One of my colleagues reports that on returning for a visit to the UK, everything seems a bit smaller. Cars, roads, buildings are all bigger (on average) over here, and I can well believe that we are getting accustomed to it. It is the unexpected things that continue to bring me up short. For instance, I was prepared for some of our furniture to look smaller in house here, but was amazed by how small a picture of Oxford that had dominated a large wall in a room in our house in the UK seems on the wall here.
Talking of being brought up short, someone suggested when we announced our engagement that we planned to create a new tribe of munchkins. The girls are definitely not big for their ages, as the photo proves, but I doubt that the anthropologists are taking much of an interest.
Today one of our neighbouring families came round with a plate of home-made cookies to welcome us the the area with apologies for not having come sooner. It really does happen. Quite a contrast with the curtain-twitching when a new person moved into our street in the UK. We may try to be welcoming, but it seems to be part of the culture here rather than a reaction to it.
We are beginning to feel on top of our unpacking which is a relief, although it has taken a physical and mental toll on us living amongst and gradually processing more than 100 boxes. Once we have replaced our filing cabinet that gave up the ghost in the last few weeks before we left, we should be able to sort the last boxes we have piled up in the living-space. The ones we have hidden away will be another matter.
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