The Ramblings of a Scottish American Gopher

The Last 6 months in reflection..

2013-12-11T12:44:00.000-08:00

Well let me see been a long time since the last post so here goes me trying to remember all that's gone on.

I helped out more in church helped keep things running smoothly.

I started work at the end of July, it came at the right time... I work at Walmart - it's a job, it pays me money, I work hard at it..

I got to see where my wife grew up on our Wedding anniversary, got the week off work which was a total blessing, what wasn't a total blessing was a phone call from home about my mum who I knew was ill but just didn't know how ill until then, suspected cancer, later proven to be correct and stage 4, liver and a few other spots.

My wife and I's birthdays got celebrated it was fun, a day away from working.

October brought the warmer weather and a trip home to see my mum one last time, it was almost like she was waiting for us.. Also this month our church's Annual Missions Conference which I didn't get to much off due to work. Sunday's find me mostly working in the afternoon..

November brought the churches Annual Men's Conference, which went smoothly thanks to feedback from last year and me working some coding magic to make it go way smoother... Mum's cancer spread to her brain and she wasn't the same couldn't really speak with her as facts were getting mixed up enough more and it hurt.

So here we are in December, it's cold here now, not ice n snow cold but cold enough for a little frost, it's also the time my mum passed away, the cancer had gotten everywhere and finally got her...

As for the rest of the Month who knows.....
Next Year we shall see..

Onwards to a new Job

2013-04-22T09:27:00.002-07:00

Well what can I say I went in on a Thursday morning to see about my SSN card, was told 2 weeks, I got it the following Tuesday..

So now it's onward and upward to a job so my sweet lovely wife who I love dearly can trim back the hours she has to work..

Where I go from here only God knows.

Green Card

2013-04-06T14:12:00.001-07:00

Well what can I say, seeing as my 5 month paperwork shuffling exercise with the US government is over finally and I have my "Permanent Residency" card which I'm glad of, would hate to have to go back to the UK without my wife, my soulmate, my world, the one who can make me laugh, cry, be angry and make me smile all within minutes ;)

Wonder how many will noticed the change in the Blog Title ;)
Wonders how many just went to look at the Blog Title Now - lol....

Onward and upward going to get my SSN and then find work - need 1 to make sure I can get the other ;) then I can start paying Uncle Sam instead of Uncle Dave ;) < waits for the LOL from certain people.

That is all for now... Time to get back to my "Honey Do" list ;)

Bittersweet

2013-01-12T17:25:00.000-08:00

Do I miss home, now I'm no longer there, yes and no. Yes as I miss the snow, rain and ice. No because I hated not being able to get my car out of it's parking spot, driving in snow was ok, ice not so much, rain was fun but at least in the UK, they know for the most part how to drive in snow and rain. Here in Southern California, they don't know how to drive in the rain they still think they can do above the speed limit in it and break 20 ft from your bumper and still be able to stop, well they don't get enough rain to practice in to be honest. I can see snow capped mountains and that will do me for now.
Happy New Year to all my readers, yes I mean you and you and now that guy beside you as he looked interested ;)

Almost Christmas

2012-12-22T11:04:00.002-08:00

Well it's almost Christmas, the whole reason for the season is almost upon us. Gifts are bought and wrapped under our little tree, wow there is something I thought I'd never have a tree to share with my soulmate.. Sure I miss my family back home but I have a new one starting here, growing in grace all the time.
I'd love to know where this year has went, especially this last month or so, I think I blinked and missed it..

Things I've managed to get done:

Get and put our tree up together
Buy and wrap gifts for my sweetheart.
Get some not all of my Christmas cards out
Smile a lot and spend time with my sweetie.

Things I've not managed to get done:

Send out Christmas cards and gifts out to everyone I normally do by December 10th so they get them for sure.
Get the time to fly home for Christmas
Do all the stuff I'd normally be doing at home around this time..

November 2nd

2012-11-02T19:42:00.001-07:00

I figured I'd see who was still reading my blog.

I finally decided that I'd retire the old look and totally refresh the blog..

Now that I've gone and gotten that out the way on to the important stuff.

I am no longer writing this from Scotland but as they say you can take the boy out of Scotland but you can't take Scotland out the boy, that is so true.
I'm married to my lovely wonderful wife, hard to believe it will soon be 3 months.... Where the heck did the time go, mind you in saying that it's been a super fast year. I moved to here, got married, and now I'm just waiting on my paperwork to allow me to stay here permanently..
Pray I do.. I plan on writing more but well who knows..

Valentines Day 2012

2012-02-17T15:18:00.000-08:00

Hmm well I got someone good, real good.. I said I hadn't ordered any roses this year as I had totally forgot and I didn't think even If I ordered them she would get them much before next week ;) Knowing fully well that she was getting a dozen red roses.. I roped in a few good friends to help me with this and well it worked beautifully...

I Love my princess :) she makes me happy...

2011-12-24T10:00:00.000-08:00

I've had a birthday since my last post and I got engaged to the most wonderful woman :)...

I cannot wait to see what 2012 shall bring....

August Already

2011-08-08T15:33:00.001-07:00

Ok, Who stole summer.. It's raining again, hmm this not seeing much sun is getting boring, I wanna be able to enjoy the Garden which I can't..

March already

2011-03-03T08:00:00.000-08:00

Ok, where did the last three months go? They seemed to go fast, slow, fast, fast, fast.
Hard to believe it's March already, I guess that is what happens when real life gets in the way of a blog :P, well that and Facebook. I don't ever intend to link between the two either, several of my friends do and they sometimes the post update works other times it doesn't and you can get your blog reported on facebook. Not for me let me tell ya.
I'm still in Scotland although for how much longer I don't know, I'm moving to the US that is now a given, when is the big question now. It's getting the visa, a job, a place to stay, and all that in the current climate, not going to be easy, I'll just have to pray it works out.
I'm fine, although Dad's birthday is tomorrow, hard to belive it's almost 3 years since he passed away. Time to be strong again for mom and my girlfriend, well girlfriend for now, I just need to ask something then get the K-1 Visa train moving...
Until next time.

Brrrrrr

2010-12-02T12:18:00.000-08:00

Ok enough with the cold weather already seriously or at least keep the roads clear so we can get about... I managed to get to work today for the first time this week.
It's meant to be really warm tonight -9c (15F)

Snow Joke

2010-11-29T11:17:00.000-08:00

Hmm here we go, 6 inches of snow and the place grinds to a halt.
All the schools were shut today and will be shut again tomorrow probably Wednesday too. I had to dig my car out and try and get to work, no go, never seen it this bad for a number of years. I checked the local council website well when I could it appeared to have crashed or got "Snowed under" with requests. When I could check I checked to see if my Street was on the list for priority gritting since there is a bus service runs about - it was but I've yet to see a gritter up here actually I think I saw 1 bus all day and that was only on the main road.
Well I doubt I'll be able to get to work tomorrow but I will endeavour to try.

Birthday Update

2010-09-29T06:15:00.000-07:00

Well it was my birthday last Sunday, it didn't hurt. What does hurt now is the fact that my spine is screwed and nothing can be done with it. I was the x-rays they didn't look good and the only way they'd do anything for me is if I was basically in constant pain which I can see happening.
That is all for now, it's a short update as nothing really has happened :D.

Life goes on..

Is it really August already!

2010-08-05T03:49:00.003-07:00

Wow what a quick year it's been so far..
I do suppose that comes from being in Love with the most wonderful girl in the world.

I loved the 12 day holiday even through the jetlag which Hit me big style the first few days..
So a recap (for those who don't follow me on Facebook :P)
I left the UK on 2nd July at lunchtime landed in LA via NY at around 9pm PST (5am my time)... Long day, I did get some sleep on the plane and I wasn't nervous flying for the 1st time either :D.
I landed and was met by my lovely, beautiful girlfriend and a mutual friend of ours was great. To the Hotel.

Saturday 3rd July:
Santa Ana Independence Day event - Didn't get there for right at the start so missed a bit of the Guy who was playing George Washington's speech but it was really good. Got to met a real live true American Marine who is now also been ordained as a Pastor in the baptist faith, Amen to that. Got to meet a lot of people it was all a bit of a blur with faces and names, but it was good.
That evening went to Balboa Island, that was fun, the power was out so we didn't go to the place we had planned we went to the one along the coast at Huntingdon Beach - Ruby's man that burger was tasty, I fell asleep :P

Sunday 4th July:
My Independence Day - Church in the morning, early morning so I got to hear the choir practice, I'd been watching the services online for about 6 months but this was far better :D Service was much better up close and in person, Pastor Thomlinson does great sermons.. He always asks at the end when we are heads down, eyes closed praying to God, if anyone thinks if they died tomorrow they weren't sure they'd go to heaven to raise their hand. I wasn't 100% sure so hand went up... That was my independence day - the day I got Saved. Amen to that.
There was a BBQ lunch at the church too and well that was the news around the table met with thumbs up and congratulations all round. The afternoon service was moved since it was the 4th July so people could go see / set of firework, good service too :D
That evening got to see some upclose and personal fireworks - totally safe but still spectacular.

Monday 5th July:

I took the day off as well the jetlag had caught up with me and I just lazed around caught up on facebook and chatted to my beautiful girl :)
Also went to a local art show was really interesting "Living Art" don't ask me how they did it - I'm still working it out.

Tuesday 6th July:
To the local zoo with a family I'd get to know well but first the cake..
I got made a most beautiful cake done like an American Flag with the strawberries for stripes and blueberries for the other part. I also got a lovely homemade rocket done by the 2 boys, great kids too they were so excited to meet me :), their little sister it took more to impress her.. So of to the local zoo with them we went it was great got photos and got to feed the animals and pet them in the petting zoo part they had. Then Lunch and that cake it was delicious :).
Oh did I say my girl is beautiful, okay maybe once more.
Dinner that night was at Pastor's house, and his wife can cook, yum..

Wednesday 7th July:
Did some work in the classroom, making up picture CD's, all day had lunch was yum and spending time with my girl XXX.
That night I was initiated in to Patch Club which is for kids - keeps them occupied while mom and dad are at the Wednesday night service. Man was I tired out after that.
But I still had enough energy to cook dinner that night - yes I did cook.

Thursday 8th July:
Hmm a little more time alone with my girl, then to the airport to pick up her mom who was flying in to meet me:D We got on great which is a bonus I'm sure will come in handy later.. We did dinner this time my girl and her mom cooked was yummy I went for seconds. We then went to Downtown Disney to see the Fireworks show :D

Friday 9th July:
A visit to the park for lunch and a visit to the local art museum eye opening what people want you to pay for art is all I will say. Got some Professional Photos done that afternoon / evening was great.

Saturday 10th July:
An afternoon BBQ at a friends was great:D I could do that all the time, someone picks a place and cooks and sometimes I cook, saves cooking all the time and is fun, wait too late some TV station probably already does that..

Sunday 11th July:
Back to church but this time to Class, Couples Class to be exact there is a reason for this as I was sneaking out early to get in position for something real special.
It was a special day anyway the 34th Anniversary of the Church and I made it extra special by choosing the day to get Baptised and show my commitment to following Jesus Christ our Lord. Was a spectacular day I had lunch with my beautiful girlfriend and we finished off doing the CD's we'd started..
Sunday Evening's Service was great too.

Monday 12th July:
Almost time for me to head home but 1 last blast to somewhere nice
San Diego Zoo - how anyone can claim to be able to go round this in 1 day it's huge I mean the map is on A3 or maybe even a A2 sheet. I got to see maybe half the zoo in the time I was there which was most of the day.I shot loads of photos here too. With my girl all day just us was GREAT.

Tuesday 13th July:
Last full day in paradise :( brunch, some more photos done this time by our mutual friend :) and for dinner Pho Noodle - spicy but yummy:D and some more time alone with my girl to just talk over the holiday and stuff.

Wednesday 14th / Thursday 15th July:
I flew out of LA at 1pm but needed to be there for like 10am so we got to the airport said our SAD goodbyes :( I tried not to cry it was hard. The plane journey was LONG, way long as it landed at 7am UK time never doing that flight again!

It took my about 5 days to get over the jet lag and I miss not being able to just give my girl a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

The future - God alone knows what lies there for both of us.

Yes I am still alive

2010-06-16T01:55:00.003-07:00

I know I've not posted on here in a very long time but well what happens when you go on facebook and chat there, since this is still a quiet reflective place although I am going to add this into facebook and maybe just maybe interact more via here.

Well I'm in Love and Loved Up, in just over 2 weeks, 16 days to be precise I'll be flying for the first time EVER, yeah a big step for me for sure. If your wondering if I'm nervous about it, yes I am it is going to be a long couple of flights since I can't get a direct flight from here to there but it shall just have to do.
I need to start packing and Laptop/Netbook for sure would be nice if I could also check my home pc on it as well but that would be a bonus, just as long as I can put certain software on it I won't mind and non-widescreen would be a BIG bonus.
Where I go from here only God knows.

I'm Leaving On a Jet Plane

2010-04-16T12:52:00.000-07:00

Well not just now obviously but in 76 days I will be. Yeah guys 76 days until I leave this little island where well right now it was actually a nice spring day but that's rare :D.. To Fly off to see my girlfriend in Sunny California..

Update / To the spamturd!

2010-03-24T08:45:00.003-07:00

Okay just a quick update.

Passport - Got it, picture looks like I've just been arrested but don't they all.
Visa - Sorted in the Visa Wavier Program *can't see why they wouldn't let me in!*
Spending money in dollars - sorted Crown Currency Exchange is good :)
Flights - got them just about sorted
Accommodation - working on that.

Room is meant to be done next week was going to try and be there to help keep stuff out the way but I don't know now....

Oh and dear mr 3i PoS stop spamming comments 1 comment in 1 post would have done not 4 in 4 separate posts - do it again and your blog will be reported - one and only warning.

I'm ..........

2010-02-04T01:42:00.002-08:00

I'm
head
over
heels
in
L O V E
with a wonderfully kind, funny, caring, smart, beautiful and sweet young lady.
Oh just to prove God has a sense of humor about all this, the lady in question is from Orange County, California.

I'm in the midst of re-decorating / re-designing my room.

I've started going back to church.

Life right now is good, life right now is great.

To do: Passport get one, Tickets to OC, CA, USA, visa, spending money and all that
Am I nervous - yes.
Oh Reason I'm not here much is well I have facebook seems much quicker way of keeping up with people ;)

Since I never post, long posts.
I had to switch off the haloscan commenting as they are having hardware issues and are discontinuing the system they are switching to another system but I decided to export and just drop it :D

Happy New Year (okay it's a little late I know)

2010-01-11T15:23:00.003-08:00

Well it's now 2010 and well it looks like being a great year.
I can't think why either I just have a feeling it's gonna be a great year.
Got doctors appointment next week so we'll see how that goes, more about that then.
I had a quiet christmas / new year since I was pretty much working most of it.
It's been bitterly cold with temperatures sometimes not getting above 0C (32F), and sliding around on snow isn't that much fun while driving well the car is still in one piece and fully service I got that done just before Christmas and I got new tyres on it last weekend and well I can feel the difference..

God Bless all my readers..

A Merry Christmas to one and all

2009-12-23T14:44:00.002-08:00

Well the year is almost over, Christmas is just a few days away. So here is just a little message to wish all my friends through out the world a very merry Christmas, may you get what you wished for, may you have the ones you care about the most around you, raise a glass to your nearest and dearest. Enjoy a good meal in good company on the day itself, they need not be in the room but in your heart will do..

I'll now shameless borrow something I found on facebook
Last Minute Gift Suggestions: To your enemy, forgiveness. To an opponent, tolerance. To a friend, your heart. To every child, a good example. To all, charity. To yourself, respect. - Oren Arnold

Have a good one everyone, Take care
Hugs, Hugs and more Hugs to one and all. I will be thinking of you all.

November already

2009-11-01T06:27:00.002-08:00

Wow I really should post more often here but well I guess I've been caught up in work and stuff since I went back and well been busy doing other stuff like facebook :P..
Well today I was going to try and plant some bulbs, I managed to get a few planted last sunday but well like then it's raining so no outside work today and I do need to give the lawn a quick once over..
I also really need to get a move on and start getting Christmas presents. I know but well I better start now...
The bathroom is being remodel this week, i picked up the tiles for that yesterday, got new flooring to go down and just awaiting the work starting so it can all be done..
I'm good the meds are working good :) See the doc again on Thursday about it..

Back to Work I guess

2009-10-06T10:59:00.003-07:00

Well been back 2 days and I wish I had never taken a holiday or I had left instruction using words of 1 Sybille or less, I kid yeah not..
Had to go in early yesterday due for another reason entirely.......
I gets the pile of paperwork that's been "left" i'll still working through it I gave up yesterday it gave me a headache...
I mean the system I have in place is simple.
Job comes in, job sheet filled out with Date, job number, name, address, postcode, phone numbers, what it is fault/quote /other, new or existing customer, alarm type (if it applies), space for problem / description of job and a few other bit if they need to be filled out.. I come back to about 20 nearly blank sheets, half assed filled out not impressed, at least they were able to open the job sheet spreadsheet and get the job numbers in sequence mind you they DID not bother to LOOK at the existing job sheet file or on the spreadsheet as I found a few "duplicated" sheets not impressed.
Now I have another sheet and a template that goes with it for invoicing now I explained and WROTE down what happens when an invoice is associated with a job it's not just Invoice number XXXX any more it's Invoice Number XXXX/Job number.. with the name and address of where it's to go and the rest of the invoice filled out..
The invoices sent spreadsheet has all the invoices that have been sent out from about 2006 so we are up to a fairly highish number, now only thing i've not been able to do is get it to do on save of the spreadsheet to add a line in for that number (just incase I'm updating one) so I have to manually write this in and it thus gets the next free number.. I find a fucking duplicate don't I oh and it's not like the duplicates were done on the SAME day which could mean same time and thus not update the spreadsheet between them oh no fucking 10 days! I get it in the neck for other stuff as well... Things that well SHOULD have been SPOTTED oh about 7 fucking months ago when the timesheets were done for this year oh NO not spotted :| GFDIATH...
Woosah was said a lot yesterday and today as i get back into the groove.. Oh and I'm meant to ask if something's been paid when I've been told that's all the customer alarm renewal sheets back, all of them, I'm meant to ASK not the fucking BITCH that's seen all the checks and has them in SAGE on her laptop... oh no I'm meant to ask, fuck off.. Communication is a 2 way thing, I only get shouted at for crap she should have double checked with ME at the time not waited..
I'm never taking 2 weeks off a fucking gain unless it's when nothing needs to go out and no work needs doing then I'll do it..
But hey I had fun, the back garden is all done, 12 60 liter bags of mini wood chips later, just got to try and find a good day to clean the greenhouse glass of all the green that's on it, put up some trellising for the clematis for next year.
Oh and put some manure in the front garden and then some more back chips.
All in all I had fun and actually enjoyed doing it.
Between doing that and getting a jacket sorted for my sisters wedding this Saturday it's been fun, yeah I'm glad to back at work (NOT!).

Holiday

2009-09-22T10:38:00.000-07:00

Well i'm now on day 2 of my 2 week vacation / holiday, call it what you may and well I've done a bit of work in the garden just like I said I would on my internal list - some people thought they needed to tell me off for not doing it, well they've been stressed and other people getting on their nerves doesn't help..
I did 2 of the flower beds on Saturday afternoon after i came back from lunch and mowed the grass as well. I was out to lunch again on Sunday, well I took my godmother out as it was her birthday the day before and then I went on a long walk to work it off since it was a nice day. I did plan on doing more of the garden yesterday but the weather wasn't being particularly nice so I wasn't able to do much but I still found things to do..
Today I did managed to get out there for a few hours and i got 1 bed done, only 1 i hear you say well I wanted to make sure every god darn bit of chickweed and all the other weeds were gone and back chips were covering everything which they are...
Roll on tomorrow, when I need to be up early yet again..
Oh yeah I'm on holiday so I wake up between 6 - 7 am just like NORMAL, great.

Peace...

2009-09-14T00:12:00.002-07:00

Ah what a difference a day makes, or rather a fortnight. I can smile more okay there are times still when I feel down but these are fewer. So I think just maybe the "stuff" I'm taking is working. Yes it working I'm seeing the daylight once again.. It's nice. To those that matter thank you..

Who am I?

2009-08-04T05:48:00.002-07:00

That is a rather good question don't you think...
Let's see I'll be 35 soon, I stay will my mum, always have really..
I'm really not one for going out at all.
I don't smoke, I drink on a Friday / Saturday night IF i feel like it and can afford it.
I'm a quiet and shy person, happy to let others shine.
I was bullied at school since I was "bright","different" and yeah one of the smallest to boot.
I'm happy to help others.
I'm being the strong one for my mum and my sisters and everyone else who needs me.
I think I'm loosing my mind..
My day is wake up at around 7, get cup of tea and slice of toast for breakfast, check my e-mail and other stuff on my pc while eating breakfast, drive to work getting the paper on the way, work sometimes challenging sometimes not, drive home again, eat dinner, maybe watch the simpsons, grab a shower, sit at pc rest of the evening, go to bed and try to get to sleep maybe getting to sleep at 1am.
Saturdays I generally sleep a little later till maybe 10, shower, check e-mail (well clear the spam out), take mum to lunch then for the weekly shop, back home on the pc after putting shopping away making a cup of tea sometimes.
Sunday is like Saturday but with the lunch and shopping.
I do sometimes look after the nephew so Shopping is either done later on the Saturday or on the Sunday depends.

It's all I see to have the inclination to do.

Ya think I need to get away from it all?