Oops

Wow, I didn't quite realise it had been so long since I had wrote. 14th February in fact... when I was looking for a job! So much has happened, yet not big enough excitements to write lots of little entries. So a bulletpoint type of post I think!

• I finally got a job and started on 2nd March- it's part time in a shop, the colleagues I work with a great, I know however it will be temporary as they won't be able to keep my job open when I go back to the Uk for 5 weeks later in the year.
• I have booked a trip back to the UK, I am looking forward to seeing all my family and friends in both Worthing and Eastleigh/Southampton areas as well as some penpals and other friends around the country. I also get to go to two weddings while there and have my birthday in the UK for the first time since 2009 (last year I was here in San Diego and in 2010 I was in Australia in a camper van).
• We went to Hawaii from 21st-26th September, I may possibly post some pictures in a separate entry at some point. We got to visit Maui and spend time in Waikiki. Also went to the wedding of two friends with three other friends. Perhaps I will also do a whole entry about Hawaii separately.
• We went to the Brit meet at the beginning of March and the one at the beginning of April. We also intend to go to the one this Friday.
• We have met another couple through the hubby's work and a couple through the British Expat Forum, both of which happened during April. I am now in the process of introducing all friends to each other so that it's a big group of people we see regularly or at least regularish.
• Had a meal on Easter Sunday in Hillcrest, it was at our friends' house and a few other friends were there. They cooked a lovely Greek meal which included roast lamb. Delicious! Lamb is much harder to find here and when you do find it, it is quite pricey (in comparison to the UK).
• We had two couples round the 2nd week in April for drinks, food, conversation and board games. The plan had been to have a BBQ but it was pouring with rain all day and evening.
• 20th it was drinks with the couple that we most recently met through hubby's work. We met them at a place called Union in Encinitas, which it seems is a cougar bar. Oh and prior to meeting them we had dinner at Five Guys.
• On 23rd I was contacted by the lady from the couple we met through the British Expat forum so on the Friday 27th we went for a lovely Indian meal at a new place called Bawarchi Express. Hubby had made reservations thinking it was a proper restaurant (I admit I told him to) but it was actually a cafe style place! No alcohol... but we did manage to go for a beer afterwards at TGI Fridays.
• We went to a party on Saturday, it was a surprise party so hubby and I arrived early and hubby took the man of the couple out for drinks so he would not be aware of people arriving. They didnt get back til about half 8- an hour after most people had turned up. I had also invited some people along (3 couples) to start the introduction process between friends. Didn't get home to bed til 1am, and had to be up at 6am for work in the morning. It was a good night.
• I had a meeting at work on Sunday from 7am-10am followed by a shift til 3pm, I was exhausted by the evening!
• I feel much more settled here, working 20-30 hours a week does mean that I take more time to get to reply to emails and inbox messages I receive and has also meant that I have less to blog about and less time to blog. In fact, it's not just blogging that I haven't done since Mid Feb... Yelp has taken a back burner too. It takes a while to get used to the change in routine. I wouldn't say it feels like home yet, but I feel like I have a routine lifestyle and yearn less for home. Also I feel like I know the processes.
• I dont feel entirely comfortable with mentioning people by names or showing pictures of people given that this is a public blog! So seeing as most things we do now revolves around seeing people it makes it difficult to write blogs. But now that I have written this entry and broken the writer's block I now have ideas for two more entries and perhaps will even get back to doing differences.

That is all for now... I shall return (much sooner) with another entry...

February 1st-9th.

So, its already the 9th January. I mean February- though I have to admit that I am really confused about what month it is so excuse me if I suddenly turnaround and call it August. It could be any month what with this constant same weather! hah!

I thought I was getting somewhere with getting caught up, but of course that is up to the end of January! Time is still ticking onwards and we are still doing other stuff to talk about.

So first off beginning of February (1st in fact) I went to the San Diego Safari park with a friend. The Safari park is up in Escondido which is closer than the main zoo but we had never been for some reason. I know me and hubby didnt go when we came away on holiday in 2009 and 2010 because it seemed expensive and we only had limited time each time.

Well, the safari park has a parking fee- $7 or $10 if you arent an annual member, a bit steep really and unusual given that the main zoo which is in the park in Downtown is free parking. The Safari park is much smaller than the main zoo, however I really liked that the animals were free to roam. There are many options for the safari, only one of which is included on the annual membership so we went with that one and it was fine.

Really enjoyed it there so need to drag hubby back at some point in the near future.

Friday 3rd we picked up our Scottish friends and headed down to the Shakespeare pub, those who have been reading previously will remember that there is a Brit Meet up group there once a month and we had not been since November so decided it was time. We got to see quite a few of the same people that were there before and met some new people too, including someone who was born in the same hospital as me- yes it was around 3 years later, but still? Dont expect to move thousands of miles away from home only to meet people who lived pretty close.

Saturday hubby and I decided to have a bit of a staycation. First stop was the Flying Leatherneck Aviation museum, a place where my brother and dad had been when they were over, this is based in a military base in San Diego. The museum is not huge but it is free and worth giving a go. We did of course give them a donation.

Next up we headed to Little Italy for a wander- hubby had never been but I went with my Scottish friend so he was wanting to see it for himself. We had a wander around and then headed to Landini's for pizza. I had wanted to try somewhere else but as I had been there before hubby wanted to go!

We decided after that to wander around Seaport Village, Embarcadero park, along the harbour past the USS Midway and the Maritime Museum and then back to Seaport Village. We need to at some point go to both the USS Midway and the Maritime Museum. There is seriously so much to do in San Diego and the area!

 We still had a couple of hours til we had to meet our friends for dinner, so decided to check out Shelter and Harbor Island. Not many pictures taken there.

Lastly we headed to Mission Bay park and Mission beach to watch the sunset.

We headed onto Hillcrest after that for dinner with our friends- the place we ate at was Hash House a go go we have been informed that this place is mega busy for breakfast but at dinner time it was relaxed. The food was good. Some of the portions were huge where as what we shared was a reasonable size!

After dinner it was a quick walk around Hillcrest before an early night.

Sunday was a quiet day which consisted of food shopping, driving practice, girl scout cookies and SuperBowl. To be fair it was needed after the hectic weekend and the busy Monday which was planned.

I had two interviews on Monday- one I got offered the job (but have declined because the hours are just crazy) the other I was not offered because I wasnt prepared to work weekend evenings.

Tuesday I had a phone interview- same problem as the second interview in that I wouldnt work weekend evenings- well, I want to spend time with hubby at some point you know?

I have another phone interview today, after having applied for 24 companies up to next week this week has been time off from applications. The forms are dull.

Thats all for now.... back with another update soon...

Hillcrest, Public Transport & Thanksgiving

I have been a busy bee indeed. Hence the need to split the last week up into a few entries! Madness!
So, I last left off that I was about to try out the bus service and head to Hillcrest.

Well, I packed my bag with a book and my Ipod so that I could block out any weirdos should there be the case that there were some on the bus and walked to the bus stop via the garage as I needed a drink. Whilst walking past Carl's Jr a car pulls up, the guy rolls down the window and is asking me something. I cannot hear him, I have my headphones in.

I finally (after taking out said headphones) discover that he is looking for Chipotle, I gave the directions (I realised soon after that there was a quicker route) and explain that it is not yet open. He seemed aware it was not yet open. I am guessing he was a contractor. At the end of the conversation he asks if I am from England. I confirm this to be the case. This may not seem a major thing, but obviously I look confident to know where I am and to be able to give directions. I see this as a good sign. I must be looking like I live here.

Arrived at the bus stop with half hour to spare. This is my usual style. Never late (unless with M), never on time, always early. It was fine though. The sun was shining and the sun was hot. I had music to listen to and could just enjoy the sunshine.

This was taken from the bus stop- hard to believe it is November here.

So the bus arrives, I ask for a ticket with transfers. The bus driver has no clue what I have said. In my whole feeling chuffed that someone has trusted me to give directions I have forgotten to speak slow. I speak fast, very fast. I can understand why he didnt actually understand me. I slowed it down and he explained that I needed an all day pass!

Most of the seats had one person in already, there goes my chance of sitting next to a window. A guy gives me a freaky looking smile. I decide that perhaps it would be best NOT to sit next to him. I feel he may have been someone who would have wanted to talk. Instead I sat next to a guy who didnt even look in my direction. I like to travel in silences whilst travelling on public transport.

The journey to the Fashion Valley Mall (where I need to get off and join another bus) takes an hour. Many people get on, many people get off. We travel through many different neighbourhoods. Whilst I listen to my Ipod the whole journey I dont actually take my book out of my bag. I am too interested in looking at all the sights out of the window and on seeing the different characters getting on and off the bus.

We arrive at the Fashion Valley mall. The bus I need to take from there to Hillcrest goes from the bus stop right next to the one I have arrived at. It arrives on time and takes less than 10 minutes to arrive at my destination.

Despite people saying that the public transport was filled with crazies my experience was fine. I knew it would be. I have travelled on a train on my own from Milwaukee to Chicago and another from there to New York which took 26 hours (the majority of which I spent in the cart where there was food and drink being served), travelled by plane to and from the USA on my own, have travelled on the London underground alone, trains all around the UK alone and buses too. I am comfortable with travel. I love travelling alone, it is about the only time when I can truly relax in my own thoughts (whilst keeping my wits about me).

I walk down to meet my friend, we are stood outside Empire House talking for a few moments, we decide to go and have lunch. We decide to sit in the garden area. After a burger and fries/chips for her and a Cuban Sandwich with fries/chips for me washed down with two Margaritas each we decide to explore some. Of course she had seen many of the stores before but I had not so for me it was a real exploration. As well as travelling (and eating and drinking) exploring and sightseeing are things that I love.

We look in thrift stores, book stores and quirky little stores. My favourite kind of stores. Nothing better than finding places with unique items. I headed back to her place for a short while so I can meet her dog. Her dog seemed to take a shine to me right away. I was indeed shocked by just how high she could jump. It seems also that after I had gone she was whining for me.

Some pictures around Hillcrest:

I took the bus around quarter to 5 back to the Fashion Valley Mall. Again no scary characters. The bus driver was talking of someone threatening suicide on a bridge on 30th street or somewhere. I have no clue where he was referring to. Whilst I seem to be getting to grips with the general geography I am in no way an expert.

So I arrive at the mall, I have agreed to meet hubby there, this was due to some bus issues. If I wanted to travel at THAT time of day back home I had to get a bus into downtown and then travel from there upwards. It seemed like a real hassle which I was not quite ready to do on my first trial!

He was late, the traffic was quite heavy. It was fine, I sat outside the Apple store catching up with text messages. When he arrived we bought some smellies for the apartment from Bath and BodyWorks and had dinner in Sbarro. We first discovered Sbarro when we were in Las Vegas, at the time we couldnt stop getting it. We were hooked! We even had it on our trips which followed so I was really looking forward to it. Of course in reality it was a big disappointment!

Photos from the Mall:

I dont have anything to say about Wednesday. There was little of interest to report on.

Thursday was Thanksgiving. I woke up at half 6, of course I left hubby sleeping and went into the lounge. He got up around 9. I had just finished watching the McDonald's Thanksgiving Parade in Chicago and was about to watch the Macy's Thanskgiving Parade. I watched that and the National Dog show then we headed out for brunch.

Yes, we had a huge meal to attend in the evening but we knew we couldn't possibly go without eating for another 7 hours. We went to Denny's which had always been a favourite place to eat Breakfast. Firstly breakfast is available 24 hours, secondly it's inexpensive and thirdly the portions are huge. Got to admit it was average at best. Meh.

The afternoon was spent doing a lot of nothing. We headed off at 7 to go for dinner with our friends. There was 6 of us there for dinner, conversation was flowing as were the drinks though some would deny any knowledge of alcohol being involved. The menu was as follows:

Aged gouda, bleu cheese, fontina, aged cheddar, fruit, baguette (I didn't have any of this as I was saving myself for the Turkey dinner)
Brined roast turkey
Herb cornbread stuffing
... Mashed potatoes and gravy
Chilled asparagus with vinaigrette, asparagus coulis, and eggs mimosa
Sauteed thyme carrots
Whipped sweet potatoes with bananas and pecan crumble
Bourbon and chocolate pecan pie
Lemon cheesecake with berries and whipped cream

We played Monopoly, the game seemed to be neverending. We played as three teams. Hubby put all our eggs in one basket and we were surviving for some time with just Park Lane and Mayfair (yes, there we were playing the UK version!) however we got wiped out. The other two teams decided at that time to just declare it a draw. It was 1.30am by this time!

It was such a fantastic evening, amazing meal, awesome host, lovely people and such a fun time!

I shall continue the weekend next entry...