It's been a month already.

So time keeps rushing by. It has already been a month since we landed on these strange shores and started mingling with the locals. We still have a way to go before we really fit in. Our clothes still stick out a bit as not quite right, we are way to formal and reserved, and we need to re-learn how to pick up the phone and talk to people. E-mailing and texting is not the preferred forms of communication here for anything. Which Michael and I find very disconcerting considering e-mailing and texting is our primary source of communication for everything - especially between the two of us!

The first week of school has passed without incident. Morgan has two teachers who job share. When Will found this out there were howls of outrage as he only had one teacher and it wasn't fair. However, this has thankfully been forgotten and he is now putting his energies into playing soccer with anyone standing still long enough to ask. While we still don't know what our long term routine will be, Morgan and Will go to an after school program out near the university. The biggest excitement of which appears to be the bus ride out there. Morgan gets upset that we always pick her up to early and Will complains bitterly about going and then complains bitterly about having to come home. You just can't win.

Yesterday we went to our first block party in the neighborhood. Every year on Labor Day they do an inclusive party for all the houses on the block in the street (a less than formal street party for want of a better description). They had a huge inflatable slip and slide, big bbq and an endless number of kids. The children (and, to be honest, me) found it all a bit overwhelming to begin with. But towards the end we all kind of got into it a bit more. Morgan discovered some boys that were in her class, Will offered to coach the girls playing table tennis and I emptied the cooler. Good time was had by all.

Last week I did some temping in a local office. The experience was such that I am now trying to find a permanent job well away from temping! It has been a long time since I looked for a job and I had forgotten the joy of all the forms that need to be filled in and how long it takes for anyone to get back to you. It will be interesting to see if my desire to work will decrease the longer the school year goes on and if Michael starts travelling! I also think it is a way for me to ignore the moving boxes that are scattered around the house that haven't been touched in the last three weeks. We will see how long we live with the boxes decorating the house before we do something about it. And knowing Michael and me - probably quite a long time.