Dixie, cousines and reappearing scarf

Is it an omen that there was a car horn honking that played 'Dixie' whilst I walked home from work last week? Does this mean people will be happy to see me? Or does this mean they will think me a traitor for leaving Dixie? Hmm. A quandry. But not one to dwell on for long. My Oma, my parental units and my feline unit will be happy to see me (as well as the auntees and unclees and cousin(e)s) at least and they are all that matters :) That feline unit had best not run and hide from me in terror and tormented fear or I shall be most vexed.

Okay. So, yes, it is apparent that my blogging skills have been excessively lax. This has been pointed out by numerous people on numerous occasions and for my negligence I do apologise profusely (because my life is a comedy and depriving others of the opportunity to chortle is b-a-d). I shall try to fill everyone in in a not-too-confusing manner.

Firstly, the Cousine, Lady Lindsey LovelyLocks, arrived for une visite on Monday 18 December and was able to witness the spastic life of Amrie first-hand via my obscene work schedule and manic evening outings to such events as the pantomime (Jack and the Beanstalk) and non-occurring Quiz Nights, where we were able to meet random nutter people who just decided to join into our group's conversation (now she can report that it is not exaggeration on my part that the insane find me conversationally irresistable) :) She learned not to say to Simon Rowe, 'Surprise me!' in reference to a beverage order. She learned that Germans and Americans frequently communicate in Andy voices. She learned what a chav is. Very educational trip! It really was so fabulous to see a member of the fambly, although a much slower schedule on my part might have prevented both of us from becoming a bit sniffly-ill by the time she departed on Christmas Eve :( When I have a normal life again and people visit me....

But anyhoo, then was Christmas. The sniffly-illness overcame me on Christmas Day and I was mostly unable to move and function generally at all other than sporadic fits of temper at phone and internet, and E was left to do the entire Christmas dinner by himself :( But the positive part about this was that everything was perfectly grand and marvelous and the turkey was absolutely GORgeous (again)! There were six for dinner: Diana (my housemate, Columbian), B (E's housemate, South African), Soren (B's friend, Malaysian), Aparnah (my friend from Lush, Indian), Eamonn (Wirish) and me (Loon). We had a flaming Christmas pudding (and actually there is still another one marinating in brandy at E's house -- it may burn the house down should it be lit now...)

Then there was Boxing Day, during which I continued in my sniffly lethargy and knitted and watched movies all. day. long. But a rest was really, really nice after working 60 hour weeks. And this rest allowed me to go on living :)

Then came the point where I started to get annoyed at the shady Nigerian guy who still has not paid for his transcription.... 225 pounds worth. It seems like he will possibly pay 'within the next couple of weeks' but he has ruined my niceness for future transcription customers. There will be information withheld in future until payment is made. (The sad thing is that I have had no problems with this before this rubbish guy.)

This past Friday was my last day on the rotor at LUSH (although I might be put back on for a few shifts if I am back in Cardiff for any length of time before The (tentatively, she says) Move.)

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Oh. This is where I suppose publishing of official notification on the blog should occur...

So, I will be returning to the 'Port on Friday for the first time since my Sept 2005 departure. It seems like forever that I have been in Cardiff and at the same time yesterday that I left, until I realise that I have missed my Daddy's 70th b-day; Ralph has passed away; many, many of my friends have had babies or are expecting soon; Paul's precious Chickory doggy reached the end; Therese's Penelope also had to go on; my parents have rescued and then adopted out innumerable kitties; I have missed two Thanksgivings and two Christmases, at least one Paul and Al Crawfish Boil; and have not eaten proper Mexican food in 16 months -- the horror!

During my trip to Loosyanna, I will be selling more of my furniture (advertisement), attempting to organise my life and help Mama and Daddy think about getting internet so's we can talk fo' free, speaking to Rotary clubs, and buying macaroni and cheese for Steffi (my German housemate who misses it terribly -- they don't make it right here). Also, we will ALL (and this means all of you) be hoping that the British government will grant me both work permission and a visa! Work permission has already been applied for here and after that comes through, visa will be applied for in the States.

The University of East Anglia offered me a position as Senior International Officer in their Marketing Division and I need to start as soon as possible (both because they need me and because I am running low on financial sustenance by this point -- hee hee). This job will entail my recruiting students to UEA from the US of A (hmmm. This sounds familiar, right? I wonder if I can manage it.) and from Australia and New Zealand (yippee! sadly, though, it appears that there is only one trip there per year.). UEA is in Norwich, England. There was a brief mention of a trip to Norwich on the blog in October, and yes, this was the reason for that journey.

It appears to have paid off and I am so excited to be moving there! Except for the fact that it is so blasted far away from my friends in Cardiff. Boo. It is not as Olde Worlde as York (my favourite) but is a lovely town with friendly people. And a yarn shoppe. And a yarn stall in the Market! Hoorah! Yarn is the way forward! It is about 1:45 train ride northeast from London and is the major city in East Anglia. It is a safe distance away from Ipswich :) A few weeks ago, some people were questioning my plan to move. ha.

At the moment, am in process of packing things away for storage at E's house (and am supposed to be sorting papers.... ick.). Jasper and Carrot will be moving there this evening. And of course, for the fun of moving, guess what. It is persisting it down outside... and this is forecast to continue all week.

Okay. Dear me. People are now emailing again re: 'where is the blog? when will you blog?' so must publish now! Keep your pants on!