Caught Between a Rock and the Middle of the Pond

Something not so strange is happening to us. And, I mean ALL of us. Inevitable really.

Now this is no big deal, just an observation and par for the course, but in varying degrees the four of us are all speaking more and more Americano.

Kids are kids and they talka the talk and walka the walk to fit in. I did exactly the same thing moving around the UK when I was a child; from Yorkshire to Durham to Scotland to Surrey to Warwickshire. A childhood journey that was probably only the map size of North Carolina but had more regional accents than the melting pot of NYC. In fact I set myself goals each time we moved. 'In two weeks I will fit in', and invariably I did. The only spanner's in the works were my parents who would invariably remind me in front of my peers to 'talk properly'. Grrrr. So I do get it!

So, here we are. For me it's not about fitting in anymore but more about being understood and...just making life a little easier and easing the frustration. For example when, in a restaurant, you are met with blank stares when you ask for a glass of water several times you give in and it becomes "a glaass of warrter", when you tell the landlord the garage, it becomes "the garragge". It's all in the vowels and rrr's you see. No wonder then that Luke needs some speech therapy. But then here lies another problem, names for things vary alot too...for example, the speech therapist showed him a picture of a hoover and expected the answer to be 'vacuum'.

Then there is the North side of the Pond, the North being "OMG I LOVE YOUR ACCENT, WHERE ARE YOU FROM?" Great for conversation starters...for a while...but now, after 15 months, 15 times a day...it's wearing a little thin. Honestly, I find myself just wanting to blend in or just shut the h* up - a difficult concept with two children with primed inter galactic selective hearing when out in public. Somedays I apparently sound English. Somedays I'm Australian and other days I'm between the devil and the Ukraine. Yep, if you're in the habit of saying you're from the UK just answer either England, Scotland, Ireland or Wales if you're asked where you're from because the UK, for some Americans is apparently the Ukraine.

Today:
I asked for tom'A'to in my sandwich, it was subconscious right up until the word spluttered out of my mouth but probably I'm now conditioning, because it was just easier, would attract less attention and there would be no doubt. Ellie announced that she needs to go back to England soon because she "can hear" she's getting an American accent and she's not 'surrre' she wants one! She's not wrong, she can roll those rrrrr's like a local and Pledge Allegiance like the best of them. I'm trying really really hard not to make an issue with pronunciation like my parents did....but it's not easy. And although Luke spends 95% of his time with us he can yell 'Momeeeee' and be heard a mile away and shout 'Awesome' whenever he achieves a result.

In the South of the pond, to the right of the rock is a little school of fish. At age 6 it's all about the 3 R's and spelling....Ahem 'color'? I think not!

Pumpkin Day, Fall Festival & Halloween

Like most of the Northern hemisphere we are in the midst of Autumn or Fall. This is my favourite season and it's so nice to see one again after India's distinct lack of seasons, hers being hot, wet and hot, hotter and stinking hot.

North Carolina's vast amount of trees have been treating us to spectactular shows of colour over the last couple of weeks and there are so many trees here, it gives a new perspective on the saying 'Can't see the wood for the trees' here you 'Can't see a view for the trees'. One thing I have noticed as the leaf fall progresses is that we do actually have a couple of neighbours in the distance through the woods. We can also more easily see the Deer that visit our garden, Luke calls then Beers! We had hoped to make it over to the mountains in the West to see the colours but that hasn't happened this year but we did make it out to the beach for a days play in the sand.


With the onset of the Fall there have been a few events at school firstly Johnny Appleseed Day , a Pumpkin Party, an evening Fall Festival and of course everything was rounded off nicely with Halloween last Saturday.

For Ellie and Luke's first time Trick or Treating you'd think they'd been doing it since the moment they were born and they didn't need telling twice, I think the motivation of sweets and chocolate helped a little bit perhaps? Ellie was going to dress as a Snow Princess but changed her mind at the last minute and if you asked Luke what he was dressed as his answer was 'Choo Choo'.

I was quietly surprised by just how many people get behind the Halloween event here and make a real effort for the children and create quite a social event in their neighbourhoods by decorating their houses and dressing up. Of course the real winners at the end of the day with alot of $$$'s being spent are the costume shops, sweet companies and eventually the dentists!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Drive Thru Your Life

We are definately definately in the Land of the Car.

Nobody walks anywhere unless it is from and to their car, and everything is geared up for 'doing things from your car'.

Need some cash? You can drive to, up to and thru the cashpoint and obtain your money through the car window. Need to pay some cheques in? You can drive up to the bank window where a cashier is waiting for you and then you drive thru.

Need some medicines? You can drive thru at the pharmacy.

Hungry? Drive thru for anything and everything you may so desire. Burgers, Pizza, Donuts, Chicken, Sandwiches - the list is endless.

A coffee? Drive thru Starbucks.

Groceries? Why not phone or email your shopping list to the shop and then drive thru to pick it up.

Taking your child to school? Just drive up to the carpool line, join the queue, inch forward, unlock the door, teacher opens the door and removes child and you just drive on thru. The same applies when collecting your child from school.

In fact I have been inside Ellie's school just twice, once for a look/see and the other time on Meet the Teacher day....and I don't mind telling you that on this point I feel 'robbed'. Robbed in the sense that on my daughters very first day of 'big school' I wasn't able to walk her into her class and settle her in, and she looked so little in her big school uniform and she was a little nervous. On the plus side I suppose...at least the children and teachers didn't have to deal with a whole host of blubbering mothers!

I'll be on the look-out for more 'Drive thru your Life' examples! Haven't seen a Drive Thru cinema, but wait, I think that may be called a 'Drive In'?

First Day of School

Ellie started Kindergarten last Thursday. So far, so good she is settling in well and enjoying everything, she has even asked if she can stay later because 'some kids stay longer and get to go to the gym' - After school club I think. Oh yes, and how could I forget...she is also picking up the lingo! As she climbed into the car yesterday afternoon she said. "Tomorrow we have gym so I have to wear my sneakers to school, then she paused, that means trainers OK Mummy? Got it?"

School Uniform Shopping

...another education!

Ellie starts school this week so one afternoon last week we made a trip to the 'approved outfitters' to purchase her school uniform.

Luke was thankfully drowsy in his pushchair and we were greeted by an ever so helpful assistant who told me she would be the one to assist us in our quest. We told her the school, she got her list, glanced down it and said that the very first thing Ellie would need was a 'Jumper' and off she waltzes. Hmmmm...I'm thinking...the temperatures here are in the 80's-90's for quite a while yet and a 'jumper' would not be the first thing I'd think of buying just yet, but then she presents me with what I'd call a Pinafore dress!

Me: Oh yes, we'd like a couple of those but I thought we needed a Jumper too?
Girl: This is a Jumper
Me: Is it?!! Now, I'd call that a Pinafore Dress - OK whatever, we'll have 1 plain and one tartan.
Girl: Tartan? What's tartan?
Me: It's the check like fabric.
Girl: We call that Plaid.
Me: What's next?
Girl: Skorts, skirts or shorts?
Me: What's a Skort?
Girl: Shorts that look like a skirt, very good for the active jump around type of girl - protects their modesty.
- We both take one look at Ellie rolling around under a clothes carousel with her legs in the air -
Me: We'll take 2 pairs please!

Add to that list 2 blouses to go under the 'Jumper', 3 polo shirts and a pricey pair of shoes and in the blink of an eye we've racked up about $350 worth of stuff...and I didn't even bother yet with the cold weather 'Jumper' I was thinking about!