Long-time, No blog

First off, apologies for not updating this in over a month as many people have informed me over the last fortnight! I'll try and see that it doesn't happen again - I feel well and truly told off.

As our intention was always to return to the UK after 6 months away, we had bought ourselves a return ticket each and the return leg of that ticket was to bring us back home just under a fortnight ago, Em and I returned to good ol' blighty last Tuesday for a holiday. It has been a manic couple of weeks and I'm now only just beginning to recover from all the travelling!

After returning a week last Tuesday, we headed to Em's ma's place for a few days where we caught up with all her family, had a pleasant shock at the size of all the kids (amazing how much they can grow in only 6 months) and spent a day out at Hever Castle in the midst of running about trying to see everyone. Amazingly we caught some good periods of weather, although not the searing temperatures we'd been informed of just days before leaving Oz, but it was nice to leave the thunderstorms behind us (yes even Australia gets rain in Winter).

Drove up to Pedmore on Saturday to do the ashes scattering thing with family. It was quite a collection, with Nan, Aunty Joan, and Aunty Freda (Gill had been keeping her ashes at home as she didn't know what to do with them) plus a bit of Uncle Percy which Gill had dug up from round the tree they scattered him at a few years back!! All the family (Me and Em, Mum and Dad, Ann, Frances and Andrew, and Gill plus Olly and Anka - the two dogs) headed up to the Monument (same place as Gang's scattering a few years back) and did the honours. Ann going first and discovering that throwing to the right caused a bit of blow back, so the rest of us took a cue from that and threw leftwards!! The weather was really good, and at some point this week I'll look at taking pics off Dad's cameras and maybe uploading a few on here.

Sunday was the busiest day with visits to Em's brother in the morning, driving to Bournemouth in the afternoon to see Tash and Kat (thankfully Sascha had a hard night the previous night and wasn't able to see us on Sunday which gave us more time with the Moffatt's) and then heading over to Pam and Tom to talk wedding and get a viewing of all the pics from their big day.

Monday was the first day we could relax, and did a bit of shopping (new pair of boots for Em after realising that the ones she had on were letting in water) then met Sascha for dinner down by the beach. Quiet afternoon followed, then we met up with Tim for a couple of drinks in the evening at Yates's and then we stayed out till about 2am as we're not anticipating being back in Bournemouth in the near future.

More travelling on Tuesday to see Marita, Izzy's folks and my work before heading to see Tash and Kat again and staying with them for the evening. We'd found out the last time we met that Tash was going to Manchester Airport on Weds morning (getting a coach at stupid o'clock to get her to Manchester for an 11am flight) and as we were going that way anyway, we offered her a lift, and got a free night's kip in the process.

Weds we got back home via Manchester to find an empty house, no mother and no dog, so they were either in village or at Nan's house sorting stuff. Took a couple of trips round the village but found no mum and no dog outside any shops, went to Nan's and nothing there either, so decided to pop in on Mike and Liz as they were pretty much guaranteed to be in as Mike works from home. Spent a good 2-3 hours there with them and had some lunch (ta guys) catching up on everything they've been up to since their wedding which was the last time we'd had a good chat. Was introduced to Mike's shed masterpiece (I reckon the clear roof idea is gonna take off) and played with the cats before heading home. Out for meal that night, and spent Thursday going through boxes at Nan's to fins things for Em to take back with her. Marita et al, she did have that O&G book at home, so panic over!! Em went home on Friday - enduring a very bumpy journey with a number of sick bags used by all accounts - but is home safe and sound.

I'm taking it easy this week - gonna attempt to find a few more bits over at Nan's some time, and the odd bit of shopping over at Southport or Preston, but nothing much more than that planned. Got to see Ash last night after his trekking in the alps, and am seeing him a couple more times this week, but other than that, a relaxing week.

Since being back I think two of the most common comments I've heard are:
1. You two really look well (Which I thought was a comment on having a bit of a tan etc.)
2. You don't have much of a tan do you?! (Dashing my belief that everyone thought I was tanned)

I expect the surfing this summer will change all that once we don't need to wear our wetsuits anymore, so I may come back next year with more of a tan!

I'll have to try and figure out what I'm gonna do when I get back as my 6 month contract with work is now over. Hopefully I can get something similar as I don't fancy the commute, which I expect Em thinks is a shame as I could be earning more than she is out in Oz! Hey-ho, I'll just stick with the painting and a bit of part time work if I can't find anything :-)

Tootle pip!

Rich