The Land of the Free & the Home of the Brave (expats)... All Those in the US!

[UnderRated]

I just finished the old thread by accident

How is Tennessee? I don't really know the US apart from the east coast.

That's a good point about working mums, I think all the SAHMs I met last year were expats. Maybe I will meet some really nice nannies.

We're living in Battery Park City. It's close to dh work so he gets home early and has lovely playgrounds and green space, I think we will be happy here.

I know, a CELLO!

I helped some of BF's friends unload their moving van into a storage place and as we were pulling stuff out, I found a violin. "Wow, you have a violin," I say. "Ha! We have a cello in there too. Do you want it? We can't sell it. It's yours." And so it is mine. But I can't tune it. I can't hear the notes properly to tune it accuratley. I can tune it to itself but not to the right pitch. V frustrating. And I have no music but managed to play London's Burning and Happy Birthday. It is so FAB. I don't have a pic but will get one - it's at BF's place atm. I miss playing an instrument so much so this will be great. If I can teach myself to play it. I'm a wind player not a string person so it's all new. I could yabber on about it all day

Hello alarkaspree and welcome. Battery Park area is lovely. I'll update the list.

East Coast
NannyK - Boston
Twinmommytobe - Boston
MuminCT - CT
Greatgooglymoogly - NY State
Yesthereare4ofthem - NY State
Brooklynmom - NYC
alarkaspree - NYC
MKG - New Jersey
Nooka - NJ
Mummimamma - PA
Twirl - MD

South
Earlybird - TN
jabberwocky - TN
Sunchowder - Florida
Marls001 - Bentonville, AR
Tinpot - NC

Midwest
SuperBunny- Chicago
Dodgykeeper - Dayton, OH
Chocchipcookie - Ohio

Rockies
Alipiggie - Boulder, CO

Northwest
dooneygirl - Oregon City, OR

California
SittingBull - nr San Francisco
Califrau - Milpitas
loopsngeorge - Brentwood, LA
Syd - Manhattan Beach, LA
SofiaAmes - LA
LATyke - Redondo Beach

Texas
Texan - Dallas
Tiggyhop - Houston
Vixie78 - Houston
BananaPudding - Austin

Canada
Hellish - Ottawa
Shouldlistenedtomymum - Hamilton
MrsSprat - Toronto
Caribbean
Barefeete - BVI

Bermuda
Anorak

Trinidad
cq

Brazil
Albert

Oooo, thanks Cali. I did do all that. I even found an online cello tuner so in theory it should be a doddle. But when it plays a C, I can't hear if they cello is on a c or not. I thought it was but then realised I was a 5th off and had tuned it to G without realising. Then I just couldn't get it right so gave up. Will try again. I can sing in tune so I must be able to hear the notes. Can it be that I am out of practice? I am worried that I have lost all musical ability. You know where you are with a wind instrument and can only ever be a semi-tone or so out. Much easier!

Now I need to find some good cello music. Ode to Joy now in the list. Any other recommendations for a novice? Sooooo excited!

Hello - alarkaspree. Hurrah, I'm not the 'new girl' anymore. Not that I've had a hazing or anything . Far from it.

I've got another question for you all (and it's about shopping...)

Does anyone have an intimate (or passing) knowledge of the typical SALES calendar over here? I.e. When can I start shopping for Fall/Winter cheapies?

'Tis a fine balance as we're probably heading back to UK later in the autumn, and I'm contemplating trying to lose a bit of weight and it would be a good incentive to do so. I did very well in the summer sales, but that won't help with my back-to-work wardrobe (slimmer-line or not).

Good question

Dunno the answer. I bet someone does. Dooney is good with shopping.

Well, if you want a winter coat, now is a pretty good time. Unfortunately, it sounds like for you, January is by far and away the best time for deals on anything else, with retailers trying to dump what they didn't sell for Christmas and getting rid of stuff before inventories. Prices will drop mid-to-late November for fall-winter clothing, but nothing like in January.

That is the "usual", but maybe you'll be lucky with the down economy this year?

Try the Labor Day Sales - you'll probably pick up a few bargains - particularly at the Outlet Malls if you live near them.

Yes, outlet places - nordstrom rack, marshalls type shops might be ok too?

Ok, my trip to Dairy Queen was my first and last. I have felt v ill since and can't think what else it could be. They poisoned me

oh, too bad I love their peanut buster parfait.

Hello MNers we are about to move to Des Moines Iowa as DH will be on a 2 year secondment. I have been directed here and would like to join you! At the moment there seems to be LOADS to think about in the month or so until the move.

Am feeling slightly daunted by the prospect of knowing no one but am hoping that meeting people (especially though the dcs) will be easy. Am expecting no. 3 in Jan.

Am working at the mo so looking forward to a bit of a lifestyle change to SAHM. We are really hoping that settling in won't be too difficult as people we've met / sopken to so far are really friendly and helpful.

Finally a quick question about furniture - is anyone abroad on a temporary basis and if so have you ever rented furniture? We are looking at it as an alternative to shipping ours over. Any advice appreciated!

Thanks

Labor day sales - oh good idea. How long do they go on for? The outlets near me are somewhat disappointing and I have not yet managed to find a Banana Republic factory store. Mind you we may be heading down to the US in a couple of weeks.

Hello Bunkups and good luck with the move.
I take it you won't be renting a furnished place? We're in a serviced appartment with all the trimmings and it's been great. Is it possible for you to do this at first while you get your new place sorted? Or would the owners of the place you're renting from consider leaving you some basics?

We rented a cot from the building management (they were a bit reluctant at first owing to legal issues/SIDS etc), but have done this for $30 per month. Anything else we've needed has been IKEA'd and we'll sell on or donate before we leave.

Bunkups - my sister and her dh move every 9-10 months for work, and rent furniture. She is happy with that as a solution, though obviously the furniture is a bit generic.

No idea though how expensive it is, and if it would be wiser/more economical to buy some basic things. But the upside of renting is you don't have to dispose of anything when it's time to move!

Hello

I'm not sure about Des Moines. Or if they have an Ikea. I second Craigslist. And maybe Freecycle? Also, if you are near a University, see if they have a marketplace website where peo0ple sell stuff.

Look up moms clubs to see if they have a group in the area.

We went to a Pioneer Village today. It was lovely.

Cali, I was just on FB and saw your new pics. Your boys look so British! Very handsome. I like that they are wearing dark shoes with black socks.

DS was dropped off this morning in a loud shirt, shorts, white trainers and socks. After a while in the car, I turned around to see what he was up to and he had pulled up his socks to his knees. If there were a picture of 'American' in the dictionary, I am sure he would have been it! To be fair, I don't think I have actually seen any real live Americans dress like that but am sure I did in London. Perhaps it is just the tourists?

I've decided to be sociable again.

What happens at a pioneer village? There's lots of them here, because we're at the end of the Oregon Trail, but I've never really bothered.

Did Dinner have his pants hiked up way past his belly button? Because isn't that part of the American tourist wardrobe also???

I have set this week aside for doing all the touristy things with DS. I was still recovering from chemo before and this is the first time I've felt up to doing days out.

So far we have had a fab time - Mon and Tues were excellent. I took heaps of photos and will put them up at the end of the week for everyone to see.

We went on a lovely ferry ride from one end of the islands to another today - sounds mundane but the ferry goes out to sea quite far and the weather and views are both fab. When we arrived at the easternmost part of Bermuda we spent the day sightseeing like tourists and had the greatest time.

I am not the most natural mother and frequently complain that I feel stifled by caring for children but when DS (7) and I go out on our own we nearly always have a fab time.

That sounds absolutely lovely, anorak.

I love ferry rides. They are the best.

I don't think he did, Dooney. I shall teach him that one. He usually has them on backwards so up to the waist would be an improvement. I didn't mean to be offensive btw

I know shockingly little about American History but I taught 'The Pioneers' to my 1st and 2nd grade class and I love it. All that travelling in a covered wagon and building log cabins then sitting in them and weaving and baking bread. Lewis and Clark and all that...

It was a living history place so they had people dressed up like 1840s people and a blacksmith working in his forge. DS milked a fake cow (but was confused that water was coming out rather than milk) and sat in the school room, 'writing' on his chalk board. I love places like that. Am sure you have far better ones in Oregon.

I knew very little about American history. When I was in England I used to work as a Mastermind question setter and I had to write a set for Children's MM about the Little House On The Prairie novels. I loved reading them and felt I learned so much from it.

Now in Bermuda we have the usual crappy TV but some of the programmes in the day are US history and I choose them if I can. I have seen quite a few really good ones while convalescing.

Anorak, that sounds wonderful. It's lovely how you can have such a great day with your DC when some other days can be quite hard-going (or at least in my family)

A boat trip from one end of the island to the other sounds far from mundane! Am glad you are feeling up to doing touristy stuff now