Expat Mums Blog

Tea or coffee?

Have you been over at Pond Parleys yet? It's a blog by book authors Toni Hargis (Rules Brittiana) and Michael Harling (Postcards from Across the Pond). Toni is from the UK, and now lives in America, and Michael is American and now calls the UK home.

Ponds Parleys' aim is to "explore, expound upon and elucidate the 'Special Relationship' between the US and the UK". It makes for some great reading.

This week's conversation is about coffee vs. tea. So head on over and let us know what you think -- coffee or tea?

This post was written by Susanna, an Expat Mums Blog founding contributor. You can read more at her blog, A Modern Mother.

Photo credit: santos

Friendships come from the least expected places

There's an apple orchard not far from here. I found it a couple years ago when we came back from California. I was driving down a country lane, the kind where if you are not paying attention you find yourself head-to-head with another car, and need to back up into a passing place. I saw a hand-written sign that said "Apples" and pulled over. There weren't many apple orchards in San Diego, and I thought the girls would enjoy seeing the origin of one of their favourite fruits.

We pulled into the farm and made our way to the old barn, a barrel of rainwater gleaming in the waning September sun and a whisper of Autumn in the warm breeze. As we timidly walked in through the open door, the heavy sweet smell of ageing fruit engulfed us.

Butterflies, expats and friends

Some friends stay with you forever. They become so entwined in the fabric of your life that it never needs to be mended. Others flit in and out like a butterfly, stopping only briefly to rest their wings.

A butterfly in of my circle of friends left today. A job in Dubai was the lure. Constant sunshine also had something to do with it I suspect.

As an expat this happen often and though you think you are used to it, you really aren't.

It's easy for the one that leaves ... an adventure awaits. Those left at home just go on ... with one less coffee to make and wine glass to fill.

This post was written by Susanna, an Expat Mums Blog founding contributor. You can read more at her blog, A Modern Mother.

Photo credit: Ewan Rayment

Best of the Mommy Bloggers Carnival

It's carnival time and I'm indulging in my "mommy" side. Is there a difference between mums and moms? I'm both. Apart from the accents and a preference for Cadbury's over Hershey's -- I'm happy to report there are more similarities than differences.

The "best of" mommy carnival highlights the best posts from the mommy blogger community from the past month. So grab a coffee, sit back and have a read... (it's better than TV).

Minnemom points us to some very good information about supporting parents in public when children are being, um, difficult.

It's sex education month for Tangerine Times son's class, and Myrna shares the news: there's a baby in the house!

For your baking pleasure...

I made this today: Hank Shaw's Guinness Bread with Molasses. The recipe is on Simply Recipes blog.  Because I'm in the UK, I needed to substitute treacle for the molasses. It was, as Barbara Blundell might say, "Scrummy!" especially with some nice Irish butter. It's easy! Try it :-)

Hope you all had a good weekend!

 

This post was written by Just a Plane Ride Away. She took the photo too!

Wishing to know

My mother died when I was a young man.  That was many years ago, and now that I have attained an age where I can ruminate on things past, I find there are many questions I wish I had been able to ask my mother when she was alive.
 
Such as: where did you get the idea that Campbell's Tomato soup was a viable substitute for spaghetti sauce?  I grew up believing that pasta was supposed to be pink and taste like the inside of a tin can.  And what was with the chopped up Spam?  Who told you we liked Spam; certainly not us.