STREET LEGAL

Thursday, August 31, 2006

I finally went to the DMV the other day and took my drivers license test. I am egregiously late... you are supposed to make yourself known to the DMV within 10 days of arriving in California. So I messed up by, what, 36 weeks?

Nonetheless, in all of 30 minutes, the last evidence of my Illinois residency has been officially abolished, and a shiny new California drivers license is on its way in the mail.

When moving to California, it's very important to study the driving laws book before the exam. I mean, who really remembers whether the speed limit is 10, 15, or 20 miles an hour by a train crossing? Also, you might find some of the answers counterintuitive if you happened to be used to driving in another state. For example, try this one.

You are driving on a 2-way street. On your left, there is a steady stream of oncoming traffic. On your right, there is a row of parked cars. You should:
A - Aim right down the middle of your side of the street.
B - Pull over until all traffic clears.
C - Swear at those bastards! The nerve of them to be driving toward you! This is what horns are for!
D - Turn around and go with the flow.
E - Take whatever action you must to avoid the black ice, the cop, and the pothole.
F - Could you repeat the question?

If you answered A to the above question, you have carefully read the California Driving Laws book.
B: you are from St. Louis
C: you are from New York
D: you are from San Diego
E: you are from Chicago
F: you are from L.A.

As well, I could not help but notice that the California driving laws don't take into account specific San Diegan behavior. For example, the California Driving Laws book states that you should never exceed the posted speed limit, but also, that it can be dangerous to drive at a far slower rate than the rest of the traffic. Clearly the writers have not driven on I-5 in San Diego, where the slow lane drives 80.

Finally, there were absolutely no rules in the book about the perils of badly-tied surf boards hanging off of pickup trucks and VW Bus roofs.

Perhaps this explains why I passed by the skin of my teeth...

NINE

Monday, August 21, 2006

I'm 2 sack lunches, 2 nights of homework, a pile of fluorescent-colored PTA pamphlets, and approximately 7 little girl outfit changes into 4th grade. And I have to admit, I am so impressed with Sarah. She takes change with such grace. In 48 hours, she's cleared the formidable social hurdles of recess and lunch in a brand new school, not to mention a harrowing bathroom break ("I had to go REALLY REALLY BAD, Mom, and I didn't know where the bathroom was, and when I got there the doors SWUNG ALL THE WAY OPEN instead of locking right away!!!"), and somehow, she's Teflon through all of it.

It all started Monday morning, when 31 fourth graders entered their new classroom and the teacher flipped on the lights. The morning sun had been providing enough glare that the contents of the classroom weren't apparent until that moment, when each kid was greeted with about a foot of textbooks neatly piled on his or her desk. From the windows, the parents roared as little eyes grew wide at the sight of All That Work.

Summer -- and perhaps, goofing off in class -- was definitely over.

Sarah didn't give it a second thought! She chose a seat so close to the teacher, she could count the nosehairs.

On homework last night, a questionnaire asked her, what are some things you do well? She wrote:
I am kind and considerate to others, am good at art, and I don't mind eating fruits and vegetables.

The next one asked, what would you like to change about yourself? She answered:
I just want to be the best me I can be!

I hope the Mommy teardrops don't blur her writing too badly. I mean, how adorable is that?!

Nine is this funny age. The kids all looked so huge to me... hardly like little kids anymore, even though in the scheme of things, they still are. But there was a marked difference between these kids and the third graders. They just carried themselves so differently. They didn't all look like an ad for Target. They had their own styles emerging. Tucked in versus tucked out... top button done or undone... things the kids have power over, were purposeful this year.

There are things she won't tell me, secrets she'll share just with her friends. And yet she still can't fall asleep without a goodnight story. It's a bridging age... the problem is that I can't tell when I'm going to step on one of those big-girl moments and treat her like a "baby." I just have to be respectful and apologize when I do it. (Also she lays off me if I look like I might cry some more...)

WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT "NORTH COUNTY"

Sunday, August 20, 2006

Now that we have lived here for a little while, we do know a little more about living in the north area of San Diego. Not a lot, but a little bit.

San Diegans love their cell phones. I swear, I don't think I had ever seen someone park an Escalade in a compact-car-only spot while balancing a cell phone on the crook of their ear before. At first it really scared me. Now, I simply wonder... who are all these people talking to? Perhaps each other. Perhaps there is a whole fleet of driving, talking San Diegans who simply drive around from mall to mall talking with one another. They tend to be blonde, perky, and in large vehicles.

Home sweet model. San Diegans move so often that they are really into real estate, and at the same time oddly dispassionate about it. In fact, as we start to meet our new neighbors, they usually ask us, "what model do you have" instead of "which house is yours?" Of course since we didn't buy the house new, we have no idea what model we have. So we try and describe it... it has this sort of arch carport thingie. They look at us oddly and tell us we have Plan 4.

Downtown is "far." People in North County generally don't venture downtown, and city dwellers don't make it up here, unless it's for work or a wedding. It seems too far. In Chicago, people live in Rockford or Joliet and commute every day into Chicago. While here, that same distance would be from Orange County to downtown San Diego, and nobody would ever think of making that commute.

Water, yoga, supplements, and matchy bike uniforms. Anyone selling any of these 4 things will make a killing in San Diego. Especially the matchy bike uniforms. We were all excited to ride bikes here until we got a look at the other bikers. You can't just go out in your smelly worn out tshirt and stretchy shorts. The helmet has to match as well. Biking isn't a leisure activity... it's a see-and-be-seen production.


Personal training is cheaper than getting your taxes done. Need I say more?

GATEWAY TO THE WEST

Well here we are, August 20. We've been in our new house for 5 weeks. This makes us permanent residents of San Diego!

Now that we are residents, we are rolling out the welcome mat a lot. In the five weeks we've been here, we've hosted more friends and family than we have the last 5 years on Chicago. And a 9-year-old sleepover thrown in for good measure!

We are 90% unpacked... guess we lost steam on that last 10%. It's exciting projects like sorting through the master closet and making sense of all the toy rabble. However, half out of pride and half necessity, our guest room looks fantastic. It has a matching bedspread and curtains and fancy little shampoos and things. It has a collapsible suitcase stand, like you see in hotels. I suppose I really need to put a guest book in there.

We do have some vacancies coming up, so let us know when you're coming! Just cut and paste the following into an email to us, or print it out and mail it:

___________________________________________________________________
EDELMAN-DYKSHORN INN & SUITES

Name: _______________________________

Dates of your trip: from _________ to ________

Number in your party: _____ adults _______ kids

What you would like to do on your trip?
___ go to Seaworld, the San Diego Zoo, Wild Animal Park, and/or LegoLand
___ hang out at the beach with the surfers and eat pancakes
___ grow armpit hair and take up yoga
___ meet our neighbors, cook dinner, and help us garden
___ party at the Gaslamp district and hang out with the cool people *

Which animal would you like to sleep with you?
___ Oakley (16 year old, deaf orange tabby, very sweet)
___ Gizmo (12 year old off-white Persian, trying to grow his hair back, snuggly but fickle)
___ Archie (2 year old wirehair miniature dachshund, black & tan, a comedian)
___ Eddie (2 year old smooth coat dachshund, red brindle, overly licky)
___ none (note: we cannot guarantee this request)

* you will have to find or bring your own cool people
___________________________________________________________________

SNAIL CIRCUSES

Tuesday, August 01, 2006

Ever since we have moved into our house, the kids have adopted a new species of pet: the snails that appear at our house after a rain or in the morning after the sprinklers shut off.

Snails are a West Coast phenomenon. I first encountered them on my morning walks when I lived up at Carol's, and I had to be careful not to smoosh them because they were just everywhere! Well, the kids are relishing the novelty of these little creatures and could be occupied for hours.

Lining them up and having snail races. Making snail highways up and down our back fence. Giving the snails rides on their scooters. Having a snail circus with snails riding in tiny train cars.

Don finds them repulsive. Sometimes I find myself wondering if we should be cooking them. The kids are naming them. It's funny how we all have different views of them. Here they are pictured with Larry and Barry. They are thinking of labeling the snails with paint so they can figure out who's in the yard each morning. Sigh.