Neckties & Earl Grey Skies

We are settling in nicely to this adorable yet bustling town on the Thames. We are able to walk into town from our house, which is definitely my preference due to my persistently low confidence level in driving. The walk is hilly and involves a footpath, which is so peaceful, lush, and green. The kids and I learned very quickly that it is unwise to leave home without a rain jacket or umbrella. An umbrella was our very first purchase in town. The grey skies is no joke here. Even when the sun is shining, it has been known to rain sideways (for example, yesterday). Will’s endurance has improved drastically. We are now able to leave home without a stroller, which was mostly ridiculous in the first place.

(Above) Town Square

(Above) A typical rainy night in town

England was “on hols” or holiday when we arrived here for 2 weeks, so we settled in with both kids at home. It gave us time to explore some local sites: the library, parks, the River and Rowing Museum, and Greys Court.

The Library

… is adorable. I am personally impressed with the checkout system. So impressed that I feel it is worth sharing. You just put your stack of books on the scanner IN A STACK and it then lists your books on the screen and you are done. It takes no more than 5 seconds. What happened to finding the scan code on the inside cover of every book? Technology.

The River and Rowing Museum

…has this incredible exhibit of the Wind in the Willows. It is a story experience where you walk through with a handheld device and follow along with visuals of the story in various art forms. It was captivating for both the children, my mom, and me. As my description is really lacking in how wonderful it really was… you can click the link above for more information. The kids also found an indoor play area while my mom and I were able to check out rowing exhibits.

Greys Court

We joined the National Trust, which is a group in the UK which preserves historic places and green spaces. This grants us entry into 500 beautiful places to visit while living here. Greys Court was our first site, as it was minutes from our house. We were able to tour the historic home, a 16th century mansion, which was given to the National Trust in 1969. Apparently, one of the residents lived in the house until she passed away in 2003. We toured the gardens and the grounds. The kids seemed to enjoy it as much as the adults. We are so excited to use the National Trust to guide us to view beautiful sites in the UK.

Playgrounds

The kids love the parks here – they beg to go every day. We have met wonderful friends playing at the parks and I am certain the parks will be a big part of our life here.

School(!!!!!!!)

…has **FINALLY** started. The boys just love looking so smart (as it is referred to here) and handsome. The uniforms are amazing. It is as if my kids moved to England and suddenly look civilized (emphasis on look). The kids love their shoes, especially. To me, the shoes look like something that would be prescribed medically in America.

The other children have been very welcoming to my kids and their parents have been equally as welcoming to Tim and me. The school community is truly lovely. Jack has started in a Multisport club once a week through the school, where he will learn to play very British sports (cricket, netball, rounders, football). I have never heard of rounders until this moment and in my very quick google search, it looks similar to baseball. We hope he will teach us what he learns. Both boys look forward to football club (soccer).

Lessons Learned

1. School holidays between terms are looooonnnng. Planning trips and/or activities throughout will be key to life’s enjoyment.
2. Most women who text here end their messages with “x” or “Xx”, which symbolizes a kiss. They are quite lovely and VERY kind.
3. Once here for an extended period of time, your inner dialogue may develop a British accent (seriously).

New Vocabulary Gems

“Chooda houses”. Guys. Jack is working on a project at school to learn about the Great Fire of London. Classmates and Jack were explaining to me that they are creating TUDOR houses and will get to set them on fire (for real!) at the end. In case you ever encounter someone referring to a “chooda” house, just know chooda=tudor.

Blimey – an exclamation for surprise or annoyance.

Different singular vs plural words:

• maths = math
• lego = legos