Life in California

New Year’s Eve 2011

2012-01-04T14:07:00.002-08:00

What started out as a tranquil, romantic night on a dinner and dance cruise around the bay, to have a prime position to watch the fireworks turned into one of the funniest nights out we have had in a long time and definitely one of the most special New Year’s Eve’s.
We get dressed up and arrive at the Embarcadero to board the San Franciso Belle, which is a paddle steamer ship. There were three floors, all set up with tables, food, a bar and a DJ so each floor basically, had a separate party. We are assigned our seat on the 3rd floor and are seated opposite 2 gay guys from London. We immediately recognise each other’s accents and start chatting. Five minutes into the conversation we find out that Steve, who is a flight attendant, knows one of my best friends (it’s a small world). Seriously, there are some people you meet and you instantly get on with them. It just happened with the four of us and we had such a great night with them.
We have a wonder round the ship’s decks and find a top floor (outside) where there is a huge empty, open dance floor. Steve says to me, “Can you ballroom dance?” Well I proceeded to tell him that I taught dancing and he said he can do a bit and wanted to do a Vienese Waltz (but I would have to lead). There we were, dancing round the floor (very well, I may add) with no music and a few bewildered spectators. It’s a times like these that I really appreciate the fact that American people do not care what you do. No-one will laugh at you or take the micky. They are just glad to see someone having a good time. So that started us off. Once we were back inside with the music, on came a little Cha Cha and a quickstep (Anton & Erin, eat your heart out).
I have to say, that we had the best waitress on the ship. There was often a queue at the bar but we didn’t have to leave our seats. She kept bringing us wine and champagne. She even had a little boogie with us all at the end of the night. So thank you Dalia, you were fab! The rest of the people on our table were really nice also. They were all together and we all ended up having a laugh with them too.
It was truly magical when the fireworks set off at midnight. We were in such a good spot and the bay was absolutely filled with boats and yachts, all lit up. After 15 minutes of a spectacular display every boat in the bay, and cars nearby honked their horns. I always love that moment. It’s a real feeling of togetherness and that something like a firework display can make everyone join together and forget, just for a while, of all the bad things happening in the world and you can almost sense the hope in people’s cheers that this year will be a better one. It also brings a little moment of sadness for the year just gone. It’s such a momentous moment. I have always loved New Year’s Eve and this year was definitely a great one, especially as it marked a great year for us. Who know what 2012 will bring. Maybe we will go home this year? I just know I want to make the most of every day I have left here as these will always be remembered as special times in our lives.

Christmas 2011

2012-01-04T14:07:00.000-08:00

After spending the last two Christmases on our own we were really looking forward to spending Christmas with the Blatchers. It didn’t disappoint. We arrived on Christamas Eve with pressies and goodies in tow to find two rather large stockings under the tree with our names on. The kids were beyond excited, especially Jack (who still believes in Father Christmas). Not having children of our own and never having to think about all of that stuff, we really enjoyed helping with the laying of the Father Christmas and reindeer evidence. I was surprised how difficult it was to produce such large stockings at the foot of their beds without waking them up, mainly because I just wanted to laugh. Seriously parents, how do you do it? It’s a very stressful task.
Being woken up by two little voices at the door was magical. Their faces were full of excitement and Jack couldn’t wait to tell us that Santa had been. He had eaten half of his cookie and had drank his milk...And the reindeer had eaten half of his carrot and had drank his water...And the glass door to the fireplace was left open...da..da..daaaaah. Undeniable evidence!
So, up we get, and straight into the living room where all the pressies lay waiting. It’s amazing how your priorities change when you get older as my first thought was of a lovely cup of tea, which magically appeared. It was just joyful to watch their two little faces fill with excitement as they opened their pressies. Santa was definitely very good to them but as Jack had pointed out on numerous occasions...he had been a good boy!
Paul and I had opened our pressies to each other before we left home, which was nice and I have to say that my Santa was very good to me this year. I must have been a very good girl!
What a lovely day we had and a fantastic Christmas Dinner (thank you Emma). We had a lazy day, watching Eastenders, playing many games a consuming a fair amount of fine wine. We did manage to stir from the house for a short walk to the Disney House, up the road. You have to see this to believe it. Someone had turned the front of their house into a shop window effect with thousands of Disney characters and lights everywhere. I have never seen anything like it. Apparently he does it for charity so good on him.
On Boxing Day off we went to the cabin in Lake Tahoe for two days. It looked very strange as there had been no snow for weeks. Luckily Heavenly have snow canons and make the snow so we were able to ski. I was actually quite impressed with how they managed it and kept half of the runs open. Once we were back in the cabin, the games came out. The BBs favourite game is now Pit with a variation of the spoon game added. Oh what fun! We did worry whether the kids might find it a bit boisterous but they were actually managing to beat us. There was a very funny moment when Paul and Jack were going for the same spoon, neither of them willing to let go and fighting with all their might, their faces full of determination. Jack of course managed to win as Paul finally let go, looking a little ashamed and said, “I forgot for a moment that I was battling against a 6-year old child”.
Anyway, a big thank you to the Blatchers for a fantastic Christmas few days. We really enjoyed your company...Mwah

My day to day life & thoughts after 2 Years

2011-12-01T16:22:00.001-08:00

So we have officially been here for two years now. I can’t believe how quickly it has gone. To think that we had originally planned to go home after two years seems strange now as we are so not ready to go home yet.
It has been a much more settling 6 months since the last entry and the fact that we have moved to our new house has made such a difference. We love living here at the golf course and that little bit closer to the beach. The Ocean Colony is much more of a community and have regular residents events going on. We recently had a welcome get together for the new residents where we met a really nice couple, Tim & Hillary, who have become friends. We are looking forward to the Christmas dinner party for residents at the Ritz Carlton with them. It is expected to be a very posh do, all subsidised by the hotel so we will have an excuse to dress up.
After a summer of fog we have really enjoyed the Autumn (of Fall) here, where the weather has been absolutely beautiful and have enjoyed the view of the most amazing sunsets from our patio over the ocean.
We have spoken to quite a few English people who have emigrated here. They all seemed to have come here with the intention of staying and so made the effort to build lives for themselves quickly. I think that has been the biggest difference for us in that we never planned to stay, so for a long time we treated this like one long holiday but as time goes on we have managed to build lives for ourselves here now and found regular things we do and have made new friends.
The band is going well. We have had our first two gigs, which went well. We have a potential gig at a club coming up in the spring so we are now working on building our set up for that.
The new horse riding school has proved to be so much better, where I have been going to group lessons. I have made a real improvement and am so much more confident with it now. I kind of feel like I have done what I wanted to with it now in that I can groom and saddle up a horse, ride up to canter and steer it the right direction. They are starting to get onto jumps and I’m just not going there. So I don’t think I will continue with lessons much more as it works out too expensive with the other stuff I am doing so something has got to go. However I can at least now go along and ride for fun on odd occasions and just enjoy it until the day we win the lottery and I can buy a horse, with a big ranch to go with it.
I have found a new tap dancing school which is more local and much better that the last one. The teacher and the other lady in the class are both lovely so we have a lot of fun and we are doing really difficult stuff so it is challenging but I love it. I hadn’t realised how much I missed dancing. We have a show coming up at Christmas and we are practicing a routine for it. I am actually looking forward to it and not as worried about the prospect this time as this school is bigger, has a high standard and all together more reputable. We are performing in a big theatre so it will be good to get back on stage again, even if it is for only a minute and a half.
After trying to teach myself the guitar for ages and really not getting very far with it I have decided to have lessons and found really good teacher round the corner and the best thing is, it is not expensive. I have only had four lessons so far but I am finally getting somewhere. Still a long way to go though...
I have found a new voluntary job at the airport, on the information desk which I am enjoying.
My New Year’s resolution of keeping fit has not gone quite to plan but I am definitely doing more that I was before. Having the local gym has helped and I do try to swim regularly but the hot tub is much more inviting. It’s actually nice that Paul and I belong to the same gym now so we can meet up in the hot tub for a chat.
Paul’s work is going well and he seems to be enjoying it. He still goes to the gym and gets out on his road bike regularly so he is probably fitter than he’s ever been. He is also really into his golf now and is playing more regularly and is really enjoying it.
We still try to get out at the weekends and have had more social events going on so it’s been fun. We have seen lots of the Blatchers over the summer with our camping trips and recently had Thanksgiving with them. We are spending Christmas with them so more Turkey and then a little skiing trip to Tahoe with them on Boxing Day.
Our current plans are to come home sometime, late next year so we still think of our lives being there also. That does make things slightly more difficult as sometimes, we fell a bit in limbo. At this stage that now feels quite strange and we often wonder how we will cope with going home and how we will fit back into our lives there and also how we will leave all of this behind. The two year mark has really made us think about that recently.
I have to say though that having kept in touch with most people in the UK regularly and the visits from family, it does make that seem easier and I’m sure once we are back everything will fall into place. I’m just not ready to think about that yet though.

My New Job at the Airport

2011-12-01T16:21:00.001-08:00

After leaving the Aquarium I spent a wasted few months trying to get voluntary work outdoors. I applied to national parks, the scouts, summer camps, even summer programs at schools, to no avail. You would think that it would be easy to offer your free time to organisations who obviously need help but to cut a long story short...it wasn’t. So I gave up on that idea and went back to a large organisation that had proper volunteer programs and co-ordinators to actually see the process through.
So back in August, I applied to SFO International airport to work on their information desks. It has turned out to be a rather long process which started out with a successful interview, then onto extensive security clearances and fingerprinting which goes off to the FBI. Then onto security training and exam, all of this to obtain my security badge to allow me access to behind the security checkpoints in all the terminals (I feel so important).
At this stage came the perk to the job, obtaining a car park pass (yay) which will save me a fortune when going back and forth to the airport for visitors and Paul’s business trips.
Then came the training and last but not least, the orientation tours. I spent two whole days there this week, walking every inch of the entire airport and making notes of everything. I have never been so exhausted. I thought my legs were going to drop from under me at the end and I was entirely brain dead. It didn’t make it any easier, seeing the little spa shops in the terminals where the massage chairs were crying out my name.
But finally, I have now been assigned Mondays to work and will start next week. I am really looking forward to it as it seems to be such an interesting job and they seem to be kept busy, which I like. They also make sure you rotate the desks (of which there are seven) so you get a variety of questions.
Although I really enjoyed working at the Aquarium, the thing I didn’t like about it was that I had to go up to people and proactively give them information and encourage them to ask questions. Now although most people don’t mind, a lot of people who visit aquariums just want to be left alone to enjoy the tranquil surroundings, not have people badgering them everywhere they go. So at least being at the information desk will mean that anyone who comes up to me will in fact, want information.
I was actually really impressed with the airport. There are so many things there for travellers to use which you would never know about and they have every possible thing you can think of to assist them with language, disabilities, communications and all sorts.
Anyway, if you are ever at SFO in the departures terminals, look me up!

Our Adventure with the Great White Sharks

2011-11-09T13:14:00.001-08:00

As part of Paul’s 40th year, one of the things he really wanted to do was to cage dive into the shark infested waters of the Farallon Islands, out from the San Francisco Bay coast.
Now I have to say, I was a little bit worried about the thought of Paul going into a cage (the crazy guy) and there was no way I was getting into that cage but agreed to go along with him as a top side observer.
So off we set at 6am on a reasonably large boat from the east bay in the dark to what became a very pleasant sail through the bay and under the Golden Gate Bridge and saw the most spectacular view of the bridge and the city just as the sun was rising. The weather was glorious and the trip out to the Farallon Islands was through calm waters so very unlike our horror trip, whale watching.
There was me, worrying about the safety of the whole thing whilst Paul’s worries were somewhat different. He had read reviews on the trip which said that you don’t always get to see sharks and the visibility is not great in those waters, but here we were, ready for whatever we may or may not see.
The Farallon Islands were very unique in that they were completely baron and the furthest thing you can imagine from a lush island. Apparently it is one of the top spots for marine researchers to do a stint there observing the sharks and other sea wildlife. They have to spend approx 3 months on the island in a hut with absolutely no outside communications whatsoever. No telephone, no TV and no other inhabitants. They get their provisions shipped in once a week. I guess being a Marine Biologist is not so glamorous after all. It must take some dedication to do that.
Anyway because the marine sanctuary have such strict regulations about the preservation of the wildlife the crew were not allowed to lure the sharks with any food so all they had was a model decoy of a Sea Lion, which I have to say didn’t quite live up to the job.
Now as much as Great white Sharks are scary creatures we learnt that they will often take a bite from a seal or sea lion, or even a human but this is only because they are curious. When they find that it’s not quite to their taste they leave it alone and continue on their search for the real thing...the elephant seals, as they have much more blubber and can give them a lot more energy. As they only eat about once every 2 weeks, they want to make the meal worth all the hard work. We learnt how to spot when a shark is killing one of these poor creatures. The birds will flock around, basically to feed on the aftermath and there will be a spill of blood and oil from the blubber on the water’s surface.
As we arrived we were lucky enough to see our first glimpse at a shark in for the kill. We could clearly see its fins thrusting out of the water as it made light work of the poor elephant seal. All over and done with very quickly.
There were nine divers and Paul was in group three with a father and son from the UK. All the Brits in the same cage! So off he goes in his super duper wet suit and dive kit whilst I sat on deck with the wife of the British guy, chatting and enjoying the warm sun. He did two dives and could not face the third one as he was extremely cold and felt quite sick with the motion of the cage. His experience in the cage was very disappointing as the visibility was so bad and he couldn’t see a thing.
During the day there were various screams of excitement every time someone on the boat saw a fin but by the time the rest of us got to look, it was gone. Out of the nine divers, there were three of them who caught a quick glimpse of a shark swimming under the cage but they said that they couldn’t really see it well and it was over very quickly.

However, the highlight of the day was when Paul happened to be at the front of the boat, looking out into the water, right where a huge Great white Shark made an appearance, right next to the boat, to take a chunk from the decoy seal of a neighbouring boat of scientists, tagging the sharks. They are allowed to use more luring devices, apparently. He managed to see the shark in its full glory, as its teeth sunk into the decoy and the frightening stare from its cold black eyes. I managed to catch the last glimpse of it as it spun its body back into the water. It was definitely the best sighting all day and the luckiest thing of all was that, if Paul had taken his third dive, he would have missed it so we came to the conclusion that being top side was indeed the better option.
So off we set sail again, for a very relaxing cruise into the bay, just as the sun was setting. I think I enjoyed the sailing part of the trip the most. So all in all, not a very successful trip for cage diving with the sharks, but we would say that the whole 12-hour trip was enjoyable.

Mum & Rita’s Visit

2011-10-27T21:54:00.001-07:00

It had been a year since I’d seen my mum and although I speak to her every week on the phone there’s nothing that can replace a big hug from your mum. It was so lovely to see them both. Luckily the weather was glorious all week for them and we spent many afternoons out on the patio playing cards and topping up the tan. Their favourite place though was the marina where we saw lots of pelicans. They were fascinated by them. We even managed to sit on the beach with a picnic and it was roasting. I’ve never known it so hot. Usually you have to wear a fleece.
The first weekend was the air show in the city. We saw a spectacular display by the Blue Angels (the US version of the Red Arrows) and other planes. My favourite was the fighter jet which was so noisy but very impressive especially when it flew vertical. There was also a military parade. They enjoyed that.
I took them to meet Emma one day where we lazed around the pool and she kindly made us lunch. They really enjoyed that. Rita wanted to move in. I also took them along to band practice where they enjoyed sitting in the garden listening to the music whilst watching the local wildlife with a coffee.
As it was approaching Halloween we bought some goodies for the porch. I now have a ghostly face which hangs over the porch light and witches dangling from the porch ceiling so I am ready for the trick or treaters. They were here whilst the Pumpkin Festival was on so we all went into town to watch the parade and listen to the live bands. We of course bought some pumpkins for the porch. I was very impressed with my masterpiece of cutting a face into the huge pumpkin and put a candle in it. I am sad to say that this lasted about a week before mould got the better of it and it collapsed (boo).
After their last visit it had became a standing joke that every time they saw the Golden Gate Bridge it was covered in fog so I am pleased to report that we drove over the bridge to the lookout point and had the most stunning view of the bridge with just a fine layer of fog underneath it and the city as clear as day in the background. It was truly the most spectacular view I have seen of the bridge. Of course I didn’t have my camera with me so we took some on mum’s camera and I am waiting to see the copies.
It was our wedding anniversary on the Sunday so mum and Rita took us out for a meal on the Saturday night to an Italian restaurant which we hadn’t been to before. We all enjoyed the meal and the girls decided that they would have a drink. Now we are talking about two teetotalers here so Rita managed a small glass of wine and mum had an Irish Coffee which was the strongest one I’ve ever tasted. I think it may have gone to her head slightly but we all had such a lovely night.
The day came when they finally had to go home and would you believe that Paul was on the same flight so off they all went in the limo and left me in a rather quiet household after all the fun and laughter. That was a lonely night but she is home safe and sound now after enjoying their stay very much. I miss her already!

Russian River Camping with the Blatchers

2011-10-04T14:33:00.001-07:00

Our second trip camping with the Blatchers was just as much fun as the last one. I arrived first as Paul couldn’t get out of work early and managed to set our tent up all on my own which was an achievement in itself but much less stressful without the usual bickering between the two of us. All done nice and early in time to get some peaceful time with my book (bliss).
Then a very welcome arrival by the Blatchers as I was ready for some company by that time. I was in pure amazement at how quickly Emma rustled up some canapes and a glass of champers. Really we call it glamping, rather than camping. Luckily Paul didn’t arrive too long after, in time for a lovely dinner prepared by Emma (you can see why I love going camping with this woman).
The kids love being outdoors and being able to climb logs and help build the campfire for the most important reason of Shmores after dinner (yum).
We invested in a floatable island with four seats and plenty of room for the six of us. A very inconspicuous colour of yellow and red. We had intended to float down the river on it but the weather was not our friend at the weekend but we did manage to catch a late afternoon trial run on a patch of river near the campsite where we enjoyed slowly floating around. The evenings involved a few bottles of wine and late night chats around the campfire. We even made some new friends on the next site to us. As the weather is changing now the camping season is over so we will put away out tents until next summer, although we are planning an upgrade into RVs and doing a road trip next year so bring it on...

Zephyr Cove with the Berries

2011-09-28T22:08:00.001-07:00

Paul’s mum and dad came out for a visit last week and we planned a trip to Zephyr Cove which is on Lake Tahoe. It was a long drive up there but we stopped off for lots of coffee and comfort breaks. Finally we arrive to find our cabin by the lake. It was such a beautiful spot. The cabin was kind of cosy. Having got used to having three bathrooms now is was a bit of a shock to the system to have to share one bathroom between four of us but we managed OK. Paul & I had the loft bedroom which was especially cosy and needless to say, we bumped our heads a few times.
We went up on the gondola to the top of the mountain one day and did a hike. It was nice to see the beauty of the surroundings without the snow. The next day we took a paddle steamer boat ride out on the lake. Now we had had glorious weather up until that point. As we set off toward the sunny lake we left behind a thunder storm at shore. It had obviously been quite a bad storm as when we got back the patio area looked like a bomb had hit it. We were oblivious to this of course whilst we sailed out to the very scenic Emerald Cove.
A quick game of bocce ball and onto a fabulous meal in the evening. We certainly did eat well. All in all a lovely weekend. It was nice to see the folks they seemed to enjoy their stay.

Our LA Trip

2011-09-15T19:41:00.001-07:00

We have been saying for ages that we wanted to drive the Route 1 to LA and see Dan & Em so we planned a weekend. We hired a car as we didn’t want to do the mileage on our car and set off nice and early Friday morning at 6am. Two hours into the journey, Paul discovers that he has left his wallet at home with his cards and driving license in it. Now it is an offence to not carry ID on you here so we were a bit worried but decided that we weren’t about to turn back now. What were the odds on us getting stopped!!!
Now the best part of the Route 1 trip is well known to be ‘Big Sur’ so as we got to this beautiful part of the coast, would you believe it, it was covered with our good old friend, the fog, so we didn’t see a bloody bit of it. Oh well. We thought, we’ll come back here another time and camp at the lovely sites we saw along the way. Off next, to beach where the elephant seals were in abundance which was an amazing sight. Then onto Hurst Castle. We didn’t look around the castle but stopped to look at the tourist information building there and saw the photos and read all about it. If I could have a dream house, this would surely be it. It was the most beautiful house (stately home) on a hill overlooking the ocean, half way between San Fran and LA. Apparently the guy who owned this used to entertain all of the rich and famous in the 50s such as the Rat Pack. You can see why.
On the road again and we felt a slight bump in the car. Yes, we had a flat. So we pull over and change the tire which was only a temporary space saver tyre so then had to search and find a tyre fitter which added an hour onto our journey. $107 later, off we go, onto the never ending Route 1. We hit a one lane part which was apparently a 55 speed limit but Paul thought it was still the 65 limit. Wouldn’t you have guessed, the local sheriff was right behind us and pulled us over. Oh dear...no license. We thought we were in big trouble but I have to say the sheriff was really nice about it. He did give us a speeding ticket (of course) which will cost about $200. Damn this trip is turning out to be expensive.
We finally got to Santa Barbara, a planned stop which was truly a lovely spot to have fish and chips. There were so many pelicans on the pier which seemed to be really tame. We got some great photos. It’s now about 4pm and we have only a short distance to go via Malibu and Santa Monica. You can see why the rich people want to live at Malibu. The houses were right on the beach. Just beautiful. There were some great RV parks right on the beaches and we envied them slightly, to have that amazing view as they woke up.
Then came the traffic. The freeway through town was just jammed and so close to LAX. You thought the planes were going to land on top of your car. 3 Hours later, we finally got to our hotel and a quick wash and change before dinner with Dan & Em. It was lovely to see them both. 13 and half hours it took us but all in all a lovely drive.
On the Saturday we did the whole touristy thing and went to the observatory in LA where you get a fantastic view of the Hollywood Hills and the observatory itself was very interesting. We then went to Rodeo drive but didn’t buy anything of course (it’s ridiculously expensive). We bought the star map and drove around Beverly Hills. The most impressive house that we could see was definitely Jennifer Anniston’s. Knackered now, we head back to the hotel and go for a dip in the pool and hot tub, onto dinner with Dan & Em again where we had a lovely hour with little Henry (so adoreable). A few drunken games later, we say goodbye and ready for our expedition to Disneyland on Sunday.
I don’t think there is a happier place on earth as Disneyland. I just love it there. The parade, the rides and the whole Disney thing. What a lovely day but I did actually wanted to exchange my feet for a new pair at the end of it. Back for a quick bite to eat on the pier and off to bed for another early start to go home. Even though we left at 6am the traffic was unbelievable. I have never seen traffic anywhere like it. LA has got to be the worst in the world. We finally get out of the city and onto the freeway and a mere 10 hours journey home. We have discovered that LA is a very long way but it was so worth it. We had a great weekend but next time I think we’ll fly.

The Band’s First Gig

2011-08-30T15:14:00.001-07:00

It seems like I have been rehearsing with the band forever as it has been a long process to get the right musicians on board and practice so that we are at a stage where we can gig. There are still just four of us at the moment. We have done our photo session where we now have business cards and hope to get a website up soon.
That day finally came last week where we had a small gig lined up at a charity event. We were all a little bit excited about it and maybe a little nervous too but we knew the crowd were going to be on our side. It was weird, thinking that I would have to perform in front of people again after almost 2 years away from anything like that so I was more than a little nervous the night before, especially as I had to front it (which was new).
However, once I was into the first song it all seemed like the most natural thing in the world to do. I guess if it’s in your blood, you never forget how to do it. The audience even laughed at the gags. The guys played so well and I was very proud to be part of something which started from John & I and has taken shape over the last 6 months into something special. The audience absolutely loved us and we got so much good feedback at the end. We were all really pleased with how it all went and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.
We have another gig lined up this weekend, again a small affair but the band has since developed. We now have two more professional roaming musicians which will gig with us as well as other bands so we now have a fiddle and a mandolin added to the mix, which makes such a difference. There is also the possibility now that we have found a rhythm guitarist and harmonica player so at this rate we’ll have a full band.
A lot of musicians don’t want to commit to rehearsing. They just want to turn up at gigs and get paid. So maybe the four of us will remain the core band with others just coming in for gigs, although we really do need a fifth player to be the rhythm guitarist who is committed to the rehearsals. We’ll see how it all goes...

Horse Riding

2011-08-30T15:13:00.001-07:00

After my first sample of horse riding lessons at the last school I was a little disheartened with it all. I really loved the horses and the whole principle of horse riding but after a couple of months there I just wasn’t enjoying it, mainly because I just couldn’t get the horse to do what I wanted it to. The other reason was that the owner was so busy and was hardly ever there that my lessons kind of got pushed to the back of the list of priorities and when her son could be bothered I got a kind of substitute lesson. They were just so unorganised that I got totally fed up with it all, which is a shame as I did enjoy helping out there with the stables.
Anyway, after some searching I have found a fantastic riding school, very local, in Half Moon Bay. It’s in a beautiful spot by the beach. The horses are all really well looked after and well trained and the staff are so helpful and lovely.
I found I learnt more on my first lesson there than I did in the 6 or 8 lessons I had had before. I have a lovely, very placid and obedient horse called Candy and by week two I was trotting perfectly and even went into canter (not quite so perfectly, but getting there). I can also now get my horse all tackled, saddled up and groomed on my own. I attend a group lesson every Weds evening where there are 6 of us in the group, including an English & Irish girl. They are a really great bunch of people and we have a laugh.
So I’m much happier and really enjoying it.

Our New House

2011-08-19T09:30:00.001-07:00

If you have read my previous entry of ‘To move or not to move’ you will know that we had been thinking of moving for a while. We had decided that we wanted to stay in Half Moon Bay (despite the fog) but just wanted a nicer house really. There is a golf course community about 3 miles south of us, which has houses on a golf course basically. It also has a gym, swimming pool, tennis courts and a hotel with a nice restaurant and bar on the property. We have always liked it there but houses for rent don’t come up often.
It surely was fate when a house came up for rent within our price range the day before we had to decide to extend the lease on our house. We took a look and loved it instantly. It has an upstairs with two main bedrooms, both with en suits and patio balconies and a large utility room. The downstairs has a living room, dining room, kitchen and office with a small patio out the back. It was perfect and we took up the offer immediately. It’s a little less private as the other houses are closer but a lot of the houses are holiday homes so the place is really quiet most of the time.
So after the upheaval of moving everything we are finally settled into the new house and we love it. Already it has added so much to our lives. We took full advantage of the facilities at the weekend and had a real local weekend. We had dinner at the restaurant Friday night, went body boarding on the beach Sat morning, played tennis and went swimming in the afternoon and got in a little golf practice. We have yet to play a round of golf together but Paul has gone off to the residents golf scramble tonight to play a 9-hole competition. I am so glad he has got back into playing golf. It has helped that he now has a golf buddy (Rick) but he seems to really be enjoying it.
So we have signed a years’ lease which means that any prospect of going back to the UK will be late 2012 at the moment.

Camping with the Blatchers & the Bears

2011-08-19T09:29:00.001-07:00

After our very successful camping trip to Sonoma we were eager to get the tent out again and suggested that the Blatcher family came with us to the Eldorado Forest near Lake Tahoe. Now Emma had never been camping before and was a bit apprehensive, especially about the bears but we all assured her that it would be fine. Nevertheless she still bought a bear spray with her.
It started out badly, with traffic jams and a late arrival but we were pleasantly welcomed by the Blatchers with dinner ready by the camp fire and a well earned glass of wine. Our site was huge and we managed to set up tent by torchlight and had a much better presented tent without the oversized airbed. Our new purchase of roll mats was a good call. I was so impressed with Emma’s organisation and readiness of camp cooking, especially with the American tradition of shmores for dessert. If you have never had them, they are Golden Graham biscuits with chocolate and toasted marshmallows inside (delicious).
Of course Jack & Elly were in their element with all the freedom of the outdoor life and absolutely loved their tent. We had been warned about the fact that this was bear country and had to take the necessary precautions of not leaving any food lying around, hiding all cool boxes & making sure that all rubbish (or trash) was put in the lockable dumpsters. Apart from being a bit cold in the mountains we all had a good night’s sleep.
On the Saturday after wonderful bacon sandwiches, we went to a waterfall which was absolutely beautiful with little crevices of fresh running water which was very inviting from the heat but unfortunately we left our swimming costumes in the car which was way too far to walk back to so we settled for paddling and packed lunch dipping our feet. Elly & Jack enjoyed exploring and paddling in the water and of course it had to happen, Jack lost his footing whilst following Elly on her mission across the rocks and fell into the water, fully clothed. It was a bit of a shock as the water was freezing but there were no tears. Luckily the weather was so hot he dried off in no time.
Next we went onto the lake where we hired a canoe and all took turns in rowing across the lake whilst the others took dip into the very inviting water. It was at that stage I realised I had forgotten by bikini bottoms and was rather disappointed but thought ‘sod it’ I’m going in, in my underwear. Luckily Emma was there to the rescue with a towel when I was getting out (that’s what friends are for).
So after a long hot day, what better way to end it with a beer in the local bar and a game of pool. Now my days at the Revenue had served me well in learning how to play pool but Emma was a bit of a hustler. Elly took an interest and decided that she wanted to learn how to play and like everything else, she just picks things up so quickly so of course I wanted her on my team.
Back to the campsite for hot dogs and more shmores. Our camp site was situated on a lake and if you know me well enough you will know that I love a sunset so off we all went to check out the lake at sunset and what would have been a very tranquil moment was disrupted by the boys playing ‘Lets throw rocks into the lake’. It was there that I finally learnt how to skim a stone, only 3 bounces but a very impressive feat after all those years of failure. It’s all in the wrist (apparently).
Our last night on camp, Emma insisted that we stay up late (she’s such a bad influence). The boys, of course paid no attention to this so it was just Emma and I up till 3am with the remaining bottle of wine and the dwindling campfire. We heard nothing and went to put the rubbish away, only to find that the dumpster was overflowing with food and trash that people had left out. We were beside ourselves at the thought of the bears coming whilst we were asleep as our tents were quite near. I have to say at this point that chemical toilets are the pits (never again). So anyway off we went to bed and awoke with a slight hangover only to find that Emma had breakfast al prepared (I do love that girl) and with the story to set us in shock. Apparently, whilst we were chatting the night before there was a bear in the site next to us rummaging through the next site’s cool box. He was scared off as the man got out of his tent. We were oblivious (thank goodness) but the man said he saw us up. So all Emma’s worrying about bears came true. Should we have seen it of course, it would have been useless as her bear spray was locked in the car.
All in all, a great weekend in the Berry Blatcher diary and hopefully, one of many to come.

Our First Camping Trip & 4th July

2011-07-06T14:19:00.000-07:00

The 4th July is a big holiday weekend here so we thought we would dig out our camping gear and go away for the weekend to Guerneville in Sonoma, which is a little town by the Russian River. The weather forecast was great for the weekend, in the high nineties all weekend so we were glad to find that our campsite was in the redwoods with lots of welcomed shade to keep us cool.
Now Paul and I get on great most of the time but putting up a tent is a sure bet that there will be tense moments a little tiff or two so after the unpleasantries we were just about still talking and set up with our lovely little camping spot, luckily near the toilet block for that unexpected trip during the night, with our picnic table and fire pit to enjoy a glass of wine and a chat of an evening. The only disappointment was that the new air bed we had bought was far too big and took up most of the room in the tent and we didn’t discover the additional air valve until the last night which explained why we were gradually sinking every night but hey, lesson learnt.
The campsite was in a lovely spot right by the river and only a few miles from town so easily accessible for us to enjoy an evening meal in the local restaurant, which saved us having to cook (all good). The town was very laid back and had a surprisingly high gay population and with its very own gay bar, which was of course the liveliest place in town. We didn’t venture in as we stuck to the rather more relaxed atmosphere of the local restaurants and enjoyed the live music of the jazz bands.
We had planned for our first day out to hire a canoe and take a trip 10 miles down the river but that didn’t work out. When we got there it was so busy we got fed up standing in line which didn’t seem to be moving and was so hot that we thought stuff this, we’ll go back the campsite a hire two tubes (which are basically big rubber rings) and just float down the river instead. Not knowing the logistics of how we were going to get back after floating down the river we asked the guy at the campsite. He said don’t worry, the river is very slow moving and you can float for a while then paddle back up the river easily. OK then, that sounds good.
So we took our packed lunch and had that on the beach before eagerly dipping in the shallow lake with our tubes and had the most relaxing float down the river, which was indeed moving very slowly. What a great idea this turned out to be, we thought as we watched the odd canoe pass us on this very peaceful stretch of river, who happened to look very hot and bothered. That looked like far too much hard work.
After about an hour we had only travelled about half a mile down river to the bridge which had some fun little rapids, when we said we should actually start paddling back up river again before we go too far. So we start to paddle up river and found we weren’t actually moving. So we paddle even harder and we still weren’t moving. OK so this isn’t going to work, so off we get, into a surprisingly deep river by now and try to swim and hold the float at the same time (not an easy task). The current as actually quite a bit stronger than we thought but we finally managed to get over to the sides where we found the help of a few tree branches to pull us along. We had seriously been working at this for about 20 minutes and had only travelled about 10 yards. The current in the river was deceiving and at this point I could have killed the guy on the campsite who made it sound so easy. Anyway as we found shallower parts of the river we were able to walk most of the way (I say walk but I actually mean fight against the current with our legs which were getting a fairly good work out). After a bit more swimming and a few more trees to help us we finally made it back to the beach where we set off absolutely knackered. We decided to just relax for a while in the tubes in an outlet part of the river without any current (that’s more like it). By now the majority of the canoes had made it down to our part of the river. It was bedlam, they were all bumping into each other. It was fun to watch and we were very glad we had made it back before they all came. All in all it was a great day which was finished off by a little wine tasting in the local winery.
The next day we decided to cycle a popular route along a quiet road with wineries and vineyards. Now I have to start by telling you that this was the day when it was 100 degrees. Not the best day to go on a 10 mile cycle I know, but off we went anyway. We made it half way to the big winery and by that time we were so hot that all we could think about was an ice cold can of diet coke (stuff the wine) which was a very welcomed reward as was the cool interior of the winery where we hung out for sanctuary from the heat.
The journey back to the campsite was worse. We were so exhausted from the heat that all we could think about was dropping our bikes back and jumping straight into the lake, which was a heavenly reward and probably more needed than we imagined (not our best cycle ride but will be remembered).
Onto the evening, where the town had fireworks planned for 9.30pm (which happened to be Sunday 3rd July). We followed the crowds to a spot on the bridge and watched them under a clear starlit sky in what was still very hot weather. It was a beautiful moment, especially watching the Americans cheer and revel in the significance of the fireworks representing Independence Day and everything it stands for.
So on the actual 4th July we pack up and off we head back to Half Moon Bay to our somewhat cooler climate. We thought we would stop off in Sam’s for lunch and whilst there we discovered that Half Moon Bay were having a firework display of their own that night. Apparently everyone goes along to the beach with their camp chairs and a beer and watches as the fireworks are set off over the ocean. That sounds lovely we thought, let’s go. We were warned that the roads would all be blocked off so we decided to cycle the 3 miles along the quiet coastal path instead of the main road and set up our chairs in a great spot, with our bottle of wine (very civilised) and a blanket to keep us warm. It was a very different firework display from last night as there was some pretty heavy fog around so we didn’t actually get see much of the actual fireworks but the display of lighting up the clouds was pretty spectacular.
Now the funniest part of the whole weekend was our cycle home along the coastal path. Now you have to picture this....It is a pathway which follows the coastline, away from the line of houses and quite a way from the main road, used mainly for walking and cycling, normally in the daytime. They are not equipped for night time use at all. It was so dark. Luckily Paul & I remembered to put our lights on the bike which most other cyclists did not. So as Paul was racing in front with me high on his tail we discovered that we had a convoy of cyclists following us for the light, all helping each other to dodge the coming obstructions on the path with calls from the cyclists such as, “Walkers” “pole” “tree” etc added with a few little odd “Arghhh’s” from people who had obviously not adhered to these instructions. We all found this so funny and couldn’t stop laughing the whole way home. As smaller groups of cyclists reached their destination there was the cheers of “Goodnight” from the rest of us and the thanks from those for our lights.
What a great end to a lovely weekend...Happy 4th July.

My day to day life & thoughts after 18 months

2011-06-08T15:27:00.001-07:00

On the 29th May came the 18 month mark. It has been a rather unsettling 6 months since my last entry, mainly because we really didn’t know what was happening with Paul’s work. To cut a long story short, we originally came out planning to stay for two years with a possible extension depending on how it was all going. Basically the contract has been in renegotiation for some months now with lots of different outcomes, one of which was a possibility that Paul’s role would no longer be needed here anymore but would be better served back in the UK. It came as a bit of a shock to us but we soon got our heads round it and had to stop making plans for the future months and we really had to take each month as it came. That was tough, especially as we hadn’t even got through the first year before the uncertainty of the proposed length of stay.
Finally in May the contract has been settled and things have taken a total turn around. The USA based part of Paul’s company is now being expanded and Paul has taken on more responsibility to build the team up to work on the contract, which came with a posh new job title (Technology Director). I am so proud of him, especially as it will mean that he will be working even harder over the next few months to get it all set up. I am already noticing the later arrivals home of an evening.
So we can both finally breathe a sigh of relief and start to live a more relaxed life here now and make some plans for the time we have left here. At the moment Paul has committed to stay here for another year so we are looking at coming home around next June. Paul seems so much happier at work now since they have moved into their own office and with that he seems to be more settled so we are really enjoying here at the moment.
Paul’s day to day life is still very much about work. He continues to go to the gym regularly and gets out on the road bike whenever he can, along the mountain roads (crazy guy, he actually likes going uphill). After a period of non-interest in golfing he has since taken back to the driving range regularly as he now has a golfing buddy (Ric) who he really enjoys a round of 9 holes when they can.
For me, my weekly routine has been somewhat altered. When I left the aquarium, it co-incided with our tenants back in the UK giving notice so much of my time was spent liaising with the estate agents, the gardener and our next door neighbours (who have been amazing) about finding new tenants and getting the house, garden and hot tub ready for them to move in. After a very stressful month or so we finally found what seem to be perfect tenants who have since moved in and all is well.
The band is going really well. We rehearse once a week. I am really enjoying it and I get on well with the two guys in the band, who have now become good friends.
I had taken a break from horse riding as I wasn’t really enjoying my lessons where I was so I have since found a new riding school and I am excited about starting that again next week.
I have given up the tap & ballet classes. I enjoyed it for the 6 months I was there but kind of got bored with it as they started working on a show, 5 months before it was due and I just couldn’t face committing to rehearsing the same thing each week for a show I didn’t want to be in. So I have since been going to Zumba classes to keep fit. My new year’s resolution of exercising more to lose weight however has not materialized very well. I try to get out once a week for a jog along the beach or do my Pilates DVD but it takes a lot to motivate me to do exercise. Thankfully Paul & I still go out regularly at weekends on the bikes or hiking on the trails and whenever Mr Berry is dictating the course, it’s no easy task, I can tell you.
Obviously the day to day duties of a housewife (or homemaker as they call in the states) keeps me busy some of the time. I am still dabbling on the guitar, sewing and painting. I have also really got into IQ puzzles lately. That and the fairly regular studying keep my brain ticking over.
I am no longer volunteering at the theatre. I found after 6 months I that I had still not really made any friends there as they are such a clicky society. I originally thought about maybe getting involved in the actual productions, after getting to know people but apart from getting myself in there (so to speak) being a difficult enough task, I just found that I had lost my interest for the theatre, for now anyway. Paul and I still go along to see the shows when they are on. We always enjoy them as they are a fantastic standard but that will do for me.
Paul and I still try and get out at the weekends as much as we can. We have a few little camping trips planned for the summer. We thought it was about time we used our tent. If nothing else it will get us to sunnier climates and out of the summer fog here in Half Moon Bay which is fast approaching.
I have to say, the biggest difference to our lives here has been the arrival of the Blatchers and oh what a wonderful addition to our lives they are. I have mentioned them before but just to refresh your memories, Paul’s friend from primary school (Emma) moved out here with her husband (Ric) and children (Elly & Jack) in November. Maybe it’s because we were in the same situation or maybe we would have been the same if we met them in the UK but all of us just clicked straight away and they have become very dear friends and we feel like we’ve know them forever. I actually don’t know what I would do without Emma now. She has become my best friend. We see them as regularly as we can and have had some fantastic times with them. Our next little venture is a camping trip in the summer. I have managed to talk Emma into thinking that camping in a tent is a wonderful experience. I’m not sure she’s totally convinced but she has gone mad at the camping shop recently.
It’s a shame Dan & Em live so far away, as it would be nice to see them more often as well. They have been up to stay with us a couple of times and we are planning a trip to LA later on in the summer so hopefully that will work out.
We do still have moments where we miss everyone back home very much. We both keep posted with all the happenings on Face book and chat about any news we get from people so we still feel very much a part of everyone’s lives.
So that’s all from me for now.

The Band’s First Recording

2011-06-08T15:26:00.000-07:00

There are still three of us at the moment, John on lead guitar, Gary on base guitar and me of course singing and jingling my little tambourine. So we have done a lot of work on a substantial list of songs and are ready to build the band up now and find other musicians to join us. We really need a drummer, a rhythm guitarist and maybe a fiddle or pedal steel player.
So we decided to record three of our songs and make a demo CD for any potential new members. It took quite a few hours of work in John’s garage (our make shift recording studio) but we finally got the recording we wanted. Gary did all the recording himself so we were quite proud of ourselves with the outcome. It was really interesting listening to it all coming together, all very technical stuff but very clever.
So next step is to build the band up and get them up to speed with the work we have done so far and then onto looking for gigs, which I have to say is a scary thought as I haven’t sang in public since I left the UK but also very exciting.

Good bye Aquarium & Hello Butano State Park

2011-06-08T15:25:00.000-07:00

Back in March it came time to leave the aquarium after 8 months of voluntary work there. I was only supposed to do 6 months bit I really enjoyed it. However it had come to the point where I couldn’t really progress any further and I felt the need to try something different. Leaving there was a sad moment especially as the staff signed a lovely leaving card for me.
So what was next? I thought I would like to work outdoors. There are many state parks around that I applied to the national state park service and found a local state park about a 45 minute drive south and got in touch with the ranger there. It shouldn’t be so difficult but it took ages to finally get a meeting with him which went really well. He seemed to be pleased that I wanted to volunteer there and we talked about the type of work I could do which basically would be assisting on tours of the park, summer camps for the kids and clearing hiking trails. All sounds good I thought. However I found the ranger to be very vague about when I would work and it all seemed too flexible. Most of the work seems to be at weekends, which is not the best situation for me as I was really looking or something to do one day during the week but it does sound like I would enjoy it and maybe I could work something out. However, when I left the meeting I was still uncertain. I think I will have to be very pro-active about actually starting work there. The kids break up from school this week so hopefully it will all work out. I think if anything this will only last for the summer so then I will have to think about something else. Anyway, we’ll see what happens...

The Bonanza Trail

2011-05-25T19:03:00.000-07:00

So when Paul decided to go off to the UK for 10 days I thought how hard it was going to be here without him and wanted to do something exciting to take my mind off missing him. So I planned a little road trip. I am fascinated with the Wild West thing and am into Bonanza here on TV at the moment. So I decided that I would take a trip to Virginia City and the area around Lake Tahoe where the fictitious Ponderosa was filmed.
So off I set on the Saturday morning, having booked my room in the B&B at Virginia City, for my 6 hour drive. That was some driving but I really enjoyed it, driving through the most beautiful scenery and singing along to my favourite country music.
So I arrive at Virginia City and check in to the B&B. As Paul knew I was taking a long road trip, I had strict instructions to text him along the way and especially when I got there so he wouldn’t worry. Now I wasn’t pleased to hear from the landlady that the area didn’t have good mobile phone reception so I desperately tried to text him with no avail. I think one message got through but I couldn’t be sure so I had the great idea of phoning him quickly. What a disaster! As Paul was in the middle of a drunken night at the party he, of course, didn’t answer his phone. Then I thought that’s worse because he would wonder why I was phoning him as he had about 6 missed calls by then. Finally I get an answer but Paul, not in the most alert state of mind, accidently answers his phone and as I start to have a conversation, all I can hear is very loud male voices singing and no Paul. Oh great, I thought, they are obviously having a good night and I still can’t get through to him. Was he worried about me...I think not! I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry at the frustration. So I gave up and did manage to get a text message to him eventually. Of course, when I talk to him about it later, He’s like, ‘What’s the problem?’ Oh dear, you’ve got to love him.
So anyway, when I go into Virginia City it was nothing like I expected. The place is set in the hills, miles away from anywhere. It had the most stunning view of mountains everywhere. It was, as described, a tourist Wild West town but it was a little too busy for my liking. Everything was set up for the tourists and didn’t really have much of an authentic feel about it. There were a lot of bikers in town who filled the few bars with live bands so I didn’t feel that comfortable venturing into, being a woman on my own. So I settled for having a very adequate burger in a saloon restaurant and then went onto the museum of ‘The way it was’ and the opera house. It basically told the story of how the whole Comstock silver strike made Virginia City one of the richest cities in the world back in the late 1800’s. It was here I learnt a fascinating fact about the theatre.
I remember someone at the Bob Hope told me once about the actual meaning of ‘break a Leg’ and after being involved in theatre for some years was fascinated by this fact. If you don’t know, I will tell you...basically the leg is the winch part of the curtain and if you were successful in your performance then you got more curtain calls. So the whole ‘break a leg’ thing is supposed to mean that if the curtain goes up so many times, the leg will break (not as in your actual leg, as I once thought). So anyway, I digress...I learnt in the museum what being upstaged means. Basically if you are down stage (at the front of the stage) then you have the predominant position and usually the audience are watching you. If however, you are forced to turn your back on the audience (which is unusual) then the audience are then forced to watch the actor who is upstage (at the back). Hence, you are upstaged. There, you have learnt something new (unless you already knew that of course).
Anyway after my ventures in town, looking at the various Wild West merchandise and memorabilia I went back to the B&B for an early night. Then up at 6am for an early start to drive through actual Ponderosa Land through to Lake Tahoe. I can’t explain how beautiful the scenery was with all the snow slowly disintegrating from the mountains, showing the first sight of spring in the pine forests. Whilst I drove along in my car I couldn’t help but wonder about how people lived 150 years ago when their only transport were horses. What took me half an hour to drive would have taken them 2 hours on horseback. Oh the marvels of modern science. If however, there was a time travel machine which could take me back in time for a day, it would surely be back to the Wild West.

Paul’s Visit back to the UK

2011-05-25T19:02:00.000-07:00

It was time for Paul to go back to the UK for a work trip for an important meeting and it coincided perfectly with his birthday. I was so pleased that he would be able to see all his friends and family around the time of his birthday so he will always remember as the whole 40th birthday thing being special after his trip to Hawaii.
So the first week was spent at work catching up with his work friends and then onto New Eltham to stay with the folks and catch up with all his friends and family. It sounded like he had a very busy week and he was certainly a little tired from it all but had a great time.
He certainly got a lot in, visiting the neighbours and checking out the old house, ready for the new tenants to move in that weekend, a curry with the boys and the surprise of a party with all his friends on the Saturday night. I can’t tell you how chuffed he was that his friends had organised a party for him and so many people turned up. He had the best night and has since filled me in on how everyone was and how lovely it was to see everyone. So I would just like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for going along and making his birthday special.
He finished his trip with a lovely family day out on the Sunday where his mum made a proper birthday cake. Unfortunately he was so stuffed from lunch that he didn’t get to sample any so Nicola got the lot to take home. Oh I miss Val’s ribbon cake (it’s the best). I might get her to make an extra special big one for our return (ha ha).
So anyway he is safely home now and I am so glad. I missed him so much. It’s silly, I know that 10 days is not a long time but it seems like forever when he is away. All in all a very god trip back home and it was lovely to hear how everyone was. I do miss you all and hopefully I will see you all soon.

Paul’s 40th Birthday in Hawaii

2011-05-16T17:31:00.000-07:00

Oh where do I start? This may be a long episode, so get ready!

As Paul’s birthday approached we decided that as he was away from all his friends and family we would go away and celebrate, on holiday. Hawaii seemed a good choice as it is only 5 hours away from here and it was a shame not to take advantage of that. So we set of on our flight and left the west coast to finally see the next bit of land across the Pacific, as Maui. When we stepped off the plane we were pleasantly received by beautiful hot sunny weather and a real paradise island. The island had a lovely relaxed feel to it so it didn’t take long for us to get into the relaxed mode, which quite frankly, Paul needed more than ever.

The hotel was in a perfect spot at the end of the popular golden sand beach and our room had a great ocean view. Luckily we went in the quiet season so it was not overcrowded and we could enjoy lazing around by the pool and a dip into the warm sea to snorkel with turtles and tropical fish (amazing). At Sunset every evening our hotel pool bar had a great spot for the odd Mai Tai (my favourite cocktail) and to watch the nightly ceremony of the Black Rock cliff diving, accompanied by tranquil Hawaiian music and historic commentary.

The area in Maui was quite remote and the nearest place for restaurants was a mile walk along the beach from our hotel. The nearest town was about 3 miles away with the shops and evidence of civilisation but we only ventured there one night as we loved the peace and quiet of the local village with our nightly walk along the deserted beach, home.

On the first night we went to the luau at the next hotel, which was in comparison to the main event on Paul’s birthday, quite a small event with the local dance school of children performing the traditional Hawaiian hula dancing. Although all the kids were very good, there was one little girl who must have only been about 4 years old, who we couldn’t take our eyes off. She was just the cutest little thing. She had a short solo spot with the second youngest member and there was a very funny moment. As she stepped back across to the side of the stage in her little hula outfit, she very elegantly fell off backwards over the side. There was a moment where everyone gasped until we found that at that age, you just bounce back up again. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry for her as she was little bit embarrassed. It reminded me of the Lucy moment at County Gang Show and I was laughing to myself for quite some time after.

The next day we decided to have a go at paddle boarding, which basically is a surfboard but you use the paddle to move along instead of riding the waves. I haven’t laughed as much for ages. It looked really pleasant and relaxing when everyone else was doing it but when we got on the boards, standing up was a real challenge and staying up was an even bigger challenge. I have never had such a vigorous workout on my thighs. You had to keep every muscle tight to keep balance, so much so that my legs were shaking and ached for 2 days after. The waves made it so hard to stay up and they weren’t even big waves. After falling off lots of times, I was exhausted but did master getting back on the board (as I had so much practice). The funniest thing was though at watching each other fall off and that made the other one fall off then as we were laughing so much. As I just managed to master it I kept hearing a loud splash behind me and even the thought of Paul falling off was making me laugh. What great fun though. Not sure I want to do it again!

There was so much to do on the island and us being us, didn’t want to spend all week sunbathing so we hired a jeep (which was great fun) for the day and went on a very long journey to the other side of the island to Hana, which had some of the most stunning scenery. We travelled through the rainforest and saw lots of waterfalls and roughed coastline. A real contrast to the typical touristy beaches with hotels. That was a lovely day.

Unfortunately the day ended up with us going into the main town near our hotel, Lahaina, which was much busier than our little paradise village. We just wanted somewhere low key to eat so made a very bad choice of ‘Bubba Gump’s Shrimp house’. Now you would think that with Paul’s allergy to shellfish we would have not made such a bad choice but hey! It was the most awful place we have been to eat in a long time. It was a slight step up from McDonalds with lots of families and screaming women who had too many cocktails and waiters clearing up around us and the food was Yuk. So definitely not going to a Bubba Gump restaurant again. We almost laughed at the situation but seriously, it was awful.

So as part of Paul’s big day we wanted to do something special, so we chose a zip lining experience in the mountain, the day before. I can’t tell you how much fun it was. We had a great group of people and the instructors were full of jokes. We did 8 zip lines. Although the first one was a bit scary, we soon got the hang of it and didn’t want it to end. They gave us lots of tips about how to do it properly, with steering and landing tips so we managed to land quite gracefully and most importantly, on our feet. The funniest moment was when we were on the last zip line of the day, which was the longest. They said to us don’t bother about steering. You just want to get down as fast as you can. Don’t worry about what way you are facing when you land, we will get you. So off Paul goes (very fast) and as he approached the landing deck, I was back at the take off deck. All we could here from there was a very confident, “I’ve got you” from the instructor. He obviously didn’t have him as the next thing we heard was a loud thud. Apparently Paul did the last bit of that run on his backside. Of course we were in hysterics back at the top.

We worked out that as Paul was born at 4am in the morning back in 1971 his actual birth moment in Hawaii was 5pm, the day before, being that we were 11 hours behind the UK. On the actual birth moment he was doing his last zip line run of the day. How cool is that? Let’s forget that he ended up on his backside!

So onto the actual birthday! I had been thinking about his 40th for so long and had lots of different plans if we were back in the UK or even at home in California but as we were away I was very limited with how I could surprise him or spoil him on the day. I had brought with me some balloons and a banner and managed to decorate the balcony before he woke up but that is only because I told him he had to stay in bed for 5 minutes and not ask any questions so not quite the surprise I was hoping for but he seemed to be happy with that.

My biggest dilemma was the cake! There was nowhere where I could get a proper cake within miles and as we were going home the next day it would have been a bit of a waste. So I had decided that the next best thing was to get a muffin from Starbucks and put the 40 candles in it, which I had brought with me.

Off I went to get the coffee and cake from the starbucks counter in the hotel and bring it back to the hotel room so that he could enjoy a coffee on the balcony whilst opening his cards and pressies. I left him on the phone to his parents and managed to get back in time to stick the candles in the cake, which looked absolutely pathetic but the sentiment was there. We put Mike and Val on speaker as I lit the candles and all sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to him, which worked out perfectly and sang rather beautifully, if I do say so.
So off we went to the balcony and I must say
that I was so pleased that so many people had managed to get their cards posted early so he had lots to open on the day. That was a really special moment and he really was happy to get so many cards, texts and messages on Facebook. Thank you everyone.
As it was our last day we planned to just enjoy relaxing by the pool and snorkelling in the sea. Paul had another go at paddle boarding and really mastered it this time. He said it was because there weren’t as many waves but he looked so cool out there on his board (he still looks fab at 40).

So after our ritual Mai Tai at the pool bar, off we go to get ready for our big night out. We had booked to go to the big Luau feast in town where they serve 5 courses and drinks all inclusive, with all styles of Polynesian dancing (very professional) as entertainment. What a lovely setting, right on the ocean, as the sun was setting. We had such a lovely evening and a little too much wine (oops). It topped it for Paul of course that our waitress was absolutely stunning. I even fancied her myself. I think he was a little taken by her but hey, it was his birthday. I’ll let him have that one.

So all in all I think Paul really enjoyed the whole day and we both had a fantastic holiday.

Alas we are back to the somewhat cooler weather in California and an abrupt departure for Paul to London for work. So holiday over and missing him already but I know he will have a fantastic time with his family and friends back home where he can continue his celebrations (you’re only 40 once).

Donny & Marie

2011-04-07T17:45:00.001-07:00

This post has to be owed to my big bruv as not only did he invite Paul and to stay with him and his wife in their time share apartment in Las Vegas for the weekend, but he surprised and treated us to tickets to see Donny & Maria. I can’t tell you how excited I was! Amanda was just as excited I think, but I think the boys were doing their good deed for the day for their wives.
So I already had my t-shirt (I’m a little bit country) which I love by the way. I couldn’t persuade Paul to but the (I’m a little bit rock & roll) one. I was all ready to listen to ‘Puppy Love’ & ‘Paper Roses’. I was not expecting the evening to be a fantastic as it was. To start, the theatre was the old fashioned Vegas style where you all sat in booths with tables and had champagne brought to you (how fab is that?). Then Donny & Marie came on stage. They look amazing for their age. They both have much better voices than I remember, especially Marie and their repertoire was so much more up to date than I thought. I hadn’t realised they had done so much. I have to say that both Paul and Mark enjoyed it very much. What a great show. Lots of laughs and great music but best of all being in that style of theatre really made it special. I even bought the CD...
So thanks Mark & Amanda for a very special treat and a great weekend (love ya) x

Skiing in Mammoth

2011-04-07T17:32:00.001-07:00

We were so excited that the others were coming out to ski in America and that they had decided to go to Mammoth which is relatively close to us on the map, just a little drive across Yosemite, or so we thought. That was until we realised that Yosemite was shut in the winter and so the drive turned out to be somewhat longer, going around the mountains which should have taken about 8 hours. Now the others didn’t seem put off by this and were excited about their road trip through California. I had planned a lovely route for them to take in the scenery and found a lovely stop off place for them to spend the night in Lake Topaz, which looked beautiful. They had booked rooms with a lake view and planned to arrive in mammoth early Saturday morning for some first day skiing.
Unfortunately it all went horribly wrong as the week they came out the whole mountain area had terrible weather conditions with snow and winds (who knew). Great for skiing, but not so good for driving. They started off leaving San Fran in the rush hour on Friday evening which delayed them but got going on the planned route only to find that at midnight the part of the road was closed due to an avalanche and they had to turn back and drive an hour and a half back to Jackson where they stayed in a motel (not so good as the lake view they had in mind). After a night’s sleep they set off again and changed their route which ended up being longer than expected and didn’t end up in Mammoth until early afternoon. I have to admire their spirits, doing that after a 10 hour flight, as they took it all in their stride and revelled in telling us about their adventure.
Now we had already decided that we would fly instead. Alaska Airlines had recently started a flight service from San Fran to Mammoth which only took an hour. Fly to Mammoth and save the 8 hour drive from San Francisco. What a great idea. However although we were sure we made the right decision we weren't prepared for what happened next.
First of all our flight times were changed so that we got there much later in the day than we wanted but that was OK as they only really had one flight going out each day at this time. The flight there was amazing. One hour, no delays, beautiful scenery and a rapid baggage collection at the other end with the taxi driver waiting for us. All good so far.
However we were slightly alarmed when the airport attendant in San Fran gave us a page to read on what happens if the flight is redirected to LA because of weather conditions. Basically you will be given the option of coming back to San Fran. No alternative transport to Mammoth. She explained that as Mammoth is a small airport they do not have the technology to guide the plane in by radar. It has to be done by sight and they need 3 miles clear visibility. Now although that reassured me that we wouldn't be crashing into any mountains, I did keep everything crossed that the plane would land in Mammoth and didn't give the thought I should have done about getting home, as we were going during the week where Mammoth received the most snow for 2O years. It’s Alaska Airlines, I thought. They land in snow all the time!
Anyway, after a fantastic weeks skiing in all that snow we were getting a little bit worried the day before we were due to go home as bad weather was expected at the time of our flight. On the taxi ride to the airport the driver informed us that when a flight is cancelled his taxi company will drive people to LA for $550. Great, I thought, that's ridiculous money and we don't live in LA.

When we got to the airport we found that the flight had indeed been cancelled. Would you believe that it wasn't due to bad weather but computer failure? We did very easily get our refund for the flight however and were offered free accommodation for the night and possible return home flight the next day but there was no guarantee. Unfortunately we had to be home the next morning as my brother was arriving so I was panicking.
Now luckily we got to the airport early and were first in the queue for the one way hire car as they do not have enough cars to accommodate everyone. We hired a car, not a 4-wheel drive of course because they didn't have any (why would they with all that snow???) so instead of driving over the mountains back to San Fran we had to drive all the way around via south which took us 10 hours and cost us $400. So all in all a very expensive skiing trip!
The others had a much more pleasant trip back as they left nice and early, which included a detour over the Golden Gate Bridge, that was before the 10 hour flight home again (and we thought we were tired???).
Was it worth it? Absolutely. It was a great resort, lovely accommodation, lots of snow so the skiing was the best and of course, great company. I’m sure we’ll all laugh about it all one day and I definitely think it will go down as one of the most expensive skiing holidays ever, for everyone. Luckily the others thought it was all worth it too and thoroughly enjoyed the skiing. The snow was unbelievable and very different to what we are used to. We almost had to learn to ski again in the deep stuff. Lots of funny moments, especially when Mason decided to take a detour through the trees and got stuck in snow, up to his waist. Of course we all just watched him struggle out and laughed our heads off. Another time he lost a white ski in the deep snow and it took us ages to find it. Watching him trying to get it back on his skis was so funny. Pure entertainment, that guy!
Anyway, thanks guys for a fantastic week!

The Tsunami Evacuation

2011-04-07T17:31:00.000-07:00

It’s the Friday morning of the earthquake in Japan and Paul gets up for work, noticing he has a couple of text messages from concerned friends about the tsunami warning for Half Moon Bay. I’ll look it up on the news, he says. Although the earthquake was headlining there was nothing about the tsunami. Don’t worry, he says. I’ll drive over to work and see what everyone else is doing. So I start having a dose and get the phone call to say that the one road out of town that heads for the highlands is jammed with traffic and it appears that everyone is leaving Half Moon Bay.
I look it up on the internet news and it says that there is a tsunami warning for Half Moon Bay where waves were expected to reach 3 feet at 8.05am and people are advised to go to high ground. Nothing else! No sirens, no real details so I was in a dilemma. The last tsunami warning a year ago was for 3 foot waves and honestly you wouldn’t have noticed. So part of me thought, oh it will be fine but we had Dan & Em staying in the next room with little Henry and time was running out. It was now 7.45am. So I decide to wake Em up and tell her about it. After some consideration we decided to go and wait till after 8.05am before returning.
On the drive up the hill we notice that there are a lot of people in Half Moon Bay not taking any notice of the tsunami warning, just going about their business. There were also cars heading into Half Moon Bay from the hill. This is crazy, we thought. The local radio news put it into perspective. They said that it was only an advisory warning and not a mandatory warning so now we are stuck in traffic and have to go all the way to the top before we can turn round. It turns out that all of the Mexicans had left town and parked at the top of the hill. It was chaos.
We quickly turned back and had a nice cup of tea indoors whilst watching the news which clearly showed no tsunami in California. The news however, of Japan was devastating and when you see how much damage a real tsunami can do, it’s frightening. Those poor people!
It has made us all think about having a recommended evacuation kit in the car. Apparently it’s a must here. Of course my evacuation kit will probably include my favourite shoes rather than the water purification tablets and such you are supposed to have. Anyway, let’s hope it never happens.

Our Weekend in a Cabin at Tahoe with the Blatchers

2011-01-25T15:39:00.001-08:00

We arrive and check into our beautiful log cabin in the snow covered pinetree forest amongst some other houses scattered around. It was so peaceful and quiet and the night's were as clear as anything so we could see the full moon and the many stars. The hot tub was on the front porch as was a very welcome treat after our days skiing in the glorious sunshine. The cabin was huge and had a choice of beds for us all but the kids room was just the best. It had 10 beds in it, including two bunk beds which the kids chose the top bunks (of course) and so many toys. They were so excited. A log fire in the living room, which the men finally got going after some strategic thinking, and a lovely oak dining table where we were spoilt with delicious meals Emma had cooked and of course a few bottles of fine wine.

So on the last night after playing a few board games we found the two lanterns which I had brought especially for the occasion, the plan being to light them and send them off to watch them ascend gracefully into the sky. Oh dear, we thought, the kids have gone to bed and we wanted them to see them so Emma said, they are still awake, as we could hear them chatting about their day skiing and gave us permission to go and get them up so we could all watch the lanterns go off. I don't know who was more excited.

So there we all are on the front porch with the lighter ready to go. Now Emma cleverly pointed out that there were too many trees around and they might not have any room to go up but I found a gap big enough but not taking into consideration of course, the wind blowing it in a different direction (oh you just don't think logically after a couple of glasses of wine). So off we go and watch the first lantern go up through the gap and then head straight for the tree right outside our cabin, getting stuck in one of the branches. Oh, we all thought. What happens now? I felt some comfort in the fact that surely these things would have a safety measure and go out but the fact that pine trees are very flammable we were all getting worried. Ric (being the sober one) had the fire extinguisher at the ready. Glasses of water were thrown at it and it did, quite quickly come down and just fizzled out. Phew.... Thank goodness that the safety measure was in place and that it didn't stay put and cause the tree to set light. Although there was slight panic, we of course found it hysterical.

However, I was not to be defeated even though Emma, very wisely point out that after the first disaster perhaps we shouldn't bother with the second one. But no I was on a mission, so off Paul & I went onto the road, away from the house where they was a much bigger gap of trees and went about setting off the second lantern. This was sure to be a success I thought. But alas, as we set it alight, part of the paper edge got some flame but we didn't let that stop us. Off it goes and as it started to go up we suddenly see the telephone cable right ahead of it's path. Oh S*** we thought, please don't set the cable alight! But thankfully it just skimmed past it. Phew....

It started to drift up nicely into the clear path ahead, drifting slightly to the right, but then the whole lantern caught light and decided to just head straight back down earth at a rapid pace, heading straight for the neighbours car. Ahhhhhhhh........ Panic set in again and Paul ran to the rescue and just managed to catch it before it landed right on the soft top roof. The rest of us being total chickens ran into the cabin and left Paul to face the neighbours, should they have noticed but thankfully they didn't. Another phew.........

Of course, although we could see the seriousness of the situation we were incontrollable by this time and couldn't stop laughing, especially as Jack (who is 5) was asking if we were going to be arrested and sent to Alcatraz. Clearly not a good example to be setting children. So we sent them back to their nice warm comfortable beds and told them that it was not a sensible thing to do after all, to which they agreed and the looks on their faces told us that it really wasn't worth all the bother.
Thankfully it all worked out Ok and we were not arrested or given any fire violations. I officially declare that I am not going anywhere near lanterns again.
All in all a great weekend with some good skiing, fantastic company and many laughs. Thank you Blatchers xxx

Our New Addition to California – The Blatchers

2011-01-25T15:38:00.000-08:00

I can’t explain how excited we were when we found out that a friend of Paul’s from primary school got in touch with Paul and said that her (Emma), her husband (Ric) and their two children (Elly & Jack) were coming out to San Francisco to live in November. We were so looking forward to having some friends to share the experience. After many excited emails back and forth I just knew we were all going to get on well and reality when we met, exceeded our expectations. They are just a lovely family and in the short space of time we have already become very good friends. I now wonder how we ever enjoyed our time here without them as much. We have shared a few meals with them (Emma is a great cook and we get totally spoilt with the lovely food she prepares) and a fantastic weekend away skiing in a cabin. We have already got so attached to the children, who are by the way adorable. They have moved to San Rafael, which is about an hour north of us. They have rented a house with a swimming pool so a few little trips up there in the summer are planned to appreciate the nice hot weather they will get in that part of the bay. So here’s to many good times and laughs for the next coming months we very luckily get to spend with them in our lives.

Christmas & New Year 2010

2011-01-04T17:21:00.000-08:00

Christmas Eve arrives and unlike most sane people in the world, we get up at 5am, jeep packed with the skiing gear and to head off to Lake Tahoe for three days. What was expected to be three days skiing turned into two, unfortunately as on Christmas morning after opening all our pressies, phone calls to the family and eating a hearty breakfast, we get all dressed up in our ski gear, only to find that the main gondola was closed due to high winds. As we had a lazy start we did contemplate driving to the next resort and skiing there but people had told us that a lot of the lifts were shut so only limited skiing was available. It didn’t take much to persuade us to have an easy day instead, maybe due to the amount of wine we had the night before.

We decided that as it was a lovely sunny day, although windy, we would get changed and take a walk around the lake instead. There is something very strange about walking on a beach covered in snow but very beautiful, all the same. So all snuggled up in hat, scarf and gloves and the roaring wind behind us we set off with, of course a goal landmark in sight. However walking in the snow is quite hard and our lovely pleasant walk did turn out to be a bit of a marathon (no surprise there then). Whenever Mr Berry is involved, it’s always a marathon, whether it be walking, cycling, skiing whatever. I think he is on a mission to keep me fit but I do so with the odd polite moan, which he of course ignores. Anyway, I think we worked out that we walked about 8 miles so needless to say our legs were in need of a bit of TLC so when we finally got back to the hotel we had a relax in the hot tub, with only one or two children to contend with splashing in the next pool (ah heaven).

Now what I find strange about being away at Christmas in good old USA is the total lack of any kind of Christmas menu in the restaurants. I think I mentioned that I had fish and pumpkin pie last year (yuk) so we settled for the Hard Rock Cafe instead. BBQ Ribs (yum). Not quite a Christmas dinner but very enjoyable. (Note to self – never order wine in the Hard Rock Cafe again – stick to beer). We did however find a lovely little bar in the casino hotel where they served a particularly good glass of wine to finish a lovely evening off.

Onto our final day and yes we had a great day skiing. A bit cold but lots of soft snow which was very handy seeing as I had quite a spectacular fall down the mountain (but I was OK – just a very minor case of whiplash which was all better in a couple of days). Anyway that will teach me to try and attempt a double black run. It looks so much better on the way up on the lift but then a hell of a lot scarier on the way down. I did however manage to succeed in my mission of skiing 2 thirds of the way down, in one piece, only falling over twice. I bailed out near the end as I saw a very welcome alternative blue route, which I have to say are much more pleasant and I think I’ll be sticking to them for a while.

We had a very quiet New Year but it was really nice. We stayed in the city apartment for the weekend and we went to a restaurant by the ferry building, and had a perfect table by the window, ready for the very entertaining main firework display at midnight, right in front of us so couldn't have picked a better spot. I am always so impressed with professional firework displays, especially the very clever fireworks they invent each year. They even had smiley faces fireworks (how do they do that?). The only shame about the restaurant was that there was no music so it was a little too quiet for us but we did enjoy it. We didn't however enjoy the walk home in the rain, trying to dodge everyone else walking the streets. It was very lively but a great atmosphere.

Anyway a new year has started and like most women in the land I have started a diet (again) including an all new exercise regime (lets see how long that lasts!!!).

My Day to Day Life & Thoughts (after one year)

2010-12-12T19:55:00.002-08:00

On the 29th Nov we had officially been here a year and I can’t believe how quick the time has gone. Looking back, we’ve had a great year with some ups and downs and have really settled into life here now and this place feels like home (well for the time being anyway).
We have had a summer filled with visitors from home which have been truly special times and have managed to build a life for ourselves here now with much more of a routine than we had after 6 months. Our trip home came at just the right time. We had wondered if it might be unsettling for us but it really wasn’t. It just makes you realise that everything carries on the same and it is easy to keep in touch with people. We are both very much more relaxed about being away from everyone now and knowing that everything will be normal when we go home.
For Paul, his day to day life is very much about work most of the time and he seems to accept that that’s just the way it is. However he has managed to get some sort of routine going with outside interests like golf lessons, body boarding, cycling and he is enjoying going to the gym.
For me, my week is made up of working at the aquarium, band rehearsals, horse riding, tap & ballet classes as well as all of the mundane stuff around the house and still trying to keep my studies going. I have kept up with a few hobbies like, sewing and painting and still desperately trying to learn the guitar (but not very well). I am still working at the theatre once a month also.
We both still try to get out as much as we can at weekends. There is still so much we want to do whilst we are here and places we want to see so will concentrate on that for whatever time we have left here.
Our latest thing is that we are talking about taking up an evening class somewhere. Not decided what to do yet but cooking has been suggested (we’ll see).
It has certainly made the time easier here now I have made quite a few acquaintances with the regular things I am doing. It’s actually nice to get beyond small talk with people. The people at the aquarium are especially nice and the band guys are a laugh.
Paul’s friend from primary school (Emma) has recently moved out here with her husband (Rick) and children (Elly & Jack) so we met up with them the other week and got on really well so it’s nice to know they are not too far away to be able to catch up with them on occasions for some good company and a bottle of wine or two.
We still see Paul’s friend at work (Stuart) and his wife (Stef) sometimes and will hopefully see Dan and Em again soon but they live in LA so a 6 hour drive is not that practical for either of us to do often.
So all in all, we are happy and still enjoying it but are very conscious of the fact that time is slipping away and we want to make the most of the time we have left.

To Move or Not to Move?

2010-12-12T19:55:00.001-08:00

We have been debating the option of moving house for the last couple of months. It started during the summer when we had pretty much 3 months of fog, whilst everyone else in the bay was getting glorious sunshine but then decided that no matter the weather, we love living by the ocean and as the winter has set in we can really appreciate this beautiful place as we are getting the most spectacular sunsets and clear days whilst inland is getting the fog (ha ha – about time we had it good). So then we thought about trying to get a house nearer the ocean. I have been scrutinising Craig’s List (which is the main website here) and have found nothing better for an affordable price. We also have the added problem of trying to find a 6 month contract as we really don’t know for sure how long we will be here so don’t want to commit to another year, just in case. We have until the end of Dec to find something, as our contract on this house runs out at the end of Jan, to give them notice so we are at the stage now that we have given up and will probably stay put. One good thing is that we can continue this contract on a month by month basis so that’s good and quite frankly I don’t know if we be bothered with all the hassle.

Vancouver

2010-12-12T19:54:00.000-08:00

When we went on our cruise seven years ago to Alaska, we met a lovely couple (Marion & Dave) who live in Vancouver who we have kept in touch with so thought we’d take the opportunity to go up and see them as they are a lot closer now.

So we spent a long weekend with them at their house and they couldn’t have been better hosts. We were spoilt rotten with fantastic meals and a very welcome stay at their home. Whilst we were there we also met up with one of Paul’s ex colleagues (Andy) who has recently immigrated to Vancouver. We went up to Cypress Mountain and had our first day skiing for the season with Andy and his two sons. The boys put me to shame as they were whizzing down the mountain and I had trouble keeping up but luckily stayed off my ass.

Vancouver is such a lovely city and the view from the Mountain was one of the best scenic views I have ever seen. So all in all a great weekend.

Our Trip Home

2010-11-17T13:35:00.000-08:00

After being here for almost a year now Paul had managed to escape going back to the UK for work but an important meeting came up which he had to attend so he was planning his trip back for that and to catch up on all the other stuff at work he needed to. So we thought, what a great time to go back home for a little trip and combine Paul’s week at work with a week’s holiday after, in new Eltham.

I have to say that in the lead up to it we were a little apprehensive, only because we didn’t know how unsettling it would be for us but there was no need to worry. We had the best time. We certainly crammed in as much as we could and now we are home, we are exhausted.

The first week, we stayed in an apartment in Bermondsey Street so that Paul could just concentrate on work and the after work drinks, of course. As I grew up in Bermondsey it was really weird at first to be back there. It has all changed so much. It is so lovely along the river and Bermondsey Street has got so trendy with all the restaurants and shops. London is definitely at its best at night by the river and I really enjoyed the walk along Butlers Wharf.

Then off to the Berry household for the second week which was a great base to see all our friends and family. I just can’t say what was our favourite bit as we just enjoyed it all, from the nights out with our friends at the pub and the curry to the visits to our friends with children, our coffee’s and lunches with friends, the bonfire with the neighbours and of course quality time with our families. It was a real social fix for us, something we have really missed here. We were really touched by the effort people made to turn up for events and the warm welcome we got from some of our dearest friends. It definitely made the thought of us actually having to come home and leave this beautiful place by the ocean a lot easier. It made us think that it doesn’t matter where you are in the world, nothing can replace the special people in your lives and we are very lucky to have so many of you in our lives. It was quite surprising that a year away from you all actually seemed to have made no difference to our friendships and it felt so normal to speak to you all and we seemed to slot back into things and have normal conversations about everything and anything. I must say though that Facebook and emails have definitely helped. Where would we all be without the wonderful world of technology?

So now we’re back we're both feeling a bit weary at the moment. It didn't help that we had a 3 hour delay but hey, if you're ever going to have a delay and be stuck on the airplane for 3 hours before it takes off then business class does take the edge off, especially with a glass of champagne in hand.

I don't want to rub it in (oh yes I do) but we have come back to glorious weather. I'm back in my shorts and flip flops. I can't keep up with this weather in California. Let’s hope it lasts a while. I know it sounds mad but I actually enjoyed the crisp clear autumn weather we had in London (well apart from the rainy days). We just don't get that here. We miss out on the seasons a bit.

So onto the next chapter of whatever time we have left here to just enjoy what California has to offer before we eventually come home for good....

Tap & Ballet Classes

2010-11-17T12:43:00.002-08:00

I had already been going to ballet lessons but really wanted to do tap classes as well so I found a different school which teach both. I have a tap class on Tues evenings and a ballet class on Thurs evenings. There are only about 4 people in each and I must say, apart from one woman, the rest are a very odd so not much chance of making any real friends there but the teachers are lovely and really good. I am enjoying learning all the terminology instead of just winging my way though Larissa’s routines and hoping I at least look like I’m doing it right even if I am missing a tap or two. The choreography is a good standard for me. It is difficult enough to keep my brain ticking over and yet I am keeping up so that’s all good. I do find the tap a little easier and can hold my own but I find the ballet really difficult as I am really not supple and goes against anything I have ever done in dancing before but I am enjoying it and working hard to at least look a little like a ballet dancer but I think I have a long way to go.

So the teachers are already talking about the show they put on it June and I am thinking how on earth am I going to get out of that if I continue classes there? I can just imagine it, in a little hall with a makeshift stage. All the fantastic children dancers will go out first and show how it should be done, then me and the odd bunch go out and do our little tap routine in our costume which is going to be jeans and a T-shirt (I mean that just says it all). It’s a far cry from the Bob Hope Theatre and Larissa’s choreography with cheesy grins. It’s going to be so embarrassing. Watch this space to find out if I actually go through with it....

Half Moon Bay Pumpkin Festival

2010-11-17T12:43:00.001-08:00

We heard that Half Moon Bay is apparently famous for its Pumpkin Festival, held over the 2nd weekend in October so we were looking forward to seeing what it was all about. In the weeks leading up to it we saw our town emerge into fields of pumpkins ready for the expected 200,000 visitors over the weekend. For the whole month of October our usually quiet main road out of town got busier and busier to the point of major traffic jams as flocks of tourists came to experience the local farms and shops holding displays for Halloween and rides for the children.

The main event was a pumpkin weigh-in to see who had grown the largest pumpkin. The winner was a whopping 1,535 1bs and it was huge. I can’t imagine the work they would have to have put in to growing a pumpkin that size. It was big news and made front page of the local news paper.

So the weekend came and there was a parade (Americans love a parade) down Main Street. This was very similar to the 4th July parade and mostly consisted of local businesses and services advertising themselves. The one that made us laugh the most was the local theatre. Instead of getting the members to dress up and promote their next show as the main feature, they had the Artistic director, dressed in all black, leading the way in a very polished black jag, waving to all the spectators like her was a celebrity (seriously, he thinks he is). It did make us think, would anyone at the Bob Hope do that in Eltham High Street (I think not).

They had lots of stalls, live bands and food all along Main Street and it was a very enjoyable day. The lasting memory was a family soul band which showcased a 4-year old boy playing the drums. He was unbelievable. He didn’t quite give Wayne a run for his money but very entertaining and he loved it so much that they couldn’t get him to stop playing. He was definitely a hit with the audience.

So that’s what it was all about!

The timing does link in with Halloween and many of the Pumpkins have now gone. I was very excited to be in the USA for Halloween but I have to say it was a little disappointing. The main reason is that on the actual day of Halloween we were flying back to the UK but I did expect to see a little more in the lead up to it. Yes there were some houses decorated with ghostly things and there were lots of Halloween decorations in the shops but I think that they mostly celebrate Halloween at home and with private parties for the kids. There wasn’t one restaurant or bar that did anything and we saw no trick or treaters but they may very well have left that to the actual night of Halloween so I guess we’ll have to wait for next year to find out.

The one good thing is that the US do not start advertising Christmas until Halloween is over so Christmas does not start in September over here. Would you believe that after all those pumpkins I didn’t see one cut into a face with a candle in it anywhere. Where did they all go????

Wine Country (with the Claytons)

2010-10-12T16:38:00.001-07:00

Wow what a fantastic 2 weeks we have had with Tim & Linda (our next door neighbours back home for those of you who don’t know them). They thought they were getting a relaxing holiday, but oh no they have had a full on activity holiday with cycling, kayaking and hiking in the mountains. I’m sure they’ll be glad of the rest now they are back home.

With Tim’s love of fine wines (oh he’s taught Paul well) it seemed appropriate to take a trip up to wine country whilst they were here so we had a long weekend in Sonoma and sampled some excellent Californian wines, of which Tim was pleasantly impressed.

With the weather here in Half Moon Bay being mostly foggy for the summer we were all glad to find that Sonoma had a heat wave for the weekend and we found ourselves in 103 degrees. Luckily the hotel had a swimming pool where we could cool off. Now in that kind if heat, what do you think we would be doing? Maybe relaxing by the pool? Oh no, Paul Berry, Tour guide had us all working up a sweat.

The first day we went Kayaking down the Russian River (11 miles) which was all quite pleasant with gentle rapids helping us along until we hit the big one. They had warned us that some of the rapids could be quite fierce and could topple us out of the kayak but after a few hours of mastering this thing I had just said to Paul, “how does anyone fall out of this thing”?

There we were approaching a tight bend on a rapid with the people in front of us waving their arms about, trying to warn us of what was to come. Unfortunately there was nothing we could do to avoid it. We were all wiped out completely. Kayaks overturned, us all out of them and our belongings floating down the river. Luckily, the kind people who had succumbed to the same fate previously helped us retrieve all our belongings very quickly before we lost them (also luckily we had demolished our packed lunch which would have been ruined). So all unscathed (apart from Linda who had had a near death experience, trapped under the kayak for a brief moment) and all our belongings in tact, apart from my shorts!

We laughed about it and thanked the helpful people, who I must say were very good to help us and off we went with the thought that now I had to cycle home from the river in my bikini bottoms (not a pretty sight). I had given up on any attempt to find my shorts when 20 minutes later, right in front of the kayak, there they appeared, floating down the river and I was able to pick them up with my oar. What a stroke of luck.

So onto the next day – We decided to cycle down the main wine tasting road which was about 12 miles, through beautiful vineyards, hoping to make quite a few of the wineries along the way. We headed for Lake Sonoma but didn’t realise that we had to cycle 2 miles up a mountain to get there. I can’t explain how hot it was and how exhausting it was walking bikes up a mountain (no way we could have cycled up – not that fit) but we kept going. Now maybe it was a bad decision to send the men into the tourist information to get directions to the lake but Linda and I trusted that they had the route sussed so we followed them willingly in the hope of just diving in the lake and cooling off. Their explanation of the directions was that there were steps leading down from the car park onto the beach where we could swim. So we finally find 2 car parks after me totally throwing my toys out of the pram about the climb up the mountain and of course chose the wrong one. Steps??? There were no steps so we ended up hiking about half a mile down a slippery path to find a lovely quiet spot by the lake. By this time we were all so overheated that we dived into the lake to breathe a sigh of relief from the heat. We had a lovely packed lunch before heading back to the wineries. On our way back we went past the first car park and what do you think we saw? Yes a staircase leading down to the beach, which would have saved us all that walking and Mr Berry’s response was. “Oh well”. You can imagine what my response was! Soon we go, with the lovely thought of cycling down the mountain now but although it was lovely to free peddle it was like cycling through a hot hairdryer and no relief from the heat at all.

Our destination was the first winery which was looking better by the minute. We were so hot and thirsty by the time we got there, would you believe a lovely woman stopped in her car and was like a vision from heaven to appear with 4 bottles of ice cold water for us. I could have kissed her. What a lovely thing to do.

We managed to get into only 2 wineries before they shut at 5pm but they were a welcome sight and we enjoyed it very much. So off on our 12 mile trip back and had to stop in a local bar for a very cold beer instead. So much for wine tasting! The strange thing was that when asked, each of us said that was our favourite day, mainly because cycling through the beautiful scenery of the vineyards was just so lovely.

On our trip back home we took a detour to Bodega Bay (where ‘The Birds’ was filmed) and had a very hot drive back to the city to our next leg of the tour. Two nights in the city apartment where it was uncomfortably hot of a night time that none of us got a great nights’ sleep. However we had a fantastic BBQ for Tim’s birthday and it was great to be able to sit out in the warm night air, listening to the roars coming from the San Francisco Giants Baseball stadium opposite.

So back to Half Moon Bay where they enjoyed hiking in the Redwoods and walks along the beach. I must say I was relieved to get back to the normal cool weather and get a good nights’ sleep. The fog, mostly gone now and leaving us bright sunny days and a nice cool breeze (heaven).

So Tim a Linda have gone home now and the house seems quiet without them with only the evidence of some great nights drinking fine wines in the recycling bin.

It’s not all about me (PAUL)

2010-09-03T12:36:00.000-07:00

After writing this blog for 3 months now I have tried to fit Paul into my chapters as much as I can but I felt it was time he had a little chapter just about him.

So, work! That seems to take up most of Paul’s time. He leaves the house at 6am every day and doesn’t get home until around 7pm or 8pm. Even then it doesn’t end. At the weekend, he then spends another few hours catching up with emails and plans for the next week. I don’t want this to sound like I think Paul is the only person in the world who works hard because I know there are many of you who do the same but I have to admire his attitude towards it. He just gets on with it and never moans about the fact that he is spending most of his time working whilst I am clearly not. He just appreciates all the other stuff I do for him, which is basically everything I can to make his life easier and to earn my keep.

I know this experience was a great opportunity for us to live a much more outdoor life but I do feel rather guilty that I am getting to do much more of that than Paul (this really wasn’t the plan). He has gone through stages where it all gets a bit much for him as the whole thing seems to be all about work and then he really enjoys the challenges of the job. He seems to be really doing well there and has been given more management responsibilities and is strangely excited about that.

Things are a little better for him at work than at the beginning where he was in his cube on his own with no one to talk to. He now has Stuart (also seconded from UK) and Steve (US new guy) who work with him, but he still finds the US work environment difficult. He misses the banter from the guys in the UK and the hustle & bustle of the UK office. He tries to avoid spending the whole day in the office if he can, so will take himself off to Starbucks to work, just to get away from his cube.

His main hobby is the gym. He tries to go every day for an hour, either during his lunch or after work and he finds that this is a great distraction and stress relief. Can’t say I mind the rather fit body he is developing (ha ha).

The part of the job he likes the most is his travels for meetings. He is off to Denver next week and then maybe, India in the next couple of months so he is really looking forward to that.

Unfortunately there’s not much time for him to do any other hobbies during the week as he is mostly tired when he gets home from work so but he does try to make the most of the weekends. He has started taking golf lessons at the local driving range and enjoys going there to practice when he gets time.

He has had his first surf lesson and he loved it. He said it was really difficult trying to stay up but he managed to get better towards the end of the lesson so he’s looking forward to the next one (my husband the surfer dude!).

Other than that we spend the rest of the weekend trying to get out as much as we can, either cycling, hiking in the mountains, body boarding or just taking a drive to somewhere different. It’s amazing how much time we now get to spend together now at weekends without all the regular commitments we had back home and we are both certainly appreciating that fact.

I think the one thing Paul misses about the UK the most is his social life with his friends. He sometimes gets a little down about it. I wish at those times I could transport him back to the UK for a Friday night curry with the boys, which I’m sure would fix that for a while. In general though, he’s OK and still enjoying it here.

I know we are lucky to be here and it’s mostly great but we do sometimes find it hard to be away from all the people we love. It makes such a difference when we get emails from people or have little chats on Facebook to reassure us that people still think of us because we often think of you all and miss you all very much (oh I’m getting all mushy now) but I mean it.

Anyway that’s Paul and I’m sure he’d want me to send you all his love.

An Evening with the Graves’

2010-09-03T08:55:00.001-07:00

As Dan and Emily have been living in LA for the last 4 years (I know it’s gone quick, right?) it seemed a must to catch up with them and after all our attempts of trying to get together, we finally managed it last weekend. Dan, Emily, little Henry and Francis (who was visiting) came to stay with us Friday night after a weekend in San Francisco.

It was just so lovely to see them and to have a normal chat where we could compare notes on all the things we loved and all the moans about Californian life.

We polished off quite a few bottles of wine (good job) sorry that’s what the Americans say about everything they do well and we have come to like that little saying.

We really enjoyed meeting little Henry who is just the cutest little boy (who is one by the way). He is so funny. He does punch bumps and does great impressions of animals on cue. I’ve never seen any child crawl so fast. If he’s that fast at running we could be looking at the next Olympic medallist.

Anyway great night and we’re hoping to catch up with them again when we finally make it down to LA.

Surfing USA (not quite)

2010-09-03T08:54:00.001-07:00

So after living by the Pacific Ocean for 9 months we have finally got our act together and invested in wet suits and body boards (yes not quite surfing). Oh what fun! The waves are huge here and we spent our whole time laughing and taking in gulps of sea water. We did learn a valuable lesson very quickly and that is to not go anywhere near each other as we had an almighty clash with each other and it all got a bit messy but we survived and off we went again. I think that will be a regular Sunday morning venture. Paul is seriously thinking about having surfing lessons but we’ll see. I’m happy with my body board. That’s enough excitement for me and surfing looks way too hard.

The Band

2010-09-03T08:53:00.000-07:00

After 6 months of not singing or learning any songs I really felt I missed it. So I thought I would take the opportunity to get into the country music scene that is so big out here (you know how much I love country music right?). So where to start? It’s actually easy to find whatever you want to do here. There is a website called Craig’s List which basically advertises everything from second hand furniture, things people want to give away free, jobs, personal ads and there is a big section for musicians where people can advertise for band members and gigs etc.

So I contacted my very nice friend Lee from Ancient Footwear and got him to email me mp3 clips of the recordings we did with the band and I got my very clever husband to clip down snippets of my best bits from a few songs so that I was all ready to send to prospective bands. I put an ad on Craig’s List saying I was a singer (using the term very loosely) looking for a band who play country/rock style music.

Now you would think that’s quite obvious in my request. Well I got the strangest phone calls. It started off quite well actually. The first one was from a very established band, who play 60’s soul music (yes I know what you are thinking – not country/rock, but it gets better). They have a website and the guy asked me to look that up first to see how serious I was. They gig regularly and I needed to be quite committed. If you get a chance look them up (a touch of class band). They were just so good, in fact quite professional. Predominantly cool black guys with an Aretha Franklin type lead female singer. A little out of my league I thought so I gracefully declined. It’s a shame Laurie doesn’t live here – she would have been great.

It did make me think about how much I wanted to commit at that stage. I didn’t really want to get back into doing gigs regularly so that your weekends get booked up in advance. So I thought I want a band that are just doing it for fun and not intending to do many gigs.

I had a call from a reggae band (I don’t think so), a Latino band (still don’t think so), an Indian band (seriously what do they not get about the country/rock thing?). But the best ones was a heavy rock band who were all guys in their 30’s who regularly go on tour around the state (yes on a proper tour bus) and were really serious about me coming along. I mean I really had to convince this guy that I do not want to be travelling to LA on a tour bus with a bunch of guys, playing gigs every night at my age. I mean who knows what they were into? I did think what a great opportunity that would have been 20 years ago though.

Then there was the band who said they take cover songs and do different versions of them. They were a very established band who have a huge following and have made albums. So I sent him my mp3 clips and looked at their website (which was quite professional I must say) but they play kind of psychedelic music and have the strangest of videos (all a bit sexual) and they advertise their selves as that. So I desperately wanted to get out of that one. Would you believe he contacted me again and said he loved Manic Monday and wanted me to call him (run run run). I didn’t call him.

Finally, a call from a guy who played country music. But alas, he played the drums and wasn’t doing anything at the moment and just wanted to call me to say hi (what???). Seriously I had so much fun with these most odd phone calls and some very interesting chats.

OK something is going wrong here. Change ad. Ah yes that’s better.

I got a call from a record producer (OK that’s not as big as it sounds). He’s just an independent producer who does stuff for local bands who are starting out. He lives in Arizona but was coming to Half Moon Bay to do some recording for a guy who lives here, in his house and just wanted a backing singer for one of the tracks. That sounds good I thought and I have agreed to do that with him when he finally gets here. He’s made arrangements and changed plans twice already so we’ll see if that ever comes off but he is a really nice guy and I’ve had some great chats with him on the phone.

So after all that, I finally found the perfect guy (John) who plays lead guitar and sings and we get together once a week to sing a number of great country/rock style songs (all covers). We have now got a base guitarist and another guy involved so the band is slowly building up. We’re a long way off from being ready for any gigs but we’re all really doing it as a bit of fun so I’m really enjoying just singing the music I like without any commitments and John is really good company so we have a laugh (I’ve actually found an American with a good sense of humour).

Horse Riding & Stables

2010-09-03T08:52:00.000-07:00

Having enjoyed my first experience of horse riding recently in Texas I did feel however that I had absolutely no control over the horse at all. They really are trained to just walk nose to tail so I thought I would really love to learn how to do this properly and found a local ranch who teach you how to ride English style (apparently a little more difficult than Western style).

The instructor there is lovely and very patient. So I have had a few lessons now and am still trying to master trotting. I’m OK at it but need some improvement before I get to the cantering stage. I have a huge horse called Burt who has come over from England so we have that in common. His size is a bit scary but he’s a good horse. It’s great exercise and I definitely feel my inner thigh muscles working so that’s all good. What’s good about the lesson is it includes grooming the horses and saddling them up and I am so much more confident with them now.

The ranch basically are a foundation, which take in rescued horses and people donate others who have fished their careers as show jumpers or race horses and just want a nice quiet life now. I have really become very fond of horses and was interested to learn that they have voluntary workers at the ranch. So I signed up to work there one afternoon a week, straight after my lesson where I will look after the horses so groom them, wash them down and shampoo their mains, feed them and muck out the stables etc. I never thought I’d say it about shovelling S*** but I absolutely love it.

Seattle

2010-08-23T12:12:00.000-07:00

Paul’s mum and dad have been back for their second visit with us so we all thought that it would be a good idea to go away for the weekend together as they have pretty much done San Fran and the coast now.

So off we went to Seattle, mainly because it wasn’t too far and none of us had been there. It’s called the Emerald state because it’s so green. Why I hear you ask. Well it’s because it rains so much. Knowing this I wasn’t that inspired to go, especially as we are getting the summer fog here in Half Moon Bay but we were all pleasantly surprised to hear that the weather forecast for the weekend in Seattle was around 90 degrees and the hottest weather they’ve had for 20 years (yay).

So first mistake. When booking the hotel I went for the cheaper option of a standard hotel without a swimming pool. We’re not going to get to use that, I thought so no point in paying extra but oh boy did we wish we had. It was so hot but we got over it.

What a beautiful city. It is set in a bay like San Fran but it’s much bigger and set back quite further from the coast with many islands, some with mountains and national parks. The most impressive view though is the huge ice capped Volcano, Mount Rainer behind that recognised skyline of the city (we all watch Fraser, right?).

So we did all the usual touristy stuff like go to Pike Street market which is predominantly a fish market where we watched the fishermen serve up the most fresh looking fish to their customers by throwing them to each other in a dead fish acrobatic kind of way. Not one dropped and all still perfectly intact. Although very impressive I did have a pang of guilt that all of these huge and some rare fish, displayed for sale and there was I the day before learning about how endangered some of them are, especially the octopus who I spent a couple of hours looking after and then see a giant pacific octopus sprawled out over the counter. I don’t want to bore you with this but it’s not a bad thing to eat fish, just not the rare or endangered ones. Anyway, I digress (you can see I am taking my job at the aquarium seriously).

Next we went up to the top of the needle as it’s a must for tourists. Luckily they were having a free day and we all got to go up for free. Not so luckily this meant that the queue was long and we waited about an hour and a half before finally reaching the top amusing ourselves along the way by playing Eye Spy (as you do). But it was all worth it, we had a fantastic view for miles around. We watched the cruise ships sail out of the harbour, going onto Vancouver and Alaska and remembered our cruise seven years ago when Paul proposed (ahh) – yes I know mushy mushy stuff... moving on.

The next day we went over on the ferry to Bainbridge Island which was very nice but it was so hot we could just about muster up the energy to walk to the coffee shop in town for a coffee and cake then walk along the waterfront to find sanctuary in a lovely restaurant looking over the marina where we divulged in a nice cold beer and had lunch. You see the theme here?

We then found out that August was apparently the best time to visit the San Juan Islands where the Orca whales are often seen on their way to migrate from Alaska. Great we thought. What an opportunity. We’ll get the ferry there tomorrow. Oh no, it’s not that easy. You can’t get a ferry from Seattle to there. You have to drive an hour and a half north to get the port to get the ferry. So let’s hire a car we thought. Oh no, it’s Sunday. It’s shut. We can’t get one until the morning and the whale watching starts early... blah blah blah. So we couldn’t do that (very disappointed) but it is our own fault. Research and plan... always the best way. We’ll know for next time.

So we soon got over that and decided to spend the last day at the lake and took a paddle steamer boat tour along the lake, which was themed during the gold rush era. It was quite pleasant sailing along the lake trying to get whatever breeze came your way as relief for the heat and listening to the girl dressed up as a salon girl (I know horrible thought lads) singing old western songs. I was surprised how many I recognised. Paul & I chose to sit up top and listen to it on the tanoy. Mike and Val went to watch. When it came to the sing along bit we heard that distinctive Berry voice in the background (but what a lovely voice it is Mike).

It’s a very busy lake with a number of tour boats, kayaks, private yachts and most importantly the sea planes coming and going every 10 minutes. It amazed us how all of these modes of transport avoided crashing into each other. We saw the boat house that was featured in ‘Sleepless in Seattle’. Actually the house boats looked like a really great place to live.

After that Paul and I were truly wishing that we had worn our swimming costumes because we would have surely jumped straight in to the very inviting lake. So we had a great idea to hire a kayak as at least we would be out in the water. Mike & Val went off for a walk and Paul and I got a double kayak and off we went.

All very pleasant managing to go quite fast out across the lake, only a few little obstacles in our way and sea planes to dodge but all going well. We get all the way across the lake and Paul’s ore breaks. I, by this time and knackered and even hotter with my super duper life jacket on, made an executive decision to swap ores so that he could do the most effective paddling. So I was left with half an ore and was doing my best ‘Hawaii-Five-O’ impression when we realised that going back the other way was somewhat more difficult as we were going against the current. We’ve come this far so we have to get back. Steering was rather more difficult also. After a few sideway, backwards and even circles, it took us a while to get the hang of it going the other way. In fact I pretty much left it to Paul and gave the excuse that he wouldn’t need to go to the gym today.

Paddling across someone’s jet stream at the back was fun until we came to the big one. We could see the wave coming at us but there was nothing we could do. Oh yes there is was, straight up and over, into the kayaks and we got drenched. I look down and thought Jeans, not a good choice of clothing. They aren’t going to dry quickly. So there we were sitting in basically big puddles and very wet but very cool (mmmmmm) and finally made our way back to shore. Would you believe that by the time I walked back to the hotel, my jeans were dry?

So all in all a very good weekend with lots of good food. Oh yes, we ate well (so must get back on my diet).

My New Job at the Aquarium

2010-07-29T18:55:00.000-07:00

After the first few months of being here I thought I should put my spare time to good use and wanted to get some voluntary work. I thought long and hard about what I wanted to do and was certain that it was going to be as far away from office work as possible so I applied and was accepted to do one day a week at the Aquarium of the Bay as an education volunteer. This consists basically of learning about the exhibit I am posted to and answering any questions that visitors may have, going on to do guided tours of the aquarium (but that won’t be for a while).
After doing my introductory course I have been assigned Thursdays and my first exhibit is the Octopus.

So I started my first day today and have to undergo some training in the first few weeks. I was so looking forward to doing something useful and getting back out there in the working world. I was even looking forward to my commute as I always enjoyed travelling by train and taking the time to read a good book. I decided to take my bike with me so that I could get to the Aquarium easily once in the city. The trains have the front carriage set aside for bikers only, as many people choose to cycle.

Oh dear, I forgot how stressful commuting can be. Now when I have travelled on the train to the city before it has all been rather pleasant. Today however, it all went horribly wrong. There were major delays and I was worried that I may be late on my first day (not good). So when the train arrived, it was packed. The front carriage was full of passengers who couldn’t fit on the rest of the train so you can imagine what a chore it was to get me and my bike on the train. Luckily there was a very efficient man guiding us all on and managed to get a total of 50 bikes and many more passengers squeezed onto the one carriage. I did, luckily manage to arrive on time (just).

I always, like everybody else, hate starting a new job as you feel quite awkward when you don’t know what to do but I knew I was set up for training so when I arrived I was put in the safe hands of Ryan, who organised my training. My first task was a scavenger hunt of the aquarium and had to answer a list of questions. How much fun! I learnt so much today about the marine life in the bay and the environment and I really enjoyed it (not like work at all). We did a behind the scenes tour which is so interesting. I have learnt all about the octopus and was let loose in the tunnels of the big tanks to shadow other education volunteers. I was trying desperately to avoid visitors asking me questions as I didn’t want to say anything wrong. The kids who visit are just so entertaining when they see the sharks and I had so much fun just chatting to people and learning all about the aquarium.

So all in all I think I will enjoy my new job. I have swatted up already and am very excited about going back next week.

(update 20/8/10)

So after 4 weeks of training I have learnt a very important thing, that no two days at work are the same. Last week I as assisting in a classroom full of kindergarten school kids and helping them with the touch pool activity (star fish or sea stars as they should be called) and walking around the room doing different swimming actions of sharks and fish but what fun.

This week we did fish printing which is basically, you get a fish (dead of course) and paint the fish with different colours, then put a piece of paper over the tops of it and you get a print of a fish. I was quite impressed at how good mine came out because I’m not great at art. It was like being back at primary school (or kindergarten) and so not like work at all.

It’s really the furthest thing from work as I could imagine. I am really enjoying it Now my training is officially over (although I think I have a lot more to learn, as I go) I am ready to be let loose on the public basically answering any questions about the fish and the all important question (where are the restrooms?).. So watch out for the boring fish stories....

The Rodeo

2010-07-28T15:44:00.001-07:00

After our holiday in Texas and our first trip to a rodeo we found that we loved the whole rodeo experience so was very excited to learn that there was a big rodeo last weekend in La Honda which is about 20 miles from us. So we booked our tickets and turned up expecting a similar affair to the rodeo in Texas but were pleasantly surprised to find that it was so much bigger and better. They had the full works. Bareback horse riding, saddle bronco riding, lassoos galore, the famous bull riding and of course our favourite, the mutton bustin where the kids ride the sheep for as long as they can before getting thrown to the ground.

It started with the Grand Entry where they of course have the big ceremony with the National Anthem (they are so patriotic). There were also added displays such as the Rialto Cowgirl Cowboys which were six girls, all under 18 who did a multitude of acrobatics on the horses. There were definitely a few moments where your heart was in your mouth. They take the dangerous to the extreme.

It was all just so impressive and we really enjoyed it all but the real talent lies with the bull riders. These are tough men. The bulls look so much scarier than I imagined and how on earth these guys get on the bull, let alone stay on there for at least 20 seconds to make a score is beyond me. Luckily no one was hurt and it was a fantastic display of true western life.

It all ended with a country band and BBQ where we finished the day with a cold beer on the grass. Paul is really getting into his new camera and we got some fabulous photos. He is going to select the best ones for Facebook. Look out for them. They are really good.

To top a great weekend we went to the Mountain winery for a concert on Monday night. It was my birthday present from Paul so he was very kind to choose a famous country band (I secretly think he is getting to like this country music as much as I am). So we saw Martina McBride who is one of the top country artists in the USA. She was amazing and the setting was beautiful. The Mountain Winery is set up in the mountains (of course) and has a fantastic view of the bay. It’s not huge so is an intimate setting but has established a good reputation and often has big names there. It was a lovely hot night and the moon was full. I definitely had one of my ‘I love living in California’ moments. We’re definitely going back to see some more concerts while we are here.

So a big thank you to my wonderful husband for a great weekend.

4th July

2010-07-13T13:48:00.000-07:00

Our first 4th of July in the USA and we were ready for the celebrations with our new T-shirts, very kindly given to us as a present by Paul’s work colleague, Vicky (she’s so lovely) and our flags in hand. As you can imagine it’s a big affair. So we checked out that the place to be was at Pier 39 in the city. Nicola (Paul’s sister) was out on holiday and we couldn’t leave her out so we got her a T–shirt too. One red, one white & one blue (of course).

We first thought we’d check out the local celebrations in Half Moon Bay. They had a parade through the main street. We settled in next the band, average age of about 60. Would you believe they were called the sit down marching band. I loved the comment the conductor made. He said they used to march but that didn’t really work so now they sit down. Erm....OK.

One thing I love about the Americans is their patriotism. There were flags everywhere and people dressed in red white & blue, crazy hats but the best dressed up were of course the dogs. We got lots of great photos. There was a little old guy in front of us with his leather bomber jacket, decorated with all his badges from the marine corps. His hat had lots of medals on it and he so proudly stood up and saluted all the way through the national anthem. It’s hard for that display to not bring a tear to your eye as it does make you think we have never had to experience fighting in a war or waiting at home whilst your loved ones are away fighting. It’s just something other people do and we don’t pay enough thought to those brave people who have lost their lives for us.

Anyway it got us in the celebrating mood so off we went to the city to Pier 39 to see the live bands all take in the atmosphere before the fireworks were due to go off at 9.30pm. It was a great afternoon but oh dear, it all went horribly wrong. The place got so packed later on and we couldn’t get anything to eat there so we went a bit away from the crowds. We then couldn’t face fighting our way through so quite logically thought that if we walk down to one of the other piers we would have a good view of the fireworks. So we went to the Ferry building where lots of other people had the same idea but a much more civilized number of people to contend with. So 9.30pm comes and we hear the first bang but unfortunately couldn’t see a bloody thing. It was so foggy that you could only see them if you were near as they were quite low. We all tried moving but it was no better and they really only let off a few and it didn’t last long at all. There were other ones going off over the bay but they really were so disappointing. Luckily we found it quite funny and we did get a glimpse of the odd one. So all in all I think Blackheath could teach San Francisco a thing or two about fireworks. Of course the news papers the next day said that the fog had wiped out all the fireworks. Oh well, better luck next year.

Texas

2010-06-30T16:15:00.001-07:00

Knowing my love of country music and cowboys you can imagine how excited I was about going to stay on a dude ranch in Texas for our hols. We researched the area and found that Bandera was the town to go to as it is where all the real cowboys live. We found a dude ranch nearby which we booked a 3 day stay and decided to fill the rest of the week in by staying in the nearest city, Austin which was said to be filled with live music and restaurants.
So we arrived at Austin and the first thing that hit us was the heat. Not only was it sunny but the humidity took a bit of getting used to. We found Austin a little disappointing as it was basically a small city with not lots to do but we made the most of it. There is a very big Mexican influence as Texas is on the Mexico border and found the term Tex-Mex food to be appropriate in most of the restaurants.
Our hotel was in a good spot and near the main 6th Street where all the bars and restaurants were. We found a lovely bar next to the hotel where we enjoyed a few beers after a hot day out. We got straight into the local brew, Texas Lonestar.
We took a boat ride along the river, where the main event of the trip was at dusk when the million said bats, who live under one of the bridges and all come out after their long day of sleeping, to get food. Well we did get to see quite a few bats but it wasn’t the spectacle we were expecting where they are said to all fly out in a mass and is meant to be quite a sight. However we did enjoy the boat ride and met a lovely couple from Houston and chatted the whole trip.
So by the time we left Austin we were ready to get out into the sticks and get down to some real cowboy life. When we came across Bandera we couldn’t have asked for a more authentic cowboy town. Population 900 odd with small local shops selling cowboy boots and Stetsons galore. I had to indulge and buy a pair of boots, which I love by the way and have become my pride possession.
We found a bar called the Cowboy bar (what else) with traditional style stools and bar tables but strangely decorated with a mass of bras (I can only hope there are not a number of topless women walking around somewhere). We went out one night and they had a live country band who were really good and we watched all the couples dancing the two step and such. Everyone was dressed in their jeans and cowboy boots and hats and this is how they really dress for a night out. Paul was impressed how all the men could dance. It won’t surprise you to know that we didn’t venture onto the dance floor. Paul has many talents but dancing isn’t one of them unfortunately. However it was fun to just watch everyone else. My favourite couple were an older man and woman and when he turned under her arm he took his hat off and placed it back on perfectly in time to the music.
So, the ranch!!! Wow it was everything I expected and more. We had a cabin (quite basic but did the job) with a front porch and swing seat to relax on the hot evenings. There were three meals a day and when food was ready they rang a bell. I loved that. We were all so hungry each meal time we demolished all of the great wholesome ranch food (no tex-mex fortunately but definitely baked beans, chicken, brisket, oh and bacon and eggs for breakfast). Yes I did put on a bit of weight in those few days but working hard to get that back off.
We had two trail rides each day and that was definitely the best part. As I have never really ridden a horse before I was glad to know that they just walk in a straight line, nose to tail. No running off. My horses name was Whiskey, apparently because he always looked like he has a hangover (my kind of horse). They told me he didn’t like men (again, my kind of horse) and to watch him if the wranglers ride near him cos he tries to bite them but he was OK with women. Because of this he had to ride at the back. Paul was in from of me on a horse named Scout who Whiskey tried to bite on the bum a few times and then got a little kick from Scout to warn him off. The trail rides went through some beautiful scenery. There was a river by the ranch which we regularly crossed on the horses and over the pastures which were surprisingly very lush green. The cowboys just looked so cool when they rode along in the open. So I am a little bit more experienced now but would really like to learn properly and try to trot a bit next time.
The first night there was a camp fire where we toasted marsh-mellows and met the other guests. There weren’t a lot of people staying there so we all got to know each other pretty quickly and I’m glad to say, they were a great bunch of people and we all got on great. All from Texas and other southern states. Our next door neighbours were a 10 year old called Paige and her nan. Paige took a shine to Paul and kept wanting him to play table tennis with her (ah bless). I just loved the southern accent. The Texans actually say “hi y’all” and answer the women “yes mam” and the men “yes sir”. They are so polite.
We had a hay ride that night (which I must confess – I didn’t actually know what that was before we did it). It’s basically a tractor pulling along a trailer with bales of hay placed on it to make seats. This drove very slowly around one if the pastures so that we could watch the deer in the woods. It was such a clear night with lots of stars and a full moon beaming down on us. Just beautiful.
Every day the wranglers would take us down to the river with a large black tube raft. We’d jump in off the rope swing and get in our tubes for a slow drift down the river for an hour and over a few rapids to get picked up at the end. That was fun and very enjoyable in the heat of the day. The river water was so clear you could see right to the bottom. Unfortunately one of the guests (Joseph) who was newly-wed lost his wedding ring in one of the rapids. We did all get off our tubes and fight through the current to look for it the best we could but it was a bit of a lost cause. Needless to say he and his wife were upset about it but it did make us all bond and everyone felt really bad for them.
The main event of the stay was the rodeo on the Friday night. Never having been to a rodeo we didn’t quite know what to expect but it was lots of fun. The adult events were the shoop-dog (which is where they have to wrestle the bull to the ground), the barrel race (where they have to ride the horse as fast as they can around three barrels) and of course the bull riding, which proved to be as dangerous as it looks. One of the guys got rammed into the cage as the bull was coming out and broke his leg (ouch).
The kids events were the funniest. The two best ones were the calf riding and the mutton bustin (sheep riding). There were loads of kids competing. Apparently it’s a big thing and they follow all the rodeos around. There is money to be won. Every kid fell off within about 5 seconds, hanging off the side of the sheep and managing to avoid their hoofs. Apparently their wool is so soft it’s hard to stay on but one kid made it all the way to the end. It was unbelievable and we all cheered and laughed as he looked like he was stuck to it with glue.

So after a fantastic few days we had to say goodbye to everyone, which was quite sad as we really felt like they had all become our friends, even the staff. After spending a week in Texas I can honestly say that Texans seem to be the loveliest people.

Driving in the USA

2010-06-21T16:51:00.001-07:00

So after months of driving out here I now automatically drive on the wrong side of the road and have learnt to survive on the manic freeways. I have to say I think they are positively the worst drivers in the world. I have therefore adopted the rules of the road out here;
• First of all, ditch the highway code and forget everything written in there
• Ignore speed limits (those big signs with numbers on them must be for something else)
• Never use your indicators (they are just there for decoration)
• Drive as near to the car in front of you as you can
• Brake sharply for pedestrians who cannot wait to cross even if it means the car behind you crashing into you because they are following the previous rule
• Never let anyone out of a side turning, it is expected that they should wait there at least half an hour
• When driving on the freeway, change lanes as much as possible to see how many cars you can dodge, just for the fun of it
• Always cut corners when turning left (it’s fun to scare the drivers on the other side of the road)
• When overtaking, make sure you brake sharply in front of the car you have just overtaken to let them know there are travelling too slow (or within the speed limit)
• Use elbows to steer the car as you need both hands to talk on your mobile phone and drink your coffee
• And lastly, make sure your window is wound down so that you can shout abuse at anyone not following these rules

The Local Theatre in Half Moon Bay

2010-06-21T16:50:00.000-07:00

I have signed up with the local theatre to volunteer for bar duty. I did my first night stint during the show ‘Our Town’. All went well and they really made me feel welcome so I think I will be doing more bar duties for future shows.

I got to watch the show and have to say for a local theatre they have such acting talent and the show was very moving. Had to get my hankie out in the final act.

I met the founder of the theatre. An old lady from England. She was just adorable. Got chatting to her and she really made me laugh. She originally came from Yorkshire, then moved to East London before moving to USA. She had a beautiful well spoken English Accent and after 50 years of living in USA hasn't developed an American twang at all. She loved doing her Yorkshire and East End Accent for entertainment but said the most lovely thing. When I asked her how she speaks such beautiful English, she said that she trained with a ballet school and was taught to speak like Greer Garson.
She said, she found an accent that she liked and stuck with it.

It was so good to get back into the theatre and I think I will like being involved there.
I'm not sure if I'll do much more than the bar as I don't want to commit to too much but it was a lovely evening with nice people and yes there were a few lovies but hey, that's what we love about the theatre, the characters you don't get anywhere else.

The World Cup BBQ

2010-06-13T17:59:00.000-07:00

Now I’m sure I don’t need to tell you this as you all know how much I hate football so I was really pleased that this year I would not have to suffer the constant hype about it we normally get in the UK. Surprisingly there is absolutely no hype about it over her at all (bliss).
I have always managed to cope with the world cup in the UK, the best way I can which is basically to hibernate for a couple of weeks and avoid the BBQs where everyone else is thoroughly enjoying themselves with the match but unfortunately is all too much for me to cope with (yes I know – killjoy and bah humbug and all that). Anyway Paul goes along without me and has a much better time not worrying about me and can join in on all the fun whilst I catch up on a girly movie I know he won’t want to watch.
So when he came home and said that Stuart and Stef were hosting a BBQ in their new house for all their work colleagues I wasn’t thrilled but thought, hey perhaps I ought to just go with it and enjoy the social side of it (besides the kids had a water slide and water bombs so I knew I had them to keep me entertained).
I have to say, what a pleasant surprise it was to have such a fantastic day. The Americans really aren’t into football, or soccer as we have to call it now because football is a very different game over her, as you know. So it was all very civilised. The men watched the game reasonably quietly, apart from the two goals scored of course where a rather controlled cheer immersed from the lounge. There was no swearing, no analysing of the game, no discussing it before or after. The conversation was actually about anything but football.
I met some lovely new colleagues of Paul’s and their families as well as the usual ones we are getting to know quite well. The weather was gorgeous, luckily as both Paul and I got quite wet whilst having a water bomb battle with the girls. Paul lost quite abysmally. Kids just love to pick on him wherever he goes (wonder why)?
Anyway a thoroughly successful day and very well hosted.
Before you think I’m really mean about the whole football thing, rest assured I will be letting Paul watch the England games at home without any nagging from me.

My Mum’s Visit

2010-06-11T16:44:00.001-07:00

After six months away from my mum you can imagine how excited I was as meeting her at the airport with her good friend Rita, who by the way is such a laugh so I knew I was in for a great two weeks of fun. I had a hectic schedule planned for them and was really looking forward to doing lots of new stuff with them and just showing them around.
Oh what fun we had. They are a real double act. We played lots of games. My mum loves a game and always wins at cards. My mum can’t walk far now so we did lots of tours and driving. My favourite was the city bus tour where we started off in glorious sunshine and ended up in the fog. It got quite cold so we had to put blankets over us. Unfortunately the summer months do have lots of fog so it became a standing joke that every time we had a view of the Golden Gate it was immersed in fog but they did get a glimpse. They enjoyed Alcatraz but got lost and I had to go and find them. They obviously weren’t listening to their recording properly (oh dear).
We went to Monterey and visited the aquarium. It is said to be one of the best in the world and I can see why. It was huge and we spent the whole day there. We all loved the otters and couldn’t take our eyes off them. They are just so cute.
We did the usual local tours of the coast and we were so lucky with the weather. We got to spend many late afternoons in the garden playing cards and we all got a nice tan.
Mum’s birthday was during her holiday so we went out for a meal and had lots of birthday cake (a much better attempt than I made for Paul) and she even had a baileys (she doesn’t normally drink) so I had to get a photo of that.
The best part of the holiday was our weekend in Yosemite where we stayed in a cabin. That was just the best weekend and we all enjoyed it. Yosemite is just so beautiful. Paul and I had the loft room in the cabin and it was quite a joke that it was only about 4 foot high so we had to crawl around up there but the cabin was in a lovely campsite about 20 miles out of the park.
We took a train ride round Yosemite valley, complete with tour guide. It took us to many of the highlights, including spectacular waterfalls and El Capitan mountain, which is a famous spot for rock climbers (very tall and seemingly vertical). Apparently there is quite a competition going on as to how fast you can climb it. However it is also a big thing just to say you have made it all the way to the top. The guide explained that it takes an average of 3-5 days to climb it. Now we all immediately thought, how on earth do they sleep up there? Well he pointed out a small red dot half way up the mountain, which was a tent that the climber had pitched to sleep in. Apparently they attach the tent to the rock, harness themselves to the ropes they’ve attached and goodness knows how they manage to sleep. He also told us that with the whole environment issues of the park, all climbers must take back everything they bring or produce up there. Yes that’s rubbish or trash, as we now call it and even the human body’s excretion. The mind just boggles how they manage to do that.
We were absolutely amazed that the world record is actually 2.5 hours!! This is achieved by ditching those annoying and time consuming things called ropes and such, and climbing the thing freehand. A much quicker journey but one wrong move and its over. Surprisingly there has been next to no fatalities.
Anyway they have since flown home and I was quite sad to see them go. They had the best time and we really enjoyed their company. There were lots of hugs at the airport and a few tears but they are home safe and sound and we are back to normal life now with a ton of jobs to catch up on.

The Driving Test

2010-05-19T17:18:00.001-07:00

After swatting up on my highway code and passing my theory test last month I was not looking forward to the practical test today.
So I turn up and have a nice chat to the man on the desk who recognises the English accent and then proceeds to discuss the whole Priminister situation and wishes me good luck.
So off I go to do the car checks and meet with the examiner who is very reassuring and tells me not to be nervous (easier said than done). I had previously looked over the speed limits and road signs but was totally unprepared for the question about hand signals (who the hell uses them anyway). Got it all totally wrong apart from turning left, as that’s just obvious. Luckily he tells me that’s OK as it doesn’t really matter unless I ride a bike. Well actually I do, I said, but I gave the excuse that I have two arms for that and he laughed (phew).
So onto the driving. It was the longest 20 minutes of my life (hate, hate, hate driving tests) and manage to not cross my hands once. I must say it was actually easy but did manage a couple of little faults. The hardest thing is all the stop signs. You have to stop at every junction rather than give way as we do in the UK and one of my faults was that I didn’t stop far enough away from the line but got through it all OK and passed (yay).
So, pleased as punch and very relieved, I go back to the nice man on the desk who gave me a high five and congratulated me. So I now officially have my California driving license and can drive without worrying about getting caught with a UK license which I have been using for the last 6 months instead of applying within 10 days of entry (oops).
Hugh sigh of relief.
I can now report that Paul has since passed his driving test too so we both have our official licenses (yay).

Our Birthdays

2010-05-13T14:43:00.004-07:00

I had a lovely day out on my own. We had gone up to the city apartment for the weekend so I went to the aquarium and Fisherman’s Wharf for a relaxed coffee, then went back to the pool and lazed in the Jacuzzi. Paul was working from home and unfortunately his plan to have the afternoon off didn’t quite happen but I didn’t mind.
It was nice to be able to spend the evening with Paul, Shan and Wayne. We went out for a meal in Chinatown and then went to the Cheesecake Factory for a cocktail and some rather delicious cheesecake.
Paul had to work on his birthday and spent the morning in meetings but things got better. Stuart had arranged for a few of his work colleagues to go out for a beer after work which he really enjoyed. Then it was just the two of us in the evening as Shan & Wayne had gone to Las Vegas but I cooked a roast dinner and made a birthday cake and just generally spoiled him so I think it’s safe to say he had a nice evening.
We saved the night out for the weekend. We went to Epic restaurant by the Bay Bridge in the city and had such a nice time. The steak was delicious.
However I had bought him a couple of tops and didn’t notice that the security tags were still attached, so another trip to the shop is needed to get them removed (note to self – must check that in future).
What made it special for both of us, was all the cards and messages we got from friends and family. Thank you everyone x

Shan & Wayne’s Visit

2010-05-13T14:43:00.003-07:00

We were very excited on our way to the airport to meet Shan and Wayne. So after all the hugs, we went to Sam’s bar and had a few beers and enjoyed listening to all the news from home.
I won’t say any more about their visit as it will spoil it for them. They will want to tell you all themselves about what they got up to. However I think it’s safe to say they enjoyed their holiday.
Anyway we have since waved them goodbye at the airport so farewell.

Friendships & Thoughts at 6 months

2010-05-13T14:43:00.001-07:00

I think that after 6 months there is an expectation that I should have made some new friends but that is a difficult one. I have enjoyed having time to myself much more than I thought I would and the time has gone so quickly. I really haven’t felt like I’ve missed out. It has given me a chance to take stock of my life a bit and appreciate the good things like relationships and to realise the things I want to change.
There are a few other factors. Paul and I have always led busy lives and rarely got quality time to spend together so we have both enjoyed the time acting like a normal married couple and doing things together. We have become so much closer and that truly is the best thing that has come out of this trip so far.
I have really appreciated the friends back home who have kept in touch. I have had great chats with some and love hearing all their news.
I have spent years building up close friendships at home. I don’t want to replace that with potential friendships here which are not as real. It’s hard to make an effort to go out and find girly friends when I just don’t feel the need for it at the moment. I’m not sure I will feel the same as time goes by (we’ll see). I have the attitude that if it happens naturally, then great. New friends will be an added bonus but I don’t want to try and force the issue and make it hard work.
It’s not as if I only get to talk to Paul here. I have socialised with quite a few of his work colleagues and their other halves who are all nice and had some lovely nights out and each time we see them we get to know them a little better and the conversation can move onto a different level rather than pleasant chit chat.
It’s also a regular occurrence to go out and have a chat with a total stranger. People are so friendly here that we often get chatting to people in a bar or even the supermarket.
I did meet an English woman who has lived here for 18 years in a coffee shop and she gave me her number to arrange to meet for lunch. Now it’s something I would never normally do but I thought what have I got to lose by having one lunch with her and see how we get on. Well we had a nice time and chatted but I just knew that it all seemed a bit false and we were both making too much of an effort and we actually had nothing in common so that didn’t work out but I’m glad I did it but as I have said I think I would like it to happen more naturally.
The ladies at the ballet class are nice enough and we have a chat but they take it very seriously so not much time for socialising but I do enjoy their company.
Paul obviously gets to interact with people a lot more at work.
As we join more classes or groups we will meet more people and even if they only become acquaintances then I think that is all we need.
There is a ‘Friday Night Social Hour’ in a different bar/restaurant each week, in Half Moon Bay and we’re on the invite list for that. It will be a good way to get to know the locals but we haven’t made it along to one yet. Every time it gets to Friday we duck out but we really must do that.
People have told us that it’s the five or six month mark when you really start to feel at your worst. You have started to live a normal life and that’s when you miss everything about home. I definitely think that has hit us now, for Paul it’s mainly because during the week it is all about work for him and that’s not enough for him so he wants to find something to do with his music. For me, there’s a fine line between hanging onto my life at home and trying to build a new life here for the rest of the time and I’m conscious of how quick the time is going and I want to make the most of it.
I don’t really miss my family too much yet. That sounds awful but it’s because I only really see them about twice a year anyway and if anything, we have kept in touch more since we’ve been away. Having spent the weekend with my brother and his wife in March I honestly chatted to him more in that weekend that I have in the last few years. It makes a difference when you spend quality time with people rather than just at a family get together.
I do of course miss my mum but I phone her every week and we have a good chat and she’s coming out to stay soon (very excited). I do also miss my niece and nephew. It’s hard to think that they will have grown up so much when we next see them.
That’s also what is hard being away from all of our friends who have had babies recently. They just won’t know us and we will have missed out on that. We’ll just have to make up for lost time when we get back.
We get to speak to Paul’s mum and dad often and they have been out and are coming again so we get to spend lots of time with them and have a good catch up. Skype is a wonderful thing and it definitely helps to ease the distance apart.
People have said to us that we may not want to come home in two years but I can honestly say that although we are loving this experience, up to this point, there has never been any doubt in our minds that we will be coming home. So to those of you who thought you had got rid of us...Not a chance.

My Day to Day Life (after 6 months)

2010-05-13T14:42:00.001-07:00

A lot of people ask me what I do all day when Paul is at work and it’s always hard to explain what on earth I do with my time as I keep quite busy and the day just flies but I will give you a rundown of a normal week.
So firstly I have become a domestic goddess and try to do everything around the house including the paperwork and little extra chores that come about so that Paul only has to worry about work (that’s only fair).There has been lots to sort out so far but all calmed down now.
I am continuing to study my bookkeeping course but I have to admit I am totally uninspired with it now. It seems to have been going on for ages but I am determined to finish it so I desperately try to motivate myself to do a bit each day. If nothing else I want to keep my brain active with some kind of academic challenge.
Of course, I spend a little time each day catching up on emails, researching the internet for stuff we need to know and generally trying to become much more proficient on the computer.
I have taken up a few hobbies, mainly art type stuff. They are the things that I have been saying for years that I’d like to do but never had the time. I have taken up dressmaking, painting and photography. I have yet to reach for my guitar but I really want to give that a go too.
I have started a ballet class in the town up the road. There are only four of us in it but I really enjoy it. Although I have done different styles of dancing I have never done ballet and I think it is probably one of the hardest styles of dance there is. I often wish I’d done that as a child as it is great basic training for any style of dance. I find that I am so out of shape and not supple at all. It is a very hard work out and I really feel my muscles toning up. However I have a long way to go before I see a difference. I am totally inspired by the teacher who has a gorgeous figure and is so graceful, as you would expect but hate the fact that there are mirrors all the way round the room and not liking the fact that I can see myself (not so inspiring).
I am desperately on a diet at the moment so trying to get some regular exercise in but it’s all happening way too slow.
I am ashamed to admit that I do get to watch a bit of day time TV but I restrict myself to only watching the re-runs of ‘Little House on the Prairie’ (love it).
I usually have a couple of trips out either shopping or having a coffee and reading. Then at the weekends Paul and I try to get out as much as we can. We go cycling, hiking or just exploring somewhere different.
And then of course, on the odd occasion I do spend my time running a guest house and being a tour guide. Not that I mind at all, I enjoy it.
I feel now that the time is right for me to put my spare time to good use so I am looking for voluntary work. However it is not as easy as it sounds. Because I am not technically a US citizen it is really difficult to get responses from people and all the good jobs have waiting lists but I will keep trying. I really want to work with animals so somewhere like the aquarium or zoo would be great. We’ll see what happens.
I am considering starting up a dance class locally when my employment authorisation card finally arrives. There is definitely a market for it here and with ‘Dancing with the Stars’ on at the moment it may work but I really need to look into it more first.
I think both Paul and I are now ready to try and find something to do at least once a week during the week nights. It is especially important for Paul so that he doesn’t feel like his week is all about work so we are looking into a few things there. Mind you, up until now it has been nice for us both to relax in the evening together and not have to rush off anywhere. Our lives had become so busy at home in the last few years that we needed a break to re-energise.
So, that’s my life at the moment.

New Car

2010-05-13T14:41:00.004-07:00

After coping with the public transport for a few months we decided we needed another car. Paul had been getting the bus into work some days so I could have the car but it’s just not practical. It’s so much easier for him to drive. He loves the drive to work. He goes along the main road out of Half Moon Bay, past all the local farms, over the mountains, through the woods, past the lake and onto the freeway to Foster City. It’s a far cry from the Canon Street train.
Anyway, I digress. The other problem we had was that the leased car we have has a mileage limit on it so we found that we were just watching the miles we were clocking up all of the time and that just wasn’t right. The whole point of our trip here is to get out and see as much as we can.
We talked about getting a truck, just because it would be fun to have one but then thought about the practicalities of that so then decided on a jeep. We found someone local who was selling just the one we wanted and managed to get it at a very reasonable price. It’s a bit old and has some miles on the clock but should do us for a while.

Wine Country

2010-05-13T14:41:00.003-07:00

Everyone had told us about Sonoma and Californian wineries so we just had to take a trip there to sample the vino. There are so many vineyards it’s hard to know where to start so we may need to go back a few times. Paul is turning into a real wine buff and enjoyed learning about the different wines. He had more than his fair share of samples as I kept giving him half of mine (being the designated driver and such the light weight that I am) but he wasn’t complaining. We met a couple from the UK on their holidays in the evening and chatted to them for ages. So we have done our research of the place, ready for when Tim & Linda come out as we know that visit will be high on their list.

Las Vegas

2010-05-13T14:41:00.001-07:00

Our visit to Las Vegas had been planned for months. My brother and his wife had booked an apartment for a week to celebrate his 50th birthday. When we found out we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to jump on a cheap flight and bunk in their apartment with them for two nights. What a lovely weekend we had. It was really nice to spend some quality time with them.
It was so good to get some sun and just relax by the pool. We went to the Stratosphere restaurant for Mark’s actual birthday. It has a revolving restaurant at the top with a fantastic view of the strip. We did venture out onto the deck area where they have a ride that is a bit like a waltzer, only it hangs over the edge of the building. None of us were brave enough to go on it. We all gave the excuse of course that we had just eaten but honestly the ride is just plain mad. We went to the Golden Nugget (where Elvis first performed apparently!) the second night. I had never been to that part of town before. It’s the old town. It was very different and we all liked it there. It had music videos lit up across a glass ceiling all along the street, lots of buskers and people milling around.
We found Vegas to be so expensive. We didn’t gamble. I like watching other people gamble though, especially when they play craps. That looks so confusing. I wish I knew how to play it.

Horse Riding

2010-05-13T14:40:00.003-07:00

There are stables across from us and we both thought it would be fun to do the trail and beach ride. Being the economical people that we are we chose to do the early bird session which is half the price but meant being there for 8am. Now I had never rode a horse before so they gave me a very slow one called Buff. Paul however was given a slightly livelier one called Grumpy (That really made me laugh). Grumpy spent most of his time eating all of the grass along the way and then running away when the guide told him off. Buff however was so slow that we were at the back the whole time. Now I was quite happy plodding along but there was obviously a schedule to keep to so the guide kept hurrying him along and making him trot. I didn’t like that as was suitably saddle sore for days after. I really must learn how to ride properly. Elise has been giving me some tips as she absolutely loves horses and knows so much about them for a seven year old.
It was all worth it though as it was quite a special experience, riding a horse on a deserted beach that early in the morning. I really enjoyed it and will definitely do it again.

Ano Neuvo National Park (Sea Lions)

2010-05-13T14:40:00.001-07:00

We had a much more successful trip to Ano Neuvo marine sanctuary for bull seals and sea lions. We had a guided tour and learnt a lot about the mating rituals of the bull seals which was very interesting. We got really close to many of the seals lazing on the beach. They were huge. It was quite safe as the guide told us they conserve their energy for mating (a wise choice) but we still had to be careful and not disturb them too much.
As we got to the gate we saw the sign that said the only toilet on the site was in the car park. The guide was meeting us a mile down the path and then it was an hour and a half tour so we both thought we’d better go before venturing off down the path. Maybe it’s just me but if I know I can’t go when I want then that makes me want to go even more so it wasn’t until I got halfway down the path that I realised I wanted to go again so thought it was best to run back to the car park before we met with the guide. So I ran half a mile back to the car park, then half a mile back, completely out of breath (note to self – must get fit) to a patient Paul waiting for me before continuing to meet the guide. When we get to the guide post, guess what is there? Yes a toilet. Paul laughed. I didn’t find it so funny and whinged about their stupid sign (I know Val will appreciate that story).

The Tsunami

2010-05-13T14:39:00.002-07:00

Living on the coast has its downsides, mainly because we get the brunt of any storms and most of the fog but the most obvious is the potential tsunami. There are signs everywhere here directing you to the tsunami evacuation route. So when one Saturday morning we took a stroll along to our favourite coffee shop on the beach and saw a notice on the door saying, we will be open today until the Tsunami arrives we were a little bit worried. Is a joke, we thought, so we asked what it was all about? The locals explained that after the earthquake in Chile there were reports that a tsunami was expected to arrive in Half Moon Bay at 1.36pm. However it was only expected to be 3ft high. Not knowing anything of the tsunami warnings we didn’t know what to expect but the locals didn’t seem too bothered by it. In fact people were trying to drive over to the coast from the bay area to watch it. So we thought we’d hang around the beach area and see what happened. So at 1.36pm there we were with quite a few of the locals looking out to sea, waiting for this wave to appear. However it was quite a non event. Yes the sea was a bit choppier than usual but there was no big wave. So sorry to disappoint but that was it. Our tsunami.

Whale Watching

2010-05-13T14:39:00.001-07:00

It was the mating season out here for the marine mammals from Dec to Mar and people have told us that you can often spot the whales and sea lions migrating up the coast at this time of year so we thought we would take advantage of the local whale watching trip.
Oh what an experience...As we got on the rather small boat we were both excited about heading out into the ocean and Paul suggested that he was interested in perhaps going out on a fishing trawler on another day (on your own, I thought). Anyway we coast along the marina quite calmly. Then we get out into open sea and things start to get a bit choppy. Now having travelled over to Ireland on the ferry every year as a child I am hardened to the old sea sickness but I know that being out on deck is the best place to be to stop any sick feelings. We held on tight as we rocked and battled the rather large waves but it was quite fun and lots of us were laughing at this stage. To describe it was like a thrilling fun fair ride. Anyway they take us for an hour and a half along the coastline and we still haven’t seen any whales so it’s time to turn round. Only two people succumb to being sick by that time but manage to make it to the edge of the boat to do their business.
Once we turned round the captain said to us that on our return it would get rougher and the left side of the boat would get wet. We had a nice little spot in the centre of the boat on deck, nestled in the crew’s little boxed area and felt quite safe there with plenty of things to hold onto. It didn’t take long before the first wave came over the boat and soaked everyone who was standing near the left side and as we found out that included our nice little area. So now we are cold and wet and realise the waves were indeed rougher than before and held on as tightly as we could. It was quite daunting watching the big waves approach us knowing that they were going to soak us again and was desperately hoping that the captain knew how to ride the waves without the boat capsizing. You may think I’m exaggerating but I swear, it was bad. Our thrilling fun fair ride had turned into a white knuckle ride. Then the sickness hit most of the other people on the boat. There was one girl hanging over the side with her friend holding her hair back (reminded me of some drunken nights out – what are friends for?). Then the woman opposite us just spent the whole time throwing up in the bin right next to us. We didn’t know where to look it obviously makes you feel worse if you watch someone else being sick.
Then one woman shouted there’s a whale...everyone looked at each other and I honestly think everyone was thinking the same as us. Paul turned to me and said at this stage I really couldn’t care less about the whales (or words to that effect). We just wanted to make it back to shore alive. It wasn’t a whale, by the way so we continued like that for an hour. I am very proud to say that we both made it back without being sick. When we docked everyone was speechless and literally jumped off the boat. The captain said that they had experienced worse trips out to sea but that was up there. Paul immediately said he did not want to go on a fishing trawler anymore.
So no whales actually watched on this trip. Someone mentioned to us that the best place to see the whales is from Maui where you can watch them from the beach so that’s what we intend to do one day (a much better option).

Mavericks Surf Competition

2010-05-13T14:38:00.002-07:00

So we heard the local Mavericks surf competition was on in Feb and we thought we’d go and see it. Now all along the coast where we are, has very rough sea and the waves look fierce enough to me and you often see surfers there so I thought it won’t be far but no, it was a four mile walk up the coast and I couldn’t help but think what was so special about this particular point. So it took us far longer than we expected and we only got there to see the last couple of minutes of the competition and the crazy fit guys who managed to survive, emerging from the water (I know, a horrible sight, ha ha). We honestly couldn’t believe the size of the waves and could see why this spot was so special. The waves were reported to be an average of 50ft and there were rocks everywhere. We were very impressed but whatever interest in trying out this activity ourselves vanished in a flash. It looks way too dangerous. The most amazing thing was that we later found out that we were very lucky to be late as the very place we were standing in had earlier been taken out by a freak wave and injured many of the spectators. It was so forceful that it knocked over the stage where the presentations were held. If you are at all interested, there is a clip of it on you tube.
Needless to say that it made front page news in Half Moon Bay. We love reading the local newspaper. It is so funny. Living in a small town, nothing much happens so the front page news is often so obscure.

Our First Visitors

2010-05-13T14:38:00.001-07:00

All the house is ready for visitors and Paul’s mum and dad are the first to arrive. They had a great time and they were really lucky with the weather so we had a fun packed week. Paul had to work during the week so I was official tour guide.
We went to the city and saw Alamo Square with the pretty painted houses, St Mary’s Cathedral with the largest organ I’ve ever seen (no rude comments please), Walked up the Coit tower and had a fantastic view of the city and we all had our first ride on a tram which we all enjoyed.
We took a drive to Carmel by the sea. We hired a car from the local car hire firm. That turned out to be NOT an easy experience. Lesson learnt...pick the car up the day before if you want to go anywhere as we didn’t get on the road till 10am even though we were ready at 8am.
It all turned out well. What a lovely place. It’s so pretty and tidy (my kind of town). It was a two hour drive and on the way back we had to go through Santa Cruz. It seems pretty easy to follow the route on the way there but somehow we managed to get lost and couldn’t get out of the place. We kept driving around in circles in the dark before we managed to finally get out of there. We gave a cheer when we got on the right road.
We took a hike in the mountains and along the coastal path to the Mavericks Surf Competition.
Our day in the Golden Gate Park was not so successful. We weren’t impressed with it. I’m not a great lover of parks in cities anyway. It seems to me like a false environment but hey that’s just my opinion. It was raining and everything in the park was far apart so we walked for miles. Then we decided to get the shuttle bus out of the park. It said it stopped at 20 odd locations in the park and eventually would get us to the ocean but what we didn’t know was that it circled round the main part three times before it started heading out of the park. We laughed so much when we kept seeing the same bus stop we had got on at and had a twilight zone moment when we thought we would never get out.
I was exhausted when they went home but it was great to spend time with them.
Our next visitors were meant to be Mathew & Heleen and we were going to go skiing with them but an unfortunate thing happened a week before they were due to come out. Mathew had an accident on his bike and broke his hip. We were so disappointed as we were really looking forward to seeing them but probably not as disappointed as they were. They had a three week activity holiday booked.

US Citizenship

2010-05-13T14:37:00.002-07:00

Oh what a saga this has been. We arrived with our visas in our passports so all official but that was just the beginning. America is so security conscious it is unbelievable. You are nothing without a credit rating and a social security number. We managed to open bank accounts after a 2 hour appointment so now we can build up a credit rating but that will take some time. In the meantime every major thing you want to sign up for like bills for the house, leasing a car etc, we had to pay out deposits. I wouldn’t like to add up the money that we are owed. Every time you want to buy anything other than the norm you have to show ID and most times they want your social security number for the simplest of requests. It drives me mad.
Paul managed to get his social security number pretty quickly as he has a working visa but mine is only a spouse visa so I first have to get my employment authorisation card. I applied for it in December. You cannot chase it until 90 days are up so when I chase it up I find they have lost the application so I have to start all over again (Ahhhhhh). I am patiently waiting for it still and have been promised that they will fast track it for me. We’ll see.
So then we are told that we need to apply for a US driving license and should have done so within the first 10 days (oops). So we swat up on our highway code and head off to the DMV to take our theory tests and are pleased to say we both did well and passed. It wasn’t difficult but we both got quite nervous before we took the test. So now we have our practical driving test booked and we are both dreading it. I will be glad to get it over with as at least then we will actually have official US ID and it will make things so much easier.
We found a very nice doctor and have signed up with them. We were really impressed with the service from the doctor actually. They do things a little different here. We knew that we needed medical insurance and luckily we have a good one so we’re covered. The doctor didn’t just sign us up on her books but had a 45 minute appointment with us both to ask us about our medical history and explain the whole health system in the US for us. Apparently we both need tetanus shots but we keep putting it off. We will do it soon though. You can also have a medical MOT and claim that on the insurance. It’s quite the norm here that everyone gets one regularly so we won’t pass up that opportunity.
At the end of March came the dreaded tax return. Thank goodness we had an accountant to do it all for us. Even though I have knowledge of UK tax I find the US tax system very difficult. They get you for absolutely everything. The hardest thing we found to accept is that we have to pay property here for the house we have back in the UK (outrageous). But at least that’s over for another year.

Paul’s Work

2010-05-13T14:37:00.001-07:00

You can imagine what a big deal it was for Paul to start work in a new place, in a new country without anyone here for support. I have such admiration for how he has just got on with it and seems to be doing really well. He works so hard but that’s nothing new. I did think initially he would not have to work such long hours but that unfortunately, that is not the case. The good thing is though that his working life is much more flexible here. He can do his work from a coffee shop, work from home or in the office and can have a proper lunch break at the gym. The bad thing is, he sometimes has to work at weekends. He will also have a few evening meetings during the week or has to travel to some for a few days.
Luckily he works with really nice people and he gets on with them well. What he seems to be finding difficult is the office environment. Now in the UK he has an open plan office where there is the usual office banter but here he is in a CUBE which segments everyone off into their own little work space. It doesn’t lend itself to building the same relationships he had back in the UK but he does get a lot of work done.
I have met his colleagues and they all seem really nice. I particularly like Lisa, on the management team who lives in Rhode Island and comes to San Fran regularly and Vicky, who is the Visa representative who works with Paul. We have been out for a few meals with them and they are really good company.
Paul’s colleague from the UK finally arrived here in April with his family after a mission to get their visas sorted out. It is so much better for Paul now that he has Stuart in work with him as he doesn’t feel so isolated. Both Stuart and his wife, Stef seem nice and we get on well with them. They have two daughters, Elise & Frankie. Stef and I took them to the Zoo and had a lovely day out. Its right by the ocean on the outskirts of the city so is very open and all the animals have lots of space. I liked that about it. I really don’t like to see animals caged up. Although the girls have only been here a couple of weeks, they started school with such ease and made friends straight away. It’s so much easier for children. They just get on with it and are happy to make new friends.

Arrival of our shipment

2010-05-13T14:36:00.003-07:00

Today was a good day. After waiting for eight weeks our stuff finally arrives. It was like Christmas all over again, opening all the packages. I’d forgotten half of the stuff we had packed and gave myself a pat on the back for remembering to pack all the important stuff. I almost hugged my bike. It’s funny, the things you miss. Now we can finally eat off of proper plates instead of paper ones.

Our New House

2010-05-13T14:36:00.001-07:00

So we manage to get all of our stuff in the car for just two trips to our new house. I was ready to leave the city by then. The outside of the house looks like something from Desperate Housewives. We have a front and back garden.
The house has a large living room which we have separated into a seating and dining area, a large kitchen, three bedrooms, an office and two bathrooms. Now that is the best thing. Paul and I get our own bathroom and when visitors come it will make it so much easier. It has wooden flooring throughout so easy to keep clean and the bathrooms are both new. One of them has a bath with a Jacuzzi. Not quite the same as our hot tub we left at home, which we really miss by the way but a good substitute.
So here we are in this big house with no furniture. A most needed trip to IKEA sorts out most of the problem and then there is Craig’s List (a wonderful invention). People advertise absolutely anything on there so we scouted around for some quality second hand stuff to complete the house. We decided not to spend a lot on things as it is only for two years. At this stage of course we did wonder if we did the right thing in not having our own furniture shipped out but hey too late and we are happy with the stuff we have. I’m just not looking forward to having to sell it all again, but hey, let’s not talk about that yet.
I have since managed to make up some photo frames and have put them on the walls. It makes such a difference and the place really feels like home now. We have also planted some plants in pots and most importantly planted the good old courgettes to make us feel like we’re really at home.
I had almost expected the neighbours to be knocking at the door with cookies but that never happened. We have only met one set of neighbours so far, next door, who seem really nice.

Beyond Half Moon Bay

2010-05-13T14:35:00.001-07:00

We have found a little one horse town up the road called San Gregorio which I love. Picture it...there are about ten houses and one shop which make up the town. The one shop sells the lot. It has groceries, clothes, books, touristy things, a coffee bar and a real bar which sells the important stuff (beer) and would you believe it, a live band in the corner which usually plays country music. It’s just so funny to go in there.
We took a trip down to Santa Cruz which is about an hour drive down the coast. Now we were expecting a rather exotic beach but found something quite different. It was like Margate in the sun. A big fun fair, lots of tourists, amusement arcades and fast food. However I did quite like it as it was nice to know there is somewhere quite lively near enough to us. I did like the fact that there were lots of volley ball nets up on the beach which many people were using so it’s quite fun to sit and watch them. Of course they all look mega fit so I don’t think I’ll be joining in.
The public transport is not so good over this side. There are two buses which run infrequently so I’m glad that we have a car as it would not be easy to get around. Luckily the company have an apartment in the city and when it is free we can use it so we know we can stay there sometimes if we want a night out in the city once we move.
The mountains have lots of hiking trails through the redwoods, which we have enjoyed. Although we have had to watch out for Mountain Lions. There are signs everywhere.
One of the hiking trails led us to Berry Falls (can you believe it). We thought we should see it. It was a 12 mile hike which involved some scrambling up the side of the waterfall but it was all worth it. We sat and had our packed lunch by the falls and were quite impressed that it had the name Berry. I did ache for two days after.

Half Moon Bay

2010-05-13T14:34:00.002-07:00

The name sounds lovely, doesn’t it? Well we think it is lovely here. I would like to give a mental picture of it. It’s a small town with a downtown street of local shops and restaurants. There are also a couple of the usual American shopping areas with Safeway and such. Yes we have a McDonalds and a Starbucks. The residential area is not very big and is quite spread out. We live about a mile down the road where the residential streets are quite spaced out. Our house is back from the main road so it’s nice and quiet. It’s quite a flat area so nice and open. The mountains at the back of us spread all the way along, midway between the west and east side of the county. Once you are over the mountains, you get to the bay area.
It’s a farming community and they specialise in pumpkins. Apparently in October it’s mad here. It has a large Mexican population, mixed with the Californians who commute into the city and a few British ex-pats.
The beach is five miles long. It is a quiet beach with rough waves. The weather never really gets that warm that you would want to sunbathe on it. We did try sitting on it reading a newspaper one day but gave up as it was too much effort trying to control the wind. However I kind of like the fact that the sea is rough here as it keeps it quiet and it is so peaceful to sit and watch the waves. We do get the most amazing sunsets here.
There is a coastal path which runs along the beach where people can walk or cycle. We have been out on the bikes up and down the coastal path trying to dodge the other people jogging and walking dogs. I am beginning to think the Dogs in California outnumber the humans. I tell you, Americans and their dogs. They are something else. Talk about spoil them. You see more dogs carried about in baskets than you do walking and they dress them up so silly. When we were skiing we saw a dog with boots on (yes leather look boots with zips). Needless to say he wasn’t impressed and tried to get them off but they were on tight. We have found lots of nice little coffee shops along the coastal path to sit and relax and just watch the ocean.
There is a place called Princeton three miles from us which is a popular spot for the surfers. We often watch them as we go past and think to ourselves we must give that a go but I think it may be more difficult than it looks. Perhaps we’ll just get a body board instead and pretend. There are always lots of parked cars along the road with men getting changed into their wetsuits showing off their rather fit bodies but I don’t look (honest).
The other towns near us are a few miles apart and are all smaller than ours so you can imagine how generally quiet it is here. It really is living in a small town environment. I just love it.
So we have managed to find our local theatre and went there once to see a Patsy Cline tribute. The show was really good but mainly because of the girl playing Patsy. She was so like her and of course, I loved the music. Even Paul enjoyed it. I am secretly getting him to like Country music. He even plays it in the car when I’m not there (ha ha). The theatre is about the same size as the Bob Hope and it seems like it has a really nice community feel to it. So I expect we will be visiting that for a few evenings’ entertainment. I don’t think we’ll get involved though. Well not for a good while anyway. We are enjoying the chance to just do other stuff for now.
We have found a British Pub near us with a London bus outside it. Not very British inside though. They have a karaoke on a Saturday but we haven’t been to that yet. We must do that.

Looking for our New Home

2010-05-13T14:34:00.001-07:00

We spent a lot of time in those first few weeks deciding where to live. Although we liked the city, it wasn’t where we really wanted to live, mainly because it is so much more expensive and with our budget, all we could afford was a two bedroom apartment with no outside area. Also the city is too impersonal.
So we looked at different areas in the bay and on the coast. The way that San Francisco bay is situated, you have all of the bay towns down the east side. They are typically suburbia but have a good train service into the city, lots of things to do and Paul’s work is over that side so it seemed like the logical place to live. However we just couldn’t find a town that suited us. It was all just a bit too busy with rows and rows of houses. It just seemed all too closed in and you cannot get close to the water anywhere down the bay. We both wanted to be near the water. Also the freeways here seem to be of great importance to location. Everyone wants access to the freeway. Personally I think it spoils it. You get a beautiful house and the freeway is right near you with all of the noise it creates. All of the bay towns seem to be near a freeway.
So we thought about living on the west side near the ocean. Everyone kept telling us that the ocean side gets the worst weather but that didn’t put us off. We thought that if we were going to live here then we wanted to live somewhere completely different to home and you can’t get any more different than living by the Pacific Ocean.
So we looked at the few towns which would be accessible to Paul’s work. Basically there is one road that goes across to the west side from Paul’s work so we picked the town that was closest to that and that has a downtown area with shops.
Fortunately the coast is cheaper so we knew we could get so much more for our money living there and wouldn’t have to stretch our budget too far. We wanted to still have money for trips and holidays and generally getting out more. I still can’t get over the cost of property in general out here though. It is so much more expensive than London. Oh well, that’s what you get for living in California.
So once we knew what town we wanted the search for a house was on and time was running out as the lease for the temporary apartment was finishing soon. However after viewing a few properties we realised we weren’t going to get the ideal house for our money so had to be a bit more realistic. It would have been lovely to be right by the ocean with a sea view but as you can imagine, they were almost double the price so we settled on a house in a street back from the ocean which met all of our needs and hey, it’s only a ten minute walk to the beach so it’s not so bad.

Christmas & New Year 2009

2010-05-13T14:33:00.001-07:00

It was always going to be a strange Christmas and New Year for us this year as it was the first time we were away from home, not doing the usual family Christmas Dinner and New Years Eve Party with our friends but we thought it would be a good opportunity for us to do something different on our own. So we decided to go skiing for Christmas.
We stayed in a beautiful lodge in Lake Tahoe with a lovely family who made us feel very welcome. We had afternoon wine sessions with them and some interesting chats. Our room was just so nice. It had a living area with a log fire and a separate bedroom with two beds and most importantly, two bathrooms, one with a hot tub.
Lake Tahoe is a beautiful lake which stays bright blue and never freezes. Some say it’s because of the currents but who knows? All of the ski resorts are situated around the lake so when you are up high you can see the lake from all of them. It is a four hour drive from us but we still appreciate the fact that we can drive to a skiing resort and have made use of the fact a few times since. Needless to say with the added practice, I am getting better at skiing (not much) but more confident. The ski runs here are different to Europe. They basically don’t have red runs so there is a big jump between blue and black. I have ventured onto the blacks but am staying well away from the double blacks. I leave Paul to go off on his own for that. I am also pleased to say that they do hot chocolate so with my hip flask full of rum I feel like I’m back in Europe. After all that is the best part of skiing.
Christmas Day was odd. We didn’t have dinner at lunch time but in the evening and we didn’t have a traditional Christmas Dinner. We had fish and NO Christmas Pudding. We had Pumpkin Pie. A poor substitute. I didn’t like it at all. But all in all we both had a lovely Christmas.
We decided to go to a Place called Sausilito for a meal on New Year’s Eve and stayed over the night. It’s a lovely town just over the Golden Gate Bridge. It has lots of rich men living there with their Thai brides which made us laugh. On the way there we used the sat nav to get us to our hotel which was supposed to be two miles out of town. We got a bit worried when it sent us over into the mountains onto deserted country roads 14 miles out. Then the sat nav finally said you have reached your destination right in the middle of the woods with nothing in sight (I think not). We then relied on the good old map and found our way back. We had passed it long before. Not a great start to the evening. However we were soon cheered up with an unexpected phone call from Ian Leeson and the gang at their house for the New Years Eve party. It was so good to talk to our friends although wishing them Happy New Year at 4pm was slightly strange.
The meal was lovely and we had a great seat by the window at midnight which had a great view of the city across the bay and the fireworks.
Paul had been saying how much he wanted to see Cirque de Soleil and even though I didn’t have much enthusiasm for going to see it I thought I would treat him for Christmas. I can honestly say it was the most impressive performance I have ever seen from start to finish and so glad we went and Paul absolutely loved it.

The Weather

2010-05-13T14:32:00.002-07:00

When I first found out we were going to live in California I thought the climate would be similar to LA. Lovely hot weather all of the time! Oh no, it’s not like that in San Francisco. Because the land juts out here they get the brunt of the weather coming in from the Pacific Ocean and as I have since learnt, the desert heat from Nevada clashes with that to cause to ominous FOG so we then get a generally moderate climate all year round with definite sunny and rainy seasons. When it rains...IT RAINS. We have had some crazy storms which are that little bit scarier by the ocean.
In general though, the year round weather is generally nice and sunny with a moderate warm climate on the coast. It does get incredibly hot inland so we don’t have to go far to get the heat. The summer is the craziest. Pretty much all through August we get this summer fog but have little bursts of heat waves. The best weather is in the autumn (or the fall) where we get an Indian summer. I pretty much live in my jeans, T-shirt and flip flops all year. Although this is a lovely climate to live in and I do manage to keep my tan lasting most of the year I think we do both miss the seasons back home. There is something special about autumn, when the first sense of that cold crispy day comes along with the sound of the falling leaves and the smell of the fireworks in the air from the approaching Bonfire night. That really is our favourite time of year so we do miss that.

Californian People

2010-05-13T14:32:00.001-07:00

The Californian people seem very friendly and extremely polite. Something we’re just not used to. Now I’m not talking about people on a personal level as that’s a different issue. I’m talking about strangers in general. I soon get used to it and actually like it. I generally feel happy because everyone around me is polite and not rude. I am comparing this to my commuting days in London where I was in a bad mood by the time I had got into work.
I’m not sure however how genuine their politeness is in the service industry. They literally say have a nice day to everyone and ask how you are. I’m sure they can’t really care. But hey, it’s better than being grunted at.
It is however very frustrating when you have to talk to someone on the phone. After you finally get through what seems like an endless list of automated questions, having had to repeat yourself or try to talk in an American accent because the computer doesn’t recognise the English accent, you then have to contend with the person who obviously has a rehearsed script and by the time they get all the niceties out of the way you just want to ask your question. If it’s not a simple question they often can’t answer it satisfactory as I really don’t think they listen very well. When you then complain a little (trying to be polite) but stating that they haven’t solved your problem, they just say sorry (very insincerely) then ask, is there anything else I can help you with (well you haven’t helped me with the first problem yet!!!) then comes well have a nice day. Great...what do I do now then? HAVE A NICE DAY...Ahhhhhhh.
But generally I like the Americans. They do of course, love the English accent and we often get comments about it. However, quite strange that they often think we’re Australian.
What I do miss about the British people though is their sense of humour and a good old bit of banter. The Americans don’t seem to have the same sense of humour as us. Although I must say that is not true in all cases. I have met some people who are just as much fun and can have a laugh with, particularly those from Paul’s work.

San Francisco

2010-05-13T14:31:00.002-07:00

I have to say, San Francisco is a lovely city. It is situated in the bay so is surrounded by water and the Golden Gate Bridge is quite a remarkable sight. It is divided up into boroughs which each have their own distinction. The majority of the city is residential leaving most of the touristy parts close together. I really enjoyed exploring the city in those first 6 weeks and learnt how to get around on public transport, which is surprisingly easy. I soon learnt that my favourite part of the city was Fisherman’s Wharf. It has lots of fish restaurants (the crab is amazing), local bars with live music, the aquarium, touristy shops and so many buskers who are actually really talented musicians and fun to sit and listen to. My favourite part of Fisherman’s Wharf is Pier 39. Hundreds of harbour seals make this their home and they are so funny to watch as they push each other off of the boardwalks to get a better spot to laze around in the sun. The tourists love them so it is always busy but I like that. There is always a buzz around the area.
There are however a large number of homeless people living here. They differ from those in London slightly in that they seem to have so many belongings. They often have a shopping trolley filled with stuff. They are a bit cheeky but not offensive.
There are so many lovely restaurants in San Francisco and we have been lucky enough to have ventured out to a few of them. Now I think the most difficult thing to get used to here is the whole tipping thing. It is usual to tip between 10 and 20%, 10 being not such a good service, 15 being the average and 20 if it’s really good service. Anything below that is just not done. It’s gets to be quite an expensive meal by the time you have added a tip on. I still believe the customer should not be made to pay the staff’s wages. It most definitely should be the responsibility of the Employer. A tip should be an added bonus for good service if you choose but that’s not what they think here. Luckily it’s only in restaurants or bars.
The other thing that is hard to get used to is that when you buy something in a shop it is prices without the tax (our VAT) so you don’t know what the total price is until you get to the till. The reason is because each state has a different tax rate.
Generally we have found that the cost of living out here is more expensive than we imagined. At first I was shocked by the prices of things in the shops. However after some scouting around I have found the more reasonable good shops and now find it much better. Generally, don’t but anything in the city. Once you get out into the suburbs, it’s much cheaper. I’m embarrassed to say that I love shopping at Walmart.
We did the usual touristy stuff like go to Alcatraz. That was well worth a visit and has the best recorded tour guide which is narrated by ex prisoners. It’s really quite amazing to think that although it is a short distance from the main land it was impossible for anyone to escape as the current in the water is so strong. Although apparently five did manage it but it’s not known if they survived. We did the optional added tour where the guide told us about the escapes from Alcatraz. We thought that would be interesting. Unfortunately we had the most boring man in the world tell the stories so we ducked out after 15 minutes.
My favourite day out was when Paul and I hired a tandem and cycled across to Golden Gate Bridge to Sausilito and got the ferry back. Oh what fun that was. After struggling to keep our balance at first we managed to get the hang of it. However the day didn’t go by without the odd little tiff.
The Science Museum in the Golden Gate Park was also well worth the visit. It had an aquarium, a rain forest area, a planetarium and lots of history about the environment. However it was slightly spoiled by the amount of children who decided to visit on the same day (probably because it was half term and raining) who spent the whole time pressing whatever buttons they could find numerous times. I don’t think they got the whole learning experience thing.

The Earthquake

2010-05-13T14:31:00.001-07:00

Living on the 19th floor is not the best place to be in an emergency. There were two occasions where I felt more than a little bit scared.
The building opposite us was some kind of government building and at noon on a Tues the siren goes off. Now it was loud enough to know that this was some kind of emergency but what? I look down at the people below and everyone seems to be going about their business as usual and not looking too worried. I’m still in my pyjamas (having a lazy day) so I think what should I do? Then the announcement came that it was a tsunami evacuation test. Phew what a relief. I soon realised that they do that every two weeks.
Then one day as I was sitting comfortably in my chair watching TV I felt the building shake and sway a little. Did I imagine it or was that an earthquake? I immediately looked on the internet and it said that it was an earthquake which was 5 on the rictor scale. I think at that moment I knew that wherever we decided to live, it was not going to be in a tower block.

Our Apartment

2010-05-13T14:30:00.000-07:00

Our apartment was on the 19th floor in the financial district. It had a balcony with a beautiful view of the bay and the city. It was small but nicely decorated and it was to be our home for the next six weeks. Now we loved the apartment, mainly because of its location and view but there was a downside. It was so hot in there that we had to have the windows open all of the time. It was situated on a busy street and very noisy. We got used to it so it wasn’t so bad except for the fact that there was a fire station opposite us and they seem to have relentless call outs in the middle of the night. Unlike the UK where there are time restrictions on sirens, there isn’t over here so at 4 O’clock in the morning a fire engine siren is not what you want to hear. Needless to say we didn’t sleep very well in the apartment but that said I do have fond memories of our stay there.

Our Departure from the UK & Arrival in USA

2010-05-13T14:29:00.002-07:00

The day didn’t start off well with Paul’s dad knocking on the bedroom door to tell us that the limo had arrived to take us to the airport. As you can guess, our alarm didn’t go off and as excited as we were neither of us managed to wake up naturally at 5am. So after a rush to get dressed we managed to get on the road quickly after a rushed goodbye with Paul’s mum and dad.
But once we were on the road, the excitement set in to our new life for the next two years. We were also very excited about flying out business class and we were ready to enjoy the whole experience. Although this may seem a trivial thing to appreciate, turning up at Heathrow in a limo, taking us directly to a private check in desk where there were staff waiting to take our bags out of the car and check them in straight away was just the best. Within five minutes we were on our way to the business class lounge ready for a hearty breakfast. We, of course took advantage of the spa and both came prepared with swimming costumes in hand to enjoy the Jacuzzi and sauna, then used every available product to shower and change, feeling all refreshed after our rushed awakening.
So onto the plane and our luxurious pods (as they call them) to experiment with all the gadgets and work out how to fold the seat down into a bed. Very important when you have an 11 hour flight ahead of you. I was slightly disappointed that Paul’s seat was not actually next to mine (note to self if ever flying business class again – the numbers don’t run logically). However I don’t think he was as disappointed as he knew he could get some peace. Got to say, Paul is not the best travelling companion. He tends to sleep a lot.
So in my mind the best thing about travelling business class is the fact that within five minutes of getting on the plane a stewardess hands us a glass of champagne and a menu. Now that’s just heaven. Paul and I thought we would explore to the bar but that didn’t work out so great as it was tiny and we kept getting in the way of the stewardesses so we trotted back to our seats and enjoyed another glass of champagne. I loved the fact that at meal times Paul could come and sit opposite me. So much more civilised.
So after three films and no sleep (I was just too excited) we arrive in San Fran airport. Our stretched limo is waiting for us (I’m really getting used to this first star treatment). We arrive at our temporary apartment in not such a great part of town not being able to find the entrance to drive to so the driver unloads all of 10 bags onto the pavement only to find that we now have to carry them all around the other side of the block, up to the top floor (not so good). Now in the brochure it said that the apartment was modern. It wasn’t. It was like a throw back from the 80’s. The brochure also said that it had a lovely courtyard. That was now being dug up and continuing noisy works were foreseen. Paul immediately said we’re not staying here for six weeks, so he got onto the relocation company to find us alternative accommodation. Luckily we had a very strange but helpful man (Phil) come to see us and drive us to two alternative locations which were much better. So the next day, we lug all of our ten bags down again and go to our new apartment.

Goodbye to our Friends & Family

2010-05-13T14:29:00.001-07:00

Although we knew it would be sad to actually say goodbye to everyone we knew that we have so many good friends who we have known for a long time who would still be there for us in two years. As so many people said, two years is not a long time in the scheme of things and it is so easy to keep in touch with people these days with email and facebook. It also helped that many of our family members and friends were already planning their visits out to us.
Our leaving party turned out to be one of the best nights out we have had in a long time and so many of our friends said the same, mainly because it isn’t often that the whole crowd get together so it was good for everyone to catch up. With all of the organising I had to do it was a relief to know that Shan and Katrina stepped in to organise the party for us (phew). Emma made such an impressive cake which was demolished very quickly by all (yum yum). We got the best leaving present, a digital photo screen, on which we enjoy looking at all our favourite pictures.
Ian Leeson didn’t pass up the opportunity to give a speech but he does it so well. It was quite an emotional moment and I actually cried as it just hit me at that moment that we were leaving all of our friends behind. Needless to say there was lots of hugging involved and I ended up having way too much wine than I had intended but a great night.

Leaving our House

2010-05-13T14:27:00.000-07:00

After the excitement of deciding to come to live in California for two years, applying for our visas, finding new tenants for our house and all of the organising it took the leave the house, the day finally came when we had to move out of our house and move in with Paul’s mum and dad until our departure date.
It was a sad moment, to leave the house that we love with all of our things and most importantly, our neighbours. We have very fond memories of our time in this house so far and all of the gatherings with the neighbours. The bonfires and 5 O’clock beers on a Sunday after a hard day’s work in the garden. I realised how much I will miss that and especially our next door neighbours, Tim & Linda who have become very good friends to both of us. Handing over the keys to the Estate Agent and leaving the house behind for someone else to live in is not an easy thing to do but we were happy in the knowledge that our tenants seem a really nice couple with a young son who are looking forward to making it their family home for the time being.
So off we go with many bags packed to move in with Paul’s mum and dad. Still no visa in hand, as we were waiting for the American Embassy to issue it. Luckily it arrived soon and we could confirm the date to leave as 28th November 2009. I must be honest. I wasn’t looking forward to living with the in laws, only because it is not easy for any of us to live in one house together. Everyone likes their own space. However it all worked out fine. We got along so well and I feel as if we all got to know each other better. We only expected to stay there for a week but it turned out to be two weeks. It did get quite frustrating, waiting for the visa to arrive and know that we were actually going. It had been such a big build up. I’m sure all of our friends were actually glad to see us go by the time we did as the goodbyes were drawn out to the limit.