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G'day fellow Aussie's
Wow can you believe that we have been here over two weeks already! It has flown but at the same time feels like we have been here for years.
The girls started school last Monday and have settled in well. It turned out that Taylah was too young to attend William Brookes (that's the high school) so she has also started at the Village primary school (I can see the playground from the top floor window of our house) which she was very happy about as were Brian and I. Because the school year starts in September here that means that she will start high school then and have 3 months there before we head home.
The classes here work funny and they place kids more on ability rather than age which I think is great! I still get confused with how it works but Taylah and Caitlyn have landed in the same class which I think will be really good for Caitlyn as it will extend/challenge her ability.
Taylah came home on Monday all excited and told me that she had become a 'perfect', I said that maybe she meant 'prefect' or maybe the perfect prefect! In any case she is excited and can't wait to get her badge and I think this responsibility will be great for her confidence.
Emilee is very happy at school and loves her new teacher Mrs Martin but loves the 'school dinners' more, lol, she is my daughter!
Mind you I am not complaining one bit, I pay 24 pounds a week (converted about $55) and they get a 2-3 course hot lunch everyday which they have been enjoying. Yesterday they had roast chicken, Yorkshire pudding with vegetables and apple crumble & ice cream….sadly it seems that parents aren't invited. Maybe that amount seems a lot to pay but I have found that they don't really want recess now and if you added up all the money I spent on lunch stuff and school snacks it works out about the same…besides its worth not having to pack lunches for a whole year!
Josh is keen to start school on Monday. We went and had a look around last week and it seems to be a great school and even has its own recording studio! He has made a few friends through My space who also go to the same school but think he is getting cabin fever now and can't wait to get going…He has the life at the moment and sleeps until midday and then watches TV (44 Channels) all afternoon, eats and then chats to his friends on the computer.
Brian started school this week as well and after a couple of days of just shaking his head is actually starting to enjoy the difference in the schools and teaching styles. His school is about a 30 minute drive which he doesn't like; he leaves in the dark and gets home in the dark. He was saying today that there were heaps of cars pulled over on the side of the freeway today waiting for tow trucks because they had slid of the road due to ice, scary!
One of the things that he is really enjoying is the multi cultural aspect in the school, he teaches English, Welsh, Irish, Scottish, Indian, Pakistani, African, Turkish, Afghani and Lebanese! Hence we have a huge range of cuisine to eat (sure beats the paragon and maxims for a change) when we order take away now we actually have a choice! Indian is huge here and you will find an Indian restaurant on just about every corner ( ok slight stretch of the truth, but only just) It seems that England's national dish is curry now because if it's meat they will slap curry on it! Lol
The kids are responding well to Brian at school and have lots of questions about Australia, one boy wanted to know how Brian spoke when he was home, Brian said 'just like I do now', the boy said Oh but don't you say Crikey!
Nigel has pictures of Australia and our house pinned up in the back of the classroom, one being a picture of our pool, another boy asked Brian if we had a pool fence to keep the crocodiles out! Crikey!
As for me well I am just plodding around the house at the moment but we finally bought a 7 seater which we pick up tomorrow so that will finally mean that I can have wheels to escape, yay! I finally plucked up the courage to drive a few days ago ( Brian made me) and I am getting used to being flashed or tooted at, lol, overall I am not doing too bad considering I have no idea what any of the traffic signs mean, lol, I just wave and say hello.
We are finally starting to understand a bit of the English lingo although the girl next door probably thinks I am simple or something because whenever we bump into each other she says ' You all right then' And I always say 'yes thanks' and walk away thinking she is so caring for asking after me all the time! Anyway I was out with Josh the other day and she said it to me and I replied my usual answer 'yes thanks' wondering why she never talks about anything else…next thing Josh laughs at me and says 'mum she is saying hello' whoops, so if anyone English ever says 'are you all right then' they aren't actually asking, just saying hi.
Anyway Id best be going, we have an early start in the morning….wheels at last! Brian has a mid term break coming up (9th Feb) so we are busy planning a week in Italy, hmmm all that coffee!
Enjoy the sun because yep you guessed it, its raining again here…apparently they slap water restrictions on here if the rain stops for more than 40 minutes! Or so I'm told..ha ha
Miss you all,
Dee
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