June 2001

Newsletter

Mother & 13 ducklings!

Seattle from the Space Needle

Mountain View Parade (I'm 2nd from right!)

Moving

We're moving - we've found a 2 bedroom duplex (like a double lower villa) with garage, air con and a lovely patio with grass where I can at last hang my hammock!  And it's $400 pm cheaper.  We still have a pool.  Prices are falling and vacancies are up but our current landlord wouldn't lower our rent on par with new tenants, which we thought unfair.  Our new city is Sunnyvale which is a couple of miles away but is closer to Bill's work. See our new contact details.

Seattle Trip

Seattle was great! We had 4 days and cycled around the city and caught a ferry to an island.  We had 2 gorgeous days when we went up the Space needle and had brunch.  It's very like San Francisco - great laid back bars, neighbourhoods and pretty countryside but it does rain alot in the winter! More photos here.

Ducks

Another brood of ducklings arrived at our complex a couple of weeks ago - 13 of them!  Since then, there are now only 3 left and I think the falcon/kestrel I saw probably ate the others!  I'll miss the wildlife we have here.

Fun site

While in Seattle, we found a guy selling camoflage kilts!  You can get them in all colours of camoflage and with pockets on the side.  I think I may have persuaded Bill to consider one.  Their motto is "we sell freedom"! See them at Utilikilts.com

Volunteering

I've now got Bill volunteering!  We will be working at Montalvo, a lovely hillside villa which puts on concerts during the summer.  Lots of big name stars like .... Tom Jones and Tony Bennett!  We're hoping to work when Robert Cray, Buena Vista Social Club are on. 

Mountain View Parade

As everyone knows, Americans love a parade and every town has one at least every year.  I was persuaded by the TV station I help at, to come on their float for the May Parade.  The theme was (very loosely!) a sitcom.  I couldn't think of any character that I had an outfit for - finally digging out the 60's clothes I (sometimes!) wear.  The float was a TV set which was very wobbily mounted on a pickup truck. We had to smile and wave alot as we drove up the main street.  I haven't seen the TV footage yet!