Thursday 28 June 2012

Different: Home Tour

I have a few posts to wrap up London. Here is the first:

A friend visited from the US and asked for a house tour to show him all the different things. Here are a few differences:

Electrical outlets have on/off switches:  (and a different plug)


There are very few bugs so the windows do not have screens:


Front doors do not have door knobs:  (very easy to be locked out)


There are no power outlets or light switches in the bathrooms:


Most refrigerators are dorm size.  We had two of these and a freezer mounted under the counters: 


These charming old-fashion skeleton keys are commonly used: 


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Wednesday 27 June 2012

Yeah Celia

Babies and their (hopefully) natural progression amaze me...


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Friday 22 June 2012

Snapshots

After a long hotel night, Celia catches up on her beauty sleep at her baptism brunch with Aunt Katie...

George too...


La Hacienda Ranch horse love continues...


Melting at the zoo...


Toes or apples...so hard to choose...


Melting at the zoo but looking good...


7 months old and sitting up like a champ...

Friday 15 June 2012

Repat Report

Thoughts on repatriation and other happenings:

George is potty trained!  He is nearly three so not remarkable but easy. 

As a reward for #2 potty training we went to the zoo yesterday.  Although it was HOT it was a nice outing.

Celia was so happy to be in Texas she moves from laying down to sitting up.  She is very close to crawling.  Well done Celia!  But on corporate housing carpet...ick.

Celia does not like bananas.

We missed our flight out of London and was delayed a day.  All our fault.  We thought we were on the 2:30 but was actually on the 10:30. 

The flight over was long but not too bad.

I am still a bit nervous driving.  The sense of space throws me and the cars coming from the right.  The roads are wide and the cars are large and drive too fast. 

I am also anxious about driving because technically I was not legal to drive in the UK.  I tense up when I see a police officer.  But have to remind myself I am perfectly legal to drive in the US! 

Mary Kate is shopping in both the girl's and junior department.

Caroline does interpretive dance all day.  :)

Packing the house was busy but not stressful. 

The UK landlord is being very picky and stressful.

She asked me to look in our things for the meat probe and some other piece to the oven.  First, who uses those things?!?  Next if we do have them, they are in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean on a boat.  Standby while I hunt for them... 

The washing machine and dishwasher are amazingly fast and efficient here!

The grocery store is very stimulating and overwhelming.  They are huge and offer too many choices yet not exactly what I am accustomed to buying. 

Strangers smiling and saying hi are unnerving.  Makes me suspicious of them. 

I am loving the can-do American attitude. 

We are still undetermined about school and a permanent residence. 

Being back is better than I expected.  It is mostly very familiar and easy - like a well worn sweater.  It is great when others understand me when I speak.  I've read the books and articles.  We are in the honeymoon phase so reverse culture shock is still looming. 

Houston - I think we are going to like it here!

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