Gilberts' Fridge

The January Sales...

Cathy and I are going shopping today--in the famed January sales. We are going to brave the horrible queues for returns in pursuit of the ultimate bargain, and I am cringing in anticipation!
Seriously, the January sales are such a huge thing. I think the whole country must go shopping for clothes this week. I'd probably give it a miss, only I need new clothes so much! I didn't bring hardly anything with me when we moved,
It snowed a few days after Christmas, and I think it's funny the way the English react to a bit of snow. I already told my family about it, but this country seriously comes to a grinding halt when it snows. We got about three inches or so, and people were encouraged to stay inside and only drive if they absolutely HAD to. Three inches of snow, and you don't go to the grocery store, just to the hospital??? Sure, they don't really have snow plows this far south (Scotland gets a lot of snow, so they are prepared for it), but still--that strikes me as a little ridiculous. Most people over here think nothing of driving in a really bad rainstorm, and a pea-souper is not a big deal to them. But if you put the liquid in powder form, they freak out!
Martin and I did have a close call on Tuesday night. We spent a lovely afternoon in Lincoln, had lunch with Martin's cousin Gareth (really cute and desperate for a greencard all you single ladies!), did some shopping, etc. We took the A46 home, and it was a clear, warmish night when we left. It had snowed, but there had been enough traffic earlier in the day that the roads were just wet, not snowy or slushy. People were driving ridiculously slow, so Martin passed about 8 cars in a row. Then, between Faldingworth and Middle Rasen, the road got slushy and icy. Martin took a curve in the road a little too fast. He was in the process of slowing down, but with the brakes instead of the engine (big mistake in the snow!).
To make a long story shorter, Martin lost control of the car on the curve and we ended up sliding off the road and missing a few rather large roadsigns by about 4 inches in the front and 4 inches on the passenger side. Miraculously, we weren't hurt at all and the car wasn't damaged. We were able to back up onto the road and drive away. I felt really blessed, and VERY shaky. Needless to say, we slowed down after that. But we still didn't drive as slow as most of the other drivers on the road.
We spent the day with Martin's family again yesterday, and it made me miss mine even more. Everyone played games together, which was fun, but everyone had been drinking and they were getting to that really annoying stage where they think they are really funny. All the same, we had a good time. I wish we were in Utah right now.
The homesickness has really set in now, and I keep catching myself making fun of England and the English. I shouldn't do that, because I am sort of outnumbered, but I just want to talk to my fellow Americans and feel warm and relaxed and see friendly faces on the street. I want to be around a lot of people who don'tsmoke and aren't alcoholics. I miss my family, the climate, the culture, everything. I've lived in England longer than I did last time now, and I'm feeling it. Of course, last time I was a newlywed and only wanted to be with Martin. I still love him as much as I did when we got married--maybe even more. But now I'm realising that I need more than just my husband. I need the rest of my family, too.