A great aspect of the market was all the free samples from carrot cake to pear to strawberries to cilantro (coriander) pesto.

I don’t think you can beat buying food fresh and straight from the growers and makers.

There were beautiful flowers as well as food.

I’m already looking forward to going back next weekend and buying more goodies.

I miss my girls!

However it’s a daunting prospect to imagine making new friends in a new town in a new country. Where do you start? As an adult most of my new friends have been made through work. You stop by each others desks for a chat and over a period of time, as you get to know one another, you have lunches and coffees and realise you have more in common than the same job and sharing a space for eight or so hours a day. But I don’t have a job, and won’t do for quite a while, so what is a stay-at-home-not-quite-mum to do?

Be brave, leave the house and join groups of course!

I can’t remember when I found meetup.com but in the last few weeks I’ve been using it in earnest to find groups to join and so far I’ve been to a couple of meetups with mums and their babies and I have another one in the diary for next week. I’ve met someone whose baby is due a few days before me and another who is due 2 days after so I’m looking forward to getting to know them, and their babies when they arrive, more over the coming weeks, months and beyond hopefully.

And when this little one makes his or her appearance I can’t wait to get out and about with them, making new friends and having new experiences.

passed our driving tests :: moved into our house :: welcomed Toby :: had our first UK house guest :: seen the world’s tallest living things :: admired the Golden Gate Bridge :: increased in size (me and baby that is!) :: enjoyed the sunshine :: and the snow :: seen in the New Year in style.

Our UK shipment is arriving tomorrow which we’re very excited about. And our new sofa will be here on Saturday.

This really is our home now.

I honestly feel like I need to pinch myself sometimes to remind me that this is where we live now. We have all this beauty just hours from our front door (and plenty even closer).

Of course there are times when it’s really hard living here. Some days are lonely, on some everything seems difficult, and on others home feels like a very very long way away.

But I remind myself why we’re here, what we have to be grateful for and the adventures that are only just beginning.

So back to today. We started the day with a trip up to San Francisco, crossing over the Golden Gate Bridge (via Fisherman’s Wharf and a detour down Lombard St – allegedly the “crookedest street”).

We ended up at Muir Woods. A national monument full of amazing and ancient Redwood trees that was made famous very recently for it’s starring role in Rise of the Planet of the Apes.

The average age of the coastal redwoods at Muir Woods is between 600 to 800 years, with the oldest being at least 1200 years old. This is still young for redwoods as they can live up to 2200 years.

A tree is born: 909AD. It fell in 1930!

We enjoyed a leisurely 2-mile walk through the trees being awed by their immense height, age and the habitat that surrounds them.

On the way home there was time for  another detour, this time to the Marin Headlands that overlook the Bay and the Golden Gate Bridge.

I think that today was one of my favourite days since moving here.

—

I just need to pop back in time a little bit now if you don’t mind to the first part of this week. It was spent in slightly cooler temperatures at a ski resort in Lake Tahoe. Obviously I spent most of the trip drinking hot chocolate, keeping warm in my new snuggly pink hat and walking Toby whilst the boys went boarding.

It took a long while to go anywhere with the little pup as every second person wanted to stop and say hello to him, tell him how cute he is and ask if he is fully grown. He’ll get a big head if this admiration continues!

These photos along with the memories created this week serve to remind me that we really do live in a stunning part of the world that I can’t wait to explore some more.

Quick, someone pinch me!

Love me x

He didn’t seem too upset by the journey although he was definitely jet lagged. He spent most of the first night running around the house!

But he’s settling in now and finding out where the best spots in the house are.

He is a real sun-seeker. I think he’s moved to the right part of the world for him to indulge that hobby.

Having a Toby-dog here is helping it feel like home. Now we just need a sofa and our shipped belongings to turn up.

The observatory sits in a prime position for gazing down on San Jose – when it’s not misty that is – and of course for the astronomers gazing at the stars, galaxies and planets beyond our world. It’s an awe-inspiring spot and well worth the slightly nail-biting drive via winding roads to the summit.

PS if anyone knows what the bird is, let me know!

Love me x

Love me x

So here is this year so far, summarised in simple photos:

1. Jan 1st - New Year's Day in the Bay, 2. Jan 2nd - getting to grips with Ikea flatpacks, 3. Jan 3rd - My new desk, 4. Jan 4th - Mini heirloom tomatoes, 5. Jan 5th: Shoreline in Mountain View, 6. Jan 6th - housewarming orchids, 7. Jan 7th Pretty leaves and bench in Saratoga, CA, 8. Today's create daily project... and 8th Jan photo for 365+1, 9. Jan 9th - what shall I choose?, 10. Jan 10th - Reading in the sunshine

sunshine :: flat pack assembling :: drawing :: cooking :: meeting new friends :: beauty all around :: exploring :: reading in the sun.

Despite some frustrating days, some worrying days, some non-sunny (gasp!) days it’s been a great first month in the USA.

I’m getting to grips with driving, Ben is getting stuck in at work and I’ve started meeting people and exploring.

And of course we’ve both been enjoying the sunshine, and making the most of life.

Love me x

New Year's Day

Love me x

In our garden on Christmas Day

This year we were invited to spend the day with a colleague of Ben’s and her friends, family and neighbours. Her boyfriend is British so they baked Mince Pies to start the day washed down by Mimosas (Bucks Fizz); then cooked a beautiful joint of beef accompanied by sprouts, mash and gravy. One neighbour brought over a smoked turkey; another brought crab; yet others made poached pears in Port, Black Forest Gateau and a Yule Log. And finally an American/British Christmas wouldn’t have been complete without a Pumpkin Pie of course.

We were stuffed full of good food and glowing from the fun of spending the day with new friends by the time we made our way home. Yes, home at last, no more hotel-living.

Just days before Christmas we moved into our new house. We’re in the city of Saratoga, near parks and mountains and copious shops.

We haven’t explored the neighbourhood beyond the shops yet – essential for new home purchases – but be sure I’ll be taking lots of photos when we do. We’ve spent most of our time in Ikea, Best Buy, Kohls, Bed Bath & Beyond and Fry’s investing American Dollars in the biggest bed I’ve ever seen, essential kitchen appliances, crockery, cutlery, towels and all the other things you need when you start from scratch. I think Ben has secretly been enjoying it all – he’s been able to indulge his love of all things gadgetry and choose a new TV, surround sound and the other essential trimmings.

Meanwhile I’ve been getting to grips with the driving: I’ve gone solo to the grocery store (Trader Joe’s) and took Ben to work last week. Next step is a car of my own. And sitting the test to get a Californian driver’s license.

Another ex-pat asked us on Christmas Day if we were missing anything yet. Aside from the obvious – our families, friends and Toby – we couldn’t name anything yet. But I’m sure there will be things before long so, those of you back home, expect requests for care packages soon.

Photos, and maybe even a video, of our house coming soon.

Love me x