"Bloggie" update

So, I'm not talking out loud with an Australian accent but I have caught myself talking to myself with an Australian accent.  True story.  And we've only heard a slight accent from Charley when she said "mummy" for "mommy". 

This is Charley's second week of school, and she's really liking it.  It's much bigger than what she's used to.  Instead of two 2nd grade classes of 13 students each, there are five 2nd grade classes of 25-30 students each.  Lane Cove Public School has 800 students in grades K-6.  And she wears a uniform which we're not used to (photo below).  All the students here wear uniforms whether they're in private, Catholic or public school.

As we meet more people, we are realizing that there is a very large expatriot population here.  It is so encouraging to commiserate with them over our relocation and assimilation experiences.  We're right in the most stresssful period as we attempt to establish new routines and are really missing the "normalcy" of home.  Charley is probably handling it the best.  She seems to be really enjoying each new experience.  The boys miss our house back home (as do we).  Quinn doesn't like this house because it doesn't have any stairs and he can't escape to another level.  During one of his teary-eyed moments, I was explaining to him that all of his toys and his bed will be coming -- that they are on a ship on their way to Australia, and he wanted to know if they "put our stairs on that ship".

A friend recently asked how many times we start getting in the wrong side of the car.  The answer is pretty much every time we have to drive!  I just did it with my manager -- a valet brought her car around and both of us started towards the driver's side.  One time after loading the kids and groceries, Matt and I got in the car.  He looked at me and said "I thought I was driving" and I looked at him and said "I thought I was riding!"  Although we've come a long way in being able to navigate a new city from the opposite side of the car and road, it is still really challenging.

We're also getting accustomed to paying exorbitant prices. For example, beer runs about $40/case, box of Fruit Loops is $8, a gallon of gas is around $5.25, a pack of smokes is $16 (I've been told), a ticket to the movie theatre is $19 and a glass of wine at said movie theatre is $10.  Milk, bread and beef are comparable to what we're paying in the US and the beef and chicken is so good!  So is the fruit.  It all tastes so much sweeter and fresher.  (Still haven't tried the vegemite -- they serve it with crackers at the boys' daycare.  Grey likes it.  Quinn doesn't.  Go figure.)  Speaking of Grey (and I know this doesn't have anything to do with being in Oz), he pooped on the living room floor tonight.  Yep.  That's right.

So, you may have heard how Aussies shorten words and add "ie" or "y" to the end, such as "barbie" for barbecue, and "footy" for football.  We are getting such a kick out of the proliferation of this annihilation of the English language.  Recently asked by a coworker during a rainstorm, "did you remember your brelly?" and heard on the news, "bikey hospitalized after hit by a truckie" as in a motorcyclist was hit by a truck driver. 

The Super Bowl played here on Monday morning.  It's so bizarre to be at the office and no one even mentioned it.  It's the Super Bowl!