Some Observations

1. The more time you have; the longer things take.
2. Jumping off the merry-go-round doesn't stop the world turning.
3. Getting up in the morning, even though you don't have to go to work, doesn't get any easier.
4. An inch on a map in N. America equates to about 10,000 million miles.
5. Petrol prices at one third of UK prices, are meaningless when you have to drive four times as far to get anywhere.
6. Public schools over here are for the public.
7. Watching 6 episodes of CSI in a single night (Miami, New York, Las Vegas) is OK for about 10 minutes.
8. Having free time is good for about 2 minutes, then you become bound up in what you should be doing.
9. Checking out of your current circumstances doesn't mean you don't have to cook 3 meals a day, go shopping, make the beds, clear up, keep the house clean, update your weblog, read your mail, check your finances, take and pick up the kids from school ................. who's got time to work!
10. Don't expect to have sub 10 year olds be awed by mile after mile of glorious red maple trees and don't expect them to want to go fishing more than once if you don't catch any fish.
11. Don't expect - just be prepared.
12. Children want more time with you even after you have more time with them. There are not enough hours in the day for the kids to have enough hours in the day with you.
13. Having time with your children is better than being in the office for about 20 minutes. Then you need time out. (you know what I mean!)
14. Going somewhere for no reason is no reason to go somewhere. (this makes perfect sense to me where I am).