*School Buses are not the same, they are not big yellow buses like we have here in the U.S., but big vans or charter buses.

*Most schools, including public, all wear uniforms. However, a parent can be fined if their kids miss school, except for sickness.

*They don’t go by grades, but by years…for example my daughter is in 3rd grade, but here, she is in year 4. So, it can be a bit confusing!

*Tea is LIFE and electric tea kettles are a MUST-HAVE!!!

*Each village, especially living out near the Cotswolds, is so quaint and adorable. They always have a beautiful church, a pub, a small market, and a Post Office.  Something that is so special is that everyone takes pride of their village and its upkeep.

*The Post Office is more like an adorable gift shop. They have a little bit of everything, and everyone is always so friendly and welcoming.

*There’s nothing quite like spring in England- Every new month brings upon different blooms from cherry blossoms, daffodils, tulips, snow drops, bluebells, rapeseed, poppies and so many more! I have never seen a place so beautiful!

*Driving- Despite the obvious issue with driving on the other side, there are many other differences! The biggest adjustment for me…ROUNDABOUTS, they are EVERYWHERE!!! Thankfully, the drivers here are very polite and patient… in fact, it is considered rude to honk your horn.

*If living in England, becoming  members of National Trust and English Heritage ARE A MUST!!!-  Stonehenge is included within these and the price of tickets alone basically cover the membership, not to mention and there are so many amazing places to see that are FREE if you become a member.

*It is a very dog-friendly country! Dogs are welcomed just about anywhere, I have seen them inside pubs, stores, schools.

*Yes, it rained quite a bit BUT never all day, the sun usually made an appearance at some point or another

*It is a slower pace of life there, and I miss it terribly, it will always have a piece of my heart. 

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May is such an important month as its Military Appreciation Month along with Mother’s Day and Military Spouse Appreciation Day!!!!

This episode we are focusing on military spouses! In, fact, I have a fellow military spouse and friend, Charlotte, whose husband is in the Army for The United Kingdom! We talk about all things military life and what it’s like to be a British military spouse!

You won’t want to miss this episode! I learned so much and I’m sure you will too.

So, grab some wine sit down, relax and enjoy 🙂

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O say can you see by the dawn’s early light

What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming

Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight

O’er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?

And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air

Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there

O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave

O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave

Before the song became the National Anthem, it had been one of the most popular songs in America. The music that the poem was set to, ironically, is from an English drinking song called “To Anacreon in Heaven.”  The tune was written around 1775 by John Stafford Smith and was an ode to the ancient Greek poet, Anacreon, who really loved wine. 

If you ever have a chance to visit Fort McHenry, I highly recommend it. There is so much history there, and you can walk through the fort, gaining a sense of what the soldiers there lived with on a daily basis. You can see the living quarters, the jail, some of the stores that were located within, and then look at the view across the Chesapeake Bay. 

The soldiers inside the fort managed to withstand around 25 hours of a constant barrage by the British ships in the Bay. When they hoisted the flag the next morning, the soldiers signaled their victory through the flag. The War of 1812 has been considered the second war of Independence in the United States. Before the cannonade, Washington D.C. had been invaded, and the White House burned to the ground, and other buildings in the area were set on fire as well.

Francis Scott Key was an American lawyer who had been working on securing the release of Dr. William Beanes, a civilian doctor who had been captured, for the week before the shelling began. Because they knew the British plans, and as part of the release terms, neither could return to land prior to the firing on Fort McHenry. 

There are four verses to the Star-Spangled Banner poem, but only one is truly known to this day, and that is the one that composes our national anthem today. You can learn more about the history of the Star-Spangled Banner here: http://bit.ly/3ppaBF3.