The Adventure Continues.......

Today Paul took me on a shopping/sightseeing trip to St. Helen, a small town just the other side of Haydock. I requested a round trip bus trip so I could figure out the public transportation system. Greenville had one in the states- and Grandmother Miller and I rode on it into town when I would go and spend a week with her and Granddaddy Miller every summer. I ADORED those trips!!! And guess what???? I haven't changed!! I was tickled PINK to be riding a BUS!!!!!


It cost us two quid each to ride it into town center where we got off and walked from. I was excited the whole way, snapping a picture here and there.We arrived and got off the bus. Let me tell you a little secret...buses round the world have the same exhaust smell. :-)

First we went to Argos to pick up my new Nike+ sensor for my exercise/weight-loss program. He paid for it then went outside and let me collect it myself. We went to several shops in the town, basically making a big circle as we walked round. Again, I snapped a few pics of the more interesting buildings. I tried to get a pic of one of the taxis but they move so dang fast that to get one I would have to throw myself in front of one of them...or push Paul in front of one and I just can't see me doing that to myself or my sweetie. ;-)



I wanted especially to look for a pair of boots to wear. I have proper dress shoes, and I have a pair of trainers and a proper pair Nike+ walking/running shoes. But over here, if you go out to some places, you need a pair of casual dress shoes to go in. I figured a pair of boots would do the trick. Wear them with Jeans, or leggings and a long sweater or sweater dress. Even with a proper skirt. But it seems, they don't make boots for girls with .....ummmmm.....abundant curves. :-) Yes, they do make boots with wide tops...but they are only an inch or inch and a half wider than regular sizes- so why bother. I could fuss bout it being a British thing, but it was JUST as hard to find them in the USA too. When will clothes manufacturers get smart and start making clothes for curvy women as well as slim ones?
Anyway....I went to a half dozen shops and didn't find a THING that was even close..(except UGGs and I effing DETEST UGGS) so I'm still bootless. :-(

So....then we had a brunch of a Chicken Pastie.
A Pastie is .....hmmmm......Okay, think of a Toaster Strudel with a meat and veggie filling with no icing, instead of a fruit filling with icing. That's what pastie looks like. And a chicken pastie basically tastes like a Chicken dumplings filling in a pot pie crust. And it is GOOD!!!!!



So we had one of those for Brunch and then we got a Mother's Day Card for our Moms.
Mother's day over here is the First Sunday in April...Ours in the States is the Second Sunday in May, I think.... Joan, my Mother-in-law, Always got her Mother's Day card almost a Month late when we lived in the USA. After the first year when I LEARNED after-the-fact that Mother's Day was different than ours...I bought a half dozen of them so Joan could get hers on time from then on....and Then I couldn't find them......Finally I just gave up on the idea of getting them to her on time and just sent her an extra nice one when we finally got to buy one in the States. I can only hope it slightly made up for it being late every year!!!

So anyway. After doing all that- and visiting a few games/electronics shops Paul asked was I ready to go home......and imagine his chagrin when I asked him to take me round the entire circuit 3 MORE times so I could get a bit of a bearing on where things were before we left. Bless his Heart- he was SUCH a GOOD sport about it all.

Then we walked back to The bus Depot and caught the bus back to Haydock.





I have to say, the most un-nerving part of this entire move has been my loss of control.
I freely admit I am a "Control Freak" with a Capital *C* & *F* and have an unnatural fear of being dependent on anyone other than myself. I'm fully able to put myself in someones care....as long as I have a contingency plan in place.
Yep- told you- Control Freak.

Here- I feel like I'm a kindergartner again. I even ask Paul to hold my hand while we cross roads til I learn to remember to LOOK RIGHT before crossing the streets. I had him do all the money changing for the first few days so I could see how the system worked. I have to ask him to translate something that's being said despite the fact it's English. And believe me- there's a HUGE difference in Southern English and British English alone without the Local Slang thrown in the mix.

But you know what? It's exciting. It's fun. And it's keeping me on my toes.

The Adventure Continues.......