Sunshine...!

Despite the weather forecasts, we have seen remarkably little of the wet stuff! This day we woke to brilliant sunshine. A lazy start, with breakfast at home, just the two of us. Then off in our two-car caravan to pick up the gang for the drive north to Balboa Island... A walk down the main street, with a few obligatory stops. We waited patiently...

... while others shopped. Then we took the ferry ride...

... across to the fun fair on the Newport Peninsula, where the children enjoyed rides on the ferris wheel...

... and the carousel...

... and corn dogs on sticks...

Then back to the cars, headed back to the Irvine train station, where Sarah arrived on schedule to great acclaim.

A welcome respite, later afternoon, at the cottage, before joining the family...

... for drinks in their hotel room at sunset. We walked down, now ten of us, for dinner at our local Japanese restaurant, San Shi Go. Matthew and Diane pronounced it excellent, and they should know. Before moving to England in order to bring up their family in Europe, they each lived in Tokyo for fifteen years. They still work for Japanese branches of their companies from London, editing and translating company reports into English. It was a pleasure to see them practicing their Japanese language skills with the staff.