A few cultural observations...

• If you have ever played SIMS, it is amazing how similiar life here is to that. The bane of my life is the toilets that keep getting blocked
• Icy poles are called popsicles
• Nappies are called 'diapers', or "poopie diaper" as one mum said today
• They don't use the word "fortnight", or say "double" anything eg. in Harrower you can't say "double r", same with numbers.
• Play dates (when you have a friend over to play), lunch dates, any dates are short. If you are invited for dinner it is all over after two hours
• They do live life on the outside. They are generally friendly, confident, cheerful and articulate. They play out the front of the house, rather than in the backyard.
• When they eat out they generally expect to have enough left over to take home in a doggy bag. They are totally shocked when I say we don't have doggy bags anymore in Australia.
• They don't use curtains very much in their houses, and don't have many fences around their yards.
• They use coupons cut out of the paper to gets discounts all the time.

That's all I can think of for now. It is interesting noting the differences, and thinking about how culture comes about and is perpetuated. Why is Australia so different to America when we both originated from England? How do people bring up their children here differently to how Aussie's do? Very interesting (for me anyway).

Summer is here!

And with summer, comes ice-creams! Last Tuesday our street had its first ice-cream night. One family supplied ice-creams for all the kids (and some adults) on the street. We all trooped down to Jody's house at 7pm, the kids on their scooters and bicycles (Scott stayed at home to study his German - yes, I did eat one for him). The neighbours are going to take it in turns to host. The little kids all ended up in a circle playing "Duck Duck Goose". They were so cute. I dragged my kids home at about 8:30. We were the first to leave (meanest mother!). I found out the next day that other families stayed till about 10pm (cranky kids!). It was a great chance to get to know some more people on the street. Now I just have to improve my conversation skills, and remember that my dry Aussie humour doesn't really work in America.

Our Neighbourhood

This week I ran into two people I knew while out and about in the neighbourhood. It was really nice. I have decided to introduce you to some of the people in our neighbourhood, especially in our street, and tell you a bit about what it is like to live in an American suburb. So now I have to surrepticiously (is that how you spell it?) take photos of our friends.

The first one is of Scott and Reid. Reid, his wife Dee, and their four daughters live just down the street. We have been hanging out with them quite a bit lately. Abby is 9, Maddy is in Dante's calss and sits next to him, Ali is 5 and calls Grace and Angela her cousins, and Jessie is 2. Reid is really into ice-hockey, which Scott aspires to. They have started practising in their roller-blades on the street.... while supervising the girls of course! Reid and Dee organise the Newcomers to Deerfield group, which meets for dinner every month. We went out with them last month, and hope to continue. I have also had the immense honour of playing "hacky-sack" with Scott and Reid. They are a pretty laid back and fun couple.

New me

This blog is dedicated to my friend Anna. Now I have joined the brunette club! Not sure if I've gained any extra brain cells though. But I do still aim to have lots of fun!