Day 2

Parcel of photographic stuff ordered from New York before we left turned up via UPS at 9.15am. Amazing you can order in one country and get it delivered in another.

Fed the chickens in the rain. They eat the kitchen scraps. Have to be careful not to let them outside as there are rats around. We are right in the countryside here - there's an old orchard above the house and there's a park further south. There are around 6 houses on this unmadeup road. Some new ones and some older ones. Horses, ponies, goats, cats and dogs plus apparently a racoon will come and eat the cat food if it is left out overnight. Hummingbirds in the summer but none at the moment. There are other birds.

Went out to lunch with Zac and Diana at a local cafe in Sebastopol. Then a trip to Santa Rosa to the organic supermarket Trader Joe's. They have a large selection of everything you can think of. Went to Best Buy to get batteries and a spare card for the computer. Prices are definitely more reasonable over here.

Apparently coming back we went over a fault line which Zac said is overdue for a 7+ earthquake. It's called Rodgers Creek, not the San Andreas - that's about 6 miles further west. If it happens all the local area will turn to mud...there was a bad one in 1969.

Weather - well the sun came out for a bit in the afternoon. Not much sign of a blue sky though.

There are two cats here - Tom Thumb, a formal feral one, and Spicy who has a short tail with a kink in it. Spicy is friendly but Tom Thumb is very wary. Too many people and too much noise.

Home made pizza for supper and Diana's friend India came over afterwards. She was brought up in Hawaii and was telling us the best places to visit on the Big Island.

Lots of stars visible tonight - could see Orion and Cassiopeia. Hopefully that means good weather for tomorrow. Managed to stay awake until 10pm. Think I am ok for jetlag. Chris had a nap about 5pm.

Diana has suggested a trip to Point Reyes tomorrow. An attractive coastline and national park about an hour away.