Well, we have a moving date. It looks like October 25th. Now, we just need the stars to align to make that happen. We need to make this happen, not only because we are very ready to have our own home, but also because we need our warmer clothes (fall weather has arrived) and our temporary housing time is quickly coming to an end! Plus, the scratching noise in the attic is not going away, and frankly, it just gets creepy....
Apparently, it is a process to let a home. But, really, everything here so far seems to have some sort of process involved, then again it does in the US as well. I just have been out of the rental market for so long, that I can't even judge if this process is the same, better, or worse then the US. I just know that our process is different and probably takes longer then the average English family because we are from the US and we have to rely on the company for help and assistance. This can be frustrating for a couple of different reasons, if something is not working, I appreciate the ability to fix or correct it myself. Well, in this instance, I can't. Super Handsome has to deal with his company, I do help as much as I can. But, sometimes, I have to wonder if there are not too many hands in the proverbial pot. To let a home, we have a total of 6 people involved. Seems a bit much, doesn't it? The letting agent, the reference company, Super Handsome and I, the moving coordinator and the accountant. I am not even sure if I have everyone even listed.... I guess you can add two more, the homeowners!
So, we are waiting for our reference to be confirmed. Raytheon's HR department has to confirm that the information Super Handsome gave the reference company is correct. Monday, when the reference company called, HR was out of the office all day. Here it is Wednesday and they still have not confirmed the information. I sent Super Handsome an email and asked him to follow up with them. Would be so much easier though, if they did it sans prodding....
In the process, the letting agents email was mis-transcribed and the accountant had questions for her. Also, keep in mind that the accountant is located in the US and is 5 hours behind. So, emails were not getting to her. The letting agent informed me yesterday, in a polite but firm way that the first months rent was due, and necessary to take the home off the market. I also politely, informed her that at this time I am at the mercy of the company, and the company is back in the US. It was apparently a good thing that I mentioned it to her as she thought it was all just the company in Harlow. Super Handsome and I finally managed to get the email delivered to her that contained the questions that accountant had for her. I am hoping that this will mean that things will move swiftly, now that communication can take place. I have not heard anything today, so I think that I may need to send out some communications to see what is going on. Super Handsome did mention that we did have approval from the relocation agent....
Yesterday, I found my debit card! Imagine my surprise! So, I spent yesterday accessing accounts and then last night calling banks to get access to things that we needed to pay bills electronically and to be able to obtain quid (cash). So, today I am tasked with going to the ATM! It is going to be a little strange for awhile. I have used only a credit card for years in the US. It is going to be a transition, but really I think that it will be a positive one. The first thing that I am going to buy? A brush. I did not pack mine!
I think that when I come back to the US, I may end up ending my relationship with my current bank and keep my relationship with just my credit union. Our credit union has always been wonderful to us. Their borrowing rates have always been better, they will convert our dollars to pounds for free and they don't nickel and dime us for other expenses, like bill pay. I think that we are going to end up borrowing money for our cars from them as well, as long as we can work out a way to do it since we are overseas. It will be crazy banking though, because in the end I will be dealing with three banks. We will have our US bank, the credit union and we are in the process of getting an account in a bank here. Which is very important for establishing credit history. Did I mention that we can't get a cell phone contract? It has to be pay as you go. We need bank statements or something to get a contract.
The boys are on holiday this week and next. So far, we have done nothing really. We walked Monday on the foot trails. All through the UK, there is an amazing foot trail network. They are typically marked by signs on the side of the road. It seems to be a really nice way to enjoy the countryside. We stayed in on Tuesday because it was really chilly outside, even though the sun was out. There has been frost here the last two days. If we had our warmer clothes I would have made them go out. Oldest Son did go outside and practice his Tae Kown Do forms. Then we looked up some Yoga videos on Youtube and did a bit of Yoga as well. I am going to try and take them up to the house tomorrow to talk to the homeowners and let them play outside at the tree house. The tree house is a huge center of conversation for all of them. They have some really big plans!
Monday, I went and test drove the car that I am probably going to purchase. It is a 2005 Renault Grand Scenic, diesel. Not really an exciting vehicle, except for the fact that it gets 47.1mpg (seriously for a 7 seater)! It is considered an estate or a station wagon. I was really not wanting a big car, I was dreaming of a little 5 seater. I had also been dreaming of a Volvo or a Mercedes, but when we really started looking at the cars and the gas mileage, they are ok, but not the best. Honestly, after looking, if Skoda (seriously it is a brand of cars) made a 7 seater I would get one. There is a car that we have looked at for Super Handsome that is a Skoda and it gets 56.5mph (HELLO, WAKE UP AMERICAN CAR MAKERS)! It is just out of the price budget of we want to spend. Instead the poor guy is probably going to drive a 1997 Ford Mondeo or a Ford Focus Estate. Not quite the little BMW that he was dreaming of....
I was reading about the Skoda car company and they are coming out with a 7 seater car for the 2011-2012 model year. I told Super Handsome that I want to order it and bring it home with us. Skoda is well known to have one of the best gas mileage around. I am just not sure where I could get it worked on! All the Skoda cars get good gas mileage and the company reported growth in sales this quarter when many car companies did not. Skoda is actually partnered/owned with VW and uses the same platform to build their cars. Maybe, bringing one back home is not so impossible!
Today, the kids and I are going to head out. They need to move around beyond The Shack and so do I. We are off to look at cars (and hopefully seal the deal), grab some lunch, get some cash and buy a brush! I should have a car by next week (crosses fingers or as they say here "touch wood"), then with our new cars and our warmer clothes, maybe we can head to the ocean or go somewhere. We need to go to the Olympic Stadium, Colin has to do a project in one of his classes about it. I am just anxious to go exploring!
Apparently, it is a process to let a home. But, really, everything here so far seems to have some sort of process involved, then again it does in the US as well. I just have been out of the rental market for so long, that I can't even judge if this process is the same, better, or worse then the US. I just know that our process is different and probably takes longer then the average English family because we are from the US and we have to rely on the company for help and assistance. This can be frustrating for a couple of different reasons, if something is not working, I appreciate the ability to fix or correct it myself. Well, in this instance, I can't. Super Handsome has to deal with his company, I do help as much as I can. But, sometimes, I have to wonder if there are not too many hands in the proverbial pot. To let a home, we have a total of 6 people involved. Seems a bit much, doesn't it? The letting agent, the reference company, Super Handsome and I, the moving coordinator and the accountant. I am not even sure if I have everyone even listed.... I guess you can add two more, the homeowners!
So, we are waiting for our reference to be confirmed. Raytheon's HR department has to confirm that the information Super Handsome gave the reference company is correct. Monday, when the reference company called, HR was out of the office all day. Here it is Wednesday and they still have not confirmed the information. I sent Super Handsome an email and asked him to follow up with them. Would be so much easier though, if they did it sans prodding....
In the process, the letting agents email was mis-transcribed and the accountant had questions for her. Also, keep in mind that the accountant is located in the US and is 5 hours behind. So, emails were not getting to her. The letting agent informed me yesterday, in a polite but firm way that the first months rent was due, and necessary to take the home off the market. I also politely, informed her that at this time I am at the mercy of the company, and the company is back in the US. It was apparently a good thing that I mentioned it to her as she thought it was all just the company in Harlow. Super Handsome and I finally managed to get the email delivered to her that contained the questions that accountant had for her. I am hoping that this will mean that things will move swiftly, now that communication can take place. I have not heard anything today, so I think that I may need to send out some communications to see what is going on. Super Handsome did mention that we did have approval from the relocation agent....
Yesterday, I found my debit card! Imagine my surprise! So, I spent yesterday accessing accounts and then last night calling banks to get access to things that we needed to pay bills electronically and to be able to obtain quid (cash). So, today I am tasked with going to the ATM! It is going to be a little strange for awhile. I have used only a credit card for years in the US. It is going to be a transition, but really I think that it will be a positive one. The first thing that I am going to buy? A brush. I did not pack mine!
I think that when I come back to the US, I may end up ending my relationship with my current bank and keep my relationship with just my credit union. Our credit union has always been wonderful to us. Their borrowing rates have always been better, they will convert our dollars to pounds for free and they don't nickel and dime us for other expenses, like bill pay. I think that we are going to end up borrowing money for our cars from them as well, as long as we can work out a way to do it since we are overseas. It will be crazy banking though, because in the end I will be dealing with three banks. We will have our US bank, the credit union and we are in the process of getting an account in a bank here. Which is very important for establishing credit history. Did I mention that we can't get a cell phone contract? It has to be pay as you go. We need bank statements or something to get a contract.
The boys are on holiday this week and next. So far, we have done nothing really. We walked Monday on the foot trails. All through the UK, there is an amazing foot trail network. They are typically marked by signs on the side of the road. It seems to be a really nice way to enjoy the countryside. We stayed in on Tuesday because it was really chilly outside, even though the sun was out. There has been frost here the last two days. If we had our warmer clothes I would have made them go out. Oldest Son did go outside and practice his Tae Kown Do forms. Then we looked up some Yoga videos on Youtube and did a bit of Yoga as well. I am going to try and take them up to the house tomorrow to talk to the homeowners and let them play outside at the tree house. The tree house is a huge center of conversation for all of them. They have some really big plans!
Monday, I went and test drove the car that I am probably going to purchase. It is a 2005 Renault Grand Scenic, diesel. Not really an exciting vehicle, except for the fact that it gets 47.1mpg (seriously for a 7 seater)! It is considered an estate or a station wagon. I was really not wanting a big car, I was dreaming of a little 5 seater. I had also been dreaming of a Volvo or a Mercedes, but when we really started looking at the cars and the gas mileage, they are ok, but not the best. Honestly, after looking, if Skoda (seriously it is a brand of cars) made a 7 seater I would get one. There is a car that we have looked at for Super Handsome that is a Skoda and it gets 56.5mph (HELLO, WAKE UP AMERICAN CAR MAKERS)! It is just out of the price budget of we want to spend. Instead the poor guy is probably going to drive a 1997 Ford Mondeo or a Ford Focus Estate. Not quite the little BMW that he was dreaming of....
I was reading about the Skoda car company and they are coming out with a 7 seater car for the 2011-2012 model year. I told Super Handsome that I want to order it and bring it home with us. Skoda is well known to have one of the best gas mileage around. I am just not sure where I could get it worked on! All the Skoda cars get good gas mileage and the company reported growth in sales this quarter when many car companies did not. Skoda is actually partnered/owned with VW and uses the same platform to build their cars. Maybe, bringing one back home is not so impossible!
Today, the kids and I are going to head out. They need to move around beyond The Shack and so do I. We are off to look at cars (and hopefully seal the deal), grab some lunch, get some cash and buy a brush! I should have a car by next week (crosses fingers or as they say here "touch wood"), then with our new cars and our warmer clothes, maybe we can head to the ocean or go somewhere. We need to go to the Olympic Stadium, Colin has to do a project in one of his classes about it. I am just anxious to go exploring!
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