ms-havachat and GDPR - Opt In or Opt Out?

The minute you know you MIGHT be moving to a new country you start researching online - distance between work and potential areas to live in relation to school/s, house availability/affordability, international women's club, supermarkets, doctors, various sports or other interest groups your family enjoy and other helpful websites that will make your landing and transition calm.

When you arrive, new friends share websites with you that they found helpful, and so you go online, check them out and subscribe.

You gather various websites as you go, some are helpful, some are not. Some email you regularly while others are more cyclical. You slowly start to weed out the ones you don't like, and look forward to others.

When you no longer need/rely on them, you may choose to UNSUBSCRIBE to help keep incoming mail under control or just ignore them.  When you know you're about to leave and move onto next adventure you tend to click that unsubscribe option A LOT whittling down the information that's relevant for HERE because you're going to ramp up information for THERE.

Those of you in the EU will be well aware of the GENERAL DATE PROTECTION REGULATION (aka GDPR), is a regulation which the European Commission would like to strengthen and unify date protection for individuals within the EU, as well as personal date which may be exported (ie: shared) outside of the EU.

Interestingly, several friends are responsible for this within their organisations and OMG what a headache it's been. One friend says she is eating, sleeping, breathing GDPR and believes this is only the beginning in as much as it's created and will continue to create an increase in work, and is seriously considering hiring someone purely for the role of GDPR officer (or similar).  Hubby is involved in GDPR for his project with work and again, OMG!

For people like you and me, it's more WHEN DID I SUBSCRIBE TO THAT and WHY???????

My inbox is pinging constantly with newly arrived emails from websites, retailers, online businesses, tourist attractions, hotel chains, airlines, schools, florists, charities and more who have somehow got my email and are asking me to PLEASE STAY CONNECTED. Heck, I don't recall subscribing to half of them!

I bought a gift for a friend in Sydney online (so much easier than buying in UK and posting especially when several parcels have recently gone missing) and suddenly, I am on their mailing list.

ONE enquiry to a travel agent years ago resulted in an email pleading with me to STAY CONNECTED (didn't use them initially, so there's nothing to stay connected for)

Do websites collect emails like some people collect Friends on Facebook? Regardless of the quality of the relationship, please stay.

The surprise for me is that I thought I was on top of this, that I clean up my emails often, and am diligent in unsubscribing but apparently I'm not.

With the May 25 deadline looming, everyone's inbox in the UK is filling up fast with all manner of websites asking you to please stay, you're important to us promising to treat your privacy with the utmost respect and care ....... to which I, and others (hot topic amongst friends these past few weeks) have said WOW, don't recall signing to this one DELETE, or haven't used you for ages DELETE, or the Facebook page offers me the information I need DELETE, or I shopped with you once, DELETE.

I am curious about the retention rates!
Will businesses loose many potential online customers simply because they need to reach out and ask us to OPT IN?
Has the recent hacking situations made us all a bit more wary of who has our information, and so if we don't perceive a full on need, we'll simply chose to OPT OUT til we changed our minds and find the company again?
Has the collective distrust of how our information is handled made us rethink how we use online opportunities?

Be very interesting .............. meanwhile, there's been several more PINGS while writing this chat so I best go check them out and DELETE DELETE DELETE

With friendship
x

PS: Whatever you do PLEASE DO NOT DELETE ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

mshavachat discovers a traditional fruit and veggie stall

Open for business

A week or so ago, someone posted on a Facebook community page 'just back from fresh fruit and veggie stall at Hilliers' with a photo. The first thing I noticed was the majority of the produce was loose, ie: no plastic wrapping.

For the past few months, the media and online chatter has been elevated, educating us about the amount of single-use plastic taking it's toll on  environment and encouraging alternatives.

When you see images like this, you know we
have to do something!

As a result, I've been paying more attention to the amount of plastic and other unnecessary packaging we discard each time we arrive home after the supermarket, or other shopping (and we don't do that much shopping). Businesses have pledged to stop offering single-use-plastic straws, supermarkets are no longer offering free plastic shopping bags and charge for them while offering canvass or recycled plastic shopping bags (I am very proud of my collection of bags from each place we've lived).

The UK supermarkets wrap practically EVERY piece of fruit and vegetable in some form of plastic - from placing them on trays and sealing in plastic, to shrink wrapping cucumber and lettuce. As there's only 3 of us in our household, each with their preference to certain fruits and veggies, it's difficult to buy small amounts of anything, so we either do without or waste things.

With heightening awareness, we were filling the rubbish bin at home with plastic wrapping and trays each time we returned from the supermarket. I started to notice the amount of single-use-plastic bottles we have in the house - shampoo, condition, deodorant, soap, dishwashing liquid, laundry liquid, various sauces in the pantry, milk, pretty much all my cosmetics - the list goes on.

Are you feeling helpless yet?
Are you looking around your house, noticing maybe for the first time the amount of single-use-plastic there is?
Does it bother you?
What alternatives are there?

One thing I can instantly regain control over, is less plastic simply by shopping with Martin Lamb and his family at their Traditional Fruit and Veg Stall at Hilliers Garden Centre on the A30 in Windlesham! It reminded me of my local fruit shop we went to practically daily as a kid.

I was SO EXCITED to find a 'real' fruit and veggie stall/shop, that I introduced myself, explained I blog, and asked if I could write about them. I felt the overwhelming need to share and spread the word.

Martin Lamb started house to house deliveries of fruit and veggies in 1976, and established his first retail outlet in 1987 as a result of his professional relationship with growers and wholesalers at Covent Gardens markets. At the same time, their wholesale business supplying hotels, restaurants, pubs etc continued to grow and they knew that with the right mix, they'd be able to continue their own business as well as support the local growers who had come to depend on them.

Martin Lamb (left) and son

Like most small, independently owned small-medium business the world over, the rise of the supermarket quickly over took them, and in 1994 the retail business closed. With a healthy wholesale business, they were able to keep going ........ and reinvented themselves. In 1994, they started holding a mobile stall at Hilliers Garden Centre on Wednesday and Saturdays, and at Odeum (Fleet/Farnborough) on Fridays.

The produce is sourced from local farmers (which is super important these days) in the area and at Covent Gardens markets. I love the buy local shop local mantra in action and am very happy to support it.

The fact that most of the produce is sold loose, means that no matter how many or how few you need to feed, you can buy the exact amount you want! I'm finding the little and often mantra is paying off already - no wastage!

Check out the produce! 

When was the last time you saw this?
Mushrooms last longer in paper bags.

A real cash register!
And scales!
Memories of childhood.

One of the customers, MrsP from West End said, she loves shopping here because ' the friendliness and service is second to none. The quality of produce too' and I couldn't agree more!

So of you're in the area, drop by and tell them ms-havachat sent you, and take cash (no credit/debit card facilities)

With friendship

x

ms-havachat has news

This blogging business is tricky, and time consuming, and rewarding and challenging and from time to time I have a dream that ms-havachat has a HUGE following of expats from all over the world, chatting and sharing daily, creating an online community of people who like to pay-if-forward and share kindness, thoughtfulness and support with a lot of giggles.

So, while I don't blog daily, and I'm not going to start podcasting, I do feel like it's time to branch out and attract a few more chatters to the fun. I'll also return to more regular blogs here ..... I'm working on two series and enjoying the research.

mshavachat on facebook is so much fun! I love sharing posts from my favourite bloggers or what friends share ....... and adding my own photo's and observations is fun too. In some ways, the instant contact with you via Facebook overshadows this - the BLOG - the longer chats, where we have time to dig a bit deeper and share more and for that I apologise.

I've been thinking about adding ms-havachat to Instagram ...... using the same # and attracting a wider audience, who might enjoy my vignettes and follow the chats on Instagram, then LIKE the Facebook page and who knows, subscribe here.

After numerous mistakes, there's several empty ms-havachats on Instagram but thanks to my clever teen, ms-havachatuk is up and running on Instagram!

The ability to be out'n'about and snap a photo and pop it onto Instagram and Facebook is really attractive, however I also enjoy sitting quietly in our home office, music in the background, typing out a longer, more thoughtful blog.

Please accept this invitation to join me on Instagram, and share with friends as often as you like.

The more the merrier,

With friendship
x

ms-havachat goes back to Winchester Christmas Markets

Thanks Google Images

Trying to get a group of friends to visit Winchester Christmas Markets on a Friday night wasn't easy, but four of us managed to get the kids sorted, hubbies to commit to being home at a reasonably early time so we could head off down the M3 for a night of giggles and Christmas shopping.

It was the perfect, crisp, clear COLD December night to go to Winchester Christmas Markets. The forecast was for super cold weather (it snowed every so lightly around 10am) but we still braved it. Four mums out on a Friday night. Two had never been to the Markets here, one had (but many years ago), and one had never been to Winchester at all!

One was dressed in thermal, long sleeve t-shirt, with a polo neck jumper, Christmas themed cardigan, winter coat, gloves, scarf AND bought a gorgeous winter hat. The rest of us had coats, hats and gloves over every-day tops LOL. And it was cold!

So cold in fact, that there was hardly anyone there when we arrived around 6.30pm. The mulled wine on arrival hit the spot!

Note to self: arrive earlier next year. For some reason (maybe the cold weather, maybe because they start trading at 10am) the markets shut at 7.30pm on-the-dot. We walked into one shop ready to buy, only to be told, "sorry, we're closing" and that was that.

I've been several times, and love it. Didn't take any photo's cos I needed my hands in my gloves. Hubby was pleased it was so cold as I didn't take too much money out of my wallet LOL.

The Cathedral Close is probably one of the best locations for a Christmas Market as they nestle peacefully under the strong, towering walls of the Cathedral. The soft, emotive lighting of the exterior of the Cathedral is so tastefully done. The Chalets are the usual wooden huts, some set up for customers to walk into and browse, while others present their goods to you from behind a display counter.

What I really enjoy about Winchester Markets, and my friends commented on too, was the number of local artisans and craftspeople offering high quality, unique items at reasonable prices.  Two of our group have been to markets in Europe and said this was as good, if not a little bit better! As a past resident of Winchester, I was rather pleased to hear that.

In November, The Daily Telegraph listed Winchester Christmas Markets as one of the Top Markets in the UK. 

We all purchased gifts, and a few things for ourselves. If only we'd had longer (and it wasn't so cold)

Next year, we'll plan better AND book a restaurant for dinner (took several attempts before we found one that could seat us. I forget how popular dining out in Winchester is).

The walk back to the car was delightful - past the Guildhall all lit up, the Old Wooden Mill with the Itchen River flowing very fast under the bridge, past Bishop on the Bridge, The Black Bottle, No 5 Bridge Street and the Chesil Restaurant.

For  more information about the markets, click here. 

With friendship
x

ms-havachat discovers Inspirations in Sunninghill

Inspirations gorgeous shopfront
54 High Street, Sunninghill Ascot, SL5 9NF

This morning I met a friend for a coffee before art class. With time to spare before class, I decided to stroll the High Street in Sunninghill and discovered INSPIRATIONS, a truly delightful gift shop.

The strange thing about where we live, indeed for most of us these days, independently owned boutique retailers are few and far between, thanks to the multi-national global branded retailers. `Just walk down any major High Street, or visit a shopping mall (ie: centre) and you'll see the same retail outlets, varying only based on the socio-demographics of the area. Trying to find a privately owned, one-off, independent retail outlet isn't easy these days.

Bricks'n'mortar shopping is struggling to compete with online retailers so things like customer service, product differentiation, product knowledge are what's able to set them apart. The gaps can be huge if bricks'n'mortar retailers invest in their staff, their physical shops and products. I throughly enjoyed training my retail staff, and the interaction with our customers, the rapport and trust that developed all of which resulted in increased sales.

Inspirations is a text-book independently owned shop. Owner/manager of 18 years, Judy and best friend Janet are warm and friendly and know their stock intimately. They take pride in sourcing the best of British made products as often as possible,  and love finding British designers whose products will sit well in the shop. Their suggestions for gift ideas was most appreciated!

Judy on the right, with Janet. 

What a little treasure trove of loveliness. Fashion accessories like hats, gloves, scarves and bags are displayed creatively amongst ornaments and photo frames, while the jewellery is set to one side. 

There's a lot of stock in a small shop, and it's lovely!

Everything is well displayed and easy to see.

There's a bespoke toy section too  that offers high quality
brands and a selection across young ages.

Janet loves stocking Sea Witch candles that are made in a small village in Cornwell, while Sam Wilson, from The Cotswolds is another very popular British range.

There's a great selection of cards and wrapping paper AND they gift wrap!

Very true!

You won't find Inspirations online. They believe in 'word of mouth' recommendation from their client base, many of whom have been with them for 'years'. They smiled when the explained how happy it makes them knowing they are serving generations of customers, from near and far. 

I'm so pleased I discovered Inspirations this morning and was 'inspired' to take a few photo's and have a chat, so I can share it with you.

If you're in the area, do pop in and say ms-havachat recommended you.

With Friendship

x

ms-havachat loves Huffkins

Add caption

If you're ever in the Cotswolds area of the UK (and I strongly recommend you make time to do so), you must visit Stow on the Wold (the most picturesque story book village in the area) and you must have a tea (or coffee) and eat at the famous Huffkins Tea Rooms.

Started in 1890, the business has only had 3, yes, THREE families own/manage/run the business.  Topsie and Faith are sisters and have been the proud owners for 18 years.

I was lucky enough to meet Topsie when we popped in for morning tea. There was a sign on the counter top that read ' We Supply our Handmade Fruit Cakes to the Royal Palaces' and I asked 'how does a small business in the Cotswolds achieve this honour?' which started a delightful conversation with a very lovely lady - just look at that smile!

A very proud Topsie showing off their status
as provider of Fruit Cakes to the
Royal Palaces

Turns out, you just rock on up to Buckingham Palace on designated tasting days, when Palace officials are sourcing new providers and wait in a long line with others doing the same thing.

About 18 months ago, Faith took a few fruit cakes to Buckingham Palace on such a day and the cakes were tasted and very much enjoyed. They submitted ingredients and other paperwork and voila! Huffkins provides the Royal Palaces with Fruit Cakes.

They also provide fruitcake to Fortnum and Mason and several other London stores, as well as their own tea rooms throughout the Cotswolds and even Japan! 

In 5 years, they will be eligible to receive the Royal Seal which will be simply another well earned recognition in the businesses esteemed history. 

The Royal Warrant is a fascinating English tradition dating back to 1840. It started because there was such fierce competition from local business and farmers to do business with the King, that a criteria was established and only those who could at the minimum meet them were considered. 

There are around 800 Royal Warrants today. Click here for the full list. 

Huffkins is in incredible company, and deservedly so. We absolutely enjoyed our delicious lunch, the coffee was great, and the cakes DIVINE as you can see in the photo's below. 

We look forward to following Huffkins (and returning one day for another visit) as they bide their time over the next few years, waiting for their Royal Warrant. 

If you see Topsie or Faith, please say ms-havachat from Sydney says hi.

With friendship

x

ms-havachat discovers Burlington House and More

Fabulous exhibition, and doors, and building

Henri Matisse is one of my favourite artists and I've been fortunate to see a few exhibitions showcasing his work. Matisse in the Studio is currently showing at the Royal Academy of Arts in Burlington House is really special and there's so many pieces I've not seen before.

The audio guide was very interesting too, tho of course, several days later, I can't recall a thing LOL.

What my companion and I always find fascinating about Matisse is he can still be considered relatively modern (1869-1954) though for some reason, most of us think he's from a different generation of artists altogether.

After an hour or so enjoying the exhibition, we started our exploration of Piccadilly by walking across the road to the iconic Fortum & Mason. The store started way back in 1707 and soon became the most fashionable place to shop in London, even being good enough for the Royal Family.

Simple, stylish unassuming entrance to the store

Today, the food hall is one of the most popular places in London to visit, and like a Harrods shopping bag, a tin of Fortum & Mason tea or shortbread biscuits is a London-must-do thing. Recommend buying an extra one for you to have on your way home. They are delicious. The cake and chocolate counters on the ground floor are works of edible art!

Cakes and chocolate like no where else

The Fortum & Mason tea tin.
Too pretty to be thrown away.

Famous Fortnum and Mason Christmas Hampers.
Sales people were busy preparing and wrapping
bespoke orders for destinations
near and far.

It's too early for Christmas decorations and hampers but
here they are

We were VERY surprised to find that not one Christmas decoration had a Fortum and Mason logo on it - not even a stamp underneath the £40 tree decorations. We might have bought one or two as gifts had they had the famous logo somewhere on them (note to Fortnum and Mason's Christmas marketing department for next year maybe)

Harrods has it's Bear, and the Bag, and some Christmas decorations have Harrods on them; my cloth Winchester Cathedral is obvious, as are other decorations. Just think they've missed something here.

Anyhow, we enjoyed our look-see, and by now were a little thirsty and peckish so we indulged ourselves with morning tea at Fortnum and Mason.

Tea, Apple and Cucumber sorbet, avocado on toast.

Did you watch the TV Series, Selfridges? I think that's why I have an fascination with these old established retailers in the UK. To think they've been selling pretty much the same thing for hundreds of years is impressive. That ladies were employed in some of the first salaried jobs, that cosmetics made their debut on the ground floor, is a bit nostalgic.

Feeling refreshed, we walked across the road to the Burlington Arcade for a stroll. Reminded me very much of the Strand Arcade in Sydney (tho not as pretty) and many arcades in Melbourne. The Burlington Arcade was built in 1818/19 at the request of Lord George Cavendish, later the Earl of Burlington for his wife, so she and her friends could shop in peace and quiet (London was rowdy and a tad dirty back then).

The Burlington Arcade is 'destination jewellery' of all types. From diamonds to pearls, all types of watches (upper end of the brand scale only) and a few silver shops. The lalique shop borough back a flood of memories!  There was even a Manolo Blanik shop! It was an interesting stroll, and fun to have a photo with the Beadle. However, the retailers on the OTHER side of the Arcade were something else. It reminded me of walking along Ginza or 5th Avenue, just different architecture.

Every exclusive brand is represented with a stand alone store

There were security guards on all shop doors, and some doors were unlocked to welcome customers, but remained locked otherwise. The window displays were elegant, there were no price tags on show (hehehehehe), and in most cases, we observed there were more staff than customers (several shops were empty except for staff)

We throughly enjoyed our day in and around Piccadilly and Mayfair . I wouldn't necessarily put it on the bucket list of things to do when in London, but it's easy walking and helps fill a couple of hours.

I'm sure there's much more to these iconic areas of London, and I wish you well exploring them.

Wish friendship
x

ms-havachat and the whole Mover, Greeter thing

There are expats the world over lamenting the loss of friend/s who have moved over summer, which means, there are expat's the world over getting ready to either BE the newbie or GREET the newbie.

This year, we are again GREETERS of newbies, and sad to see friends leave.

Summer is the big corporate domino moving game, especially when school aged kids are involved. (Northern hemisphere-wise as the new school year starts in August/September). You often hear 'here we go again' or 'it's that time of year' or 'it seems more/less people are moving than last year' or 'did you hear (insert name) is leaving!'

The MOVERS are in their in their serviced accommodation while scouting the available properties looking for their new home OR they have their new home and are waiting for shipments to arrive before moving in. Some who left early in the summer and moved short distances (UK to Europe for example) are already in their new homes with their shipment unpacked ready to explore their new locale. Kids are getting ready for their new school/new school year; the lead parent (read this on Two Fat Expats Facebook page in a conversation and quite liked the term) is doing research on school supplies, local shops, hairdressers, GP's etc all the while on the look out for a new friend.

There's been lots of photo's on Facebook of packing boxes and Ikea deliveries.


Some things never change in the life of a global nomad.

Then there are all the new friends we've not met yet doing the same thing as they ARRIVE, aka NEWBIES! Maybe one of them will move into a familiar house recently vacated by a friend or buy their car from the local used car dealer who specialises in working with the expat community.

They too are surrounded by packing boxes and Ikea deliveries.

School has started the 2017/18 year in some parts of the world, and for those families it's been new routines, maybe a uniform (or not), new schedules, new friends .... I smile when I think of how we send our kids to a new school on the first day with the 'go have fun and make friends' conversations and simply expect them do just that.

Our school starts back end of August and we've already met a few new families at informal social events that school has held primarily for the new families but with returning parents/kids participation. It's a great chance to meet'n'greet the new families/kids before the rush of first day school.

Friendships in expat life are made quickly - there's not much time to muck around as one of you will probably leave sooner rather than later. Of course some don't work out, but on the whole you manage to make good judgement calls.

This year several friends have moved to new cities where we have  friends already living there! It's not even six degrees of separation! I am their main link to a possible friendship.

If Friend A and I are friends; and Friend B and I were friends when we were living in the same city and remain friends despite one/both of us moving on, then surely Friend A and Friend B will have something in common, other than me, to make a friendship from! SURELY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(And if not, as has been known to happen, then at the very least there's a voice on the end of a phone call, or email support in the early days.)

it goes something like this, in an email or FB messenger:

Hi Everyone, 
(general hi's and how are you's)

(Friend A), I'd love for you to meet (Friend B) who has recently moved from (country) to your part of the world. We met at (insert) and have really enjoyed our time together. (Friend B) meet (Friend A), we met (insert where you met and how long ago) and I'm hoping you'll be a source of support and information for her. 


I've been able to hook up friends in KL, Singapore and UK! The UK friends are living literally within walking distance to each other (small world, right?)

Alternatively, I was contacted by a friend from Dublin who has a friend moving to London who reached out to me. Sadly, I don't live in London and can't help her, but I did put her in touch with a few groups I know of and was able to answer a few questions.

I love how open to the possibility of a new friend, introduced by another people are.

Some people think it's hard to make friends as we grow older and maybe it is if you stay put. You've got your circle of friends and your social life is fulfilling. People don't come and go ... they stay close. But in expat life, you DO have to make friends as you grow older, as some people don't tend to stay around for long, or you're the one who has a time limit on your being around.

My days are made so much better for the diverse friendships I have. Every day can be different simply because of who I'm sharing it with and I love that!

I love that I have a friendship group that will accept an email, asking them to look out for a friend, and that a global riendship network is well supported.

Seeing photo's of friends together makes my heart soar, and sometimes I shed a tear as I yearn to be there with them, sharing the moment.

Daily doses of friendship come in many forms - a Skype chat, an email, a quick Facebook messenger chat or a WhatsApp update as so many live overseas. There's also walks in park, coffee or lunch dates, shopping expeditions and day trips into London.

My life is sweet and overflows with drops of honey, how about yours?

What's your friendship network like?
What experiences have you had playing friendship matchmaker?
How do you go about making new friends?
Do you prefer to be the GREETER or MOVER/Newbie? Why?


To all the MOVERS, happy safe landings.

To all the GREETERS, remember you were a Mover once, be open and kind and generous with your time and support, you never know, there might just be a few new friend waiting to find you

With friendship
x

ms-havachat's blogging is back - HELLLOOOOOOOOO!

Hello Dear Friend,

Hope you are well! It's been ages since we chatted. How's things?


WOW, time flies right?

I would like to apologise for the long and unexplained absence these past few months. Nothings wrong. The words just didn't flow. ms-havacaht on Facebook has filled the void as it's been somehow easier to type out a '30 second sound bite' than write an essay.

Do you follow me on Facebook, or just here at the blog?

Why not do both? Love your company. Here's the link. Look forward to seeing you there.


So, what have you been up to these past couple of months (I know, MONTHS!) Our last chat was back in early April! But as we're friends, you know that we'll simply pick up where we left off and it'll be like yesterday when we sat and chatted.

Are you curious about what I've been doing that's stopped the flow of words from my head thru my fingers onto the laptop? Hope so, cos here it comes, in no apparent order:

• Nominated interim president of the expat women's club
• Steep and fast learning curve about the club, the policies and procedures in order to run board meetings, host general meetings, prepare for AGM, answer questions, and be available to 14 board members.
• Honoured to be voted in as President for the new year, and the learning curve got even steeper if that's possible. 
• Been on a few lovely guided walks in London boroughs (not called suburbs), enjoyed a couple of delicious lunches. 
• Tween has had a few tween issues with friends. Boy did that take a lot of hugs and chats. So proud of tween in how she's handled things. Hopefully it's all behind them now.
• Hubby's been away for business a lot! But we're ok with it. Monday - Friday are full, afternoons are busy and sometimes cheese on toast for dinner and a glass of wine, followed by binge watching TV is all a girl needs.
• Talking of bing watching
• Big Little Lies! WOW! Have you seen it? What did you think? If you haven't you absolutely must!
• Tween and I started to watch Gilmore Girls from the very beginning. At times Laurali and Rory and the parents are so frustrating, but it's great tween/mum time on a rainy afternoon.
• 13 Reasons Why. It's not really something you'd rush to watch, but it is worth watching. From a parents perspective is frightening! It's a great piece for opening conversations with mid-late teens. Social media, and how we treat people is so easily abused by younger generations. Some kids know exactly what they are doing while others innocently do what other's are doing; they don't think about consequences. MrsJ watched it and I was shocked (Based on nothing more than what i'd heard about it) She suggested I watch it - how relatable it was on so many levels, how easy it is for things to get out of hand, be misunderstood, for someone to be hurting and keep it quiet. 
• There's been Formula 1 racing with Hubby on weekends to watch.
• And the news! OMG. The news. As you know, I'm a news junkie but I find myself pulling away, not wanting to know anymore (you the same?)
• We've been in a sort of expat Limboland these past few months waiting on the announcement for the tender Hubby's involved with - we figured in our minds, if they lost, we'd be gone (along with others); if they won then there's a better chance of staying one more year pending re-negotiations of contract which expire in November. FUN and GAMES.
• That got me started thinking about 'the move' even tho there wasn't one confirmed.
• Started purging; researched boot sales (they don't do garage or yard sales in the UK, at least not here); 
• popped a few things online for sale (a few went, most didn't)
• Started making The List of Things To Do pre-move (for a move that is not happening)
• Took full advantage of lovely mornings and went for walks with friends. Did one on my own - same route, seemed to take f-o-r-e-v-e-r without company. Podcast kept dropping out as the wifi kept dropping.
• Read a few books.
• Started using our English Heritage membership on a Sunday and went for long drives to walk around grand mansions or fabulous ruins followed by a pub lunch. Highly recommend it. Gets everyone off their electronic devices!
• Invested time in researching online photo album sites to no avail. I love and miss mypublisher.com  more than I can bare - so much so, I'm years behind which is making the search even more frustrating. 
• Love my mornings at home with a cup of coffee, Skyping for hours with a friend. It can so easily reach lunchtime and all I've done is chat and sip. I highly recommend it! Makes friends feel not so far away - you'd be chatting and sipping in a cafe or at home anyways, so doing it online is (nearly) the same. We so often solve world problems and help each other too, as well as catch up with family life and 'stuff'.
• Bought a walking machine from a friend. It's in the garage. I use if when it's yucky weather and can't walk outside. I really bought it for Hubby so he can get 15 mins of movement in a day - he's walked on it once. Not sure I'll keep it much longer. 
• Have had lots of home-alone days which in the beginning were frustrating but I have to admit, I've grown to enjoy them. There's something naughty and indulgent about being home. When the house is clean, the washings done, ironings away etc it's very lovely to relax amongst it all. 
• There are times over the past few months when I've felt maybe the Monster from Winchester was returning, teasing me when it felt it could get a swipe in. I'm taking care of myself and feel confident I know the signs. 
• OH! I also finished on the school parents board. The person replacing me is going to be terrific! 

So all that's been stopping me blogging is me :) 

If I said 'writers block' would that sound more official, more acceptable? Maybe I should delete all of the above and simply say 'writers block'.

The next hurdle is 'this time of year' aka farewell season as friends get ready to leave for new adventures or repatriation. Maybe it's the annual routine. Maybe it's the fact we know what it's like to be the ones' leaving AND staying, and sometimes leaving is so much more fun as in it's exciting to be heading off on a new adventure vs one-more-year.

Staying means a long summer, kind-of; it means saying hello to a lot of newbies, getting to know them, making a couple of new friends, thinking you've a friend when you don't, missing hanging out with friends who have moved on and are settling in so communication isn't as frequent; waiting out the year til it's your turn to be the one leaving.

There's much to be said about living in the family home for 20+ years!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

While writing this I realise that maybe there's more to my writers block ......... 10 years an expat and you come to accept so much is repetitive while so much is unknown. Maybe I'm ready to just settle? Maybe I'm over moving and starting over. Maybe there's not much more to be said and if I just blog about personal stuff it's more like a diary and I'm sharing way too much and the reason for the blog in the first place is lost in self indulgence.

I could simply go back thru the archives and rehash, maybe update the 'pre summer' blog themes, cos really they don't change - people moving on, people arriving, making friends, sharing summer holiday ideas and tips, maybe even a few photos of what we get up to. The first day of school chats, orientation, suggestions on getting involved, making friends, girl-dating etc.

Groundhogs day for expats.

How's your summer shaping up?
What plans do you have?
If it's winter where you are, how are you coping?


Promise to chat with you here more often, and I hope you'll join us over on Facebook.

With friendship
x

ms-havachat eats out in Surrey - Misogu Japanese, Windsor

You should know by now we love our food, we enjoy eating out and we especially love Japanese food.

What's difficult with enjoying a cuisine as much as we do, is that, having lived in Japan and eaten the food there (which funnily enough is simply called food), we're spoilt. Seldom does sushi or sashimi or udon or tempura meet our expectations, so when we do find a restaurant that comes close, we're very happy ... when we find one that equals our expectations we're delighted!

My physio very tentatively recommended Misugo in Windsor, as she knew we'd lived in Japan and thought we might like it. She loves it. She wasn't too sure we would and was nervous in doing so, but I was happy to accept her recommendation, make a reservation and try it - we've eaten some pretty horrible, expensive Japanese meals so figured we had nothing to loose.

Our photo's say it all ........ 3 very happy little Vegemites.

I thoroughly enjoy and recommend starting
with awarm Sake

This is the 'second' order of the night.
Too busy eating the first few dishes to take photos.
Sushi, soft shell crab, Katsu, gyoza and tempura prawn in nori wrap.

The hotate (scallop) were plump and juicy and delicious.

The unagi (eel) was BBQ'd to perfection and served warm (missed the sauce tho)

The ikura (salmon balls wrapped in nori and rice) are tweens' favourite, and these were big, slippery delicious balls of yumminess.

The mature (tuna) and sake (salmon) were de-lic-ious.


As we were celebrating tween's first term report, her very pleasing first term exam results, G's birthday, and our anniversary we were thrilled to have found a local Japanese restaurant to have dinner.

I phoned my physio and said THANK YOU .... she was delighted and relived!


Misugo offers dining in and take away service.

The restaurant is small, so I'd advise booking.

It's reasonably priced, but Japanese does tend to be 'expensive', but for the quality of the food, the presentation and flavours, it's worth every yen, I mean cent. Tho if you don't over indulge like us, you might get out of it cheaper than we did. We really need to learn to pace ourselves.

For more information, please go to their website 
(Don't email them your booking - call! They don't read their emails LOL)

ms-havachat eating out at The Dog and Partridge, Sunninghill, Ascot.

Check out the blue sky!!!!!!!!!!!!!

When you're new to an area, you know where you need to go and how to get there and that's about it. If you're going somewhere new, you're in the hands of the Sat Nav Gods and could end up where you need to be (which is always great) or somewhere else (which is frustrating)

When you're new to an area, you soon learn to make getting lost fun, unless you've an appointment then it's so-not-fun.

You see, you discover things you wouldn't normally see when you're lost.

You're in new territory that you might not otherwise have ever needed, bothered to go.

Yesterday, MrsH and I weren't so much lost as in ended up at the 'wrong' pub, which as it turns out was great!

We discovered the Dog and Partridge in Sunninghill.  Parking's bit of a nightmare, but we managed to find one down a side street. I would suggest, if you're there on a Friday or Saturday night, to taxi there'n'back or be prepared to walk.

The fire was lit, which for once I was very grateful for as the air has a real cut-thru-ice chill to it lately.  We were offered a seat in two very differently designed areas - and chose the more traditional as it was closer to the fire.

The more traditional dining are

The funky dining area towards the front of the pub

Our lovely fireplace with an eclectic wall above.

The service was friendly and efficient. We ordered drinks and food and sat and chatted. MrsH and I haven't seen each other in person for about 3 years, so there was lots to talk about.

The wine list is very broad, the food menu had lots of yummy sounding pub-food choices. MrsH ordered salmon on onion tart and I had my all time fav fish, monkfish and swapped mash for salad (aren't I a good girl).

Just before we left, we wandered outside to find a very clever UK oriented beer garden (that's an Aussie term for outdoor drinking/dining area). When you first walk out of the building there's a covered area with bright coloured cushions ...... then the perimeter of the area is also covered, with seating and tables. The centre is open to the elements.

Outdoor dining (aka beer garden)

If you're lunching midweek, stroll thru Sunninghill Village shopping centre. There's lovely bespoke boutiques to mooch around. A short drive, and you're at Windsor Park, Savill Gardens, Ascot, Windsor. Everything is this area is a short drive thru woodland lines roads.

It's a very beautiful part of the world.

The Dog and Partridge was a very lovely find.

For more information please click here for their website.

With friendship
x