Ok, we recently ordered an EXPENSIVE item from a British retailer. They ship via courier. On their website they had a spot where you could leave "special instructions" for the delivery driver. So, I told my wife that we HAVE to specify that we live on an RAF installation and that the driver WILL have to call US to complete delivery. We left our cell phone number, name and specified to call us once he got to the gate.

My wife had her phone on her all day waiting for this guys call. Nothing, no call....nada. We knew something was up because it was guaranteed next day delivery from a reputable company. We researched this thoroughly prior to committing half our savings.

So, we called them up and asked about the shipment. The guy on the other end said "It says it's been delivered, and signed for".....huh? Excuse me? Delivered? Signed for? By WHO? Not us, we don't have the item we PAID for, we didn't sign anything for any delivery driver, we didn't get a phone call like we REQUESTED. So, it would appear that someone here on RAFL...at the visitor center encountered an impatient courier and signed for OUR item and then never brought it to our home here on base.

One time prior to all of this we ordered new tires for our car and one of the British guys that works on base signed for them and was cool enough to bring them right to our door! This time however it's been 3 days and nothing, not even so much as a note (if they tried to deliver the item and we weren't home). So, this would lead us to come to the conclusion that someone just stole from us...very easily I'd like to add.

So, why is shipping so lax here in the UK? I've signed for items our old neighbors (off base) ordered. I, of course, was cool enough to make sure they got what they bought (hey, that rhymed!).

It seems ANYONE can sign for anything in this country. I mean seriously, the courier didn't even check to see if the guy that signed "D.E.F" even had a receipt for the order...obviously didn't check ID either. My initials are JMH. Before anyone suggests it, DEF doesn't stand for "Defense". The USAF at the Visitor Center/Gate cannot sign for items. No, this was someone not affiliated with the USAF, we know that much.

This sucks. Chalk it up to another reason I am so happy to be leaving. Yay. 

Ok, so now I have an update:

The place we ordered the item from called. They said that the courier managed to get our order back from the person that signed to it? How? Does that seem weird to anyone? I know it strikes me as odd. They said the driver is going to try to deliver it to us again. Hopefully all goes as planned. I'm just still perplexed by the ordeal. TGIF.... 

We have had trouble with the curriers not contacting us when they are at the gate. We have had an item sent back because of failure to deliver. I told the company I ordered from to mail it next time. I get sick of small items having to be sent by currier. I miss US mail FEDEX, and UPS in the states. We lived on base in Texas and never had to worry about stuff not getting
delivered.
That is odd about your item being signed for. I think something shady was going on. 

The delivery companies should have a person with RAF access that can make the rounds a couple days a week. 

We would have liked to have these items mailed....but they were/are mattresses. "Super King" sized to be precise. They finally arrived just now, I'm still not sure why someone else was able to sign for them.....they didn't pay for 'em! LOL!

Right now we've got the mattress airing out on the floor (It's a Memory foam mattress) and giving it time to expand. We've wanted one for awhile and thought we'd do it now just before we PCS. Our old pillow top (it's 5 years old now) is starting to "valley" and it's killing my back.

This deal was two of these "Super Kings" for 350 quid. We thought it was a pretty dang good deal so we scooped them up. Basically buy one get one free. When it starts to breakdown and get old.....we've got a spare! For the trouble the company tossed in four pillows too (Silentnight brand).

I know people have mixed feelings about Memory foam....we got the kind that has the cover that keeps cool. We heard these mattresses like to get VERY warm so hopefully this will help alleviate that issue.

I agree, delivery companies should have drivers with RAF access....it only makes sense! I'm familiar with delivery drivers asking random people to sign for other peoples items. I was home once and a delivery driver knocked on my door...he said "I'm delivering this package for your neighbor, they aren't home....will you sign for it?".

I reluctantly did, but my neighbors were cool so I signed. Once I was done he asked "Are you American?". I was like "Uh....? YYeah....?" Then he gave me a weird look, like I just all of a sudden had cooties and he shook his head and left. Not an embellished story at all. I was left quite stumped by that reaction of his.....afterwards I thought "Maybe I should have asked him if he wanted an autograph?!" :) HAHAHAHA! 

someone wake me up.

yawn... 

Sheeple? 

In the States UPS tried to tell me our package (containing expensive camera equipment) had been taken by 'a child' at my address...unless my 10month suddenly became able to unlock the door and accept packages then I think they might have been telling fibs!

On a side note, do you actually like ANYTHING about England? all your posts seem extremely whiny and negative. I understand what it's like not to really like a place - wasnt that much of a fan of Tucson Az but I think it would be in incredibly bad taste for me to get on a message board and reel off lists of things I hated about the area. Especially a board where new people came to find out information. You paint a very poor picture of the UK. I could go through your posts in recent weeks since Ive been a member here and list all the things you think are bad here.I'll be glad when you leave too...so I dont have to read your whiny BS. 

.I'll be glad when you leave too...so I dont have to read your whiny BS. 

HAHAHA! "Whiny", I love it. Not quite the word I'd use for it...mine would begin with a "B" and end in "itchin'". I don't think I've "whined" about anything since I was but a young lad.

Stuff I like about the UK? Jaffa Cakes are good. Nandos is good....ummmmm, I like historic sites.....that is it, I can't think of anything else.

I have apologized many times over, I don't mean to come off as I "hate" England. There have been quite a few other members on this board say MUCH worse things about being here.

Look at it this way:

I was born and raised in NW PA....so I cannot stand the weather here. I left PA specifically to avoid this crappy weather. Georgia was AWESOME. Here? Not so much. For ME weather is pretty much the most important thing. Bad weather means I can't enjoy outside activities.

Tucson has AWESOME weather, so it had to be better (IMO) than here.

I know there are TONS of people that didn't grow up around snow...so to them this is great. To me it's old news. I hate snow. Snow is horrid. Snow ruins everything and is cold.

Aside from the weather? I can't understand why this country hasn't converted to 110 volt. I mean do you know how many light bulbs I've changed since arriving here in 2008? Probably more than I've changed in 20 years in the states.

If it seems like I paint a poor picture of the UK is because my head isn't in the clouds about being here. I don't have English pride, I'm American. I like MY country....it's where I am from. Not here, I....wait, let me be specific. My Wife & I tried like crazy to be positive about this assignment, I've said this time and time again...we FOUGHT her command for this tour. We were extremely optimistic about being here, VERY open minded. Once we got here there was a period of it all being new and exciting, but once that wore off all we were left with was the pig farms, the tractors hauling onions, pigeons, crows, bird poop all over the place....rural England. That is what we experienced here.

I'm unsure as to why people that love it so much can't at least see what I'm talking about. Sure, if we didn't have kids and had a bank account full of money (and my wife didn't work long hours and standby on many occasions) then we would have probably traveled AWAY from this place and actually experienced MORE of this country. I'm sure TONS of OTHER places in England ROCK! Honestly however, THIS place....THIS area leave ALOT to be desired.

If you have kids, get overwhelmed by raising them, only have ONE person bringing on money because daycare is so expensive then you can see how easy it is to become STUCK in this farmland nightmare.

If you have been here for the first time in your life....and in FOUR YEARS you were only able to travel to London twice, Cambridge a handful of times and then that is it....you'd have to come to the realization that this place (Mildenhall, Newmarket, Brandon, Lakenheath, Thetford, Feltwell etc...the surrounding area) isn't that great at all.

Now, regarding NEW people to this area. I think it is perfectly fair for them to hear about the bad things about being stationed here. This isn't the land of Milk and Honey. I once described being here like that scene on "The Quest for the Holy Grail" where King Arthur got in the political argument with the peasant in the field. In that argument the peasant was randomly scooping up crap/mud and shoving it into a sack...all the while telling King Arthur how the country should be ran. Take that scene and add some KC135s and a runway and you have RAF Mildenhall. That scene pretty much sums up the area.

There are tons of things I love about England. Most of them however are more appreciated from afar. Trust me, not even YOU will be more glad than ME once we are able to PCS from here. We've (not just my "negative" self) haven't been more excited about anything in our lives!

Being over here for 4 years while my Dad is on oxygen with Emphysema has been the most nerve wracking for me. It sucks not knowing if I'm going to get a "phone call" telling me he died in the night. My wife hasn't been home for the holidays since we got here, for her this is incredibly hard. Her family and her are very close, a tight knit bunch. So much has changed for us and them....we are all just ready to be reunited. Her Mom has been the only person to visit us from home. Nobody else can afford it!

So, for someone to point out the things that aren't so great about being stationed in this area is perfectly fair....considering there are quite a few people that rave on about how it is soooooooo wonderful that they are trying to stay here for as long as possible.

To those people I say "more power to ya"....but saying this place is so great is sending mixed signals to people that just got here. It isn't so great, it has times when it is nice....but I would NEVER purposefully stay any longer than I had to. We're done and ready to move on. We're going to NJ, and despite people telling us they didn't like it there we are happy and looking forward to being HOME again. It may snow there in the winter but at least we'll be 6 hours from home, surrounded by friends, can spend our US Dollars anywhere, and the weather is much better. Take that for what it's worth to ya. :/ 

Sigh... You DO certainly have a right to dislike it. You can spout all of the reasons why till you grow old for all anyone cares, but since you seem to be told A LOT that you're coming across like Debbie Downer, maybe you could resist the urge to jump onto every single message board started by someone who is excited to be coming here.
It IS hard to be away from family and it takes a lot of adjusting when you live in a new country, maybe you could just let them get here before you start loading their heads up with so many negatives.

A month before we got here, I was approached by someone I didn't know who went on and on about how expensive things were going to be and how we'd never see the things we wanted because of the costs. I then had friends who had been here making jokes about what my children would face in schools. My first time in a social setting here, we excitedly told someone about the house we found and she banged on for the next thirty minutes about how the utilities were going to eat us alive.
IT SUCKED.
It sucks to have people hitting you with negatives when you have enough (PCS stress) to deal with as it is.


You would be best served SSDD if you started a Gratitude Journal of sorts and write down FIVE positive things each day. I don't think you realize (by your obvious denial EVERY TIME someone calls you out) just how negative you come across on here.
Just my opinion of course. 

Hey, the site let me log in again finally!

SSDD, I for one feel you absolutely have the right to complain about this place as long as you don't get overly defensive when someone counters your opinion. God knows I HATED my last base and I wasn't quiet about it, especially once I had orders here.

As for anyone looking for a positive opinion, I'm happy to say my IPCOT was just approved and my wife and I (no kids, for what it's worth) aren't even halfway done with our seven-year tour here. And for that we couldn't be happier.

This place only leaves a lot to be desired for people who don't like living out in the country, and I wouldn't say my head is in the clouds about living here. My wife hasn't stepped foot on American soil in three years and it doesn't bother her one bit. When I got that middle-of-the-night call about my dad's heart attack, I was on a plane mere days later - and that was only because he was OK and I had a concert to go to, LOL. I could have been home the next day if need be. Where you only got to go to London twice, I've been that many times so far this month. (Ok, in the last four weeks, not since Feb. 1)

I'm not trying to say you're wrong on any of your points. It's just that they are specific to you and others definitely have different - and far more positive - experiences with this place.

I think mixed signals are a wonderful thing in a case like this. A one-sided approach would be worthless in every sense of the word. When I announced we had orders here I got the emails from one naysayer in particular telling me how the thrill would wear off and the quaintness of England would fade quickly, and he couldn't have been more wrong. But he successfully planted the seeds of doubt in our heads, and we were pleasantly surprised to discover he was full of crap. :-)

So go forth and spread your message of contempt! Those who don't want to hear it don't have to listen, and it's their own fault if they choose to and then let it bother them.

Congrats on your new assignment, too! 

My husband too works long hours, is E5 and we have two kids and one income. We have travelled all over. We've been to the Canary Islands, Spain etc Every weekend we try do something fun, or visit somewhere new.

I wasnt a fan of Tucson, as I said. But when people asked me how I liked the area I tried to pick out the positives. I didnt go ahead and say 'wow...it's too hot, looks run down as heck, has too much crime, politicians get shot in the head' no...I said how the spring time was lovely, how the food was great and it was well placed to take trips to CA etc. I guess maybe I tend to see the glass as 'half full' rather than 'half empty'

My husband loves America, part of the reason he joined the airforce yet he loves it here - he went to Korea to get back to Europe in fact! 

As a british lady may I thank all the lovely comments that have been put on here about my lovely country!And to the SSDD 'househusband' may i say that you give almost every other american posted over here a very bad name! You are definitely in a minority as we know loads of ex - USAF personnel who upon leaving the force have chosen to raise their family in this country! In fact my daughter married an airman from Mildenhall (yep knew that would happen, lol!) and had to move to Missouri with him, did she moan and complain no she embraced the new country got off her backside and got a job!!!They eventually couldn't resist the charm of GB and he left USAF and they returned to Mildenhall. it wasn't easy for them to start all over again with no jobs, no house etc, but they did it because they(more so my American son-in-law) didn't like living in usa. I guess what I'm trying to say is if you don't like leaving the USA then get your wife out of the airforce and then you won't have to. Just saying!! 

Lol!! Kept getting told to clean up my language buddy on trying to post my previous comment, guess 'b*tch' is much higher up the abuse chain in USA than it is here!! too too funny!! 

As a british lady may I thank all the lovely comments that have been put on here about my lovely country!

I'd say you're welcome, but it would feel funny taking credit for loving a place :-)

The biggest reason I so firmly stand up against negativity on this subject is that I see no reason "warning" people of all the "terrible things" they will face here. It's not like they can go in and say, "You know what? I've changed my mind, I don't want to go to England, just send me to Nevada please".
ANY base you go to will have adjustments and challenges, it's all how you choose to deal with them. 

Well, I gotta admit that the place is growing on me...albeit reluctantly...and sorta like the moss I see everywhere in this rainy country...

lol but, yup, I'm starting to see the sunshine through the thickly overcast sky. Maybe it just took the husband being deployed and forcing myself out more often but I'm kinda looking forward to showing him all the places I've discovered since he's been gone. :)

One thing I WILL say that drives me mad and would improve living out here a MILLION fold would be if they could get some better, wider roads and street lights!

The thought of venturing out to explore the countryside on these precariously narrow roads that wind frequently, add to that the numerous people who decide to park at the most hazardous parts of the road without thought that they're creating dangerous blind spots, well it's disheartening to say the LEAST.

But...once you get to the destination dare I say it's almost worth it? Now when I travel I mentally prepare myself for the upcoming stressful drive, focus on the destination and how fun it will be, and try like hell not to think about how tired and miserable the drive back will be.

I hope I'm not being a debbie downer too for saying that but I can't imagine I'm the only one who thinks improved road conditions would make the experience more easy and enjoyable? 

I for one LOVE it here! My husband and I just got our indefinite DEROS approved and could not be more happy about it! I honeslty believe that each base is what you make of it! My husband works long hours and deploys a lot, but we have still manage to get out as much as possible!

When we first got here I was in the BX looking for a new hair dryer when I heard a guy come up and tell his wife "Another thing to love about England, they have scissors, but they are $8 a pair". I laughed so hard about that! (still do) No matter where you go a good pair of scissors are going to be expensive! My husband and I now use that as a joke quite often! Whenever we have something petty irratate us we say "Another thing to love about England".

I know there are a ton of people that are not happy about being here, but telling all the newbies nothing but negative stuff about it is not going to help you feel any better so why not let them find out for themselves. To some of us the petty things people complain about are not a big enough deal to make us want to move! 

I understand I may come across as "negative" so let me ask...honest answers here.

Everyone that has posted in this thread will you please share where you were born and raised?

I'll start:
(Post a pic if you can)

Titusville PA

























These are various shots of areas in my hometown or around there. The one with the football player...that is John Heisman.....he went to my Highschool.

I understand people have different opinions but in my own opinion THIS area (as in Suffolk) of England can't hold a candle to the beauty of my hometown. That said the winters back home are horrible and that is part of the reason I hate it here so much, snow. Am I the only person that hates it when snow starts to melt and get everything soggy/muddy? Or, is that just the charm of England? From my perspective I'm 31 years old and I've had enough of the nasty weather. Likewise regarding England specifically I cannot stand the weirdness of the Sun here....in the Summer (which is short as heck! Barely warm too) the Sun stays up all day and nearly all night....then in the Winter it goes down in early....too early. How is someone supposed to get used to that? I know I can't. I fail to see how I am so negative that people get up in arms.

It's not like I'm saying the most inappropriate things about England or British people....I'm simply saying I can't stand this area.

For you adults that are reading this you'll understand my meaning.

For you that can't seem to understand me I'll say it as clear as possible.

I'm glad for you, that you love England. I'm am happy that you are are so happy here that you'd give up US citizenship and live here forever. Great. Good luck to you.

I'm just saying I'd bet that LOTS of people coming here that "love" it are from big/bigger cities in the US. My town IS rural, my town IS farmland.....NOBODY stationed is "more country" than me....and I'm a damn Yankee! A REAL Yankee! That speaks volumes. What it should say to the people that can't pick up what I'm puttin' down is this....I've already lived in a place similar (but cleaner, safer and nicer) than Mildenhall my ENTIRE life. So you're dang right I'm gonna complain about being here! Nobody told us this area was full of pig farms and cow patties.

We were quite shocked when we first saw it. We were both (my wife & I) like "Really? THIS is RAF Mildenhall?!". Wow.

It was pure excitement on the plane over here....seeing Ireland from the sky, landing in London! WOW! AWESOME! Then we get in the taxi and the driver takes us to the middle of BFE. Yippee....my childhood all over again, except I'm older now and am glad I'm away from home. Now I miss it so much I cannot wait to go back. I enjoy so much about home now it isn't even funny.

O.o knows me....she can vouch that I'm not being a whiny little brat about this. I'm a very genuine, friendly guy. I just so happen to dislike this area and HAVE to say something when people make it seem to great that they'd give up everything to live here longer. 

Johnny Cash! 

Drakes Well 

I just so happen to dislike this area and HAVE to say something when people make it seem to great that they'd give up everything to live here longer.

That's just the thing. You act like we're flat-out wrong when we say it's great, although no one is telling you you're wrong in saying you don't like it. Opinions are extremely personal, and no one can tell you your opinion is wrong. And dude, really? You don't understand how someone would consider "I'm simply saying I can't stand this area" a negative statement? Not saying negativity in general is a bad thing, but how can you not see that as a negative statement?

I can agree with you that the snow gets slushy, and that there are pig farms here, and that the sun does some things most people aren't used to. But that doesn't necessarily make this place the living hell you make it out to be. Some people like those things, and you have to accept that without getting all butt-hurt and feeling like it's your life's mission to spread the "truth" about the horror that is Mildenhall. 

My Bro-in-Law's band "Newmen"

Song is called "Perry St. Station"

Newmen 

But that doesn't necessarily make this place the living hell you make it out to be. Some people like those things, and you have to accept that without getting all butt-hurt and feeling like it's your life's mission to spread the "truth" about the horror that is Mildenhall. 

Dude, I'm not getting butt hurt. I am not saying this place sucks the dogs danglies. I'm saying my wife & I don't like it.

When we first got here people asked us "How long you guys going to be here for?" We'd answer "4 years" and the USUAL response was "Ughh! Good luck....." and that was always said with a scrunched up face.

Doesn't anyone get it? Did anyone miss the part where I said we were optimistic and FOUGHT to get this assignment? Why isn't anyone acknowledging that point?

I did NOT (I'm not yelling, simply stressing the word) come over here with a bad attitude. I came over here excited and happy that we were going to England. We were utterly disappointed upon arrival. That person that told you " how the thrill would wear off and the quaintness of England would fade quickly" was SPOT on man.

If you aren't from an area like this one I don't think you could understand my point. Alot of people here are from California, Chicago, Ft. Lauderdale, NYC, Cleveland etc...there aren't too many people from Greeleyville SC, Rouseville PA....SMALL towns that people try to escape from.

Coming here from an area that is far in appearance to this place might be a good change of pace for someone looking to avoid the hustle/bustle of bigger areas.

Do you get my point?

For those of us coming from "Podunk Kentucky" we actually WANT the convenience of a bigger city/base and the enjoyment of nicer weather. That is all I'm saying. I personally dislike the use of so called "gritting salt" over here....that stuff IS nothing more than dirt/rocks with a little bit of salt mixed in. In the winter cars turn black regardless of their original color. In the Summer if you blink then you missed it. These are all real points that newbies likely aren't aware of.

I'm not making rude jokes about the place or it's people....all dentistry jokes aside I'm making real observations without embellishment. I'm not complaining about eggs being stored on shelves in the grocery store, I'm saying this place is NOT comfortable and you have to have money and time to travel away from here to truly ENJOY England. This is fact. You or anyone else cannot dispute this fact. You MUST travel AWAY from HERE to enjoy England....truly. Otherwise you are me....no money, no time and stuck here.

And seriously people, being stuck here is the for the birds. Do you remember being young and saying "I hate this place...it's so boring!" Yeah, that's because you didn't have money to leave. For us (I guess my wife must be as negative as me) PCSing away is like Heaven. We are so excited to leave. This last 4 years seemed like ages.

Also, raising kids is no joke. That takes a toll on my sanity. For you that say "Hmph! My DH and I traveled all over the place with all out thirteen kids and it was EASY! You have no excuse and are the most vile and disgusting piece of slime in the area....you sir give good Americans a bad name" I say you must be snorting coke to have all that extra energy, and you don't know me so don't insult me by saying I give good Americans a bad name. I never insulted anyone here, there was only one Brit I flipped out on and trust me HE deserved it. Shady git!

Give Americans a bad name....ha! I'm probably one of the nicest Americans here, besides that who the eff gives a rats patootie WHERE someone is from....don't judge people based on where they are from. That is negative and wrong, drop the pride of country act and be a flippin' Human Being for a change.

Be a grown up and understand my point on this. Only then will people quit attacking me about my stance. 

That person that told you " how the thrill would wear off and the quaintness of England would fade quickly" was SPOT on man.

Funny - I think he was dead wrong, and I've been here three years.

I'm from Katy, Texas. It's been more or less swallowed by Houston now, but if you could have seen it in the '80s, you just might retract your statement about not being able to understand. I think it's because I grew up in the country that I'm so comfortable here.

As far as getting your point, I get that you and your wife hate it here. What I don't get is why you have to counter anyone's positive outlook on this place with your particular brand of cynicism. You seem to think that no matter how excited or optimistic a person is upon arrival here, they'll leave with a bitter resentment of the area.

My point is that some people will genuinely love it here. You should let them - perhaps without the sarcasm.

That's my point. We've heard your point. Now let's drop the o and have a pint. 

I'm saying this place is NOT comfortable and you have to have money and time to travel away from here to truly ENJOY England. This is fact. You or anyone else cannot dispute this fact. You MUST travel AWAY from HERE to enjoy England....truly.

That is not a fact - that is your opinion.

I'm saying it is comfortable and you can very much enjoy it no more than a few miles from the front gate of the base. I'd call that a dispute, and you're not me, so you can't tell me I'm wrong. 

I really hope you dont look back on your time here and regret how little you did. It seems like you've gone to a LOT of effort to prove how wonderful your home town is, im glad you're proud of it. Most people are proud of their hometowns, most miss them very much, it doesnt stop you from enjoying somewhere else for a tiny part of your life.

I know how it is with kids. As I stated before, we have two - under 4 and I can assure you I do not snort coke lol. We have one income and we still do stuff all the time. We did when we were stateside too - and on even less money.

oh...and my husband is from a tiny town in rural OH and he loves it here! 

Now let's drop the o and have a pint. 

I like that one. I'm don't counter everyone's positive outlook on being here. I just understand that a conversation is best when people discuss in turns...which is why I respond so often. All too often I meet people that say something then don't talk again. That is not productive to good discussion.

I'm not being sarcastic (not all the time)....and I have been told my brand of sarcasm is actually very funny. Someone once said I was like Lewis Black only better. I like that!

We've been here four years now. Our first years was so-so. Then things took a wrong turn and went south. It was a long string of BS non-stop. We got sold on a British car for far too much, our truck got vandalized in broad daylight, I had a rash of threats and insults based around a well known local car repair garage (named after a certain little British car), my wife had tons of problems with people in her shop....I mean she was coming home crying in my arms over the stuff. Very stressful for her. It just kept getting worse and worse and worse. To add to it the horrible weather and it all equaled "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy". Total cabin fever. It can happen here VERY easily.

We didn't have much money to do things....it isn't about mis-management of money either. We bought a new vehicle prior to coming over here, got screwed while taking a hop once (had to put British Airways tickets on a credit card to make it home....it maxed it out) etc...we had bills, more than most couples.

We know couples that have 5 digits in the banks.....that's not us. We can't just got to the Canary Islands as it would bankrupt us. We didn't plan for our first kid so that set us back some too. Everyone has their own way of life and our doesn't allow for expensive trips. We simply cannot afford to do it. It IS expensive here. We realize we lose the COLA upon gettin' back to the states but at least I'll be able to work! The kid is going into daycare so I'll have time for ME for a change.

I'm also in a unique situation as there aren't many USAF groups that cater to men. So suffice to say it was impossible to find guy friends here to talk about guy things with. If the tables were turned and I was in the USAF I suppose my wife would be very happy here and I'd be working so often that I wouldn't really take time to smell the flowers. When I did have the time to smell the roses I'm sure I'd be so proud of serving the USAF and proud that I was able to have this opportunity that I too would be telling the "Debbie Downers" stationed here to "pound salt". Sadly I'm not in the position to be happy about this place, neither is the wife.

I suppose later down the road we will look back and remember fond memories...but honestly for us this is a place that is better enjoyed as a tourist not a resident.

We DO plan on taking a hop here in the Summer at some point. I'm sure it will be better then because when it's done we will get to leave quickly! Cheers! 

Just to give you an idea of how easy it is to dispute your "fact," I live in Lakenheath Village. I enjoy walking down into the village, past the soccer and cricket pitches and centuries-old church, to the local pub to have a pint or seven with my British neighbors, and then maybe going for some fish and chips or kebabs. About half a mile behind my house is a fantastic nature area where I love to lets the dogs off their leashes to run, chase rabbits and just do what they do. When the winds are calm I fly my RC planes in the field I mentioned earlier, and just this Sunday two of my British friends were out there flying with me. My wife takes English horse riding lessons right across the street from that park, and volunteers to help the younger students and just work in the stables when she has time. All this, believe it or not, happens during the regular week after work as often as it does on the weekends, and year round. And all this is England - England I truly enjoy - and it's all within a mile of my home, which is a little more than a mile from the base perimeter. 

I can assure you I do not snort coke lol.

Sometimes I feel like I should! You ever seen "Horrible Bosses"? That part where they have all of this extra energy! I WISH I had that much energy again! I was sooooooooooooooooooooooooooo happy when I had energy! I feel super sluggish when I actually used to be quite athletic! 

I'll tell you, it really does suck to hear when people have such a bad time with what - for us - has been a great assignment. I'm also sorry to hear you've had bud luck with that garage, as I've had nothing but the best from them. It really is all relative.