Two months till Bean Day

Well, the title of this posting is pretty self-explanatory, but I thought I would just flag up my due date, which is rapidly encroaching on us.
Sorry it's been a while since I wrote anything of substance or sense. It's been a pretty frantic last week or so and, as I don't really have much news, I'm afraid I haven't had much incentive to write.
To update you all: I am still in Yorkshire, staying with my parents and hopefully moving into the cottage that they bought in a village a few miles away in the next few weeks. They are having terrible trouble trying to sell their house and have to keep the furniture in here because apparently furnished places sell better than those which aren't furnished. So, they cannot move into their new place, which forms the other half of the barn - cottage project they bought, until this house is sold. Complicated and more than a little bit stressful.
I am going to Liverpool at the weekend for a change of scenery and because Mum and Dad are both working. It will probably be the last chance I get to see my extended family before the Bean comes along and I'm taking advantage of the fact that I am not quite waddling and can still see my feet to go and stay with Fairy G and visit the rellies, which should be good fun. It will also keep me distracted while Jon is away. He left for London on Sunday and will be heading out for the Democratic Republic of Congo tomorrow (Weds). When I phoned the BBC last week to tell them that I was leaving Peru for good, I asked them if they were in need of security advisors and because they have had to pull so many out of their normal areas to help in the latest Middle East crisis, they did need someone in Africa, to help the news teams during the run-up to and coverage of the elections.
So Jon heads to deepest, darkest Africa tomorrow and I know he is looking forward to getting back into the kind of work he enjoys. He's only going for a week, but at least it will mean some cash and perhaps it will get him some good contacts and back in with the Beeb, who he used to do security work for. Needless to say, I am kicking myself a little bit as I am a little worried about him and it was me who persuade him to do it, but I know it'll be good and he'll be fine.
The weather here continues to be the kind of weather you always want when it's cold. The British are so funny...we never ever seem to be happy with the weather. Now this heatwave has gone on for a while and the days are truly beautiful, but there has been little let-up and it's a bit stressful being pregnant and not being able to get cool. But, at least it's not raining.....so I have no complaints.
The Bean seems to have been inspired by our return to England and is growing at an astounding pace, so my back has been quite painful in recent weeks. There's an awful lot of movement going on as well, which is probably a good thing, but makes for interesting nights!
Well, not much else to report, apart from the fact I am missing all my friends in Peru.
Love to you all,
H
xxx

News from up north

Just a quickie to update you, as I know I have been rather lax of late.
Jon and I are now back in Yorkshire. I fled Bermuda last Monday, flying via the UK on to France for a few days with Mum and Dad in the place in the south-west. Then we flew back to Liverpool and headed on to Yorkshire, where Jon joined us on Tuesday this week after spending the weekend with his Mum.
It's been a strange re-adjustment and I still have some doubts about the decision we have made, but I know it is for the best. It's nice to be away from the cockroaches and despite this rather abnormal heatwave in the last few days, it's also nice to be away from the humidity of the Triangle.
And of course, it was lovely to see Jon's Mum when she picked me up from the airport and spend some time -- albeit too short -- with her. It's nice to be back with Mum and Dad, although they are in a pretty stressful situation at the moment with the different houses that they are trying to sell, furnish etc.
In the next couple of weeks, we should have more of an idea what the future holds in store for us. In the meantime, we are well. Bean and I went to the midwife here on Wednesday and everything is fine.
Thanks again for all the love and support of late. I'll post more when I get the chance.
Han
xxx

Decisions to end a dumb era

It's amazing the mental gymnastics your mind can do when you can't sleep. I'm quite impressed by this latest anagram for Bermuda: 'dumb era' seems to be quite fitting for the time we have spent here.
Well, since I promised everyone we would have a decision over the weekend, and I wouldn't want to keep you all chomping at the bit, here's the latest on the 'Saga of the Triangle'.
Jon came back from the US on Saturday, having been really impressed by the project in Maryland. I know I have said it was based in Maine, but please blame it on shared brain cells and the fact that the Bermuda sloop is going to be launched from Maine.
But more than anything, it made him realise how bad things were here.
We have therefore made our decision independent of what happens with the US project, as they are still not in a position to give Jon an answer. If they give him a positive answer, I will go into more detail about his visit and our prospects for the next year. If they don't give us a positive answer, we will manage.
After Jon got back, we spent a long time chatting things through, and we came to the conclusion that Bermuda is no longer tenable.
It's not just a case of the confusion over the visas, it's everything: we simply don't think we would be happy here.
In the past few weeks, Jon has been getting more and more stressed, to the point that it feels like he is eating himself up inside. He has nobody else to talk with here (apart from me), no friends and his only topic of conversation seems to be the ineptitude of those he is surrounded by, to the extend that it sometimes seems as though I am listening to a stuck record.
I'm not saying he is perfect and I'm not saying I am either. Neither of us suffer fools gladly, but I feel like we have been as patient and as reasonable as possible.
So, yesterday Jon wrote to Captain Chris and explained the situation and attached his resignation letter to the email. Unfortunately, Chris didn't get back to him last night and, so, early this morning Jon went into town to see Alan, the Chairman of the Foundation.
Last night he said that today was going to be one of the hardest days of his life, which is quite a comment from someone who used to provide security for journalists in Iraq. I think it's because he feels like he is letting Chris and Alan down, and Alan was pretty good to us and to him - letting us stay there when I was here last time - and he is worried that Malcolm will go ballistic when he finds out.
He said the meeting with Alan was really tough and that apparently Alan had gone directly to the head of Immigration and the visas had been sorted, but unfortunately they didn't do anything to tell us this and make it formal in writing and I had been led to assume otherwise by Malcolm.
Jon and Alan had a conference call with Chris and even though they offered Jon various things, he said he felt his decision had been made and that now he would just be rocking the boat (excuse terrible pun) if he stayed.
He feels very upset for having let down Alan and Chris and probably because he rightly didn't air his grievances about Malcolm, they probably think that he is getting worked up over nothing. I think the three of them are going to be able to keep it amicable, but I am not sure how easy it will be once Malcolm weighs in.
I feel really bad for Jon. He has re-written his resignation letter and said his decision was based on our personal situation, which makes me a little frustrated, but this is probably what they want to hear and there is no point being childish about it.
During the weekend, we decided that it was better for me to leave the Island as soon as I could to strengthen Jon's argument if we had to, so I am flying back to London via New York tomorrow and arrive early on Wednesday morning and Nanny Hils is coming to meet me, which I'm really grateful for.
As Jon wasn't sure what the reaction would be, we are also pretty much packed in case we needed to make a quick get-away. He's hoping to be able to leave as soon as possible and hopefully this will be Thursday.
It hasn't quite hit me yet what we are doing and I have some doubts, but then if we were all blessed with the gift of hindsight, we'd never learn anything. But, all-in-all, I know this is the best decision for us. I want to thank you all for your support and for the emails and electronic hugs that I feel we have been receiving.
I know we are both stubborn and often selfish, that we are free-spirited people and we have to make our own decisions, but the stress and uncertainty that we have faced in the past few months has been eased a great deal by you, our friends and family. Our problems pale into insignificance alongside those faced by many people and we lucky we've got you and we're lucky we've got each other. I know we'll look back on this episode in our lives and probably laugh at the absurdity of the whole thing.
For now, I hope you'll excuse the length of this posting. Lots of love from Han, Jon and the Bean xxx

That Friday feeling

Jon will be back tomorrow. Amazing how much I'm missing him after just two days. Perhaps it's because I know his arrival back on the island should mean an end to months of indecision. But, I'm not wanting to get my hopes up too much.
I went into Hamilton today on the ferry -- the ride across the azure waters to the capital is one of the positive things about the island -- and picked up some more immigration forms. Although I am feeling a bit ambivalent about filling them in after a conversation I had yesterday with the woman who Malcolm said was helping the Foundation with our immigration applications.
You may remember me saying that Jon's work permit had been approved and my visa has been okayed 'in principle'. Well, I don't know if Malcolm is incompetent or telling porkies, ot the lady at immigration got the wrong end of the stick and totally misunderstood what I said (somehow I doubt this), but she told me nothing of the kind had occurred, that there was no record of any application or acceptance for my name and I would have to fill out my form and attach all the supplementary info and apply that way. She wouldn't give me the info about Jon's application because I wasn't his employer. Anyway....I am not surprised.
The good news is, Jon called last night and said he is really enjoying the visit to the States, he loves the place and the people like him and -- what is more -- they are competent in the flesh too as well as on email.....
Oh joy!
xxx

Here's the fat lady again, but still no singing

Sorry if the previous posting pic made you cringe...it makes me cringe a little too, but I promise I don't walk around in public like this. As you will see from this other photo, I do spend most of my time dressed, although I also seem to be spending copious amounts of time sleeping or at least trying to sleep. The well-dressed tramp photo was also taken on my birthday, while I was waiting for the ferry after Jon had taken me out for a meal at the Thai restaurant in Hamilton. I would blame the shut-eye on the celebratory glass of wine, but I just like sleeping at the moment, and given that I can rarely get comfortable, a bench is as good as anywhere. As you will see from this pic, I look a lot thinner when I am clothed...which can only be a good thing.
Thanks to all those friends and family who have sent me their words of wisdom which my request for advice or suggestions to help me and Jon through our current predicament. I know many people don't feel comfortable giving advice, and I know in the end we have to make the decision ourselves, but it really helps to get the perspective of other people on the situation.
The latest from the Devil's Isle is, as some of you may know, that Jon's work permit has been granted and my visa has been approved 'in principle'. What a horrible little phrase, full of all manner of hypotheticals. I don't want it approved 'in principle', but 'in practice'. Malcolm says this takes the pressure off us, but Jon doesn't agree, because we still need to make a decision and my tourist visa runs out on Tuesday. I can extend it a little longer, but really I wonder if we have lost all faith in this place.
Well that's about it for now. I've just got back from an hour-long walk and should probably have a shower now that the men drilling downstairs seem to be taking a tea or beer break.
Love to you all,
Han
xxx

When will the fat lady sing?

Here's a picture of my ballooning belly, which was taken on my birthday. Thought you might be interested and up for a laugh!
Jon has just gone to catch the ferry to St George, on the other side of the island from where it is a short taxi ride to the airport. Then he's flying to the States -- or Maine to be precise -- for the next few days. He'll be back on Saturday, by which time we should be in a much better position to make a decision about what the future holds in store. To be fair, a few things have happened in the past few days that have swayed us one way and then the other, but I really do think we should be able to make a decision soon.
Apologies for not posting since the weekend. Things have been pretty hectic. We moved into the almost-renovated apartment at Number 8, Royal Naval Dockyard on Monday. This may be the poshest address I've ever lived at, but it may also be the shortest amount of time I have ever spent living anywhere.
The apartment has beautiful wooden floors, high ceilings with rather tasteless fans which help with the stifling heat and large sash windows which help even more. There are still a few aesthetic things that need to be finished: ie. we have no doors and there are a few wires poking out here and there and we've only got makeshift curtains, but it is lovely to finally have somewhere to call home -- if only for a few days.
Unfortunately, I haven't really slept well since I have been here, probably because of all the things going on in our lives at the moment, but also because Tuesday night's is 'Destination Dockyard', where all the wonderful cruise ship passengers descend on this place and the locals pull out all the stops to sell tourist tat and live up to the stereotypes of a Caribbean (okay, almost) island, playing cruise line classics like 'Don't Cry For Me Argentina'? on tin drums, while the entertainers off the ships do juggling displays, and tricks that draw the brain-dead crowds. The locals also use it as an excuse to get obnoxiously drunk, so even though the event was supposed to finish at 11pm last night, people were still blaring their car horns, yelling and music was still playing until well past 1am. Very irritating when you live so close.
Still, I did get a lie-in this morning until 8.30, although I did wake up at 6.30 for some food -- I find I get so hungry in the mornings - and it was a relief not to have the workers downstairs drilling and bashing around. Bermudians certainly aren't quiet. They don't really have the mellifluous tones bestowed on other Caribbean islanders and the accent is very odd....like a cross between American, Jamaican and British and not the most attractive.
On to other news....
We must have been a funny sight yesterday. We went to the supermarket on the bike to load up on provisions for me for the next few days. We bought rather a lot of food and on the way back we had a couple of large bags on the back of the moped, one between Jon's knees and one under the seat....with me clinging on to Jon and to the back basket to make sure we didn't lose the cereal. Travelling by moped really is the most efficient way to get around Bermuda and although I am leaving the actual driving to Jon at the mo, it's getting quite tough getting on the back, the bigger I get. On the way back here from the supermarket which is about four miles, we saw an even funnier sight. There were two people on a bike, but at the front was a wiry looking dog with it's paws up on the handles...it looked just like it was driving!
We got some news from Malcolm, the executive director of the foundation, yesterday which leads us to think that the re-extended extended deadline of this weekend that Jon agreed to last week won't be met.
Back in May when I was here the last time, we had a meeting with the solicitors and Malcolm. The conclusion was that the only way we were going to get the visas sorted in time was to bypass the normal route and to go straight to the minister. I don't agree with nepotism or favouritism, but this was going to be the only way. This meant we would not have to immediately provide certain things like a police form -- which Bermudians do not quite seem to realise goes against the Data Protesction Act in the UK -- and I could not have a chest x-ray and we would not need to get married immediately, etc. The forms were finally put in a month later. Yesterday, Jon received an email from Malcolm saying the solicitor was off the island again -- he's probably gone to Germany to watch the World Cup final -- and that Malcolm had received a letter from immigration dated the 23rd of July -- since when does it take 11 days to get a letter from one side of the island to the other, only a couple of miles? -- saying that immigration needed a chest x-ray from me (despite the fact my Peruvian doctor went to great lengths to send an email and letter in May, saying I was in good health but I couldn't have an x-ray because I am pregnant, a form saying I would have health insurance -- we had a meeting to this effect in May also, a letter saying Jon would be finaicially responsible for me and I would leave the island if we split up (he's the only reason I'm here), a certificate once we got married, character references for me...the list goes on.
This seems to me to be the height of incompetence and there is absolutely no way that despite the fact I have great friends who will write me a character reference within 24 hours and I can get all the letters and mumbo jumbo bumph to them, that we will have an answer to the visa issue by the weekend. On an island where people are so happy to give their friends and relatives a leg up, it seems extraordinary that the foundation have effectively shot themselves in the foot over this by not pulling strings on an occasion when they were probably justified.
Jon and I had a long chat last night and we agreed that we both like the apartment and he has put so much work into it, and there are many great things about Bermuda, but the advantages are by far outweighed by the absolutely ridiculous levels of incompetence. Obviously, we will wait until he gets back from the States to see what the outcome of his meetings were there, but I think we may not be long for this isle.
A rather long-winded blog post this time, I'm afraid, but hope it makes some sense and keeps everyone up to date with goings-on in the soap opera that is Bermuda.
Bean continues to grow and kick at an alarming rate....we're into the third trimester now and I am feeling pretty weary, with some irritating backache, and over-heating quite frequently here so am staying indoors most of the time and drinking lots, but otherwise we're in fine fettle with 11 and a half weeks to go until due day.
Lots of love to you all.
Han
xxxx

Culture clash

Greetings from an overcast island.....
Jon was trying to teach me meteorological symbols on the weather map today, but somewhere between the occluded front and the cold one I got confused. Apparently it means we are in for some grim weather up here in the mid-Atlantic for the next few days, which doesn't help our moving prospects. But, it does give me a fine excuse to go somewhere and watch the football..even if it's not as much fun drinking sprite rather than beer. Jon's happy to drop me off and keep on working; he doesn't like football.
So, what an exciting day. Because Bermuda has loads of people descended from the Portuguese settlers and a healthy dose of Brits, the England-Portugal game has led to somewhat of a split across the island. From what I see, it seems like Sven's men have a decent chance: helped mostly by the aggressive tactics of the Portuguese in the last round and some injuries. But I'd like to see England play better, because I really don't think they have put on a great show as yet. I'm pretty sure Brazil will wipe the floor with the French, although I was very impressed with how the Frogs rallied at the end of their game against Spain, so who knows...but, as many of you know, I do have a bit of a soft spot for the Brazilians, even if it would be nice to see another team win the Cup.
Well, that's quite enough footy talk for one posting. Time to update you on the goings-on in Dockyard and the soap opera that is our life here. We've finally got some furniture and the roll-call at the moment includes: a bed, a sofa, two coffee tables, two comfy chairs and a footstool, a chest of drawers and a blender as well as various mix and match plates and glasses and a vase, a couple of mirrors, a CD-radio and a hairdryer. We did pretty well with a couple of the people we were buying things from, as one was a wealthy re-insurance chap and his wife who were moving back to Marlow. They had some great furniture that was a very good price and the other was a Canadian teacher who wanted to get rid of his stuff so charged us a minimal amount for some of the other things.
I had less luck yesterday when I went to what Bermuda's version of Ebay advertised as a 'mega house sale'. Well, the only thing that was mega about this was the mess. But I found myself in a bit of a 'Catch-22' situation as I had taken the ferry to the other side of the island and the lady who was having the house sale had sent her husband down to pick me up. The house was an old sprawling place full of odds and sods that she had been collecting over 40 years. Now I thought my Granny was a hoarder, but this woman redefined the word. We stumbled from room to room, clambering over furniture and dodging cats and dogs as she pointed through the damp and gloom at things until I became punch drunk. Well, after their hospitality, I couldn't really leave without buying some things, especially as it was cheap and Jon had arranged a truck to come and pick up the furniture and I could hardly tell him over the phone that some of the things wern't overly suitable. Anyway, for the princely sum of $235, I came away with some (okay, I couldn't tell in the dark and no doubt dad will cringe, much as Jon did) MDF chest of drawers, a wooden bookcase, a sofa, loads of plates and glasses and the blender, another chest of drawers which I think they got a bit confused about because I didn't ask for, but of course Jon thought was it the best thing I got, a rather knackered old guitar (I left mine in Peru because I would have had to take that instead of a suitcase) -- apparently my musical expertise doesn't stretch to telling what is a decent guitar from what is crap (it has all its strings for goodness sake!) and a map of the world (although it's American, so apparently I didn't do too well there) and a wine rack. Well, not too bad, and at least I won't have to go off by myself again and buy things!
Well, I've just been summoned to earn my keep and do some work -- it's okay, it's only hanging up clothes -- so, I better waddle off. We should be moving in over the weekend, although still no oven and fridge fitted...we do have one of each that are a bit tatty and will 'do for now' -- this seems to be becoming our favourite phrase.
As for the rat on the roof: no sign of it for a couple of days, although we now have an army of ants in the cottage and there was another flipping cockroach on the window sill this morning....this should keep Big Cuz amused for now. As for our anonymous posting guest, if it's you Mark, I know what you're like. I did have a strange dream last night about living with nuns. I was working in Madrid for the BBC and Rageh Omaar was there and I had to wear a wimpole. Odd, and I can't blame it on drugs or drink!
Lots of love to you all
xxx