Back in the UK........

A VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS

AND A GREAT NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL.

I am now back in the good old UK, with no snow but very cold weather I had forgotten how cold England can be, it’s the damp yer know!!

Yet again I had a very wet departure from Prescott, Arizona. It rained a solid 36hrs before
we left. After packing the trucks up we spent our last night at the St Michaels hotel which proved to be very noisy the night porter decided to throw another guest out (for making to much noise) right outside my door at 1.57am I read this on my clock as 7.57am jumped out of bed and woke Les and Margaret up, our lift was coming at 8am L then getting back into my room realized my mistake and went back to themL then of course I couldn’t get back to sleep for an age!

Arriving at the airport our plane was delayed 3hrs, because of a mechanical problem when the plane was leaving Chicago. The staff at the airport were very good keeping us very well informed on what was happening, there was also a storm sweeping the US the eye of which seemed to be Chicago the flight should have taken 2hrs 20mins infact it took over 8hours, we were lucky enough to be put into a hotel and given food vouchers. We had ofcourse missed our 6pm flight to Manchester, which we found out next day did not leave passengers were put in hotels at 2am after spending 4 hours in the plane on the tarmac, so we faired very well being into our hotel by 1am!

The following day was spent at the airport, Chicago was very cold with a lot of snow which stopped us from having a little sight seeing trip. We then found out that there are NO restaurants at the airport only take away spots, we had McDonaldsL for breakfast. Once on the plane the journey was ok we arrived back in Manchester 24 hours late. My girls were late arriving because of traffic on the M62 (motorway over the Pennines) I had a lovely cup of tea whilst waiting for the lovely Alex to arrive.

Since then I have been trying to get the phone sorted out the account now stands at £3.500 no one at “orange” (service provider) seemed to want to talk to me, my solicitor is now trying to sort it out. I now have a new phone and provider the number is:- 07752825211.

I have been looking for some parts to take back with me.

Enjoying my family, friends and the delightful, funny Alex with lots of baby sitting Jack says she has to get a whole years worth in at one go!

We have had our annual family visit to “Panto” (pantomime) this is such a wonderful outing getting us all into the Christmas spirit; it is just 3 hours of belly laughing. We always go to the same one at the Theatre Royal York, it is very old fashioned keeping all the traditions going, the main characters are played by the same actors each year NO soap stars we have been going now for 15 years sit in the same seats front row, middle we all have lunch together first it is great.

I have also been down to South Wales to visit my brother Peter and Linda. I was baby sitting so took the delightful Alex who had a wonderful time, Pete has a granddaughter same age. On the way back home I stopped off at my travel friend’s house in Birmingham for lunch, this is OJ; we travelled with around South America

Now I am as ready for Christmas as I will ever be, it is very strange going to the girls houses and not doing anything myself

So I hope you will all have a wonderful time and a brilliant New Year. We hope that the immigration let us back into America when we return at the end of |January to continue our trip up to Alaska.