Today Alex had a product launch which made it onto the official Google blog, which is a big deal:
http://googlemobile.blogspot.com/2009/11/get-mobile-coupons-through-local-search.html
Tomorrow, the world....
Monday, November 23, 2009
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Our new home
After two weekends of traipsing around the Valley getting more and more disillusioned about property prices (makes London seem quite reasonable!), we have finally found a lovely home in Palo Alto.
It is a late example an Eichler, a type of modernist-style 60s building with lots of plate glass and wood, which we swore we would avoid last weekend having decided they were "just weird". However, although this one looks like something the Thunderbirds would use a base from the outside:
View Larger Map
... on the inside it is big and filled with light.
There are two main living spaces which open out onto a central paved area a.k.a. the "barbeque zone", which leads to the garden which has plenty of room for climbing frames.
The kitchen is really big, with a gas stove (yipee - this is unusual in rentals, which have often featured the original 60s electric bakelite stove and oven), and room for the dining table.
Our bedroom also opens out onto the central courtyard. There are three more bedrooms, which are all rather tiny, but fine for little Ruth and visitors. The bathrooms and fittings are all a bit dated, but perfectly functional.
The house is on a quiet tree-lined street in Palo Alto, half-an-hour's walk from both the downtown and midtown areas with nice cafes and shops, and it is close to all the classes and playgroups I have found this last week with Ruth. It is just under four miles cycle to Google along quiet back streets for Alex's commute.
So. We are looking forward welcoming you all there over the next two years!
Pippa, Alex & Ruth xxx
It is a late example an Eichler, a type of modernist-style 60s building with lots of plate glass and wood, which we swore we would avoid last weekend having decided they were "just weird". However, although this one looks like something the Thunderbirds would use a base from the outside:
View Larger Map
... on the inside it is big and filled with light.
There are two main living spaces which open out onto a central paved area a.k.a. the "barbeque zone", which leads to the garden which has plenty of room for climbing frames.
The kitchen is really big, with a gas stove (yipee - this is unusual in rentals, which have often featured the original 60s electric bakelite stove and oven), and room for the dining table.
Our bedroom also opens out onto the central courtyard. There are three more bedrooms, which are all rather tiny, but fine for little Ruth and visitors. The bathrooms and fittings are all a bit dated, but perfectly functional.
The house is on a quiet tree-lined street in Palo Alto, half-an-hour's walk from both the downtown and midtown areas with nice cafes and shops, and it is close to all the classes and playgroups I have found this last week with Ruth. It is just under four miles cycle to Google along quiet back streets for Alex's commute.
So. We are looking forward welcoming you all there over the next two years!
Pippa, Alex & Ruth xxx
Moving day
Finally worked out how to get the photos off the camera without the card reader - so here are the promised photos of moving day.
The packers were incredibly efficient, and had our entire house packed up and onto various vehicles for the air & sea shipments, and UK storage as well, all by 2pm.
It think the highlight was the 20' container being reversed down Grove Avenue, with centimetres spare on either side to the parked cars, particularly when is squeaked past Jof's BMW.
We have now been safely reunited with the air shipment in the US - Ruth is incredibly happy to see all her toys again and spent an entire morning singing "ee-i-ee-i-ooo" non-stop whilst walking up and down with Mr Doggy. The sea shipment is crossing the atlantic somewhere and we should see it towards the end of December.
The packers were incredibly efficient, and had our entire house packed up and onto various vehicles for the air & sea shipments, and UK storage as well, all by 2pm.
It think the highlight was the 20' container being reversed down Grove Avenue, with centimetres spare on either side to the parked cars, particularly when is squeaked past Jof's BMW.
We have now been safely reunited with the air shipment in the US - Ruth is incredibly happy to see all her toys again and spent an entire morning singing "ee-i-ee-i-ooo" non-stop whilst walking up and down with Mr Doggy. The sea shipment is crossing the atlantic somewhere and we should see it towards the end of December.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Settling in
We thought we had this moving lark licked yesterday when we all slept through til 7.30am, but Ruth got us up at 5.30am again today... guess it will be a while longer! Today is Alex's first day at work, apparently he has been busy but everyone is being nice to him so far. Ruth and I drove him in and tried not to embarrass him at the school gate.
Ruth is having long day time naps at the moment - I actually found time to iron Alex's shirts this morning! I know, I couldn't believe it myself. We went to Gymboree (like the Little Gym) this afternoon, which Ruth really loved. She managed to get a play date booked with a little boy she pursued shamelessly.
More cultural differences:
- can't work out what bread to buy. Bewildering range.
- Managed to buy a tiny travel kettle, which was the ONLY one on sale at Walmart. A whole aisle of coffee makers though.
- They didn't sell clothes horses. 4 different laundry baskets, no racks at all.
- You can turn right on at a red light!
Ruth is having long day time naps at the moment - I actually found time to iron Alex's shirts this morning! I know, I couldn't believe it myself. We went to Gymboree (like the Little Gym) this afternoon, which Ruth really loved. She managed to get a play date booked with a little boy she pursued shamelessly.
More cultural differences:
- can't work out what bread to buy. Bewildering range.
- Managed to buy a tiny travel kettle, which was the ONLY one on sale at Walmart. A whole aisle of coffee makers though.
- They didn't sell clothes horses. 4 different laundry baskets, no racks at all.
- You can turn right on at a red light!
Saturday, November 7, 2009
First day in California
Well, we've made it out here in one piece (or three pieces and a lot of bags). Ruth was reasonably good on the plane, luckily business class was half empty and they had noise cancelling headphones, so everyone seemed to think she was a little angel. We kept her up last night until normal bedtime, and we managed to stay up until 9.30pm, and we all slept through until 5.30 which isn't too bad.
Our flat is really nice, a good size and well-equipped, feels a bit like a hotel. We've been for a walk this morning and discovered a lovely park right next door with a little playground, and a "natural area" across the road with wetlands and a river. We also discovered the three swimming pools and two spas in our complex - all outdoors but heated - California may be the most green of the states but there are still lots of things that are glaringly un-eco to us! I think I will manage to overlook my principles enough to enjoy the spa pool anyway.
We are going out to the supermarket later on today, and going on an "area tour" with the estate agent tomorrow. Afraid there are no photos yet or for a while, as we don't seem to have packed the card reader :)
Cultural differences so far:
- There is NO KETTLE in the flat!! An oven big enough to cook three English turkeys in, a coffee-maker, a waste-disposal unit but no kettle. Can you believe.
- The bed is enormous. Seriously, it comes up above my waist. I have to do a jump to get into it.
- There is a tumble drier but no clothes horse.
- Eggs are white not brown.
- Grass looks like grass drawn by a child, all uniform and green, not mangey and straw-like.
- It is sunny, and the sky is blue (although it was grey and drizzly yesterday when we landed - I did panic).
Love
P, A & R xxx
Our flat is really nice, a good size and well-equipped, feels a bit like a hotel. We've been for a walk this morning and discovered a lovely park right next door with a little playground, and a "natural area" across the road with wetlands and a river. We also discovered the three swimming pools and two spas in our complex - all outdoors but heated - California may be the most green of the states but there are still lots of things that are glaringly un-eco to us! I think I will manage to overlook my principles enough to enjoy the spa pool anyway.
We are going out to the supermarket later on today, and going on an "area tour" with the estate agent tomorrow. Afraid there are no photos yet or for a while, as we don't seem to have packed the card reader :)
Cultural differences so far:
- There is NO KETTLE in the flat!! An oven big enough to cook three English turkeys in, a coffee-maker, a waste-disposal unit but no kettle. Can you believe.
- The bed is enormous. Seriously, it comes up above my waist. I have to do a jump to get into it.
- There is a tumble drier but no clothes horse.
- Eggs are white not brown.
- Grass looks like grass drawn by a child, all uniform and green, not mangey and straw-like.
- It is sunny, and the sky is blue (although it was grey and drizzly yesterday when we landed - I did panic).
Love
P, A & R xxx
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)