Spent a very pleasant day yesterday at the Robin Hood Country Show.The weather held out and even though it was quite cool we enjoyed being out in it.

I spent an amazing three and a half days training last week in the company of Richard Palmer in Danbury, Essex.

I was privvy to more information about weddings whilst in his company than I could have ever have gained from reading books on the subject. I am primed and ready to perform my duties as an English Toastmaster and so much looking forward to moving to the States.

After a very informative lunch yesterday with Richard Palmer and Andrew Morgan, I am looking forward to the Wedding seminar this morning at the headquarters of the English Toastmasters Association in Danbury. A chance to meet other Toastmasters to exchange ideas and views.

The up and coming wedding fayre at Owston Hall Hotel Doncaster ( Sunday October 11th ), is set to be the finest exhibition of its kind that has ever been shown by the team at Owston.

There will be a supplier for just about everything you could wish for to make your wedding day complete. Especially for you, the fayre will be host to a cast of suppliers who will be on hand throughout the day to answer all of your questions relating to your wedding day. Just about everything you could think of from flowers to bridal wear, make-up artists to cake makers, transport to jewellery will be there and of course myself providing all of your photographic needs.

My bro ( www.iangreenfield.com ) says that as the sole recommended photographer at Owston Hall, this is the finest venue in the Doncaster area when considering your wedding day plans.

To view this fabulous setting for yourself see, http://www.owstonhall.com/

We have just had a very traumatic few days with the loss our old dog Ben. With failing eyesight and hearing, his back end gave out last week and he couldn’t get upstairs. He stopped eating at the beginning of the week and was getting worse and we had to make the decision to put him to sleep.
It was probably one of the hardest decisions that I have had to make if my life, even though I knew he was in pain.
He is in a better place now and not in pain but after 17 years together we shed a few tears at his passing.

R.I.P. Ben ( 1992-2009)

After wading through the numerous quotes from international removers we have finally chosen AllPac Exports from Barnsley. Their quote was the best as some of the others were talking telephone numbers for the same services offered. Got to get in touch with a few questions but at least that part of the move is settled.
Got word back from US Immigration about my visa and they want more paperwork. We’re having to pay £55.00 for a piece of paper to be flown here from the states, but without I don’t get to move.

All I want to do is get my belongings from Doncaster to Baton Rouge with the least amount of disruption and above all cost, but I am getting quotes from international removers that vary by thousands of pounds for the same amount of work. I am thinking of boxing everything up and sending in by DHL, UPS, Royal Mail… or any other mailing company.

There has got to be a way that I can just pack up my stuff, label it ( wife’s department ) and have it sent over the pond that is cost effective… but at the moment I am doubting it.

I’m also working on gathering notes to publish an article on the etiquette and protocol for Toastmasters on running a successful Burns Night in 2010 or in fact any year after that.

It’s been a while since my last post, but I have just been so busy. As part of my business strategy, I am building my own database of Wedding and Event Planners for the U.S.A. It is going to be immensely useful to me for networking with other professional businesses and also for other projects planned for the future.
The amount of paperwork that has to be filed to enable me to obtain a visa to be able to live and work in the States, even though my wife is an American citizen is enormous. But in these troubled days I am sure there is a very good reason to sift through every application to keep out undesirables.
Well it’s back to the data gathering… will write more soon.

Well last friday ( 17th JUly 2009 ) was my last day as an ICT Teacher… I am now officially a full-time Toastmaster. I have been busy building and preparing a database of Wedding and Event Planners for the USA in order to be able to add them to my mailing list to send them my monthly English Toastmaster Newsletters, keeping them informed of the lastest developments regarding my profession as a Toastmaster.

So far this week I’ve had some new photographs done, had a great night at the Sands Club, Gainsborough at the TVA ( South ) Prom Night and been on an investment seminar to the Petwood Hotel in Woodhall Spa, Lincs. Busy week, now looking forward to a game of golf tomorrow evening.