Into the Second Week (from Carrie)

We realized tonight that we've been here a whole week now, and it has gone by quickly. Today Joseph started school, and he wouldn't let me take his picture in his new uniform, but he looked dashing...I will sneak a picture, or persuade him, soon. He seems relieved, and quite cheerful, after this first day of the bewildering high school schedule. It's the kind of thing that only an adolescent can understand. There are six different types of days, but really they don't go to school on Saturdays, they just rotate the six days through whatever days they have, so there is little rhyme or reason to what sort of day it is. And on most days, there are just five periods of classes, but on day one, there are six, but they only use five. Luckily, there is a "form" (homeroom) period each morning for orientation...they assigned Joseph a buddy this week to help him get to his classes, but he said it wasn't too confusing. He did have to brave the high school horror of changing into gym clothes, but seems unscathed. They did not make him take a shower. Maybe we should...

Emily still seems very pleased with her school, just wanting to be dropped off this morning, like the other kids, rather than walked in. They were doing the limbo under the teacher's umbrella to come out of the classroom when I picked her up yesterday, so it seems a fun place. Amazing how many kids I see at school and elsewhere, barefoot, in spite of the quite chilly weather.

Manford and I looked at houses today, and they were COLD; most were not currently inhabited, and so had no heat on, and it was about 40 at most out. Most do not have central heating. Some have practically no heating. But the realtor assures us we can install central heat through the ceiling. We probably looked at 7 or 8 today, most being a bit small, but two we liked--one practial, one not. The practical one is 3 (long) blocks from Joseph's school (4 from Emily's), and has 3 good-sized bedrooms and two baths (most have only one), as well as a large family room (often they don't have that) that can be closed off as a guest room. It is five minutes from my campus, and two from the branch of the library. The not practical one is in a different neighborhood with older "character" homes--it has four bedrooms, ceilings that look about 12 feet high, and beautiful wood floors and large--not just large for New Zealand--rooms. But it is not nearly as convenient to school and work, and costs more than we want to pay, and would also take quite a bit of upkeep...so probably not. We're just starting to look, anyway.

Tomorrow Manford takes a driving lesson (and I go along to help me learn the arcane rules of the road) and we look at at least one more house. And maybe I'll get a picture of Joseph.