Lots of errands and firsts...
Topic: Harrogate
(You may have noticed that entries can be sorted by topic. I've decided that "Harrogate" will pretty much cover anything having to do with the local area and our experiences pertaining to it.)

Wow. Today I've been here a week. I can't believe it. Time is flying by. I wish I could remember how long it took in Germany to go from feeling like a stranger in a strange land, to looking around and feeling like I was home.

It's been a busy couple of days. Monday I actually drove here for the first time. It's the first time I've ever driven on the "wrong" side on the road (on purpose, anyway!). I drove from Menwith Hill Station (where Larry works) back to our home on Dragon Parade. I made it without being in or causing any accidents! I still have yet to drive a right hand drive car, since we have our Honda still and aren't planning on buying another car anytime soon. I'm told it's easier to drive over here with a right hand drive car. I would like to get a chance to find out sometime. For now though, driving our Honda around doesn't seem so bad. Today I took the written test to get my driver's license for here. I passed. I get to pick up my license on Friday. They give you a study guide, which is nice. I had to laugh a little because even though I know they spell some things differently here than they do in the States, I didn't know "curb" was spelled, "kerb!" I also didn't know until last night that what we call a sidewalk is a "pavement," here. So when the study guide said not to drive on the pavement, I had to scratch my head at first!

The day before yesterday I went for another jog in the stray. Larry showed me a map that revealed the name of the stray: "The Stray or Two Hundred Acre." I have no idea as to the logic behind it. (If anyone out there knows, please share!) On the way home from my jog, I noticed a business called, "Stephen King Auto Services." Now there's a thought!

The weather has been really gorgeous. Today was warm enough for shorts. I'm really enjoying the cooler temperatures (compared to the desert) along with sunny skies. I know this nice weather isn't going to last, so I am taking advantage while I can.

The area we live in is nice because we're not really in a big city, but there's a really nice shopping area within walking distance. We are also right near a lot of agriculture. On the way to Menwith Hill Station or, "The Hill," as they call it, there are a lot of cattle and sheep. There are green fields segregated by long, low stone walls. Larry told me it takes something like an entire day to build six feet of a wall like that. When I see all the lengths of wall everywhere, I think of how much time and labor must have gone into it all.

The last couple days we've pretty much just been taking care of errands on base (I will refer to Menwith Hill Station most of the time as "base," as in air force base, or "MHS" for brevity). I realize I was spoiled in Germany on post there, because we had one of the biggest PXs and commissaries in USAREUR (USA Army Europe). MHS is very small and there just aren't very many amenities. On the bright side, local shopping is within walking distance from our house, and there isn't the same kind of language barrier. One thing I did notice in the commissary on base that I thought was interesting was that there are German products on the shelves. I expected that in Germany, but in England? Odd. In a way, it was kind of a deja vu!

Today for the first time Ryan and I walked alone to the shopping area. We'd been with Larry several times before, so I knew where I was going. It was good to get out and around and explore a little more. I'm starting to get the lay of the land a bit and that feels good.