UK Bound - 2007 October

Greetings all

It's been a while since I've sent out an update, hasn't it? I think it was probably when we were still in Glasgow. How our lives has changed in the last 4 months.

If you followed the maplink I sent out in my last email, that would have led you to Bournemouth. We're about 100 miles South West of London, and takes about 2.5hrs by train. If you go further west, you'll reach Plymouth, and if you go east, you'll reach Brighton and then Dover. From here, you can also take a ferry to France. I think the fast ferrys get there in about 2.5hrs, and the slow ones take just over 4 hours. It's short enough for a day trip, but we haven't made the trek just yet. Right now we're just finding all the different things around here first. Just east of us is the New Forrest, which was planted just over 1000 years ago. They probably should rename the forrest.

On the job fronts, I am in a totally different section of the bank, and am quite enjoying it. The people are quite helpful, and I'm doing more project work than day to day tasks. I'm adding Oracle (techies will be going ooohhh) to my Sybase and Unix skills, so hopefully my career is going in the right direction. In my old post, they've just finished decommissioning the last app that I was a "subject matter expert" so it was a perfect time to move. Kim has found a position with Bournemouth Water, supplying the city with their drinking water. OK, maybe not personally, but helping people with their many queries.

Seth has started "Reception" (like kindergarden) and, sadly, has lost most of his Scottish accent. He says 9 like "noine" (watch Eastenders, you'll understand). Fortunately he still says "better" correctly instead of "be'err" (once again, watch Eastenders). When he starts saying "better" incorrectly, we'll know that he's truly been assimulated. He's learning to read and print a little. Not bad for a 4 year old.

Anyway, that's enough about us. Let us know what you've been up to.

All the best.

Brian, Kim and wee (err, small) Seth.