Vonage....you're (eventually) amazing!

Before we left the states we did our research and multiple people had written posts about using Vonage or MagicJack.  So (the day) before I left Kansas City, mom and I headed to Best Buy to pick up a Vonage box.  Just to make sure that it was going to work like I wanted it to work, I called Vonage while I had the box in hand to confirm that if I bought the box in the US and took it with me to the UK that I would still have a US phone number and the US plan.  Pleasantly, the Vonage rep confirmed my suspicions.  He also wanted to set up everything for me right then and there but because I was in the middle of Best Buy, I asked him to call me back later.  And he did - about a million times.

After we left Best Buy, mom and I went to lunch which was equally if not more of an inappropriate place to try to set up our account, so I did the mature thing and ignored his calls.  By the time we got home I'm assuming that his shift ended and I received no more calls.  I probably had just completely screwed up his numbers for the month.  Sorry dude!

Oh well.  So I called Vonage back and spoke to another very nice customer service rep to set up our account.   I set everything up and put the box right back in the box from which it came.  And there it stayed for a month.

In case you haven't heard, in the UK it can take up to 6 weeks to get your internet installed in your flat. Luckily it only took us 3 weeks.  In preparation for this upcoming install date I ordered a phone off of Amazon (more on that later) hoping that it would be delivered on the same day.  Unfortunately I was disappointed.  Although it did come a few days later.

As I was excitedly opening the package and working to set everything up I came to realize that not only are the power cords different here, but the phone jacks are too.  AAARRRGGGG!  The end that goes in the phone is the same but the end that goes in the UK wall outlet is different.

See - UK on the left - normal people on the right

So I sent Luke to RadioShack in hopes that they would have a US phone cord.  No dice.

So I went back on Amazon to order one.

It was finally delivered a few days later.  I was able to set up the Vonage box with the greatest of ease and call my mom.  It's AMAZING!  I can call the states and UK landlines for free (or whatever amount we're paying for the Vonage service) and my friends and family in the US can call me without being charged international fees.  Whomever invented VOIP is my new best friend.

Moral of the story is.....

If you're moving internationally and make the wise decision to bring a Vonage box with you, make sure to pick up a telephone cord as well.

If you're a member of the elite group that we care deeply for, you will probably be hearing from us shortly.  If you haven't made the cut but want to chat even though we may have hurt your feelers (aka feelings), send me a message and I'll give you our digits.  I don't think it's wise to post on the world wide web.  Especially since whoever had the number before us made the (not too) wise choice to not pay their bills.

Love you and miss you!
Aubs, Luke and Luther

Things I…..Part 2

Things I am Glad I Remembered to Pack

In my last post I told you about the things that I was sad I had forgotten to pack.  So on a opposite side of that there are some things that I was smart enough to remember.  Most of these were probably things that we picked up in other blogs or from friends so I can't take a lot of credit.  No matter who had the good idea originally - we have these things and I'm happy.

1. recipe box with our favourites
2. measuring cups - because our favourite recipes require US measurements and not UK measurements
3. kitchen knives - make sure you pack these in your checked lugggage - TSA tends to frown upon blades
4. potato peeler - probably not a necessity but it's small and i like mine
5. wool socks - can I just say that the people at SmartWool are amazing?!?!?  and if you see any on sale let me know so that I can get our families to stock up
6. blankets - because it is COLD here and having your favourite blanket is really nice
7. games/cards - we packed Monopoly Deal (thanks Megan & Jimmy), a cribbage board and a couple decks of cards.  
8. screwdrivers - we bought a couple of storage things when we first moved in and these came in really handy
9. wedding album - because it's pretty
10. dvds - we put ours in a travel case so that the dvd cases didn't take up a ton of room in our bags
11. lots of gloves - my hands freeze all the time - i think i have a pair in every coat and bag that i own
12. world adapter kits for our apple products - gotta love mom's discount!
13. NorthFace Gortex hiking boots - we both have these and wear them a ton - actually - it's probably time for me to get a new pair - luckily there's a NF store in town.
14. wellies!  i was going to wait until i got here to buy some but i needed them almost as soon as i stepped off the plane - plus i got a really good deal on them - bonus!
15. Marmot rain jackets and pants 

Once again, I'm sure I'm forgetting something so I'll amend this list as needed.

Love you & miss you!

Aubs, Luke & Luther

Things I…..Part 1

Things I Wish I Would Have Brought

I attempted to ask all of our friends who have made the overseas trek already what to bring, but there will always be something to forget.  For those to make this trek after us or who make a similar trek in the future - here's a list of things I wish I would have remembered to pack.

1. a tape measure
2. scissors - luckily our flat had a set
3. sewing kit
4. converters for the few american appliances we did bring (because I had a hard time tracking them down)

I'm sure there will be more things to add to this list as the year goes on.  I'll edit this post as I think of them.

Us on the top of Arthur's Seat

Love you and miss you!

Aub, Luke & Luther

Single, Double, King……and where are the top sheets?

Our flat came furnished.  That means that the linens were included.  Which a nice thing to have when you're moving in - not knowing what size your bed will be and knowing that it takes a couple of days to dry things around here.  Yes, I said a couple of days.  Energy costs are very expensive in the UK and therefore most homes do not have clothes dryers.  Instead you use a drying rack - for everything - even your pants (translation: underwear).  

The not so nice thing is that the linens that were included in our flat were pretty basic and not quite what we were used to.  Both beds were covered with a flat sheet and a comforter.  Hence the name of the blog - "where are all the top sheets? "  

So immediately I started looking for new sheets.   In the UK, TJ Maxx is called TK Maxx so I headed there hoping to find quality linens at a reasonable price.  With no luck.  Sheets at home are typically sold in sets - fitted sheet, flat sheet and pillowcases.  I assumed that is what I would find here - but this was one of my many incorrect assumptions.  Everything is sold separately and all TK Maxx had was fitted sheets.  

We finally decided to stop by the John Lewis which is about a 2 minute walk from our flat.  John Lewis is the major department store in the UK and is really nice.  Luke and I were under the assumption that we had a "double" bed or what would be considered full size in the US.  We found the items we needed and headed home.  Before throwing everything in the washing machine, I made the very smart move of confirming that the sheets would actually fit.  Guess what - they didn't.  They were about 6 inches too small.  Fail.

This will eventually bring me to an upcoming blog of "Things that I wish I would have brought with me" - a tape measure.  

So the next day I trekked up to Starbucks to use the internet (because it takes about 20 days before someone can come and hook it up after you order it) to do some research on bed sizes.  And come to find out we actually have a king size bed.  Now you're probably thinking to yourself, "Can't she tell the difference between a full size bed and a king size bed?"  I promise - the answer is "yes".  

Apparently what is considered a king size bed in the UK is actually closer to a queen size bed in the US.  I was actually very happy to hear that we have a king size bed because not only is my husband taller than a full size, but I have a puppy who likes to hog the bed at night.  A full size bed would have been extra crowded.  

	N. America	Australia	UK/Ireland	Continental Europe Latin America
Single Twin (USA)	39 × 75 in 99 × 190 cm	36 × 74 in 91 × 190 cm	36 × 75 in 91 × 190 cm	90 × 200 cm 35 × 79 in	97 × 195 cm 38 × 77 in
Double/full	54 × 75 in 140 × 190 cm	54 × 74 in 140 × 190 cm	54 × 75 in 140 × 190 cm	140 × 200 cm 55 × 79 in	140 × 195 cm 55 × 77 in
Queen King (UK/Ire.) Wide Double (Japan)	60 × 80 in 150 × 200 cm		60 × 78 in 150 × 200 cm	160 × 200 cm 63 × 79 in	154 × 195 cm 61 × 77 in
Olympic Queen Queen (Japan)	66 × 80 in 170 × 200 cm				170 × 195 cm 67 × 77 in
King Super King (UK/Ire.)	76 × 80 in 190 × 200 cm	72 × 80 in 180 × 200 cm	72 × 78 in 180 × 200 cm	180 × 200 cm 71 × 79 in	194 × 195 cm 76 × 77 in
California King King Long (Japan)	72 × 84 in 180 × 210 cm				194 × 205 cm 76 × 81 in

(The table didn't copy well - if you're wondering - Japan is on the end.)

So - I went back to the store and exchanged my sheets, washed them and a couple days later we were sleeping in them.  We're still missing a blanket inbetween the top sheet and the duvet but I think we'll survive until we can find one.

Stay tuned for the many more blunders to come in our future.

Love you all!

Aubs, Luke & Luther