Merry Christmas

My Christmas weekend started on Friday when we were dismissed from work at 2pm! So I headed home, and picked up my mom and headed off to a couple of stores for some last minute Christmas shopping! Later that evening, Liesel and I were again able to go and watch a movie together, and went to see "We are Marshall". It was an inspirational (and true) story that was very well told.
On Saturday morning, the weather had turned considerably cooler, but we still headed for downtown Cleveland. We got out and walked around the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Great Lakes Science Center, and Cleveland Brown's Stadium. after about 30 minutes, I (being the only one without gloves and a hat!) called it a day and got everyone bundled into the car again. We stopped at Tower City, which is a unique shopping mall in one of the tallest buildings in Cleveland. In Tower City, right at the bottom, there is a train station. Then above that, there is a 3 level shopping mall. It had amazing Christmas decorations all suspended in the air, with animated characters in each display! Nathan was enthralled! We also, showed Nathan the fountains in the center of the mall! This is a wishing fountains, so Liesel and myself gave him some pennies to throw into the water. This turned out to be his favorite thing of the day, with him constantly turning to us and asking us "More?". We must have given him at least 50c worth of pennies between us, but watching the joy on his face was priceless!

Church was first on our itinerary for Sunday! It was a great service with amazing music provided by an orchestra (complete with Kettle Drums) and the Providence Choir! After Church, we were invited to our friends for a Christmas Eve lunch! They spoilt us with a huge lunch and chocolate cake for dessert! Later that afternoon, after a well earned afternoon nap, we did our bunteteller. Bunteteller is a German tradition, where Christmas cookies, chocolates, marzipan, etc, are shared amongst all of us in the household. Then this collection of calories is yours to keep and devour as quickly (my personal choice) or as slowly as you like......
Once Nathan was asleep, Liesel and I kicked into full gear and started moving presents around. Nathan's main gift is a 350 piece train set on a table, with a parking garage, gas station, firestation, etc etc. This needed to be put together, and required quite a bit of effort, as most things had to be screwed down, fastened and tightened! It took us longer than expected, but I had a heck of a lot of fun playing (I mean putting it together!) Finally, at about 1am, I could go to bed and eagerly wait for Santa's friendly invasion.

Woohoo, Christmas in Cleveland finally arrived. Nathan wandered into the lounge at 8am and it didn't take long for his eyes to fall upon his train table! This wooden toy proceeded to monopolize Nathan's attention for the next couple of hours! In the meantime, my mom, Liesel and I opened some of our gifts and spoke to loved ones in Southern Africa. We all were spoilt and very happy with our gifts! Lunch was another spectacular feast that Liesel prepared! It consisted of Roast Chicken, glazed ham, fresh bread rolls, sweet potato and vegetables. Dessert was chocolate mousse for me, and cherry pie for the rest!!! (guess who will be needing to spend a few extra hours in the gym this week)
And that was our first Christmas in the USA as permanent residents! Life is good, and I am certain that next Christmas will be even better!

We wish you all a very blessed Christmas and a prosperous 2007!
Grant, Liesel and Nathan

A glimpse of Normality??

Life has turned toward the general direction of normality again. Back to working the 5 day week, but still blessed to come home to my wife and mother! The beauty of having my mother here, is that she volunteers to look after Nathan at any time, and this gives Liesel and myself a taste of freedom. On Friday, Liesel and I had our first meal alone in a restaurant since leaving South Africa! It was fantastic, the restaurant was perfect too. It was a seafood restaurant with a great ambiance! Liesel ordered the:
New England Seafood Sampler
Lobster, crab and seafood-stuffed mushrooms, bacon-wrapped scallops and lightly breaded clam strips.
I had the chef's special, which was Salmon coated with a spicy coating, covered with shrimps - heerlik (delicious)!!! A great evening out for us!
On Saturday I took my mom down to the Prime Outlet mall, where they have all the factory stores for Reebok, Adidas, Levi's etc.... We used this opportunity to buy some shoes and clothes for my sister and her husband back in South Africa. I also had used this chance to buy Liesel's gift, as well as a couple of things for my self ;-)
Sunday's church service was great, with the Providence Bell Choir ringing while we sang carols! This afternoon I took my mom to some shops she hadn't yet been to. She took a particular liking to the Dollar Tree store. Everything in this store (no matter what it is) costs $1! Had it not been for luggage weight constraints, she would have spent hours in the shop and walked out with an interesting inventory!
We then went to a shop that I could spend hours in and easily spend $10000!! If you have even the tiniest musical bone in your body, you haven't lived until you have visited a shop called Guitar Center! I walked into the door and stopped as my eyes fell upon a wall that must have contained 100+ Electric guitars! There were amplifiers stacked throughout the store, not to mention Bass guitars, keyboards, digital pianos, drum kits, cases, pedals, books, cables, etc etc. I then entered another room where all the acoustic guitars were kept. Every guitar is kept in tune and you are encouraged to pick it up and play! It was almost like heaven, except that you had to pay for the guitars ;-) There were guitars (both electric and acoustic) for over $2000! One day when I grow up, I will own one of those!

First time ever!!!! Guest blog!

I thought I would give my mom an opportunity to share her experiences after spending her first week in the USA!

So here is her account:--------------------------

A lot of folk have been asking what everyday life is like in the USA. From what I have seen it is very quiet and peaceful, even in Grant and Liesel's complex, one hardly ever sees anyone else. Everybody is very friendly and when one enters a shop the assistants say "good morning, how you doing" - they also ask "can I help you with anything?" One thing that amazes me is that there are no boundary fences between the properties, not even down the sides of a property. How does one know where to mow the lawn - where does your property begin and where does the neighbour's property end??? Are you mowing the neighbour's lawn???? The only exception is where a family owns a pet, they erect a small fence to keep the animals inside. No high 6 ft walls, just a small wire fence. I really enjoy looking at the houses, some very large and larny in this area - we went for a drive down Chairman’s Row and had a look at some of the property there, some which sold for over $1000 000. All the houses seem to be made of wood, even the apartment we are staying in - we can hear the people above walking when the floor boards creak.!!!! Another thing that amazes me is that about half the houses fly the United States flag - these people are really very patriotic. Most houses also have wreaths hanging from the front door and most windows as well. Lots of houses also have Christmas displays in the gardens, everything from the Nativity scene, to blow up Santa Claus and reindeer. There are lots of lights in trees and around the windows and front of the houses. Grant has bought a living Christmas tree and bought lights and strung them from his balcony and they have a wreath at the front door. All the shops have Christmas carols playing and many display Nativity Scenes - different from SA??? Also there is an amazing variety of goods in the shop – like buying Rice Crispies in about ten different flavours and colours!!!!

Yesterday afternoon we went sledding in the remnants of the snow. I went down a hill in the sled, rather scary when there is only about 3mm of plastic between your bot and the snow!!!!!! I went down shouting "Oooo Oooo" all the way and landed just the other side of the sludge. Lee and Grant had been mad enough to try sledding on Thursday in the falling snow, and Friday in the bitter cold. It was still very cold today but there was not such a biting wind. After lunch today Grant and I went for a drive along the shores of Lake Erie – it was lovely to see the lake in the sunlight all blue and sparkly after the snow. The lake is huge and one cannot see the other side. I must say I take my hat off to Grant, driving on the wrong side of the road and also negotiating the snow and ice – I am sure it can’t be too easy!!! Here when the robot (traffic light) turns green you can drive – not like in SA where you have to watch and make sure that the taxis have finished turning into your lane!!!!!!!!!

Despite the below freezing temperatures I have not really felt cold - the coldest was, I think in Washington when Grant and I went walking in the cold wind - that was cold. Here we are in and out of the car and the shops all the time so one does not get chilled to the bone. Something else that amazes me is that there are not many big, enclosed Shopping Malls with undercover or indoor parking. Most of the shops are spread out with parking lots. This means than one has to run in the falling snow from the car to the shop, and then out again in the snow to the next shop - if only they had more Malls like Westgate etc. We had just on three days of snow - it cleared yesterday afternoon and today it was sunny, although the temperature was still just on freezing point.
This morning we went to Providence Church where the Sunday School was giving their Christmas programme. The theme was the Bethlehem Star, and the little ones were to sing “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star”. At first Nathan was not too keen to sing, but after watching the others he got the hand of it and started doing the actions and sang “Twinkle Star”. He was really cute, just about the youngest of the group. Made me feel quite weepy!!! Everybody was very friendly and chatted to me, asking me where I was from etc. etc. Maybe they were intrigued by the accent.

Back to work for a vacation!

Phew!!! This last week was so jammed packed with exciting happenings in the McCarthy's lives, that I am looking forward to work on Monday morning for a well-earned break! ;-) I have had to start writing this blog a couple of hours earlier tonight, as I will need the extra time to capture all that has taken place this past week!! As a well known songs say: Let's start at the very beginning, a very good place to start!
Monday: A very cold day in Washington, with temperatures hanging around the -10C range with the wind chill. The four of us walked a couple of blocks and then descended into the Washington DC Subway system. We caught a train to the Smithsonian station a couple of miles east of us. After we emerged from the underground, we still had a couple of blocks to walk in the frigid winter air to the Air and Space Museum! This was an amazing place with actual planes hanging from the ceilings, full sized rockets standing in majestically in various spots throughout the museum. Nathan loved sitting in the cockpit of the Cessna they had there (possible future career?)! We spent almost 3 hours wandering around this museum before heading back to the Underground, back to our hotel! That afternoon my mom and I took another walk to the White House and this time I took her around the back of the White House! This also makes a great photo!
Tuesday: With the car packed full of luggage, we started our drive back to Cleveland. The drive went smoothly even when we drove into a snow storm and my mom got to see her first snow in 25 years! When we got to Cleveland, we saw that we had just missed the season's first snow storm that had dumped 3 or 4 inches of cold white fluffy stuff over the entire landscape! It was really an awesome site to behold and a perfect ending to our Washington trip!
Wednesday: This was a day that we set aside to help my mom acclimatize to Cleveland. We took her to some of our local shops and then I drove her to the lake front, so she could see Lake Erie for herself! It was quite a sight with snow all along the shoreline, with the icy water gently tickling the frozen sand. The rest of the afternoon was used to look at some of the dream homes that overlook the fresh waters of the lake. Maybe one day.... if I ever win a lottery, I could afford one of these mansions........
Thursday: The biggest snowfall of the season so far! WOOHOO!! I can't explain the feeling when you wake up and look outside, and everything is stunningly white! As the snow fell, I decided to try out my winter gear, and went outside and made my first snowman in 25 years! Later on, while my mom babysat Nathan, Liesel and I headed for the sledding hill at our local recreation center! This was the best thing since learning to ride a bike! I cannot believe that I had missed out on this for 32 years! If there was a reason to move to Cleveland, then this is it ;-) OK, Liesel and I were the oldest people going down the sledding, but why put an age limit on something so fun?!?! See my video at http://mccarthys-videos.blogspot.com . Lesson learnt: ALWAYS wear thermal underwear when sledding!! Later that afternoon my mom and I went out to buy our very first, living, Christmas tree! It is over 6ft tall and has a lovely pine aroma that it gives. Nathan was so excited to see the tree as I hauled it through our front door! His squeals of glee and shouts of enthusiasm made buying the tree all worth it! He even helped decorate the tree!
Friday: More snow! In total we must have had around 6 inches over the last 2 days! We ventured out in the weather to our mall so Nathan can get to run around in the play area, since he was most likely suffering from cabin fever! Later that afternoon, Liesel and I hit the sledding slopes again! This time the thermal underwear was in place and it was far more enjoyable!
Saturday: Temperatures are climbing back above the freezing mark, Liesel took Nathan to a Sunday School concert rehearsal, while I took my mom shopping. That afternoon, we took Nathan and my mom to a playground with a more gentle sledding hill. The snow was melting now, so this was the last chance to get some sledding in for a while. I managed to talk my mom into going downhill on a moulded piece of plastic separating her from the icy slush beneath her! Well, I captured that on video for generations to see ;-) Also at http://mccarthys-videos.blogspot.com ! Nathan didn't share the same enthusiasm for sledding but he did enjoy making and throwing snowballs! That evening, Liesel and I went out to watch our 2nd movie in the USA since landing in March! We saw The Holiday, which was OK. I think I enjoyed the hot chocolate beforehand, and the Christmas lights in Crocker Park, more than the movie! But it does feel great going out again!
Sunday: Nathan partook in his first ever Sunday school concert. The 2 year old class stood up in the beginning and gave their best rendition of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. In the first service, Nathan was very wary of all the goings-ons around him, and he wasn't very comfortable. But the 2nd Service, Nathan was far more relaxed, and stood up and sang with the rest of the 2 year olds. He was our own little superstar! That afternoon I took my mom for a drive down the lake front towards Cleveland. It was a beautiful day and the skyline stood proudly in the afternoon sun!
A great day for photographs! After supper, we took my mom and Nathan for a drive around the area to see the Christmas lights that so beautifully decorate the houses and buildings! There is something to be said about how a few hundred little lights can change an average abode in the daytime, to a brilliant fairyland castle at night! This is one of the reasons I love the USA at Christmas time!
And now its back to work and the gym for me! Looking forward to getting back into my routines again............ so until next week, CIAO!

She made it - bags and all!!!!

After 6 tiring days wandering around the palaces and attractions of London, my mother finally stepped onto American soil yesterday afternoon, with her plethora of bags! Liesel, Nathan and I left Cleveland before 8am in order to be at the airport on time. The Rendezvous (our car) went like a dream and transported us effortlessly through the beautiful countryside of Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania's state motto must surely be "The Toll Road State". Despite forking out various tolls throughout the state, Liesel and I had a good laugh when we passed a sign board that read: Your toll money at work. This road construction project completed one year ahead of schedule. We look at each other and almost in union said "That's something you will NEVER see in Africa!" Those of you from South Africa know exactly what we were talking about ;-) To cut a long story short, after a few wrong turns (DC is not the world's best signposted city), we arrived at the airport 20 mins after my mom's plane landed. Unbeknown to us, the customs and immigration process is painfully slow, and she only made her debut appearance in the American public area at around 3:30pm!!! It was good to see her again and Nathan took to her immediately!

We checked into our hotel later that afternoon and were very impressed with the our new accommodation! Our room has a stand-alone kitchen, with a dining room and lounge suite. You then go through some doors to a passage with the bedroom (2 queen size beds) on one side and the bath room on the other. Our views are impressive to, being on the 7th floor! We have the Washington Monument rising up a few blocks away and the US Capital building is also visible.

After unloading the car, we took our first walk due south. We walked alongside the Vietnam Memorial, and then onto the Lincoln Memorial, all now lit up as the sun quickly retreated to its early winter resting place. We could also see the majestic Washington Monument standing proudly with its flawless mirrored image in the Reflecting Pools beneath the full moon. Awesome!

Today we made our way to Arlington National Cemetery. It is always a very humbling and moving experience visiting this place. Today we took the tour bus to all the key sites within the Cemetery and learnt some fascinating facts about various events in history. For instance, did you know that the ground was broken for the building of the Pentagon on September 11, 1941. I filed that fact under my "Things that make you go hmmmmm" mental folder! I also witnessed the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier for the first time. Talk about dedication and precision! Definitely the highlight of my day! Before heading home for lunch, we stopped at the Iwo Jima Memorial.

This afternoon, while Nathan napped and Liesel watched him, my mom and I went for the tourist trek! We walked 6 blocks to the White House, and headed South to the Washington Monument. From there another walk to the World War II Memorial, then past the Reflecting Pools and finally to the Korean War Memorial. From there we made pitstops at a few roadside vendors. After recharging our batteries with a cup of hot chocolate, made our way back to the hotel! What a day! Tomorrow we plan to hit a few of the museums in Washington, and then back up north to where a snow covered landscape should be welcoming us in Cleveland on Tuesday!

So stay tuned for future episodes, and find out if my mom survive the Ohio winters!