We have a maid

Kelly took this picture and said,"I've always wanted a maid to clean up after my kids."

So I thought I'd share it with all of you.

Dave

Funny Sayings Update

A German guy came in to talk to Dan who sits next to me. They talked about the work that Dan needed to get done and Dan said,"Ok, I'll have it done by half five." To which the German said,"Uh, so 4:30?" "No, 5:30."

It turns out that "half five" in German means "a half until 5" as in "it's halfway to 5". But the British mean "half past 5".

Isn't that funny?

Dave

Quick Update

I took the plunge and rented a house today. I actually even put money on it this time, so no backing out. We decided to take this place unfurnished because then we could furnish it the way we want (cheap) and kind of camp out for 6 months. IKEA and swap meets will be our decorating theme--we just need that one inspiration piece! ;)

I also got paid today in British Pounds. I was supposed to get paid last Friday, but something happened in the finance dept and it didn't happen until today.

It looks like I'm going to move into our house Friday night, Saturday at the latest. And the family comes over on Tuesday! Just in time, no? That's how God usually arranges these things.

I feel like my life is going to settle into a routine soon. As soon as I am in my own place, I can unpack my suitcases, set up my desk, get a monthly Travelcard to save money on commuting, and get into a rhythm.

A big thanks to everyone who's been praying for us. We're almost back together in the same country.

Dave

Housing, Transportation, and Funny Sayings...

Here's the quick update on the housing front. The agent said that the landlord would be willing to furnish the place, but would be firm on the price. Today, she was out of the office so the manager was handling the negotiations. He said that the landlord DIDN'T want to furnish the place, but would be willing to for £100 more a month in rent. Kelly and I have decided that we like the place enough that we're going to take it unfurnished and furnish it ourselves for (hopefully) less than £600 (which is the increase in the rent over 6 months). It will probably cost more than that, but we would have to get more stuff than what would be provided anyway.

Tonight, in an effort to start figuring out if furnishing the place ourselves would be feasible, I found the IKEA that closest to the house and took the train down there. Once I got there I took the last kind of public transportation, the tram. It's essentially a streetcar/mini tube train, that's overground.

I think after visiting IKEA and talking with the family, we'll be alright furnishing-wise. We'll just need to do something clever with the furniture just before we leave. We'll either donate it, or sell it on eBay, or maybe even sell it back to the landlord if he wants to let the place to someone else for a period of time.

Ok, here are some interesting British phrases:
"Half two" mean 2:30.
"Whilst" is a common word in signs, usually in the context "Please excuse the inconvenience, whilst we do these works," with "works" being any kind of construction or refurbishment.
"Scheme" is not some nefarious endeavor, but is just a "plan"--usually a government instituted one.
"Mind the gap" means watch out that you don't stumble getting on or off the train.

That's all for tonight. I'm waiting for a download, but I think I'll just get some sleep.

Dave

Lots O' News

Much has happened since I last posted.

I moved out of the Hotel on Friday, and I'm staying with Peter for a few days while I finish finding a place to live. I saw three places yesterday: The first one was ok, The second one was unfurnished, had a long commute, and wouldn't be ready for at least a week (they were still doing construction while I was there). But the third one I really liked. It had the biggest bedrooms of all the places I've see since the first one that I didn't want. It's on a very quiet street, in a nice neighborhood, with a family with kids next door and behind us. It's a decent commute, though door to door, it might be 30-40 minutes. Not bad since my walk was 20-30 minutes from the hotel. Here's a picture of the front:

I traveled all over London yesterday, and took the Tube, the DLR (Dockland Light Rail), the Southern Overland Train (very nice train) and a bus. Friday night, Peter and I took a taxi for a bit with my suitcases. Apparently there is a tram kind of thing in one other part of London, and when I've ridden that, I'll have used every form of transportation there is in London.

After all my househunting, last night Peter and I saw the Bourne Ultimatum at the local cineplex. There's a good bit of a chase scene in London at the Waterloo Tube station. That was fun to see that in a movie, since we're right here in London.

This morning I went to CCW again. I got a picture of Alwyn as he and the drummer were doing a sound check...


After church, I went back over to our potential neighborhood to hang out and get a feel for the place. It felt great there. It was quiet and peaceful. There is a famous Victorian cemetery there, and 5 primary schools. You can read about Nunhead on Wikipedia

Then I took a couple of buses and the DLR back to Peter's and here I am.

Dave

Taxi Attack!

This morning I had my first real taxi attack.

On my regular route to work, I got to an intersection to cross, looked right, looked left, looked right again, and seeing nothing, I stepped out. Immediately a taxi came out of nowhere on my left and laid into his horn. I looked right at him, realized I was directly in his path, and jumped back to the side of the street that I had come from. My heart was pounding! I was still shaking a bit when I got to work. By the evening when it was time to walk home, I was fine though. I guess I need to look longer and harder in both directions at the same time.

Whoever came up with the plan in the U.S. that pedestrians have the right of way was a brilliant person. I wish they lived here when they were making up the rules.

Dave

Housing Update

On Monday, the Valuator called and wanted to set up a time for me to come down and make my deposit on the expensive place in Kensal Rise. I asked if she had talked to the agent and she said yes. I had to explain a number of times that I was only going through with this because I had signed the contract, but that I didn't really want to. Additionally, I wasn't going to pay 8 weeks of a deposit instead of the 6 weeks I had agreed to in the contract. She asked if I really wanted to lose this property over £1000? Uh, yeah. That's what I'd been trying to tell her. Of course, she didn't want the deal to fall through because then she wouldn't get the commission. She even asked if I had another credit card I could use to up the deposit! Then I had to argue with her about the break clause, which had been miscommunicated to me to mean that I could break the contract at any time during the first 7 months, as long as I gave 60 days notice. But there was tricky language in the contract that made it so that I could only break the contract at 5 months, with my "notice" (which means my 60 days notice) to expire at 7 months. Of course that wouldn't do, since my visa expires after 6 months and it was at this point she finally gave up and relented, saying "I am going to recommend to my client that he NOT let this property to you." "That would be a good idea," I answered.

Finally.

So now I still need to find a place to live. I extended my stay at the hotel, but that's expensive too. Then today, Peter had pity on me and after his wife and daughter leave for overseas later this week, he said I could sleep at his place for a bit, while I find a place. Hallelujah!

And it looks like we've found a home school family to rent our house out. We're still working out the details, but that seems like a go.

I talked to a few letting agents today, but no one had anything for me today. One guys said that he thinks that he may have something for me tomorrow. I'll call him back for sure. It looks like my lunch times will be spent calling agents until I find something.

That's all for now.

Dave

P.S. I learned how to do italics in this post!