Is this my new man?

Na, but I do have a huge soft spot for Shrek. This was our day at Universal Studios which was lots of fun even if like me you don't like roller coasters. The closest I got was sat calmly eating my hot dog when suddenly a wave of water came from nowhere (or rather the final slide in the Jurassic Park ride) and drenched us. I saw it in slow motion but couldn't move fast enough to escape. Luckily that was one of the few hot days. Can you believe I left boiling hot UK for cold windy California? What's going on with the world's weather?

Not San Diego's best Mexican at all

The race track - where boulders move all by themselves!!!

Off road in Death Valley

Click to see Marta's new home n family

Now this is the life. Two bright intelligent talented daughters (15 and 17) I'm so proud of with no labour pains and no sleepless nights. Just find single dad who has them every other week. A very lovely man who is shown here making us fresh pasta. It's a lot of fun and they're definitely a selling point rather than a problem. Where else would I hear great stories like "In Home Economics I made bread but it looked like a chicken"? I miss them when they go back to their mum's but the doing what we like again and long lie-ins is good too. So now I'm living in Newbury - like my cat Ophelia I felt instantly at home here with these wonderful guys. I am particularly amused by how they snap up my wardrobe cast offs to go into their dressing up box! Only drawback is the trash TV they like to watch - I thought I was going to have to shoot myself in the head while watching 'Shipwrecked'. I'll have them switched to appreciating Ronnie Scott's soon. One is already a sax player amongst other things so I have plenty of optimism. It's a big change for me with these extra responsibilities as I now go to see them perform in classical music concerts and have volunteered to help with the learning to drive too.