Well another adventure. I flew into Los Angeles on the way to Washington and arrived just after a beautiful sunrise. Uneventful flights - that is always a bonus and I did get some sleep. Then on the Washington DC where I met up with Anne from UTS. We had one night in a hotel on ly two doors away from the apartment I spent 6 weeks in while on sabbatical. We travelled over to Arlington the next day for the beginning of the conference.
Conference went well - I think finances were hitting some of the US universities as some of the people I expected to see werent there which was a pity. But lots of other good conversations and met up with some familiar faces. Might be my last US conference so it felt a bit like a farewell performance. I think our presentations went well.
Found out the Washington International Horse show was on at the Verizon Center ( usually houses basketball) so Anne and I dashed away on Friday evening. Metro station at the door so it was easy - and lo and behold I found a stall selling Ariat boots which Cas wanted - right inside the entrance! And there was one pair which fitted! And the price was not dreadful!

horse show was great to watch - very patriotic announcer who cnstantly spoke of fundraising for our "Wounded warriors". The Jack Russell Terrier race was hilarious! They ran so fast a couple went head over heels!.
Dressage to music was like dancing and all in all a great evnening.
HAve just spent Sunday morning at Old Town Alexandria - very Goerge Washington oriented and LOTS of historic buildings.
Leaving in two minutes for Dulles airport - hope another uneventful set of flights.

Back in Auckland-

Back in Auckland , after Catherine and her friend Rebecca did a marvellous job of packing up my bits and pieces in Sydney and removing them all up to Glanmire on the ute. Feel a bit like a displaced person - keep looking for things in the wrong place, andunpacking and sorting took a while. Finding stuff from the shift will be an ongoing process, but a marvellous opportunity for cleaning out. Set up my new office - the photos below are the view from my sunroom/office. Weather a but wild and woolly after a promising start. Peter has been doing heaps to the garden, we are going to have a splendiferous veg and fruit garden on our small patch!

Took the opportunity on Saturday night of running away in our bus/motorhome - the cream and black one in the photo, to go to the hot springs and park overnight on the shell banks at Kaiaua - known as the seabird coast - but not too many of the migratory birds have shown up yet. Got a bit cool and windy on the Sunday so set off after a very leisurely start, home via the Pokeno markets.

And now it is down to work - at my desk by 8:30am and off for an interview this afternoon to claim my "NAtional Superannuation" entitlements - my how the time flies - I do NOT feel like a pensioner!