Still going strong...

It's funny how life seems to keep going despite whether you are moving with it or taking a breather on a local bus stop bench. Somehow this now seems to be more real than ever.
So, as I have kicked myself in the past for not jumping on the "life bus" for a ride, I have decided to hop on and, what the heck, throw my hands out the windows too.
I really want to make the most of this experience rather than counting the days until we are back home with loved ones. I am working hard to adapt to the local quirks of Australia (what I am sure Aussies call the norms) and learn to call this place home.
At this point, the frustrations rest with the fact that food is soooo expensive! I have such a hard time spending $9 a kilo on toMAtos or $10 a kilo on peppers! I spent over $6 for just one red pepper the other day! The cheapest I have seen chicken breasts is $8/kilo (roughly $4/lb). I remember buying chicken breasts in bulk for $1.99/lb all the time!
Every time Josh and I go out to eat, it's averaging about $25/person easy. We are nowhere near big spenders when it comes to eating out.  We usually never went to a place unless we had a gift card or a coupon. We loved going to Dos Amigos at home because we could get two burritos for $8. Here, you cannot even touch one burrito for $10.
I am also having a hard time getting used to lack of food variety in the grocery stores. People say we are just spoiled as Americans to have so many options always at our finger tips. Don't get me wrong.. the grocery stores here are great... I just miss the fact that there is an entire isle in our stores designated just for ice cream. :) Can you believe that they don't sell chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream here?!? They have obviously not lived! In turn, I have adapted a bit and started buying pre-made cookie dough and adding it in. Hehe. They also do not sell Crisco, the vegetable shortening that a baker cannot live without. I have no clue what they use instead.
Another annoyance comes with the silly roundabouts. I get that they are trying to help with keeping the flow of traffic continuous but they are super intimidating for me as I am still learning how to drive on the opposite side of the road. I kid you not.. you cannot go ANYWHERE without hitting a roundabout... even if it is just to your next-door neighbor's. Seriously. Walking around one of these things is miserable too. I never know when I can cross the street.  I feel like I am in a constant game of frogger!
One of the hardest things for me to get used to is drying my clothes outside. The cost of electricity is really high so it is the norm for people to let their laundry air-dry. In the summer, it usually takes about 15 minutes so the timing isn't the terrible terrible part; It's the feel of the clothes after you wash it that's a bit hard to get used to. Who doesn't love when your clothes come out of the dryer all nice and fitting like new again! Here, you take your clean towels off the line and they are stiff like cardboard when you go to use them. I suppose it will be like Christmas when we go back home to our washer and dyer. :) Can't wait for that day!
All in all, I cannot complain too much. God has been so good to us; He continually provides for our every need and He has made it so clear that this is where He wants us right now. As long as we are in the middle of where He wants us, we are happy and can live with all these weird Aussie-isms. :)

Love to all of you! BIG hugs and kisses!