So i guess i need to start off this post with an apology for the lack of activity since my last post. Honestly, i have hardly spent anytime in my room, and therefore having the time to sit down, reflect and note down some thoughts...
I thought i would start this post off with a story.
24th of June 2009 i had checked through security at Manchester Airport, had a look round the shops and finally sat down by my gate number for the flight to Philadelphia. In my bag was a letter from my Dad. He had given me this the night before i left, as he wasn't going to join my mother (again!) on dropping me off at the airport.
And so even though i had technically not followed his orders to read the letter on the flight, i had a sneak peak there and then in the terminal. I won't go into the full details of the letter as it's personal and not necessarily relevant to blogging. But, if there was one thing that stuck out throughout the letter and something that i have looked back through during my time here is the idea of 'pursuit'. I've believed for a long time now that if you don't pursue your ambitions then they will not pursue you. And for a long time now i have acted upon that belief. I believe that if i work hard enough at something and want something enough then not only will i reach my end goal, but i will also learn immensely from the process.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that my pursuit to come out here and learn from Jon and other major figures in my life out here has proven to be a great reward. This in turn has provided a time of 'learning' and 'growth' in who i am. And i'm sure theres people that dont understand that and couldnt care less but i'm not merely writing this for you, but for those that do understand.
So because i have not been able to write recently i will probably only skim over the surface in terms of what i've been upto.
So heres it is in a nutshell pretty much. i have flewn a plane with my good friend Blake in a nearby local airport. Was pretty insane!! And dont worry, i have video evidence!! i have been shopping with my hispanic brothers Gabe and Miguel. Went to Indio, which is in the desert for Miguels birthday and ate lot's of mexican treats :) I have been working hard on designing stuff for company122 and relevant stuff related to the church. I went to the cinema with some mates to watch 500days of summer. And thats about it....well unless you count the numerous eateries i have visited.
Tuesday, 11 August 2009
Thursday, 30 July 2009
Michelangelo
Michelangelo is one of the greatest artists of all time. He was so good that his services were ordered by the Pope to be brought and used on the famous Sistine Chapel in Rome, Italy. The Pope (Julius II) was very impressed with Michelangelo and hired him for a duration of 4 years for the work he produced in the famous chapel.
Michelangelo worked long days and under extreme environments inside the chapel, mostly from deathly heights and poor working conditions that were created for him.
During the third year of his stint, the artist fell from his scaffolding onto cross members below, crippling him.
The College of Cardinals had been delivered a dilemma as they rose high over his bedside. Do they find another artist to take over or do they wait to see if he will heal?! Immense pressure was placed upon them from the press, to the general public.
Michelangelo was a weary man. The temperature at the top of the dome was unbearable, which resulted in lines of salt covering his cloak by the end of the day. Paint had dripped back onto his skin and into his eyes making it hard for him to see.
But on hearing that the Cardinals had been discussing his position, he arose from his bed. He brought his aides together and had them configure a canvas sling. They hoisted him up to the top of the Sistine Chapel so that he could carry on his work.
Despite the pain he suffered, he finished the work and to amazing results, of which no one had anticipated.
You see, a lot has to be said about perseverance. I have been someone that has struggled to let things unravel and unfold because i like having a quick answer and solution. Being over here and opening my eyes to all the different situations i have been faced with, i have learnt that to be patient and to persevere is a great characteristic to have. I guess sometimes i forget that i am only 21, and its still an age where i can afford to let things slow down because i have the time in front of me, rather than behind.
This week has posed some great stories....
Monday consisted of a morning of fellowship and errands that myself and Jon had to get through. The afternoon i spent sorting out issues that had developed from the previous week. All in all it was a productive day.
In the evening we had man group and got my first bit of action on the soccer pitch....although i regretted it the next day as my ankle felt sore and swollen (maybe you shouldn't read this paragraph mother!!)
Tuesday, Jon and I went to the other side of LA to pick up his new ride. Now you might think he was picking up some nice large SUV or a muscle car but not Ar' Jon...
So we turned up at a Harley Davidson bike dealership in a not so nice area of town. On entering the dealership we were faced with some tall bikers with piercings, tattoos and the stench of bike engineering all over their bodies.
And then walks in two Brits under 5'8" asking to buy a Blue Yamaha Vino scooter. You work out the facial expressions....Lets just say, i kept myself quiet and let Jon do the talking...
Wednesday brought a whole new experience of its own. I went line dancing with some friends in San Bernardino. Now that sounds quite nice to me too...but...i was wrong!! haha.
The "Club" we went to shared a car park with a XXX Adult Store, accompanied by a clan of perverted old men. Inside the club i was faced with 40year old cougars wearing corsets and a catalogue of 'tramp stamps' to choose from.
So cant say i learnt much about line dancing but i had a good time and enjoyed the banter...
Just got back from a party for a friends leaving do. He's heading off to Uganda next week with the Peace Corps. He's been a great friend for the short time I've known him and gone out of his way to make me feel welcome so all the best to you Mr Harrison. I'll post a link on my blogger about his own blog within a week or so as his work will be very interesting and worth a browse.
Michelangelo worked long days and under extreme environments inside the chapel, mostly from deathly heights and poor working conditions that were created for him.
During the third year of his stint, the artist fell from his scaffolding onto cross members below, crippling him.
The College of Cardinals had been delivered a dilemma as they rose high over his bedside. Do they find another artist to take over or do they wait to see if he will heal?! Immense pressure was placed upon them from the press, to the general public.
Michelangelo was a weary man. The temperature at the top of the dome was unbearable, which resulted in lines of salt covering his cloak by the end of the day. Paint had dripped back onto his skin and into his eyes making it hard for him to see.
But on hearing that the Cardinals had been discussing his position, he arose from his bed. He brought his aides together and had them configure a canvas sling. They hoisted him up to the top of the Sistine Chapel so that he could carry on his work.
Despite the pain he suffered, he finished the work and to amazing results, of which no one had anticipated.
You see, a lot has to be said about perseverance. I have been someone that has struggled to let things unravel and unfold because i like having a quick answer and solution. Being over here and opening my eyes to all the different situations i have been faced with, i have learnt that to be patient and to persevere is a great characteristic to have. I guess sometimes i forget that i am only 21, and its still an age where i can afford to let things slow down because i have the time in front of me, rather than behind.
This week has posed some great stories....
Monday consisted of a morning of fellowship and errands that myself and Jon had to get through. The afternoon i spent sorting out issues that had developed from the previous week. All in all it was a productive day.
In the evening we had man group and got my first bit of action on the soccer pitch....although i regretted it the next day as my ankle felt sore and swollen (maybe you shouldn't read this paragraph mother!!)
Tuesday, Jon and I went to the other side of LA to pick up his new ride. Now you might think he was picking up some nice large SUV or a muscle car but not Ar' Jon...
So we turned up at a Harley Davidson bike dealership in a not so nice area of town. On entering the dealership we were faced with some tall bikers with piercings, tattoos and the stench of bike engineering all over their bodies.
And then walks in two Brits under 5'8" asking to buy a Blue Yamaha Vino scooter. You work out the facial expressions....Lets just say, i kept myself quiet and let Jon do the talking...
Wednesday brought a whole new experience of its own. I went line dancing with some friends in San Bernardino. Now that sounds quite nice to me too...but...i was wrong!! haha.
The "Club" we went to shared a car park with a XXX Adult Store, accompanied by a clan of perverted old men. Inside the club i was faced with 40year old cougars wearing corsets and a catalogue of 'tramp stamps' to choose from.
So cant say i learnt much about line dancing but i had a good time and enjoyed the banter...
Just got back from a party for a friends leaving do. He's heading off to Uganda next week with the Peace Corps. He's been a great friend for the short time I've known him and gone out of his way to make me feel welcome so all the best to you Mr Harrison. I'll post a link on my blogger about his own blog within a week or so as his work will be very interesting and worth a browse.
Sunday, 26 July 2009
Mission Viejo and Shooting Guns
So its another Sunday in sunny So Cal and i cant say I'm missing the weather back home at all!!
Had a full day yesterday from dawn to dusk, starting with shooting in the morning and a trip down to Mission Viejo, in the heart of Orange County.
The shooting had been set up by Evan and we drove up into the Californian hills in Azuza Canyon for some good ol' hick fun, shooting some dang guns!! Now its strange to think that these canyons surrounding the So Cal area have such contrasts in weather. In the winter, your able to ski around these mountainous areas, yet in the summer, they are hotter than the sun!!
So we headed up there nice and early and hit up the range equipped for assault rifles etc. So i cant remember exactly what i shot, but i remember, and so does my arm that one of them kicks like a Donkey on steds!!
Jon and Kim picked me up in Glendora and we headed down to Mission Viejo for Kim's sisters 21st birthday. Mission Viejo is definitely worth a shout if your down in that area because it's stunning. The amount of trees and colourful flowers is spectacular and the views were fantastic from Kim's families home.
So we got down there at around 2pm and after meeting some of the family and a quick dip in the pool, more people started to arrive for the birthday celebrations. Got to meet many of Kim's relatives which was really nice, they all were really accommodating and full of questions and interest in what i was doing out here for the summer. Food was really good too!! which Jon willingly helped prepare on the grill. So on arrival back in my cove i fell asleep pretty much instantly!!
Had a full day yesterday from dawn to dusk, starting with shooting in the morning and a trip down to Mission Viejo, in the heart of Orange County.
The shooting had been set up by Evan and we drove up into the Californian hills in Azuza Canyon for some good ol' hick fun, shooting some dang guns!! Now its strange to think that these canyons surrounding the So Cal area have such contrasts in weather. In the winter, your able to ski around these mountainous areas, yet in the summer, they are hotter than the sun!!
So we headed up there nice and early and hit up the range equipped for assault rifles etc. So i cant remember exactly what i shot, but i remember, and so does my arm that one of them kicks like a Donkey on steds!!
Jon and Kim picked me up in Glendora and we headed down to Mission Viejo for Kim's sisters 21st birthday. Mission Viejo is definitely worth a shout if your down in that area because it's stunning. The amount of trees and colourful flowers is spectacular and the views were fantastic from Kim's families home.
So we got down there at around 2pm and after meeting some of the family and a quick dip in the pool, more people started to arrive for the birthday celebrations. Got to meet many of Kim's relatives which was really nice, they all were really accommodating and full of questions and interest in what i was doing out here for the summer. Food was really good too!! which Jon willingly helped prepare on the grill. So on arrival back in my cove i fell asleep pretty much instantly!!
Friday, 24 July 2009
Newport and Balboa
I have to say, there's something about coffee shops over here. It seems to be the social hub of the community. Many people come to the coffee shops to work, to catch up with friends, have meeting with clients, or to just drink coffee.
And i have to say...its grown on me. For a while now i have been into coffee and enjoyed a cup in the morning or in the late afternoon. So you could say i would like the idea of coffee shops, but i guess it's not the same back home, we don't use them as the community hub, but basically just a place to 'buy coffee'.
So I'm sat in a coffee shop in the centre of Glendora, using the wifi and enjoying a 16oz double shot latte with full fat milk (well i had to be American about it!).
Had a busy week this week with plenty of changes, hence the late blog post!! i guess it gets harder as i get more into life out here as more and more things start to come up...
Started the week off with men's group. Took at trip out into the nearby mountains for some food and fellowship. Was really nice as their were about 30 of us that managed to attend. The eatery itself was a lot different to what i was expecting. First of all, the menu, which i persuaded the waitress to let me keep was hilarious. I think they must have let the character 'Tim nice but dim' write it up.
I decided that after being over here for nearly a month that i was going to indulge in an American steak. Little did i know, that when you order it medium rare or any other combination for that matter, you will recieve the same result...well done. I did mention it to the waitress and she was happy to get me another one, however through quick and informational guidance from the others, i changed my mind and spent the next hour chewing gristle...brought me back to the days of mums pork chops, thats for sure!!
Tuesday brought some time at the beach with an old friend. I got to meet up with Caleb, a guy that i had met during my time out in Canada. He's an OC boy born and bred, loves his surfing and is a local lifeguard at one of the Orange County beaches. We headed to Huntington beach for the US Open Surf Championships. Was really cool to see pro surfers in action, especially the best in the world.
On Wednesday night i moved out of Jon and Kim's place into a self contained flat at the back of the senior associates house. John Dix (or JD as he is commonly known) has a wonderful family, full of laughter and fun. Im sure i will enjoy it very much here...
Yesterday i headed out on a company122 trip to Newport Beach. After negotiating the So Cal traffic, we eventually got to the beach at around 3pm. Not to say that it was a bad thing because we got to enjoy the best part of the day at the beach and the waves were huge, reaching 8foot by the end. Definitely a washing machine if your not careful!!
Afterwards we went for some food at a place called BJ's. Its typical American cuisine, burgers, pizza's, wings and the famous 'pazookie', which is a warm cookie with ice cream on top :) WOW!!
Took a trip over to Balboa island just before we headed back home. A could definitely see myself buying a beach house over there, although i think that the price tags of $2million plus might be a stumbling block!!
And i have to say...its grown on me. For a while now i have been into coffee and enjoyed a cup in the morning or in the late afternoon. So you could say i would like the idea of coffee shops, but i guess it's not the same back home, we don't use them as the community hub, but basically just a place to 'buy coffee'.
So I'm sat in a coffee shop in the centre of Glendora, using the wifi and enjoying a 16oz double shot latte with full fat milk (well i had to be American about it!).
Had a busy week this week with plenty of changes, hence the late blog post!! i guess it gets harder as i get more into life out here as more and more things start to come up...
Started the week off with men's group. Took at trip out into the nearby mountains for some food and fellowship. Was really nice as their were about 30 of us that managed to attend. The eatery itself was a lot different to what i was expecting. First of all, the menu, which i persuaded the waitress to let me keep was hilarious. I think they must have let the character 'Tim nice but dim' write it up.
I decided that after being over here for nearly a month that i was going to indulge in an American steak. Little did i know, that when you order it medium rare or any other combination for that matter, you will recieve the same result...well done. I did mention it to the waitress and she was happy to get me another one, however through quick and informational guidance from the others, i changed my mind and spent the next hour chewing gristle...brought me back to the days of mums pork chops, thats for sure!!
Tuesday brought some time at the beach with an old friend. I got to meet up with Caleb, a guy that i had met during my time out in Canada. He's an OC boy born and bred, loves his surfing and is a local lifeguard at one of the Orange County beaches. We headed to Huntington beach for the US Open Surf Championships. Was really cool to see pro surfers in action, especially the best in the world.
On Wednesday night i moved out of Jon and Kim's place into a self contained flat at the back of the senior associates house. John Dix (or JD as he is commonly known) has a wonderful family, full of laughter and fun. Im sure i will enjoy it very much here...
Yesterday i headed out on a company122 trip to Newport Beach. After negotiating the So Cal traffic, we eventually got to the beach at around 3pm. Not to say that it was a bad thing because we got to enjoy the best part of the day at the beach and the waves were huge, reaching 8foot by the end. Definitely a washing machine if your not careful!!
Afterwards we went for some food at a place called BJ's. Its typical American cuisine, burgers, pizza's, wings and the famous 'pazookie', which is a warm cookie with ice cream on top :) WOW!!
Took a trip over to Balboa island just before we headed back home. A could definitely see myself buying a beach house over there, although i think that the price tags of $2million plus might be a stumbling block!!
Sunday, 19 July 2009
Pool Party and more...
So i think its fair to say that i have had a busy week. Ever since we got back from the camping trip i have been set to work and getting things ready for this week and next week. Its been really interesting work though and not something i have produced through gritted teeth. Luckily Jon gives me a free reign pretty much in terms of design and production. All he asks is that it is relevant and relates back to the original idea, which of course is fair enough.
Been lucky enough to do a few things this week with some people. Me and a guy called Gabe went out for some frozen yogurt on Wednesday which was cool. And i know that sounds slightly homosexual but it s in fact something that Americans do over here. And the frozen yogurt is flipping nice!!
I also went out on Friday night to the cinema to watch the new Johnny Depp film (public enemies). Now when i left for the USA i decided to buy a book from the airport to keep me busy. Now whenever i look through bookshelves i am looking for one of two things. Either it has to be an autobiography of someone of interest or it has to be a crime book, which is preferably based on a true story. Just like my dad, i am not a big reader. I don't know why I'm not because once i get engrossed in a book then i cant put it down. I just find it hard to justify spending three hours with my head in the middle of pages upon pages of paper, when i could be doing something more productive...
So i decided to buy the book on public enemies which the new Johnny Depp film is based upon. Now i really don't understand my fascination with anything that is violent because i really am not a violent person, in fact i only really had a couple fights with other kids growing up. I just knew i had a high pain threshold thanks to the numerous beating Danny was happy to shell out as a kid. Now they talk about brotherly love, but surely having to go home from school before period 2 has even started due to mild concussion should correct that bizarre phrase...needless to say, mum and dad took the typical approach which meant we were both to blame!! i still stand firm that it was his turn to do the dishwasher...
Anyways the film was excellent. Its funny how i have changed my views on films, i start to look at them in a different way now than i used to. I start to look at the angles they use, the special effects they use and types of editing. It doesn't necessarily mean i don't still enjoy the film because i start to analyze, it just means that i look deeper into the film, rather than the surface.
Had a relaxing day yesterday in 33degree heat :) Kim said that i had caught some colour....Back of the net!!
Got a big talk down at the church tonight so I'm helping set up early. I think were expecting quite a lot of people because some lucky local pizzeria will have an order for 60 pizzas to deliver by 7:45pm tonight.
Glad I'm not working!!
Been lucky enough to do a few things this week with some people. Me and a guy called Gabe went out for some frozen yogurt on Wednesday which was cool. And i know that sounds slightly homosexual but it s in fact something that Americans do over here. And the frozen yogurt is flipping nice!!
I also went out on Friday night to the cinema to watch the new Johnny Depp film (public enemies). Now when i left for the USA i decided to buy a book from the airport to keep me busy. Now whenever i look through bookshelves i am looking for one of two things. Either it has to be an autobiography of someone of interest or it has to be a crime book, which is preferably based on a true story. Just like my dad, i am not a big reader. I don't know why I'm not because once i get engrossed in a book then i cant put it down. I just find it hard to justify spending three hours with my head in the middle of pages upon pages of paper, when i could be doing something more productive...
So i decided to buy the book on public enemies which the new Johnny Depp film is based upon. Now i really don't understand my fascination with anything that is violent because i really am not a violent person, in fact i only really had a couple fights with other kids growing up. I just knew i had a high pain threshold thanks to the numerous beating Danny was happy to shell out as a kid. Now they talk about brotherly love, but surely having to go home from school before period 2 has even started due to mild concussion should correct that bizarre phrase...needless to say, mum and dad took the typical approach which meant we were both to blame!! i still stand firm that it was his turn to do the dishwasher...
Anyways the film was excellent. Its funny how i have changed my views on films, i start to look at them in a different way now than i used to. I start to look at the angles they use, the special effects they use and types of editing. It doesn't necessarily mean i don't still enjoy the film because i start to analyze, it just means that i look deeper into the film, rather than the surface.
Had a relaxing day yesterday in 33degree heat :) Kim said that i had caught some colour....Back of the net!!
Got a big talk down at the church tonight so I'm helping set up early. I think were expecting quite a lot of people because some lucky local pizzeria will have an order for 60 pizzas to deliver by 7:45pm tonight.
Glad I'm not working!!
Monday, 13 July 2009
Lake Isabella
I've been over here for a few weeks now. And i think its strange how accustomed i have become to American culture. I'm noticing small changes in the way i speak and the words i say. For instance, saying 'I'm good' when someone offers something to me, which i don't want, or how i might great people etc. But don't fear, I'm teaching them plenty, in fact its quite funny when i say a slang word and it totally baffles them. I think it was last week when my mate Evan called me and asked 'what i was up to' and i replied "oh I'm just at the gaff" to which he replied "oh right cool, wait...erm.... what?!?!".
But i have to say, we do come up with some incredible words for slang. Thinking over the years i spent in school, there were so many words that people used to use for things. Even the words that were used in Leeds compared to Manchester differ. And language is a huge thing! the fact that our two nations speak the same language and on so many levels are incredibly similar is scary because in reality we are two very different countries....
And i don't just mean in terms of slang but also in the way we act. I've found that as Englishmen we are very reserved, we don't like to push too far out of our comfort zone. We need to keep one foot out of the water at all times. Americans on the other hand dive in head first. They go out of their way to make you feel welcome, and really put themselves out there in the open for all to see. And at times i think this is a trait that i would love to see in our country more. Its always nice to be able to go in most shops and someone will always great you and ask you how your day is going.
Anyways enough of my rambling...
So i know my Auntie will be happy to know that the the lake i visited this weekend was in fact named 'Lake Isabella'. But on first glance it wasn't the best looking lake i had ever seen, in fact it looked pretty shoddy. The camp that we had been allocated looked like a concrete square parking lot more suited to a Wolverhampton council estate. But, when you persevere (and have a stern word with the camp officials!) then good will come. We moved further down the lake to a much better suited camp right by the beach and lake. The weather was scorching (it reached 109degrees on Saturday), but luckily i have learnt over the years to drink plenty water and always top up the sun lotion :)
We were incredibly lucky to have a family come along with us named the 'Eden' family. They brought along their boat and the dad 'Rudy' spent the whole day Saturday taking all of us out on the boat to water ski and wake board. Unfortunately i couldn't take part myself but i definitely had a giggle at Jon when he took off on his ski's. You will be able to see the pictures soon. I will put them up...
I also had a chance to experiment a bit more with my photography, especially as i got to spend a bit more time with a guy called Blake who also shares the same interest.
I had an awesome time and got to meet some new people and start some new friendships. I have to say though...the best part of the trip was the last night. Sleeping on the beach looking up at the stars. The night was incredibly bright and you could everything. Every so often a shooting star would pass which would take up the conversation...
But i have to say, we do come up with some incredible words for slang. Thinking over the years i spent in school, there were so many words that people used to use for things. Even the words that were used in Leeds compared to Manchester differ. And language is a huge thing! the fact that our two nations speak the same language and on so many levels are incredibly similar is scary because in reality we are two very different countries....
And i don't just mean in terms of slang but also in the way we act. I've found that as Englishmen we are very reserved, we don't like to push too far out of our comfort zone. We need to keep one foot out of the water at all times. Americans on the other hand dive in head first. They go out of their way to make you feel welcome, and really put themselves out there in the open for all to see. And at times i think this is a trait that i would love to see in our country more. Its always nice to be able to go in most shops and someone will always great you and ask you how your day is going.
Anyways enough of my rambling...
So i know my Auntie will be happy to know that the the lake i visited this weekend was in fact named 'Lake Isabella'. But on first glance it wasn't the best looking lake i had ever seen, in fact it looked pretty shoddy. The camp that we had been allocated looked like a concrete square parking lot more suited to a Wolverhampton council estate. But, when you persevere (and have a stern word with the camp officials!) then good will come. We moved further down the lake to a much better suited camp right by the beach and lake. The weather was scorching (it reached 109degrees on Saturday), but luckily i have learnt over the years to drink plenty water and always top up the sun lotion :)
We were incredibly lucky to have a family come along with us named the 'Eden' family. They brought along their boat and the dad 'Rudy' spent the whole day Saturday taking all of us out on the boat to water ski and wake board. Unfortunately i couldn't take part myself but i definitely had a giggle at Jon when he took off on his ski's. You will be able to see the pictures soon. I will put them up...
I also had a chance to experiment a bit more with my photography, especially as i got to spend a bit more time with a guy called Blake who also shares the same interest.
I had an awesome time and got to meet some new people and start some new friendships. I have to say though...the best part of the trip was the last night. Sleeping on the beach looking up at the stars. The night was incredibly bright and you could everything. Every so often a shooting star would pass which would take up the conversation...
Thursday, 9 July 2009
San Diago
Cooking has always been a passion of mine since i was young. I remember the kitchen in Garforth where i used to live. I remember the smells of the kitchen and the way my mum used to shuffle around awkwardly in between the narrow gaps. I remember trying to imitate her with my play dough oven and how i used to pretend to be a master baker and cook up all these fantastic cakes and biscuits with my multicoloured play dough.
And throughout my childhood i carried on this tradition. learning the ropes, i started off with scones, flapjacks and gingerbread. I then moved on to more difficult dishes in the later years. Now i love to experiment with food, creating different dishes inspired from different experiences I've had and the things i read about in books and the programs on TV.
And i must have had an impact on my family because wherever i go around the country to see them, they always ask about their own favourites. Jon's favourite is coffee cake. I made him one for the first time since being here this evening. suffice to say, it didn't last long!! although he did have the audacity to complain about the level of Nescafe in the icing...
The last couple of days have been hectic. Jon has needed a fair amount of help with a camping trip we are going on this weekend. I've also been busy putting together some new business cards and a motion image clip that can be played as a countdown before services.
I was lucky enough to get invited down to San Diego on Wednesday to go watch a concert with a guy called Dave. It was at the house of blues which is a renowned venue around the States. We enjoyed a few beers, some good food and the concert was fantastic. I don't think I've been to a better venue for design and all around sound. We went back to Dave's aunties house in Escondido. We arrived back late so i didn't get to see the house but in the morning when i woke up in my flower decorated room i looked around a beautifully constructed house with an incredible view over the southern Californian landscape. A pancake breakfast later and were on the road to Temecula, one of the wine regions in California. We met up with some of Dave's family from Florida and enjoyed some wine tasting before enjoying a meal in the town centre.
I love the old style American towns with the western style buildings, old signs, wooden panelling and the variety of Pro-America signs. I know its something my Dad loves and he often talks about his fascination of western films from when he was growing up. Temecula was very much this type of town, trying to sell you everything from antiques to root beer, tobacco to cowboy hats and of course they're treasured wine.
Arriving back in Glendora, i got straight back to work and completed the two tasks i wanted done by the end of this week, which means i don't have to do anything over the weekend...
Heading off tomorrow morning for the camping trip. Should be really good but its a pain (no pun intended) that i wont be able to participate in much due to my ankle injury. Latest pictures, which Jon insists on taking are available on facebook at a free cost.
And throughout my childhood i carried on this tradition. learning the ropes, i started off with scones, flapjacks and gingerbread. I then moved on to more difficult dishes in the later years. Now i love to experiment with food, creating different dishes inspired from different experiences I've had and the things i read about in books and the programs on TV.
And i must have had an impact on my family because wherever i go around the country to see them, they always ask about their own favourites. Jon's favourite is coffee cake. I made him one for the first time since being here this evening. suffice to say, it didn't last long!! although he did have the audacity to complain about the level of Nescafe in the icing...
The last couple of days have been hectic. Jon has needed a fair amount of help with a camping trip we are going on this weekend. I've also been busy putting together some new business cards and a motion image clip that can be played as a countdown before services.
I was lucky enough to get invited down to San Diego on Wednesday to go watch a concert with a guy called Dave. It was at the house of blues which is a renowned venue around the States. We enjoyed a few beers, some good food and the concert was fantastic. I don't think I've been to a better venue for design and all around sound. We went back to Dave's aunties house in Escondido. We arrived back late so i didn't get to see the house but in the morning when i woke up in my flower decorated room i looked around a beautifully constructed house with an incredible view over the southern Californian landscape. A pancake breakfast later and were on the road to Temecula, one of the wine regions in California. We met up with some of Dave's family from Florida and enjoyed some wine tasting before enjoying a meal in the town centre.
I love the old style American towns with the western style buildings, old signs, wooden panelling and the variety of Pro-America signs. I know its something my Dad loves and he often talks about his fascination of western films from when he was growing up. Temecula was very much this type of town, trying to sell you everything from antiques to root beer, tobacco to cowboy hats and of course they're treasured wine.
Arriving back in Glendora, i got straight back to work and completed the two tasks i wanted done by the end of this week, which means i don't have to do anything over the weekend...
Heading off tomorrow morning for the camping trip. Should be really good but its a pain (no pun intended) that i wont be able to participate in much due to my ankle injury. Latest pictures, which Jon insists on taking are available on facebook at a free cost.
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