Thanksgiving

Hi Everyone and happy Thanksgiving.

I'm a true American now and I went all out for thanksgiving. Thought I'd let the kids have a taste of America. I was a bit scared of pre packaged things, after many bad experiences and ended up quite enjoying making stuffing, pumpkin pie (even the pastry), cranberry sauce and other things from scratch. I'm very proud of myself! The turkey was massive. The drumsticks were nearly the size of a whole chicken - check it out...

And in the forground is our veritable mountain of turkey. Turns out thanksgiving is about the help that the Indians gave the pilgrims with food, because they were all dying of starvation. Which is lovely, but I can't help thinking about how the pilgrims then went and stole all their land and waged war on the Indians. I wonder what the Indians think of thanksgiving day. Anyway, we enjoyed it.

We went to Knotts Berry Farm on Monday, which is another HUGE amusement park. There were some killer rollercoasters there. One of them left a massive bruise on my arm where I had braced myself against the side of the wagon. This is a photo I pulled of the internet because none of mine worked out.

It was totally rough, and bumped around all over the place and went at 55 miles per hour in some places, which is 88 km per hour. It was so shocking to the system that my brain froze and I couldn't even think to be scared. We went on a bunch of other rides, paid $70 US for a very dodgy lunch and that was about it.

The Le Brea tar pits were something totally different, however. Smack bang in the middle of LA are these tar pits. Huge black masses of ashphalt , suplhur bubbling up to the top like wind in the bath. It was in this ashphalt that wooly mammoths, sabre tooth cats, dire wolfs, bears and American lions found themselves stuck more than 40,000 years ago. The tar preserved the bones, and there was a huge museum stocked with the rebuilt animals. Very fascinating. The most amazing thing was all this tar seeping out of the ground. I forgot to bring my camera, I got these photos off the net aswell (I'm beginning to think I don't need my camera, I'll just get all my photo keepsakes of the net).
There was a huge lake of tar, and then there were places where it just bubbled up from the ground...
A homeschool family told me that theres quite a lot of it in LA, and that sometimes after going to the beach they would come home with tar stuck to the bottom of their feet.

Anyway, we're out of here (Hunting Beach in LA) on Saturday the 6th and then we're off to San Francisco. Paul has to go to Texas in between, so I though I'd take the kids for a trip to Yosemite national PArk.

Cheers, From Nicole

Pirates and Indians

Hello everyone,

We've haven't really done much lately. The kids and me are a bit tired. I'm going to start taking my iron supplements again. Hopefully then I'll wake feeling like I want to wake up.

We went to an Indian Museum last week. It had a small indoor area with relics from when Indians were living in the area, and explantions about what things were. There was stuff going back as far as 1500BC! We read about their diet, (laregly animals and acorns) and I really wondered how it was they weren't all suffering from nutrient deficiencies! Why am I? Anyway, there was some fantastic basket work including a tight fighting basket cap that a lady indian mannequin was wearing. I thought it looked pretty cool, I'd wear it.

Then there was a huge outdoor area with indian huts, massive old oak tree groves, a games arena, caves with Indian Paintings (we didn't make it to these, but plan to go again), and huge flat rocks where the Indian ladies had left holes from where they'd been grounding acorns for flour. So the kids had ball pretending to be Indians. They ground acorns, had taste aswell - very bitter - ground face paint, painted themselves, and then we decided that we'd like to live this way. Well, I decided that a long time ago, but haven't really done anything about it, and then I had to explain to the kids why we couldn't live like that. Though I'm not sure I really convinced myself or them! Dreams of living self sufficiently rose to the surface.

It was on this day that I needed to pick Mum up from her tour to the grand canyon. I passed the pickup point on my way to the Indian Museum, and timed that it was only 40 minutes away. However, on my return, at only 3:15 in the afternoon the traffic had picked up remarkably! So I thought I'd be smart and take a shortcut. I passed a sign saying Mullholland Drive, it clearly wasn't the famous part, we'd been on that, but I did remember reading somewhere that it extended all the way to the coast, so I thought it would pop out way further up the freeway, where I'd been on it before. So off I went. Next thing I'm on a dirt road - still Mullholland - and then there was a gate into a state park blocking my way! So I dug out my map, which was extremely low on detail, and found that without the gate, it would indeed have been quite a short cut. But there was no helping now. I was meant to be meeting Mum at this point! I'd already made a major detour from my original route, so I ended up taking a cross mountain route that then led me through Santa Monica, Mailbu, and Venice Beach. I ended up being a dramatic 2 1/2 hours late to get Mum. My Mobile was out of batteries too, so I couldn't let her know or anything. It was all extremely stressful. Poor Mum.

Anway, she stayed the next day and then had to go out to the airport to fly away to Hawaii. It was a bit sad saying goodbye, sort of like the last vestige of my life in Australia for a long time. When we drove out to the airport there was smoke everywhere! There were huge fires on this day, and the sun was totally red from all the smoke. Many houses were burnt down, but we were a long way from the danger. It did, however, make the comparisons between fires in Ferny Creek and fires in California seem very overstretched. These fires were each larger than 600 acres, and apparently fires such as these rage every year, often more. It was very eerie with all that smoke.

On Sunday we took the kids sailing. They had a great time learning about steering with the rudder and which heading you need to take into the wind to make the boat go at its fastest. We saw a huge big old wooden ship, which was firing cannons. THe guy at the boat hire place told us that there a few of them around, and that sometimes the go out together and hold mock battles. There must be quite a few rich eccentrics around here. We decided that it was a pirate ship though - more fun for the kids.

We also saw some dolphins, which was quite surprising. I've never seen dolphins in the wild before. The kids had a great time nad there wasn't a sign of sea sickness, and thats fantastic because it means a long sailing trip really is a possibility, as we've been dreaming for a while.

Anyway, thats about it. Tomorrow we're going to the la brea tar pits, where prehistoric animals were preserved for thousands of years. So that'll be in my next post. Also, if people would email more that'd be so nice, I'm starting to feel a little home sick.

Cheers, from Nic

Huntington Gardens

Hello.

Very aggravating day today. Because of this gated community, we can't get mail delivered to this address - theres some complicated mail system happening here, and we're not part of it. Anyway, to register our car I need a mailing address in california. So I went to get a post office box, but I can't because I need a physical mailing address in the US to be able to get one. Grrrrr. So we can't get mail here. At all. I'll have to really get friendly with some of the Mums at home school group and see if I can get them to help me get a mailbox. Anyway...

Mum has gone now, shes on a tour of the Grand Canyon. We had a really quiet day and I decided I'd get the vacuum cleaner out for the first time. (The place was tsartinf to look really grotty with out Ptuni to clean up after us and with carpet under the dining table). It was a big heavy beast of thing (like many things here in the US), one of those upright vacuums. I struggled with it, but the place looks way better. I realised that just because I'm away doesn't mean I don't have to do any housework.

On Friday we went to some really beautiful botanical gardens. They were so well designed and they went by themes. The photos explain it all -

This was inside a huge conservatory where there were plant science exhibits set up...

This was another area inside the conservatory where you could learn about sub tropical rainforests...

There was a childrens garden that had this misting area, the kids loved it!

Then there was a Japanese garden that was just exquisite - there was a zen area with a huge sand raking area, a bonsai gallery - with heaps of HUGE ones, and this really pretty bridge...
And heres just a cute shot of the kids...

On Sunday we went to the aquarium, we were really tired so it was a bit of a mistake, because I don't think we appreciated it properly. Although I've never really appreciated fish... and Paul definately doesn't (he's allergic).

Heres a couple of photos of us at the aquarium - just for good measure.

This was at a touch pool, with sharks! Yep they could touch sharks. Very slimy by the way.

And this was in a cool fish tank.

Anyway, everyone else is leaving for the pool, and I want to go too!

So bye, from Nic

Hello, finally got around to another blog. We have been hardcore tourists in the last week, with having Mum here. Sooo tired, but we've seen heaps.

I guess it starts with halloween. I've never seen so many lollies (caindee) in my life! Neither have the kids, not in their wildest dreams. Check out all those lollies...

And these were just Ellerys - mulitply this by 4! I was kind of hoping that if I let them have free riegn over how many they ate, maybe they would learn that lollies are not so great as what they imagine. Unfortunatley it just didn't work - this is what I woke to the next morning - at least they ate breakfast first.

They managed to demolish all these lollies injust two days - every single one - and nobody threw or complained of sore tummies or anything. They never cease to amaze me. Anyway, for weeks I'll have a great excuse not to give them anything sweet.

So we went to the nice ladies house for halloween and the trick or treating was just amazing. People go to such a bit effort. One house had a garage set up as a scary maze, with all this black plastic and strobe lights going, and people that stuck bloodied hands out through the plastic at you. The scariest house had dressed up people lying on the lawn and really scary friday the 13th type music going. There was someone in the wheelie bin bumping the lid up and down, a guy on the roof dressed up like a zombie and bloody finger prints all around the windows. When we walked down the drive the people on the lawn slowly got up like living dead and wandered towards us. THe kids absoluely freaked! The people realised and took of their face masks and apolgised, and brought more lollies which salved all wounds. This was just one of the houses we saw, there were many that were equally if not more impressive.

The kids wore these costumes.

The next day Mum minded the kids while Paul and I went out for the day. We went for a sailing trip and then went into Hollywood and Beverly Hills for dinner. We had a good squizz at the houses there (felt very corny), they were huge! Made our house look like a little cottage. Must cost an absolute fortune. WE saw a celebrity tour bus going around which we followed for a bit, so I'm sure we were seeing famous peoples houses, just not sure who.

Then we went for a cruise down Mullholland drive. THe views were just amazing. As you drove along you got views of LA in all directions. Talk about urban sprawl, the lights seriously went as far as the eye could see (mind you that could have more to do with the smog than the sprawl). Anyways heres the best photo I took. My camera really struggles with out the flash on, and with the flash I could only get the fore ground.

The next day Mum and I went to the Getty Centre with Ainsley. Its a massive art centre which was a collection belonging to John Paul Getty (or something) and he left it as a trust. Its completely free and amazingly well kept. The were works by monet, van gogh and the well known artists (whose names escape me at this moment). Great viewing, but you can only walk so far (the place really was huge) before it all starts to look a bit the same.

There were also these amazing gardens. Really artistic stuff.

Election day on Tuesday - Obama won! Yay, I'm sure the whole world is breathing a collective sigh of relief. I sure am. Had to pick Paul up from the airport late this night, he'd had a trip to boston. Got there too early and decided I'd go get some petrol. Drove down the wrong side of a very busy main road to get to the petrol station, had heaps of cars honking me. Everyone stared at me at the petrol station. Then my card didn't work in the pump (you have to pre pay here), so I went and pre paid my petrol, but did it for the wrong pump. Then I'm standing at my car with the nozzle wondering why nothing was coming out. Took a while before I realised and had to drive round to the correct pump. Der! Just can't make it past about 9:00 at night here with out suffering from severe brain fade.

Then yesterday we went to San Diego Zoo. We had a really good day. They had much the smae animals that Melbourne Zoo has, but the viewing was so much better. It wasn't because of small enclosures (unlike Sydney Zoo), must have just been really well designed. Also the gardens were absolutely immaculate. Most beautiful tropical jungle type stuff. I took this photo from the chair lift -
When we were looking at the reptiles, Tallis was looking at a snake, and I was holding my head above hers looking at the same snake, then she tossed her head up and gave me a massive fat lip, blood and all. Ouch is the polite way to explain how it felt.

Afterwards we went into Sand Diego city and had dinner at Hard Rock Cafe. They had these plastic cups for the kids, that were quite good quality. Ainsley wanted to take hers with her because she hadn't finshed her drink when we were ready to go. I wasn't quite sure whether the cups were given out with that in mind, so I asked the waitress if they reused the cups or not. She said no. Which was kind of shocking because they were definately way better quality than any disposable cup I've seen, and because the whole kids pack thing with coloring and mazes and that they give out to the kids had a theme of save the planet. It wasn't until I got home and had a proper look at this cup that I realised it had re-use and recycle slogans plastered all over it. Grrrr, it really riles me. Overall the meal was really nice though.

Then we went through the mall back to where the car was parked, and we stopped to look at a childrens wear shop, and Ainsley pooed all over the floor. She had no undies or nappy, because all ready on the way back to the car she'd ripped of her nappy, and we binned it thinking we would soon be back at the car. It was extremely embarassing. I cleaned it all up with paper towel that the lady gave me in the shop. I really just can't wait until Ainsley is fully toilet trained. After changing nappies for 8 years straight, I've really had enough of this poo thing.

I just realised how whingy this whole blog has gotten, and its past 9:00. I'm way too tired to keep doing this, I really must go to bed...

Hope everything is going well back in Australia, cheers from Nic