It's been a long tough week in many ways. Firstly obviously the house has been alot of work and we still haven't scratched the surface. I feel completely overwhelmed by the amount which needs doing. The bathrooms need replacing QUICKLY because they're just scuzzy, the kitchen needs replacing QUICKLY because the inside of the cupboards smell like old people (and the outsides are ugly), the laundry room smells like cat piss which is peculiar becaus ethe previous owner didn't have cats but it looks like we might need to rip up the floor and re-do it. There is mess and boxes everywhere. We havent' even begun to look downstairs, where probably a thousand boxes reside in rooms which you can't even enter due to the volume of unpacked shit. The hot tub thermostat is fucked and it's either too hot or too cold, and the smell of cholorine occasionally wafts upstairs (going to have to switch to a chlorine free version of the chemicals) if the door is left open, which combined with the smell of cat piss is depressing me in a big way. Basically we're cramped in on the one level at the moment and I am feeling the strain.
Dylan started school this week. He's had a shit summer, poor guy, with moving constantly around and not having anyone of his age to play with. He was very nervous about his first day as we lined up outside with all the other parents and children waiting to go in. The school is fantastic, brand new, big, lots of facilities, lots of money, lots of amazingly good teachers, lots of very interested and involved parents. One feels bad showing up half asleep in scruffy clothes when the other mothers are kitted out in their pre-gym flashy clothes or their gucci's, may actually have to brush hair in the morning from now on. Dylan cried in the line up to go in but soon overcame it as the teacher encouraged him to come into the classroom. He had a good time and played with the boy from next door at the various recesses, and got his own (healthy) lunch at the cafeteria which costs us 2 bucks a day but beats making packed lunches any day. He's soon settled in and seems to be enjoying himself. Not sure what the level of the students is at this stage there but hopefully he'll be challenged.
I've been out with friends a few times this week, at least, to alleviate the stress of the move. That's been fun. I find I am missing the ease of the street in Canada, missing the swarm of kids that Dylan could play with every day, probably because I'm feeling a bit daunted by all of this at the moment. I think the whole 'I just emigrated' thing is finally beginning to settle in. I do feel mostly positive, I just miss the known rather than having to combat the unknown every day. I also miss my canadian big, new built & easy to maintain home. Dylans happy mind you, he's over next door at the moment and wants to play with Philip every day as soon as he gets home (and does!). Harry is also settling into his new home, likes his new bedroom ( the boys rooms are all we have finished so far) and seems happy.
Aside from that all, it's been good. Except for Hurricane Katrina which I've been following with some horror on CNN over the last couple of days. Here's hoping those people are going to be rescued from the appalling situation they are in currently and that the American govt. gets off it's arse and helps them.
Posted by katie at September 2, 2005 09:05 PM