All those in the US, sign here...

[mamama]

I see all these threads for Aussie people and thought we should have our own thread too. Not sure why, I just felt the need to make us feel special too!

So, who's stateside and where are you?

I'll start:

Mamama - in Chicago

Anyone got any experience of this? Please??

hi mamama Any sign of ds2? Hope you're taking it easy! Dh is over there now and says it is still very hot - no fun when youre expecting!
Big count down for us now as myself, ds and dd fly out three weeks on Wed. Our container is due into cincinati next sat so our stuff should be there when we arrive. Poor dh has been living a very minimal lifestyle in our new home!
Can anyone tell me what the driving test involves? I need to do it within the first month so I can get insurance. Bit scary to think about doing the test as I have so many bad habits now. Also dh was instructed to buy me a nice small car till I get used to driving an automatic. He has bought a chevy venture which isnt my idea of small! It does look good though. Off to m&S now to stock up on pants, tights, kids pjs etc

DS2 Dodgykeeper? unless you know something I don't, I think you may have me confused with someone else! Just the 1 DS for me and none on the way as far as I know!

Won't be long before you are over here then. Can you look on the Ohio State DMV website for info on driving tests? When I moved to CT, I had to do the practical and a computer theory test (so had to read the CT Rules of the Road Book as the road signs are different over here). When we moved to IL, we had to do a new theory test but that was easy. I bet your DH will be glad to have you here.

Hope you had a successful trip to M&S. Never thought I'd say it but I miss it!

How old is your DS, Jabberwocky? (i.e. when will mine grow out of Thomas )

He's 4 and still very into Thomas. how old is yours?

Wow, those cakes are something else.

We've been out to dinner a lot with people from DH's work. We celebrated last night because he was officially accepted into the District Manager training program.

I'm getting all stressed because we're leaving very early Tuesday morning. I can't believe we leave at 7 am here and don't get to Boston until 6 pm. Ugh.

Colin gave up on Thomas last year not too long after he turned 3. He still has some stuff but never plays with it. We did the Day out with Thomas last year, but figured he didn't like it enough for the trip and the expense.

DS was 2 today so I've still got another 1 or 2 years of all things Thomas! We were going to do the Day Out this year but it got cancelled due to the flooding. It was really expensive too. A friend took their son and said that the kids were really freaked out by Thomas being 'real' and the Fat Controller (are we not allowed to call him that these days? He seems to be known as Sir Topham Hatt now. DS calls him Sir Top'At!)

Why will it take so long to get to Boston? I suppose the time difference adds quite a lot to the journey. I think when we flew from Portland to Hartford, CT, we had to connect in Chicago which added aaaages on to the journey time. Am sure you'll have fun when you get there. Make sure you do a Duck Tour!

Time difference, mainly. We switch planes in New York, too. I noticed it was a 2 hour flight from NY to Boston, so they are accounting for all the time we will spend waiting to take off.

The day out was so naff. I hated it, but Colin loved it when we went last year. He idolized Sir Topham Hatt. He followed the person in the costume around like a puppy and kept hugging him. It is about 70 miles or so to get to the one by us. It was a 5 hour drive last year because we were still in Southern Oregon.

That duck tour thing totally creeps me out. They have them here, and just looking at the brochure gives me the willies. Everyone we've talked to says to go, but I don't think so.

Dodgykeeper, the Ohio test is really easy. It's in four parts - the first is the eyetest, where you look into a contraption and read off the letters. Then there's the theory test, where you answer 20 multiple choice questions - you can swot up for it by getting hold of the Digest from the DMV or online. The road test is where you basically drive around the block, paying careful attention to stop signs (you must stop behind the line and count to three), lanes, and the speed limit (it will invariably be in a 25mph zone). The road test takes about 10 minutes, and when you return to the DMV, you have the maneuvre test - they have cones laid out, and you have to basically reverse park between two of them.

If you fail any part of the test, you can return a week later and just to what you missed. You can walk in for the eye and theory tests, but need to book the car bits.

You also need to pay careful attention to the documents you take with you. You need evidence of your legal status (ie passport and visa), your social security card, or a letter from the SSA saying you don't have a SSN. They are very anal and will not let you proceed unless everything is in place.

Talking to myself, because I'm the only human in the room right now as DH is busy being a Hobbit.

Is it anyone else, or is it just my computer that these really long threads are just shutting it down today and yesterday?

Lol at your hobbit dh! I had forgotten about that. Makes me giggle to imagine my dh as a hobbit

His hobbit has grey hair just like him, but is quite paunchy unlike him.

anyone around???

Yep!

it was a proper october day in my part of the uk today califrau. a bit of rain, a bit of sun, a bit of wind. not quite sure what the day would do next.

wot? no green and black's choccy for you?

Bovril too please . Seriously end of another very "short" week, working is making the days fly by. I'm enjoying it, albeit it hard to deal with it all, but I'm getting there. Weather's still glorious here although very cold in the evening now. Hoping for a girl's night out next week - one can live in hope. Life's pretty good all things considered. Hope everyone else had a good week too.

pleb.

[did i say that out loud!]

Where is everyone????

Hello everybody, can I join in? I live in Canada - Hamilton to be precise. That's south of Toronto, but about 45 mins north of Niagara Falls.

Usually not home in the daytime as I work full time but came home early as ds sick & had to pick him up from daycare.

Welcome!