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I’m trying to organise a night out with the mums from E’s class. As the classes here are mixed up every year, there’s not the same bond between the parents that have been through it all together for years and years, and I think that’s why there’s not much going on socially. And of course Read more

We have received 3 Christmas cards so far. I know it’s still 2 weeks until Christmas, but last year at this time we had at least 20 already! I diligently went out in mid November, purchasing packs of cards, and started sending off a few to arrive in Europe in good time for Christmas. And Read more

The 2nd of advent has been and gone, the tree is up, we’ve been making German Christmas cookies, and still – it doesn’t really feel like the big day’s only just over 2 weeks away. F has been making a couple of xmas things at pre-school, but it’s all been very underwhelming – especially compared Read more

A little note about manners. I mentioned earlier how impressed I was with Elise’s friends at her party, how polite they all were. Well. Generally, manners as we know them in, say, the UK or Germany, are not necessarily known in the same way in this country. What I mean by that is that the Read more

It’s Thanksgiving morning, and I’m watching the big Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, which is unfolding right now in New York City, and on my TV here in our friend’s house in Portland, Oregon. And boy, is it giving me an idea about just how big this celebration is in this country. The parade’s bonkers!!! I’ve Read more

Ah, it’s “Holiday Season”! And “holidays”, in this country, mean Thanksgiving and Christmas and all that’s involved around those celebrations. I’m very excited about the former (my first proper Thanksgiving, and arguably the biggest celebration on the American calendar), and slightly apprehensive about the latter. But more of that later….We’re about to start our first Read more

BBC newsflash: San Francisco bans unhealthy toys. Told you the Californians are obsessive about food…. Read more

The girls are frighteningly good at their American accents, although they don’t really use them. They just mock the accent, and they are good. But sometimes, there are misunderstandings, as the words sound so very different. We were talking about different words used for British words, such as ‘bathroom’ or ‘restroom’ for ‘loo’ or ‘toilet’ Read more

Ah, things are really quite good. I’m at Starbucks with my laptop, working, cappucino in front of me, it’s warm enough to sit outside, and it’s November. Not a drizzle or grey cloud in sight. Could get used to this! Read more

So Halloween is upon us, a 3 day event this time. I had to attend two parades yesterday, one for pre-school and one for school, tonight we’re going to a party at one of the neighbouring houses, and tomorrow of course, we’re trick or treating. Of course we hadn’t tried and tested the costumes till Read more