The hotel, and first few days

After leaving the comfortable nest of the Benades' home, we checked into our hotel...
Quite a downer really.

It's... well, ADEQUATE. We have 2 double beds, hanging space, a bathroom that is clean and large enough, and a little kitchen with a microwave, filter coffee machine, fridge, and 2-plate cooker. But, it's soulless, and the ghosts of countless itinerant past occupants remain. And space is at a premium. We had to ask the ever-obliging Benades to store our suitcases while we stay here, and that made a huge difference.
The bedding is the worst bedding I have ever encountered in any place I have stayed in, paid for or free. It's not dirty, but the blankets are thin, rough and scratchy, and the "comforter" is of no comfort whatsoever. Today we are going out to buy blankets.
The toaster burns bread black within 5 seconds, and sets off the smoke alarm. There is a sign above it that threatens eviction after repeated false smoke alarms.

On the positive side, we found a lovely rental home yesterday! It's close to the Benades, close to shops, large and comfortable, with enough space for Oscar the dog AND a sizable vegetable garden. So we saw the rental agent and applied for our credit report. And that's where the next problem came in...

Both our credit ratings are excellent, except for the Virgin Mobile account that was opened fraudulently on my name in South Africa!!! AARRGGHH!! Does it never end? I thought I had that sorted out - they promised to clear my record, I registered as a victim of fraud with Fraud Protection Services, and I put it behind me. Only the credit regulators didn't. I'm worried this will impact on my ability to move my family to a comfortable home AND tarnish my reputation with my employer, who also does a credit check on me.

As for California, it's still feeling foreign to me, but in a better way than Georgia.
The people here are very friendly and open. Everywhere we go, people say "Hello!" with a smile in their voices, and it's not uncommon for us to walk past someone standing in a queue who will just make eye contact and smile at us. It feels like the place is full of shiny happy people having fun.
The supermarkets are full of exotic vegetables, and every conceivable prepared food. You can buy frozen cinnamon french toast sticks, to pop into the microwave for a quick breakfast. Or Cinnabon breakfast cereal, made of tiny dry Cinnabons!
The eggs are all white, like in the movies. The milk comes in huge gallon containers (3.8 litres) and the fridges are big enough to accommodate them in the doors. Root beer is a popular drink, although we've tried to steer clear of fast food places as much as possible.

The houses are all neat and well-maintained, and of course there are no fences or walls, or even security gates. You just walk up to the door and ring the door bell. The windows have insect screens, but no burglar bars. And I feel safe! We went to Borders yesterday (a book store) and I felt completely comfortable leaving Nikhil looking at some books while I walked around to the next aisle, leaving him out of sight. In South Africa I would have clutched his arm, constantly afraid that someone would come snatch him from right next to me (because it happened to people I know, not because I like being neurotic).

The kids are still adjusting. Ariane has turned into an eating machine, and screams constantly in her car seat unless she has food. Nikhil won't eat anything but a few bites of fruit, and pukes it up when we drive. Last night he fell asleep at the Benades with no nappy on, and wet the bed. Ariane refuses to be further than half a centimetre from my face, all day. It makes doing laundry challenging, among other things.

Speaking of which, laundry at the hotel costs $2 to wash and $2 to dry, plus detergent and dryer sheets. When Malissa heard that, she cut us a key to their house and instructed us to go over anytime and do our laundry while they're at work. God bless the Benades.

I went to my assigned pharmacy yesterday. Turns out I was never assigned there, and nobody knew I was coming, not even the district manager. Luckily, they were happy to have me and now I have to do a drug test and get my social security number. I should be working in about 4 weeks. I welcome the break - I really need some time to settle into this place.

I'm trying to relax and have fun, (as much as one can relax with a clingy baby and a puking toddler) but we're in the phase where everyone is checking on us, doing credit checks and background checks and drug tests. While I have nothing to hide, it brings out a sense of defensiveness in you to constantly have to prove that you're decent. And it makes it that much harder when you are tainted with wrongful credit issues and arrests.

But today I'm going to try and have fun. We're going shopping for Halloween outfits, I hope the kids enjoy that!