People, People, People...

I have been able to catch up with so many people and already my week is full with engagements to have dinner at different people’s homes. On Friday night, Mr. and Mrs. Bisley had a dinner to go out to, so they told a few people I would be at their home if they wanted to see me. Murray and Liz Benson came over and we had a great time catching up. The Benson family came to visit us in America during the summer of 2004 and I have known them almost 10 years. Their daughter Wendy came with her new husband Rowan Campbell. It was so weird to think of Wendy as married. But I loved being able to see her and the ring and to just catch up with her. And Juniper Leyser also popped in. Juniper came to visit us in LA about the same time as the Bensons did. Her Dad, Wayne, was staying with us in Turlock for a few weeks before I came over to NZ. And we actually flew out the same day, only from different airports. On Saturday, I relaxed. I spent the day with the Bisleys and then Mrs Bisley, Annah and I went sightseeing in the afternoon. We drove through a lot of our old haunts, and I was shocked at some of the changes that have taken place. We dropped in on the Spurgeon Family and I got to meet Julia Spurgeon for the first time. She is a cutie but a little shy. I can’t get over how big some of my "Little Babies" have gotten. Jonathon who was only a toddler when we left is now talking and reading.
On Sunday, I went with the Bisleys to Church at Riverbend. I caught up with a few more people including the rest of the Leyser family, Kirsty and Andrew Morton, and Karen Major. For Lunch, we had pumpkin soup with cheese and buttered bread rolls and for dinner we had burgers NZ style. I have also had beef stew with baked potato and peas, sausage rolls and filled rolls, and a mince and cheese pie. I have to admit that every meal has been a pleasure to me and I am really enjoying the food.
One thing that keeps happening to me is that I can hardly get my mouth open before people hear my "american accent" and comment on it. I love hearing the kiwis talk, and because I am so used to hearing both the kiwi and American accents, I can’t tell what I sound like anymore. But I catch myself saying ketchup all the time instead of tomato sauce, and I unconsciously say candy instead of lollies. So to them I have become very American.