Well the big news is that Brian has been offered an amazing professorship position! And the not so big news is that we will not have to move – his new job is right here in Oxford!
Brian has accepted a tenured-track assistant professorship (at Oxford it’s actually called an University Lecturer) in the University of Oxford’s physics department. He also undertakes a concurrent role called College Tutor, in which he tutors and mentors a handful of Oxford undergraduate physics students at one of Oxford’s 39 colleges – Keble College. So Brian officially now becomes a real faculty member of the University and a Fellow of Keble College. (Whereas before, he was not an official employee of the University. He was a postdoctoral researcher and visiting scientist being funded by external sources; the Royal Society the first 2 years, and now the National University of Singapore.)
This obviously means that we will be making a more permanent home in Oxford for the foreseeable future. We love our cozy flat close to the city centre, but are now interested in finding a house (although it will be small in this country!) with hopefully a garden (yard) in back and space for a car. One of my new goals this year is to learn to drive a stick shift and on the left side of the road! And yep, this means we plan to start a family over here – and I wonder how much of the British accent our future kids will pick up!
We’ll continue to update everyone as we learn more about what this new role for Brian means, and how we’ll be settling (again, but in the same place!). Continue to keep an eye on our blog, via email and Facebook.
I know Brian would love to hear from you as he embarks on this next stage of his career. I’m a very proud wife and continue to be amazed at what a smarty-pants I married!
Please continue to stay in touch; we love hearing from you while living across the pond – we miss you!
Love, Kelly and Brian
Tuesday, 26 January 2010
Wednesday, 6 January 2010
Snow in the UK!
Well I spoke too soon in my last post - it's been snowing for more than 24 hours here and probably 8 inches at least of accumulation. They are saying it's the most snow Oxford has seen in more than 30 years. And snow is to continue for the rest of the week!
The most entertaining part for me is that the country doesn't know how to deal with this amount. Typically the UK doesn't get any snow. So they do not resource their city councils with ways to remove the snow. There are no big road snow plows, there are no snow blowers, and no one even owns their own snow shovel or ice scraper for the car! The roads and sidewalks just pile up with snow, and people and cars just try to walk/drive right through it all. It makes for a lot of mess! And it's pretty scary with Brits driving in the snow, since they are not used to it.
Here are some pics from outside my flat - notice how the road and sidewalks are pretty snowy. People just walk down the center of the roads instead for better traction!
Here are some pics from outside my flat - notice how the road and sidewalks are pretty snowy. People just walk down the center of the roads instead for better traction!
Sunday, 3 January 2010
Happy New Year 2010!
Well I have safely returned from visiting home for the holidays. Brian is still in the US on his way to a conference in Utah. He returns next Saturday 10 Jan.
It's always tough to come back to the UK after being home, seeing everyone and having fun. But I think going back to "reality" is hard for everyone after the holiday season. Being home however, reminds me how blessed we are to have such large, wonderful and supportive families and great friends in our lives. When we visit, while many things have changed, many things are the same and that is what gives me great comfort. We have so much to be thankful for!!
I don't have photos to post, as Brian still has our camera. I look forward to showing our UK friends all of the snow we left behind! The weather here is sunny and upper 30s/lower 40s. So pretty typical for the UK.
Thanks to everyone for spending time with us this holiday season and for your kind gifts, cards and photos. For those of you whom we missed seeing this year, you are always in our thoughts and we can't wait to see you soon when the opportunity arises!
Here's to a great start of the new decade and to all of the new opportunities and challenges approaching us! Please continue to keep in touch - it's so helpful to hear from friends/family while we love afar!
Love and cheers!
Kelly & Brian
It's always tough to come back to the UK after being home, seeing everyone and having fun. But I think going back to "reality" is hard for everyone after the holiday season. Being home however, reminds me how blessed we are to have such large, wonderful and supportive families and great friends in our lives. When we visit, while many things have changed, many things are the same and that is what gives me great comfort. We have so much to be thankful for!!
I don't have photos to post, as Brian still has our camera. I look forward to showing our UK friends all of the snow we left behind! The weather here is sunny and upper 30s/lower 40s. So pretty typical for the UK.
Thanks to everyone for spending time with us this holiday season and for your kind gifts, cards and photos. For those of you whom we missed seeing this year, you are always in our thoughts and we can't wait to see you soon when the opportunity arises!
Here's to a great start of the new decade and to all of the new opportunities and challenges approaching us! Please continue to keep in touch - it's so helpful to hear from friends/family while we love afar!
Love and cheers!
Kelly & Brian
Sunday, 13 December 2009
UltraFast Christmas Dinner
Starter: Pan-fried pigeon breast with sauteed wild mushrooms
Main: Haunch of venison with a chocolate and rasberry jus
Dessert: Chocolate truffle cake with clotted cream
Can't resist a bunch of cute British nerds in their tuxes!!
December Update on Brian's Dad
This update from Brian's dad's gf Karen is a bit dated already, but for those of you who are following Tom's progress, here is an update from 1 December:
Once again, Tom is making great strides! This past Sunday, we gave him a "field trip" to come home for 4 hours. I built a ramp on our front porch on Sunday morning, and picked him up at noon. He came out for the afternoon, taking him back in time for his 4:00 pain meds. He didn't even make any wise cracks about my carpentry skills being "agricultural"!
He was really excited to see "his dawgs" - Jaz and Buster wouldn't leave his side! River was torn between having access to the basement where a cat we are fostering stays when I am not there to supervise, and visiting with Tom.
He was in great spirits! He found some goofy old time country station on the stereo and called me into the living room to "polka" with him in his wheelchair! If you know Tom, you know the man can't polka for $@&# on his feet - but he was having fun!
On Monday, he started re-learning to walk through the use of parallel bars. The PT gave him the order to move - light touch of the weak leg, move >hands forward, then move the strong leg - - before she finished talking, he was zooming off to the end of the parallel bars and she was calling him to slow down!
His muscles are really weak, and he says his ability to >balance is really off. I reminded him after looking back at our journal, that one month ago, his big accomplishment was sitting on the side of the bed for 20minutes! That is BIG progress!
He is very anxious to master this parallel bars stage and to move on to a walker, as that translates into his being able to come home. After 50 days, we are both ready for that!
Thanks for your continued prayers and thoughts. They mean so much!
We are looking forward to visits from his sons and their families in the next couple weeks - - coming back to check on the ol' guy! :)
Once again, Tom is making great strides! This past Sunday, we gave him a "field trip" to come home for 4 hours. I built a ramp on our front porch on Sunday morning, and picked him up at noon. He came out for the afternoon, taking him back in time for his 4:00 pain meds. He didn't even make any wise cracks about my carpentry skills being "agricultural"!
He was really excited to see "his dawgs" - Jaz and Buster wouldn't leave his side! River was torn between having access to the basement where a cat we are fostering stays when I am not there to supervise, and visiting with Tom.
He was in great spirits! He found some goofy old time country station on the stereo and called me into the living room to "polka" with him in his wheelchair! If you know Tom, you know the man can't polka for $@&# on his feet - but he was having fun!
On Monday, he started re-learning to walk through the use of parallel bars. The PT gave him the order to move - light touch of the weak leg, move >hands forward, then move the strong leg - - before she finished talking, he was zooming off to the end of the parallel bars and she was calling him to slow down!
His muscles are really weak, and he says his ability to >balance is really off. I reminded him after looking back at our journal, that one month ago, his big accomplishment was sitting on the side of the bed for 20minutes! That is BIG progress!
He is very anxious to master this parallel bars stage and to move on to a walker, as that translates into his being able to come home. After 50 days, we are both ready for that!
Thanks for your continued prayers and thoughts. They mean so much!
We are looking forward to visits from his sons and their families in the next couple weeks - - coming back to check on the ol' guy! :)
Wednesday, 25 November 2009
Rick & Kate are here!
Sunday, 8 November 2009
Update on Brian's Dad
Overall, things are progressing as well as they can be in Tom's current state. The best news is that he's been transferred now from St Mary's Trauma hospital in Duluth, down to a regional hospital in River Falls, WI. So closer to home for him, which is really great for both him and Karen. Probably best if I just pass along the words from Karen for the update:
Hello all! It has been a while since I updated everyone on Tom's progress - - they really keep us hopping with all the physical therapy, respiratory therapy, tests, x-rays, etc.
Tom is doing well. He had a bit of a scare with pneumonia, but the doctors at St. Mary's were watching for it and jumped on it right away. His breathing is doing much better these days.
On Monday, he was stabilized enough to be moved from Duluth to River Falls - a bit closer to home! Yeah! He is excited at the prospect of being able to go outside to the patio area and have me bring the dogs to visit him!
St. Mary's is a leading trauma hospital in the midwest and they provided excellent care and got him through some very touch-and-go moments. We are excited at the prospect of a smaller, home-town hospital, with less staff turnover, and a less hectic pace, however. We have learned the importance of continuity of care - - it will be nice to have the same nurses each day, and the same physical therapists, who already know his case, and what he is capable of doing.
In the River Falls hospital, he is in what they call a swing bed. Basically, they take care of him and teach him how to function independently in spite of his vast injuries. Once he can transfer himself from bed to wheelchair, dress himself and get himself into/out of his TSLO (a hard plastic brace that he has to wear whenever he is not in bed) by himself, he will be sent home to finish his recovery. And here I thought the days of a having a hospital bed in my living room ended when he quit racing! WRONG!
We are seeing daily improvements in his condition and his ability to move around. He has his cell phone with him, but honestly, they don't give him much time to hang out and chat.
Thanks for all the prayers, cards, texts, voice mails, etc. It is comforting to hear how many people are worried about him!
Hello all! It has been a while since I updated everyone on Tom's progress - - they really keep us hopping with all the physical therapy, respiratory therapy, tests, x-rays, etc.
Tom is doing well. He had a bit of a scare with pneumonia, but the doctors at St. Mary's were watching for it and jumped on it right away. His breathing is doing much better these days.
On Monday, he was stabilized enough to be moved from Duluth to River Falls - a bit closer to home! Yeah! He is excited at the prospect of being able to go outside to the patio area and have me bring the dogs to visit him!
St. Mary's is a leading trauma hospital in the midwest and they provided excellent care and got him through some very touch-and-go moments. We are excited at the prospect of a smaller, home-town hospital, with less staff turnover, and a less hectic pace, however. We have learned the importance of continuity of care - - it will be nice to have the same nurses each day, and the same physical therapists, who already know his case, and what he is capable of doing.
In the River Falls hospital, he is in what they call a swing bed. Basically, they take care of him and teach him how to function independently in spite of his vast injuries. Once he can transfer himself from bed to wheelchair, dress himself and get himself into/out of his TSLO (a hard plastic brace that he has to wear whenever he is not in bed) by himself, he will be sent home to finish his recovery. And here I thought the days of a having a hospital bed in my living room ended when he quit racing! WRONG!
We are seeing daily improvements in his condition and his ability to move around. He has his cell phone with him, but honestly, they don't give him much time to hang out and chat.
Thanks for all the prayers, cards, texts, voice mails, etc. It is comforting to hear how many people are worried about him!
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