A-salt-ed!!!

Merry Christmas Everyone!
Luckily the world didn't end this week, so we are all still here to enjoy 2012 Christmas!  I hope Santa has spoilt you all.  He hasn't arrived here yet, so I'm sitting here full of excitement ready for tomorrow.

Since last writing it's been quite a bit busy.  After Thanksgiving I travelled to Costa Rica for a meeting, landed home on Friday night and then flew off on Sunday morning to Mexico for the week!  I then picked up a shocking cold and cough, which now over two weeks later I'm still feeling the aftermath.

Here's some pics from Costa Rica (we had a traditional dinner one night)...

One of my 'firsts' that I've been able to share with Brett was a trip on the Staten Island Ferry - this is free from Manhattan and offers some of the best views of the Statue of Liberty.  Although freezing cold, we sat outside to get the best views (and to avoid the Friday night rush hour traffic!).

I like this shot and you can see the brightly lit up building in the middle is the Freedom Tower which is currently under construction on the World Trade Center.

Anyways, so firstly, the good news is that we now have a car.  Actually we've had a car now for about 4 weeks, but we've only been able to drive it for the past week.  Those of you that know Brett, know that a car sitting there not being able to be driven is the worst form of torture.  All I can say it is another case of US bureaucracy and me mixing as well as oil and water.  5 trips to the DMV and an accumulated time of around 7 hours and only on the last visit did I actually walk away with my registration papers, registration plates and a title with my name on it.  What a bloody drama!  But that's all in the past now and we have managed to clock up over 2,000 miles (3,200 kms) in 9 days.

After getting our rego on Saturday morning we headed south down the Jersey Shore where we saw the truly devastating effects of Sandy, but also the beautiful Atlantic coast line.   Here's some shots of the houses down there...

... yes, the house is on a very bad angle.

Whilst down there Brett's eagle eye spotted this perfect sign for this blog...

On Sunday we headed over to Long Island and drove the length of it down to Montauk (where Jodie and I visited), and I enjoyed what will now be a customary chocolate thickshake from John's Drive in Diner.

During this week, we made good use of the car and got ourselves a Christmas Tree, yes a real one!

This weekend we set of on our first real road trip.  In 2 1/2 days we covered 6 states and 2 countries - New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, and Ontario, Canada.  We set off early on Saturday morning (on the road by 5am!), and about 1 hour into the trip, through the Poconos we were so excited because it started to snow.  The beautiful flutter of snow soon turned into a full blown blizzard that we drove through for over four hours (well, Brett is the one that drove, I just sat there with my finger nails embedded in the dashboard).  We passed 18 incidents on the road in that time that ranged from jack knifed trucks, spun out cars in ditches, to cars on their sides.  Even as we were pulling up slowly to an upcoming incident, the car behind us nearly ran into us as he was going side to side all over the highway.  This shot is on a six lane hwy (3 lanes each direction)!

So, I guess you're wondering how we got a-salt-ed... well, it wasn't us per se, it was our poor car.  To keep the roads open, there are large snow plough vehicles that not only scrape away the snow, but they also drop salt all over the roads which melts the snow.  So, our poor vehicle that had been immaculately maintained in the 3 weeks we'd owned it, was now white instead of gun metal grey - not so good for keeping the vehicle rust free...

So after surviving our first snow blizzard we found ourselves in Niagara Falls with the beautiful aftermath of snow, but now with sunshine... it was spectacular.  The falls are right on the border of the US and Canada so we managed to get shots from both sides.  On the Canada side, (distastefully) the town is like a mini-Las Vegas and definitely set up for the tourists.  We stayed here that night in a very dog friendly motel (Jack even got himself a little doggy pack upon arrival).

The spray from the falls causes a lot of ice on the surrounding park.  This tree looked beautiful (though you wouldn't want to stand underneath it!)

Here is me being a typical fool with some Canadian natives...

Sunday morning we set off early again and this time travelled along the Canada side of Lack Eerie - to say this lake is massive is an absolute understatement!

  

There was not so much to see except a very large lake, a lot of farmland, the tomato capital of Canada, and a little oil field where Brett enjoyed skidding all over the ice...

We then made our way around to the next point of the border in Detroit, Michigan - motor capital of the US and home to Ford.  Brett toured the Ford museum (I waited and planned the next leg of the trip in the car with little Jack).  With not much else to see in Detroit we then set off to Cuyahoga Falls in Ohio - a lovely little town also with their own falls and another very dog friendly hotel.

... definitely not a rival to Niagara Falls, but lovely nonetheless.

Ohio is what you expect, lots of farmland with one large water tower in every town and lots of red barns.  They had also had a bit of snow, but the day was just lovely and the snow had stopped falling the day before.

Finally, this morning, we set off early again traveling through Pennsylvania, which from west to east was mainly forest.  We wanted to head home in time to get ready for Christmas day - thaw the turkey, write my blog, skype the family (still waiting for them to respond), and watch Christmas movies all night!  There's a 70% chance of snow tonight, so I am really, really, really hoping that I wake up to a white Christmas - I mean could I possibly have a more cliche experience whilst I'm here!

I hope you all were able to spend special time with your loved ones, and at lots of food (particularly pudding!).  I must say missing the annual Deschepper Christmas party and the Zieren Christmas lunch are hard for me - they are two of my favorite things on the annual calendar.

Take care everyone and I wish you all a magical, prosperous and healthy 2013.

Michele

The Boys are Back in Town

They're here!

Exactly 355 days after I arrived, at 10:50pm on 1 November in walked Brett and Jack to their new home after an unbelievably smooth flight just 2 1/2 days after Sandy...into the chaos which is now in NY And NJ.

BLOG INTERUPPTION....Just this minute, little Jack nearly got sprayed by a skunk!  We just stepped out for a toilet break - Jack that is, not me - and over he ran at full pelt to a black and white bushy tailed creature in the back corner of the backyard, which somehow quickly stopped Jack in his tracks.  Now this is unusual for Jack, who may be little in stature, but definitely not courage.  Luckily I think the said skunk let of a warning shot prior to going for a full stink attack on him - I am not sure how their warning works, but thank god.  I hear tomato juice is how you get skunk smell out, and strangely, I don't have any on hand.  Put that on the next shopping list!

So, back to the story again - in arrived Jack and Brett. What a time to arrive - it's sure been a crazy few weeks here.  Following Sandy, you'd think we were in a third world country.  Tens of thousands without power for over two weeks, gasoline shortages (you should've seen the lines at the stations that were open - order had to be maintained by police), and transport chaos (in Brett's words, the longest queue he'd ever seen ...).  With all of this, only one week after Sandy, in came a massive snow storm (massive by my standards anyway).  This was my first commute home in snow.  I had luckily bought a few weeks prior a pair of gumboots (with special socks that keep your feet warm in the boots) and that morning invested in another (about #5 within 1 year) umbrella - life time warranty this one.  The trip was quite fun actually, bar the snow flakes hitting my eye lashes, and the gusts of winds.  Seems the umbrella I bought is not too bad after all - this was the scene, not only on the outside of the bus terminal (where this shot was taken), but all along the streets.  To be honest, it's a familiar sight whenever there is rain and wind.  Mine, however survived!

Here's some shots from home - it was really beautiful!

Poor little Jack is now the object of my shopping fascination - no it's not an obsession - check out his new winter wardrobe.



The three of us have had a lovely couple of weeks together.  On the first weekend, we (Brett, Jack and I) ventured over to Manhattan.  Let's just say it was a little overwhelming for jack who we have discovered is not a fan of the subway grates on the paths - picture it, legs and butt planted and sliding when we tugged on his lead- poor little poppet, we had to pick him up so he'd survive the adventure.   Brett and I the following weekend (on a beautiful Sunday morning) did some of the standard tourist walks - Brooklyn Bridge, the Highline, and Wall Street. 

We've also been hunting for a car, which has seen us venture to all sorts of places.  After battling and being limited by public transport, we decided to hire a car this weekend.  After a year of no car, it was such a feeling of freedom to be able to hit the road.  We ventured down to central Jersey yesterday and checked out a few cars (there's one possible option that we're waiting to hear back from the owners, fingers crossed).  There's another option Brett is checking out in Pennsylvania tomorrow.

Given we are buying a car, we also thought we should get a NJ licence.  Down to the DMV we arrive to another massive line, about 20 long outside of the building, make our way in after around 45 minute wait only to find Brett can't get one because he doesn't have a social security number yet, and I needed a document that I had stupidly forgotten.  I rush home (about 2 miles), get the right paperwork and go back and wait another 45 minutes, and after satisfying all of the ID requirements, take a set for another 30 minutes only to be told, I can't apply at this time because my immigration status hasn't been updated since I travelled last - it's supposed to only take 10 days, and it was now 15 days later.   So, the next Saturday, first thing I make my way down again, this time the line twice as long.  So, after 1 hour wait, I meet the first ID requirements, 30 minutes later, my immigration status is approved, and then after 1 1/2 hours I make it up to the window for another ID check before sitting my knowledge test.  At this point, they do one final check to make sure I have an Australian Licence.  I hand it over and I get the comment "but this is in a different name", I calmly respond, "I know, all of the ID checks I gave you were validated, this is just to show I had a licence in Australia.  I know it's my married name, but it's clearly me".  "But I can't prove it's you mam".  "What do you mean, you can't prove it's me, it's got my photo on it".   (completely ignoring me) "Do you have your marriage certificate?".  "No, my marriage certificate is in transit to the US, but it won't be here for a few weeks".  "Well, then you'll need to do a full driving test with your own car, but you will need to wait over a month".  "But, I can't register a vehicle without a licence and I've waited for over 3 hours" (tears welling up at this stage). "I'm sorry mam".  "No, but seriously how do I register for a vehicle without a licence".  "Well, you don't actually need a licence to register a vehicle".  "Then why did someone tell me I did - I wouldn't have lined up for a licence if I knew that!".  "I don't know mam, but you don't need one"....
Whatever!  What a waste of 5 hours of my life...  What is it with me and public authorities?  I'm just sticking with my Australian licence for now...

... and just to prove I wasn't over exaggerating...

Today, given most car yards are shut on Sunday (weird if you ask me), we had an adventure going to Walmart.  Holy Crap!  It was GIGANTIC.   I don't think this shot gives perspective, but it is like twice the size of Bunnings at least...

 After online shopping for so long, it was such a novelty to go to the supermarket and all the choices - I mean, without going to Walmart, how would I ever know that this ever existed...

After loading up with a huge trolley full of groceries (maybe being a little too excited I went overboard), we then went on a lovely drive upstate to Bear Mountain State Park, only about 1 hour north from home.  Just gorgeous - the exact image I had of the typical lakeside camps (wish I was 12 years old again). 

Here is one of the many deer that we saw.

It's thanksgiving this weekend, so only a three day week.  I have my turkey, yams and cranberry sauce at the ready!

See you later everyone :)

Michele

"We're not in Kansas anymore Toto!"

They call Chicago the windy city, but yesterday for 24 hours North Bergen (along with all of NJ, NY, Connecticut, Nth Carolina etc. etc.) was up there.

I'm pleased to report I am safe, well and miraculously with power and water, as opposed to 4,500,000 other households (not just people!!).  But Sandy didn't whip through with no drama in the Zieren household, that's for sure.

The office was closed yesterday, so I sat closed up in the house, waiting with anticipation and anxiety for my first hurricane.  Waking up yesterday morning, the winds were already decent, but come mid-afternoon they turned downright nasty!  The destructive side of it was that there was heavy winds as expected, but these were coupled with extraordinary gusts every 5-10 mins that didn't just howl, they ROARED!

Living in a house in the burbs I have a few big trees in the backyard....  Gusts + Trees = oh oh!

The first big branch came down at about 4:30pm with an almighty bang - bang on the fence and spearing through the roof.  Luckily the roof spear was just in the section over the eaves... I mean really lucky.

This tree was the culprit...Funnily enough, that morning I had heard this tap, tap, tapping noise in the tree and saw my very first woodpecker.  Maybe old woody woodpecker really did the damage and Sandy just finished it off :)

After this first bang, I realized "we're not in Kansas anymore Toto"... Got pretty scary and the heart rate definitely went up!  I kept to the front of the house away from the big trees with the basement door open and at the ready in case I needed to run. Luckily, I was able to stay in the comfort of my loungeroom safely for the rest of the night.  A group of us solo NY colleagues (including poor Glenice on her NY holiday) kept each other company via txts and we checked in with each other regularly to make sure everything was ok - luckily for all of us we were, though some in Manhattan were and still are without power for the next 5-10 days!  I was also kept company by many of you, for which I send out a huge THANK YOU!!!

These shots are all 'the morning after'.  These are all of my backyard...

The next three pics are of a branch out the front of my house balancing precariously on my cable line, which also miraculously managed to stay on...

The helpful councilmen who got rid of the tree for me, still without interrupting my cable service..

These are all shots of the street...

... and of the hospital at the bottom of the cliff at the end of my street.  They were evacuating at this time as the Hudson found it's way in.

So, I survived my first and hopefully last Hurricane, and in comparison I faired much better than many others who have sadly lost everything.  The feeling today is somewhat like the day after Black Saturday - the stories of tragedy and of miraculous survival are spine tingling. 

The office was obviously shut today and it is again shut tomorrow, so now the cabin fever is starting to kick in...  watch out you may end up with a daily blog.

I must end by saying, what good timing for Brett and Jack to arrive, just when the fence that was a must have when I was looking for a place has blown down... well, at least I have someone to clean up the mess (ha ha ha).

See you all!
Michele