Life and Times in SoCal

Summer is wrapping up, and what a great 2025 it’s been! As I mentioned in my last blog, Julie and I spent February exploring Australia and New Zealand, we took mum to Sydney to see her childhood friend and then we all returned to the UK for my brother’s 60th birthday. We had a blast, I put together another montage to music, finishing it off with a poem I wrote for him. He seemed to enjoy it immensely.

After that, Julie returned to the UK to care for her parents, and she was away for five weeks from mid-May to late June. You truly appreciate someone’s presence when they’re not around!

Then came the time for visitors! The first to arrive were Jordan, Steph, Koby, and Milo. I had asked him if he was planning to come out at the start of the year, and he said they probably wouldn’t make it. However, while Julie was in the UK, I received a text asking if he could come out and if so, could he come for the 4th of July. This was just 10 days after Julie returned. We were only expecting Abbie, Brock, and the boys this year, so we had to get everything organized.

That’s when the “fun” began! Jordan et al were booked on a Virgin Atlantic flight from Heathrow to LAX., but they arrived at the airport and discovered that Milo didn’t have a valid ESTA. Since Milo is only 2, it’s understandable that he forgot to update it! So consequently they missed their flight and were put on a later one.

They had a wonderful time, and both Koby and Milo are confident in the water, able to swim Koby fully unaided and Milo very nearly so. We celebrated the 4th of July with friends and colleagues, enjoying steaks for everyone and plenty of beer and wine for those who enjoy it. 

A week after they left for home, Abbie, Brock, Pip, and Otto arrived! They were staying for three weeks and they had a wonderful time. Like Jordan and his family, we went whale watching—this was a first for Pip, Otto (Milo too!), and they were incredibly excited to see dolphins and California sea lions. Pip is a big fan of sea creatures, so he was thrilled to see them. I know all the kids loved it from the moment they saw the dolphins to getting up close and personal in the glass-sided pods.

While all the kids were with us, they all did similar things. Both sets went to the beach and the mountains. Luckily for Julie and me, no one wanted to go to the Mouse House or Universal.

Ian, Julie’s cousin, visited for two weeks at the beginning of October. We had a blast on the Warner Bros. studio tour! It’s such an interesting place, and it’s amazing to see how many films and TV shows have been made there. You know, think of Friends, The Big Bang Theory, Rebel Without a Cause, various DC films, some of the Harry Potter series CGI, and other blockbusters. We even got to sit on the Friends couch and in front of the Friends fountain!

It was also my daughter, Dominique’s birthday in early October. She was the BIG 4-0. she had a party (sadly we couldn’t attend in person) most of the family were there and we attended virtually! It looked like a great evening and some people got very drunk! no guesses for who!

Julie and I decided we needed a little break, so we had a long weekend in Hawaii. We stayed at the Kahala Hotel and Resort on the island of O’ahu. The resort is southeast of Honolulu and east of the famous Waikiki beach.

We visited the Pearl Harbor Memorial, which was very moving. A lot of thought has gone into making this war grave memorial accessible. We spent about seven hours between the memorial, which marked the start of World War II for the US, and then on the USS Missouri, where the war with Japan ended with the signing of the articles of surrender.

I also went swimming with sea turtles. I had booked us both on an excursion to snorkel with large green sea turtles in the wild! Unfortunately, Julie couldn’t participate because she had a bad cough and wouldn’t be comfortable breathing through a snorkel. 

I think the only thing I might have misjudged about this adventure was how challenging swimming in the open sea with a strong current can be! After my swim to the reef, I had to catch my breath while hanging on the lifeguards’ surfboard. Once I was breathing again, I really started to enjoy myself, swimming and diving with the amazing creatures. We weren’t allowed to get too close—only 10 feet—but they were allowed to get up close and personal with us! They spend most of their day on the reef, about 40 feet below the surface, but come up for air and some sunshine. They decide where they come up, even if it means right next to you, and they did! We had about 50 minutes swimming and diving with them, surrounded by lots of colorful fish, before heading back to the dive boat. The swim back was easier because the current was pushing us back in that direction.

My mom is coming out again, just in time for New Year’s and my birthday. She will then fly back with Julie in mid-February. We’re planning to take her to Vegas for a concert in the Sphere. Right now, that’s the only thing we’re planning, and we probably won’t do much else. Mum likes to just chill and not have to worry about the cold weather.

I’m starting to plan some time away for Julie and me in the first half of next year. We really want to go to Washington, D.C., our nation’s capital. We’ve been told to go in the spring or early summer when the weather is pleasant and not too humid. I’m also going to try and get to visit the White House. 

We are also going to the opening week to see the stage show of the 1988 film; Working Girl. This version is a musical with music and lyrics by Cindi Lauper. If you are old enough to remember the film or seen it since 1988 then you know its about a girl made good. The film stars Melanie Griffith, Harrison Ford and Sigourney Weaver. I don’t think that they are in the stage show, but they may be in the audience! Its getting its first look at the La Jolla playhouse in La Jolla San Diego. The playhouse is famous for being the launch theater for such great stage shows as; Big River, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Jersey Boys and Come From Away to name just a few, to Broadway! 

As I said at the top of the blog, “It’s been a great year.” 

Thanks for reading

Ciao 

Paul & Julie

October 2025