Some Kind of Wonderful

Everything is different here, even little things. It complicates the simplest things. Like going to the grocery store. I didn't realize how much more time I would spend roaming the aisles looking for things, but the packaging and brand names are different. I don't think a normal person would have much trouble with this, but since I've arrived here I've regressed back into an early-childhood state where everything new and unfamiliar is fascinating and I find it hard to restrain myself from picking something up off a shelf for closer examination... even if it's a box of crackers or something.

Another thing that creates somewhat of a problem for me: the language barrier. Weird, considering I'm in England, so the primary language is... you guessed it, English. Then again I am in the "sticks" of Britain surrounded by cider-swilling farmers whose accents are extremely thick. Combine that with the fact that they have different words for things and I'm in a load of trouble. The other day a friendly builder offered me a ride home (after chasing off a rogue goose that had decided to attack me). I gladly took him up on the offer because it would've been a long walk, and he looked like a friendly man beneath the grizzled white mane and beard. Poor guy, though. He tried talking to me the entire way and I can honestly say I caught possibly 5 random words. I guess he was satisfied by my response of awkward laughter and the occasional "yeah" to everything he said, because he kept talking. Sorry Father Christmas, couldn't seem to understand a word you were saying.

Everyone here is extremely nice. That's my favorite part of being here, how nice people are. (They're also big on recycling, yay!) Everyone is patient and friendly and willing to help however they can. And I'm learning a lot. The metric system... is completely lost on me still, unfortunately... but maybe someday I'll get there. I'm trying hard to remember to say "trousers" instead of "pants"... because "pants" here means underwear. Bit awkward when I compliment someone on their pants, which I did the other day.

T.M.G.

Pictures can't do this place justice, I've already posted some on Facebook, and I can't figure out how to put any up here (funny, didn't seem to have a problem with that earlier).

To sum it up,

Every morning I send the girls off to school after breakfast. While they're gone I basically help their mom with the housekeeping and gardening. One funny thing: they line dry their clothes! Yup, no dryer here. They like it better that way. A little strange considering they're pretty well-off financially, but I'm not complaining! Line-dried clothes smell delicious, and we get to do a lot of ironing that way (I've taken a strange and somewhat unhealthy liking to ironing. Don't be alarmed). When the girls come home from school I play with them for a bit, then make them dinner and put them to bed. Simple as that! Sometimes I don't understand why I get paid to do this... again, not complaining.

Weekends are my own, and I can do whatever I want. This past weekend I finally wasn't jetlagged out of my mind and was able to go do things! Saturday I went into South Molton, which is a funny little place in the middle of nowhere. It's surrounded by fields but the buildings are stacked on top of each other and crammed into this tiny plot of land. The market was pretty much exactly like the ones back home, but it was fun to just walk around anyway.

Sunday I went for a walk up to the village. The 'village' is this place called Knowstone, it's about half a mile away from the house I'm living in. It's an amazing place. There's a pub and a church and some old cottages. They all date back to the 11th century! The history geek inside of me had a field day. I loved it. I stayed there all afternoon and walked the single street a billion times. I wonder if the residents were eyeing me suspiciously from behind their curtains. I actually did take pictures of this venture, but I'm too lazy right now to upload them. Check Facebook sometime in the near future if you want to see them!

Lastly...

Today is my birthday.

I'm sure most of you know this, but I love my birthday. I try to milk it for all that it's worth. I never understand people who write theirs off as just another day on the calendar; I definitely do not share this mindset. This year I was worried my special day would be disappointing, though, considering I'm 9,000-odd miles from home. I was wrong.

This morning the girls gave me a sweater at breakfast. My family emailed me a sweet video they had made of them singing 'Happy Birthday' around a cake my baby sis made for me (spice, yum!). At dinner tonight the family surprised me again with a cake and a candle to blow out.

Other nice things:

1) It rained, and I love rain.

2) The Yankees beat the Jays yesterday.

3) I'm in England.

So as far as birthdays go, this one was pretty high up on the list.