And we're just talking about housing!
Quick summary: We got married, I moved to Britain and we got a house in the "patch" (in Britain, the bases do not contain housing for families, just for single soldiers - unlike the U.S.) Royal deployed, I got really really sick (twice), Royal came back, we started the U.S. immigration process - found out it might be faster & easier if we filed from the U.S. Which means I have to be living in the U.S. Royal was about to deploy again, I was trying desperately to regain any semblance of strength, and he thought we could save more money for later if we lived apart for a bit. I moved back, Royal deployed, Royal got back!
Yeah, that pretty much brings us to present day.
We have to get rid of our house.
Once we do that we can get rid of our gas/electric, home phone, internet, tv license (yes they license that) and Sky tv bills. We called the housing office before Royal deployed to set up a time for them to come view the house (they view, tell you what's wrong that you need to fix and then come back a week later to check and collect the keys). They wouldn't set up a time because before he left was too soon and after was "too far ahead to schedule". We could call in October thank you very much. Royal was going to be gone in October, of course. I could call, but it would be long distance and with our luck, they wouldn't talk to me. They never talk to me. Grrrr.
Royal called the day after he got back - earlier than expected, beginning ish of November. The housing lot's first date to view was early December, but Royal was going to be gone for training so that wouldn't work. They finally set us up for a viewing early/mid December and a give-the-keys-back date after Royal was due to leave for Texas for Christmas. Thankfully, I made some absolutely precious friends at my work while living there and they agreed to turn the keys in for us, we just need to fill out some forms. So that was sorted.
Next step, go to the base and request a single accommodation. A horrible thing about the British military is that so many of their departments are run by civilians. They like to mess you about and I swear that they absolutely enjoy every bit of it. This happens a lot.
Royal went 2 1/2 months ago to request a room and was informed by the dragon lady that there were none available. He hadn't heard anything since. He went again two weeks ago and was told the same thing. He could move into "transit" though. Transit is a small little room (it deserves two words meaning the same thing. It's tiny.) where they stuff four guys at once and all their gear. Not nice. And to be honest, you can't move our house into a room with four guys. A normal room, just barely. We can't afford storage and have no family nearby so... yeah. Especially can't afford storage since he's already had to ship some boxes to me. Man is that expensive.
Then we had a breakthrough! Royal found out that a Marine he knows was giving up his room. Ran down to the office and told the lady that he wanted that exact room. She said,
"I have several guys that have been waiting for a few weeks so..."
Royal said I came two months ago!! I want that room. She sighed, then disappeared to get the key. When she came back she had four keys with her and Royal told me that he seriously had to control himself not to sarcastically comment on the fact that four rooms were obviously available and she'd given him such a hard time.
But that means that we are finally, after three and a half months, giving up our house! And Royal has already started shifting everything over to his new room on camp.
Now if we could just sort out his pay... ah, that's for another post.
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