I’m a big U2 fan. Have been since the 1980s. I’ve followed their ground-breaking music, chart topping hits, dips into creativity for each of their albums and have seen them in concert four times.

Excitement built when 1 December 2017 arrived with the release of Songs of Experience.

I find the best way to listen to a new album of any artist is in bed, in the dark, with no distractions so I can focus on the lyrics, musical arrangements, and what I think what might be the story behind the song. Always after the first listen there are songs I really like. For Songs of Experience, it’s American Soul, Landlady, Rent Day and the stand-out song Summer of Love, a mesmerising, melodic and mystical swaying song.

It was around about the same time I received an invitation to spend Xmas with my other family, Bob and Sheryl, in my other home, San Diego. Woo hoo!

If you’ve been following my blog, you’ll remember reading about my first trip in June 2017 to meet Bob and Sheryl. I initially met Bob on-line in a writers’ group forum, and very quickly a solid friendship and writing partnership was formed.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Bob and Sheryl in June and was ecstatic to be going back so soon and for seven weeks!

Somehow Summer of Love took on a whole new meaning and became my theme song for my return to San Diego.

First, I need to clarify that even though my summer was actually the southern hemisphere’s summer, I didn’t think San Diego would really have a winter. And I was right. While early morning and evenings were chilly and there was the odd, dull, grey day with sprinkles sometimes, day temperatures were very warm and summer-like.

Second, this is my literal interpretation of Summer of Love (not U2’s meaning in relation to the war in Syria).

This is a pictorial of my Summer of Love.

“It’s nature”

“I’ve been thinking about the west coast”

“One more chance before the light goes”

…food

…interesting lines and designs

 

…animals loving each other!

…sunsets! (OMG! The sunsets!)

…sharing our writing with the world

Many thanks to Bob and Sheryl for making my time on the west coast so memorable. Once again, Bob outdid himself with being a fantastic tour guide with lots of facts about San Diego, California and the US in general. He has a wonderful ability to hunt down where the best eating places are and when we weren’t eating, he was cooking us delicious meals.

Seven weeks flew by and before long I was heading back to New Zealand, exhausted and refreshed all at the same time.

U2’s Summer of Love was the fitting theme song for this trip. I’m already on the look out for a theme song for my next journey (with Bob and Sheryl) to the UK in April and back to San Diego again in October, which will be California’s autumn (is there such a thing in California?). So many things still to do – more restaurants to eat at not covered in June/December and more things to do at Safari Park (the balloon ride, zip lining and the carousel) and places I’d like to go back and revisit.

Thanks Bob for making my Summer of Love so special!