Travel back to Chch day. With a few tears, because we hate saying goodbye to this family whom I love so much, we headed out ahead of schedule at 6.45am. It was a balmy -1 which was a veritable heatwave for this area at this time of year. Didn’t mean driving wouldn’t be risky. Mitch told us there were 200 accidents that morning in the … Continue reading Goodbye USA
Xcel Energy Centre. Seating – oh about 18,000. Home of the Minnesota Wild Ice Hockey team. If you’ve never been to an American ice hockey game and you get the opportunity. Go. It really is an All American treat. In 2018 we were in Boston and went to the opening game of the Bruins. My first foray into the American obsession with ice hockey and … Continue reading Minnesota Wild – v – Washington Capital
North Dakota to be precise. Or to be ‘pacific’, as my idols, Kath and Kim might say. Well actually t’was Fargo. Today we decided to head north west so we could visit MoD’s stepmum Sylvia and stepsister Kelly. They couldn’t come to the wedding. Sylvia is about to turn 91 and being a 4-5 hour drive, in potential snow, in a mini, well it was … Continue reading The Dakotas
It was an old folks recovery day today. A day of eating, drinking, family and football. Which naturally I did not watch. Hell I never watched it in Australia so I ain’t watching it here. Except for the Aussie Rules Grand Final. Now that’s a religion and unAustralian if you don’t watch. Mate. Lori’s family were expected to swing by and because she is hands … Continue reading Recovery Day
Twas a beautiful sunny day for a winter wedding. In the morning we headed off to the venue, the rental car and Lori’s car loaded up with all the ‘goods’. The wedding was upstairs at ‘The Loft’ in downtown Stillwater. A really gorgeous venue. Both the ceremony and the reception were to be conducted in the same room. Post ceremony, chairs would be moved, tables … Continue reading Wedding Day!
Unless you have been intimately involved you can’t really appreciate the intricacies and effort, topped up with a heavy dose of sleepless nights, and the thought that goes behind organising a wedding. Having been there, done that recently I get it. The first thing needed is a theme, its sole purpose to encapsulate and represent the bride and groom. Who they are. Not always an … Continue reading Wedding Eve
You know it’s cold when you breathe in and your nostrils stick together. So I am told. And so I found out by actual experience. We are now in Bayport, Minnesota and it’s currently -13. Apparently not as cold as normal, the St. Croix River three streets away, hasn’t quite frozen over. Yet. We arrived last night after a reasonably full day of travel, first … Continue reading It’s Winter!
$9.15 USD. That’s what I just paid for a large single shot soy latte. Including 15% gratuities of course. That coffee included standing at Pete’s Coffee line for 10 minutes only to find they only have oat (🤮) or almond (🤮🤮); and a long walk around SF airport to find a more civilised – albeit expensive – solution to my addiction. I did get desperate … Continue reading First stop Nevada
On smaller trips, I don’t usually blog, but Jetpack keeps sending me reminders. AND it seems Air New Zealand had a mechanical issue before our Sunday night flight, so we are still here. For a bonus day. Here being Invercargill. We travelled down Friday afternoon to spend the weekend with Southland besties Doug and Annabel. Annabel of course had a full itinerary planned. I love … Continue reading Southland and InverVegas
Our time here is done. We have had the best holiday and the best family time with half of our American family. I can’t put into words how wonderful it was to spend time with them all and to meet so many wonderful new people. Even though I am completely socially inept these days. So now, we sit at the O’Hare airport, which frankly is … Continue reading Signing out from Chicago
MaureenBetty 