Random fun and discoveries in July

 I made a nail bar for my granddaughter

I bought some material from the markets in Birmingham. Unfortunately they also sell fish in the markets and on the way home on the train there was a funny smell of ... fish.

Four way traffic lights outside our house and the zebra crossing no longer works. There's now a traffic light controlled crossing 20 yards away to the right, but no one uses any of it out of school hours.

A year of celebrating Ozzy in Birmingham.

Broad Street in Birmingham

Gifts from son and his girlfriend in Australia brightened up the start of my week.

Hoem grown raspberries and yummy puddings.

BBQs and random foods on my plate and a sun umbrella that puts the washing in shade in the afternoon, that is if we hung any washing out as the paddling pool was taking its turn on the line.

The garden is reminding me of the long summers of South Africa and the winters of Dubai, just being able to set everything up and sit outdoors without having to sweep up sand or bring everything in due to rain. Long may it last. 

Even the wildlife is large and feels adventurous.

This tree and scenery reminds me of game drives in Reitvlei, but it's Croome Park.

I found this picture of my gran and granddad taken around the mid to late 60's My gran would've been in her mid 50's around the age I am now 55. I can't imagine what my gran would think of me now at 55 running marathons and sporting blue hair. Although she was used to me dying my hair random colours.

Creating an ideal outdoor space

Since returning to the UK in 2021 after 12 years in South Africa and Dubai, I've really missed having outdoor spaces to sit, relax and dine in.

In the summer in Dubai it was too hot to sit outside, but October through to April you couldn't get me in the house, apart from the odd sand storm and the occasional rain, but even when it rained I'd be outside, under the sun umbrella enjoying the cooler temps.

South Africa was perfect weather for outdoor life apart from after sunset to sunrise during the months of June and July when temperatures would drop below zero, but were in the 20s during the day. The summer heat was broken every 3-4 days with an afternoon/evening of thunderstorms to clear the air. 

Houses in South Africa and Dubai are very different to hose in the UK. The ones we rented were open planned, floor to ceiling windows and lots of them, tiled floors throughout and in South Africa we had a pool and BBQ areas both inside and outside the house. 

This was our first house in South Africa with a balcony over a covered area, the balcony lead to a conservatory with bifold doors and a built in BBQ area. 

The conservatory leading to the balcony.

The built in BBQ behind the black panel.

Our second home in South Africa, no covered area. We were still able to enjoy the outdoors but in the summer we'd often have to dash for cover with sudden storms and gigantic hail stones the size of golf balls.

BBQ area.

Our first home in Dubai, no covered area. But a lot of the time it was too hot during the day to sit outside so most of our time outdoors was in the evening.

Our second home in Dubai. Making use of the sun umbrella and shade from the neighbouring villas.

A much smaller garden, but you really didn't need anything bigger than this as most of the year was spent in doors.

A covered area on the balcony, perfect for early mornings and evenings to sit out in, even in the height of summer.

The downside of Dubai for outdoor life, apart from the heat was the sand storms and the unexpected rain fall, that would leave a mess to be cleaned up every time.

It has been important to me to be able to re create a part of our lifestyle abroad back in the UK and this has been achieved with the building of a sun/garden room at the back of the house and 2 sets of double doors we can open wide into the garden to bring the outdoors in and a covered seating area.

I've set this area up so it can be used all year round and it is sheltered from the wind and the rain and I don't have to cover the chair pod or bring the cushions in and out. I also don't have to sweep up any sand every day like I did in Dubai and unlike South Africa I don't have to deal with the house filling with red mud on our feet after storms or worry about spiders the size of dinner plates or lizards and 'parktown prawns' running around.

I've been using this space all year round, during the winter, rain storms, snow and in summer. I can move the pod in the middle of winter to sit in the corner where the doors from the two rooms meet and I have blankets to wrap myself up in to keep warm.

We've recently taken down an old shed and the base has made a perfect patio for the table and chairs we bought in South Africa to be sited and we'll be assembling the umbrella once the winds have died down.

There's a new storage box for all the cushions and tableware so we don't have to lug cushions back and forth from the house and find somewhere to store it all. There's a large rug also for using on the lawn when the grandchildren come to play. We've still got the large sun umbrella we had in South Africa and Dubai we will reassemble here soon. It is a sun trap here.

The BBQ can be rolled round when needed and we can cook under the covered area as well if the weather is against us. 

We've still got the smaller shed to take down and we're building raised beds in the space. There will also be a compost bin, cold frame and green house built where the wheelbarrow is currently living in the 1st photo and some tidying up down the side of the house and 2 wooden gates to give us some more privacy and security.

I think I've managed to succeed in bringing in a little of everything we had from our life abroad and have created my ideal outdoor space back in the UK. If I could just add a little more sun to the scene I'd be very happy, but nothing over 25c please as it gets too hot to enjoy.

Are you an outdoor person? 

Work Experience as an adult

How did you get that job? Is something I've heard since I entered the world of work. I started working in care in 1988 and always knew I wanted to be in this line of work. I like helping people and getting results. But care work had a shelf life for me when I was injured in the work place. It happened more than once and affected me emotionally as well as physically.

I started moving away from care towards working with children and young adults. by volunteering with a Scout Group through a friend. I then had relevant experience to apply for a job as a Youth Worker in 1994 and then moved into being a Teaching Assistant around 2000. In between I worked in supermarkets and a chip shop to boost my income, before doing a NVQ through a training scheme and finally obtaining my Cert Ed around 2007. I continued working with children and volunteering to run the local football club.

Whilst training I worked as a Lecturer at the local college and finally combined everything to work as a Child Welfare Officer for the local English Football Association.

Then in 2011 we moved to South Africa and my career came to an end. I continued teaching in a volunteering capacity and became involved with a couple of charities assisitng with education and general support in several townships, from art projects to new buildings, with fund raising and obtaining donations.

On moving to Dubai I taught FS1 for 18 months in a paid capacity, using my recent experience in South Africa to show a range of skills and diversity. I had to pack that in due to a family situation but I then started volunteering on the DP World Tour as a Marshall, which turned into being offered some occasional paid work when the Tour was in the UAE. I let the Production Team know I was now in the UK, but sadly due to the fact I returned to paid work as a Teaching Assistant in a local Secondary School, I've been unable to take time off to date other than the weekend of the 22nd-24th July at the Cazoo Classic in Southport.

All of this has been achieved by hard work, putting myself out there, networking, studying and hours trawling the internet looking for jobs and opportunities. I've also accumulated quite a variety of sports gear/uniform.

The first week in August I was volunteering at the Commonwealth Games in the Athletes Village in Birmingham. I had an interview back in September through my application and experience and I was initially turned down for a role. But I'm guessing lots of people drop out so I was asked if I wanted to work with Cleaning, Catering and Waste, front of house in the Olympic Village Restaurant meeting and greeting athletes and associated personal. 

It's another thing to put on my CV as I continue to search for opportunities wherever they take me. Pay isn't the issue, it's the opportunity to do something new, different and exciting.

A year of non expat life

Arriving home:

We arrived back in the UK a year ago on last Friday after almost 11 years abroad. Our return home was marred by 10 nights hotel quarantine due to covid and the restrictions that halted our plans to celebrate my 50th, Peter's retirement and our move. We also had huge delays with our container due to the back log and shortage of containers after the Evergreen ran aground, add to that the shortage of lorry drivers due to Brexit, it wasn't the best move we've had, but it was our last.

Here's my Tiktok video during quarantine

Home improvements:

We spent the first few months of our return deciding if we wanted to stay in our family home or move, but the rise in house prices and the costs to move are ridiculous so we've opted to stay put. We've since had a new kitchen, Peter is building a base for a new shed/summer house and if we can find a reliable builder, we'll be getting an extension done. There is also a lot of other home improvement plans in the making. I'll be sorting the garden out properly once the outdoor work is completed. 

Work:

I'm now working full time, term time only in a local secondary school. I go in for 8.30am and leave at 3pm and I have all the school holidays off. I'm loving it. I also signed with an agency and worked in a covid vaccination site and I've been offered more work on the European Golf Tour, although I've had to turn a lot down, due to location and working in the school where I can't have annual leave in term time. I'm, loving being back in work, everyone is really nice, but I don't feel I've particularly gelled with anyone, so I just do my job and go home, which is ok with me.

Family:

Our family has grown with the introduction of our grandson in November last year, they're a ferry crossing or a flight away. Our eldest grandchild is an hour away so lots of visits there.

Friends: 

Old and new, near and far. Lots of effort made by everyone to maintain these friendships now we're back.

Activities:

Dog walks, pub visits, cooking, holidays in the UK.

Future plans:

Apart from the building work our plans include Australia this summer, buying a camper van, exploring more of the UK and hopefully a trip to Vegas in October half term for our 20th wedding anniversary. We got engaged out there and haven't been back since October 2010 when we saw Cher at Caesars Palace. We don't have anything planned after that.

Life after expat life ends:

For Peter it's the change from working full time to retiring he's adjusting to. I'm not missing anything. I'm glad we had the experience, it's certainly been a fun packed 11 years in South Africa and Dubai, but I do like being home, in one place, family near(ish) by (apart from son in Australia) I'm back working, reconnected with old friends (missing the friends made abroad) but generally much happier just managing one life in one house, in one country.

Have you had to make any big adjustments to your life for whatever reason?

My Sunday Photo - Bob the Dogs journey

With 2 international moves from camping in South Africa and being chased by monkeys, learning to swim in the Indian Ocean and the Arabic Gulf and keeping an eye out for crocodiles in Durban to days out in the desert in Dubai, soft play and indoor play centre to walking the Malvern Hills. He's had an epic 7 years with us and who'd have thought there would have been this much adventure for a dog.

Two long haul flights

Camping in Drakensberg Mountains

The beach in Durban

In the Desert in Dubai

Soft Play in Dubai

On top of the Malvern Hills

What 2019 held for us and the year ahead.

Lots of travel this year. January was the only month I didn't get on a plane. In total I've clocked up 132 hours of flying time to the UK, Northern Ireland, Dubai, Sydney and South Africa. I've lost track of the hours spent in taxi's and airport lounges.

January
I started the year on a roof top in Dubai, having watched the New Year Eve's fireworks, with my mum and Peter. After mum went home, I marshalled at the HSBC Championships and the Omega Desert Classic golf as part of the European Tour.

February
Child 2 and 2a came out for a visit, it was our Daughter in Laws first trip to our home. Great excitement a few days later after the holiday when they phoned to say they were having a baby.

I started the lengthy, painful and expensive dental surgery to have dental implants. It was a huge decision to make as I had to have a front tooth removed and wear a plate for several months until the implants took and I could have a permanent tooth fitted. I had 3 implants in total and I'm saving up for another 3 hopefully in October 2020.

March

There was a trip to the UK and sadly during this visit my Uncle died and I extended my stay to take Mum up to Blackpool for his funeral.

April
Our youngest child turned 20 and we were no longer parents to a teenager. Peter and I made another
trip to the UK to renew his passport.

May
I went over to South Africa to stay with friends and work with a couple of charities.

June
A trip to Ireland for a week with a friend, then up to Belfast to visit our daughter in law to be and her family. Child 4 was away with work. Over to the mainland for a week. Met my great nephew for the first time at 16 days old.

July and August
A visit to see child 3 in Australia. I flew to Sydney for 3 weeks and road tripped to Melbourne with my son child 3 who has been living over there for 2 years.

Our great niece Thing 4 was born.

September
Off to the UK and Northern Ireland for the arrival of our first grandchild, a little girl and the wedding of child 4 and 4a. Dental surgery complete. An endoscope revealed I have a wheat allergy, that was causing internal bleeding in my small intestine causing the iron deficiency anaemia and still no explanation to a high white blood cell count. Signed off from the oncologist.

October
Busy with the new baby, Peter had joined me for the wedding, then spent 2 weeks with our granddaughter. Decided to evict our tenants from our family home. We started our repatriation journey.

November
The Race to Dubai was on and I marshalled again for the 2nd year. Then a quick trip to the UK to get our house back, to say the last lot of tenants hasn't treated it well is an understatement.

December
Booked a last minute trip to South Africa for a week, whilst Peter is working out there. Obtained my Transfer of Residency and cat, dog and furniture move is booked and all paperwork is in place to get moving in 2020. I was also diagnosed with Generalised Anxiety Disorder.

2020

January
Mum and child 5 visiting. HSBC and Omega golf marshalling, flying back to the UK. Need to sell the car. Repairs and redecorating being carried out on UK home repairing damage after the tenants.

February
Cat and dog arrive in the UK, Peter visiting for a week.

Everything after the 14th of February is open to change.
I'm back in Dubai for a week or two in March as we have friends visiting, I also need to:

• Sell the garden
• Find an apartment for Peter to move into in May