I've read up to date and you guys sound like you're doing really well. Anhata, I hope this thread will help you to put into practice the complicated art of being in charge of your own life. Nobody should ever forget that if they have a rotten/uncomfortable situation in their life that it can be fixed somehow, as long as you take positive action about it, instead of sitting around moaning about it.

I liked the Goethe and it perfectly fits my experience of our move to the UK, because I literally made the decision one morning in May 2004, that we wouldn't wait around for circumstances to take us back there, that we'd do our research, fix our timing and get ourselves moved. Everything, but everything slotted perfectly into place. People have said how lucky we've been but I know full well that it wasn't mere luck. The concept of 'destiny' makes it too easy for us to sit on our backsides and do nothing. Until we make the first move nobody else can help us, no matter what our beliefs. We take responsibility for our own lives. Which explains where this thread grew from!

I won't be back in time for the finances, but we need to do some financial planning of our own, so it will get on my list for February, even if that only means I schedule actual DOING of something in March! I crossed one more item off my list today when I had my teeth cleaned. I need to find myself a dentist in the UK and get everyone on their list because I have two dreadful fillings to be done.

I shall have to be careful when we get back that I don't let any good routines slide because this whole trip has been very surreal - no cooking, no driving, no school, no anything normal!

Hi Moonpi - welcome to the thread. Sounds like you might need to try joining me on meal planning if the thought of cooking dinner puts you right off your food! I've had several months of being off the cooking thing, so meal planning was my only option before, and this year I will stick to it! I started it early last year but didn't last past Chinese New Year. I made sure I have a few meals put down for when we get home this time, which I can make even if I don't get any shopping done in the first couple of days. Thinking about it in advance really takes the pain out of it, which is why I'm so determined not to let it slide this year!

so much for a quick post. I have to go downstairs to the minimart and get Honey's nasi goreng paste and other crazy items! I'm flying on Friday night so I probably won't pop in again until Sunday or Monday. Thanks for starting the new thread Jana - you may have to do it again next week!

Kerri.