Living in California

Rain, ice hockey and beer

And farewell to the last of my scheduled visitors for this year. Karen, Lee and Sean had a busy if wet time. We have been having a tad of inclement weather....and being washed out of Yosemite on 2nd May is apparently unheard of. Luckily we had had a few beers (of the microbrewery ilk) the evening before in a traditional saloon with dollar bills hanging from the roof and an element of the surreal when my babysitter walked in.....with 2 Irish chaps from Dublin.

Did I mention the weather? Its like being at home except the rain hasn't been as bad and the locals complain more. ALOT more. By the 10th April it was the wettest April in 12 years. The rain continued through April....sporadically.....Karen and Lee still went back with a tan. I am waiting to see if the water company is trying to declare a drought again this year. :-)

On the sports front, San Jose Sharks (local ice hockey team) are through to the finals.....I get confused because they won the league, then they have play offs, that is quarterfinals, semifinals and finals to the playoffs...where every stage is the best of 7 games.....money, money, money!!

Thoughts/concerns....

Ciara is talking very loudly when she wants something - I am wondering if this is part of becoming a yank or just a growing up stage.....?

What to do with Tom who just wants to push/hit kids with plastic bottles/barbie dolls/blocks/balls?

My ability to do push ups has disappeared since I mentioned it....note to self, don't jinx yourself again

What to do with the kids when I bugger off to New jersey for a wedding in a couple of weeks.

Can I detox and still drink wine? 

and lastly....did I really volunteer to drive for a ladies night next thursday?!?!?!?

Mothers, wine and selling

Ciara handed me my mothers day card yesterday. Nursery (pre-school) had helped her make it but they assured me the answers to the questions written inside were Ciaras. :)

How old is your 'mom'  21 (Top of the class me thinks)

what does your mum do while you're at school? go to the gym with Tom (might need to work on this one!)

How much do you love her?  I love her very much (made me cry)

I have been drunk twice this week.....my sister turned up pregnant - very inconsiderate of her, so she sat with me, holding a small half glass of wine, so I wasn't drinking alone. :-) The second time was at a jewellery party round the corner last night. I was a woman on a mission. 

Alot of the women here either hold or 'run' parties in houses. Anything from makeup (Mary-Kay), household good (Southern Living), to jewelry (Stella and Dot), lotions and potions (Arbonne), Pampered chef evenings and  more enterprising ladies who have clothes wholesalers come to their houses to sell jean (7, hudson, true religion et al), juicy couture in their homes. The selling culture here is stronger. In that it is almost expected for your 'friends' to sell to you. I was literally cornered in the gym changing rooms by a lass telling me she wanted to talk to me about england...oh and before we have a coffee next week why don't you try these creams/lotions and potions? She saw nothing wrong with approaching me whilst i was half undressed and sweating to take advantage of my british naiiviety and politeness.

Back to the jewelry party - Karen (the inconsiderate one) turned up, said hello, smelt the wine and made a sharp exit stage right. I found her with her head between her legs looking a bit peaky on the front doorstep. After escorting her home, I went back to restart my mission. I was drinking for two of us. Luckily Naomi (Scottish hostess) had provided blue smelly cheese, home made truffles and millionaires shortbread...oh and lovely wine. 

Today I am wondering why I don't feel worse and if I can do it all again Saturday evening in Yosemite. :)

Just vacuuming the car to remove all food items...raisins etc to reduce the chance of a bear opening our car like a tin of sardines whilst we are there.  

FUCK OFF YOU PRICKS

.....isnt the expression you would expect to hear from my hubby. But this very phrase silenced a beach of 200+ people in Capitola (2 miles from Santa Cruz) last weekend.

We arent sure if it was the decibel level, the lack of understanding of the word prick or the very English way Matt expressed himself.....

I shall set the scene....a beautiful small beach, rolling waves, 2 children playing in the sand.

Enter 40 college kids and a made up game whose origin appeared to be between bulldog/rugby and American football.

No rules, minimal room and way too much testosterone...even from the gals.

As the eegit with the ball ran across one couple and around us, several others were lining up for the tackle....then the ball carrier stepped over Tom playing in the sand.....

The silence which descended after matts ‘expression of disgust’ was deafening. The dawning of what could have happened reduced the party to apologies and embarrassment.

We were the focal point of discussion and looks for the next 30 minutes and I tried really hard not to chuckle. (an adrenalin reaction me thinks J )

The brits made an impression with our traditional diplomacy lacking....maybe Blair should have used the same approach with Bush. J

And I am back....

Today I met a lovely lass who works from home for tea (British obviously). The tea was in a pot and served in china cups. Granny Donegan would have approved. Hannah and her hubby live in the foothills of Diablo mountain. BEAUTIFUL.

Although having been here 10 years it was interesting that we had several similar views on the americans in this area. And I now can qualify it does seem to be centred on this area. A bit like going to Henley or Chelsea maybe? We both chuckled at the number of 'space hopper' ladies and their unmoving faces or perfectly formed noses. The hugeness of the houses and the high % of 'nice' cars around. Hannah lived in Lafayette (near Berkley) before here. Folk there tend to be more grounded, less materialistic and more 'real'. Does that sound as cliched as I think it does? :-)

Just to mention another lass I spoke to today on Skype....

Sarah, working from home really shouldn't stop you from wearing a bra?!?!? :-) With your assets love its not fair on those that were near the back of the queue. Thanks for the chat, get Sue to sort your fringe out and COME ON BARROW for next weekend!!!