ONE YEAR LATER

As Ray has taken the opportunity to show you what he's been working on for the past 12 months, I thought I'd jump in with a few reflections on our first year in Cambridge.

That's right - one year down, two-ish more to go. We left Gibsons/Vancouver behind on September 23, arrived in England on September 24 and crashed into Cambridge on September 27, 2004. What a year it's been.

I remember how I cried, 365 days ago, when we first walked into our student flat and saw how old, how dirty, and how without a shower it was. The memory of our wonderful Vancouver apartment and all of our great "stuff" was too fresh. Now I've nearly forgotten that we ever had a soup tureen, a pizza stone, a springform pan and Wedgewood...and have re-learned that between a tablespoon, fork and spatula one can accomplish just about any kitchen task. I'm sure it doesn't hurt that we got the heck out of that flat as soon as we could (took six months) and now live in a lovely, shower-equipped house...

I remember how, when Ray's Uncle Clive came to visit us in mid-October, I wanted to be on that plane back to Vancouver instead of him, wanted it so strongly that I can't remember ever wanting something more. And I remember how Ray gave me a hug, and I told myself to suck it up, and we just carried on in Cambridge.

Those first months were the most difficult of my life - beyond Ray, I didn't know anyone in Cambridge (let alone someone who shared my interests in critters and other areas), I was living in a house I hated, working in a job I hated. We were hemorrhaging money on junk we didn't want, but had to buy - pots and pans, a washing machine, a broom. I didn't know where to buy food, how to keep the electricity on in our flat, or how to find my way around the city.

Twelve months later we are doing fine - in fact, better then fine. I still miss my family and friends like crazy, and pine for the Pacific Ocean, mountains and open space of Canada, but I'm getting used to this wee cramped island. I have learned to take my weight off the seat of my saddle when cycling across cobblestones, that "Y'right?" is a greeting, not a question, and that Tesco can deliver groceries straight to our front door. I have met dozens of amazing people that I can't imagine my life without, and find it hard to believe that I've only known them for months. I have a job that I look forward to going to every day, and through it all, a husband that has been my rock, my optimist, my partner.

I have travelled to more countries in the past 12 months than in the previous 25 years, tried new foods (but still have yet to work up to black pudding) and learned a few words of a couple languages. I have discovered that extra gears really do make cycling easier, that I just can't seem to develop a taste for beer no matter how hard I try, and that the key to surviving winter in England is long underwear.

Bring on Year Two!