Author: Fliss

Is both the same, and different.

It would seem that appointments overrunning is still a thing – but it is because they actually talk and listen to you.  They don’t tell you what is wrong with you, they ask and discuss.  I’ve had some amazing GPs in the U.K. but I’ve also had some utterly dire ones.  15 years for a diagnosis because of years of hand wavy ‘no that’s a normal level of pain’.

So it did cost $75 because our insurance isn’t in place yet (but we have a high annual deductible anyway so…)

But they gave me my injection without arguing – it wasn’t a fun experience because the poor nurse practitioner had never seen my prescription before in her life, but we muddled through and she was amazing – and I gave her full props for handling it!  I’m good now til early November, and hopefully I’ll have had my spay by then…

Many comments on my accent, and some reminiscing about summers spent at my former employer, and a request to buy a blood pressure cuff and monitor my BP for a while from the doctor – apparently it’s high enough that he’s wondering if my jab is affecting it – could be, but meh.

The kidlets were very well behaved too.  We bought a Nintendo Switch last week, and took it with us to keep #1 Son entertained.

The Tiny Tyrant spent most of it running up and down the corridor charming other patients and chattering to a box she brought with her!

We also had our first experience of flash floods – there was weather yesterday.  So. Much. Rain.  The weird thing is that even when the heavens opened, it was still warm.  And by the time we were out of the health centre, the roads were mostly dry again after an hour.  So strange.  Storms here are very impressive though – actual lightning and crashing thunder.

Went from that at 15:00 to almost completely dry roads by 17:30.

Impressive and a little disconcerting.

Having survived Week 1, I feel a little more confident heading into the next one.
Well mostly. Tiny Tyrant has learned that daddy leaves every morning without her. This is, apparently, unacceptable.

So we’ve had one tantrum over that. We also didn’t approve of breakfast:

Breakfast is also it’s own level of ouch because #1 Son doesn’t want Cheerios but trying to find a new cereal he can eat and enjoy is tricky.  He’s decided he likes my Reese’s Peanut Butter puffs though so I’ve got a new packet of Froot Loops and we’ve swapped.

There have been a few developments.  We may have gotten the contract back from the house sale (as usual our conveyancers are not clear in the meaning of their emails)

WE HAVE THE HOUSE IN MELROSE!!!!!

👍🏻👏🏻👍🏻👏🏻👍🏻👏🏻👍🏻👏🏻🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
And apparently from 01 September, not 01 August (which is, you know, today).  So that’s awesome, and a major weight off our our minds.   It does mean that we are in the temporary accommodation for another 4 weeks.  There might also be a knock-on effect with the sea crate, as the plane crate arrived yesterday, and the sea crate is apparently going to reach port on 08 August – which is earlier than anticipated, but we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.

So the breakfast bar has now been converted into the Cybe Café as we felt it was unfair to evict #1 Son from his creative space on the only official desk.  That and there is not room for all of our technological rubbish on the small glass desk:

 

He’s in for a bit of a surprise, as access to our printer means I can actually get into the swing of a bit of practice work for school, so 100% holiday time is over now kiddles – I’m also working out what I can do with the Tiny Tyrant, as she’s getting bored too I think.

As for me, I’m knitting, crocheting and I bought some beads to play with too so watch this space for pics. 

Our weekend plans now include a BBQ up on the roof on Saturday as the building is apparently throwing their annual summer one.

I also have my first ever stateside doctor’s appointment tomorrow – the date for my hysterectomy did finally come through, but it’s August back in Oxford so I’ve had to drop off the list – can’t say I’m impressed, since it was supposed to be an 18-week waiting list, and I’ve been waiting since last December, but what can be done eh, the poor NHS is stretched to bursting.

As our insurance isn’t through yet we’ll have to pay out of pocket, so this is what they call a ‘sick visit’ but hopefully someone will stab me with my prescription needle and all will be good.  Stand by for my initial impressions of USA health care…

To keep up the “family days out” thing we are trying to do at weekends, today we Aquarium-ed. 
Last time we visited an Aquarium, #1 Son was 2. 
We anticipated some enjoyment. What we didn’t expect was the sheer JOY experienced by the Tiny Tyrant. 
She Loved. It. 

Outside there were sea lions:

So these kept youngsters entertained whilst the adults queued ($80 entry!)
Inside were lots of penguins:

Then there were fish. So many many fish:

The central tank is truly breathtaking and Myrtle the Turtle is majestic. 
Giant puffer fish, sharks, and habitats. It all contributed to TT learning three new words:
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This was, honestly the best trip out we’ve had since we arrived and potentially one of the best as a family of four. 
She constantly dragged us between exhibits  cooing and shouting “fish”, “more”, “turtle”, “shark”

We managed not to trip anyone – though I wasn’t so lucky – apparently the “no strollers” rule doesn’t apply to everyone and blocking people in with an empty one, then causing them to trip is fun. 

Can’t say I was pleased with the damn casualties. 

This is why I can’t have nice things 

I shall end with enamoured small people. 

We also came home via the gift shop and now are the proud owners of a bright pink penguin and a multi-tonal shark (2 for $30) I shall leave the audience to guess which child chose which. 

08:25: Jo leaves to meet the DSC to go to get his SSN sorted (I can’t get mine until our wedding certificate arrives, which due to the uber efficient packing men ended up in the air crate rather than in our hand luggage). 

08:28: alarms start sounding in our building. I throw on clothes over my nightie, grab the children (naked bar nappy Tiny Tyrant, #1 Son in pjs) and bundle them down the fire escape stairs. #1 Son accepts the somewhat garbled explanation I give that we cannot use lifts in emergencies.

I left the cat. I know I had to, that I had to get the kids and myself out, but I feel so guilty about this.  

It’s a major gas leak at 100 Binney Street which is about three blocks away yet we have all had to be evacuated. 

09:49: one of three valves repaired. Gas switched off and now they are waiting for built up gas to dissipate before letting people back into buildings. 

So the children and I are sat in Jo’s office kitchen where there is air conditioning and access to food and drink while waiting. 
I have no supplies though so I’m just praying that the Tiny Tyrant doesn’t poop. 
We will be sorting out a “go bag” once this is  over. 

However I now know that in an emergency I can damn well get the kids to safety. 

This is worth knowing for certain. 

Oreos and tablets – not going to blame #1 Son for grabbing his “tap” – I grabbed phone and keys!

10:30 – we venture out to find supplies (diapers, clothes). We found a CVS over the river and obtained diapers and wipes. 

Had to venture down Charles Street to find kids clothes – $130 for two outfits 😱😱😱
Bostonian kidlets are now Bostonian though:

11:31: Over 5,000 people evacuated from 11 blocks of flats. So far three have been deemed safe to return to – ours not amongst them. 

We returned to daddy’s office and had some of their meeting pizza. 

I have to say, I hadn’t planned on my first meeting with my husband’s colleagues being with two under-dressed kids without having even brushed my hair, but they were all lovely, understanding and welcoming. 

12:35 – we are safely back in the apartment and the cat is okay. She may not speak to me for a while but she’s healthy. 

#1 Son is playing with a Lego set we got him for being so awesome. 
Tiny Tyrant is having a nap. 
I am crashed out on the sofa watching #1 Son.  
Drama filled day was drama filled. 

Today it was the turn of the garbage disposal. 
I forgot and started the dishwasher running and yes, the whole sink filled with water.
Have I mentioned I’m not good at these adulting things??
The lovely maintenance man came again and fixed it (and gave us a small lecture on what should go in it – apparently we had been over-using it)
Tiny Tyrant spent most of his visit flirting with him – which kept him entertained at least.  
Tonight was a first with #1 Son – he played hide and seek. Was really cute 💗
We might have been gazumped on the house – other offers. We have brought forward our offer to move in but are not offering more money. 
Let’s wait and see. Need to progress the bloody house sale now. How is this so complicated? It’s a cash buyer!

09:00: I have no dishwasher. With two kids this is Not. Good. 
Especially as, apparently, draining boards aren’t a “thing” here. 
Well there’s none here, and there was none in any of the properties we looked at last week.
So, this is what life without a dishwasher looks like:

Thank the gods for a breakfast bar!
I’ve also discovered what happens when you don’t notice that a teaspoon has made its way down the drain/garbage disposal. 
Hint: it’s loud and the spoon ends up very scarred. 

However it does explain the state of some other items of cutlery, so I clearly wasn’t the first!
The man came about 15:00 and fixed it though!  I was extremely grateful and tipped him – which apparently I shouldn’t  have done – but being confused, British and grateful apparently absolves a lot of sins!
The Tiny Tyrant was randomly screaming solidly from 00:00 to 03:00 because she just did not want to be in her cot. But I am putting my foot down – we’ve been here over a week so no, unless ill, no more co-sleeping. Except we are now all exhausted. 
I’m praying for no repeat performance tonight. Having said that, Wednesday night appears to be “brass band on the street between two of the restaurants underneath us” night. Two weeks in a row is pattern. 
TT has also learned how to open doors with pull handles. 
Bah. I need gin. Or whiskey. Porque no los dos?

I cannot leave a packet of cookies on the breakfast bar. 
#1 Son claims Tiny Tyrant reached them. I doubt that somehow, but as I didn’t see I cannot confirm.  Housework is clearly a bad thing 😂🤣
She’s sleeping soundly at nap time at least. 
Seems to be an issue with the dishwasher, but it might just be cheap tablets:

Top propeller doesn’t appear to be spinning though, so we have reported it. 
Debit cards arrived today. And the house application is progressing. Looks like we can’t sign before 01 September, and school for #1 Son apparently starts 30th August in the local districts but the DSC doesn’t think it’ll be a problem. 

There was also father-son bonding in creating the new cat tree. #1 Son now appears to like the cat. 

Which, given I found the bugger had peed on our duvet (one assumes when it was drying after the baby puking incident last week) is a good thing as she’s not currently my favourite animal-creature right now…

08:45 – daddy leaves for work. 
09:10: 

I cannot find the crayon remains!!!

This does not bode well. 
10:12:

Every time I try to pick her up to put her in the cot, her eyes fly instantly open and she screeches. 

11:58:
Children claim to be hungry. 

#1 Son ate better than the Tiny Tyrant 😱😱😱!
14:00 – the Tiny Tyrant passes out on me again. 
15:00 – she wakes and is inconsolable. 
16:00:

I cave and give her a banana but now she wants a second. 
17:30: I manage to feed both children:

17:45(ish): Daddy gets home and hands me a glass of wine. 
First day as SAHM achieved. 

The children are alive. I am still sane, and I even managed some halfway decent domestic goddess-ing. 
All in all, I’m quite chuffed really.  
(Although I still haven’t found the black crayon from earlier)

Did not really do much yesterday.  We went out for lunch and #1 Son actually ate!
It was chicken nuggets and pasta in butter but heck, at least it was food!
The Tiny Tyrant also ate – mostly broccoli and ketchup but at least it was solid. We are wondering if she’s missing her toddler meals, so we have braved the cost (2 for $5 I mean seriously?!?!) to get a couple of Gerber meals. Shall see what her verdict is!
She spent most of yesterday doing this:

So we have added a dolly stroller to her Amazon wish list for Christmas/birthday as clearly she is ready for it!

She’s a cheeky bugger isn’t she? No she is not supposed to be on the table. We won’t talk about glass furniture with kids…

Having established lazy days are exhausting, we decided to go to the Science Museum today. 
Unfortunately we only got around two sections before both children got overstimulated and fractious. 
The honey bees were fairly awesome:

And the Tiny Tyrant enjoyed playing with the bee magnifier:

And the bees are free ranging:

#1 Son found an exhibition where they assembled a skeleton and tried to identify it:

Please note that the Tiny Tyrant cannot be outdone. 
Oh, and it was a female Bonobo 👍🏻
Then there were baby chicks, which both kidlets found amazing. 
 

 I want to know what they do with them once they are 48 hours old though 🤔😒😕

We got as far as the Sci Fi exhibit where #1 Son loved the robots, both kids loved the dinosaurs and cars, and the Tiny Tyrant was enraptured by the floor panel that reacted when you walked on it:
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One thrilled toddler 👍🏻🤣😂
Unfortunately the visit went downhill at lunch after #1 Son shattered a water bottle while queuing and neither child ate lunch 🙄
So we returned home – but we did at least discover that Delta have found our stroller!!!!
I mean, it’s in Montana but they have at least located it right?