Matthews Family Visit

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Danger, danger danger......thats right triple danger......there were not one, not two but three matthews' in the grand old USA at once. For ten days no less which to be honest was no where near enough but what can you do! And in keeping with the triple theme there are three pages of photos to this blog so be sure to scroll through to all three of them!!!!

Rach took time out from her "im going to take 9 months off and enjoy europe and the world" trip to accompany mum who herself decied to take a refreshing 6 weeks off and visit friends and family in the UK while those Matthews left in Oz could build and decorate a new kitchen at 31 Ivanhoe street!

As luck would have it mum and rach arrived on different planes here in south carolina but were sheduled to land the same day only 25 mins apart. Worked out perfectly, that was until rachs plane was only slightly delayed placing me in a rather large dilemma......which Matthews was i going to great first seeing as their two respective gates were at the total opposite ends of the airport. To be fair though opposite ends of the airport is a 1-2 min jog and within eyesight so not really the end of the world........as luck would have it rach arrived first followed by mum literally 3 mins later......but mum won, i waited at her gate, figured shed known me for longer and so was higher up on the pecking order. I even got a nice random stranger who was also waiting for someone to tell rach i had been running back and forth between gates.......dont think rach bought it though.......you can only try!

Lets just say in the ten days they were here there was never a dull moment. Activities included of course... watching sport including a local baseball game and a local football game, checking out down town Charleston, going on a bus tour of Charleston, checking out a plantation, a super fun day trip down to Savanah Georgia with sing-a-long in the car on the way back, trips to the beach, numerous tennis matches in 35C+ weather, some frisbee golf, putt putt, a crack at the baseball cage where mum showed she can not only coach softball but can hit with the best of them and close to 1008 walks for Dogan.......one of which mum and rach took the "scenic route". Although despite being locationally challeneged rach said that having the dog granted her instant local status, even if she wasnt quite sure which locality she was in!

Being in the south brings with it rather unique culinary delights. Shrimp and Grits is a local favourite.....shrimp being prawns and grits being an oatmeal/rice/porridge delight which rach actually quite enjoyed. The local Indian place was sampled, thai, americana and of course when you come to the states you just have to have a burger.....apparently its un-American not to! Cold sweet tea is the drink of choice in these parts with sweet being the operative word......wasnt quite a crowd favourite but was sampled none the less.

For one weekend i had the work truck, aptly named as it is the size of a truck. Although production of the model in the photo has ceased due to a lack of demand, highlighting that people are heading towards smaller more fuel efficent vehicles.....amen to that!

It was fabulous having mum and Rach stay for 10 days, i wish it could have been longer. And i know theres one fury animal in the household who was a little sad and depressed the day after they left wondering where on earth his new best friends who took him on endless walks and gave him many scratches had dissappeared to!

Other side of the world is the answer Doges, other side of the world mate! Might have to show you where if youre good!

Till next time folks......hope youre having fun.....and being good!

take care

Simo

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Photos

Water front walk
Walk along the water in downtown Charleston

VERY happy dog
This boys average walks went from 4-5 per day up to in excess of 10-12 walks a day not including hours long jaunts walking aorund downtown Charleston. Needless to say he enjoyed mum and rachs stay just as much as anyone!

Walking and talking
Walking, and i guess talking fort that matter....things the Matthews always seem to do!

Surfs up
Sullies looking like a lake

Whats Doges thinking.....
...." woof, geez i love these guys, walk 9 for the day and its only just lunch time!.....woof"

Super styling
Mum showing she has the most important aspect of frisbee golf down pat.......the finishing leg and wrist flick!

American burgercana
Come on.....shes in the US, she has to at least try and burger! Complete with sweet potato fries!

The riverdogs baseball experience
Bulls#$t seats thanks again to Suz!

Matthews family in their element
Come on, with two PE teachers making a family can you expect any other reaction at a sporting event......mum leading from the front and the offspring simply following her lead!

Charlie getting way too up close and personel with the ladies
Mum obviously horrified at the lewid displays of affection by Charlie towrds the girls!

Us
Nice shot taken at a water front park just down the road from our house

Mullet......?
Getting close isnt it!

Great shot
Beth waited an eternity for this shot. Check it out though, a solid wooden 10ft barrel and a lightening strike in the bottom left of the shot!

College of Charleston
The grounds of the local campus situated in the heart of down town Charleston

Big country = Big F$#k off cars
Vehicle i use when im on-site. Frankly the thing is ridiculous. Lazy $80 to fill the sucker up!