Number plates

I have gotten into the habit of reading people's car number plates.  When I first came here I thought it would be cool to have a personalised number plate, saying OUCH or SPEEDEMON, or whatever.  But as time has gone on, and I have stared at various versions I have decided they are a total waste.  They cost $100 odd  PER YEAR and because all the cool words are taken, the spellings used generally make little sense.  All I think of when I see them is the moment of hilarity when the new owner of the number plate gets them.  And then it is gone, and it becomes rather ludicrous.  Instead they are followed about by people with screwed up faces trying to work out what MYCHAIT actually means, or MRKOOLZ.  Our neighbours have one that says JSTSONS and for the longest time I read it to be JETSONS and thought it was their surname, it actually means Just sons, as they only have boys, but it seems a bit strange to spend a few hundred dollars each year to announce this to strangers.  Perhaps the ones the same I <3 JDB or JDB <3 FOS, is quite sweet and touching that they want to declare their love but still, spend the money on a ring or a nice meal or something.

Sorry, feeling cynical today and kept reading MYCHAIT as my shite, rather than My Chai Tea, and wondered why you would want to declare that on your car.......

Other gems I have seen are H8 WINTER, really, you feel the need to spend a hundred odd dollars per year to declare this???  LEAF GRN and GRVYMOM - could be 'gravy mom' - hard to know for sure.

Monday lemons and big feet

Today when I went to put on my winter boots I found I couldn't  :-(  My feet have swollen and I am resolved to wear my (stinky) summer sandals for a while longer until the problem is solved (i.e. I buy new shoes - have my eye on a pair that cost only (!!) $115, Clarks of course).  So I had to wear a pair I bought for my last pregnancy that are totally unsuitable, boots about and inch high. I am not a heel wearer and a trip to the park this morning has caused them to be added to the Goodwill pile.

Anyhow, I did some post-weekend tidying.  I have been avoiding bending over, as it hurts my back, so as a result a lot of stuff has accumulated on the floor.  So I had a big tidy today, and whilst in the mood picked a few lemons to put in the new (to us) freezer.  Apparently lemon season is around December, and in the summer, when you want to make lemonade and gin and tonics there are no lemons.  So apparently the answer is to freeze them.  As we are in the process of filling the freeze, in preparation for the new baby I decided to add a few lemons.  This time last year (our first year here) there weren't many lemons, but this year the tree is laden.

Peace

The two older boys are friends with 2 brothers of the same age and their mum has asked them all for a playdate. She has just had number 3 and knows how it feels, so even picked up my number 3.  She is an angel.  People here have been great at helping out with the kids, taking them off my hands to give me a break.  I think, bar one or two people at home, that happens less.  I think perhaps the distance we live from good friends is probably partly to do with it, people live more densely populated here so we know people who live closer, plus the boys are older, so its easier to have play dates but definitely there was a small pool of people I could rely on at home, where as here its a bit bigger and people offer more.  I don't think that is a reflection on US vs UK as I know I am more likely to offer to take other people's children here as a) the house is bigger and b) they can play outside c) the children are older so tend to occupy each other more, rather than me.

I got an email from a friend at home today, it was so lovely to hear her craic.  I really miss friends from home and  all about their lives.  This friend in particular is very honest and open and doesn't pretend her life is something it isn't.  She has had her struggles and still does and sometimes you need to hear that just so you know your own struggles are normal.  Not everyone is super mum.   Plus she does it with a sense of humour, and I just know that we would be laughing our legs off if the conversation were in person, and trying to top each other with the ridiculous situations we end up in with our families.

Anyhow, I am going to take the time now to do some craft stuff, I tried this morning but the baby was clambering over me and fiddling with sewing boxes and then I got tired so we had a joint nap.....  I wont miss the way tiredness just over comes you when you are pregnant once this is all over.... but when might that be?  After birth comes the night feeds and all that caper.  Hmmm