FFA Ants nest

Yesterday, on the way back to the parking lot (that’s car park to you and I) there were barriers all around the side of the streets and flags hanging around saying we welcome the FFA. I had absolutely no idea what the FFA was or why the barriers were up. Today I found out what it was all about. Thousands, literally thousands of school kids descended on Colts stadium that is right next door to the office. They all had the same sweater (that’s a fleece cardigan) with their names and the state they were representing. FFA stands for the Future Farmers of America. The only reason why I mention it is that as I write this I am hungry. I am hungry, because every McDonalds, Subway, Burger king, sandwich shop or restaurant was packed. There were lines outside of every door way. To cut a long story short my Tic-Tac lunch was lovely.


I got a scan of my international driving permit today, and Sarah has sent the original one recorded delivery to our apartment. I really need to rent a car this weekend to get furniture and set up the utilities for when Sarah and the kids come next week. 8 days, 4hours and 23 minutes, but who is counting right? The important thing is that we have beds to sleep on and a table to eat dinner on. We already have a TV, kindly donated by ExPats David and Sian. We still don’t have a phone, internet or cable in the apartment. It is a tricky thing really. I am out the door at 7:45 and back at 19:00, so when I get back I’m not in a position to actually organize anything. We will have to do rock, paper, scissors to take it in turns to sit on the fishing chair, currently the chair of choice in the front room. When I say chair of choice I mean that’s the only thing to sit on.
Dan is going on a cycling trip this Saturday and Sunday, so I won’t be catching up with him this weekend. His parents however, are going to a line dance. He asked if I was doing anything this weekend and knowing I didn’t have a bike, wanted to know if I wanted to go line dancing. I have never been line dancing before but I swore to myself I would emerge myself in the culture and say “yes” to new things. I have not met his parents before, I don’t know where the venue is and I have no idea how to line dance. I really have thrown myself in the deep end here haven’t I?

Three years ago I suffered with quite bad anxiety. I remember not being able to sit through a film at the cinema unless I was on the end of the row so I could make a quick exit. I was a very weird thing that even now I can’t explain what caused it. I wouldn’t wish on anybody. The cure for me (that even now I can’t understand) was having kids. I don’t know if it was because I was more focused on them, or what. Either way, I don’t get it so much now. When my darling son was first born, I remember the mid-wife say to me “have you got a baby grow?” A baby-grow? What’s a baby-grow? My god, how am I going to be a good father if on day one I don’t know what a baby-grow is! With a look of confusion spread across my face she pointed at a sleep suit and said “There it is. Can you pass it to me please”? “Sure, no problem” I said. I think it was at that moment I worked out that no matter how big the challenge is and how confused and worried you are about it, there will be someone (even if you don’t know them) to point you in the right direction… The fact that she was making up words for a sleep suit didn’t help…


ANYWAY


Line dancing, Me, Saturday… lets go ahead and do it! Heal, Toe, Heal, Toe.