Chestnut Sunday

Thankfully we get a lie in on Sunday morning. Sunday was the Chestnut Parade inBushy Park. I did go last time so we grabbed the blanket and got a place by the parade route.

Waiting. 

There were a lot of military bikes and cars, as well as a parade of old cars which made Craig quite happy.

This dog was loving life.

Old taxi.

Banger!

There were also some interesting bicycles.

We walked through Bushy Park into Hampton Court and started to over heat. We wanted to find a deli to get a picnic, but that prove surprisingly hard in Hampton Court. I had expected to find quite a few but there was nothing. We eventually found a grocery store with enough to make us happy and a shady spot to have a picnic. 

Starving.

Classic Cars on the Green

I have internet!!!! I am slowly getting my apartment sorter out and liveable. I still don't have a bed or sofa but that's for down the line.

A few weekends ago, Hampton had a Classic Car show on the village green. Apparently they have these village events often. (I am looking forward to the film on the green and Christmas.) Hampton is a lovely little place, an English equivalent of small town USA. They were even playing Elvis and swing music

The cars were a mixture. Some I am not sure I would label as classic but the atmosphere was good. Mostly I think it was just for fun. And an excuse to sit in the sun.

The show

Classic

Stretch Caddy

:)

 There were also a lot of charities bringing cars, including Help for Heros.

Jeep

 Though some ... well my car is more likely to be classed a classic. It is 19 yrs old after all.

A classic?

Classic paint job?

?

And some were just fun!

Hippy! 

British ambulance. :)

I want this one!

Electric car-cross-bike

And some of the bikes were interesting. Most seemed to be making very sure they would be seen in the dark. Or could be the origin of UFO stories.

Though I was most impressed with the cake displays. :)

 I think I am going to like Hampton. (Though the commute to Richmond, not so much!)

Driving police cars!

This week on Monday for the police academy, we were doing vehicle operations, i.e. deriving police cars as fast as we could around an obstacle course. :)
We went out to the local airport to do the course which was a sharp 'S' followed by a 'light bulb' (like a painted on roundabout for the British readers) and then back through the 'S'.
First we went through the a cop driving slowly, and then at high speed with them driving. I was sitting in the back. There is not a lot of room there; I now have some impressive bruises on my knees. :(
Then it was our turn. First time was low speed to get used to the course.

Checking things out

 Then all bets were off. It was as fast as you wanted and with lights going.

Caning it.

 The final time was the same but with the sirens. That was a serious adrenaline rush!

All out.

I waited until most people had been so no one was really watching just in case I took out a whole heap of cones. However this meant it had the added problem of it then being dark. Still it was great fun and I would happily have gone through a few more times. I might not have gone as fast as some of the others (though I think only by a second or two) but I didn't hit a single cone! SO I might not get there as fast but everyone will be in one piece. 

Most people hit the cones on the roundabout but I have driven in Gornal, Dudley. That was not a tight turn!

Night driving

Then a couple of the police went, competing. Obviously much quicker than us! And Tony Haga, who loves his driving, did the course in reverse. In the dark.

After picking up the cones, we got the mobile command unit (a huge RV) back to the VT police department. Which has no seatbeats, which was interesting. (Until someone sitting on a rolling chair rolled per my toes when we went around a bend. Then I was not so impressed.)

Night scope in the mobile command centre.

First few days in LA

I have just stared a month long trip to work at CalTech, based in Pasadena. The trip to LA on sunday was a little more stressful than usual. Rachel picked me up early and we found out she had a flat! Thankfully her boyfriend took us to the airport and we had left lots of extra time so had enough time to change cars, pick up Duncan and get to the airport. (Luckily the flight was also delayed.)

The rest of the trip was ok until we got to LA and "found" our car. When we tried to get out of the lot, they hold us it was the wrong car and to put it back and get a different one. But there was already a car back in that space. After a short period of confusion (and too many cars) we sorted it out, found a car they would let use have, and left the airport.

Thankfully Rachel drove as I was not brave enough to tackle LA traffic that day. I will before I leave certainly but I just couldn't face it. After a few wrong turns (Rachel was much calmer than I would have been), we got to the apartment. We are staying at the Fuller Seminary Guest House. The name worried me for a while. But the place is lovely. The apartment is huge!!!! We have our own bedroom and bathrooms, a full kitchen, dining room, balcony, and TV with 50+ channels. Though I don't think we will be needing to use the fireplace! It's a lot nicer than I expected.

Our living room and fireplace

Kitchen and dining room

On Sunday night we went for the poshest sushi I have ever been for. I don't normally post pictures of food, but this was amazing. We split an appetizer which was truly spectacular. There was asian pear, cucumber, a quail's egg (which you pour over the fish), and tuna, all topped with goat's cheese. It sounds a weird combination but it really worked! We also split a bottle of sake. Best I have ever had.

Sake and sushi

My sushi was very tasty though I was jealous of Duncan's sashimi platter. And my desert was amazing.

Creme brûlée and green tea ice-cream for desert 

The little glass is basically berry coulees and ice-cream. Sugar overload! But I did get to try green tea ice-cream (it's been on my list).

I think I am going to like California!

This week has been and will be meeting people and working. But lots of fun things planned for the weekend. And I will put up pictures of campus soon. It's really pretty!

Independence day

Friday was Independence day here, one of the few American holiday where we actually get the day off. And the weather was a lot better than last year! And thankfully cooler than the rest of the week or I would have melted.
Unfortunately none of the buses were running so I walked down to Smithfield Planation which took about an hour. I was melting when I got there but managed to find someone selling cold drinks.

Dressed for the occasion 

Different version of the USA flag

 There was a band playing on the porch of the house so I sat listening and cooling down for a while.

Band

 There was also a re-enactor talking about the war and showing us who to fire his gun. He let me hold it and it was really heavy.

Preparing the rifle

Take aim... 

Fire!

It was really loud. And the little flame on the photo was only a small amount of the fire that shot out from that thing. They have had to add bits to the gun to stop enactors from setting themselves on fire!
They also sang "Star Spangled Banner" and read out the Fincastle resolution (an early version of the declaration for just this area) and then the Declaration of Independence, which I'll admit, I didn't sit through.  I snuck out (it's long and really quite out of date) and headed across town to get some food and a good spot to watch the parade.

Leading the parade

Community band

Scouts

 There was a lot about the veterans so in the parade there were lots of army jeeps and veterans groups, including (in Preston style) a car from the Veterans cemetery.

And a car from the forest services with a guy dressed as Smokey Bear suit who must have been really hot!

Smokey bear

Apparently they let any who has a really cool car in the parade as a lot seemed to be just random people in cool cars.

So American

My favorite!

 There were also some horses who must have been the most placid horses alive. As right behind them came the entire of Blacksburg's rescue service, EMTs, and fire service. All honking their horns and using their sirens.

Docile horses

 Even a random bus got in on the act.

Blacksburg Transit buses

The mayor got the coolest seat!

Blacksburg fire department

I hope no one needed to emergency services! They were all in the parade. But I was very impressed. They closed down main street and reopened without any dress or drama. Within 10 mins of the parade finishing, everything was normal again. I guess they do it so often, it's easy.

After the parade, there was a free movie, "Angels in the outfield", a Disney film, showing at the Lyric. But I had to do it the full American way. With popcorn and Milk Duds. Which I had never had before but are very tasty. Basically chocolate coated chewy caramel. My jaw ached after a while but it was worth it.

Classic movie snacks! Yummy!

There was some time after the film before the evening shuttle buses started over to the park, so I just chilled around campus and read my book in the sun.

War Memorial

Alumni Mall 

Buress Hall and the Massacre memorial

Once at the park, I found a stand selling fresh lemonade (so American! Loved it!) and a hot dog and sat listening to the community band playing American classics. (I couldn't name any of them but they said they were classics so I'll believe them!)

Listening to the band

 I also brought a "small" bag of kettle corn.  Small by American standards. The large was bigger than most 6 yr olds. (I did not eat all my bag!)

Kettle corn with my shoes for scaling purposes! 

The second band, the Meter's Running (which until they got on stage I did think was some sort of strange race they were going to run through the park), were a jazz/blues/swing band and despite the lack of a dance floor, it didn't stop many people from dancing. The atmosphere was really fun.

Dancing

The band 

the band

 They sang until the fireworks started. Which was the real reason me and most of the audience were there. I got some decent photos. Though I missed the one which shot a smiley face into the sky. Very cool! :-)

They got to a certain point and it seems they got up setting them off in order. They just set everything off at once. Awesome!

After the fireworks, which were worth the wait, I had to walk home, which was very uncomfortable thanks to 2 large blisters (evil shoes!). But it was a good day.
Now I have to start packing again :-( But have lots of fun things planned for the next month. So I am excited even if it does mean more planes, airports, and living out of a suitcase again for another month. :-)

Happy Independence Day!