back to the settling process

i started collecting papers for doctors residence card application. we will use some of the ones we got for the Family Permit, but obviously need new material to prove Her Majesty that we are still, really, genuinely, together, in the same address and all. i will also probably apply for a "registration certificate" alongside his application, i need to provide all the same documents anyway...to try convince the Home Office that i do indeed have the right to be here. they say it supports the residence card application if the EEA national applies for the certificate at the same time..      but this does make me a bit bitter, anyone who reads the news these days knows HO is rejecting applications left and right, with any possible reason they can come up with. i know the law is on my side, but thats not a consolation when the process takes 6 months and you know they can reject based on any concievable little thing. like, the fact that my employment letter does not have a stamp so they cannot verify it to be genuine (my employer does not have a stamp, it's 2017 in finland...). of course i am doing everything in my power to send over all the right docs, but even my best may not be enough as UK marches towards a hard Brexit. they say "nothing will change until the 2 year period is over..." but if you read about the treatment at the border (also ours last september) and the HO decisions...u know the attitude has changed.

we enjoyed New Years with Avner, Elmor & friends. over a backyard fire and drinks...  lovely. but we had to leave soon after midnight to be able to sleep a couple hours before heading to Gatwick aiport. not a nice wake up...  the tube was still full of drunk people when we were trying to make our way with luggage at 5:30am...
but, our first NY's eve in London!

we watched London's fireworks on tv. if u wanted to go out there to see them for real, i hear it means several hours of standing in the cold...

i came home to a full tv episode calendar, a lot of  new seasons started...  Man Seeking Woman, Bachelor, Celeb Apprentice (with Terminator!), Undateables, Seven Year Switch, The Voice UK...

on the movies/docs watch list:
Officer Downe
Arrival
The Brand New Testament
Evolution
Why Him?
20th Century Women
Nocturnal Animals
Off the Rails
They Call Us Monsters
Between Us
Lost in London

UFC is coming to London March 18th. i am determined to get tickets - but i know they sell out very fast so... lets see. never been to see UFC so i would really like to.

doctor started an observership yesterday at the hospital where he is due to start work next month. observership is neat in itself, but especially now as he gets to see his future workplace and sort of familiarize himself with the environment and customs. nervewrecking, but in a very positive way :) also our finnish flatmate started orientation at her new workplace. so everyone in the house is getting up early now...  thank god there are 2 bathrooms.

i cannot unpack all the suitcases we dragged from helsinki because in our already packed room there is simply no space. also, a lot of stuff is something definitely not needed in everyday life, books and photo albums and other old items. but where to even stock them until the move? we are living in a very crammed space until the move...  which is only about a month away!!!