Joey is already much happier after the changes made at school yesterday.  Full of beans.  Went to the local school playground this afternoon where, in 60 degree warmth, loads of kids were playing.  Our had a blast and Joey seemed to get involved with two pretty wee girls.  He kissed at least one of them.

Not sure why we don't do this in the UK - let the kids play on the school playgrounds after school.  After all, they are paid for by the public.  Here, lots of the kids just hang out playing whilst parents chat.  Couldn't be nicer.  And although our two don't go to this school, we are tax-payers so the public are aloud after school hours.

I have a date Wednesday with a redhead called Grace.  Unfortunately Anne will also be there!  Met her whilst getting a curry in the local deli and started chatting.  Seems very nice and has a dyslexic daughter and has been through the system here, so offered to talk ti us about it.  So tea/coffee on Wednesday.

It is certainly easy to meet Americans.  Some neighbours came round yesterday with a cake and introduced themselves.  They live in the funeral home at the back.  Didn't I mention that?  Those girls came around from a different neighbour's house.  I am on first name terms and know quite a bit about my barber, booze merchant, barmaids, various assorted folk that I have met.  The other parents have been very welcoming.  All in all, a very pleasant experience to date from that perspective.

It is not all plain sailing for Joey at his new school.  We had to go into speak to the Principal today as we were concerned that Joey was not getting enough attention and help.  It seems that one of the teachers who gives the extra one-on-one help is on maternity leave so Joey was not getting enough of that support, and he said that he was unhappy at times, unable to follow what was happening in class.  We were very worried that his fragile self-confidence might be hurt again.

We were reassured by our conversation.  Joey will spend the writing and reading classes each day in the lower class, where he will be one of only three.  Efforts will be redoubled when he is with his classmates. All the right things were said and we l;eft feeling happier.  We have a parent-teachere meeting on 8 February, which will be a good chance to evaluate progress.

Beautiful day and I am home with kids, as Annie is out walking with a neighbour and some of the 'gals'.  The neighbour is somebody that used to work for us un NY and now works for the NJ Government - the one we had over last Friday.  Good chance for Anne to meet some more people. Went out for dinner in the Brothers Moon restaurant last night.  Very good.  Popped into pub on the way back to introduce Anne to Suzy and Etta, the two barmaids.

Had a good night last night.  Had dinner with parents of one of Joey's school chums.  Took the kids and had a very nice time, also learning more about what other kids have gone through with dyslexia and some of the things that they have tried that work - in this case a gluton-free diet made a positive contribution to their son's progress.

Then I hit the local pub, where there was a good four-piece blues band playing.  The wee pub was crowded ie with about 25 people.  By the time the band finished at midnight, there was only 5 of us left which was a bit sad for the band and not at all indicative of their quality.  Real troupers, they played with heart and soul until the end and then joined us for a beer.  I was then invited by another new mate, Pete, to the infamous Hill Billy Hall bar, up the hill.  The one with the bikers etc (the couple that we had dinner recommended it - apparently did a great Oktoberfest with loads of people and  a cracking band.  On another occasion, Bruce was in the area in the woods with his Cub Scout troop and turned up at the bar in uniform to find a hundred Harley's parked outside and lots of guys in leather with their tattooed chicks.  All very friendly).

Anyway, we were made very welcome, had a couple of beers and a chat whilst people watching - lots of guys with big guts, beards and tattoos, lots of girls with tattoos and piercings.  One of whom mooned her friends across the bar.  Bad kareoke singing.  Quite enjoyed it!

The Hopewell House Liquor Store have given us an account.  Clearly they know potentially good customers when they see them.

My sister Sharon would not enjoy driving in the US.  It is not just that the speed limits are low, which they are, but that they re-enforced.  No messing around here with airy-fairy speed cameras - around every corner there appears to lurk a police cruiser, just like in the movies.  With armed cops just waiting for some smart-ass foreigner to break their speed limits.

OK, the last wee bit I am sure is not true but they are there lurking and, anywhere near a town, everybody drives at a glacial 25 mph.  Between towns, on wide, open roads, you can do 45 mph and then it is either 55 or 65 mph on the highways.  No point in bring your Jag convertible here.

One of the many reasons why se didn't go for one of the bigger family vans was that, perched high up in a  car that purred along, driving with one finger, it did seem as if you were crawling along when passing through the town.

What is frustrating here is that, despite the plethora of roadsigns about speed, or whether or not you can turn right on red, there are very few signposts that actually tell you where you are going ie with the names of towns.  So very easy to get lost.  Maybe this is why Anne is son good at directions and getting around - you have to be good to avoid getting continually lost in America.

Fortunately we have a satnav, although it would be better if it worked properly.  Half the time, she isn't sure where she is, she gets distances wrong, says 'half of a mile' (a petty irritation, that one) and sometimes only tells you to turn when you are a few yards from the turning.  And the map is always facing north so if you are going south you have look carefully which way the wee arrow is pointed.

We have been doing a lot of shopping recently and going to malls.  I have spent far to much time driving around highways and strip malls that all look the same and cursing the bloody satnav.

Bought our second car yesterday, to be picked up today.  A Mazda 5.  One of the smaller, more economical family vans by US standards.  Rather large by UK standards!  We did try some other ones but they were like bloody buses.  Enormous, I tell you.  Quire ironical that the Mazda sold here in the heart of the US was built in Hiroshima.

Hell on earth is a place called Chuck E Cheese.  Situated in one of the many malls, not far from us, it i a large room filled with noisy machines and screaming kids.  Serving junk food (albeit it not bad junk food).    The kids love it.

Starting to meet people.  Joey has a play date with his new friend Bruce today and we all go to dinner at their place Friday.  I met Grace in the deli and need to call her - her daughter is a severe dyslexic who is about to graduate from College and would be happy to meet up.  We had Jane, who used to work for the FCO in NYC and lives behind us, around for drinks last Friday.  I am reluctant to too easily buy into the idea that Americans are more friendly and open than the British.  But they are!  Generally speaking.

I have written little about Izzy.  She is doing fine and will probably cause far fewer problems than Joey until she his her teenage years, which I don't want to think about.

She has started 2 pre-schools this week - the Blawenburg Village School mornings on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and then the Pennington Presbyterian Nursery School on the other days.  Both seem very nice and Izzy just walked in, made friends and distractedly waved at us when we left.  She'll be alright.

New regim with Joey in the mornings.  It can be a battle with Joey in the morning so we decided to involve him in deciding how to do it.  We agreed last night that after he woke up, he would have his breakfast and get dressed immediately, allowing him the rest of the one hour to play.  So far so good, worked like a treat this morning.

We also agreed to the teacher's suggestion that Joey have, for a while at least, a quick 10-15 minutes with one of the teachers before school to reinforce some of the reading lessons.  To avoid Joey feeling that he is too hard-done by, I'll get him there for 0745 so he can have his quick lesson and still have time for meeting his mates, playing before school starts.

I went to the gym yesterday and signed on for a free week's membership, starting tomorrow.  Haven't done anything since the half marathon in October and starting to feel it.  No reason why I shouldn't be able to go 3-4 times a week after I drop Joey off.

And then there is the Joey who winks at the girls and when asked why he does it, replies 'because I'm Brazilian'.

It breaks your heart sometimes.  I spoke to Joey's teacher, Mrs Hoffman, this morning.  She had been encouraging Joey in class, saying that when he learned to read and write, he would feel really good about himself.  To which Joey replied along the lines of 'It would be nice to feel good about myself for once.'
Makes you feel that you have been a failure as a Dad.

Joey finished the week strongly.  There was a school event with a musician and pizzas for the kids and parents.  It was great to see Joey so happy and at home.  We talked to some other parents and it is so reassuring to know that their kids all went through what Joey did - and that they have all really benefited from the school.

Not that his behaviour is perfect yet.  Still too much over-reaction, stubborness and whinging but it is certainly already better and I am confident that the progress will continue.  Or I will strangle him.

I had an attack of the wobblies Saturday night.  Went to local pub, which, in hindsight, would not be in my top ten greatest bars I have known, and sat there with a bunch of strangers, overly-loud music and 5 TVs in this strange town wondering what the feck I was doing there.  And what I was going to do.  Stilling haven't found the answers to the second question but the answer to the first is 'family'.  Have to make it work.

I need some contact with the outside world - at some point at least.  Early days yet so don't read too much into it but I am starting to yearn for some substantial non-family contact, intellectual challenge, engagement with the outside world.  It will come but it will be interesting to see how, and whether or not deciding not to live in Princeton itself was the correct decision.  Looking at the local papers, there is always something going on in Princeton, as you would expect of a major University town.  Art, music, debate, politics, environmentalism, sport etc etc.  If we were living in the town itself, it would be easy enough to walk out a couple of times a week and get involved.  Here in Hopewell, it is a 15 minute drive to Princeton.  Not far and I or we will start to go in to town once we are settled.  Indeed, I think that it is important that I do.  But the decision to come here as taken for family reasons and we judged Hopewell to be a better option so we will run with that for now and see where it takes us.  Ask for my views on the better place to live in 6 mths and I should have a more definitive view.

Joey has had a good week at school.  He goes with enthusiasm and leaves happy.  Long may it last and we are hopeful that this school, with all their specialised teachers and experience in dealing with dyslexia and related issues, really will do the job for Joey.  The kids certainly seem happy and the Principal told us that nobody leaves there without being able to read and write.  Just the fact that Joey is amongst kids who all share to some degree his difficulties is helpful.

But then again, Joey has always started well and then it has tended to go downhill as the disparity between his reading and writing ability and that of his class mates becomes obvious.  That should not be the case here.  And the first week tends to be an easy one where the teachers don't give him too much work.  But let's be positive - it is a great school and Joey will flourish, fulfil his potential and all will be well!

 And these are the other two important establishments, Hopewell House Liquor Store and Hopewell Valley Bistro and Inn.  For a few more photos, see http://community.webshots.com/album/582188427zpAWIf

This is our new wee house.  We have downsized and needed to but it is still plenty big enough.   Slthough I do miss my syudy.

Getting used to be a domestic God.  Or retired.  Or idle.  Take your pick, none really fit.  No solid routine but getting there.  Up at 0645 to get Joey ready for school.  Anne takes him, as she then has to do some shopping usually.  I look after Izzy, which is generally a pleasure.  Do some housework, send some emails, read the Irish Times and Independent for latest rugby.  Have lunch with Izzy and Anne.  Go for walk, or have a nap.  Do some more stuff - ie unpacking etc.  Take kids to park/playground.  Have dinner, do some more stuff.  Put kids to bed.  Chat with Anne.  Go to bed.  Put like that, doesn't sound very exciting, does it?  But early days yet and I will get a social life/some work/classes that I want to do.

Relief, blessed relief.  Anne called.  Joey had a great day and made a new friend 'instantly', according to Joey.  Hallelujah!  All is well with the world again.  Hopefully it will continue.

I am very nervous.  Anne has gone to pick Joey up after his first day at school.  On the way out she said that the success of our entire move would depend on how it went.  Only a slight exaggeration - this day will not dictate how the rest of his schooling goes but it is really important.  She haid that she would call if it went well.  3.50pm now, five minutes after she was due to pick him up and thye phone is silent.

Joey's first day at his new school today, and he is very nervous, as are we.  No, it is more accurate to say that he is frightened.  Joey is smart and he knows that there is a lot hanging on this school working for him.  His confidence is already battered by the dyslexia and this has started to affect him significantly.

But it is the best dyslexia school that we could find in NJ - they are used to taking in kids just like Joey and swear that no kid has ever left the school without being able to read and write.  Fingers and everything else are crossed.

Hopewell is a lovely wee town, it has to be said.  It has the distinction of being the burial place of John Hart, one of the signatories of the American Declaration of Independence and is historical, by US standards, having been founded in 1703.  The predominant architecture is what the Americans call Victorian; 2 storey, clap-board house in pastel colours or white (with the odd bright yellow or purple), nicely decorated with eaves and the like and, above all, with lovely porches or decks looking down the open front gardens to the street.  Come the spring, I imagine all the local sitting in their rocking chairs, puffing contentedly on pipes and supping their sipping whiskey, raising their hats to ladies passing and calling greetings to friends.  Or at least that might have been the case a hundred years ago.  Now it is more likely to be iced-tea (whose idea was that?  Take a perfectly good beverage and the drink it cold!) but you get the picture.     

It also has a remarkably good and varied selection of restaurants for such a little place, ranging from Das Kitchen (no, not German but Thai, bit confusing) and the Peasant Grill to the Brothers Moon and three Pizza places.  And a great wee cafe, Boro Beans, which actually serves Barrys Tea, from Cork. We haven’t tried them all yet, of course, but what we have tried has been good.     

Which makes it all the more puzzling that there is a dearth of good food to be had in shops here.  There are two Deli’s, or groceries, which have an amazing variety of sandwiches, cold meats etc but which have no fresh produce at all for sale.  Nothing.  Not a banana.  Everything processed and packaged.  Sugar in the bread.  Chemicals in pretty much everything.  Why?  You can of course get fresh food in the area but you have to go to one of the malls near Princeton.  I am sure that there are local suppliers so we will need to do some home work and get sources for fresh, organic food.

There are probably towns that are more ‘American’ than Hopewell, New Jersey, but not much.  This is a real piece of Americana.  And it is now our home for the foreseeable future.  Which is a good thing, I think.  I’ll explain how we ended up here as we go along, but for the moment here are some observations made since our arrival on Monday 9th January 2012. 

Booze; One of the first places I checked out was the source of alcoholic drinks.  No big surprise there.  Pretty easy when there is a big sign on Main Street saying ‘Liquor Store’.   I love the fact that where you buy booze here is called a liquor store.  Not a wine store or off licence.  No hiding the fact that it is a place where you buy liquor, stuff that you consume in order to alter your state of mind, whether to get a nice buzz or legless.  Liquor.  They might as well have called it the alcohol store.  

And we are already, within a week, well known to the owner of the Hopewell House Liquor Store, Jim.   And we already know a great deal about him - 60yrs old and single, lives on the same street as us, went to University in the Mid-West and came here some for a couple of years at the behest of his nieces.  That was 20 years ago.  He loved the place and stayed -  something that we have heard from a wide range of people. My card didn't work when I went there Saturday and the fact that he was already willing to give me credit shows that he knows a good customer when he sees one.   I should also add that the store does indeed hold a very fine selection of booze, including wine and a surprising number of Irish whiskeys, all safely housed in a very pretty, Victorian building. . 

Staying with the booze theme, Friday night I made myself known to the locals in the Hopewell Valley Bistro and Inn - the only proper bar in town.  Typical American bar - albeit with a Hungarian ancestry rather than Irish.  Very friendly and with some decent beers - perhaps not so usual over here but it does reflect the growth in small, local breweries as Americans finally became tired of the liquid rubbish that they had been drinking.  Bit like the UK and the revival of real ales.  

People do talk to strangers over here in a way that does not always happen in the UK, or even Ireland.  And that is despite the 4 TVs mounted on the walls, each showing a different programme.  Plus the jukebox.  So I didn’t need my New York Times and did get to know a couple of young guys, Marty and Alex, plus a few others whose names escape me.  We discussed the merits of American football v rugby, the hypocrisy of allowing young men to fight and die for the country and to vote but not have a beer and of allowing the industrial sale of one poison - alcohol - but not the consumption of another - marijuana.  All in all, a good start at settling into my new local. 

Except for the fact that I really annoyed the barmaid, a peroxide blonde of indeterminate age, by not having enough cash for the correct tip. She informed me in no uncertain terms as to the correct custom in the US (15-20% now the norm) and only relaxed after a considerable amount of grovelling on my part and a promise to double my tip next time.   At least I avoided getting sucked in to any discussions on US politics or foreign policy.  Not sure yet which way this place swings.  Princeton would, I am sure, be fairly liberal but it might well be different out here in more rural areas.     

There is another bar, just outside of town - the Hillbilly Hall.  According to my new mates, Marty and Alex, you find a lot of bikers, hunters and local-yokels hanging here.  A place to explore when the first of the lads come out.  

We, Anne, Joey, Isabela and I, have moved to America.  To Hopewell, New Jersey, to be exact.  The reasons for this will be explained as I go along.  I am writing this primarily for my own satisfaction but also to keep a recored of what is yet another major move and adventure for our family.  Feel free to read, and to comment if you wish.