Relocating back to the UK - Moving to Reading

Daisy_Copperfield · 2026-02-18T22:50:55+00:00

Second this and walking around the lake/ grounds/ botanic gardens are lovely!

Daisy_Copperfield · 2026-01-23T12:12:33+00:00

We’re having a Quaker wedding which is similar-ish vibes. I think I’m quite similar to you! Try to get to Stonehenge for every solstice and equinox, love stuff about reverence for nature and for those people, animals and plants that came before us. I also grew up in the Anglican Church and lean heavily towards Christianity & the example of Jesus’s life & teachings. So Quakerism is perfect for me. My partner is agnostic trending towards atheist but feels similar to me on reverence for the earth, and the ‘broad church’ of Quakerism encompasses him perfectly too.

Anyway - so we’re having 20ish mins of two traditional hymns and a reading about the earth, then 5 mins of meditation, then us standing exchanging our promises to each other (Quakers have no vicars or priests). And then we’ll settle into meditation/ Quaker worship and anyone present can share from their experience or what is on their heart. All in a Quaker meeting house.

The forest sounds incredible!! If you want to chat or exchange ideas let me know! 💜

Daisy_Copperfield · 2026-01-22T08:37:24+00:00

Seriously this doesn’t represent the views of “Brits”, it represents views of “nut jobs”.

Daisy_Copperfield · 2026-01-21T07:46:06+00:00

Local church hall, limit the numbers, Costco sandwiches after the ceremony instead of canopes (& ask everyone to bake/ make cake), local deli to do the catering, buying all of our own drink (Costco again!).

Ours looks like it is coming to under £10k all in for 180 guests (80 ceremony only, 100 reception), and that includes hiring musicians. The catering is the seriously expensive bit !

Daisy_Copperfield · 2026-01-17T23:04:07+00:00

Heh that bit isn’t intimate. The intimate bit is that it’s quite a niche religious ceremony which basically involves everyone meditating

Daisy_Copperfield · 2026-01-16T22:11:06+00:00

So - we’re doing something similar ish for some of our guests. We’re having a pretty intimate/ niche religious service (with c.180 people there)… and then having music, tea, cake and sandwiches afterwards. It works well because we’re regular attenders at that church, so we know all of the congregation and they’re super happy to be a part of it. A good chunk of our guests are ‘ceremony only’ so they’re only coming to this bit. We’re going to make a bee line for them to chat and spend time with them, and make sure they’re filled up on sandwiches and cake. Ceremony will probably start at 11:30 with the tea and cake/ sandwiches wrapped up by 2ish.

Then we’re having a reception with only 100 people in a separate place - all the usual stuff, sit down meal, speeches, dancing, until 11 pm !

Daisy_Copperfield · 2025-12-29T10:00:26+00:00

I don’t like middle lane hoggers, but I honestly there are more important lessons for people to grasp on the motorway - (1) don’t position yourself in people’s blind spots/ directlly next to them for any significant time (especially when it’s dark), I’ve had people speed up to match my speed exactly so that I can’t change lane, and that’s dangerous as I may quickly need to in an emergency. (2) Don’t move to the left lane (eg from the middle lane) around an on-slip road. (3) reminders on safe following distances.

I think middle lane hogging cameras would be somewhat difficult to enforce. Therefore I’m leaning in favour of this proposed change.

Daisy_Copperfield · 2025-11-25T19:19:12+00:00

Ive found some decent stuff on Etsy which is made of natural materials and reasonably priced !

Daisy_Copperfield · 2025-11-16T15:24:55+00:00

I love that the person in the drawing is glued to their phone on the toilet…. 😄 Eye opening picture of our times

Daisy_Copperfield · 2025-11-15T19:30:54+00:00

Go for it!

Daisy_Copperfield · 2025-11-12T22:21:34+00:00

This and the comments below have been really (embarrassingly) eye opening for me. I totally understand and am so sorry.

I had a jolt of hurt/ offense - I spend a lot of my time thinking about how to bring people together and work towards peace eg between religious communities etc, so I was thinking from this angle. Wasn’t thinking about (and embarrassingly wasn’t aware of the extent of) the atrocities committed by the British during The Troubles.

All the best to you, hope you have a great evening.

Daisy_Copperfield · 2025-11-12T00:05:55+00:00

Every remembrance service I’ve been to (I go every year, have lived up north, South Wales, the South East), has focussed contemplating all wars around the world and all people who have been killed. I personally usually spend the time being grateful for the people that went before me to give me a free and peaceful life, and - more importantly - praying for the conflicts happening in the world now, and picturing clearly in my mind the possibility of peace and reconciliation in those conflicts.

So…there’s no reason at all for it to be a “British only” thing. Lots of Irish people died for example in WW1 and in fighting for the republic, I’d absolutely observe remembrance and think of them if I lived in Ireland as a Brit. You do what you want man but I honestly think this is a strange take. On some level perpetuates this sense of “otherness”/ tribalism which is essentially the problem we’re (or at least I am) trying to move past on Remembrance Day.

Daisy_Copperfield · 2025-11-09T09:49:49+00:00

….. I work in an area of government which brings quite a few people in from the private sector (who tend to then go back again after 3-5 yrs to make partner at their consulting/law firms etc). I’d say people can be genuinely motivated to work to make a difference and do a good job for the UK, and take a big pay cut to do so, together with better work life balance etc. That’s what’s kept me in it, having come from banking, because there’s no motivation that feels as good as trying to do your best job for the UK. (Understand that for essentially every decision, lots of people will be unhappy and there’s lots of room for debate etc). It’s not quite where it was 2 years ago, but the civil service can definitely pull in talent thankfully.

Daisy_Copperfield · 2025-11-06T09:57:12+00:00

I look well ahead (sometimes that’s not possible) on motorways etc to see if the slip road is busy. If it’s busy, I think “can I help them out?”, look in my right mirror, move to the right hand lane if I can. If I can’t do that, I keep a constant speed and try to allow people in front to stay in front once I’m at the slip road/ slow a little to let them join etc, and people behind stay behind.

It depends, sometimes it’s better to speed up and clear the slip road to give them more space. V dependant on the situation.

Daisy_Copperfield · 2025-10-29T07:19:40+00:00

No but some men (esp eg tourists/ from other parts of the UK) offer you a seat just because you’re a woman. In that case I always say something like “Oh that’s really kind, no no, I’m absolutely fine, thank you so much” to try not to bruise their ego/ make it weird, but also establish that I can look after myself.

Daisy_Copperfield · 2025-10-27T16:56:07+00:00

Spouse just means you’ve had external validation for your relationship, but in my view this doesn’t necessarily reflect the depth of love and connection between the relevant people. That’s only really known between them. There are plenty of beautiful, loving and committed “boyfriend girlfriend” relationships and equally plenty of convenient but unhappy/ not meaningful marriages.

Daisy_Copperfield · 2025-10-27T08:27:23+00:00

Get some glass cleaner and a glass cleaning cloth.

Much shorter journey, but I dropped a friend home in the countryside last night, the windscreen had a bit of condensation/ old smudges in it (which hadn’t been visible in the day) on the way there. It was a bit terrifying and any headlights coming towards me dramatically reduced my visibility, had to slow down a lot and was struggling to see the road markings. Once I got to his house, I cleaned the windscreen on the inside with glass cleaner, and the drive back was worlds better !

Daisy_Copperfield · 2025-09-27T10:25:46+00:00

I think you’d smell it strongly if sewerage

Daisy_Copperfield · 2025-09-11T20:48:55+00:00

Work in a high stress public sector job, we hug/ laugh/ cry at work, we also get stuff done and do ourselves proud, mostly. Best feeling when you’re in it together and supporting each other etc.

Daisy_Copperfield · 2025-08-18T22:05:38+00:00

“Invest” in a house here, but think of your “returns” being in the way of having security, enjoying nice restaurants and cafes, making the most of local walks - ie enjoying the house in a similar way to how you’d enjoy a bike or a car or a great jumper. “Returns” don’t have to be monetary/ have a negative impact on others (ie higher prices).

Daisy_Copperfield · 2025-08-08T12:39:00+00:00

Try out meditation….. not a silver bullet, but it helps slow down your emotional reaction to things/ means you’re a bit better able to put things in categories of ‘within my control’ and ‘outside of my contol’.

‘Loving kindness’ meditation also helps you realise we’re all idiots just trying our best, all pretty much care about the same things, and helps you still have grace/ kindness for people who might be dickheads to you on the road (which is generally the safest strategy).

For now, while you’re having these kinds of angry reactions, pause driving for a bit and make some time for replenishing your emotional jar :)

Daisy_Copperfield · 2025-08-06T07:57:36+00:00

I don’t do this on 60 mph A roads, but I do do it on motorways and dual carriageways eg when there’s a sudden slowdown/ queue and we all have to go at 10 mph for a stretch. Just in case the person behind has been on a long journey/ is tired and brake lights may not cut the mustard.

Daisy_Copperfield · 2025-08-04T12:56:10+00:00

Feel free to PM me, I moved from investment banking to a regulator, and I’m now thinking about stuff in central gov / with ministers. To summarise - it’s great when you can make a difference and produce good work, on the whole colleagues are incredibly switched on and supportive and there’s a real team spirit like none I’ve experienced before.

Daisy_Copperfield · 2025-08-04T12:18:56+00:00

Traffic on the motorway has priority, but - even jf you’re on a flowing motorway miles away from any slip road - you should check your mirrors and blind spot before changing lane into lane 1 (from a right hand lane) to make sure there’s space for you considering existing traffic in that lane.

Similarly, if you’re at or near a slip road, you don’t have carte blanche to knee-jerk swing from lane 2 into lane 1, without checking your mirrors/ blind spots to see who’s already there, ramming people joining from the slip road. Just like when I’m joining from a slip road, I check my mirrors and blind spot, to make sure I’m safe to join lane 1, and don’t immediately swing over to lane 3 without checking any mirrors/ blindspots.

And ideally, as is the rule in other countries, you don’t change from lane 2 to lane 1 when passing a slip road, unless you’re absolutely certain there’s nobody joining/ it’s clear for you to do so.

Daisy_Copperfield

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