Life's so drokking fantastic because (the rebirth)

[TordelBack]

VOTE SOAP

Using that line around comics fans is like asking turkeys to vote for Christmas.

[radiator]

Ha, yes! Don't even know if I'll be able to take my Xbox with me! I'd probably struggle to find time to play it even without all of the extra stuff I need to do in the next couple of months. It looks sooooo good though....

[Trout]

Damn! I am once again lacking even a single shitter. The house deal fell through. We're backing out because the place needs too much work. We can get a house in better condition for the same price.

But life is still fantastic. We still have lots of opportunities. I just need to queue for the bathroom a little bit longer...

[TordelBack]

Sorry to hear that Mike.  Keep doing your Kegels and you'll be okay.

[ming]

Excellent news, Trout!  I'd definitely consider moving back to Canada at some point.

If you've not already got them on the shelf, treat yourself to a pair of Douglas Coupland's Souvenir of Canada books... I never get tired of look at these.

[Proudhuff]

Bad luck Trouty. still cleaning four bogs would be never ending, just keep it in til work like you normally do.

[Something Fishy]

Thanks chaps. Got a million things to do before we go, and there's plenty of potential spanners in the works so who knows?

As I reported back in Feb, we both suffered from severe jetlag and mild culture shock during our recce trip and were having serious doubts about the whole thing. Portland is a nice enough place, but wasnt at all what we were expecting and seems so sleepy and small compared to where we currently live in London, almost like a ghost town. Oregon as a whole feels quite sparse and remote - i think the nearest big city is LA which is a 14 hour drive away! The 8 hour time difference also adds greatly to the feeling of being cut off, which I hadn't previously considered.

But as we explored we ended up falling in love with the outdoors, especially the coast and mountains (both of which are just over an hours drive from Portland), which is where we're planning to spend most of our free time. Also planning to finally get a dog when we get settled which im sure will keep us busy. I'm sure were going to be extremely homesick and miss our friends terribly, and the reality of having to leave all of my stuff - electronics, comics etc behind is just starting to sink in, but ultimately its too good an opportunity to pass up.

Sounds great.  Isn't Seattle a lot closer?

After playing Alan Wake I fancied seeing the NW one day.

[Something Fishy]

the weather is stunning and we are off out for some fun in the new Kayaks we recently bought.

Cornwall is a bloody lovely place to live with all the water around us. 

where else can you go channel to atlantic in 12 miles and go from flat perfect Kayak conditions to perfect surf in a short space of time.  It's lovely.

[Something Fishy]

Then, a few days later, my wife found a job. It's very similar to the one she had in the UK and the pay is 30% more, which should tell you something about the UK. My own job is the most money I have ever earned, and, unlike the last one I had in Scotland, it has no management role.

tell me that wages vary enormously in different parts of the uk and the Canada is in a different economic cycle to us.  Ups and downs happen everywhere.

awesome that it's worked out for you guys.

[Tiplodocus]

Well done the Trouts.

Just ordered
Killzone and Flashpoint blurays (Donnie Yen)
Alan Moore Futureshocks
The new Halo Jones
A vegan baking book

From Amazon using some birthday gift vouchers. Nice haul I reckon. Thank you, mother in law.

The VCs book I fancied was going for £140. Really.

[TordelBack]

Alan Moore Futureshocks
The new Halo Jones
A vegan baking book

Given that line-up I'd be almost sure that the cookbook will turn out to be recipes for baking vegans. 

More seriously, I've just realised that Halo is most like a vegan.  No congealed mammary fluids or eggs that are, like, from some animal's ovaries for her - just plenty of algae and karobix.

[von Boom]

In 2 1/2 hours I'm leaving work to start two blissful weeks of vacation by the sea. Me, the wife, and a stack of books to rival the Tokyo Sky Tree.

[Something Fishy]

sounds perfect!! going anywhere nice?

[von Boom]

Tidnish, Nova Scotia. There's not much there but quiet.

[Something Fishy]

Nice.  Looks lovely from what I have seen of it.