As I am sat here watching the Australian Open I do wonder where December has and January is disappearing too.
Its been a busy old time and as per usual the yanks have kept me very entertained.
Churchs here give a new meaning to social networking. I hadn’t realised how much ‘socialising’ and ‘friendships’ stem from your church, where it is, who goes etc.
Let me explain before I offend. The church you go to doesn’t depend on your religion or your beliefs. People tour churchs like shops to find the right one for them. By ‘right’ the church must meet the ‘social’ level for where they feel they are/should be/want to be. In other areas it will also be mostly based on your political leanings – here that isn’t an issue, we are in the republican stronghold of California. ALOT of social networking is centred here so if you get into the wrong church or it doesn’t meet your expectations you move on to another.
Dentists here are brilliant with Children. Ciara’s is decked out like an open plan pirates ship, with stickers, TVs above every dentist table playing cartoons, a booty bag and prize chest for the way out. The children can do no wrong and I get the ..’you need to be a better mother..’ look when we are talking about Ciara thumb sucking....how on earth can I have let her get to the age of 3 ½ and still be sucking her thumb. Oh and of course this is going to mean she will definitely need a brace....they can tell these things already....apparently!! Call me a sceptic but every Brit (man, woman and child) who has been to a dentist around here has been told unequivocally they need a brace before their jaw drops out..!!! Luckily they are cheap...$4000 (thats the excess after your insurance has kicked in!)
I have nothing against straight teeth but some of the ‘perfect’ women I see really could do with a bit of character, even if its just from crooked teeth. Others have such big white sparkly teeth they bring to mind horses mouths and that old advert where there was a star like sparkle on the windows (Was it windolene?). Dazzling but not in an attractive way.
My appointment is a week Thursday, I am intrigued to see how I get on, I expect much mirth and constant use of the word NO!
I hinted at being ‘ejected’ from a an establishment before Christmas. I will set the scene – 14 ex-pat ladies, all having a glass of wine after Thanksgiving. At least half with hangovers due to said Thanksgiving, so the wine wasn’t flowing down. We were one of 3 tables in this kind of upmarket but new wine bar. We should probably have seen it coming when the 25 year old manager asked us if we were being ‘responsible’ drinkers aka who was driving!! After I stood up and (genuinely) tripped over the bottom of my jeans we were told we could have no more wine because we were ‘drunkards’!!
Apparently and I quote, ‘12 bottles of wine amongst 14 women is an unacceptable amount – you are drunkards’!!
We had been there 3 hours......and as we are all quiet retiring types, it all kind of kicked off from there and the rest is history!
What is Thanksgiving? Having been through one I now know it is a time for family and effectively a warm up for Christmas, without the wrapping paper.
Since I last wrote the family Satchwell and uncle Kevin have been to visit. We took them skiing in Squaw valley which was brilliant. All the girls had lessons and excelled. Matt was given a ‘bar bible’ and everything he would ever need to make any cocktail by the ‘assassin’ himself! Our lucky visitors got to be guineapigs on New Years eve and just about survived Matts first martini efforts. The Satchwell girls were brilliant with the Bates monkeys...I can see Charlotte making great money as a babysitter in the not too distant future. The Satchwells handy hints and feedback have been noted for future visitors....more beer wasn’t one of them!
This weekend we took a drive down highway 1. We started just south of half moon bay (south west of SF bay) and drove towards Santa Cruz. Stopping on the way to walk beaches, enjoy the views and generally chill.
Beautiful weather, fantastic waves and just amazing beaches – with good surf. A lovely lovely day topped off with fish and chips.
I am counting the days till I land in blighty. A curry and some face to face talking is what I am looking forward to. Mrs S being here reminded me how much I miss girl talk.
Skype helps me keep in contact but its isn’t quite the same with the time delay and microphone issues.
I cant imagine I will be in contact before I land back here again (28th Feb).....did I mention we are heading to Capetown for a friend’s wedding after ‘dropping the kids off with grandma and grandpa...’?
One of these days this holiday will end.....but till then I will carry on annoying you all.
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