The Hodnett Family Converting Scotland

[Peas n carrots]

I literally just landed returning from Glasgow. Did not get over to Dundee, and no Hodnett sightings. I was disappointed.

I did however attend my first UK funeral, in a Catholic suburb of Glasgow.

I can confirm as an American I find Scottish winters especially rough, and I live in Chicago. I find staying warm in the wet cold much more difficult and the lack of daylight throws off my body clock. They are from Georgia which is a sunnier and milder climate. Plus, their religious beliefs likely prohibit them from commiserating with others at a pub.

Just as an example, dawn would start to break 7:30-ish and start setting 3:30-ish. It was mostly sunny most of my visit but when I left today it was a cold, gray blanket of clouds. I'm sure the adjustment is going to be one of their biggest challenges.

That drive from Dundee to Carlisle every weekend must be fun with kids in the car. There's some beautiful scenery, but it'll be about 3 hours each way.
@sea_gale I'd be interested in a meetup, but I'm only going to be here another month; I'm moving back to Canada just before Christmas [emoji3]

That is ridiculously far to drive. Again, why Dundee? Glasgow would have been an hour or so or at least an easy train ride.

[Lurky]

He's been preaching in Carlisle, and he's discovered snow!  Bless him, he thinks that's heavy snow?  Wait until January, Hods!

And having my usual Hodnett disconnect, in that he seems really likeable, and but then adds the "Scotland needs your prayers" nonsense.  I'm a bit confused that he says the election didn't go the way he wanted, but he's glad Trump is president?  (He's stopped in the middle of the road to do a FB live video????  He couldn't even pull over to let other cars pass???)

And dear Fundy-understanders, how do I parse this?  Does it sound like there are problems, or home-sickness, or is it a subtle "send us your cash"?

Quote

Would appreciate anyone that would take a moment and pray for my family. All is well...just in need of prayer. Thank you!

 

[Teaistheway]

Whoaa - preaching in Carlisle - that's getting dangerously close to my neck of the woods.  I've never followed this family but may be about to fall down a rabbit hole!

[FrumperedCat]

55 minutes ago, Lurky said:

He's been preaching in Carlisle, and he's discovered snow!  Bless him, he thinks that's heavy snow?  Wait until January, Hods!

It seems he's down in Carlisle every Sunday or so. It's a little ridiculous to be going there and back every weekend for church. I guess the one in Carlisle sponsors the Hodnett "mission".

[Dugg@rTime]

Well I was all jel at the US/ Central America hogging all the useless fundy hate preachers until I found this thread! Looks like I now have a hapless fundy family in my local city!

i was in Dundee yesterday but didn't see anything that might have been them but I'll keep a look out in future. I work in Perth so I'll be watching there too, although I think the Mormons might have the monopoly on evangelical harassment on the street there at the moment.

[Gobsmacked]

Wonder why he didn't just live in Carlisle? Seems daft to drive miles every Sunday if that is what he is doing. If he is dragging his wife and kids with him that's not very fair. The baby may sleep in the car but the two girls must be fed up by now. Once the winter weather really kicks in he won't be able to make the journey easily.

Folk at home would have had a better look at the snow if he hadn't filled the screen!

I do wish he would shave off the bum fluff from around his chin. He looks scruffy and unkempt.

I feel a real urge to stamp on his toes hard when he tells his leghumpers that Scotland really needs their prayers. NO just NO. We have problems just like any other underfunded country in the present political climate. But we do have our own churches and prayers Thankyou very much. 

Do not talk down to the folk of Scotland Jody. 

Do not insult us either.

 

21 minutes ago, Dugg@rTime said:

Well I was all jel at the US/ Central America hogging all the useless fundy hate preachers until I found this thread! Looks like I now have a hapless fundy family in my local city!

i was in Dundee yesterday but didn't see anything that might have been them but I'll keep a look out in future. I work in Perth so I'll be watching there too, although I think the Mormons might have the monopoly on evangelical harassment on the street there at the moment.

Please let us know if you do see him/them! pics also if possible!

Im I Edinburgh, the Christmas markets have just opened so I will keep an eye out. If they are at all interested in what we terrible folk in Scotland get up to pre-Christmas hols they may make a visit. Here's hoping!!

 

[samurai_sarah]

48 minutes ago, Gobsmacked said:

Wonder why he didn't just live in Carlisle? Seems daft to drive miles every Sunday if that is what he is doing. If he is dragging his wife and kids with him that's not very fair. The baby may sleep in the car but the two girls must be fed up by now. Once the winter weather really kicks in he won't be able to make the journey easily.

(snip)

Because then they'd have had to be missionaries to England! Seriously though, my best guess is that they didn't think this through properly, before settling on Scotland and creating their grifting-site and video. Considering that they didn't even know about driving on the left side of the road, it seems like they just expected a romantic adventure, after seeing pictures of Scotland. They'll really be in for a surprise once it starts snowing seriously!

And I agree with you, Scotland has plenty of its own problems, and doesn't need missionaries who just preach. How about doing something useful like collecting money for the frail elderly, who may not be able to pay their heating-bills in winter? And checking up on them regularly to ensure that they have all they need/are still alive when snow turns them house-bound? (In case anyone wonders why *I* haven't started a scheme like that myself: I came up with the idea while typing.)

While I'm quite in love with my idea right now, I doubt that folk like the Hodnetts would find a scheme like that appealing. Not enough preaching and proselytising -although it would make good use of their grifting skills- too much hard work, and listening instead of talking at others. Then, it would also lack the "prestige" of "soul-winning", because no matter what they claim, the Hodnetts aren't in Scotland to serve the people, they're here in a vanity project!

Anyway, I'll also keep my eyes peeled.

@sea_gale: If you want to start an FJ Scotland meet-up, the easiest way to go about it would be to start a topic in AYTFJ. Or open a PM -group. You can copy multiple recipients into the address bar of a single PM, and add more as needed. Hope this helps!

[Gobsmacked]

I bet Jody doesn't realise that Carlisle isn't in Scotland!!!!!!

Ha Ha how daft that would be!

The church he visits can't be a Hodnett grifter church surely? His missioncation is to heathen, witch worshiping Scotland not England. 

Now im curious.

[samurai_sarah]

20 minutes ago, Gobsmacked said:

I bet Jody doesn't realise that Carlisle isn't in Scotland!!!!!!

Ha Ha how daft that would be!

The church he visits can't be a Hodnett grifter church surely? His missioncation is to heathen, witch worshiping Scotland not England. 

Now im curious.

That would explain a lot! Although surely the big "Welcome to Scotland" sign, just after you cross the river Esk on the M6/A74 north-bound, might be a bit of a give-away...

 

[Gobsmacked]

29 minutes ago, samurai_sarah said:

That would explain a lot! Although surely the big "Welcome to Scotland" sign, just after you cross the river Esk on the M6/A74 north-bound, might be a bit of a give-away...

 

He is probably to busy trying to drive on the correct side of the road to notice signs.

Sorry, he brings out the worst in me!

[Gobsmacked]

Jody is boasting about getting 85% in his theory test without studying. 

Dear Jody

 I would prefer you to study and gain 100% before sitting the real theory test.   Just a thought. 

Worried user of Scottish roads.

[FrumperedCat]

1 hour ago, Gobsmacked said:

Jody is boasting about getting 85% in his theory test without studying. 

Dear Jody

 I would prefer you to study and gain 100% before sitting the real theory test.   Just a thought. 

Worried user of Scottish roads.

Don't worry too much- it seems it was just a practice one. Plus he's still got to pass the road test too and we all know how well his driving is like!

He's aiming to have it all done and passed in February. Should be interesting to see how that goes given the fact that he might very well find himself driving the test in difficult conditions.

 

[Gobsmacked]

His driving lessons will be costing his leghumpers a good few £££s. Unless he is allowed to sit the practical without lessons which would seem odd as he has already admitted to struggling with driving over here. He won't want to have to sit the test a second time. The costs soon add up.

 

[FrumperedCat]

He mentioned about wanting to be a "good steward"  with god's money and try to pass first time. That was in response to someone suggesting he take a few lessons because of how strict they are. I feel he therefore has fairly limited money available and that's his subtle way of conveying this.

I think given how he's already got an American licence and experience driving they wouldn't make him have lessons, so long as he has a suitable vehicle for the practical test. I agree about the costs- and there's often a long wait for a suitable slot to take the test too.

The fact though that he's taking this test surely means he's planning on a long term stay, longer than one year I believe. Poor people of Dundee.

[Gobsmacked]

An American friend took who took her British test around 10 years ago did take lessons first as roundabouts, traffic lights and some  junctions in Britain are different from those in America.

Denver scared my hubby who has been driving for 30 odd years over here!

 

[alba]

I didn't have to take lessons as a legal requirement before I sat my UK test, but although I already had a Canadian licence I chose to take lessons. I still failed first time round.

May God help Jody.

[Lurky]

Hang on, if he's not got a license, how is he doing all the terrible driving he's telling us about???  They have 3 kids, 2 who i think should be in child seats, so they couldn't fit a licensed driver into the passenger seat for all those trips, and have L plates on...

Driving in the UK is very different to driving in most of the USA, not just because of the different sides of the road, but because of the way the streets are more narrow, because of the historical times our towns were built, with things like roundabouts, different junction rules, different ways speed limits change, more things like parallel parking being necessary outside of big cities etc.  (But then, every country has their driving idiosyncrasies, and yeah, driving lessons cost, but I'd recommend anyone moving to pretty much any country distant from them (eg uk to Spain, France to USA, Germany to Canada etc) to get at least 1 lesson, just to be safe.)

 

[alba]

Hang on, if he's not got a license, how is he doing all the terrible driving he's telling us about???  They have 3 kids, 2 who i think should be in child seats, so they couldn't fit a licensed driver into the passenger seat for all those trips, and have L plates on...
Driving in the UK is very different to driving in most of the USA, not just because of the different sides of the road, but because of the way the streets are more narrow, because of the historical times our towns were built, with things like roundabouts, different junction rules, different ways speed limits change, more things like parallel parking being necessary outside of big cities etc.  (But then, every country has their driving idiosyncrasies, and yeah, driving lessons cost, but I'd recommend anyone moving to pretty much any country distant from them (eg uk to Spain, France to USA, Germany to Canada etc) to get at least 1 lesson, just to be safe.)
 

If you're here temporarily (eg tourists), you can drive on your licence from your home country. I think it might be three months after arriving?

[Palimpsest]

So he's proud of getting 85% on the theory part of the test?

I'm worried about pedestrians.  He got the question wrong about what to do if you are approaching a Puffin crossing, the light is red, and there are still pedestrians crossing.  What did he think, that you can just drive on through the red light because they are only birds? 

59 minutes ago, alba said:

If you're here temporarily (eg tourists), you can drive on your licence from your home country. I think it might be three months after arriving?

 

You can drive legally on your foreign license for up to 12 months but your insurance is sky high.  You can apply for a UK licence and take the test after 6 months residence.  I don't think you have to take another test if you have a valid International (as opposed to national) licence but it's all quite complicated.

[seraaa]

On 11/29/2016 at 1:46 AM, FrumperedCat said:

He mentioned about wanting to be a "good steward"  with god's money and try to pass first time. That was in response to someone suggesting he take a few lessons because of how strict they are. I feel he therefore has fairly limited money available and that's his subtle way of conveying this.

I think given how he's already got an American licence and experience driving they wouldn't make him have lessons, so long as he has a suitable vehicle for the practical test. I agree about the costs- and there's often a long wait for a suitable slot to take the test too.

The fact though that he's taking this test surely means he's planning on a long term stay, longer than one year I believe. Poor people of Dundee.

You don't need to take any formal lessons at all, technically - although I can't imagine how people pass without them! I am not the most intuitive driver, though.

On 11/29/2016 at 1:35 PM, alba said:

 

If you're here temporarily (eg tourists), you can drive on your licence from your home country. I think it might be three months after arriving?

 

As @FrumperedCat said, you need to get a UK licence before twelve months have elapsed, if you intend to stay longer than that.

I sat my theory test last week, so it's all fresh in my mind

 

ETA: Everyone has already answered! But yes. 12 months

[Palimpsest]

1 hour ago, seraaa said:

I sat my theory test last week, so it's all fresh in my mind

So did you get the question about the Puffin Crossing right? 

And good luck with the practical test.

 

[seraaa]

1 hour ago, Palimpsest said:

So did you get the question about the Puffin Crossing right? 

And good luck with the practical test.

 

I don't think that one came up, you know. And thank you! 

[Seahorse Wrangler]

On 11/29/2016 at 9:38 AM, Palimpsest said:

 

You can drive legally on your foreign license for up to 12 months but your insurance is sky high.  You can apply for a UK licence and take the test after 6 months residence.  I don't think you have to take another test if you have a valid International (as opposed to national) licence but it's all quite complicated.

Does any-one know if ex-pats need to re-new their license or re-take the test when/if they return to live in the UK?

[FrumperedCat]

Oooh and won't Jody also have to take a hazard perception test! That's probably something he didn't have to do in the USA. Wonder if he's realised that yet. It's quite a tricksy one too and requires you to be fairly alert and aware. I presume that wasn't included in his theory test that he practiced.

[Peas n carrots]

This all explains why Mr. PNC has put off getting his US driver's license. I'm like "I'll give you a couple lessons and the IL drivers manual, take the test and you should be good." That is basically all it took for me to get mine when I was 16. I think he has it in his mind it's as intensive as the UK test.