They have started building next-door. It was a lovely copse of silver-birch, but now looks like a battered corpse (ooh, did you see what I did there?). It took one man a day-and-a-half to cut down all the trees and turn them into wood-chip. The heavy plant moved in the next day and has started digging out the basement. I am a little concerned as it looks ENORMOUS. I am going to guess it is 6-bedrooms, based on my extensive architectural knowledge (ie several episodes of Grand Designs. I will take to standing next to the plot and sighing into the middle-distance "I can't help thinking that..."). Almost had a falling out with the owner who decided to check up on progress by popping round at six o'clock on Saturday morning, standing on what will ultimately be our shared drive and telling his wife authoritatively (loudly) "And that is where the toilet will be". Naturally, I didn't say anything, being both English and in Minnesota, so just tutted and closed the window IN A FORCEFUL MANNER. That'll show 'im.
We have had to cave in to social mores and purchase our first net-curtains. It will give us something to twitch.
Interestingly they were not allowed to start earlier, as there is a city rule that heavy plant must be kept off the roads for a certain time after the last snows melt. Damn' - said the S word, and I'd promised myself I wouldn't.
I don't normally watch Reality TV, as it is a bit of a Voyeuristic Indulgence - particularly the program the other day about hoarders. Ten minutes into it, I decided to do out the garage, and then moved onto the guest-room. I even dropped the nine garbage bags, two chairs and a blanket off at the thrift store, it moved me so much.
Bean has made her first kill. We're very proud, but it's the person in charge of kitty litter (ie me) who has to dispose of the mangled remains.
We went to play crazy golf last weekend. It is an amazing place. The guy makes random pieces of sculpture and each year seems to add another hole (he is up to 13). It's wonderfully eccentric.
Showing posts with label Life in Minnesota. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Life in Minnesota. Show all posts
14 June 2011
02 February 2011
Please send food parcels
We were talking adjectives and adjectival nouns in Spanish on Tuesday. The teacher was having to explain what "pedantic" meant, and seeing my face (confused rabbit in a Large Hadron Collider expression) said that it wasn't a word that Americans seemed to use as he was always having to explain it, although Europeans seemed to have no problems. "Ah," I said, "Maybe they are just more pedantic in England than they are in America, so we need a word for it". "And are there more pedantics do you think in England?" he asked. "No," I said from the lofty heights of my B grade at o-level, "Just pedants". Gosh, how we laughed!
I missed out on a Brit get-together on Monday, because of the snow that now seems to causing havoc elsewhere. Note that I have used the word Brit. I have only ever heard it used between ex-pats, usually in a mocking way comparing our ability to spell with the rest of the world and the fact that "flavorful" is probably not actually a word. Without exception, if you were to ask any one of them, they would admit to being born in England, and never from Britain. I'm certain it is only (English) politicians which use the expression...you can be pretty sure that the Welsh, Scots and Irish always describe themselves as such.
Last night, I made lavender biscuits on the assumption that if they didn't work out, I could always use them to lace my knicker-drawer.
I missed out on a Brit get-together on Monday, because of the snow that now seems to causing havoc elsewhere. Note that I have used the word Brit. I have only ever heard it used between ex-pats, usually in a mocking way comparing our ability to spell with the rest of the world and the fact that "flavorful" is probably not actually a word. Without exception, if you were to ask any one of them, they would admit to being born in England, and never from Britain. I'm certain it is only (English) politicians which use the expression...you can be pretty sure that the Welsh, Scots and Irish always describe themselves as such.
Last night, I made lavender biscuits on the assumption that if they didn't work out, I could always use them to lace my knicker-drawer.
21 January 2011
Brrrr!
Right, UK. Listen up there at the back, and try and man up a bit will you?:
Minus 33 degrees C last night - it was the talk of the school coffee morning. There was some confusion about whether we were discussing the temperature in Celsius or Fahrenheit - I had to explain that, being English, minus temperatures are always discussed in Centigrade, and hot weather in Fahrenheit.
When we woke up there was ice on the inside of the windows, and a thick crust of frost around the edges of the front-door.
Not having TV (we're soooo hippy-dippy), we're never too sure of the weather, and went out last weekend to go tubing at Elm Creek. It was excellent fun, although bitterly cold. Sensible Minnesotan mothers had tucked their kids in front of improving Mandarin Chinese DVDs; we decided to fling ourselves down icy mountains in rubber dinghies. It was excellent fun though - more so as no-one else was there.
The cat fell in the bath last night. She had a bit of a swim about and didn't seem at all put out. She also likes sitting in the sink playing with the drips, so she's trying very hard to be the Turkish Van I wanted, but couldn't afford (although a quarter of the size). She seemed slightly bothered that we laughed at her so long about it, however.
Minus 33 degrees C last night - it was the talk of the school coffee morning. There was some confusion about whether we were discussing the temperature in Celsius or Fahrenheit - I had to explain that, being English, minus temperatures are always discussed in Centigrade, and hot weather in Fahrenheit.
When we woke up there was ice on the inside of the windows, and a thick crust of frost around the edges of the front-door.
Not having TV (we're soooo hippy-dippy), we're never too sure of the weather, and went out last weekend to go tubing at Elm Creek. It was excellent fun, although bitterly cold. Sensible Minnesotan mothers had tucked their kids in front of improving Mandarin Chinese DVDs; we decided to fling ourselves down icy mountains in rubber dinghies. It was excellent fun though - more so as no-one else was there.
The cat fell in the bath last night. She had a bit of a swim about and didn't seem at all put out. She also likes sitting in the sink playing with the drips, so she's trying very hard to be the Turkish Van I wanted, but couldn't afford (although a quarter of the size). She seemed slightly bothered that we laughed at her so long about it, however.
16 October 2010
Dashing through the snow
The weather has been most unseasonable. Since the beginning of October it has not been at all unusual for the temperature to reach 65 Fahrenheit (which is about ten past six in new money). Yesterday I had a run dressed only in a t-shirt and shorts (although I came back pretty quickly, admittedly). Today, however, the cloud has gathered, people are talking about winterizing their gardens, and I have been forced by Minnesotan mores to pop out and invest in spruce tops. Yes, tomorrow it will snow. This means several things:
1) Everyone has to relearn how to drive.
2) I have to find where my jump-leads are, as my current way of starting the car is a little like making a phone-call on a Miss Marple episode: switch to on, press right pedal, release, press brake, start engine. (Hello? Hello, operator? ARE YOU THERE???).
3) There will be a segment on the local news whereby they will send the newest memeber of the team out on location, getting him to throw a cup of hot coffee in the air in order to make slush-puppy, and forcing him to do an entire presentation whilst talking through the scarf his mum knitted him.
4) People start putting up their external Christmas decorations as nobody likes to be up a ladder with tinsel in minus 20.
It is apprently against local laws to feed deer in your garden. No-one has mentioned it to them, so they have started to nibble around the bark of the only tree I have (currently adorned in (chewed) solar powered fairy lights).
We went to Redwing on Sunday. It was a little like Stillwater, but the drive there was much easier as very few people seem to go. They are famous for their pottery and, um.
A lot of antique shops too. I feel it is my duty to force T to go around shops for hours in which she has absolutely no interest in. There has been very little in the was of professional research into this topic, but it has to be good for her to at least utter the words "I'm boooorrree-EEEDDDDDDDDDDDD" at least once a week.
1) Everyone has to relearn how to drive.
2) I have to find where my jump-leads are, as my current way of starting the car is a little like making a phone-call on a Miss Marple episode: switch to on, press right pedal, release, press brake, start engine. (Hello? Hello, operator? ARE YOU THERE???).
3) There will be a segment on the local news whereby they will send the newest memeber of the team out on location, getting him to throw a cup of hot coffee in the air in order to make slush-puppy, and forcing him to do an entire presentation whilst talking through the scarf his mum knitted him.
4) People start putting up their external Christmas decorations as nobody likes to be up a ladder with tinsel in minus 20.
It is apprently against local laws to feed deer in your garden. No-one has mentioned it to them, so they have started to nibble around the bark of the only tree I have (currently adorned in (chewed) solar powered fairy lights).
We went to Redwing on Sunday. It was a little like Stillwater, but the drive there was much easier as very few people seem to go. They are famous for their pottery and, um.
A lot of antique shops too. I feel it is my duty to force T to go around shops for hours in which she has absolutely no interest in. There has been very little in the was of professional research into this topic, but it has to be good for her to at least utter the words "I'm boooorrree-EEEDDDDDDDDDDDD" at least once a week.
02 September 2010
Why-oh-Why Wayzata?
It was a fair bit alarming to be told 3 months ago that we had to move out. As the credit crunch had hit people quite severely, it meant that people were selling low (in the case of the house in Minnetonka) and renting high (ie everything else). It seemed pretty unlikely we were going to find anything like that which we had at the time. I saw 15 places in one week - overpriced, not nice neighbourhood, odd layouts or, surprisingly, filthy.
Luckily bridgjo came through and we were able to score a jolly nice place outside of Wayzata. The only down-side is that it is pretty close to the rail-way line which isn't too noisy (they move all the freight at night, as the length of the trains (up to 90 wagons) can block off all the crossings in the area for about a mile), but the bed actually does hop slightly around the room. As it is also built next to a swamp I can only guess that the foundations must be pretty rock-solid.
We had an army of little men over three days who packed, moved and unpacked. I like this as otherwise I know that any unpacked boxes would remain just that for the next 12 months.
It's smaller on the ground-floor than our place in Minnetonka, lacking the huge back-room which we never used. But it does have a fully converted basement ("Play-room!), completed with two sets of hooks in the ceiling to hang off swings (as it's too cold for small possums to play outside in the winter, of course). The kitchen is great with two ovens, dish-washer and wine-fridge, although the fridge itself and freezer are a little bit English in size.
The biggest down-size to everything is that because the ceilings are so high (we'll have to get somebody in to change bulbs), and the counter tops in the kitchen and bathrooms non-standard (about 10cm higher than usual), I feel about 8. I have to use a stool to cook, and do my prep on the table.
T loves the jacuzzi, although we haven't tried the steam shower yet. The jacuzzi even has a setting to keep the water warm. She's not so keen on the fact that in trying to find our bed-room during the night she keeps ending up in the linen-press.
I am very definitely going to get a sewing machine and run up the curtains, They need to be about 8 feet long, and am not sure Ikea does cheap voile ready-mades in that size.
So we have space if you fancy a visit.
Luckily bridgjo came through and we were able to score a jolly nice place outside of Wayzata. The only down-side is that it is pretty close to the rail-way line which isn't too noisy (they move all the freight at night, as the length of the trains (up to 90 wagons) can block off all the crossings in the area for about a mile), but the bed actually does hop slightly around the room. As it is also built next to a swamp I can only guess that the foundations must be pretty rock-solid.
We had an army of little men over three days who packed, moved and unpacked. I like this as otherwise I know that any unpacked boxes would remain just that for the next 12 months.
It's smaller on the ground-floor than our place in Minnetonka, lacking the huge back-room which we never used. But it does have a fully converted basement ("Play-room!), completed with two sets of hooks in the ceiling to hang off swings (as it's too cold for small possums to play outside in the winter, of course). The kitchen is great with two ovens, dish-washer and wine-fridge, although the fridge itself and freezer are a little bit English in size.
The biggest down-size to everything is that because the ceilings are so high (we'll have to get somebody in to change bulbs), and the counter tops in the kitchen and bathrooms non-standard (about 10cm higher than usual), I feel about 8. I have to use a stool to cook, and do my prep on the table.
T loves the jacuzzi, although we haven't tried the steam shower yet. The jacuzzi even has a setting to keep the water warm. She's not so keen on the fact that in trying to find our bed-room during the night she keeps ending up in the linen-press.
I am very definitely going to get a sewing machine and run up the curtains, They need to be about 8 feet long, and am not sure Ikea does cheap voile ready-mades in that size.
So we have space if you fancy a visit.
26 June 2010
And your little dog too
So when it went completely black outside yesterday afternoon at about 4.30pm, we just looked at each other knowingly like all good English people and murmured "Nights are drawing in, then". But nooooo, nights do not normally draw in quite so completely 4 days after the summer solstice.
The tornado warning went off. The stagiaire had been telling me how much she wanted to see a tornado before she goes back next week. In retrospect I think she also meant to add "from a distance", as, when we all piled down to the cellar, I was holding a blanket, an emergency radio and a small child, she'd run off for her passport. Bridgjo remained on the sofa, too tired after his business trip to move. I checked him for stripey socks before I left him to his fate, just in case I needed to insist.
I cranked up the radio and listened to some very crackly Lord Haw-Haw well-enunciated Emergency Tornado Propaganda on the emergency band ("Into the cellars, we're all going to ...."), for about 2 minutes, then we all looked at each other and thought it would be more fun to watch it instead.
My friend had explained to me how to recognise the siren ("The fire-engines go 'woooo-Oooo-oooo-OOOO', up and down, whereas the siren goes "WooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO'"). She unfortunately neglected to tell me what the all-clear sounded like, and as my experience of the Second World War is based entirely around a bloke called Foyle, who has usually sorted everything out by then in any case, it looked as if we were going to be there for the night.
So we came up again. An anti-climax for us, but one of those wonderful holiday memories for the stagiaire...
I am naturally, friends with the Weather channel here, who informed me via Twitter that there was 4 feet (not inches apparently, though it had to have been a typo. Surely you can only get that much water if someone is standing over your head with buckets of the stuff) at Medicine Lake, and that we experienced a total of 6 tornadoes throughout the state yesterday. A usual alert reads like this:
"Large Hail. GR2 Analyst shows some 2-4" diameter (golf ball to baseball size) moving through the metro area, biggest hail appears to be tracking from Plymouth to S. Minneapolis to St. Paul. Flash Flood warning in effect through early tonight for some 3-5"+ amounts. Stay alert and be ready to head to the basement if threatening weather arrives. If you live in the Mankato area you should be in the basement, under the stairs, under a table or work bench." The journalists here are well-meaning, if slightly hysterical in their copy.
T thought it was hilarious as she had immediately made a den in her card-board box castle. She fancied spending the night there with her torch and wants to play again.
According to the news, possibly even tonight.
The tornado warning went off. The stagiaire had been telling me how much she wanted to see a tornado before she goes back next week. In retrospect I think she also meant to add "from a distance", as, when we all piled down to the cellar, I was holding a blanket, an emergency radio and a small child, she'd run off for her passport. Bridgjo remained on the sofa, too tired after his business trip to move. I checked him for stripey socks before I left him to his fate, just in case I needed to insist.
I cranked up the radio and listened to some very crackly Lord Haw-Haw well-enunciated Emergency Tornado Propaganda on the emergency band ("Into the cellars, we're all going to ...."), for about 2 minutes, then we all looked at each other and thought it would be more fun to watch it instead.
My friend had explained to me how to recognise the siren ("The fire-engines go 'woooo-Oooo-oooo-OOOO', up and down, whereas the siren goes "WooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO'"). She unfortunately neglected to tell me what the all-clear sounded like, and as my experience of the Second World War is based entirely around a bloke called Foyle, who has usually sorted everything out by then in any case, it looked as if we were going to be there for the night.
So we came up again. An anti-climax for us, but one of those wonderful holiday memories for the stagiaire...
I am naturally, friends with the Weather channel here, who informed me via Twitter that there was 4 feet (not inches apparently, though it had to have been a typo. Surely you can only get that much water if someone is standing over your head with buckets of the stuff) at Medicine Lake, and that we experienced a total of 6 tornadoes throughout the state yesterday. A usual alert reads like this:
"Large Hail. GR2 Analyst shows some 2-4" diameter (golf ball to baseball size) moving through the metro area, biggest hail appears to be tracking from Plymouth to S. Minneapolis to St. Paul. Flash Flood warning in effect through early tonight for some 3-5"+ amounts. Stay alert and be ready to head to the basement if threatening weather arrives. If you live in the Mankato area you should be in the basement, under the stairs, under a table or work bench." The journalists here are well-meaning, if slightly hysterical in their copy.
T thought it was hilarious as she had immediately made a den in her card-board box castle. She fancied spending the night there with her torch and wants to play again.
According to the news, possibly even tonight.
30 May 2010
The Valleyfair Scare
Off to Valleyfair yesterday, the Minnesotan answer to Alton Towers - the major difference being it is not found at the end of a country road, slap-bang in the middle of a tranquil, country village. Lots of similarities; The Corkscrew, Nemesis and rubbish food (although Staffordshire has probably never seen giant turkey legs and Dill-Pickle-On-A-Stick). There's also a very tiny water-park, with a few slides and a jump around in the waves pool. T was extremely disappointed that she was an inch too short for a lot of the rides. Me, I'm concerned that next year I will be dragged around on them.
All the creatures have successfully come out of hibernation and are now creating havoc in the garden. The raccoons like to sit in the tomato plants, for instance, as testamented by their little muddy footprints around the edges. One raccoon, who seems quite young and little compared to some which come around, eats his cheese and Branston like a six year-old. He held up the sandwich (he was there in broad daylight), opened it carefully, putting the top piece on the floor. He then commenced licking the pickle off, then gently peeled off the cheese and nibbled that, followed by the two pieces of bread. His nose goes up and down as he eats, making his whiskers tremble like a particularly agitated RAF Flight Sergeant.
The temperature, thanks to El Nino, zipped up to a toasty 34 degrees yesterday. Today it's a bit colder, but hopefully all the rain will be tonight and we will have a clear day for boating on the lake tomorrow.
School holidays start in 2 weeks' time. This year we will be playing tennis, doing outside swimming lessons, making forts, jam-tarts and a bit of a mess, then making up and a spot of TV. That's the first day sorted, then.
All the creatures have successfully come out of hibernation and are now creating havoc in the garden. The raccoons like to sit in the tomato plants, for instance, as testamented by their little muddy footprints around the edges. One raccoon, who seems quite young and little compared to some which come around, eats his cheese and Branston like a six year-old. He held up the sandwich (he was there in broad daylight), opened it carefully, putting the top piece on the floor. He then commenced licking the pickle off, then gently peeled off the cheese and nibbled that, followed by the two pieces of bread. His nose goes up and down as he eats, making his whiskers tremble like a particularly agitated RAF Flight Sergeant.
The temperature, thanks to El Nino, zipped up to a toasty 34 degrees yesterday. Today it's a bit colder, but hopefully all the rain will be tonight and we will have a clear day for boating on the lake tomorrow.
School holidays start in 2 weeks' time. This year we will be playing tennis, doing outside swimming lessons, making forts, jam-tarts and a bit of a mess, then making up and a spot of TV. That's the first day sorted, then.
16 May 2010
Miami mia
We did that thing the other day which teachers hate, and took T out of school for a week to take advantage of cheap(ish) flights to Florida. For the first time, we went to Miami. It was super - and it amazes me how each state can be; in effect, a different country. Everyone spoke Spanish (including me, I was very proud! Yes - I ordered a coffee), and it just didn't seem like the US at all. Miami South Beach was amazing- all the art deco houses were super-looking.
Our hotel, The Viceroy, had a 100 m pool. I started swimming and thought blimey, it's a bit far. The end dropped away onto a vista of the harbour, and each morning at 7 I had the whole thing to myself.
We were able to go fosicking and found clam fossils on the foreshore of the hotel which itself was very grand. Each time I used the toilet I felt a need to fold the end of the toilet paper into a point. It has apartments as well as hotel rooms, although not that many of the apartments have been let. The food was great there, although the service was a tad Mediterranean. Most restaurants we went to made an effort to get T served first, which is always appreciated (via tips).
It never felt dangerous there and in fact the ambiance wherever we went felt great. We stayed in Miami for 3 nights, taking in the Everglades. Even though we saw lots of alligators on the air-boat tour we did (like on the James Bond movie), we even saw them when we stopped the car at the side of the rod....one came up begging like a duck in Sands End.
We then had another three days down in Key West ("Drive 157 miles and arrive at destination"). The drive down is quite long on single carriage-way roads, so we had a few stops to feed the tarpons (enormous greedy fish) at Robbie's Pier, and a couple of gardens.
Key West wasn't at all what I expected. It was streets of touristy two-level stores, lots of partying, but a nice atmosphere. The snorkeling was great. We took a small tour boat out (just us and three crew) to a reef about 7 n miles away (about an hour's trip). Luckily the sea was completely calm. T adored the snorkeling and was out for about an hour, spotting turtles and lobster plus loads of fish. She pootled off back the boat and sat on the dive ledge, feet dangling over the side, whilst I swam around the reef and saw (and this gets closer and bigger in the re-telling) two reef sharks swim passed. As I have no real idea about fish I thought "Cool!" and then saw T's feet flapping in the water. How exactly does one sacrifice oneself? Pretty amazing though.
Came back to cold weather when people complained there was a chance of snow, yet today it is a muggy 90. I have planted marigolds and remain optimistic that deer are allergic to them as it makes them sneeze.
Our hotel, The Viceroy, had a 100 m pool. I started swimming and thought blimey, it's a bit far. The end dropped away onto a vista of the harbour, and each morning at 7 I had the whole thing to myself.
We were able to go fosicking and found clam fossils on the foreshore of the hotel which itself was very grand. Each time I used the toilet I felt a need to fold the end of the toilet paper into a point. It has apartments as well as hotel rooms, although not that many of the apartments have been let. The food was great there, although the service was a tad Mediterranean. Most restaurants we went to made an effort to get T served first, which is always appreciated (via tips).
It never felt dangerous there and in fact the ambiance wherever we went felt great. We stayed in Miami for 3 nights, taking in the Everglades. Even though we saw lots of alligators on the air-boat tour we did (like on the James Bond movie), we even saw them when we stopped the car at the side of the rod....one came up begging like a duck in Sands End.
We then had another three days down in Key West ("Drive 157 miles and arrive at destination"). The drive down is quite long on single carriage-way roads, so we had a few stops to feed the tarpons (enormous greedy fish) at Robbie's Pier, and a couple of gardens.
Key West wasn't at all what I expected. It was streets of touristy two-level stores, lots of partying, but a nice atmosphere. The snorkeling was great. We took a small tour boat out (just us and three crew) to a reef about 7 n miles away (about an hour's trip). Luckily the sea was completely calm. T adored the snorkeling and was out for about an hour, spotting turtles and lobster plus loads of fish. She pootled off back the boat and sat on the dive ledge, feet dangling over the side, whilst I swam around the reef and saw (and this gets closer and bigger in the re-telling) two reef sharks swim passed. As I have no real idea about fish I thought "Cool!" and then saw T's feet flapping in the water. How exactly does one sacrifice oneself? Pretty amazing though.
Came back to cold weather when people complained there was a chance of snow, yet today it is a muggy 90. I have planted marigolds and remain optimistic that deer are allergic to them as it makes them sneeze.
19 April 2010
Dunkirk spirit
Last Thursday the headmistress got a rather panicky call from a headmaster in Paris saying that they had a group of 43 school-children stuck in Minneapolis on their way back to Paris from Chicago, and could something be done? Luckily, Minnesotans are pretty decent (especially if there is any free publicity), and the Hyatt were able to offer them rooms and meals, and even the zoo coming up trumps with some free tickets. The local district is providing lunches for them (even picnics for when they go out). These kids are only about 10 years old, and were meant to be away for a week - how must their parents be feeling?
The local news came round today (for which I did not prepare, so was not able to be yummy, more slummy, when I went in to help in the canteen, so had to hide behind the tinned peaches), and CNN may pop round tomorrow. I may have my hair done.
The local news came round today (for which I did not prepare, so was not able to be yummy, more slummy, when I went in to help in the canteen, so had to hide behind the tinned peaches), and CNN may pop round tomorrow. I may have my hair done.
25 March 2010
Under the counter
I think the butcher fancies me. Every now and then he slips me the not-so-nice looking steaks or tail-end of the salmon in with my order, saying they don't look good enough to sell. Obviously this will put me in good stead should the Second World War break out again.
T, after spening the last 18 months tip-toeing across the ice, has passed her first grade ice-skating. She is the same level as I am, and is everso strict when it comes to her giving me a leson each time we go out. By forcing her to enjoy sport (sometimes physically, sometimes through crisps) I am hoping she will never have to experience the full unmitigated horror of being chosen last for the netball team.
The ice-skating has now finished for the summer, and I have replaced it by attending a personal trainer at the gym, courtesy of one of bridgjo's friends who can no longer use the lessons he paid for. The Swiss friend and I have started running around the lake again. The weather is beautiful and sparkley....though now and then a Minnesotan will sigh and murmur "It's not over yet, y'know".
A bloke said "Howdy!" to me today. I giggled.
T, after spening the last 18 months tip-toeing across the ice, has passed her first grade ice-skating. She is the same level as I am, and is everso strict when it comes to her giving me a leson each time we go out. By forcing her to enjoy sport (sometimes physically, sometimes through crisps) I am hoping she will never have to experience the full unmitigated horror of being chosen last for the netball team.
The ice-skating has now finished for the summer, and I have replaced it by attending a personal trainer at the gym, courtesy of one of bridgjo's friends who can no longer use the lessons he paid for. The Swiss friend and I have started running around the lake again. The weather is beautiful and sparkley....though now and then a Minnesotan will sigh and murmur "It's not over yet, y'know".
A bloke said "Howdy!" to me today. I giggled.
03 March 2010
Fame at last
At last I get the fame I deserve....hmmmm, quite. Nevertheless, I scrape a mention here:
http://www.working-mum.co.uk/2010/03/mummy-bloggers-carnival/
I currently have a cold and am incapable of writing the HTML necessary to provide a direct link after the hot toddy (which naturally include rather more whiskey than honey, belying my Irish roots). Which reminds me, T needs to get a new green T-shirt in time for St Patrick's Day. French School. In the US. Yep, we celebrate Irish-ness here more than they actually do in Ireland...
http://www.working-mum.co.uk/2010/03/mummy-bloggers-carnival/
I currently have a cold and am incapable of writing the HTML necessary to provide a direct link after the hot toddy (which naturally include rather more whiskey than honey, belying my Irish roots). Which reminds me, T needs to get a new green T-shirt in time for St Patrick's Day. French School. In the US. Yep, we celebrate Irish-ness here more than they actually do in Ireland...
08 December 2009
Time to Rug Up
First real snow driving of the season. Naturally, everyone else drives as if they have never seen snow before, and I was glad coming home from T's eye practice that we came the back-roads way (25 m/hr with no-one else about, and I could take the corners like a steam-roller). Already the free-way was crawling along.
We are going to have a good old snow-storm ("andja only get one like this one a decade," they said on the radio) which will last about 24 hours. We should be getting about 8". In '91 they got 29" in three days. There were food shortages at the supermarkets.....but only of the junk-food variety. Less of the "pop out for a bottle of milk," and more "For God's sake, don't forget the pepperoni!".
T was given some tiny Puppies in My Pocket (the sort of size toy manufacturer's currently delight in, which are just perfect for getting sucked up the hoover), which you put into iced water so that their nappies change colour and you can tell if they are girls or boys. T said that today when the kids were flung into the play-ground, she was standing there...."and they all went blue".
Madame yesterday met me at the class-room door and said "Good, I've caught you. Now, I need 20 cat masks for Friday. I've bought the foam", and presented me with sheets of craft material and elastic. I felt a little like Rumpelstiltskin. So I did that; tie-dying last week; and today helping at lunch and then laminating all the letters of the alphabet. T is going to be an Alpha-bete (a hilarious French pun); the letter J, I believe. I would so like a laminating machine. Not sure what I'd laminate, but it's great fun. Recipes, articles, socks...
Next week, I'm dinner-ladying again, and helping out in one of the class-rooms. A bit of a hoo-hah a couple of weeks ago when one of the teachers went a bit bonkers and had to be escorted off the premises, so they are short on anyone to help-out, but long on gossip if you do want to actually do your bit.
I got my battery sorted. He comes around, drops me a car off, takes mine away, and, this time, met me at school and we swapped over again.
And the tree was in the back of bridgjo's wardrobe. So, how did it get there then?
We are going to have a good old snow-storm ("andja only get one like this one a decade," they said on the radio) which will last about 24 hours. We should be getting about 8". In '91 they got 29" in three days. There were food shortages at the supermarkets.....but only of the junk-food variety. Less of the "pop out for a bottle of milk," and more "For God's sake, don't forget the pepperoni!".
T was given some tiny Puppies in My Pocket (the sort of size toy manufacturer's currently delight in, which are just perfect for getting sucked up the hoover), which you put into iced water so that their nappies change colour and you can tell if they are girls or boys. T said that today when the kids were flung into the play-ground, she was standing there...."and they all went blue".
Madame yesterday met me at the class-room door and said "Good, I've caught you. Now, I need 20 cat masks for Friday. I've bought the foam", and presented me with sheets of craft material and elastic. I felt a little like Rumpelstiltskin. So I did that; tie-dying last week; and today helping at lunch and then laminating all the letters of the alphabet. T is going to be an Alpha-bete (a hilarious French pun); the letter J, I believe. I would so like a laminating machine. Not sure what I'd laminate, but it's great fun. Recipes, articles, socks...
Next week, I'm dinner-ladying again, and helping out in one of the class-rooms. A bit of a hoo-hah a couple of weeks ago when one of the teachers went a bit bonkers and had to be escorted off the premises, so they are short on anyone to help-out, but long on gossip if you do want to actually do your bit.
I got my battery sorted. He comes around, drops me a car off, takes mine away, and, this time, met me at school and we swapped over again.
And the tree was in the back of bridgjo's wardrobe. So, how did it get there then?
11 October 2009
A distinct nip in the air
Great. The first snow the night before last. The last time this happened so early, the natives got snowed in for three days later on in the season. Thus forewarned, we joined the rest of the state in REI (the outdoor clothing company) to replenish the thermal wardrobe.
T asked last night if it would snow again. I said no, and she replied that yes, it was definitely going to snow. "No, really, it's not. Why do you think it is?" I asked. "Well, you're basing it on the weather forecast. I'm basing it on experience".
The raccoon is starting to look fluffier. We want to get a heated birdbath. Apparently it is urban myth that birds' wings freeze, and/or that if they land on a metal railing, and then fly off.....well, you probably get the picture. I asked at the bird sanctuary last week. I think I inadvertently provided the joke for the Christmas Speech this year.
14 September 2009
Juut a bit off the Top
Two months have passed since my last trip to the salon (Juut). My time here is measured in hair-cuts - and time is especially whooshy at the moment. Summer went by (oh look, there it goes), without a By-Your-Leave it seemed. One minute I'm considering Mandarin Chinese as a perfectly acceptable summer past-time, and the next I'm off looking for suitable blue shorts. (As a By The Way, I am currently In Dispute with Target which appears to refuse to stock blue stockings for 6 year-olds, yet has padded bras for 7 year-olds).
So they (at Juut) were particularly enthusiastic when I rocked up last week, the hostess even bending at the waist to place her hands between her knees, looking at me with a fixed smile on her face and gushing "Oh, we are sooooo happy to have you with us again". As I am English, my response is generally "Umm...". This manic enthusiasm stems from their policy of attempting To Make Your Day, and each employee there is given the title of "Day-Maker". I think this means that they each have to compliment you on at least one thing. Seeing their collective stunned mullet faces last time I was there, I felt I was providing them with a challenge.
I had a facial this time - I am sooooo over exfoliation. Hurrah for long trousers and knitted bathing-costumes! I love facials as they always make me feel slightly stoned in a nice, legal sort of way. This one howerver seemed to involve her tapping a small gong every ten minutes (to make sure I was paying attention?), at which I began to snigger slightly more pig-like each time. By the time she starting massaging my nose, I almost felt that I should call someone up and explain why I was laughing so hard.
Next time I am thinking of going red. I am giving this some serious thought as I love the colour, but there is the risk that on a Thin Day I could look like a Swan Vesta, and on a Fat Day, a Cherry Bakewell.
At the weeke-end I went to a book-club girl's baby-shower. She is expecting twin boys, and one of her favourite gifts (not from me - I bought 100 nappies; "about 3 days' worth") was a packet of "Pee-pee Tee-Pees" - a small absorbent, towelling wigwam, to be draped over that part which shocks new mothers of baby boys at 3am in the morning.
So they (at Juut) were particularly enthusiastic when I rocked up last week, the hostess even bending at the waist to place her hands between her knees, looking at me with a fixed smile on her face and gushing "Oh, we are sooooo happy to have you with us again". As I am English, my response is generally "Umm...". This manic enthusiasm stems from their policy of attempting To Make Your Day, and each employee there is given the title of "Day-Maker". I think this means that they each have to compliment you on at least one thing. Seeing their collective stunned mullet faces last time I was there, I felt I was providing them with a challenge.
I had a facial this time - I am sooooo over exfoliation. Hurrah for long trousers and knitted bathing-costumes! I love facials as they always make me feel slightly stoned in a nice, legal sort of way. This one howerver seemed to involve her tapping a small gong every ten minutes (to make sure I was paying attention?), at which I began to snigger slightly more pig-like each time. By the time she starting massaging my nose, I almost felt that I should call someone up and explain why I was laughing so hard.
Next time I am thinking of going red. I am giving this some serious thought as I love the colour, but there is the risk that on a Thin Day I could look like a Swan Vesta, and on a Fat Day, a Cherry Bakewell.
At the weeke-end I went to a book-club girl's baby-shower. She is expecting twin boys, and one of her favourite gifts (not from me - I bought 100 nappies; "about 3 days' worth") was a packet of "Pee-pee Tee-Pees" - a small absorbent, towelling wigwam, to be draped over that part which shocks new mothers of baby boys at 3am in the morning.
05 September 2009
Long Live the King!
It's Labor day weekend (must remember to put those white heels away), and the weather is an excellent 83 degrees. We went to one of our favourite parks, Richardson Nature Center, which we last saw sometime pre-April for the ice-carving when it was the coldest we ever experienced and bridgjo ran back to the car holding T, yelling "We have to go back to Whitby to warm up!" (though I might have imagined the last bit).
Today was the tagging of the Monarch butterfly. This involves hordes of pre-schoolers running around the prairie (no little house to be seen) with enormous nets terrifying the wild-life. The idea being that we caught one and took it back to be tagged. This seemed to involve sticking a post-it on its wings ("which in no way would effect its ability to fly"). They had obviously got wind of this, as there was not a single butterfly to be seen, regal or common.
Their flight-path takes them down to the hills of Mexico, where local street urchins are urged to seek them out, getting paid $5 for each butterfly recovered.
We went to Yum! on the way home. Excellent tuna-burger, but a rather shabby espresso - I think they used old coffee-grounds, but didn't have it in me to complain.
T goes to school on Tuesday. It was Open Day on Friday. It's the same teacher, and the same class-room, but this year (for First Grade) the story mat has been removed and the group tables have been replaced with desks in rows. She now has a pencil-case (I am still a kid - frisson of excitement went through me when I saw all the kit) and a HOMEWORK DIARY! This scares me obviously more than it does T. That she (1) has homework and (2) needs a diary to remind her.
02 September 2009
It's quite big, isn't it?
[This is the last post regarding our hols - again there are more pics on FB]
After spending a night in Las Vegas, we hired a car and drove to the Ranch for the Cowboy part of our stay at Ranch 10 the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. This area has a couple of advantages over the South, namely that it is far less touristy, and also about ten degrees cooler.
We drove through three states - Nevada, Utah and Arizona to get to our destination. It was quite a trip - as suggested by the GPS when it said "Continue for 119 miles to your destination". First we stopped off in St George, which had the benefit of an extremely good cup-cake shop, and the local paper which exhorted us to go to the local body-shop which offered "a free gun with every paint job!!!". From then on it was dirt-track all the way - 70 miles of dust and pot-holes (which eventually gave us two flat tyres).
The Ranch was great. We slept in Cowboy Wagons (the sleeping arrangements were youth-hostelly - so there were dorms, wagons, or sleeping under the stars). For the most part it caters for the white-water-rafting tourists - helicoptering them out of the canyon and up there to have their first shower of the week. We just hung out, with ATV tours, walks, twice-a-day horse-back riding and even a helicopter ride down to the bottom of the Canyon itself.There was loads of wild-life, as you would expect in a place so remote form anywhere; road-runners (meep-meep), a snake under the wagon, a scorpion in the pitch black of night in the toilets. One evening I went for a run and I think it was the first time I have ever experienced complete silence - no cars, planes. No background noise of what we have become accustomed to of every day activity. I was bombarded by bats though. JB on the other-hand swears he almost stepped on two rattle-snakes, hearing a couple of portentous rattling sounds as he jogged (and then, supposedly, ran) along.
We lay on the deck looking at the Milky-Way, drinking beers (smuggled in, it was a bit "dry") and watching the shooting-stars. Each night the generator went off at 10pm - which was great in that the other guests weren't encouraged to stay up late and chat. T had no trouble in staying awake until that time, even though we were getting up at about 6am.
It was all rather idyllic, and I recommend it to all my readers.
31 August 2009
Food for Thought
JB has just berated me for buying the latest cereal for our daughter. Read what it exhorts along the product's name.
Because parents really need that extra bit of help in introducing cavities in their kids' mouths.
Or is the tide just turning against healthy food?
T has just recently had her first visit from the Tooth Fairy (Peggy), and her mate (Peg-Leg the Pirate). We eventually pulled the rogue teeth out (I did one, and she did the other once she realised gifts were involved). The adult teeth are now moving pleasingly into place.
11 July 2009
Tea and Hamburgers
The local corner-shop has obviously missed a gap in the market. They have completely sold out of PG-Tips. Did they not realise that everyone has their parents over from the UK at this time?? Alas, we will have to move to Yorkshire Tea instead (the cheap one).
Harry's project for the week is doing the lilac hedge. It's about 15 foot long, but, with the surprising heat during the day, may prove to be similar task-wise as the painting of the Forth Bridge.
We went to see Treasure Island today at the local AmDram. It's not bad there as their productions are only about an hour, with no interval. T thought it was great, and no-one fell asleep. Afterwards, we tempted their palates with the best Minnetonka can offer - Snuffy’s. Hamburgers and malted shakes all round!
Harry's project for the week is doing the lilac hedge. It's about 15 foot long, but, with the surprising heat during the day, may prove to be similar task-wise as the painting of the Forth Bridge.
We went to see Treasure Island today at the local AmDram. It's not bad there as their productions are only about an hour, with no interval. T thought it was great, and no-one fell asleep. Afterwards, we tempted their palates with the best Minnetonka can offer - Snuffy’s. Hamburgers and malted shakes all round!
09 July 2009
Hotmail Woes
I have still not managed to recover my hotmail account. I am a bit peeved, as, 15 years after first creating it, the nearest I can get now is an email address prefixed with hurra04, which at least makes me feel cheerfull each time I log on.
The hotmail team ignored me for the first week, and are now sending me e-mails asking me if I have done things I mentioned I had done in my original e-mail.
So for now, I am lounging in the arms of Mozilla and GMail, so yah-boo-sucks!
I had my hair done again - it's getting shorter each time - and also got waxed, as it should be summer for at least another 6 weeks. I was intrigued - the "Epi-Lady" had the hairiest arms I've ever seen.
I also had a pedi. Speaking to my mate Andrea, we weren't sure if a pedicure is actually quite classy, or everso slightly common. While I make up my mind, my toe-nails are a dark purple, which, obviously looks as if I have either dropped a plank across all ten-toes, or spent the afternoon sellotaping raisins to them.
We have 10 tomatoes on our 8 tomato plants. We shall be holding the christening next week.
The hotmail team ignored me for the first week, and are now sending me e-mails asking me if I have done things I mentioned I had done in my original e-mail.
So for now, I am lounging in the arms of Mozilla and GMail, so yah-boo-sucks!
I had my hair done again - it's getting shorter each time - and also got waxed, as it should be summer for at least another 6 weeks. I was intrigued - the "Epi-Lady" had the hairiest arms I've ever seen.
I also had a pedi. Speaking to my mate Andrea, we weren't sure if a pedicure is actually quite classy, or everso slightly common. While I make up my mind, my toe-nails are a dark purple, which, obviously looks as if I have either dropped a plank across all ten-toes, or spent the afternoon sellotaping raisins to them.
We have 10 tomatoes on our 8 tomato plants. We shall be holding the christening next week.
03 July 2009
Internet Shenanigans
I am currently suffering from a bout of Internet shenanigans, which unfortunately are not within my control. It seems that someone has managed to hack into my Hotmail account and changed the password. This means, obviously, I cannot answer any emails. It also means that should you receive an email from me with a subject header "Open this, this is ammayzink" (sic), with an attachment, it probably won't be a recipe for delicious chocolate ginger slump cake, but more likely to be a virus (of the non-piggy variety).
I would go in and change the password, if only the facility for doing this on Hotmail wasn't currently being displayed in Chinese...It currently looks as though my "secret question" is "Tender fragrant grass, how hard-hearted people can trample them?".
The parents-in-law's trip, so far, is going swimmingly. Although she hasn't said anything, I think Marney is quietly impressed that you can buy instant porridge containing sweets, and that my washing-up liquid has a built in air-freshener.
I would go in and change the password, if only the facility for doing this on Hotmail wasn't currently being displayed in Chinese...It currently looks as though my "secret question" is "Tender fragrant grass, how hard-hearted people can trample them?".
The parents-in-law's trip, so far, is going swimmingly. Although she hasn't said anything, I think Marney is quietly impressed that you can buy instant porridge containing sweets, and that my washing-up liquid has a built in air-freshener.
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