Intentions

I had intended to write this blog faithfully - letting everyone know about our adventures in South Carolina and chronicling our experiences for others. As it turns out, I am about as good at that as writing thank you notes, organizing my stamp stuff and keeping up with friends - in other words...hopeless.

Obviously, we made it back to SC after almost a month in Nova Scotia in July and here it is the eve of October.

We have discovered lots of things in that time:

• the coolest (temperature-wise) drive from MA to SC in August, the A/C died in the new Jeep just north of Boston on the trip with my mom back to SC, which is through Shenandoah National Park and west into Tennessee before heading south through Asheville, NC to Greenville;


• the kindest car dealership I have ever been to - in Moosup, CT;


• when ordering Chinese food in New Jersey - order half what you think will be enough;


• storytime at the Museum and Gallery at Heritage Green featuring Caldecott winning books;


• the Greenville Zoo;


• gymnastics at Greenville Gymnastics;


• playgrounds in Cleveland Park; Butler Springs Park; Century Park; Southside Park;


• the zoo and EdVenture in Columbia


• great restaurants - Pho Noodleville, Fonda Rosalinda’s and 33 Liberty;


• the Golden Strip YMCA Isabelle and for me! (trying to keep the goal of there being less of me this time next year!);


• Bunco;


• the Southeastern Stamp Show in Marietta, GA;


• the Georgia Aquarium;


• IKEA in Atlanta; and


• Atlantic Station, Atlanta;

So, that is some of what has been filling our time for that last little while. Paul has been posting about some of our other activities, so be sure to check out his blog. Of course each of these things has more of a story so - as time allows - I will try to fill you in.

Also, I will try to be a bit better about updates but make no promises!

Growing Up

Isabelle has been making new friends both at school and on our street. We are very lucky to have several very kind families as neighbours who have helped us to settle in to life in the South.

The nature of our neighbourhood is very different from Belcher Street. There is no traffic, we are at the end of a cul-de-sac in the middle of the subdivision. The children closest in age to Isabelle are a year older and all have older siblings who watch out for the little ones and, presumably, have broken in the parents. My office is at the front of the house so Isabelle goes out to play without us as long as she stays in the circle of the cul-de-sac where I can see her. She has learned very quickly that she must ask permission if she wants to venture up the street at all. She also knows she must ask us before she goes into someone else's home.
So, last night she decided she wanted to call one of the girls to see if they could play. Unfortunately, no one was home. Today, after riding her new bike for a bit by herself, she decided she wanted to try again. So, with a little coaching, she called J., asked for her, said she "was wanting to play" (an interesting verb conjugation she often uses) and was invited to J's house.

She has always been independent and that is paying off now in her confidence. Now, if we just could get her to talk to her grandparents on the phone...

Milford House - in pictures

While in NS, we spent a week at Milford House celebrating my parent's 40th anniversary with my sister and some family friends. Not a lot changes at Milford from year to year - which is one of the great things. For those of you who know the area, some of the photos will look familiar. For those of you who don't, if a vacation without tv, radio, telephone, internet and cell service is appealing, Milford House may be the place for you. We are already thinking about next year!!