Movin' on Out!

Well, moving day is tomorrow. We've spent the day today packing up boxes and suitcases, and Ethan has made a couple of trips to the new house.

I have to admit, I'm not as excited about moving day as I thought I would be. I always thought I'd be glad to get out of this small, dishwasher-less apartment, and get settled into our nice, big house. Now, I'm not so sure. The main reason is that our stuff hasn't arrived yet. In fact, it's estimated day for arrival is March 10th!!! Apparently, this kind of thing happens all the time, so the base is prepared to loan us furniture, linens, etc. that they will deliver tomorrow.

Another reason why I'm not too thrilled to move in is because we won't have a phone line, or cable, or internet for who knows how long. We called about the phone.... oh yes.... we've called multiple times about the phone. At first, they said the phone would be set up last week, but when I called again, they said it won't start up until the 26th. That's not horrible, because we did get a cell phone (a "mobile," as it's called here). However, we can't set up cable or internet until the phone line is established. And we've heard it can take weeks to get those set up!!! WEEKS!! How will we live without the internet???? Fortunately, we can go to the library on base whenever we want to go on-line.

In other news, Timothy will be starting school tomorrow morning, which is great. I'm a little nervous for him, as everything will be so new and different, but I know he'll do fine. Maddie will hopefully start pre-school on Wednesday. There is a part-time pre-school on base that meets MWF mornings. I think that will be perfect for her (and it will be nice for me to have a little time to go to the gym, etc.).

Please be patient with us the next few weeks. The blogs and emails will most likely be sparse. Hopefully, we'll get everything set up soon.

A Change for the Weather

We've seen a real transformation in the weather since we first got here. The first week was dominated by WIND!! Cold, chilling, wind. Then, occasionally, there would be some rain added to the mix.... it wasn't a vary hard rain, just enough of a misting to make the wind feel that much colder.

The second week, it seemed like the wind was calmer, but it was certainly still cold. We even had a spot of snow! It wasn't much, and it didn't last long, but it sure was pretty.
















And now, this week, it seems as if spring is emerging! In the morning, we've been waking up to frost; but a few hours later, the sun will be out, and it will almost feel warm. In the garden out front of our apartment, the flowers are even starting to bloom.

Last night, we got a call from a new friend, Kelly (we met her at Megan's last Saturday). She offered to pick the kids and I up and take us anywhere we might need to go today. I asked her if she knew of any playgrounds in the area. I wanted to get these kids out of the apartment, and let them run around and play outside!!

Well, Kelly picked us up this morning, and took us to a small, and very charming village called Pateley Bridge. There was a park with a playground there right next to the River Nidd. We had a wonderful time playing at the playground. Maddie was delighted to see that there were swings and a tall slide, and Tim enjoyed climbing a very tall play structure. It took him a few times to get enough courage to reach the top. But after that, we couldn't get him down. (I have a feeling that this kind of playground equipment would never be allowed in the states anymore. There was also one of those "merry-go-rounds" that you spin around on and get dizzy... you never see those in the states anymore, either!)

Anyway, it was a great day to be outside, get some fresh air, and stretch our legs. Hopefully this lovely weather will continue.

It's not a Rolls, but it does

After a couple weeks of riding around in buses and other people's cars, I (Ethan) have hit the road. We found a used Honda Accord on an auto trader website, and the owner was kind enough to drive over to our place so that I could have a test drive. He was even nice enough to take me to a long, wide road to have a go at it. It was a little strange at first, but I really liked the car, so we agreed to a deal. It is a 2002 Accord hatchback, with a 1.8L Vtec engine.





I went to pick it up today, after going to the bank to get the money from the auto loan that I took out yesterday. The drive home was a little nerve-wracking. Not only do I have to learn how to drive on the left, I have to learn how to shift with my left hand. So it wasn't the smoothest trip, but I got it home safely. After trying to start it without pressing the clutch, I started it up, and pulled out into the road. My first instinct was to pull out and keep right, but I managed to veer left subtly to make it look like I meant to pull out that way. I found it difficult to judge where the left side of the car was, so I managed to rub the front tire on a curb at an intersection. No damage done. I have, however, damaged the knuckles on my right hand by reaching for the shifter over there, only to find the door handle. And of course, there are a million round-abouts out there. We were at the supermarket tonight, and they even had a mini round-about in the parking lot!

I think with a little more time and practice, driving on the other side will become more natural. Then I can keep up with all these crazy British drivers. And it's amazing how the country side doesn't look at all like southern California ...

Double-decker Bus!

We had an unexpectedly nice day on Saturday. A new friend from Ethan's work, Megan, invited us to dinner at her home in a village called Pateley Bridge. Being car-less still, we decided to take a bus, since Megan had a stop just around the corner from her house.

At first I was a little hesitant about going. It was going to take us about a half hour to walk to the bus station, and then then bus ride itself was a good 45 minute ride. If we had a car, this would all have been a 20 minute car-ride. (I'm such an American, aren't I???) But, seeing as we had nothing to do, and seeing how I was really desperate for some female companionship, I went along for the ride.

How delighted the kids were when they saw that the bus we were taking was a double-decker! They ran onto the bus, up the stairs, and positioned themselves right in front. They squealed with delight the entire time as if it was an amusement park ride. And while we weren't trying to keep the kids from being too loud, Ethan and I enjoyed a wonderful view of the countryside. It was everything you'd expect to see in an English countryside... vast green fields divided by century-old trees and stone fences... sheep everywhere! Along the way, we drove through small villages where every house, church, and pub was built of stone.... so charming! It really was a beautiful ride.

The bus dropped us off at our stop in Pateley Bridge. I was relieved that Megan's house was indeed only around the corner from the bus stop. We had a wonderful time getting to know her and three other Americans she had invited. I was also so excited to find out that she quilts! I almost kissed her when she said that! I've been looking for someone to teach me to quilt for a while. Yes, I've been trying to make baby quilts, but I am self-taught (if you don't count my book, "Quilting for Dummies!"). I think it's time I had a real teacher.

So anyway, it was a lovely day! We had a wonderful ride, and made some new friends... it was a good day indeed!

A Look at Schools

So sorry for the lack of blogs this week. Ethan has been off at work, and the kids and I have been in the apartment most days. We ventured out for some meals together to a Japanese restaurant (Hibachi style), and a French restaurant.... both interesting experiences.

But yesterday, we were able to schedule some appointments at the three primary schools closest to our house. Mary, our sponsor, was able to drive us around, which was a big help. All of the schools in the area are on "holiday" next week, so if we didn't see them this week, we'd have to wait another whole week. Anyway, school #1 is called Bishop Thornton, and it is closest to our house. It is also the smallest of all the schools we saw, with a total school population of 21! We were greeted very warmly by Fiona, the school secretary, and with a "Cheerio!" from a parent and member of the governing board. She was the one who gave us the tour around. We first saw the "quiet room" which is basically a multi-purpose room for library, music lessons, and project work. We then went into the Key Stage 1 classroom, which has children grades PreK-1 (aka. Reception, Year 1, and Year 2). I instantly fell in love with this class. It was pretty much everything I had learned in college and graduate school as to what to have and do in a classroom. (It was like our Reggio class, remember Vic?) The teacher told me they work in themes, which completely excites me. They do their "numeracy" and "literacy" in the morning time, and try to incorporate the other subjects in a broader theme during the afternoon.
The classroom was just inspiring: there was a construction center, a reading center, a pretend store, a small pool of water on the floor with rocks and toy dinosaurs, and a BIG tub of dirt. Some students were "drawing" in plates of sand, and another small group of students (the Year 2s) were working with the teacher aide on writing a letter. There was a stinkin' smart board hanging on the wall, yes, connected to the internet, along with a few other computers accessible to the children. We then went outside to their playground area. It wasn't a typical playground... it didn't have any equipment like swings, slides, etc. Instead, it seemed like it was an extension of the classroom. The teacher said that they changed what was out on that area based on the theme they were working on. We loved the teacher too... she seemed very knowledgeable and enthusiastic.

We next went upstairs to the Key Stage 2 room, grades 2-5 (aka. Years 3-6). There were about 14 students, and they were sitting in a circle, back-to-back, working on a lesson. (I loved that they were doing something unconventional, and yet there wasn't chaos!). The teacher was very welcoming and enthusiastic. Again, there was evidence of theme work, and use of a smart board. (It turns out that every class we saw that day had a smart board... I just couldn't get over how these small, rural schools, had this kind of technology... very impressive!)

Onto school #2, Burnt Yates. This school had more children than the first, about 40 kids total. It was again broken into two classrooms with the same grade breakdown as the first. This school had a lot more to offer in terms of space. There was a full library and a "hall," which is basically a large multi-purpose room where the students have assemblies, eat lunch, have gym, music, etc. The grounds outside were beautiful. There were 2 large paved areas, and large fields with some equipment. There was also a lovely garden area, where the teachers sometimes do lessons with the students. Overall, it seemed like this school had more to offer in terms of space, but they didn't seem as enthusiastic as the first school.

The third school we saw was Birstwith. This school has 70 students split into 3 classes (reception and Year 1, Years 2-4, Years 5-6). Birstwith had a good amount of space in the school, beautiful grounds outside, and high test scores to boast of. The headteacher was warm and enthusiastic, and overall, the school was just charming. The only issue we had is the number of students in each room. For example, the first classroom we saw (Reception and Year 1) had 21 students in the classroom. These numbers are typical for the US of course, but the students looked pretty packed into that room. There was a head teacher and two teacher assistants, which is great in terms of ratio. But I couldn't help but think that the headteacher would have to be pretty structured and "run a tight ship" to keep twenty-one 4 and 5 year olds in line. It's good of course, to have control of your class, but is that kind of structure best for my kids?

So, there you have it. From the way I wrote about it, you can tell I am a little partial to the first school. I can't believe that I'm most excited about the smallest school! At least we have some time to talk it over with schools being out next week. Leave us a comment and let us know what you think....

Feeling a Little Stuck

Well, we've been here for a week and a few days, and I'm starting to feel a little stuck in this apartment.

Last week, we started taking a shuttle bus to the base. Ethan used it everyday to go to work, and the kids and I went a few times to get my ID card (a process that took MUCH longer than it needed to) and to apply for our pound-sterling bank account. The base really has a lot to offer: there's a library, our post office, the commissary (which will be our supermarket), a work-out facility, and even a pre-school for Maddie. I hope to make it to the library and commissary at some point this week.

We've been exploring the town of Harrogate a little, as well. Our apartment is pretty close to the town center, so we've been doing a lot of walking.... in the wind and snow. The kids and I found the Harrogate Tourism Office and grabbed about every pamphlet that we could.

We also ventured out to Betty's Tea Room for lunch last Friday. It was beautiful. It felt very Eurpoean with the gorgeous display of breads in the window. The top floor has pastries, breads, chocolates, and tea that you can buy. Then, there are two levels of tea rooms. The food was delicious, and the tea was even better (and I'm not a big tea drinker).

Despite our adventures, I'm still starting to feel a little anxious to get a car. I'm anxious to get the kids into school, and to establish some sense of routine and purpose. Right now, I feel like my purpose is just to keep the kids busy, which isn't so easy to do in a small apartment.

Ethan has been looking into cars on-line. We're hoping to check out some used-car dealerships, but without a car to do that, we're dependent upon our sponsor and her schedule. Some people are selling cars through Ethan's work. We're interested in a Honda CR-V that someone is selling, but it won't be available until the 19th or so. It would be nice to have something before that.

Hopefully the weather will be nicer this week, so the kids and I can continue exploring. And hopefully, we'll find a car, pass our drivers tests, get insurance, etc. before too long.

Superbowl!

So here we are watching the Superbowl on BBC 2. It didn't start until 11:30 pm our time, so it looks like it will be a long night for Ethan (a big Giants' fan!).

My complaint is that there are no American commercials. (That's really the only reason I watch the Superbowl anymore!) Instead of commercials, there is commentary by a British guy. It just doesn't seem right. Oh well... at least it's on TV.

Go Giants!!!.... (I think I'm going to bed.)

Eating (and Drinking) Out ... without Children

Now that Rebecca has told you about some of the things we've been doing over here, I thought I'd put my two pence in. And what better way to start my posts on this blog than to talk about one of the reasons that we are all over here - beer! Okay, so we're here for my job and all, but gotta have a little fun while we're here, right?

My first beer over here was after those frozen dinners that we had last Saturday. I couldn't just sit around on a Saturday night, when there was a sports bar down the road. But since Rebecca had to stay with the kids, I went there alone. And I didn't know what to try. I walked in, looked at the taps, and picked the closest one to me - Tetley's. I found it funny that it was advertised as 'Extra Cold' after hearing about how English ales are served at cellar temperature. But it was really good. It was a bitter ale, and it hit the spot. But shortly after I got there, they rang the bell for the last call at 11 p.m., and shut down the bar. I only needed one anyway.

But today I finally got to experience a real pub. Some new friends from work invited me to go to The Stone House Inn.



I had sausage and mash for lunch (I was a little disappointed that the menu didn't advertise them as bangers and mash), with a Black Sheep Brewing company ale called Riggwelter. Very tasty. And strong, too. Just what one needs in a lunch beer. The sausage and mash was incredible. It is just three sausages on mashed potatoes, covered with an onion gravy. It kinda looked like this picture, but the sausages were skinnier.

Then I learned about this movement that has been going on over here since 1971 to advocate for the traditional way that English ale is made and served call CAMRA (CAMpaign for Real Ale). Awesome! Now that's what I'm talking about. Soon, I will be a card carrying member. No more 'Extra Cold' English ales for me. I hear they revoke your membership if they find you drinking such things. I'll of course always go for a cold Sam Adams, but I digress.

Eating Out.... with Children

Last Saturday night, Ethan thought it would be a great idea to go and look for a local pub for dinner. We had heard so much of how England has a pub on every corner, and how many of them were family friendly. So, we started walking....

• We found some pubs, but they looked a lot like bars, and there certainly weren't any other kids in there.
  
• We found restaurants for Italian, Japanese, Indian, Chinese, and American food. But, we were really looking to try English food.
• We saw a lot of restaurants that looked fancy. That wasn't going to happen.
  
• We found McDonalds and Pizza Hut. No way.
• We found a seafood restaurant, and went inside, but there was a wait.
• We finally found a pub that looked like it would work, but there was a sign outside that said, "Children Welcome until 6pm."
  
• We finally gave up, and went back to the apartment to heat up some frozen dinners.

We were a little frustrated, to say the least. We later found out that the British don't typically eat out with their children because it can be so expensive. Also, many families feed their children very early, and put them to bed early.

Well, we found out the other day that we get a certain amount of money to spend each day on food and lodging... but we only get it if we spend it! So, we went out with fresh determination the next night. We decided to order take-out (they call it "take-away") from a seafood place called Graveley's. We ordered a few things off the menu, including fish and chips, and a tuna meal. My order seemed to confuse the man on the line; they typically only do take-away for fish and chips. He seemed hesitant about putting the tuna order in a take-away box, and said he made no guarantees. I told him I would take my chances.

Well, the fish and chips were awesome. The "fish" is Haddock, and it wasn't too fishy, as I thought it might be. The tuna was good, but the fish and chips took the prize!

We've eaten out at two other places since then. Damn Yankees is a place for American food and very kid-friendly. We had burgers, steak, nachos, and milkshakes! We also ate at an Italian place called Est Est Est. It looked fancy from the outside, but they welcomed us and the kids, even giving Tim and Maddie their own chef hats. The kids got to make their own pizzas, I had a pasta with salmon and cream sauce, and Ethan had lamb.

I found a list that someone had given me with family-friendly restaurants in the area. So, we'll try to hit as many of them as we can while we are still on this per-diem pay. (That ends when we move in to our house, which won't be until Febrary 19th).

Look for Ethan's blog next about the beer he's tried in the pub.

And the winner is....

House #2! Yes, we chose the country house overlooking the sheep! Am I crazy???

We figured that in terms of community life, we would be relying a lot on meeting people at Ethan's base and through our church. They have a lot of programs at the base, including a women's Bible study, pre-school for Maddie, and sports teams for Tim. It's only a 13 minute drive into Harrogate, which really isn't that far. I hope to sign the kids up for swimming lessons in town, so we will have an excuse to go there regularly.

I'm still a little nervous about the kids' schooling. But actually, I went to the local tourism office the other day, and struck up a conversation with the woman there about schools in the area. She named a few schools that she had heard wonderful things about, and one of them just happens to the be the school closest to our house. I hope to go and look at a few of the schools next week. We'll see....