So a long day today. Up early to get to the embassy... then hours of waiting for the visa interview - which lasted all of 2 mins and saw me being approved (yeah!)... passport will be couriered 'soon' - I'm hoping that 'soon' is this week rather than next week as I'm due in Mexico soon.
Took the train up to Redcar where the neice hid in horror from me and everyone else listened patiently for me to finish up interminable stories about seeing 5 police men wade in to take down one guy outside of the US Visa office (hint to brutal policemen - in future kick the back rather han front of his knees if you want him to fall)
Right now I have a couple of presentations to look at - one to write and no real access to documents. Nightmare.
I'll head off and worry some
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
Sunday, November 04, 2007
A change of heart
Jude and I have been deliberating over the past few days. The thing is that I'm going to be commuting about 75 miles a day. Which means that we need a car.
The practical "we have a big dog and know people in their 60s" side of our brains was saying - let's get an Escape Hybrid. It's big. It does 40mpg (UK), turns out almost no emissions and has plenty of room for everyone. Issues with that are that it looks like a brick, it's expensive (around 15k GBP) and there's a waiting list for a hybrid that would make it a Valentine's Day rather than Xmas gift.
Then of course was the sensible, McScrooge Duck side of us that pointed out the all new Focus, its many cool toys, 40mpg on the highway and low, low cost of about GBP7,500. Problem with the Focus is that they've nixed both the hatch and the estate and that means that it's less practical for the dog and for carting things around. If we're going to be buying a sedan why would it be the base model?
At which point we ame to a heart over head decision. If practical is expensive and inexpensive offers no real upside let's say 'Screw it" and buy a Mustang.
The Mustang is the car that Steve McQueen drove in Bullit. It's lovely. And powerful. And muscular. The new GT Shelby version is 540bhp. Which is the equivalent of 12 of my first cars (a Fiat Panda). We're not going for the Shelby but we are going for a 4.0L, V6 that's very torquey (240lbs), rather well made and that still will clear 30mpg (UK) on my trip to work. Best thing about it is that this Pony car is cheap by UK standards. Even by American standards.
Yup, a brand new American muscle car, 4.0l engine, sun 7 second 0-60 time and all manner of mod cons comes in at GBP 9,100 (and that's before any discount I might get). To put that into context in the UK a Fiat Panda with 100BHP will cost you GBP 10,160.
Obscene isn't it?
The practical "we have a big dog and know people in their 60s" side of our brains was saying - let's get an Escape Hybrid. It's big. It does 40mpg (UK), turns out almost no emissions and has plenty of room for everyone. Issues with that are that it looks like a brick, it's expensive (around 15k GBP) and there's a waiting list for a hybrid that would make it a Valentine's Day rather than Xmas gift.
Then of course was the sensible, McScrooge Duck side of us that pointed out the all new Focus, its many cool toys, 40mpg on the highway and low, low cost of about GBP7,500. Problem with the Focus is that they've nixed both the hatch and the estate and that means that it's less practical for the dog and for carting things around. If we're going to be buying a sedan why would it be the base model?
At which point we ame to a heart over head decision. If practical is expensive and inexpensive offers no real upside let's say 'Screw it" and buy a Mustang.
The Mustang is the car that Steve McQueen drove in Bullit. It's lovely. And powerful. And muscular. The new GT Shelby version is 540bhp. Which is the equivalent of 12 of my first cars (a Fiat Panda). We're not going for the Shelby but we are going for a 4.0L, V6 that's very torquey (240lbs), rather well made and that still will clear 30mpg (UK) on my trip to work. Best thing about it is that this Pony car is cheap by UK standards. Even by American standards.
Yup, a brand new American muscle car, 4.0l engine, sun 7 second 0-60 time and all manner of mod cons comes in at GBP 9,100 (and that's before any discount I might get). To put that into context in the UK a Fiat Panda with 100BHP will cost you GBP 10,160.
Obscene isn't it?
Saturday, November 03, 2007
Fort Lauderdale
Well it seems that we were beaten by a storm named Noel. How shaming. Noel. So instead of being on a boat in the Bahamas we're looking forward to a night at a local cinema (here in A2) and perhaps a glass of wine or two.
We did make it down as far as Fort Lauderdale - but from there out the flights ran out, Noel hunkered down and we decided to head for home. Still we got a day in a decent hotel, the chance to dip our feet in the ocean and some points on North West Airlines.
So disappointing but we're making the most of it... and Alex and Xtiana are safe, sound and hunkered down
We did make it down as far as Fort Lauderdale - but from there out the flights ran out, Noel hunkered down and we decided to head for home. Still we got a day in a decent hotel, the chance to dip our feet in the ocean and some points on North West Airlines.
So disappointing but we're making the most of it... and Alex and Xtiana are safe, sound and hunkered down
Thursday, November 01, 2007
Maybe not
So last night we flew down to Fort Lauderdale and then on to an airport motel for the night. Up at 7am this morning and back to the airport to find that all flights to the Bahamas are cancelled due to a tropical storm and that the chances of our getting there at all are slim. Well there's a day of my life and a grand I won't be getting back.
Decided to wait it out a day and switched to a Hilton hotel that has a decent spa, a pool and a view of a very rough ocean. Tomorrow we'll make the decision as to whether we jump on a plane towards the islands or we jump on a plane home and rue our misfortune.
Hoping that we can make it - but fearing that we can't. Gotta dash now as the hotel charges for internet in prices that might neccessitate my selling an organ or having Judith 'harvested' for eggs
Decided to wait it out a day and switched to a Hilton hotel that has a decent spa, a pool and a view of a very rough ocean. Tomorrow we'll make the decision as to whether we jump on a plane towards the islands or we jump on a plane home and rue our misfortune.
Hoping that we can make it - but fearing that we can't. Gotta dash now as the hotel charges for internet in prices that might neccessitate my selling an organ or having Judith 'harvested' for eggs
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