A return to Old Blighty

a mix of sadness and excitement is always how I feel when leaving California. I am sad to leave this wonderful state with all its wonderful people, sceneries, landscapes, food and attractions but soooo happy to be going home to my boys - a pain in the but they maybe but they are also the loves of my life!

Alan managed to get a seat upstairs on a 747. I've never done that before - OK so it wasnt Upper Class but it was just behind so as much leg room as you could need and what a view down to the runway!!

........then came the complete and utter shock. I've been recalled to the breast clinic for further investigation after a routine X-Ray. To say I'm terrified is the understatement.

I'm never going to drink again!!

Went to one of the nicest places I've ever been to - Sonoma, North California. Forget it's more well known sister Napa, Sonoma is a beautiful little American town surounded by some of the best wineries and vineyards I've had the pleasure to taste at.


We re-visited Cline. One of the first wineries we went to ten years ago, then only the Gloria Ferrer Cellars, then the amazing Nicholson Vineyard which I can totally recommend - good wine, lovely villa and really nice people - then onto Sonoma for lunch and a glass of Cline Merlot - hic!

The problem is that after sampling over 20 wines, a glass of Rose Brut Sparkling wine from Gloria Ferrer Cellars and a very rich meal at The Girl and the Fig I feel awful......I dont think I'll ever eat or drink again :)

A city that is wihtout a doubt the craziest I've ever been to - San Francisco!

What a city! Total and complete and utter madness. Tramps galore, business people, gay people, tourists and many cultures cram into this wonderful, loud city of weirdos!!

Sadly it was awful weather, in fact I could have stayed at home for this kind of weather. We left the ferry terminal at Tiburon in gorgeous morning sunshine and entered a city of low cloud, fog, strong winds and dullness - why did I leave the UK!!! The city however makes up for all that. Its just so loud, so weird and so over the top that you forget about the weather.

We shopped forever then got the cab back to the ferry terminal on pier 41 - back to sanity - Tiburon and sat by the pool for a couple of hours.

Maddest point of the day was without a doubt the queue for the iPhone4 - two plus blocks! I will be patient and wait...until I'm home :)

Hearst Castle - the ultimate folly!

William Randolph Hearst built this folly, five miles up a hill in 1922 - just before the famous crash of '29. The collection of furniture, art works, building and even imported ceilings and fireplaces from as far ago as the 12th century are truly a sight to behold. This isn't so much history but an art collection of history and one man's over extravagant attempt to create heaven in California! He lost everything when the crash came and money ran out - thankfully the state now own this amazing place so that everyone can see it.

Menege et Trois

Today we are a little tired so we filed down to Main Place Shopping Mall for a bit of retail therapy. Then onto the Block for lunch and then back to the hotel to sit by the pool, catch up on my book and then meet up with Suzette - the bar manager at the Red Lion hotel.

Suzette recommended a wine called Menage et Trois - which funnily enough is one recommended by Nik who lives in Arizona so it must be doing the rounds of popular wine!!

A Day Trip to San Diego!

Luckily in Anaheim you are in near enough the beaches to go for a day trip out. So we went to one of our favourite places - San Diego!

Firstly, the San Diego Zoo most famous for it's conservation work with Panda's and Rhino's. We didnt see any rhino's today but we saw three pandas - one only a baby! Soooooo cute!

The onto Seaport Village in the town for lunch and some shopping.....what a lovely place!

Move over kids, Here I come!!

So it's off to Disneyland again. It was a lovely hot day, not too many people in the early part of the day and we'd done most of the good rides by lunchtime!! Although I had to do the water ride on my own - you're a girl Alan!! It was awesome, I love vertical water drops!!
It was the final of the NBA Championships so we naively thought the evening would be quiet as it was between the Boston Celtics and the LA Lakers but no such luck, it was nice to see Disneyland in the night time but it was heaving......so we went to Downtown Disney and had dinner in The Rainforest Cafe.

Take me out to the ball game....

A wonderful game against the Brewers ending in a 5-1 victory to the Angels!!! Although the great Matsui didnt have a very good game, a new boy Kevin Frandsen hit a wonderful home run in the opening few minutes!

We had to move half way through though - despite the day starting off very cloudy it ended up VERY hot!

California here I come!

We had a very comfortable flight into LAX. Staying at the Red Lion in Anaheim as its now called - a hotel I've been frequenting since 1996!!!

The decor's changed, the beds are far more comfortable and the outside looks completely different - the downside is Pickfords Bar is no more.......there is a bar by the pool but absolutely no atmosphere and very small....we may have to find another 'local'!

A very hot day at Southern Counties!

I had a wonderful day at Newbury. Not only did Brodie behave himself (ish), he sat patiently on the bench without howling but most importantly he showed like a pro - he was a complete and utter pleasure to show! We came 2nd in junior and 3rd in yearling - not bad when you consider the others were days off 18 months and he is only 12 months old.

Bath Champ Show - Aptly named for a show that is always WET!!

Brodie's third Championship show and the weather was awful! So I decided to just go along, do my bit and come home. Brodie came a very respectable 2nd after the very famous Lourdace Navigator (who is not only 6 months older than Brodie but won his JW today) but far more for me than that was that he was actually a pleasure to show and stood very well but even better he moved with all four legs on the ground for most of the time!! This was the true victory for me - I am now beginning to think I have a winner here....but definitely a late developer!!!