48 Hours Later

We’re home! I’m cold, tired, and have just remembered the dog ate my slippers and I should have bought some more.

It was a whirlwind trip, with barely a minute to think, but it all went surprisingly well, though I could mention how the plane was late arriving, how the taxi was also late, how long we had to spend at the dealership, and about how J dropped a cup of hot chocolate all down herself whilst there, how all these things combined meant we didn’t set off driving until after six in the evening which in turn meant we were three hours later than predicted getting to the hotel – but instead I’ll focus on the swimming pools both hotels had, and how the children adored swimming before breakfast and dinner, how well behaved they were, how much shopping I did, and how great my new car is!

And my car is great. Not that I’ve really had time to look at it properly (haven’t even found the cd player yet – seriously – apparently it’s somewhere in the boot!) Definitely a great buy, another car dealer even said as much when we got chatting and I said why we were in England, and the BH said it was a smooth ride (which is something he’s always complained about in my old one). Having said that, motorway drivers are insane. I swear they don’t understand what breaking distance is, and it’s safe to say I’ve added a few grey hairs to my collection.

We also just missed an accident (by seconds!) which is still on my mind. A motorcyclist was hit by a car and thrown off of the road. I’ve no idea if he survived, but it didn’t look like his bike did, and I can’t think of a way to find out as I don’t really know where we were when it happened. I just said a silent prayer as we were waved passed by the drivers who had stopped. Poor chap.

And England is cold! And I’m still cold even though it was 9 degrees warmed at home when we arrived. I think it must seep into your bones.

My Nano count is crap. Only got started today on the boat home. Thought I would carry on this afternoon, but I fell asleep on the couch after I’d had a hot bath. And now I’m doing this. A quickie post, before the kids realise it’s late and they haven’t been fed yet.

But I do want to tell you about something P said when in one of the huge shops. Where we live it’s a sheltered place with not too many people, and combined with P’s extremely limited interest with the world at large, he can come out with some crackers.

A woman wearing a burka walked passed him pushing a trolley, and P stopped dead in his tracks and watched her before turning to R and saying (in much too loud-a-voice), “R, that’s the woman who had her picture in the paper the other day!” R promptly grabbed him and hurried out the aisle!

And something really good has come out of this quickie jaunt. We like living here. We all said it at different times, for different reasons, but we’ve come home and all agree our island is unique and beautiful. And the BH and I no longer want to leave. Still can’t afford the place, and we still have many, many gripes I could bore you with, but home is where the heart is, and this little island has our hearts – not that I didn’t know this before, I did, but the difference is, now we're glad of it.