I'm still shaking....

The worst bit was the gap between the interview and the 'handing out of the visa'.

Anyway, after I mailed yer yesterday, I checked all yer stuff from the courier, and it seemed fine. Did some more photocopying, and then tried to settle down to some software writing.

Did a bit, but I just couldn't concentrate

Then the boxes arrived. They're flat packed, so atm, they're not taking up too much space. I didn't want to tempt fate by actually doing anything with them *g*, and I 'm too darn tired now, so that will be tomorrow's task. :-)

And fiddled a bit with other stuff, like preparing a meal :-)

Played a couple of CD's.

And then it was 9 pm, so I decided to go fer a pint.

And had a little chat.

And went to bed :-)

I awoke about a minnit before the alarm went off (funny how that happens?) at 5am. Checked fer mail but Demon wasn't playing , and got myself dressed (suit and tie, doncha know!) and hit the road at 5:25. Arrived at the train station ten minnits before the train was due, got a ticket and a bacon roll and coffee (pretty darn good :-)

Got on the train, and realised that I was apprehensive. Couldn't concentrate on the newspaper or the crossword, and the words in the book I'm reading kept flying around the page *g*

And realised I was 'focussing' on the darn events that lay before me, sorta visualising all the things that could go wrong :-(

That's when my 'stop thinking' thing of last year came in handy. And I felt better.

The thoughts intruded from time to time, but I just stopped following through with them.

After a pretty uneventful journey, except fer noting two places where I have lived and one place where I have worked along the way, I arrived at 7:30. Took a cab to the medical place, hung aroound outside fer a bit with a gaggle of other hopefuls, and they let us in about 7:45.

After presenting my appointment letter and medical checklist, and shortly after, handing over ukp 65 and my passport, we all sat down.

And waited.

After what seemed like eons, a couple of gals came in and sat nearby where I was. I needed diversion, so I started up a conversation. They, too were on a fiance visa, one of whom planned to fly to Boston that very night! And then the fella right behind me chipped in, and chatted fer a while, which was therapeutic :-)

Then I got called in fer the blood test, and I was a bit stressed so I refused to observe the process *g* And the nurse wos really pleasant, just chatted away :-)

And we waited.

After what seemed like further eons (in fact it was only 9:15, I got summoned for the X-ray. Strip to the waist, usual stuff :-)

And str8 after that for the medical, which was a simple question about my mental health (Am I still on medication?), followed by a BP check (noting that the Dr turned the sphygmo away from me so I couldn't see the reading), and listening to my chest, back and front with a stethoscope.

And that was it.

And we waited.

After what seemed like eons, a bunch of X-rays got brought out to the reception area. And the receptionist shuffled through them, ominously selecting a few and putting them on one side. And then she started calling out names fer the 'OK' ones.

And...

I was the first one in fer that bunch of x-rays, and my name didn't get called out.....

Until after about 5 folx had been called. I was the last of the 'OK' ones! :-/

So I now have an x-ray I need to carry in my hand baggage, in case they want to review it in SD.

Then we strolled bown to Oxford Street, across Marble Arch and down Hyde Park to Lower Grosvenor Street and the Embassy. I got chatting to a couple of brothers and a sister who were going out to be with their Mum and Dad:-)

And we hung around the entrance fer a while, 'cos there was a sign saying 'closed'. Until we noticed that some folx were going in.

So we did the same. Through security and up the stairs and to one of the counters. Where we went through all the paperwork. Actually, love, both you and I had been way over the top in providing info. The latest bank statement plus share and stocks, plus the Affidavit of support would've done. But one person was turned down on the basis that her htb didn't earn enuff to support her. Luckily, she had a job offer.

And we waited.

After wot seemed like eons, I was summoned to another counter where I was interviewed. Actually, not so much an interview as a rather ironically witted lady from Chicago teasing me about the number of times we'd been married before, saying she'd been with *her* partner fer 25 years and had never got around to it. And observed that I'd violated immigration rools by doing LTI courses in the USA! I didn't know that! I asked her if that was a terminal offence, and she replied that it depended on the rest of the interview, and winked. *g*

And that was about it. She asked how we met, and we *ggl*ed a bit about that. And then she said to come back in 3 years, as she was feeling cranky today!

I told her to stop causing my blood pressure to go haywire, and she said to come back about 1 pm when the medical stuff would be through, and there might be a bit of a wait, as the computer was down!

It was about 10:15

And I waited.

I wandered up to Oxford Street, having a coffee on the way (my *$$ flask now being empty) and bought a disposable camera from Boots. Then up to Tottenham Court Road on one side of the street and then back down the other. Wandered up to the medical place and took a few piccies. Then to MacD's (Yep, I was in *that* much of a state!) fer a cheeseburger and fries.

Heck it was _*awful*_ , (not the MacD's, erm well mebbe them too :-) just that feeling of being in suspense. I hardly noticed anything going on around me. I tried to divert by reading my book, which was partially successful.

About 12:00, I decided I'd had enuff and headed back to the Embassy. Took some piccies, and sat in the park fer a while. By 12:30, I couldn't take any more and went back in.

To find the three sibs and the 2 women I've mentioned before.

And we compared notes. They'd been feeling *exactly* the same stress. And we shared symptoms *g*

They had got through most of the other types of visas and they came to the K1's. Theresa (I think it was) got called first. And when she came bck with her visa I could see tears of joy in her eyes. So I took a foto :-)

Then Jo got called, and she came back crying. Another foto :-)

And then I got called. Yesssssssssssssssssssssssss!

VISA!

I felt like kissing the fella.

So I went back to the gals and offered to buy them a drink. Elation was in the air :-D

So we did, exchanged prospective e-mail addresses, and hugged each other as we parted.

I got a cab back to the station, confirmed the air tickets, phoned the bank, and had to stop myself foning you as it was only 1:30, and I didn't think you'd appreciate it :-/

Caught the train, tried yer phone at 3:20 from Bristol Parkway, but you'd left fer work, and then back here. Where I foned yer, and teased yer, for which I will no doubt pay dearly :-D

So, it's troo. I'll see yer Tuesday :-D :-D :-D

*HUG*
*KISS*

Simon