From Late Spring to Autumn and back Again (all within a week)

Well, we are back again in Melbourne after a week of seeing beautiful Fall in California like the photograph above and now we have scenes more like the one below....
We had such a fantastic time in Los Angeles - it seemed as if it was only yesterday that my friend and I had seen each other but in reality it was over 25 years... We had loads to catch up on and did not stop talking the whole time .... Mr SE and I were totally spoilt and enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend and truly I am so very, very thankful that have seen her again - and hopefully it won't be long before she comes to Australia !! Now we have an Australian Christmas to look forward to and this will mean Summer Days, being outside, barbeques, floaty dresses, beaches and a whole different mindset.... So, rather than for example these - egg nog drinks .....

it will be Summery pink champagne ......

Well, that is something I can easily adapt to !!

In fact, I am enjoying a glass as I type this as a pick-me-up, well that's my excuse, (well it is 7.35pm here!) - got to get back into the spirit of things after all!!

Nobody Does It Better

than America I think for Christmas Decorations... All kinds really - The sheer exuberance of the beautiful abundance of little white lights in the photograph above .... Or, what about this reclining green reindeer with his bow-tie sitting on the giant red bauble below...

He certainly seems extremely jolly!

Not quite so happy, however, was darling little Bella when we put this Christmas ensemble on her. Bella is my friend's sweet Yorkshire Terrier... She (Bella) drew the line at the hat but I bought her the dress and she forgave us and wore it out attracting many admiring glances and smiles too!

And finally, my own little stash of Christmas goodies bought at Crate and Barrell - I could have gone CRAZY there (not enough space in my case alas and the 'good sense' of Mr SE preventing me!) .... I was really quite restrained but I am delighted with the reindeer napkins, the snowflake decorations, the snowflake tea towel and the mini gingerbread man decoration.

But now I have just realised that there are only just over 3 weeks to go and really I am not ready at all! Have not sent half my Christmas cards back to UK yet and there are several parcels I need to post off there too - I'd better get a move on!!

On a plane (again) - we are gatecrashing Thanksgiving!

Tomorrow Mr SE and I are off to USA.

Well, to be precise, Los Angeles. Silly English people that we are COMPLETELY FORGOT (apologies dear readers from USA) that we are arriving slap bang in the middle of the Thanksgiving Holiday until after we had booked it and by then it was all a done deal etc.!

Mr SE has some meetings in Oklahoma beginning of next week but flying from Australia one goes via LA and so we thought, 'Aha, great idea - lets make it a few days and stay the weekend first in LA....! ' So I ring up a friend in LA and say "We are coming over to see you - that ok?" "Yeeaaahy" she replies "It will be a mad house - but the more the merrier and by the way,- you won't get much sleep..." And so, just when I thought I'd banished my jet lag here comes some more with bells on!

However, it will be so worth it and wonderful to see my friend in Los Angeles whom I have not seen for nearly 30 years - amazing!! We were just young twenty somethings the last time we set eyes on each other when I lived in California. I am excited, and a little nervous too.... - Will we still get on? Will she be the same? She certainly looks just the same in photographs - I am sure that time has not been so kind to me and Americans are far better, aren't they, in knowing how to 'hold back the years'... ?

Perhaps I am worrying unnecessarily and I should be thankful particularly at this time of year that we are all still here and have our health and I am seeing someone again who when I was twenty years old taught me many things about living on my own and coping alone at that tender age (even though she was a little younger than me!) .... These things included amongst loads of others how to look after my car (sans homme!) check and top up the oil and steam clean the engine too ! She was, and I am sure she still is a resourceful, confident and 'together' lady!! They were such wonderful, carefree days and I am so grateful and happy that I have the opportunity to see her again..... Happy Thanksgiving for tomorrow!