Home again - jetlag - snow (long and lots of photos)

  I'm back again after wonderful weeks with my family in LA. I have had the best of times and I thank you for always giving me the warmest welcome.

 The Habit in Whittier for lunch with firefighters in the background

The day (or rather evening) I arrived Norbert met me and drove to the house. When I came in it was like no time had passed at all (though it was 3 years). We started chatting at once and Jo and I stayed up until almost 2AM talking :-)

 The orange tree with the most delicious and juicy oranges.

I managed to catch our little hummingbird that nested in the backyard

Beautiful sounds from the garden

I wrote about the food truck dinner on Friday and on Sunday we had Norbert over for dinner before he was to head to his house in Las Vegas. On Saturday Jo started feeling sick and in the evening me too. On Sunday I was so tired felt kind of an ache in my stomach. I went to bed and slept for 3 hours. Norbert came, I went up hot with fever. Despite the delicious grilled meat I couldn't eat and after a couple of hours I went back to bed and slept for 13 hours! Woke up Monday and felt good again. It must have been some stomach bug.

The Lime truck that didn't do anything good for me

So Monday was Huntington beach day. Sunshine but windy. Went to Ruby's, of course, and had fish and chips and after that we went to Norbert.

Me on Huntington pier

Ruby's

Me and Norbert, yes he is tall

Jo and Norbert in his garden

Posing pelican at Huntington pier

 Tuesday was the blood fullmoon night and we stayed up to fotograph it :-)

Blood fullmoon

The Splash at La Mirada, what a facility!

The eternal flame, La Mirada town hall

Me and Marvin at Black Angus, Whittier

Jo with Long Beach downtown in the background

Me in front of the Olympic Swimcenter from 1984

My coconut Margarita :-)

El Cholo interior

 

Me and Sandy at Panda Inn

Wednesday we went to La Habra where we had sushi, did some shopping and also Whittier.

Thursday we drove to Long Beach, went to the new Gelson's store and we had lunch at Acapulco sitting outside in wonderful sunshine.

On Friday I and Marvin went to the store to buy all that I needed to make Easter lunch. Arriving home I started to make the Swedish meatballs. Since we were 12 on Easter day I made around 150 meatballs :-) Later that the day we went to Long Beach airport to pick up Sandy and T who arrived from SLC. And later that evening Lizzie arrived by car from San Diego. So nice to see them again and once again it was as if no time had passed since we last met. The only thing was that T has grown so much and is now a tall and handsome young man.

At El Cholo

Saturday we went to El Cholo for lunch me, Jo, the girls and T. I had my favorite margarita with coconut :-) and as alway great food.
Later we drove to north LA to attend a house concert where Barkley and Hart performed. What a wonderful thing these house concerts are! People come to a private home where we sat in the backyard, a small stage, the pool, wonderful weather, crickets singing, the band, good food were served, drinks of all kind. 
And even a celebrity being in LA/Hollywood :-)

Berkley and Hart at the house concert

Gorgeous garden and evening with great music and company

Barkley and Hart

Beau Bridges with our host

Another wonderful tune

I just loved the concert. Berkley and Hart are so good! They play a kind of folk music and the texts really speaks to you. Good between the songs talk and both laughter and tears during their performance.

After the performance Jeff came to us and after him ran Beau Bridges and his wife Wendy. They had bought all the CD:s and he just came over to thank Jeff for the music. That was so nice and they had a good talk.

Easter lunch, Swedish meatballs, mashed potatoes, lingonberry, carrots

Some of our family members

The birthday cake

Easter Day came with me finishing the lunch. We had Swedish meatballs, mashed potatoes, carrots, lingonberry and even Leksand's hard bread. A huge success with all the family. Marvin's brother and sisters came as well as Christina, Rick and little Jameson (so nice to meet him since I haven't seen him before) and David. We had a lovely time together and Marvin's brother was so nice and brought me lots of walnuts and pecannuts. Thanks I really appreciated that!

Relaxing

Marvin with one of his birthday gifts

Monday Sandy and Tristan went back to SLC. I really loved seeing the girls again. They are so precious to me and I love them dearly!

Firetruck outside Stater brothers

Mimmi's café Whittier

Tuesday we had lunch at Mimmi's cafe in Whittier. It was nice and sunny. I love all the places we went to for lunch me and Jo.

Cheesecake at Cheesecake factory

Jo at Mimmi's Café

Wednesday it was time to hit the mall. That is Brea mall and Jo stayed for a couple of hours and then we had lunch at Cheesecake factory which was wonderful. But the cheesecakes! They are huge (and good)!
I then went back in the mall for a couple of hours for some more shopping and then Jo returned to pick me up. I then made Quiche Lorraine for dinner. Jennifer came over to meet me and we had long good talk over dinner. So nice to meet her too.

The sound of the ocean

 Next day was Beach Day! We drove to Long Beach, Seal beach where we had lunch at River's End café (rive San Gabriel that runs into the ocean). Had a great lunch of fish (halibut) and chips. We continued to Sunset beach and Huntington beach in the most glorious weather. Perfect!

Fish and chips at River ends cafe

Beautiful at Sunset beach

Last shopping which I did at Kohl's and Lane Bryant. The fun thing is that when shopping at Kohl's I had more discount than the sum I paid! Could only happen in the States ;-) We had lunch at Corner Bakery - good soup. At night we had some rain!!! Yes, rain. It was the first time ever I had experienced that in CA.

Me and Jennifer

Saturday we had lunch at In N Out, a must in CA, before packing all my things. And yes of course I had to buy a new suitcase to get all the stuff I bought with me back home. 
A limo picked me up at 4.20PM Saturday. Jo and Marvin hadn't returned yet but we had said our goodbyes which was kind of hard and made me tear up.
So my journey home started. I flew with BA but this time with their allied American Airlines. Of course in Business. It's a long trip and I love having the opportunity to lie down flat and rest for a couple of hours.
London Sunday afternoon and then finally I arrived in Stockholm Sunday night at 9PM. Luckily my suitcases were the first on the belt so I was out rather quickly and Hasse stood there waiting for me.

We drove home and we had some tea before I hit the bed, with unpacked suitcases, at 22.30. Up again Monday morning at 4.15 for breakfast and then work at 05.45. I have had since then a hard time sleeping through the night.
Jetlaged I am yes and I get hungry at the most strange hours.
I am free from work today since it's May 1 (workers day) and it's really good. Tomorrow work again and then on Saturday me and Hasse are going to Tyrol to see H.E.A.T. 
Sunday all the boys and Mandy are coming over for lunch. So nice!

As I promised Jo here comes some photos from my bedroom. It's so large I have to take in several pictures ;-)

Take care now and I talk to you later :-)