Temperature

One of the things I have the most difficulty with here is temperature. Not just because Fahrenheit and Celsius are so different and the formula to convert so tricky. But because it doesn't mean the same even when you do convert. Freezing - 0 degrees Celsius (32 degrees Fahrenheit) is just not the same when you factor in humidity. 0 degrees in Wellington is extremely cold, in Powell it is a pleasant day. It just doesn't translate very well.

Funnily enough humidity drops in the winter. As it gets colder the temperature drives the moisture out of the air and it falls as snow. The dryness makes breathing the outside air almost painful and it doesn't take must to incite a nose bleed. Many families heat a pot of water on the stove or use humidifiers just to add some comfort.

While most days this time of year don't go above freezing, the sun shines intensely in the sky. This give a strange illusion of warmth, and the brightness of the sun reflecting off the snow makes it seem like a summers day.

Water does interesting things at these temperatures. We have had overnight fog lately and it freezes on the trees, coating them in a beautiful white glass. When the sun breaks through in the mid morning the effect shatters and flakes of ice float through the air.

The wind also plays tricks. It blows the snow into mounds and waves. Transforming the landscape into unusual visual playgrounds. Frozen lakes become seas of Antarctic white where a colony of penguins would not be out of place.

For all its cold, it doesn't seem unmanageable. We use the garage as a buffer, loading and unloading, with relative comfort. The houses and stores are all heated, and the windows double glazed. Several places offer drive through including the banks. So with a warm coat, the moments between heat are quite bearable and sometimes even refreshing.

Yesterday was the shortest day of the year, (since America marks its seasons by the solstice), it is now official:  Welcome to winter!

Frozen Trees

Snow on Ice

Winter Waves

That's what she said

You'll have noticed that my posts have been few and far between.

I am afraid the culprit has been Netflix. I wrote before about how I was addicted. I just finished watching 7 seasons, 145 episodes, 50 hours of 'The Office'. It has taken me 2 months, and most of my spare time. I was a big fan of the UK version in New Zealand, but the US version I have liked even more. Plenty of cringe without as much crass.

It made me nostalgic for my office days at Phillips Fox. The pranks, the dress ups, the activities, and most importantly the unusual personalities. You cant help but recognise people you know in The Office characters, including yourself. I must admit there were a few episodes that I cringed knowing I had done a similar thing. Still, if you can learn to laugh at yourself you will have no end of fun. And that's what I love about The Office, self deprecating humour.

Anyway, I will try and get a few more blogs out before I get sucked into a new series.

I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas

A white Christmas is the epitome of what people think of when they imagine Christmas. Songs and holiday movies have cemented our expectations. For Powell, there has been snow over night! It is definitely going to be a White Christmas here.

I have had a white Christmas once before, New York 1995. Actually it was more of a ugly brown Christmas because although it had snowed before I got there, New York is such a metropolis that after a few days the smog turned it all brown.
This year we have already had snow and because it really hasn't got above freezing, most of it was still around - now with this dusting everything looks pristine again. With more forecast today it should be a quite a picture.

Christmas in the States is amazing, like everything else Americans go all out. I like all the Christmas music. Every time you turn on the radio there is a new rendition of an old classic, or a contemporary artist fleshing out a new carol. I have heard hundreds of new songs, and surprisingly not once 'Snoopys Christmas'! It is freezing, so caroling outside is a non event. I miss the mass singing of 'Carols by Candlelight' in Wellington, but the songs do make more sense. Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, jack frost nipping at your nose.

Christmas lights make more sense too. With darkness at 4.30, the evening it is a showcase of lights and wonder. I try to drive different roads each night so we can see a new street lit up. Some homes look like Santa landing strips.

We have a few lights up too, a pine in the front of our yard makes a perfect outside Christmas tree. In our limited time in the States we will never compete with our neighbours, but we can make a contribution.

Merry Christmas All.

Fog settles on the trees as ice.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is my most favourite of American traditions. Food, family, friends and fankfulness, what a great combination! Lyndi and I have celebrated it in style in Wellington, tables out on the deck, all our American and part American friends, my mother would come and a few extras picked up at the last moment. Lyndi would spend the day cooking the turkeys and people would bring their favourite sides. A feast of epic proportions was had.

This was my and the boys first Thanksgiving in the motherland. It started with a couple of days off school in anticipation. A promise of fine food and football. As it happened we had a lovely meal with Lyndi's parents and sister and a older couple (our neighbours which Lyndi has become quite fond of). It was nice, but very small in comparison to what we have been use to over the years. I think the boys missed the excitement and bustle of our Wellington thanksgiving.

One of the great things about thanksgiving is that it is the only one of America's celebrations that hasn't been hijacked by wanten commercialism. It is still mostly about family. Oh how naive I was... For weeks I had been hearing about black Friday and was so confused as I couldn't find a Friday that fell on a thirteenth. Thursday while watching TV at Lyndi's parents it hit me, it was referring to the Friday after thanksgiving when huge deals were being offered. Some of these sales were massive, starting at Midnight or 5am in the morning! With a few super deals to entice thousands through the door, the Christmas panic buying could begin.

So glad our capitalistic society did not disappoint!

Climbing Mountains

As Autumn wears on the mercury quickly falls. Sub zero temperatures greet us each day, hopefully peaking into the positives sometime during the afternoon. Fahrenheit starts to take on some appeal, 32 degrees sounds much better than Zero!

The bright colours of the leaves have given way to browns. Large deposits collect at tree trunks and swirl around the neighbourhood in the wind. Snow has fallen on the surrounding foothills and you can tell it is only a matter of days before it makes its way into town.

I had planned to hike the local natural icon Heart Mountain for my birthday, but I caught a nasty cold and then it snowed. Friday I decided to take a look and see how much snow was on the mountain and if it was still accessible. So I rocked up there in my jeans and track shoes and went for a little walk. The snow was heavy but walkable and so I kept on going and going and three and a half hours later, trekking through heavy snow, I ended up on the summit.

Its a beautiful view! You can see the Big Horn mountains in the distance and the badlands in the foreground. The Beartooth mountains on the other side and Cody township nestled in the valley. Powell township is isolated with a huge flat expanse all around it.

Getting down the mountain was much harder, should have brought a sled. My old knees playing up every step a little jarring. Towards the bottom I got disorientated (could of been lack of water or food which I failed to bring with me), I lost the path. I could see where I needed to get to, but not the way to get there. After awhile of retracing my steps I realised that I needed to take some action. The light was fading and I wasn't keen to be alone on the mountain in the dark. I knew I needed to make a decision.

So I left the track I was on and headed for my goal. The snow was heavier and the terrain unforgiving on my sore knees and hips. I realised 10 minutes into my diversion that I could get myself into some trouble. There were a few moments of concern, how close should I get to being desperate before I asked for help. I determined that I would for this time in my life seek assistance a little earlier. So I used the last remaining battery on my phone, and called a local who would know the terrain and find me if I didn't make it back to my car.

Fortunately a few minutes later I found the path and everything was ok. On my return Lyndi was pretty worried, friends told her about the bears, wolves and mountain lions that frequent the area and as it got late she couldn't get me on the phone. She was even less impressed when she found that I had not called her with my last phone call. Whoops!

Climbing mountains can be dangerous, especially if you are a bit impulsive like me, the weather can change without warning, fatigue can skew your perception - you have to be prepared. But it is life affirming. Mountains get you a little closer to heaven, and give you a different perspective. The effort to get there rewarded with a view to inspire. I think we all need to conquer, its part of the reason for living. Hopefully we wont die in the process!

Halloween

Americans know how to turn everything into a celebration. Halloween is no exception. I love dress up and so it would seem does most of North America. People really go all out it is a lot of fun.

My boys especially like the variety and volume of all the sweets. Some of them ventured out for hours scouring the town for the best treasure, coming back home pillowcases filled with their abundant loot. It would be fair to say Halloween combined my boys two greatest desires Free & Candy. They were in heaven, literally on a sugar high.

I brought my Arab headset with me from NZ. (A souvenir from Dubai). I thought it might be fun to dress up as an Arab for Halloween. One because the costume is so great, two because I get to grow a beard and look really authentic, but also I wanted to see others reactions about it. In jest I knew that I would be linked to terrorism, it is Halloween after all and the lean is toward the untoward. But it also gave me an opportunity to discredit some of the negative stereotypes that exist here (and around the world) to Arabs, the Middle East and Muslims in general. It prompted several great discussions.

I find Racism and prejudice in general are really strange things. We like to believe that in our enlightened, intellectual, informed world we are above such thinking. But without warning we find ourselves embroiled in it all over the place. It begins with an us and them mentality, maybe a fun rivalry and then extends to bigger and more complicated things. It could be based on where you grew up, or where you went to school, a sports team, a political party or ethos, a religious difference, or national identity. It could be a class distinction or a occupational choice, a consensus of what is right or acceptable and what we think is wrong. It could be the colour of your skin, the accent of your words, the language you speak, the clothes you wear, your gender, your age, your hair colour, your family background, your relationship status, your sexual preference. Its endless.

We make jokes about such differences, we tease each other, we separate ourselves, we give labels, we call names, we fight, we even go to war.

Everyone has been a victim of some form of prejudice, and everyone has been the perpetrator. Likewise we have all been advantaged by our difference, given special treatment, applauded beyond our real ability. So it is a strange leveling field we all play on.

I wonder how best to make a difference in this area. I realise I must start with myself. I have been guilty of such terrible prejudice for which I am so embarrassed, and I continually find myself caught in bad thinking.

One example that I am willing to share: A few years ago Lyndi and I went to Samoa, it was a wonderful experience, what great people. I had expected it to be good, we have many Samoan friends and I grew up in several of their fantastic homes. But I wasn't prepared for the great cultural and religious heritage that was there. I cried when I thought of all the families from the Islands I knew who had left that strength to come to New Zealand, worked extremely hard often in menial jobs, to offer their children and family back home other opportunities. How I was blind to their great sacrifice, dedication and love, and under appreciated them as a result.

Travel has helped me to be more open to other people, but it has not eliminated my poor judgements yet. I hope I can offer others a different perspective that will help, and be appreciative of them in the process. I know there is so much more to understand than I can possibly get on my own.

Maybe events like Halloween allow us all a glimpse into another life. To dress up and pretend to be something different - remove some of our stereotypes. Or maybe we just reinforce them!

Metrics

Thomas Jefferson was one of the first Statesmen to propose metrics for a common system of distances, weights and temperature. He spear headed a campaign in 1790 with the French, and ironically he was probably responsible for France adopting the the system in 1799. Since then almost everywhere else in the world has adopted this system (NZ in 1967) and somehow America missed out.

This causes some really peculiar situations. Everything has a kind of duality here. While on the surface metrics is not practised it confronts you in really interesting ways. Its almost as if a conversion has happened but no one wants to admit it.

For instance: When you get your takeaways you are given the option of a 2 liter bottle of soda to accompany your meal. Not 2 quarts or half a gallon but 2 Liters. In fact all soda bottles are made in liters and the imperial measurement given in brackets.

With temperature. Everyone speaks in Fahrenheit, but whenever you pass a electronic bank sign telling you the time it usually also gives you the temperature in Celsius. Every car with a temperature gauge lets you convert to Celsius, and for that matter Kilometers are shown right along side the miles as you check your speed.

Food packaging always quotes the grams along side the ounces, the liters along side the quarts, and even the m2 along side the square feet. Of course somethings are not converted. All the road signs are only in miles and bigger weights are always in pounds. But it is like they meant to change over or want to change and yet they cant.

I was really concerned about the boys and their ability to deal with imperial measurements, how would it affect their schoolwork, and their ability to interact with their peers in some subjects. I needn't have worried. Most of the maths and science are already in metric, the system so much easier and all the formulas are metric that, kids here have to learn them as part of the course.

To be fair America was a world leader in decimal currency, having used cents from the outset for their money. Maybe this is why the US dollar has been the currency of choice for trade for so long. It is so surprising then that they weren't early adopters of the metric system as a whole.

Will the US ever be metric? I am not sure. Certainly not in my time here. For now I will rely on the handy conversion app on my phone to translate for me and try not to look too dumb when confronted with a measurement which makes no sense whatsoever.

Patriotic Pilgrimage

One of America's greatest successes is its devotion from its citizens. American people are extremely diverse, and very polarised in their thinking. Intense arguments about religion and politics are common and dominate both the dinner table and the nightly news. Because of this most people are fiercely patriotic, and defend 'their' version of what it is to be American, vigorously. Devotion is encouraged, celebrated and even required.

US flags dominate everywhere. On buildings, down main streets, in offices and on peoples properties. They are both a form of decoration and a statement of intent. Each classroom is adorned with a flag, and the kids pledge allegiance, hand over heart each morning as they start school. Most sporting events start with the national anthem - again pledging hand over heart. These symbols of devotion coupled with daily and weekly rituals cement a strong collective identity.

From its declaration of independence roots and its inspired constitution. America has a idolised history of good triumphing over evil. The original 13 colonies first shaking off its British oppressors and then going on to victories over France, Spain and Native peoples in a significant claim over the New World. It makes an inspiring story and an important common thread that most wish to participate in.

Woven into this story are locations all over the States that celebrate America, Parks, Forests, Monuments, and also Dams. These government administered areas provide important internal tourism and champion the national cause and collective psyche. Scores of visitor center movies spout the same rhetoric, a national treasure preserved and protected - you should be proud of your country.

Some of these places have a sacred status, and pilgrimages are made each summer by millions of Americans as they share in the story. This past weekend I visited such a place, Mount Rushmore, touted as the 'shrine of democracy'.

Mt Rushmore is spectacular. A monument fit for an empire. The granite carved heads of four great American presidents rise from the rugged Black Hills of South Dakota. Their faces stand majestically poised, seeing out into a world they have personally altered. Sculpted by working class hands, a triumph over extreme weather, towering mountains and the harsh economic conditions of the Great Depression.

Here you participate in a fundamental American ideal. An America full of honest, decent God fearing men and women who do all that their country requires of them. It is an ethos that citizens cling on to, a past desperately needed right now. President hopefuls appeal to this longing, promising a revolution and return to government underpinned by good honest values, no more hijacked by corporate greed and corruption.

As you leave the boardwalk sufficiently inspired, hopeful that America can be great again. You can visit the gift store and buy a tee-shirt or a plastic Mt Rushmore replica. Those three comforting words imprinted on each item ........ God Bless America, Made in China.

Harvest

The green fields surrounding Powell are fast turning brown. As each crop is harvested the remains quickly turn yellow and then the paddock is ceremoniously ploughed. Trucks buzz in and out of town laden with produce. Mini mountains of sugar beets rise above the flat expanse.

It has been a bounty for us, fresh zucchini, cucumber, tomatoes, onions, peppers, raspberry's, and apples. I have made some pretty tasty salsas. Add that to our raw milk and free range eggs, we feel we are (somewhat) living off the land.

As the fields change so do the trees, turning yellow then orange and red. The fall colours are breathtaking especially in the mountains where the alpine meadows undergo the most dramatic transformation. The first snows have fallen there and as the sun sets the white glistens in the distance.

Peoples houses change too. The once lush grass is starting to die, returning the lawn to its mountain desert reality. Bright orange pumpkins are starting to adorn doorsteps and dark decorations fill windows and door fronts. All eagerly anticipating Halloween.

Autumn is a celebration of the plenty. I will do my bit - carve a pumpkin, build a scarecrow and scare my boys a little. A long American tradition.

Home sweet home

One of the big extremes in America are the houses. I have been in Mansions that are so big that you could yell in one end and not be heard in the other, and trailer homes where a couple of steps will put you in another room. I love being in people’s homes it gives me a feel for what is important to them and a real sense of their character. I am constantly amazed at how different and how creative space can be used. Whether it is mounted kills and animal pelts or nicknack's and artwork. You realize pretty quickly that regardless of the size, shape and location people are generally trying to do the same thing - raise their families and live with as much comfort as possible.

Of course your home can become a trap too. We have family and friends who built big new homes when the economy was good and now are trapped with a mortgage more than the house is worth. They cant sell, work multiple jobs and generally feel on the edge. Some have walked away, handed the keys to the bank, and reinvented themselves elsewhere.

Ironically some other friends have prospered exceedingly during the same period. One of my friends is building a cabin in the mountains. I went with him to help for a morning. The canyon was beautiful with the fall colours yellows, oranges and reds, against the ever greens. The contracting crew were hard at work, their beat box loudly pumping the sounds of……. ‘Taylor Swift’????!!!!  My friend has 5 daughters so he is well acquainted with Taylor and if I am to be honest I have most of her albums, but this did take me by surprise. I  guess he is fortunate that even his second home was been made with a lot of love!

Autumn in the Mountains

My Sporting Boys

My big boys have been particularly aggrieved that we took them away from New Zealand when 'the biggest sporting event of their lives' was on. So consequently we found a website that streams the games live and my oldest has been waking up all hours of the night to watch various games.

Last weekend we travelled to Jackson Hole Wyoming through Yellowstone park (4.5 hours) for a soccer tournament for our smaller boys. It was the night of the big grudge match - All Blacks vs France. Despite the fact that I did not get up in the middle of the night to watch the same game 4 years ago, I found myself at 2am, laptop on knee hooked into the motel wifi, battling for a share of the screen, while trying to keep it quiet enough for those in our room not fulfilling their patriotic duty. Fortunately we won, and 4 years of rugby guilt was relieved.

I remember the first Rugby World Cup 24 years ago, I was fourteen and in fourth form at Wellington High. It was not much of an event then, our class was given free tickets to the pool match between Ireland & Wales at athletic park. It was an uneventful game and we left at half time, I watched the last 5 minutes at home on TV. Wales won 13 - 6.

Rugby has changed a lot since then. Professional players with large pay packets, massive endorsements, and national hero status. Pay per view matches, high priced tickets and huge international opportunities. Sport moved from just the National pride to a whole industry all of its own, with New Zealand a premium exporter. While being good at sport was always a fast track to popularity, it has now become the means to some pretty lucrative careers. I think some of my boys are counting on that!

No soccer scholarships this particular weekend though, as their wasn't much success on the field for our boys: but fun was had by all.

Jackson Hole the Queenstown of Wyoming with its tourist shops, ski fields and breathtaking scenery.

The Grand Teton mountain range next to Jackson Lake

Home home on the range....

I almost hit two deer tonight.

We were driving back from Lyndi's Parents along the country road at dusk. A doe and fawn darted onto the road. I hit the brakes, the car came to a sudden stop as did the doe, but her fawn passed inches in front of the bonnet. Whoa that was close...... if the doe hadn't stopped..... if the car hadn't slowed in time.... if we had been a second faster....... it could have all been different.

On the way out of Yellowstone last night we got a stark lesson on the possibilities. A car front crushed, two bewildered people staring at the carnage and a massive bison glassy eyed, slowly dying on the side of the road.

Road kill in Wyoming can be fatal to all concerned. The animals are big and fast, a decent match even for the largest American cars. Dawn and Dusk the most dangerous. Its harder to see them and paradoxically they are the most active.

The wildlife in Wyoming is abundant and big game is ever present, we see antelope and deer all the time. If you climb into the mountains and especially Yellowstone there are elk, moose, coyote, wolves, buffalo and of course bears! Occasionally you see them down low as they move to other feeding grounds.

Smaller animals are also present, squirrels, chipmunks, raccoon, skunk, rabbits and a multitude of birds most of which I cant tell you what they are. And we cant forget about the snakes..... fortunately we haven't come across many of them.

Half an hour northeast is the Pryor Mountain Wild Mustang Reserve which is home to a large herds of Spanish horses. Beautiful to behold.

Being a farming community there are also all the farm animals, chickens, cows, sheep, pigs, horses, and a surprising number of Lamas, who despite the 30+ heat never get shorn.

It is a pleasant regular treat to see such creatures. They are a good reminder that we don't own this place - but we can live side by side, sometimes work together and even appreciate each other..... at least until hunting season.

Elk grazing at dusk.

Reminders of Home

It is amazing the things you cling to when you are away from home.

Someone you meet who has travelled to New Zealand instantly becomes a friend. The words All Blacks, Maori, Rugby suddenly raise your heartbeat. You start begging kiwi expats in neighbouring states to come visit you. Local newspaper articles no matter how obscure, become treasures when mentioning the motherland. You talk to a person who once knew someone who was related to someone else who had a conection to 'down under' and they have your undivided attention. Even finding Australian Bundaberg Ginger Beer in the local supermarket sends you into a buying frenzy.

Then there are the rituals. I still check my 'Stuff' app on my phone several times a day. I tell myself it is the best, most balanced news site. Whenever I see a clock, I instinctively translate the time. Then I anxiously count the days till the change for daylight savings, when the time difference will lessen. (Its this coming weekend in NZ, November in the US). I know it's crazy but I just cant help myself.
Last week I followed a motorcycle gang sporting Australian and US flags to a nearby town, hoping that they would pull over so I could talk to them. I couldn't believe my luck when one of them went through a speed trap got pulled over and they all had to stop. Sure enough there were kiwis among them, even a couple that had lived in Karori. It made me so happy.

I don't feel homesick, but I still cling. 

Maybe I am worried that I could lose myself in this vast expanse?

Found this at one of the locals homes when visiting on the weekend. Made me laugh.

Football

Number 2 boy played his first game of American Football Saturday. 3 weeks of 3 hour practises and finally he gets to play!

The beauty of this game is how 8 minute quarters translate into a 2 hour game! I understand now why everyone else brings cushioned seats to sit on the bleachers. Wont be making that mistake again.

I understand the basic rules. Get the ball down the field 10 yards in four plays to progress, and run it over the end zone to score. But there are a myriad of technical fouls which as yet go right over my head and keep the game progressing in 5 second intervals. I am told that mistakes are common in the first game and that the flow of the game will get faster. Since the season is only 6 weeks, I am hoping it wont be too long before they get it.

With pads and helmets it was like sending them out to battle. Its a good thing they have big numbers on their shirts or there would have been no way of telling which one was my boy. With the helmet on he probably didn't hear me cheering for him anyway. The boy got plenty of game time though, since his team was getting a whooping and he was on defence, he was on the field a lot. But like most of the boys on the field he never once touched the ball.

Such is football.

9 11

It was the tenth anniversary on Sunday of September 11th. Amazing how fast time can pass. I still remember the day as if it was last week, we knew the world would be changed forever.

America has been changed the most. The American psyche is different and remains so. There have been many questions asked and much still remains unanswered. Like many harrowing events it has undermined the nations confidence.

For some it has created and strengthen predjudcies. 'The rest of the world is different from us, we cant trust them.' - 'there are people out there who want to destroy us' - 'attack, is the best form of defense'

For others it has been confusing. 'Why do some nations not like us? Isn't America the boy scouts of the civilized world? Haven't we tried to help all these people? This is what we get in return?'

For some it has been reflective. 'Maybe we brought this on ourselves, our government hasn't been without blame, we have done some terrible things in the world, it was only a matter of time before some of that would come back to haunt us.'

For others its cynical 'This has event has been allowed to happen, to instill fear, cut freedoms, advance a military agenda and justify yet another plunder of someone elses resources'

And for some it is has been part of the ongoing orchestrated plan, - the public deceived, America another step closer to tyranny while being mascaraded as the poster child for democracy. A sign of the last days.

I have meet people in Powell from all along this spectrum. I guess they reflect a nation still deeply disturbed by this event.

For my part 9 11 has made me very wary of war. Gone are the fantasies of my youth, going to battle is no act of heroism. Governments go to war for economic advantage, not moralistic high ground. War is the hostile corporate takeover that nations engage in and like all new acquisitions it comes complete with a strategy, marketing campaign, share buy up & shareholder sell out. It also comes with financial backers, and large loans. There is a risk that if the spoils of war are not enough to cover the debt that even a country that wins could still be bankrupted.

America is a big corporation, its acquisitions have been significant. So also is its loans.

Powell Fire Station

Netflix

The one thing I still can't get my head around as a parent is how on weekdays I have to shake my children out of bed, but on Saturday the one day we can sleep in - they wake at the crack of dawn.

The only consolation on this particular Saturday morning is that I had to get up at 5.30am to wake up number 2 boy who has a  football game and had to be at school at 6am! His game is a couple of hours away so I will be staying in Powell with the 3 youngest while he rides the school bus. Lyndi went last night with the big boy, 4 hours drive to a neighbouring town. (only in Wyoming is multiple hours still considered local). He is playing soccer.

Since I couldn't get back to sleep I endulged my latest (and I might add greatest) addiction. Netflix. I cant begin to tell you how wonderful on demand internet TV is. No ads, shared over multiple screens, saves my place, costs $7.99 a month. I am in heaven! I am currently almost 3 seasons through '30 Rock', Tina Fey is awesome! I had sworn off mainstream television, but without advertising and fear based news flashes, my faith in American entertainment has once more been restored! Sure it is still grossly unrealistic, ostentatious and often inappropriate but it grips me as much as the TV addiction of my youth. America invented small screen escapism, and it is still the panacea of the masses it once was.

What makes this all possible is internet access with no data caps.  The information super highway goes right past our door and everyone has their our own personal off ramp - you can download to your hearts content. No more yelling at the kids for a triple digit internet bill, $14.99 secures our peace. Funnily enough for our first couple weeks here we used the open wifi network of one our neighbours, I am not sure why everyone doesn't just do that.

But it is not all roses, for some reason the cellphone connections and plans are not so wonderful. Overpriced, inconvenient and confusing. How I long for the days of my 2degrees connection.

I guess you cant have it all - even in America.

What's up dad!

Now that the boys are older, parental affection is scarce. So Fathers Day offers a rare opportunity for some good old fashion hugs and words of appreciation from my boys.

So it was with anticipation that I woke early on Sunday morning and got out and about with the little boys!

No big fanfare - so I waited patiently for the older boys to rouse and remind the little ones. But by lunchtime with no hint that anything special was going to happen, it was looking increasingly likely no one remembered it was Fathers Day! I started dropping hints, big hints and then even bigger ones, no one even battered an eyelid.

One of the things you are not quite prepared for when moving countries is that traditions are suddenly turned on their head. Sure I knew that fathers day was celebrated on a different day in the States; Lyndi's dad was the recipient of a belated Fathers Day every year because of that fact. But I wasn't prepared that my own family would need the mass media to remind them!

I guess Lyndi felt bad - the next day she bought me flowers, cadbury chocolate and a fancy little cake.

Fortunately for me Mothers Day is the same in both countries.

Why The Face

This morning while dropping the big boy off to seminary, I remarked that one of the high school girls was wearing high heels. He replied 'Of course dad, all the girls dress up when they have volleyball!'

There is a lot I still don't understand about school here, but my children have embraced it and seem to be thriving. Went to the elementary school open house last night. Very nice. All their teachers seem to be smitten by them. For the older boys it is the girls. They have had 'notes' from young women professing their adoration. We have had to have a stern talk, about the 'rules'.

I don't even have to eject them out of bed in the morning. Since they found out they can have free breakfast at school (along with lunch), they roll out of bed into their clothes and out the door all by 7.30. Sports after school and then homework with the neighbourhood kids, i might not even talk to them today. Fortunately there is a high school football tonight, we'll meet up for hot dogs.

Grandma Jenny had a dream about one of the boys being bullied and wanted me to follow up. I asked middle boy and he said 'Oh no dad, we're popular!' This is the same child who has joined band and is now learning the saxophone.

What with the school system, transporting, feeding, socializing, educating, musicing and sporting my children, they might as well be at boarding school and coming home on the weekends. Who knew we would come to America to live in the nanny state.

I think I need to get in on the action. Time to become a substitute teacher!

Cool Dad

The Powell Panthers win their first game of the season.

Rubbish

Americans take waste disposal very seriously.

First you have to wrap your head around the terminology. Rubbish goes in the 'trash can', which subsequently goes to the 'garbage' and if you are really lucky you might have a 'dumpster' for extra capacity. (I think trash and garbage maybe fairly interchangeable terms, still working on deciphering that nuance.)

Fast and ready made food is the norm. Everything comes in a packet or a tray, with layers of plastic and foil. Even disposable cooking containers are included in your 'take home to cook' meal. So you would think a family of seven, with ravenous teenage boys would be well able to keep up. Sadly no.

Each house along our street has a massive bin on wheels (about twice the capacity of our wheely bin in Wellington) and this gets collected twice a week. I feel embarrassed when I put my bin out, only half full once a week.  In Wellington I had to sneak my excess rubbish into the bins of my neighbours, but in Powell I am seriously considering acquiring trash just to put into my bin.

I cant even blame recycling. While there is a center I can take our cardboard and plastic, a couple of blocks away. If I save the planet - I am in danger of being even further away from my goal.

What's wrong with us? At first I thought it was just because we were new, and hadn't yet got to the throw out stage of the consumer cycle, but all that packaging material from the new things we did buy seemed to be endless. Now sadly all gone. Maybe we aren't doing enough home improvements, or lawn maintenance. We are surely shirking our consumer responsibilities. I fear there is only a limited time before we will be shunned.

If an abundant life is a full bin..... we are not yet living it.

Our beautiful big bin.

Afternoon Thunderstorms!

One of the peculiarities of the hot dry weather is the lightning. Most days in the mid afternoon, black clouds gather, fork lightning sparks across the sky, and thunder cracks overhead. It all happens in an instant and then it is over as quickly as it appeared.

As equally surprising is the reaction of the locals. There is a puzzling mix of calm and panic when lightning appears. 'Time to head back to the shore, you dont want to be in the water when that lightning strikes.' or 'you may want to move off the field and back into your car, just till it passes'.

Having grown up on a steady diet of american horror movies. I use my knowledge gleaned from 'Poltergeist' to time the intervals between the lightning bolts and the thunder, to determine how far away the storm is and if it is moving towards me. I have my doubts about if this really works, but it does give me a quick thrill.

Sometimes the thunder and lightning is accompanied by a downpour of rain. It can be ferocious! Inevitably I have left the windows down on the car, and have to make a mercy dash to close them. I dont mind, its hot and the big thick drops are refreshingly cool. While I wait out the rain I have a few precious moments of solitude.

My first thought is, I wonder if I can get away with not watering the lawn tonight?

The sky blackens as the storm approaches.

Driving Miss Daisy

I had a nightmare last night that I was driving on the wrong side of the road trying frantically not to get killed. Fortunately despite the panic of recognizing I was on the left, cars seemed to compensate for my error and pass me courteously with a smile and a wave.

Of course this is actually my everyday reality.

I love driving, and I love driving in the States. The roads are big, the cars are big and air conditioning and cruise control are standard. I also love the digital compass and temperature readings especially since I can set it to celsius.

I am getting American driving down to a fine art. I look natural cruising down the road in the work pickup with my extra large soda in my oversized cup holder. Balancing the extraction of a packet of dill flavoured sunflower seeds with the necessary occasional friendly wave. I probably need a cowboy hat to really make the picture perfect but I cant bring myself to buy one, that right of passage needs to be bestowed not usurped.

There are still the annoyances of a lifetime of driving on the opposite side of the road though. In a hurry I often jump into a vehicle set to drive, only to find there is no steering wheel in front of me. When I am backing I always twist my body the wrong way to see. The worst is when I am in the passenger seat and constantly looking at the rear view mirror expecting to see something.

So far I have managed to avoid a major mishap. I check my position on the road constantly, look for vehicles in front of me for cues on speed and courtesy, and if in doubt move really really slowly. I may drive like a Nana, but at least I am alive.

Friends Corvette outside our place.

You are a number

In my preparation to work here I knew I would have to get a social security number. Obviously the IRS would need something to match me to my taxes. (Their moto: Tax first... ask questions later). But I was unprepared for everyone else that would want that number.

Phone companies, utilities, driver license place, and of course you need a social security number if you want to have a bank account.

It became pretty apparent that I needed to get one of these as soon as possible. After I got my green card, it says I can now apply for a social security number. So we drive to the nearest office in Cody. It is on the 2nd floor of a unassuming brick building on the main street. One thing to mention here is that there are no ground floors in America. So the 2nd floor is actually only one floor up from the street level. This has me mightly confused for awhile especially as we take the elevator.

The little office's most prominent feature is the huge man in impressive uniform standing guard. He sizes me up and lets me know the procedure. 'Fill out the form - take a number', to another guy he lays down the law 'Is that a leather-man sir? - its against federal legislation to have knife in this office'.

I fill out the form, minus the social security number, the first thing the lady says to me is 'Sir you haven't filled out your social security number' - I explain that this is why I have come.... she gives a gasp. After some frantic typing on the computer and some anxious pauses, blood finally returns to her face. 'I need to ask you some questions, have you ever had a job?, have you got a drivers license?, do you have a bank account?, have you done any study?, have you applied for welfare?'. I answer dutifully 'no' to each of these questions till it dawns on me that there is no way I can get any of those things unless I have a social security number. Is she mocking me?

While I wait, I read the pamphlet on how retirement payments work: My contributions now will fund todays elderly. When I am old, there wont be enough young people working to fund me, so prepare to fend for yourself. It is good to see that some things work the same in both countries.

Finally she hands me a receipt and tells me my card with number will come in the post in 2 weeks. She cant give me the number yet, its generated somewhere else, I will have to wait.

I take the one flight of stairs down to exit the building. I know that searching for the ground floor button in the elevator will just frustrate me.

The next day my father in law calls to tell me my social security number has come in the mail.  This leaves me wondering. Have I been wrong, is the US government super efficient, or will I soon have two social security numbers?

School Begins

Its 6.10am this is a big day, the first day of school and the boys are ecstatic.

They are all in the car at 7.30 chomping at the bit. Its the first time that the children are waiting for the parents. It makes no difference to be early, they cant enter school till exactly 7.50 and school starts at 8. Its going to be a long day - the middle school boys each have 10 periods, 40 mins each, swapping from class to class. School lets out at 3.15 but then football practice (everyday) till 6pm.

The buildings are massive brick edifices. Not much to look at from the outside, very square with small windows, not even a hint of colour. Inside they open like a tartis to large halls with rows of orange lockers, common areas and a massive gym. All designed as a refuge for the bitter winter which is to come.

Each grade has a different lunch break and the kids are excited about cafeteria food. Monday is Pizza. You can also come for breakfast, its almost a one stop shop.

5 grades in Elementary school, 3 in Middle, and 4 in High school. We are closest to the High School, then the Middle School and the Elementary School is the furthest away. The big boy has seminary so he is away at 7am, he returns exhausted and flops into bed. The other boys can take a shuttle bus between the schools so there is only one pick up and drop off. They like the adventure.

Monday night we are bombarded by paperwork. Each child has several layers of forms to get through. Indemnity from accident, contracts for conduct, agreements for academic achievement.

Its going to be a big year.

Parkside Elementary School. The kids are not allowed on the playground without supervision by the teachers.

Beds a plenty.

One of the strange oddities of our donated abundance is that we have ended up with 3 queen sized beds. I am not sure what happened. We did need beds, but for some reason, more have turned up than we indicated we could use. These are good beds too, seemingly brand new. Its like there are all these queen beds in Powell desperate for a home, and they knew that the Cherian's wouldn't turn them away.

Since we have little else in the way of furniture we certainly have the room but it does seem a bit 'over kill'.

Maybe we should join all three together in one room and sleep as a family in a row. Like they did in the old days.

I am not sure I want the boys especially the older boys to get use to sleeping in a big bed. Once they go large they may never be content to be in single beds again.

Perhaps I have just got it all wrong and actually queen size is the default bed size here, just like extra large is the default drink size. I should just suck it up and enjoy!

Living the American Dream

People have been asking me for ages what I am planning to do in the States. I've been offering up all manner of off the wall answers including working at McDonalds and working on isle 13 at Walmart. Lately I have been resorting to the truth... I have no idea! Not many people know what to do with that. Especially here, there is alway a plan, and often several of them at the same time. The only reason you wouldn't have a plan is if you have loss your hope or just plain hopeless.

Its the American dream to have a plan, and living in this land it is expected that you have a reasonable shoot at achieving whatever plan you have. Education is accessible, food affordable, and safety pretty much assured.

At the basis of the American Dream is the simple ethos that if you work hard you can live abundantly. And so people work hard, really hard. I hear them outside my window early in the morning getting up for work, then late at night coming back from their second or third job. This level of intensity extends to everything, school, sports, extracurricular activities, even church. And accompanying the hive of activity - there is the abundance!

We are living off that abundance, our house is furnished with good quality hand me downs generously donated, our recreation is facilitated by others willingness to share their toys. But in the background of peoples mind is the haunting question, what are they up too, how are they going to sustain this.

So the question of work is never to far away. I figured we would wait until the kids go back to school, have the house to ourselves for a bit and then Lyndi and I would look at the options. No need to rush these things.

However one of our new neighbourhood friends who own a small business cleaning carpets and who do fire and flood restoration work, needed to terminate ( I love that word) one of their employees suddenly. So they payed me a visit.

The next morning I got up early.... saw some of my neighbours for the first time, as we headed out to work together.

Living the dream baby, living the dream.

Its the people that you meet.....

Powell is very friendly. People wave when their driving, stop in the street to talk, and walk round the neighbourhood chatting.

Its amazing the New Zealand connections we have found here. There is a part Samoan family from Hamilton, a woman who works at the pool from Christchurch, a student activities coordinator from the College who spent a year honeymoon touring and working in New Zealand, and despite Rugby not being a sport here, everyone seems to know about the All Blacks! (my older boys are gutted they are missing out on the RWC... fortunately their grandfather has the rugby channel)

Many people have asked me about Christchurch.

Powell people are also meticulous with their yards. It might be a desert thing, trying to escape the brown, sprinklers buzz away at dusk, and a rolling green of immaculate lawn spans property to property. The grass is thick and lush, and parts of the town like the college, church and school grounds look like perfect green carpet that has been laid out to greet the weary Wyoming traveller. Despite the invitation, no one rests, instead an army of retired men push or ride mowers and pluck out any emerging weeds. This is serious business, not for the novice.

Our lawn is somewhat lacking. The owner overseas when the previous tenant left, came back to find an unwatered lawn burnt to a crisp in the hot dry sun. Our foremost responsibility in renting the house is to restore the section, and with it its reputation in the neighbourhood. Sprinklers mended and adjusted, fertilizer spread, pump primed. Each night a ritual repeated to ensure water gets to the badly parched ground. My efforts rewarded, cucumber and zucchini from the neighbour who appreciates my attempts to repair the rift that marked our boundaries. Success: after a couple of weeks I have a pretty good rug.

Our landlord Abdel is from Morocco. The moment I heard his name, I knew we would be living in his house. Who would have thought the first Moroccan I would ever meet would be here. Having come to the US to study, he has stayed on and made his life here now working as a researcher for the University of Wyoming. I think he may be the only muslim person in Powell!

Our house, the lawn doesn't look too bad from this distance, but notice the brown in front. 

All those Medical Dramas Come to Life

Tonight we tested the Health Care system!

Number 2 son had a spectacular crash off a neighbours bike and poured 'blood into the streets'.
We rushed him to the local hospital ER department. He is fine. Lots of dents, and a few stitches but no broken bones. It might put a slight dampener on his middle (intermediate) school football career due to start on Monday. Then again he might have some impressive scars to show off.

You have to be impressed by US Hospitals. Even in this tiny town their facilities were first class. I certainly didn't see a national crisis, and I have to admit that the environment oozed with competency. You feel very safe in there. I might not feel so wonderful when I get the bill..... and that might be the part of the crisis (national and personal) that I am missing.

Funnily enough. The attending physician had spent some time in New Zealand in 1987 working with Green-Peace and was the ship doctor on a trip to Antarctica. She arrived soon after the Rainbow Warrior bombing and helped with transporting it to its final resting place in Northland.

Its a small world people!

Getting Started!

So I have been in the States now for almost three weeks. Having visited many times before, most things are not new to me. But coming to live for a year is a unique opportunity to study these strange creatures we call Americans in their natural environment.

For our headquarters we have chosen Powell, Wyoming, population 5630 in a State of approximately 563,000 (the least populated State in the US). With a land mass equivalent to New Zealand. It is as different from Wellington and New Zealand as you can possibly get. Wyoming is desert bordering the rocky mountains, its elevation is high and so in the Summer it can get to 45 degrees and in the winter it can get to -45 degrees. It is extremely dry but in the mountains it snows heavily and the run off in the summer is massive. The area relies heavily on irrigation to farm the land and wherever the water does not touch it is a barren wasteland.

Powell is in the North West corner of the state in what is called the Big Horn basin. It is completely flat but in the distance surrounding it are the Big Horn and Beartooth Mountains. Past the Beartooths to the west are the rocky mountains that separate Wyoming from neighbouring Idaho, and which include the US national park jewels, Yellowstone and Grand Tetons.

Yellowstone is worth a special mention. It is a huge caldera (inverse volcano), which the Rocky Mountains run through. It is the equivalent of Rotorua and Taupo, with geysers, boiling mud and hot water rivers. It big difference is that it is home to America's BIG wildlife - buffalo, elk, wolves, moose and bears! People come in their droves from all over the US and the world to see it, making the entrance towns of Jackson Hole and Cody (half hour to the south of Powell) major tourist meccas.

Powell is largely a farming community, but it does host a significant junior university, Northwest College. So young people from all over the region come here to study. So there is a varied mix of farmers, labourers, academics, and students. Being in the mountain west the people are mostly conservative, republican and religious. They enjoy the outdoors, with hunting, hiking, boating, and four wheeling in the Summer, and skiing, and snow mobiling in the Winter. Much of the land in Wyoming is unusable for much so the Government owns much of the barren parts and opens it to the public for recreation. Because the state is large and towns are small there is a lot of driving to get to anywhere else. The closest big city is Billings, Montana one and a half hours drive to the northeast.

So we have come Lyndi and I with our five boys (14 - 6) to experience small town America and to be close to Lyndi's parents who retired here from Seattle 9 years ago. Its going to be an adventure, I hope I do a good job of taking you along for the ride.

Wikipedia about Powell

Powell fields with the distinctive 'Heart Mountain' in the background.