As we enter the final few days before we leave I feel strangely under the weather, a combination of foggy brain and exhausted euphoria; an awareness that I am not firing on all cylinders at the moment.  I can liken it to doing my A-Levels – months of preparation until the brain is swimming in the final days before the exams and as much as you feel you ought to do a bit more cramming, the truth is, there is just no point – “what we haven’t done now…” and all that.  I’ve abandoned the lists and just hope that when we get to the airport we have the essentials – passports and kids, that will probably do.

Nick has passed that unmentionable milestone that has him married to a women in a different decade again for a short while. As with all things, he took it comfortably in his stride, eating a bit too much and enjoying the day with all of us.  The boys and I presented him with a cake that could feed 40 and he readily accepted the challenge.  His real gift will follow later in the year but since he reads this page I can’t share it here.  All I’m saying is that whilst I’m not sure life actually begins at 40, it certainly changes gear.

Talking of later in the year, we have a number of days on the US West Coast with no firm plans at the moment and I’m hoping that amongst the small handful of readers to this blog, there may be one or two who have some suggestions for places to stop between Seattle and San Francisco.  So, lovely readers, if you’ve been to the West Coast lately or know someone who has, please share your recommendations; we would really love to hear them.

East Coast suggestions are also very welcome, of course, although our schedule is a little tighter there and now that his Holiness, Pope Francis has announced he will be following our route, I imagine the main attractions will be crowded.

Talk about trend setting!