Living in America 2012--Because It Is No Longer 2011

[MmeBucket]

This is what happens when I start threads--they get stupid titles. Someone else needs to start the next one. Hopefully we can get this one filled by 2013.

Link to old thread for reference

Not much happening here. The kids have been off school for 25 days. I am soooo looking forward to them starting school tomorrow. Except it is my day to help, so instead of getting a break from my two, I'll have 22 of them to deal with.

Oh what a bummer that you've got so much repairing work to deal with! Good luck with it. I've always found the customer service at Sears really impressive.

I think Romney struggled with the fact that he had to move SO far right to win the primary that when he tried to move back to the centre ground (and pick up undecided voters) he had very little credibility left. I'm a chronic lefty liberal (far, far to the left of the average Dem, for example) and it's one of the things that I find most 'foreign' about living in America. DH's boss was raging about how long the power was out (poor guy has really suffered after the storm) - and was full of 'oh they should just mandate that power lines be underground'' and ''it's absurd that they're above ground'' - and he's an extremely red republican! DH managed not to point out "But then there'd be more tax for you to pay, and you hate that" or "but you're anti-govt-regulations of any kind!'' and just keep his trap shut, but I think it was probably quite hard.

When push comes to shove, most people I've met DO want government to run certain things, ensure clean air and water and soil for everyone to live with, and NOT do basic social functions for a profit. Neighbours who remark about the UK's 'socialised medicine' are amazed when I point to their 'socialized schools' or 'socialized police force' - but then see the equivalence. The rhetoric is more powerful than the truth, really, which is in my experience that most people just live on a sliding scale of how much of that they want the government to do. I imagine most people are actually more pragmatic than ideological .. but the prevailing ideology that government is bad and should be shrunk etc (the Norquist thing) is extremely foreign to me, as a lefty Brit. I find it fascinating.

Long way of saying: I need another cup of tea. Just got in from a dogwalk and it's BITTERLY cold out there. I feel terrible for people without power (or houses!) this week, specially as we're forecast snow this afternoon.

Had a very frustrating day..... 3hrs and $350 to change a bulb in my headlight because they blew the battery. Went to Sears and couldn't decide on a dishwasher. I just have to price check.

Macy's was just awful. I wanted a maternity coat, a couple of dresses for work, a pair of low heel work shoes, a comforter to go over our duvets and shoes for DH (he wore his workshoes on his last slaughterhouse tour and I threw them out much to his annoyance). It took them 1hr 9mins to get DH's shoes, they didn't have any of the 6 pairs of shoes I picked out in my size after I was ignored by the sales lady for 20mins, the comforter I found didn't have a cover and they wouldn't give a discount even though they wanted $350 and the pillowcases were missing and no one was available to help me in the maternity section. When I tried to pay for everything together they told me I needed to pay for things from each floor. I couldn't face going up to the top floor with the maternity stuff so just left it and went to destination maternity instead.

Snow was pretty bad on the way home. I finally got home at 7pm after leaving the house at 9.30am. Totally frustrated that such simple things took so long today and that I managed to spend more than $1000 but not on a dishwasher. Did the dishes by hand (which sucks).....

Speaking of politics, I find it fascinating that I find myself considered right wing in the UK and left wing here. I always point out to DH that the tax of living isn't that different between the UK, Denmark and US. It is just that in the US you pay for things such as healthcare and your pension out of your own pocket instead of paying through your taxes.

Oh what a nightmare of a day!

I just got an email from Old Navy - they've got outwear on sale at the moment. I'm using the 'frost free' puffer jacket but some of their wool blend stuff are much smarter-looking, if you're still after a jacket.

I've only ever been frustrated with the maternity outlets at Macy's.

Hands are still not used to dishwashing......

Ironically the coat I liked at Old Navy wasn't available online but was available at another mall. Just seems odd to me that something isn't available online - it is normally the other way round. I got one at sears which was more expensive but I just don't have time to be driving around Northern NJ.

Can't believe how much snow we had. The past two weeks have been a blur. Keeping positive was tough last night as the power went out. I located the crew who had worked on our neighbour and they fixed the wires back to the house.

Decided that life is too short for Macys. I got a 20% off coupon today in the mail and I threw it out. I would rather pay the extra and go to Nordstrom. It will probably cost me less in time! It isn't like me as I am normally very cost sensitive.

Hello! I am very up for a Jersey get together! That would be great!

We were "only" 6 days without power. In the town we were living before, the majority of my friends are STILL without power. It is so crazy.

On a complete aside, have you tried www.backcountry.com
They sell NF, etc etc and you can usually get a good deal.

Ah, but maternity too? I end up wearing a lot of ON maternity, because I resent spending lots on clothes I'm only going to wear for 4ish months. 6-7 weeks left for me now, it's getting less comfortable and I am staring to look forwards to it all being over!

Anyone got a Doula they'd recommend in north/central NJ?

blackcurrants At St. Barnabas they have a list of Doula's. My obn circled the ones she thought would be a good fit for me but we didn't end up going with one in the end. I will try to find that list.... They also gave me a list of lacation consultants which I can try to find if you need help there as well. I used Dawn who is located at Destination Maternity based on feedback from the nurses caring for me and DD. She was very good but wasn't to be for me.

Cat I couldn't find maternity stuff on backcountry. I have tried to keep the costs down too. ON just doesn't do smart enough dresses and their trousers don't fit me properly. I found pea in the pod is best for work but so darn expensive. With the travel this month alone I needed to buy another couple of outfits because I can't do laundry midweek at a hotel. I managed to make do with 6 dresses with DD but one is very casual and not suitable for work. I leave on Sunday and return Friday night.

That's so hard! I have found Target's over-the-bump 'tailored trousers' just smart enough for work, with gap blouses (I have a black and a khaki pair) - I'm doing this pregnancy in deep winter rather than hottest summer, plus I wasn't working in an office last time, so spent all my days in tank tops and flip flops!

The thing I find hardest to bear is the shoes. My feet have gone up half a size (went up 2 sizes last time, in the heat) and so I am forced into buying one or two crappy pairs of flats for works, and wearing crocs around the house. I'm not really 'into' shoes exactly, but I will be very annoyed if my entire set of shoes (wellies, snowboots, dressy shoes) never fit again after this pregnancy.
As happened after the last one, when I went from being a 9 to a 10 wide.
Sigh!

blackcurrants I had to make a 4pm flight and it was a struggle to get myself ready for my trip while running around after DD. Im back late on Friday night and can dig around for that list if you still want it. If you can't wait I would def ask your obn. Are you delivering at Overlook or St. B?

Can't believe how disorganized I am. I started training today and I am all over the place. Thank goodness I am at a hotel where they are looking after me. If not I don't think I could cope!

How are you all doing? I've recently moved to the US. We're staying with friends in Chicago right now but trying to move to NJ as DH will be working in NYC. We're hoping to be moved by Christmas but between the traumas of house buying and hurricanes it's all turning out be a lot more stressful and taking a lot longer than planned!

Hiya Tarenath - Saw you found us all!

Im in Chicago this week and the week after thanksgiving. Once power came back normality quickly returned although the train line into NYC wasn't working when I left on Sunday.

Want2 please don't worry about finding a doula for me - I think I've got one! It sounds like you're incredibly busy, so please don't worry!

Hi Tarenath - and welcome! It seems like there's quite a gang of us in NJ :)
Lovely having mum here to visit but quite hectic!

Thats great to hear you found a doula blackcurrants! My Dad is coming in next Friday to help DH with DD while I am away the last week of November. I think when you are away from family you romanticize.... I love my Daddy dearly but he only once visited for 3 weeks! It was intense.

Heh, well Mum's visit was certainly intense (we pulled ALL the baby things out of the attic, washed them ALL, etc) but I do feel much, much much more ready for our end-of-December arrival. Whoopeee!

Although I already miss her, it's also nice having our little flat back to ourselves again. DH and I scoffed biscuits and watched trashy telly last night with our feet up, rather than making polite conversation. It was very relaxing :)

Happy thanksgiving to all who're celebrating! I love Thanksgiving, for us it's just time off, no big meal to cook, no expectations - just a holiday. And we need one! :)

Happy thanksgiving!

We're making pies tonight (pumpkin, chocolate mousse & an Irish apple tart that DH keeps calling apple pie just to annoy me ) to bring to the in-laws for dinner tomorrow. We'll spend a few nights there and it should be fun - it's the only time all the kids & grandkids will be around (since not all can make Christmas) so looking forward to family time without any of the stress of gift shopping!

Blackcurrants glad you had a good time with your mum. It's great when you sort all those tiny baby clothes out . And great news about the doula. There's one who posts on the Maplewoodonline site but other than that I don't know any. I had a doula with DD, as DS was a crash section and I wanted to do everything I could to help have a vaginal birth this time. And she was fab - didn't really "do" anything, but her support (for us both) made DD's birth so much better. In fact, she's a MNetter . I'd recommend a doula to every pregnant woman!

Hope everyone has a great thanksgiving!

Baking pecan and sweet potato pies here to take to our friend's tomorrow who hosts a waifs and strays of LA dinner every year - really looking forward to it!

Ok everyone, black Friday tips please, don't really want to hit the shops and we're a bit skint so just want to go online and get stuff like winter coats for the kids and some bed sheets!!

Happy thanksgiving everyone. We're off to Napa for a few days, can't wait .

Girl. I found that the week after black Friday is the best time for getting things you want if it's not a particular make etc. loads of places put pretty much all their a/w stock in the sales then so clothes are cheap, if you just want a generic coat etc

Girl Sears have been having some great prices online for their bed linen. It isn't bad and you don't pay shipping if it is delivered to the store. Apart from that I haven't been shopping much.

Thanksgiving is a washout for us. DD has pink eye so we are under house arrest. Had my exam yesterday. Don't think I passed but moving on to the next part which I sit in 2 wks.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! It's nuts here at MILs house. The cooking started 3 days ago and I'm sure we have enough food to feed the 5000 here!

Happy thanksgiving ! V. grateful for 2 were in the potty this.afternoon, and eh doing most of the "accident" laundry from this morning! :)

Two wees , that should say! Lots more on the floor but you've gotta celebrate the wins!

Woohoo! That is great news blackcurrants. In my new job we get the week off for July 4th. I want to toilet train DD that week. I figure she can run around naked. If she isn't ready then it will be Thanksgiving next year for us too.

It's great that you won't have two in diapers at the same time too.

That's the goal - though I do suspect diapers would be easier than the RUSH to the potty, I also think I can't ask DS to wait till spring, since at the moment (28 months) he's really enjoying getting into 'grown up' things (trying to put on his clothes himself, properly using cutlery, walking more, etc). A few people have said "oh don't take it on now, you're too busy/tired!" and they're right BUT I feel that, since he's been asking for the potty, to tell him 'no, use a nappy instead!' is like telling him he's not grown-up enough for potty training. OR that it doesn't matter... neither of which is true!

So we'll see. He's put himself on the potty again tonight - I saw him sit but only realised he'd worked out that he needed to pee and sat in time when I heard "GOOD JOB!" and him applauding himself. :) That's ma boyyy! :)

Wow he is doing so well. It is the cutest when they applaud themselves.

DH made a moroccan beef stew for dinner as we had to cancel thanksgiving plans. Hell will freeze over before I go to Boston Market for thanksgiving dinner! DD loved it. Rather surprised because DH decided to go off piste with the receipe and it was on the spicy side. Since she likes spice we are off to Hoboken tomorrow for an Indian. Can ya tell im pregnant?!?