Taking the long way home

It's good to be home, especially after yesterday.

Whilst the gales were causing the North West to grind to a halt, I, dear reader, was stuck bang in the middle of it. At the best of times (7 am!), I can travel the 18 miles to work in 35 to 40 minutes.

Yesterday, because the Runcorn Bridge and Thelwall Viaduct were both closed, the world and his wagon tried to get through Warrington.

As did I.

6 hours 10 minutes.

I got out of the car in a hunched position...

And so it starts all over again...

Happy New Year!

We've landed again this evening, much later than intended, thanks to very heavy traffic between Carlisle and the M62. All those we saw going up to Scotland on Saturday on their way back home again, complete with hangovers the size of a heeland coo, no doubt.

School again tomorrow, and the children are in. I can't remember a time I was back teaching this early, but there you go. Still haven't really got my head around what I'm teaching, but no surprises there... My niece in the North East doesn't go back to school until next Tuesday, though, so tomorrow's early start will seem all the harder.

I have a number of pictures I want to upload from the New Year period, but I haven't got time tonight ... keep your eyes peeled!

Musings on the M40

I nipped to see Mum and Dad today (there's nothing sadder than a Sunday roast for one and Dad makes ace gravy) and on the way back I saw 4 hot air balloons. That got me thinking about riding in a hot air balloon - someting I'd love to do. I remember a list I wrote when I was a teenager, of all the things I'd like to do in the future. I think I actually stipulated that I had to do them before 30, but then I suspect that as a young teenager, "30" might as well have been "dead".

Ah, the folly of youth. If I'd known then, what I know now, blah blah blah...

Anyway, this list. I'm not sure if I've remembered them all, but these are the ones I can recall:

Fly in a hot air balloon (not yet)

Do a parachute jump (tick: 19 years ago next week)

Get a degree (tick: 1991)

Walk along the Great Wall of China (not yet)

Visit Ayers Rock (ditto)

Visit Hong Kong before it's handed back to China (mmm - left that one too late!)

Fly a plane (this one was a bit of a no-brainer really, since I was counting down the days until I joined the air cadets at school!)

Go gliding (yep, see above, although I gave up my place for getting my glider wings since it was the week before my A levels. What's that smell? Oh yes, the whiff of burning martyr...)

Fly a helicopter (well, does a ride in a Sea King after cleaning it count?)

Rollerskate from Land's End to John O'Groats (that is SO not going to happen. One has to ask why?!)

Own a python (gone off this one now - too much specialist care needed...)

Rather eclectic, really. And it's rather sad to see that I've only knocked a few off the list!

The only consolation is that I have done things I'd never thought of at that time, such as walk from one side of the country to the other, record a song at Abbey Road for the B-side of a number 9 hit, walk across a live volcano and see a solar eclipse (even if it was overcast)

So... where's that number for the hot air ballooon company?

Alone Again Or

So A has jetted off to the States again this morning. No shopping trips for me this time though, just straight off to work after a quick sprint to the airport.

Am I worried that he's flying out on 9/11? Not as worried as I am about him getting behind a wheel for the first time ever abroad. If he manages to keep to 55 mph on the interstate, I will be gobsmacked...

Welcomed with open paws?

Well, I'd like to think so, but no... I've been welcomed by two very huffy cats, who've had about 16 hours of human contact in the last 6 days. A went to Belgium on Tuesday and isn't due back until tomorrow.

Today I got back after a 5 hour journey - oh, the joys of J12-16 on the M6 again! Although this time, I gave up on the motorway after one junction in the queue and explored rural Staffordshire and Market Drayton.

Will sort out some photos from Towersey soon, especially the new additions, which I haven't told you about yet!

How I love the M6...

Today I went to stay with Mum and Dad. Of course, the glorious sunshine of this morning had disappeared into the mother of all thunderstorms by the time I was ready to set out, but that’s just typical! Actually, the M6 wasn't too bad, it was the M42 that was swimming today. Lovely.

Dad has had a month of hormone treatment and starts his radiotherapy tomorrow, so I wanted to be with him and Mum for the first few slots, before term starts. This round of trips to hospital will be without marking though!

Journey from hell?

Today I travelled down to my parents for a few days. It's a journey of some 150 miles and today, with a brief diversion into town for an abortive trip to a framing shop, it took five and a half hours. Arghhh!!!

Compensation however, took the form of several Red Kites swirling above the M40 - who needs Bill Oddie and Spring Watch?

Travel tips

Well, I've finally arrived in New York, after what seems like an eternity. KLM doesn't seem to have the leg room of other transatlantic flights I've been on, or perhaps it's the fact that since I was travelling on my own, not with A, I had to try to stay in my own seat rather than sprawl over into his space too. Can't do that if you don't know the people on either side of you, really.

Some aspects of today have been a little trying. I have decided that there are certain criteria that everyone should adhere to, to make the travelling process so much nicer. Here are my top tips for ensuring those around you have a pleasant trip.

1. Don't take skis. They clutter up check in and breed resentment. If you live in the UK any further south than Glenshee you have absolutely no need of them and any resort you visit will be able to hire them to you. Unless you want to have them surgically removed at a later date, leave them at home.
2. No family unit should travel with a luggage to person ratio that exceeds 1:1. You're going on holiday for goodness sake, not emigrating. How much stuff do you need?
3. No family should travel with more than 2 children. If a family has more than 2 children, the parents should split the family into 2 smaller groups to ease the passage of all burocracy. On no account should any family travel with 4 boys between the ages of 6 and 11 unless each child has been sedated.
4. For pity's sake, have a wash. Planes get hot and clammy enough as it is. There is nothing worse than having to sit for 8 hours next to someone who had their annual bath at least 3 weeks ago.
5. Don't drink excessively prior to flying for the same reason. If you can't get on a flight without downing a six-pack and 3 double whiskies, you really should consider caravanning instead.

I am valiantly trying to stay awake until 10pm NY time, but that equates to 3am UK time - I got up at 5.30am and only snoozed for an hour or so, so it's probably a losing battle. In fact, delirium may well have set in already. I am here on the 37th floor of the New York Helmsleywith the windows open. It is 9.45pm and I can hear bagpipes outside. No, really.