The Moles in California
Monday, 27 January 2014
Praying for rain
The drought continues - its officially been the driest January on record ever. Everything is very brown. We need some rain. But more importantly there is no snow! Having a skiing trip booked in 2 and half weeks time, its looking worrying. Most of the runs are shut and the fake snow makers are out. We'll be able to ski but the availability of sledding and tubing is looking grim. Everyone is praying for rain - especially the ski shops!
A Californian Christmas
So before we get out of January and career into February and 2 very important birthdays I should update this blog with Christmas time!
Christmas eve was spent watching Sophia be an angel, Hannah be a star and Natalie be a talking Shepard! I almost got into a fight with an old bloke who didn't understand when someone was sitting in a seat he didn't have the right to ask you to leave just because, well because he thought he was more important. I bit my tongue in the spirit of Christmas!
Christmas eve was spent watching Sophia be an angel, Hannah be a star and Natalie be a talking Shepard! I almost got into a fight with an old bloke who didn't understand when someone was sitting in a seat he didn't have the right to ask you to leave just because, well because he thought he was more important. I bit my tongue in the spirit of Christmas!
Christmas day itself was all good fun. The morning was spent playing with toys form Santa. And then off to the Greenes for Christmas dinner, a snow fight and an evening dip in the hot tub!
And that just left the arrival of mum and Rich and a new year full of fun. We went to San Fran and the Exploratarium, ice skating in downtown San Jose and spent a few days in beautiful Bodega Bay. A good start to the New Year
Tuesday, 21 January 2014
The place where we live...
....I took this on my morning run (yes run, you did read that right!!) We might live in the middle of suburbia but when this is 30 seconds from your front door it doesn't seem to matter so much!
18th January - 27C - that is all
So we spent the day on the beach. It could have been summer. Sometimes I really love California!
Monday, 16 December 2013
As 2013 draws to a close.....
....we are all a bit bleary eyed. T and I are having a duvet day. He's managed to bag a day off school due to a 'nasty cough' but hes now quite happily playing on the ipad. Still, its nice to have a bit of down time - life has been fairly manic since we moved. We've all had lots of stuff on, not to mention for me a girly night that somehow managed to last until 3 in the morning last Friday!
I've realised I've not blogged at all about our house move. I suppose because there's not a lot to write about. We moved. That's it!! It was stressful but the knowledge we don't have to do it again for a long time is great. I hate moving. However we are now settled and relatively clear of boxes. We love the house, it felt like home from day one. I shall post pictures (once I have taken some!).
Also realised I have said nothing about my new job. As always with me, why just stick to one job when you can do loads! My art teaching and grocery shopping fell by the wayside, they just didn't fit in with life. I then did a 2 week stint working with special needs kids. The hit me, bit me and kicked me and told me to shut up. It was awful. And then Google came along and saved the day. I am now an Ads Quality Rater. I look at ads related to user intent and suggest whether they are useful or not. Its completely home based and I can work the hours I want. For now, its absolutely perfect. For the future not so much. So I am currently training to be an accountancy clerk (quit laughing please!). The course is run by a mad Russian lady aged 75 - she is a complete loon! I'm not really sure its for me yet (surprise surprise) but all learning is good learning so we'll see. I'm also learning to touch type and do advanced word and excel which can never be a bad thing.
What I really want to do is write, its unfortunate its probably never going to make me any money. I went to Big Sur two weekends ago on a writing workshop. It was fabulous. I got to speak to Agents and Editors and got my work critiqued. In general I got a really positive response from everyone but also tips on what to work on so completely inspiring. I want to start to submit to agents in the New Year so I need to get revising!
As I mentioned before life has been fairly manic with moving, the run up to Christmas, parties, playdates, Nativity rehearsals etc. The kids are in full on excited mode. I went to their parent's evening a couple of weeks ago and came away a very proud mummy indeed. Tommy appears to be wiping the floor with his year older peers. Top groups for everything and his teacher said socially he was amazing too which was so nice to hear. He's ad such a fabulous start, we really couldn't have asked for more. Sophia is doing really well too. Academically great and her teacher said she's really settling in to the class and she's been told off for talking a couple of times. Seems like a crazy thing to be happy about but I am! We went to see them both sing in their holiday program last week. It was brilliant. They sang both English and Mandarin. The school did a great job of putting on a proper show (some very bad photos to follow!) So anyway, all is good in their little lives, as it is all of us.
Ste's best Christmas present came last week at work when he was offered a promotion to Head of department. Its basically the move into management he's been wanting for a while. It means more money, more kudos and more opportunities for the future. I'm really pleased and proud of him, as let's face, he works hard enough. So what with that, and his new electric car (we traded the red jetta for a silver car that plugs into the wall! - it means he will be able to use the car pool lane and therefore save loads of commuting time) I think 2014 is going to be a successful year for him. Hurray :)
So when this duvet day is done we have got presents to buy and wrap, the kids school parties to go to, 3 Christmas meals with various friends to attend/host, to watch Sophia be an angel in the Greenes church Nativity and a host of other Christmas stuff. Spending the day itself with the Greenes in their new place. Can't wait. I'd like to think I'll update this blog before the end of the year but I already know I'm lying to myself so.....see you in 2014!!
I've realised I've not blogged at all about our house move. I suppose because there's not a lot to write about. We moved. That's it!! It was stressful but the knowledge we don't have to do it again for a long time is great. I hate moving. However we are now settled and relatively clear of boxes. We love the house, it felt like home from day one. I shall post pictures (once I have taken some!).
Also realised I have said nothing about my new job. As always with me, why just stick to one job when you can do loads! My art teaching and grocery shopping fell by the wayside, they just didn't fit in with life. I then did a 2 week stint working with special needs kids. The hit me, bit me and kicked me and told me to shut up. It was awful. And then Google came along and saved the day. I am now an Ads Quality Rater. I look at ads related to user intent and suggest whether they are useful or not. Its completely home based and I can work the hours I want. For now, its absolutely perfect. For the future not so much. So I am currently training to be an accountancy clerk (quit laughing please!). The course is run by a mad Russian lady aged 75 - she is a complete loon! I'm not really sure its for me yet (surprise surprise) but all learning is good learning so we'll see. I'm also learning to touch type and do advanced word and excel which can never be a bad thing.
What I really want to do is write, its unfortunate its probably never going to make me any money. I went to Big Sur two weekends ago on a writing workshop. It was fabulous. I got to speak to Agents and Editors and got my work critiqued. In general I got a really positive response from everyone but also tips on what to work on so completely inspiring. I want to start to submit to agents in the New Year so I need to get revising!
As I mentioned before life has been fairly manic with moving, the run up to Christmas, parties, playdates, Nativity rehearsals etc. The kids are in full on excited mode. I went to their parent's evening a couple of weeks ago and came away a very proud mummy indeed. Tommy appears to be wiping the floor with his year older peers. Top groups for everything and his teacher said socially he was amazing too which was so nice to hear. He's ad such a fabulous start, we really couldn't have asked for more. Sophia is doing really well too. Academically great and her teacher said she's really settling in to the class and she's been told off for talking a couple of times. Seems like a crazy thing to be happy about but I am! We went to see them both sing in their holiday program last week. It was brilliant. They sang both English and Mandarin. The school did a great job of putting on a proper show (some very bad photos to follow!) So anyway, all is good in their little lives, as it is all of us.
Ste's best Christmas present came last week at work when he was offered a promotion to Head of department. Its basically the move into management he's been wanting for a while. It means more money, more kudos and more opportunities for the future. I'm really pleased and proud of him, as let's face, he works hard enough. So what with that, and his new electric car (we traded the red jetta for a silver car that plugs into the wall! - it means he will be able to use the car pool lane and therefore save loads of commuting time) I think 2014 is going to be a successful year for him. Hurray :)
So when this duvet day is done we have got presents to buy and wrap, the kids school parties to go to, 3 Christmas meals with various friends to attend/host, to watch Sophia be an angel in the Greenes church Nativity and a host of other Christmas stuff. Spending the day itself with the Greenes in their new place. Can't wait. I'd like to think I'll update this blog before the end of the year but I already know I'm lying to myself so.....see you in 2014!!
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