Hope

Every few days this summer, I've thought to myself: Wow - I need to sit down and write about this so I don't forget the details that aren't in the photos. Good intentions, which have not seen the light of day. I will get around to some more detailed posts about our Seattle explorations, but they'll have to wait. There's exactly one week left until the Faery starts her new school, which means the two months since we moved to Seattle truly have flown by.

On Saturday, J spent the afternoon with some friends of his that he's made through work. They went on a massive 50km bike ride through Seattle, on some kind of brewery sampling mission. Meanwhile, I had another entire afternoon of entertaining the kids and monotonously mind-numbing housework. The deal was that as soon as he got home that night, I could take myself off to go see a movie - which I did. Unfortunately, I was in a bit of 'mood' by the time evening had arrived (discovering four sneaky patches of cat piss on carpet in a not-often used room will do that)... and instead of cheering up, I felt even worst after the movie.

Once I returned home, I realised the problem was that I was feeling 'lost'. Acutely aware that I only have a couple of friends here (known from years ago), and good old-fashioned down in the dumps. Christ, we've barely been here two months - during a part of the year where there's no routine, structure, and little in the way of opportunities to meet people. I need to go easier on myself, I know. These things take time, and I've already signed up for various new ventures here which will help (more on that another time), so it's not like I'm sitting around moaning without actually making an effort - I just need to make patience a new virtue, mantra, or whatever it is... and get back into some bloody yoga!

So there we have it. I had a bit of a pity party on Saturday, which carried though into Sunday.

Then, Sunday afternoon saw us attend a neighbourhood picnic party at our local park. It was an annual event put on by the American equivalent of a local council - sort of like a block party. Have I mentioned how there's a really lovely sense of community in out new area? We just needed to bring a side dish or dessert to share, and the rest was taken care of. We signed up on arrival, were given name tags to wear, and promptly feasted on barbecued burgers and hotdogs, curries,  and frozen yoghurt (provided by the local restaurants and shops)... a Ben & Jerry's ice cream truck even turned up to hand out ice cream.

There was a balloon dude for the kids, face-painting, water balloon tossing contest, bubbles and chalk - leaving J and I free to chat and meet other folks and parents in our neighbourhood. It was fantastic. When the rain arrived and it was time to leave, we left knowing a bunch of new faces and names, kids who were similar ages to ours, and parents from the same school that the Faery will attend - along with praise sung about the school. We met people who'd lived in the Seattle area all their lives, and people who were transplants like us, with Australian and British ties. I'd been invited along to trivia nights and girly drinks.

All in all, it was reassuring. My 'mood' had shifted, and I was glad we'd taken the time to attend.

I came home feeling hopeful for my own happiness here.

(On a side note, after giving it much thought recently, I'm doing away with watermarking my photos. Lately, I've been shifting away from photo-editing/processing in general. With the exception of Instagram - and even then I don't add filters as much as I used to - the most I can be bothered with is a little straightening and cropping when required. I'm deriving more pleasure in keeping an image as true to the one that landed on my phone or camera, and aiming for better shots to begin with. The water-marking issue mostly comes down to a time factor and laziness, but I've also realised that if someone really wanted to steal an image of mine, they'd simply crop out the watermark anyway. I don't condone it, but I can't stop it.)

Somewhere over the rainbow

The serious lack of rain in Los Angeles means that seeing a rainbow is a pretty big deal. A real, bona-fide rainbow - not one that's been conjured up on a movie set somewhere.

On my way to pick up J from work yesterday, I emerged from our underground parking to be greeted by this happy sight.

It took both girls and I completely by surprise, because when we'd walked out our apartment door, there had been no rain, nor any hint of sunshine about to burst through. I guess a lot can happen in the time it takes to wrangle two small kids out the door, into a lift, down two levels, across to the car, and into their car seats.

As we began the ascent up the driveway from the carpark, large fat raindrops pelted the car. I put on the windscreen wipers, stopped to turn into the street, looked a little to my left... and WOW.

My phone was conveniently within reach, so I became that annoying driver (I normally detest) idling in the shared driveway, as I took a quick snap.

The Faery just about wet her pants with excitement - because, you know, when you're a five-year-old girl, rainbows, fairies and unicorns are what makes the world go round. (Let's face it, if I had a dollar for every rainbow she's ever drawn, we'd be filthy rich.)

Breathlessly, she exclaimed this was "the first real live rainbow" she'd ever seen.

Not exactly true - she'd seen her share when she was younger, in Sydney, but it seems so long ago in her short life that she doesn't remember. When you're five, now is what counts, right?

Although, in a way, she was right. I'm pretty sure that in our almost-two years living here, this is the first proper rainbow we've seen. I've never taken rainbows for granted (who does?) but like anything that's rare, their currency holds even more value to me these days.

Don't we all secretly hope to find that pot of gold one day?

Drama

Our neighbourhood is at the base of foothills and mountains, so there is a real mix of homes. In the more level area, it's mostly apartments - for the plebs like us. But as you head north, and the roads cease to be straight and start to take on a slight incline, the apartments give way to modest homes and cute bungalows.  Not for long, though. The roads begin twisting and get steep fairly quickly, and the bungalows evolve into the sort of homes that give me a serious case of home envy.

It's a simple equation. Steeper roads + no pedestrian access (ie footpaths) = fancy schmancy homes.

Our local supermarket is the last one before the foothills start, so we see some seriously expensive cars around - belonging, I assume, to the fancy homes above us. Some celebrities lives in these hills, but I've never spotted any. But then, they probably get their PAs to fetch their groceries, right?

It's jacaranda time of year

I enjoy going for walks around here. Sometimes it's leisurely, armed with my camera so that I can play with it. Other times, I go instead of a rare gym visit, iPod plugged in with music to help pump me up those hills. I never venture into total mansion territory, though. The lack of footpaths I mentioned earlier? And narrow, winding roads to walk on instead? Combined with the way people drive around here, it feels... unsafe. Not the smartest place to be on foot.

It's about here that the home envy kicks in

So I stick to the lower part of the foothills, and if I'm lucky, certain bends in the roads will give me glimpses of views: the local area and its tall buildings downtown, Griffith Park, and - from a few points -
the towers of downtown LA. The other evening at sunset, the sun cast a pink glow off the sides of those skyscrapers. The sight felt incredibly, well, LA baby.

Looking north

Would you believe this is looking south, from the exact same spot as the previous photo? 
Downtown LA is in the very far distance.

Click.

Moments after hitting the shutter button for these last two photos, drama unfolded.

I was standing on a large pedestrian island in the middle of one side of a four-way intersection (with stop signs) when a white car came careening around, turning left, and stopping in the middle of the road - preventing other cars from getting past.

There was a crunching of gears changing, and I could see the male driver's arm furiously gesturing to the female passenger. Loud, angry words cut through the air.

I wasn't sure what to do next - their car had stopped in the direction I was heading.

Then, I'm pretty sure I heard the driver shouting, "Did you pull the trigger?"

I wasn't sure I'd heard correctly, but I suddenly felt trapped and very exposed on that pedestrian island. I looked around, not sure which way to run, or maybe duck down.

Did it occur to me to note the car model? Or the registration number?

Nope. I was in panic mode, and looking for escape.

Did I take a photo? Um, no, I was more concerned about possible bullets flying past.

Drama queen, I know.

It didn't occur to me to call 911, because I didn't have my phone on me.

A middle aged cyclist rode past me, looked at me, and shrugged his shoulders, as if to say, People, huh? What can you do?

Then the white car lurched forward, continuing its journey, while the female passenger screamed at the driver to get out of the car, repeatedly. The sound of her terrified screaming faded as the car disappeared into the distance.

Shaking, I crossed the road, and began walking home. About a block later, a dark blue SUV pulled up alongside me, and I recognised it as one of the cars that was at the intersection.

An older woman wound down her window, and called out to me. "Ma'am, did you see what happened back there?"

(This is where I confess that secretly enjoy it when an American addresses me as Ma'am - well, unless they happen to be moronic security guards)

So I walked over to her, and we talked about what we'd just seen. She was equally disturbed, and had the presence of mind to note the car model, and call 911 to tell them the direction this car was headed in. Thank god.

I have no idea what happened to those people in the car. Who was threatening who? But I was still shaking when I got home, and angry with myself for freezing like I did. It's hard, though, to know when not to get involved in something like that.

What a way to end a lovely afternoon stroll.

Later in the afternoon, I heard quite a few sirens in the distance, and my imagination began to run away, so I googled news in our neighbourhood.

Nothing turned up about a violent domestic dispute... but I did find out that Mario Lopez is one of the 'celebrities' that lives up in the hills nearby.

The vodka is kicking in now, so I'm okay...