Whirlwind US Tour

Hey there!

We are just recovering from a whirlwind US tour, which explains the lack of blogness.

When I say whirlwind here was the itinerary.

Tuesday July 15
Work, work, work!
Nathan plays hockey game while Kris finishes packing
Nathan arrives home 20 min before the taxi arrives to pick us up

Wednesday July 16 12:30 am
Flight from Perth to Sydney delayed because plane is struck by lightening.
Wait, wait, wait!
Board plane for Red-eye flight to Sydney.
Arrive on time, (6:30 am)find chairs to try and get real sleep in the Sydney airport.
wake (11:30), grab a coffee, panic when the monitors show our flight as closed.
wander around the airport trying to get an answer.
wander, wander, wander.
At last discover our flight has been delayed for another 9 hours.
wait, wait, wait!
Email alan to say we will be late.
wait, wait, wait!
Board at last, for our 14 hour flight to SFO.
wait, wait, wait!
Arrive in California, pick up the rental car and head to Alan & Masami's.

July 17
Sleep to noon. See the boys for breakfast. head to Taco Bell for lunch.
Stop by the bank to deposit bank draft--its missing!
panic, panic, panic!
Email friends at home to see if we left it in Perth.
panic, panic, panic!
Take our mind off lost check with cribbage marathon, swimming in pool, and dinner with Alan & Masami, Michael, Bradley, Gregory, and Stephanie and her boyfriend.

July 18
Say farewells, head to Santa Rosa. Life with out cellphones requires finding a payphone off the freeway...fun, fun, fun!
Meet Mannix's for mexican dinner.
marvel at recent events: Molly & Missy are roommates, Missy and Quinn graduate, Max becomes young curmudgeon.

July 19
Kris goes for fun run, Nathan helps Tim dig a ditch at the Church, everybody digs, then trip to Laguna Road to help Mike & Terry clean up the Gran Mannix' home for sale now that they are in new digs. Load 6 metric tonnes of wood into a skip, Nathan gets exposed to poison oak, meet Mannix's at same Mexican restaurant for dinner.

July 20
Meet Mike & Terry for a diner breakfast (who's heard of biscuits and gravy without sausage!), then loading more wood, before heading up to the ranch. Deb, Tim, Caitlyn and Grandpa meet us there to inspect the property (which has been particularly important because of fires in the area). Teary farewells.

July 21
Cancel the missing bank draft. Finally relax!
Head to Bill & Ethel (Gran Mannix's) 's new place for a nice long visit.
Meet Tim & Debbie at Himalayan restaurant for celebratory dinner.
Teary farewells.
Hit the road to Fly to MN.

That's just the first week! FULL ON!

Kristin