An Oklahoman in Okehampton - Her Man's Ramblings

Holiday On Ice

nospam@example.com (Her Man) — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 12:24:31 +0000

Went to see 'Holiday On Ice' last week .......

Wedding Anniversary

nospam@example.com (Her Man) — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 16:23:00 +0000

Our first Wedding Anniversary. What can I say ....... still stupidly happy, still contented ......... and still speaking to each other !!!!

Christmas Eve .......

nospam@example.com (Her Man) — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 23:00:13 +0000

'Are you Mr Sharon?', 'Do you belong to Sharon?'. Just a couple of questions that I've been asked recently. If I wasn't so damn proud of it, I could begin to get a complex !!!

It's now Christmas Eve, and as Sharon said in 'Christmas' below, I am working tonight and tomorrow night ....... oh the joys of being a shiftworker !!! So I thought that I would bring y'all up to date with what we've been doing before we received the extremely sad news about Sharon's mom.

On November 5th, 1605 Guy Fawkes attempted to blow up the Houses of Parliament in London. Although this was unsuccessful, 'Guy Fawkes night' is celebrated annually on November 5th (obviously !!!), with fireworks and bonfires. This year we had a fun evening at the Sticklepath Fireshow. (Sticklepath is a small village near Okehampton).

November 13th was our grandson Alfie's first birthday, and a party was held at his home for family and friends. Another example of 'Hasn't time flown' !!!!

Later in November we spent a few enjoyable days in Glastonbury, a small town in Somerset renowned for it's history, including the Abbey (the legendary burial place of King Arthur), Glastonbury Tor, and the Chalice Well.

Although officially closed for the winter, we were also lucky to attend a special open day at Finch Foundry, and to actually see the foundry in use.

Early December we spent a night in Plymouth, and attended my works 'Section' Christmas Dinner at the Grecian Taverna ....... the 'section' are approximately nineteen people, most of whom I've worked with for over ten years, but due to recent changes at work I only work with them for about two months each year now. Some of us even worked together in our 'past lives', and go back more years than I care to remember!!!

Possibly surprisingly for someone who designs websites (and is also a personal 24/7 IT department for the 'other half'), and a VERY PC competent wife, we have both had a long-held aversion to social-networking websites. However, so many of Sharon's friends are on FaceBook that she has finally taken the plunge .... for now, I'm gonna remain in the dark-ages !!!!

We've recently found out that Sharon has to pass a 'Life in UK' test before her visa expires (2011) - 24 questions,which, in my opinion (for what that's worth !!!) bear no relation whatsoever to anything useful !!! Of course you can take this test as often as you need to - of course you can, it costs £32 a shot !!! There are 'practice' exams online ..... 75% is required to pass - I got 6 questions right !!!

As some of you will already know, plans are made, and flights booked, for our visit to Tulsa next year. There are still things to organise ... motels, transport, etc; but plenty of time for those.

As 2009 hurtles to an end I can only sum the year up by saying that we are both extremely happy .... sure, we have had some sadness, but together our combined strength will help us through the sad times.

To everyone reading this ... have a very happy CHRISTmas, and I wish you all a happy, healthy and prosperous 2010.

So, what have we been up to lately? ....

nospam@example.com (Her Man) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 22:46:23 +0100

To try and bring y'all up to date since Sharon's last entry, summer has now gone and we are well into autumn (fall) .... cooler, duller, and less daylight hours ......... already looking forward to next year !!!

We have visited a Military Heritage Day at Okehampton Camp ........ a fun day out with glorious weather. Amongst much other stuff, a display of old military vehicles included some WW2 US vehicles, and Sharon got some authentic looking photos.

At the beginning of September, Sharon and a neighbor went to Plymouth Navy Days, a bi-annual event held in HM Naval Base Plymouth.......... she got to see lots of ships (including getting on a few), lots of military displays involving the Royal Marines, Royal Navy, submarines, helicopters, assault boats, etc. Unfortunately I was working this day, so collected a very tired wife at the end of the day for the journey home !!!

During September, we also spent a weekend in Warwickshire, visiting the Irish Draught Horse Society Breed Show. I've been their webmaster for a lot of years, and although I've spoken to lots of them by e-mail, there are many that I hadn't met. It was great to meet them all, and of course they all wanted to meet 'the wife' !! A really fun weekend, and once again blessed with glorious weather.

During October, I took Sharon around the Naval Base for another look at the ships, submarines, etc. We also visited the gazebo on 'King's Hill', from where King George the Third reviewed the fleet in 1820, and the 'Hangman's Cell', (in)famous for it's part in the Napoleonic Wars.

Sharon went to 'Goosey Fair' in Tavistock, an annual tradition since 1105, with a girlfriend (once again I was working), and once again I collected a 'very tired wife' on the way home.

Throughout this time we have had various day trips on Dartmoor, including a day at Castle Drogo, and a memorable visit to Buckfastleigh Abbey. On wet or windy days, a trip to a Garden Centre for lunch is one of Sharon's favorites.

Needless to say, all the photos taken of the above probably total over 1,000 !!!

For many years I have regularly attended the 'Holiday On Ice' show, and Sharon and I attended it earlier this year. A couple of months ago I received an e-mail asking if we would like to appear in the commercial for the new show. Of course we accepted !!! We duly attended, along with approx. 30 others, and had our ten minutes of 'lights & cameras'...... now we wait and see. They seemed to like what we did though.

Throughout this whole period we have been having a new insulated roof fitted to the house. This has completely scrambled our TV signal, just at the time of the UK digital changeover. Total chaos !!! This resulted in us having to get a new external aerial (which is now done), and we are now receiving many more channels and programs - including some that Sharon used to watch in Tulsa. Finally, about three days ago, the scaffolding from this was removed, and we are now flying our combined US/UK flag outside the front door.

Last weekend was Okehampton Carnival ....... for once, the weather stayed dry !!!

To wind this epic up .......... some weeks ago Sharon found a church that she is pleased with - I won't say any more now, as I'm sure that she will want to. I attended last week for the first time (due to work commitments), and found it very warm and welcoming.

So much has happened since either of us last wrote ....... I don't know where the time has gone !!! In a couple of weeks Sharon will have been here a year, we will have been married nine months, and our grandson, Alfie, will be celebrating his first birthday.

Life just keeps getting better and better ........... today, on TV, we heard a saying that kinda sums things up .....
...........'Perpetual Bliss' !!!!

"Bore da"

nospam@example.com (Her Man) — Sun, 17 May 2009 01:10:31 +0100

"Bore da" (pronounced 'Bore-ray dar'). "That's 'Good Morning' in Welsh".
"Hi Y'all, how are ya". "That's 'Good Morning' in Oklahoman"

So started the conversation on a recent visit to the Border Agency Offices in Cardiff, South Wales, Sharon had to attend to give biometric data for her visa renewal now that we are married. As Cardiff is about a three hour road trip, we decided to go deeper into Wales and spend the weekend in Brecon, about 40 miles from Cardiff and in the heart of the Brecon Beacons.

Since returning home we have had another day on Dartmoor, including a visit to Dartmoor Prison Museum, (After 1812 when the United Stated declared war against the UK American prisoners were housed there.)

Following this, Sharon had a 'girls day' out to Minehead, on the north Somerset coast, including a ride on a West Somerset Railway steam train, something she has wanted to do since arriving here,

Back at home, 'Ol' Glory' flies proudly outside our front door. This is a story in itself ..... the first flagpole bracket buckled twice (in two days) with the wind .............. not to be beaten, the replacement is fabricated, welded, and heavyyyyyyy !!!!! Eventually we intend to fly our 'combined' flag ..... as seen at the bottom right of this page.

What with all of this, the gardening, the photography, etc ..... and taking very good care of her man, life is very busy - but no doubt she will eventually get around to writing something herself again.

UK update .....Her Man's version

nospam@example.com (Her Man) — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 01:18:21 +0100

Where has the time gone ?? Already we have been married nearly three months (and still speaking to each other ;-) ), the snow from the wedding week has long disappeared, and the garden that Sharon has put so much hard work into is beginning to reward her labours.

My ‘english rose’ has settled well, and is now an integral part of the community ….. more of an ‘okie from okie’ nowadays, as opposed to an ‘okie2okie’ !!!! She still says ‘y’all’ occasionally, so she’s not totally anglicised yet

We are again in a ‘bureaucratic paperwork’ saga ……… changing names on Sharon’s US passport proved relatively easy, once we’d accepted that US/UK passport photos are completely different sizes/formats ….. and the fact that the US Embassy in London will not accept payment in any other currency than US$$ !!!

Registering with Doctors, Dentists, and other services all went very smoothly (much more smoothly than my cynical mind expected !!) …. and we are once again re-enacting the Visa ‘saga’ !!! I say ‘re-enacting’, because, would you believe, this is no easier than the first time around. But just as worth it.
The questions are the same, the requirements are the same, the aggravation is the same …. even to the extent that another appointment for biometric data is required !!!!!

The new computer is up and running, but Sharon’s laptop remains an important kitchen accessory (see Seasons Change – March 11th) ….. actually, now that we have them set up on a wireless network, we are enjoying listening to K95.5FM most days.

Life is good, our marriage is good, and in the words of ‘my other half’ …. I sure smile a lot !!!! But then - so does she !!

Merry Christmas, Everyone.

nospam@example.com (Her Man) — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 17:44:54 +0000

Christmas Day 2008 - a wonderful day (our first Christmas together), and a quiet day at home with Vicky, and our grandson Alfie, and friends later.
Boxing Day - we walked into Okehampton to watch the annual Hunt commence.
All photos are in the Galleries.
Wishing all our friends, and everyone who reads this, a happy Christmas, and a successful and healthy New Year.

Sharon's radio request

nospam@example.com (Her Man) — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 11:21:17 +0000

Sharon had a request played on 'Big Al's Country' - Radio Devon, Sunday 16 Nov 2008
(The sound quality isn't too good !!!)
** Audio controls optimised for IE - do not function in Firefox, not tested in other browsers.

Together

nospam@example.com (Her Man) — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 02:48:29 +0000

My first entry from England ....... together !!!!

I had a wonderful time revisiting Tulsa, but it was a little saddening to be taking Sharon away from her friends. She truly is a wonderfully brave person in being so willing to give everything up for me, and move to a strange home, and strange country (particularly at our time of life), and start again. This is very greatly appreciated, and I feel incredibly proud and privileged that she was willing to do this ……………… I also feel extremely lucky, and it feels sooooooo good now that she is here with me.

Our last week in Tulsa was a blur of motel living, goodbyes, tears, shopping frenzy, and hundreds of photos !!! Our journey to the UK was smooth but lengthy, and Sharon was airsick the whole way until we arrived at Gatwick airport – about 24 hours after we had arisen. She felt better after a visit to the bathroom in Gatwick departure lounge (in her words “I left the last 48 hours in the ladies bathroom !!!!”) ……… and actually enjoyed the flight to Plymouth. She had always said that, on arrival, she would “kiss the ground I walked on”, and sure enough, she did !!!

Entering the arrivals lounge at Plymouth, would you believe that we met a cabin stewardess from Charleston, SC; who had lived in Plymouth for 13 years – she spoke with a local dialect, and a southern drawl !!!!!

The drive home from the airport was in daylight, which gave Sharon her first chance to see the Devon countryside, and a short part of the journey was across Dartmoor. After starting out at 5.30am on Sunday, we finally got indoors about 4pm on Monday !!!!

Tuesday and Wednesday we spent unpacking suitcases, and walking around Okehampton, trying to get her (slightly) familiar with it before having to return to work.

I returned to work on Thursday, so we are now beginning to develop routines, etc. Sharon has already made a few friends, and has ventured out on her own (complete with hand drawn map !!!) and is slowly getting used to being in a different environment, different climate, different language (at times), different money, me driving on the correct side of the road, etc.

It’s now a week since we left, and we are finally starting to recover. Reality is sinking in ………… we are both comfortable with 'reality', and we are both ecstatically happy.

Hasn't time flown ........

nospam@example.com (Her Man) — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 15:10:28 +0100

NO !!! It hasn't flown ........ but it has passed. And tomorrow evening we will be able to say "Never again" !!

I remember leaving in a cab the last time, and seeing the tear-jerking sadness on my woman's face. I vowed then that this separation would never happen again.

Since last being together, six months of 'messenger' (is it gonna work?), 'skype' (always have a back-up !!!), webcams, mobile phones (cellphones to you americans out there) are finally coming to an end. This has tested our relationship at times, but we've 'passed' everything that has been thrown at us.

From tomorrow evening both of our lives are gonna change drastically. I am so ready !!!

More from England on our return ............ together.