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.