We got back a couple of days ago following a wonderful time in Waikiki.  It was not at all what we expected – we expected a Blackpool type setup from what people had told us – we got nothing like it – i.e. 4 Louis Vuitton stores in Waikiki – one in the hotel in which we stayed!!!

Elly and Olly LOVED the beach, and swam in the Ocean every day – we actually couldn’t get Elly to come in each day 🙂

We are already looking to get a holiday into Maui now – be a bit less shopping type – i.e. there are just store after store of designer stores.  You name it, it is there.  Maui, will be much more green and more fun for Elliot and Oliver.  We are considering going there in November – what do you think? Grandma and Granddad to see the city (they missed it last time they were here) in all its glory.  Typically it was very cold in the city today, so we ended up buying some fleeces etc to keep warm.  Then at the end of the day, we (Vicky, Simon, Elly and Olly) ended up walking back to Fisherman’s Wharf from Union Square.  That’s the second time we have done that – and the LAST !!!!

Any future visitors can do the trolley ride SOLO 🙂

Beach @ Santa Cruz tomorrow 🙂

Even though the flight was almost 2 and a half hours late in leaving New York, it was only 45 minutes late into San Francisco, so Simon nearly wasn’t at the airport in time 🙁

All are safely back and the boys are up playing with Thomas trains, and Mummy and Grandma and Granddad are still sleeping.

Olly has been awake since 5am and Elly awoke at 6:30am.  They are going to be tired later on I guess.

Then, it is not all bad, since we are going to be going to Hawai tomorrow and they are 3 more timezones to the left !!! Hence the body clocks will be reset again tomorrow night 🙂

Great to be back together again !!! 🙂

Vicky and the boys and Grandma and Granddad are presently sat on a flight somewhere over Illinois on their way to San Francisco.  It is going to be a very long day as each flight has been delayed – the first by 40 minutes and the second by almost 2 hours 🙁

Olly has apparently had a high temperature (39 degrees) on the Manchester to New York leg and the seating arrangements have not been ideal.  It probably won’t go down as the best flight ever, but in 3 hours time it will feel like it when we are all together again :-).

Simon has managed to get both cars at the airport ready for collection duty even though V probably won’t really feel up to driving back home after the long day that they have endured.  The good news is that there is a nice bottle of Californian Cabernet sat airing on the breakfast bar at home 🙂

Simon has been busy washing, ironing and generally cleaning the house in preparation for the arriving family, although we only have 36 hours there as we are jetting off to Hawaii – NICE.

Simon has managed to get out on the bike tonight – 12 miles in 50 minutes – not bad for an unfit, fat git 🙂  Didn’t quite manage to get all the way to the reservoir though – he is OK until the hills appear 🙁

A nice Filet on the grill tonight – even managed to have salad that was picked up from Trader Joe’s 🙂

Simon was driving up to a hotel near the airport at San Francisco today, when a damned mud flap from a truck fell off……yes that’s right readers, and STRUCK the front of the date car !! 🙁

Thankfully the damage was cosmetic, and so with a little persuasion, the front bumper is now pulled back into shape and the marks that were left behind have come off cleanly.  The cleaning process did point out that there is a stone chip (unrelated incident) on the front bumper (other side of car to the mud flap) 🙁

Hoping somewhat that there is NO damage under the car – it bumped all the way back until it came out the back 🙁

Simon is really missing the boys and Vicky – can’t wait until next Monday evening…. See you soon guys – all my love xxx oooo

Simon has spent three nights alone in the white house and is finding it really strange.  He went out cycling on Sunday and did about 13 miles around the area, and will need to get out doing this more frequently as he definitely felt good for having done it.

Not sure how easy this will be when the family get back here though….

The countdown to Hawaii is now on – in just over 7 days we will be flying out there 🙂  Even better news – in just over 6 days, the family will be back together again 🙂 YAY!!

Simon is liking the new office location – only takes 15 minutes each way to get to and from the place now 🙂  Travelled as the peak of rush hour last night and there was little additional traffic causing the journey to be a little over 20 mins – ace 🙂

Roll on the 9th….