Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Day Five

I skipped blogging yesterday because it was such a busy day that I was totally and completely exhausted.

Eli took Tommy to school and Lulu and I were picked up at the hotel at 9 by another Bechtel Wife.  She lives in the house we plan to rent (she has to move to Saudi Arabia in the next couple of weeks so there's a little perspective for when I need it), and it is a distinct possibility that we will buy her car as well.  Her car is a small SUV but has the extra row of seats which I think would be good for us.  The house has a very nice living area and lots of patios and she has lots of plants which she is willing to sell to us.  She is also willing to let us have her cleaning lady who comes for three times as many hours as ours in London did, for the same price.  Said cleaning lady also babysits.  Katherine took me to sort out my phone (I got a data plan, but you just pay as you go for the phone) and took me grocery shopping and then took me to pick up Tommy.  It was really sweet of her.  This is particularly true considering that I interrogated her about everything from which doctors to see to where to get a pedicure.  She also showed me things such as where to pay our utilities (you pay in cash, at an office) and where to get the car washed (I think it's a law that your car has to be clean here).  Katherine's tip for driving is that you can't go too slow or you'll be run off the road.  So that's nice.

This morning Eli and Lulu and I picked up a rental car for me.  I will have it for a month while our visas are processed (we can't buy a car until we are allowed to be in the country as residents).  I followed Eli for a while but then I had to come back to the hotel on my own, and then drove to see another school for Lulu on my own.  I found the school fine but that's because it is very easy to find.  I am hoping that Lulu will get a place in it as it is very close to where we will live as well as nice-feeling.  It's not completely Montessori, not by a long shot, but it is nice.  The British ladies who run it are a tiny bit scattered and so aren't sure whether there is a spot for her now, but there likely will be one for April, they think.  Eli and I see another school on Saturday.  Or maybe Sunday.  I can't remember.

But back to the driving thing.  Eli is meeting Lulu and me so that he can ride shotgun on the way to get Tommy.  I think I will need this two times before I can do it on my own, but we'll see.  I wish I had driven more in the past, say, ten years.  Also, I wish I were more comfortable with roundabouts, but really, they're not so bad.

I am so confused about which day it is here.  That the weekends are Thursday and Friday is so confusing to me.  It's Friday night for us.  But Eli has to work tomorrow, ugh.  I plan to take the kids over to the Wave (where we'll live) after they have their TV time.  We can check out the beach!  I KNOW.

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