had to pick up a lot of slack left by Heidi's absent inattentive father. He has made sure Heidi had experiences and opportunities that I normally wouldn't have been able to give her. Heidi and grandpa are best buddies, and that means more to me than anything he's ever done for me.
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My Sweetheart, Vernon, what a wonderful loving dad he is.

His number one priority has always been his kids. Making sure he made time for them and gave them the attention that they needed. If we were chatting, he would tell me one was needing attention and we would say goodbye. If I didn't see him online at all he was spending time with them. I love that about him. We have had this long distance relationship because of the kids. All three of them. Although I have not been in England, I have watched his two kids grow up through pictures. He has told me of the awards and accomplishments of school, activities and sports. I hear about the friendships, girlfriends, illnesses, sad times and difficult times. I have cried with him and rejoiced with him and even given him advice on the tough stuff. Most recently, I was able to share his joy of the birth of his granddaughter. He's going to be a super 'granddad'. Bottom line, he's a great dad, and grandpa who is dedicated, loving and loyal to the ones that depend on him so much.

He has also been a wonderful loving father figure to Heidi. As you know her dad is absent emotionally and financially and Vernon has been there to support her and encourage her and make her feel important and loved.

Vernon has dedicated his life to his kids and has made an impact on mine, showing them by example how to have a good work ethic, how to treat others and how to conduct yourself with class. He also made it very clear to them that they are loved. It's these traits that make him very attractive to me, well, it's part of the reason he's very attractive to me.

We have a date in Spain planned!

2011-06-12T22:40:00.001-05:00

I was a basketball player and I am a football fan. Americans get a little nuts over Nascar, especially in the south. Why? I have no idea. It’s as boring as golf to me. I just assumed all racing was the same as Nascar, round and round and round and round and round the same round track. Well, all racing isn’t as boring as Nascar.

I was Skyping with Vernon today and I was being distracted by Heidi and goofing around with her. Vernon was being distracted by the TV and searching for the mother ship, uhhhhh I mean a mother board. Well, he then started to get pretty vocal while watching the TV. “Woah!” and “Oooh!” and “I love it when they race in the rain, they’re all over the road!” I was like, “What are you watching?” He said the blah blah blah race in Canada. I figured it was live and I started flipping channels. I found golf (Aaak!) and Nascar (Aaak!) and then this other race with these cool low little cars and the course was all curvy and twisty and it was wet and as I turned it on this guy was trying to get debris from a recent crash out of the road and freaked as a car came around the curve and he fell so the car had to swerve around him. {breathe!} I bet they both needed a clean pair of shorts after that.

In the upper left corner I saw a logo, F1. So I asked Vernon, “F1, Formula 1, you know that racing group right?”

“Yes, that’s what I’m watching.”

Then I saw the Canadian flags and I knew we were watching the same race. AWESOME! Last time we watched the same thing together it was the Royal Wedding. We started watching the race together. Well, I had an educated guess that F1 racing was international, drivers from all over the world. Since Vernon was into cars and Top Gear I’d figure he’d know the name of England’s driver if they had one. Turns out they have 2 guys, Hamilton and Button. After he said the second name I was like, “I have a button on my shirt-Button?”

“Yes”.

Well, turns out this Button guy was in 4^th place, then 3^rd then 2^nd, and there were a few laps to go. It was pretty exciting to watch. Those little cars can really get around those hairpin turns. Then on the final lap the guy who was ahead for several laps lost control for a bit, Button pulled ahead and he won the race. I don’t know if it was fun and exciting because it actually was or because I was watching it with Vernon and we were enjoying it together? Either way, we are going to watch the next race that takes place in Spain, two weeks from now.

I think we have a date planned. I can’t wait!

Just Sayin'

2011-06-08T22:18:00.000-05:00

Chatting With Vernon Today

2011-06-07T16:34:00.000-05:00

Kimberly: the city is going to be digging up my entire block
Vern: ?
Kimberly: there is blue and yellow spray paint up the entire block and yellow flags everywhere.
my road, infront of my house, they will be digging it up
Vern: any reason
Kimberly: don't know, it looks perfectly fine, might be waterline work or something?
it's gonna suck
i mentioned it to heidi and she's like "Yay! Construction workers!"
i'm like, "Uh, NO, I don't think so!"
Vern: no it's me, i'm having a tunnel dug from here
Kimberly: lol YAY!!!!!!!!

Monthly Milestones - May

2011-05-31T21:58:00.001-05:00

May has been a very difficult month for me; full of pain, drugs and feeling useless and bothersome. My being forced to sit for hours on end cooped up in the house has caused me to dive deeper in this thing they call blogging. It all started over a year ago with my friend Ali’s blog. If you check it out, you will see that she is a very creative and talented photographer who has three of the cutest kids you’ve ever seen. I would visit it every so often and thought this was a clever way to keep loved ones up to date on how everyone was doing. Then my amazing friend Kim introduced me to her blog. It’s just simply about happy thoughts, crafting and friendship. It was those two that gave me the inspiration to 1. Start writing again and 2. Create a blog! So, I went out and picked up Blogging For Dummies and began to think.

My blog was going to be a rant. Simply about stuff that pisses me off. I played with a few topics and then came to the conclusion that this world is already full of negativity. I should follow in the footsteps of Ali and Kim and write of positive happy things. Then it hit me… VERNON! It can be a simple blog about us, how we manage a long distance relationship (LDR) and advice for those in an LDR. I also post about our two cultures, travel, entertainment, pop culture and anything I can think of pertaining to our relationship. It started out kind of slow, I really didn’t know what I was doing. Now, for the month of May I have reached 18 followers and just this month I have written 6 posts. I’ve been trying to think of ways to make my blog better and visiting several new blogs a week, introducing myself and making comments. I’ve managed to pick up a few followers this month and it’s so exciting!

I have a basic goal for June. I hope to have at least two more followers and I will continue to follow new blogs and introduce myself and leave lots of comments. I also thought of a really cool idea to improve my blog that I know Vernon will love, but I’m not going to spoil the surprise right now. You all will see in good time.

Still Swooning Over the Royal Wedding

2011-05-29T22:48:00.003-05:00

I don't know why... but this wedding was the most fun I had since I was actually IN England and I haven't even done a post on it yet. I was reading one of my favorite blogs and noticed an exciting post by Melissa of Smitten By Britain. The Royal Wedding DVD will be out soon! That inspired me to finally write about what I thought about the wedding. Prince William is so charming... (sorry for the pun); and Kate is so classy and down to earth. There is nothing "common" about Kate. Haters were getting sick

of all the hype about the wedding, the specials on every channel, the interviews with crazy royalty memorabilia collectors, look-a-likes making dance videos and the history of their relationship. I could never decide which channel to land on, but would stop if I saw Sharon Osbourne or Piers Morgan, two of my favorite Brits. While I was in England only 2 weeks before the wedding I could see all the tv ads for party supplies, bakeries, jewelers selling the similar famous engagement ring and retailers selling party dresses and fancy hats. Vern and I had been in Corfe and Swanage for the day and did some souvenir shopping. I saw magnets, keychains, spoons, bells, notebooks, jewelry boxes and this plate. I looked at these items, picked up other things for friends and family, came back to the Will and Kate stuff, looked at them again, picked them up, put them down, and told myself that I need to spend my money on postcards for my collection, Heidi and "the babies" (my niece and nephews). I knew I'd regret it but got over it.... well, we got home that night and everyone showed up to wish me a Happy Birthday and low and behold I got the same plate I saw earlier from Vernon's mother. I just started laughing out loud! It is so pretty and English and exactly what I wanted. And to think I nearly bought something like this myself. I have it proudly displayed on my shelf above my desk at work next to my model trolley car from San Francisco and my model red double decker bus from London.

I loved everything about the hype, the procession, the cheering, the flags, the people, and the ceremony. The ceremony was wonderful. I especially loved Kate's dress. Wow! So simple and elegant. It was perfect. And her sister looked like a Hollywood movie star. It was fun finding the occasional famous person... well, lots of those people were famous, so I should say famous people that I actually knew. I loved the dresses and shoes and hats... all the hats! I'm not a hat person, but they are fun to look at. Some were just terrible too.... loved laughing at them! Like the two I call "the two ugly stepsisters". OMG! I had no idea who they were, but then later I found out they were the daughters of Sarah Ferguson who wasn't invited to the wedding, all of which I didn't understand until I read up on it later.... drama drama drama... now back on track to "the two ugly stepsisters". Those outfits! That blue dress was, um.... yeah. And then that bow hat... what was that? Do they not own mirrors? If I were there I would have wanted to throw a bean bag through the hoop to win the prize. I guess when you are rich you can dress how you want no matter how hideous.

The moments after the ceremony were wonderful. The carriage ride was out of a fairytale, (YES! I said "fairytale"!) and the march of all the people to the gates of Buckingham Palace...I was amazed at how orderly the people were escorted, and the crowds went on forever. I couldn't believe how many people were there, especially the crazy Americans. Then the kiss... I nearly missed that because I had to get ready for work and they finally kissed... TWICE! So cute.

The best part of the wedding wasn't waking up at 4am, finding the right channel to watch on TV, or logging onto the official Royal YouTube channel and keeping an eye on both screens so I don't miss a thing. The best part was that little "beep" that led me to discover that..... VERN IS ONLINE!!!!!!! I tell him I'm going to call so we watched the wedding together. It was perfect. Watching the most perfect wedding on the phone with the most perfect man. It was great and I was in a happy giddy mood for the rest of the day at work.

What were you doing one year ago?

2011-05-18T22:45:00.001-05:00

Vernon and I chat several times a week. I was going through our chats from 2010 and thought it would be interesting to see what we were talking about a year ago today. I wonder if all our chats are like this because boy do I look like I have some form of A.D.D. because I jump around from topic to topic.

One year ago today:

I synced my Outlook calendar with Salesforce.com. Vernon's response, "You know how to have fun."
I told Vern about the awards ceremony at Heidi's school, how she was going to get presented with her scholarship to WMU and that my Aunt and Uncle would be there too. (Turned out that they don't present the big awards on award night, they save those for graduation so we sat through that entire thing for nothing.)
I was very angry. Didn't know why. I couldn't focus. Had a bad case of road rage on the way to taking Heidi to school. Vernon said, "It's good to be angry every so often."
A certain co-worker was annoying the crap out of me quite frequently and did something specific that day that really annoyed me. This year I don't have to deal with that person anymore. WOO HOOO!
I was worried about seeing the Ex next week. I'm thinking that was for graduation. I'm actually shocked he showed up. Was never good at following through with commitments to Heidi.
Vernon had 46 parcels (packages) for one house. He didn't mention it to his manager because he would have taken them off of him and given him 45 more packages to different houses. That is what my dad would call working smart, not hard. Then I went on to talk about my FedEx days. Oh such good times... (not really)
Vernon's work got a new computer system and it broke down... is an expensive new system and it breaks down. Frustrating.
I took my lunch break at home and thought I'd surprise Vernon with a phone call. Of course no one answered. Vernon's reply, "although as I look across to the phone, I see someone has called. Sorry Darling." (I love when he calls me Darling).
I'm training a new girl, they hired someone yesterday to help me out. She's very tall, young, eager to learn and very nice. (I'm describing Jackie! We are very close friends now! I can't believe it's been a year!) The guys were tripping over their tongues around her.
Heidi just called, she and her friend are going to study at the park. She's got an Economics test and her friend has a Government test. (Wow, seems like yesterday she was in high school)
It was a beautiful sunny warm day but I was freezing my boobies off? Vernon's response, "Be careful where they fall!" Apparently it was warmer in the U.P. than in Somerset that day.
I had an odd dream last night... A Watertown firefighter, my friend NM, Heidi and I were in some unknown living room watching TV. I was only wearing a towel. NM and the firefighter were my ride. I wanted to go home to get dressed but no one would take me.
I was looking at Vernon's photos in Facebook. He had a picture of the place where we had our dinners during our trip to Copper Harbor.
We say goodbye the same way nearly every time. Vernon: "bye sexy"; Me: "bye".