We’ve been back in Blighty about a month now so I thought it was a good time to share some of my observations so far.
I have to admit, I wasn’t too keen on moving back. As moving day approached I started to really question if it was the right decision. The draw of proximity to family and old friends never wavered but doubts about housing, finances, weather, schooling, etc all crept in towards the end.
Anyway, here we are, together again as a unit but on a different continent…and to be honest, I am far more content than I expected to be. The unfamiliar British summer sunshine has played a big factor, as has seeing the boys change exponentially in the company of their grandparents.
The beauty of sunshine!
There are quite a few things that have surprised me too:
- The Lord has a Canadian accent (apparently)
- Back bacon isn’t as good as I remembered it…give me crispy Canadian bacon (which isn’t actually ‘Canadian’ bacon?!) any day!
Mmmmmm!
Errrrrr… - Food goes off waaaaay quicker here. Makes me wonder what the Canucks put in their milk and bread to make it last so long
- Fridges, ovens and car parking spaces have all fallen foul of a shrink ray
- As have the coffee cups, pizzas and chocolate bars
- On the subject of coffee, my God am I missing Tim Hortons and in fact, any old regular drip coffee
I love you Timmy xx
- I still turn around, grinning, when I hear a British accent (then embarrassingly squint past the person behind me and stare at some unknown object to hide my crazy behaviour)
- I can’t stop calling toilets, washrooms
- Nor saying stroller instead of pushchair
- The global media paints the UK as some Europhobic, alcohol fuelled, crimes ridden, scaryland but in fact, people are exactly how I remember them – friendly and polite (for the most part!)
- I have to add salt to everything (see my point above)
- The
sidewalkspavements are shit - TV is great
- This is my local park (makes Eglinton park look like a backyard jungle gym)
The super-duper Pitville Park, Cheltenham
- My non-existent sense of direction is being tested to the max (bring back the Toronto grid system please!)
- My ‘relaxed’ dress sense makes me look like an over-aged student, returned from a soul-searching mission in deepest yogi country.
- Air con is the devil…I’ve not had an overnight dry mouth for a month
- I miss the security of living in a condo
- Police, fire
trucksengines and ambulances drive a gazillion times faster and still not one car launches onto the pavement!
That’s probably enough for you to be getting on with for now. Glad to be back in the bloggosphere, peeps! Cheerio for now x
The British Maple 
I loved reading this! After doing the same move just over a year and a half ago I could relate to so much of this. I still say stroller but have stopped saying washroom as I was getting so funny looks! I so miss Timmys too- if you get to London I found there is one in Piccadilly, it’s not the same though. I miss Toronto but I love being back here and being so close to my family and friends. Congrats to you and I do hope we will meet up sometime soon! That park looks great by the way (googling how far away it is!).
LikeLike
Once we are up and running I’m sure we can hang out together somewhere!
LikeLike
Oh my, I am jealous of that park!
Although we miss you all terribly, I am happy to hear you’re all settling in well over there. Reading about your ambivalence towards your move reminded me of an idea that’s become something of a personal mantra–there are no “right” decisions, just different ones. Any time we make a choice, we give up the fruits of the options we didn’t take, yet choices must be made. That’s just life. Accepting that makes me happier with the decisions we do make, which of course come with the benefits we deemed most desirable!
Many hugs and love to all of you! xo
LikeLike
As always, Jean, you see a hidden depth to a situation. I have certainly adopted an attitude of make the best of the situation. It’s all too easy to dwell on past successes and pleasures when the present day poses a challenge.
LikeLike