We own a car...

Today's big news...we are now the owners of a 2005 Ford Focus Station Wagon...now, I just have to get comfortable driving a manual ALL the time instead of occasionally. I don't think I am going to love that, but it is very difficult to find an automatic here and if you do, they are more expensive. We met the seller at the traffic office to pay the taxes and that was the final step. We also purchased an AutoPass, which is basically like the EZ Tag. You pay tolls here when you cross from one "kommune" or community to another and also on bridges and such. The funny thing with that is, you get your AutoPass at the Esso station (Exxon gas station.)

Today was the first really dreary day we have had so far. It sprinkled on and off all day and was very overcast. It is kind of foggy looking out over the lake nearby. It was also quite a bit cooler without the sun. Still, it wasn't so bad and didn't really keep us from doing any of the things we needed to do.

We actually cooked a taco dinner with all the fixings and had our friends Dan, Sheila, and Ella up for dinner. They supplied the guacamole and we did the rest. It was a great meal with our new friends and the kids had a good time playing too! On the topic of food...Spencer has been doing some research and has apparently found a Mexican food restaurant not too far from here. We are thinking it is worth a try! Also, this weekend is the food festival in Stavanger I mentioned the other day. We are definitely going to check that out tomorrow. I was hoping the weather might be okay and we could go to Pulpit Rock, but that may have to wait for another weekend.

One cool thing that happened today - the kids and I had gone to look around the mall for a few minutes and we wandered into the toy store. This woman looked at me and as I walked by she asked if we were visiting here (she had noticed us speaking English) and we started to chat. She (her name is Sue) and her family are also new in town, live just up the way from us, and her boys will be attending ISS (school) also. One is going into 2nd grade and the other will be a 6th grader. Hopefully we will run into one another again in the near future - the school apparently has a strong Parent Association - and can strike up a friendship. They are originally from Canada but have been in Dallas for a number of years prior to this.

Another interesting bit of information - I joined a Stavanger Expat group on Yahoo and put in a query about ladies' hairdressers...got a reply - Don Nell, you will be interested to know this - haircuts here run about 600-800 NOK, or about $100+! YIKES! I have to get mine cut fairly often! Of course, she mentioned that price in the same breath as long hair and layers which obviously doesn't describe me...oh, and color jobs...somewhere in the neighborhood of 900-1300 NOK. I will be keeping my gray, needless to say!

Ok, I am sure I had several other observations to share, but they escape me at the moment - the good news...we did NOT go to the bank today! I think this is the only day this week we haven't gone there although there was some email correspondence. We didn't want the bank to worry about us. We are considering renting an office space IN the bank, since we seem to be there so often.

Oh, and here is a weird situation...our bank debit card works at all the stores we go in, however, both attempts to use the same said card at a petrol station (gas) have failed...thank goodness both cars have pretty full tanks, and thank goodness they will take our US credit cards...we are only charged a nominal fee each time...HA!

I am sure you all want a picture of the car...I promise I will take one tomorrow and post it. Don't really want to go to the parking garage in my jammies...!

Oh, and some of you have asked about Spencer and work...I guess I should mention that all is going well at the office. Many people are still on holiday for July, so it has been fairly quiet which has made it easier for him to get away to take care of all these details and stuff that has to be done. I am sort of helpless since I do not have my person number yet. He will be traveling to Oslo pretty regularly starting in the next couple weeks. The good part on that, the kids and I should have an opportunity to visit Oslo too!

God natt!