No Wonder this country has problems financially

Well we finally got confirmation that we can get the mortgage we need, with a few minor exceptions. They've managed to negotiate a good interest rate for us (6.25%) but there is one issue. As I have been silly enough in the past to actually manage my money so that I haven't needed a credit card I'm not allowed to have my name on the loan.......HUH......how does that work you ask. Don't ask me. All I know is that because I don't have at least three credit cards they are unable to give me a loan! So once again all I can say is no wonder this country is in such a mess financially! But thankfully Andy was able to show three lines of credit and so he is allowed to have a loan so I get my name on the deed for the property but not on the loan. I suppose that's not so bad! But on a brighter note our money has finally arrived from Australia. After chasing them up last night we got a call back only two hours later checking that the exchange rate that they were offering was OK etc and this morning the money has arrived in our US account so that is such a relief. it looks like we're finally in a position to actually close next Monday. But now for the fun stuff. I took Lexie to the WW1 memorial park on Friday cause we both needed a bit of a day out. Lexie had her first ride in a big swing, and thought is was so much fun.

We then spent some time feeding the animals. Lexie liked the horses and the Llamas.....

but was only willing to share her carrot with the goat...... We then found a little kids playground and Lexie had great fun filling her bucket with grains of sands..one grain at a time...

Bibs and Bobs

Well since I don't have access to a library around here (well I could get to it, but I'd have to catch the bus to the other end of Plainville), and can I just say, I miss my books... most of my down time these days is spent knitting, well crocheting mostly. Since my knitting needles are all still in storage and I didn't want to buy a whole new set I just got one set of double pointed needles and a couple of crochet hooks along with some pretty wool. My first project was a pair of pants for Lexie. They turned out OK especially since I didn't have a pattern. Second attempt was a pair of shorts in the same pattern. Next I wanted a challenge so I thought I'd try a pair of socks. it took a couple of attempts to get them to fit properly so I amide a Lexie sized paire to start with, them moved up to a Jenny sized pair. I attempted a couple of skirts. but only one turned out right and even that one's too big so its going to have to wait till next year to see if really works as a skirt. I then started on a couple of jumpers, these turned out much better if I do say so myself, though that may have something to do with the fact that I had a pattern for these. The second one is a bit big but I'm sure she'll grow into it sooner or later. Excuse the model, she wasn't being very co-operative this morning when I tried to take the photos. Yesterday I was sick of being at home with a squally child so I decided to try another bus expedition. We went bigger this time and did a transfer off our bus line and down to Emerald Square Mall. The trip went find, we managed the bus transfer without too many problems. After wandering around the mall for a while it was time for Lexie to have a nap so I headed outside and walked down the road to the Target, Babie's r Us and Best Buy (Electronics store) Lexie was asleep before we'd gotten out of the Mall car park and she slept for just over half an hour which is all I seem to get at the moment. We then headed back to the Mall and found the play area where Lexie was able to get out and have a play with the other kids. Once again she was in her element.We really have one social baby here!

Out and About in Massachusetts

So what have we been doing this week. It was the Labour Day long weekend last weekend and Andy took a couple of extra days off so he had a 5 day weekend. Unfortunately Lexie and I came down with a bit of a cold during the weekend so weren't able to do much. On the Wednesday we had to go up to Walpole to drop in a bunch of documentation that the Mortgage Master guys needed to get our mortgage underway and on the way back decided to have a nice lunch out so went to a place called Toms Tavern. This is now the second time we've been to this place and we love it. Really good food (1.5 pound lobster for $17 & a pint of beer for $1.50 what more could you ask for) and a great atmosphere. Lexie of course was an angel - we were out of the house after all - and spent half the lunch gnawing on a chicken wing. mmmm chicken. On Friday when Andy was back at work, Lexie and I decided that we needed to try out the local bus service so we walked up to the corner and jumped on a bus down to the the local supermarket. The bus service was actually not too bad, its a flag stop service so you can flag it down anywhere on the route that you want to get on or off , and for only $1 a ride its really quite good value. The only real problem is that it only runs every hour, so you can't really go to one place, jump off and do some errands then jump back on and go to the next place, not without waiting an hour for an hour anyway. So we went down to the Triboro Plaza, only stayed for about 20 mins then caught the next bus back. Not a bad outing for a Friday afternoon. This weekend was a nice relaxing weekend at home. After being a grumbly girl all week Lexie was back to being her cheerful self on the weekend. I think she missed having her Daddy around after the loong weekend. So it was nice to just hang around the house playing with her. Since it was Fathers day on Sunday we had to go out and celebrate so we headed to the Longhorn Steakhouse....Now I'm usually wary of going to steakhouses, its not often you can find one that will actually cook the steak well done no matter how many times you ask...but this place....Lets just say it was the best damn steak that I've ever eaten. It was definitely cooked well done, no pink, but it was sooo tender it was seriously melt in the mouth, so much so that even Lexie was able to eat it up. I gave her a couple of pieces and she loved it, wolfed it right down. Add to that the lobster and Shrimp dip for Appetiser and the crab bake that went with my steak and you've got one fantastic dinner. Will definitely have to remember this place. This morning we got up early and drove Andy to work so that I could have the car for the next two days. Its the first day of a new training course today and there's a dinner that's put on afterwards so instead of trying to figure out how to get home after dinner the company is putting him up in the hotel where the course is (right next door to his office) for the night which means Lexie and I are on our own tonight, hopefully she'll be a good girl for Mummy, but since shes short on sleep after a late night last night then getting woken up this morning I doubt it very much.