Brrr.....

When I started this new blog the aim was report on how we were settling in after three years of living abroad; how we were acclimatising and adjusting to life back in the UK

As the first freezing sleet of the year begins to fall I can tell you now that far from settling in, hibernation has never seemed such an attractive prospect.

Brrr it’s cold.  After three years of Californian winters I’m not prepared for this.  I don’t even own that UK bare essential – an ice scraper for the car. I am actually one of those rare people who overnight their car in the safe confines of a garage,  but heading out for the evening last night I realised the car may well  freeze up in the two hours or so it was going to be left outside.  Could I find an ice scraper? No, all I uncovered in the depths of the garage was the culmination of our seasonal motoring needs in the US  - two sun shields for those hot sunny afternoons in the parking lot. Fat lot of good they are going to serve us here.

My wardrobe is totally inadequate.  I have had to purchase several jumpers, warm socks, and a new winter coat. I’m already on my third umbrella. Our heating bill for this quarter – and I’m sure January and February are only going to be worse – is enormous.  In Pasadena I only remember putting the fire on about twice in three years.

At first the thought of being cold was a novelty; the chance to wear some different clothes. I quite liked the idea of wearing long sleeves, and my discount boots purchased in those designer mega-stores, well they were hardly worn.  Now I rarely take them off.

I scuttle from the car to the house and then back out again, not a mere ounce of flesh on show. I’d forgotten what frost looked like, I’d forgotten those biting winds, the sunsets at four o’clock.

But of course it’s not all doom and gloom in the UK,  because Kate Middleton is finally pregnant! You can almost hear the sighs of relief all round.  The American tabloid press had Kate pregnant with twins since her wedding night – if not before.  Every time I stood in line at Ralphs supermarket the gossip mags by the check-out lead with headline stories about Kate’s ‘secret’ pregnancy.

The Americans love our royals – I was constantly quizzed about the Queen, Helen Mirren, Prince Charles and  Harry and Wills as if I knew them personally.  If we British ever decide to declare a republic and get rid of our royals, there will always be a home for them in America - apart from Camilla, of course. At least that's one suggestion that probably wont be cropping up on the list of  prospective baby-names....