Me and a Random Cop in Washington DC 1983
Posted in East Coast London New York UK US

20 Years Challenge

Looking back on my 20th Year and the wild ride it was.

Wildcraft Brewery
Posted in Norfolk UK

Wild Craft Brewery

How Wild Craft Brewery is helping keep the local community together.

Heathrow Express Arrival Platform
Posted in Norfolk UK

Leaving U.K. during the Travel Ban

The biggest travel challenge is timing your travel plans with the validity of your Covid test. Enough to give you a headache.

Quarantine Covid-19
Posted in Norfolk UK

Quarantining in England

The British version of quarantining is pretty lax. Is there any wonder that the virus is so rampant?

Borough Market mural
Posted in Europe London UK

Eat your way around London’s Borough Market

Borough Market is a foodie heaven, and my favorite destination when I have a layover visit to London.

roving jay traveling light
Posted in Europe Norfolk UK

Lockdown with my Minimalist Wardrobe

Way back in September when I had to rush back to the UK to help with my Mum after her…

The sheep of Ireland
Posted in Europe Ireland UK

Inspiration and Ideas for your Ireland Road Trip

Are you looking for some ideas and inspiration about where to travel in Ireland? In honor of Saint Patrick’s day I’m sharing a roundup of travel articles from the Emerald Isle.

Quirky People at Spitalfields Market London
Posted in London UK

London on a Budget is still possible

London may be one of Europe’s most expensive cities, but there are still plenty of budget options available to make sure your stay doesn’t break the bank.

A Giggle Bunny from A Turbulent Mind
Posted in Norfolk Online UK

A Giggle Bunny from A Turbulent Mind

Listen to an audio recording of A Giggle Bunny from A Turbulent Mind. A Dementia and Alzheimer’s poem for people who don’t like poetry.

North Norfolk Railway 1940s Weekend
Posted in Norfolk UK

Steaming back to the 1940s

We visited Sheringham to explore the biggest live event in the North Norfolk Railway Calendar – their 1940s weekend where locals descend upon the railway station to take a ride on the steam train and smooze with other locals on the station platform who have joined them to step back in time to the days of the blitz, rationing, and utility clothing.

Victoria Train Station
Posted in London UK

Full Circle and New Beginnings

  Coming Home to London After the quiet and calm of our little hill in Gumusluk, it’s been quite a jolt…

Soho London flat One Fine Stay
Posted in London UK

One Fine Stay Review: At home in Soho

A review of my One Fine Stay in Soho London. It’s like an up-market airbnb service, and they’re only in a few select cities around the world.

Sandringham Estate Norfolk
Posted in Norfolk UK

Visiting the Queen’s Sandringham House, Gardens & Museum

A sunny spring day was the ideal time to visit the Queen’s Estate in Sandringham to tour the house, museum and gardens. It was a North Norfolk day out during my house sitting adventure in the county.

Yellow Poppy in Norfolk
Posted in Norfolk UK

The Yellow and Green Landscape of Norfolk

The Green Landscape of Norfolk sprouts blankets of yellows each spring with rapeseed flowers, and there are many other yellow flowers in the hedgerows and along the lanes during my dog sitting adventures.

Bure Valley Railway
Posted in Norfolk UK

Steaming Around the Bure Valley while Dog Walking

The Bure Valley Railway is Norfolk’s longest fifteen inch gauge line, which runs between the ancient market town of Aylsham and Wroxham. I became an avid train spotting during my daily walks with the dogs during my house sit in Norfolk.

Swan on River Bure Norfolk
Posted in Norfolk UK

Swanning Around during my Norfolk House Sit

This pair of swans live on the stretch of the Bure River near the Buxton Mill, and I saw them on a daily basis during my Norfolk House Sit.

The Old Mill over the River Bure
Posted in Norfolk UK

Changing Lanes for a Norfolk House Sitting Assignment

For two months I changed Lanes from California to British countryside for a Norfolk House Sitting Assignment. The local area is steeped in history, and the Old Mill is an iconic local landmark that is a constant reminder of this area’s past.

Mix and Match Fashion Designer
Posted in Europe Norfolk UK

Roving Jay Fashion Prodigy

I have no idea why I touted this childhood memory from pillar to post until my late 20’s, and then left it to fester in the attic for another 20 years, but I had a good old trip down memory lane as I relived my foray into fashion design.

Your House Sitter 101 Logo
Posted in UK US

House Sitting Home Page

I’ve put together a home page of all my House Sitting information. This is a good starting point if you want to see all of my House Sitting content in one place, and includes articles about our different house sitting assignments, as well as some House Sitting 101 information.

Small version of the Expat Blog Carnival Logo
Posted in Nomad UK

Expat Blog Carnival #5: Royalty

This is the fifth edition of my Expat Blog Carnival. This is a collection of all the best Expat blog content on the web. This edition has a theme of “royalty”

Expat Author Interview at Blog Expat
Posted in Bodrum Peninsula Nomad Turkey UK US

My Expat Author Interview with Blog Expat

Excerpt from my Author Interview at Blog Expat: I survived the Moonies, and vowed to myself I’d return to the States one day. Back home, I met and fell in love with London, and enjoyed a long, fruitful and gloriously eventful relationship with that fabulous city.

Retirement Jar copyright media npr
Posted in UK

UK State Pensions for Expat’s Aboard

How much UK State Pension are you eligible for? Find out how to get your pension statement from the government to get an estimation of what your National Insurance Contributions will cover you for. Did you know you can contribute make-up contributions to cover missing years?

Slade image and poem of Noddy Holder
Posted in UK

Introducing the Members of Slade

Who were the members of Slade? My article about a trip down memory lane with Slade received lots of Twitter momentum…

Glam Rock Slade Photo
Posted in UK

Down Memory Lane with Glam Rockers Slade

Slade were a ’70s Glam Rock band which personified the era. If you’re a baby boomer you probably saw them for the first time on the UK’s Top of the Pops, and I just had a trip down memory lane whilst watching Slade’s 1999 documentary.