So what have I been doing?

I've been to Los Angeles... :-) Very photo heavy.............

My lovely boy finally got his Visa through, and he was off like a shot. Don't blame him really, but I am certainly missing him. We took him down to Heathrow and I didn't cry.... honest..... Well, maybe a little bit when he turned just as he went through to Departures and had tears in his eyes.... OK! I cried quite a bit then! But he's been my life for 26 years because of his Aspergers, and suddenly he wasn't going to be there any more.... No wonder I cried!

Anyway! That meant the wedding was all set to go..... Panic stations because DH hasn't worked since Christmas because there's been nothing around. I have 3 wonderful children (and a [then] soon-to-be-daughter in law) who clubbed together and paid for my ticket. How lucky am I? Well - I cried again when they emailed me the ticket....
So off I went to Heathrow.. Got myself on the right plane. Panicked 2 hours into the flight when I realised there was still 9 hours to go, but calmed down again, read lots, slept some, watched Skyfall and tipped orange juice down myself! :-) ... don't ask... lol.
Two photos about half an hour out from Los Angeles......

About half an hour before landing at LAX

Just to prove I was on the flight! :-) 

Wow! Security and customs at LAX are so friendly - Not!!! I felt guilty, even though I wasn't taking anything in that I shouldn't.... lol So rude.... Oh well.... I got through and there was my lovely boy and girl waiting. P. jumped under the barrier when he saw me... :-D
Drove to Elizabeth's (Steph's Mom) house where I was gong to be staying while I was there, to be greeted with a lovely hug from her. I had been a bit worried about staying there - I'd never met her but she made me feel totally at home.
Jet lag took 2 or 3 days to recover from. The heat about 5 days. But I had such a great time. P and S took me sight seeing every day. We went into Pasadena:

This is the Gamble House - built in the Arts and Crafts style (although i do think it's as much Japanese influenced) for Mr and Mrs Gamble (Proctor and Gamble) it is a beautiful house: http://www.gamblehouse.org/

My lovely boy! :-)

Apparently the family used to sleep out on the balconies in the hotter summer months.

Remember "Back to the Future"?
Presenting........Doc's garage! :-)

Pasadena Town:

Pasadena Library

Pasadena Superior Court House

Then it was off to the Huntington Library... Gardens, Galleries and Library.  http://www.huntington.org/

 

A carpet  of yellow Cosmos

Terrapins - so tame they came right up to us.

Entrance to the Chinese Garden

Then The Arboretum where they were going to be married... Beautiful gardens. There were quite a few Peacocks, Humming Birds, Bird of Paradise flowers; so much! :-)

Beautiful flowers on this tree

Bamboo Copse - apparently according to Philip, a lot of the Jurassic Park films were made here.... 

Bird of Paradise flowers - these were growing everywhere....

Dragon or Damsel? No idea, but what gorgeous colours.... took me 5 minutes to wait for it to sit still long enough to photograph it.

Peacock!!!! Flippin' noisy birds! :-)

Then The California Science Centre... http://www.californiasciencecenter.org/

I'd flown 5500 miles for this day! :-D (Thats what I told Steph and Phil and they were OK about that...)

Even Astronauts need to go to the loo!

These tyres have been into space and back.... several times! You are encouraged to touch - so I did of course!

And what I went all that way to see? When we walked into the Hall where it was exhibited I felt like I was 10 again, watching the Moon Landing with my Dad and Brother. Dad would have loved this.... I stood staring with my mouth open, jumping up and down!!!! :-D :-D :-D Oh we so need us one of these in the UK! If only...... Here she is:

Endevour. Awesome. Totally. Truly. Awesome!

And then we moved onto the Griffith Observatory. http://www.griffithobs.org/
This was my second choice of places I wanted to go. Philip and Steph got officially engaged here. We went in the early evening because Steph wanted me to see the sun setting.

And then the wedding. The ceremony took place at the Arcadia Arboretum in the Rose Garden. The weather was perfect. My lovely new girl had organised everything perfectly and everything went without a hitch - except the Flower Girl who had a right 'strop' as we were about to start the ceremony. Luckily we all laughed and took photo's and she stopped and "played" Flower Girl as quickly as her tantrum had started. A friend got himself registered as a Celebrant in order to conduct the service. I was very proud and had a lump in my throat but didn't cry as I thought I would. It was a beautiful perfect day. I'll leave you with some photos... (none of me of course - I was there on my own and it's a bit difficult taking photos of yourself! :-)

They walked down the aisle together

Photobombed by the delicious Flower girl! :-)

So that's what I was up to in May. It's still odd for him not to be here at home. His room is now my room.... ( ;-) ) but I can't help calling it "Phils room". I'm going to have to paint it, I think before it's no longer his. I should probably have done it before I moved in a room full of shelving, desk, tables, crafting stuff, sewing stuff... you get the idea! LOL!

R started a permanent job today. I saw a Kingfisher for the first time ever today. Life is finally beginning  to come together. :-D

Thanks for reading and getting this far. :-) Back whenever. :-)

xxx