Culture Shock 6

"You know. Down by the old washateria."

People don't give directions when you enter a smallish town. They've never been the new person and forget that you don't even know what a "washateria" is!

I've gotten directions as clear as, "two turns past where the bowling alley used to be." Thanks. Very helpful. I'll try to google that.

GPS. That might work.  If you have an address and not just a family name.  It MIGHT work if google has recently been down these old country back roads. It JUST might work if you get decent reception out here. These three things fail daily.

Culture Shock 5

People talk slower. When I get asked to repeat myself, I'm not quite sure if it's because of my accent or my speed.

I remember a phone call while working at Sylvan in California. A man called from out of state on behalf of his grandson. He commented on my secretary speaking too fast and asked me no less than 4 times to please slow down!

Culture Shock 4

The clouds in Mississippi move fast! The weather changes faster.

Now, the clouds in California might move fast, but typically people don't pay attention. In my experience, they just move lazily across the sky.

In Mississippi, where there are possibly tornadoes, you pay attention to the sky.

Culture Shock 3

This may not be culture shock for some. We have lived in apartments and not had backyard space. We feel extremely blessed now.

My boys can play outside without a fence. I'm not worried about them running into the street. I'm worried about bee stings and mud puddles! Its a nice change.

Culture Shock 2

I am pretty sure I am the only one in Mississippi that doesn't own a single piece of camouflage clothing.

And I don't plan to remedy that anytime soon.

Culture Shock 1

I've been asked over and over if I have been experiencing culture shock. Moving from California to Mississippi has definitely been an adventure. Before we moved people said that it would be different. We asked how. " It will be different," was the answer.

I decided to chronicle my " shocks," as it were, in a blog series. Some people will relate. Some people will think it's silly. Some people will think that I'm the weird one.

I'll start with a simple one. One that took me awhile to figure out, though. For those of you in California, this might come as a surprise:

The outlets are upside down ... in California!

Shark Bait Upcycle

Another Upcycle. I just love that word! My little guy loves Finding Nemo. And the initiation scene is his favorite! A shirt that says " Shark bait" is just perfect!  I had to make it fit. And so 2 shirts become one.

sleep sack

 I could not bare to get rid of this.
My older son wore it when he was a little guy.

too, though for not as long! It still fits my baby across the shoulders so I though i little sweater would be great! DIDN'T THINK about the fact that the zipper is missing a piece to hold the zipper on.8


I sewed a tack right where the dark blue starts along the zipper. so this will be a pull-over.