25 October, 2018: Team Taylor - Settling In
Team Taylor - Settling In
Picking up where I left off, about a month ago. Since then, we have been busy settling in to our new home, as well as playing tourist - and doing loads of six year old friendly stuff.. Nope - we haven't even made it to a bar yet :) (note to self - find babysitter soon)! I'll tell the story in pictures - it is far more interesting that way.
Our freight arrived after we had only been in our unit for a couple of weeks - which was great because all four of us camping on the blow up mattresses was getting old, fast! Juz did an amazing job of getting everything unpacked in about four days. I did have to help with the kitchen stuff..... wow - I really had far too much stuff! So another clean out and we were all set.
New furniture, excepting our beds which we shipped over. Vegas ruling the roost - as usual. Harlin's got a nice big room and finally has a bog boy desk. Whilst the unit is a tad dated on the inside, it's got some lovely features, is quite big and the location is amazing - as well as being only a 20ish minute drive to work, when there is no traffic (30-60 mins when there is...).
In between unpacking (and for those of you who know me well - will know that that had to be sorted pronto for my brain to be able to even function :)... we have been having loads of fun.
Santa Cruz (the beach) is only 30 minutes from Los Gatos - and we have already been a couple of times. The Boardwalk is great - loads of rides and games and fun - and it has all the big bad American food you can think of. The chocolate covered bacon was just weird - but the apple with caramel and nuts and cream was seriously good.
Barely a weekend goes by where one of the schools isn't having a fair - and we seek them out! This one was just up the road - and called for Harlin's first ever hot dog; although he only eats the hot (the sausage) not the dog (the bun).
The weather in Northern California is seriously good. Think Sydney weather but no humidity, and it rarely rains. Which means, plenty of opportunity to get out in the local parks. Pics above are from a night they do called 'Screen on the Green' - a fantastic movie night just a few minutes up the road.
Of course, Halloween is in full swing. We knew it was big in the US, but you have no idea until you are here. It is everywhere - so much stuff in the shops and pretty soon, lots of decorated houses. As for anything Pumpkin - you name it, and it exists; pumpkin pies, pumpkin butter, pumpkin bread, pumpkin everything. Saturday night we headed out to a place called Gilroy Gardens - a local theme park that does a special halloween thing - great fun, lots of trick or treating.
Picking up where I left off, about a month ago. Since then, we have been busy settling in to our new home, as well as playing tourist - and doing loads of six year old friendly stuff.. Nope - we haven't even made it to a bar yet :) (note to self - find babysitter soon)! I'll tell the story in pictures - it is far more interesting that way.
Our freight arrived after we had only been in our unit for a couple of weeks - which was great because all four of us camping on the blow up mattresses was getting old, fast! Juz did an amazing job of getting everything unpacked in about four days. I did have to help with the kitchen stuff..... wow - I really had far too much stuff! So another clean out and we were all set.
New furniture, excepting our beds which we shipped over. Vegas ruling the roost - as usual. Harlin's got a nice big room and finally has a bog boy desk. Whilst the unit is a tad dated on the inside, it's got some lovely features, is quite big and the location is amazing - as well as being only a 20ish minute drive to work, when there is no traffic (30-60 mins when there is...).
In between unpacking (and for those of you who know me well - will know that that had to be sorted pronto for my brain to be able to even function :)... we have been having loads of fun.
Santa Cruz (the beach) is only 30 minutes from Los Gatos - and we have already been a couple of times. The Boardwalk is great - loads of rides and games and fun - and it has all the big bad American food you can think of. The chocolate covered bacon was just weird - but the apple with caramel and nuts and cream was seriously good.
Barely a weekend goes by where one of the schools isn't having a fair - and we seek them out! This one was just up the road - and called for Harlin's first ever hot dog; although he only eats the hot (the sausage) not the dog (the bun).
The weather in Northern California is seriously good. Think Sydney weather but no humidity, and it rarely rains. Which means, plenty of opportunity to get out in the local parks. Pics above are from a night they do called 'Screen on the Green' - a fantastic movie night just a few minutes up the road.
Of course, Halloween is in full swing. We knew it was big in the US, but you have no idea until you are here. It is everywhere - so much stuff in the shops and pretty soon, lots of decorated houses. As for anything Pumpkin - you name it, and it exists; pumpkin pies, pumpkin butter, pumpkin bread, pumpkin everything. Saturday night we headed out to a place called Gilroy Gardens - a local theme park that does a special halloween thing - great fun, lots of trick or treating.
Sunday was Pumpkin Patch at Harlin's school - another fare really. Lots of fun games (including dunking the Principal and the Sports Coach).
We have managed to get ourselves to an Ice Hockey game (with a friend from work who is from Aus). We had no idea what was happening, but the atmosphere was amazing. There is something happening every single minute, either on the ice or with the crowd. We loved it and will return - we of course have to support the San Jose Sharks!
The last few weeks saw us get our cars. I've a little electric number and Juz has a slightly bigger SUV for us to use on weekends. We are relatively used to driving on the 'wrong' side of the road. Last week we passed our written drivers test and in December we have to go for a driving test - that'll be interesting!
Harlin and I keep busy many a weekend morning with a walk or a scooter around the town - which generally involves a muffin and a hot chocolate from his favourite bakery. There's farmers markets just up the road every Sunday too - so we are spoilt for choice.
We did our first US baking a few days back, I managed to get my pantry as it should be ;), Harlin took up blower vaccing the leaves - and we have, of course, been to the movies many a time. We also got a new fridge and a new BBQ (we are missing our Aussie BBQ's!)
Now aside from all this fun, we did of course end up here with my job. I am loving what I am doing, is actually quite nice to go to the office every day and I am getting to know loads of great people.
Now that the house is more settled, Juz is getting more time to play golf whilst he waits for his employment card to come through - then he will be off to work too :).
And here we are, almost at the end of October and getting ready for a huge Halloween next week. Special post to come to cover that.
Juz, G, Harlin and Vegas
xxx
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