YESTERDAY

I start the new year, after a hiatus, with an apology.  I apologise that my trip home did not afford me the time to see everyone I had hoped to see, and spend more time with others.  I am not going to dwell on things that are in the past, as we are now not only in a new year, but I am told a new decade.  However, being pedantic, I do not believe the new decade starts until 2021, although this being a matter for debate if anyone is interested, does not change the fact that I have left the past behind ... almost!

As always, I was not really ready to leave for my trip. My bags were nearly all packed on the Monday morning of my departure.  After a few last minute items were added to my suitcases, I weighed them one final time.  They appeared to be within the realms of possibility, and I took them downstairs, ready to be loaded into Jerry's car when he came to pick us up.  The 'us' was of course myself, with Samantha and Edward.  I went into work for an hour and a half, drank two sips of coffee, phoned my mother, who had all sorts of things to tell me about what needed to be done when I arrived, and then shut up shop.  After the usual emotional farewell to my husband, I drove myself back home, and pulled in to my carport just before our large white chariot arrived.

The airport was not as busy as I had anticipated, with many people probably travelling on the Sunday, rather than Monday, to ensure arrival by Christmas.  We headed to the lounge, and waited.  "I need one of those!" said a man going to the bar.  He pointed to my t-shirt.  "Proud mother-in-law of a freakingly awesome son-in-law" appeared to be exactly what the lady needed to have plastered across her chest!  

The kids went first, as they were flying to Newark before heading across the pond, and I waited for another hour. My promise not to overeat was broken within this hour, and I devoured a couple of turkey sandwiches  before heading to the gate. "Why can't I keep my bag with me", said the lady in front of me.  I have learned that when seating in extra leg room seats, it is best to sit behind the bulkhead as bags have to be stowed.  "Be careful.  There is a computer in there, and they are fragile".  The steward looked away, with a look that read, "I know", and then turned with a big smile upon her face.  The cabin filled.  "Why couldn't my bag go there?" asked the same lady, when another backpack was put in the overhead bin, directly above her.  Once again, the look appeared, was discarded and replaced with a smile, but no explanation.  "Hold tight, we are in for a bumpy ride", was the unspoken message on the steward's face!  

Apart from constant questions and demands from the passenger in seat 1a, the ride was quite smooth.  I landed in Houston, headed for the lounge, and sat for a while eating from the rather luxurious buffet.  I chose not to frequent the restaurant as I did not want to 'overdo' it, which of course, I already had!  

My seat was rather splendid.  I was in a pod, with a little fridge type cabinet, which held my water, and I took a video and sent it to Dana.  I tried to look nonchalant and blaze, but it did not work. It never does.  I drank champagne and cranberry, and enjoyed every sip.  I am always aware of the blessing it is to ride 'up front', and never take it for granted.  I ate a lot, and slept little, as the flight was early, and sleep eluded me.  Breakfast was eaten just before we landed, and I exited the plane and headed to immigration.  Samantha and Edward were by the barriers, waiting, and we headed out to the taxi rank, where her father was headed.  We were back at Richard's in record time!

Christmas Day was wonderful.  Dinner was spectacular. Steph and Samantha had prepared most of the feast for nineteen and everything was cooked to perfection. Along with a macaroni cheese, I had made cornbread and sweet potato pie.  Everyone found it most amusing that we were having 'dessert' with dinner, as they all asked for 'cake' and the 'marshmallow' pudding!  It was amazing to have almost all of my family around me, and whilst I was missing a current husband, the ex was in attendance, and having spent breakfast with Steph's mum and Merton, my grandchildren got to spend the day with most of their grandparents.  

The day after Christmas we visited Steph's grandparents, as usual.  Steph's grandma had been knocking on heaven's door earlier in the year, but was rejected.  Not because she was 'sent somewhere else', but because she revived, and made an amazing recovery.  The afternoon was a lot of fun. The numbers were smaller than usual, but grandma wanted to make sure we were not bored.  As usual she had arranged for us to 'play a game', and as usual, we were all busy chatting, catching up, and generally not interested in party games.  However, in order to keep the peace, and to keep grandma happy, we played. The game was to transfer a picture into a grid.  The original picture was shown in varying degrees of completion, also in grids.  The difference in skill and talent shone through. I chose the easiest I could, which was 'a henchman'.  Steph's grandma came back into the room after about an hour, having possibly taken a nap, and commented that mine was quite good, but it was too big. "But it's a henchman!" I said in my defence.  The excuse was accepted.  As usual, the game was enjoyed and we managed to catch up in between.  We left around six o'clock and I went back to help with the kids.  Bath time was fun, and the children went to bed without any argument.  

I did get to go to Winter Wonderland, which although was probably a mistake as it was too busy, was a great night out with all the kids, and the closure of some of the stations nearby did mean that we had to walk a long way, which I enjoyed immensely.  Ollie and I got to sit on the top deck of a bus, and we raced his mum and dad back to his other grandma where we had left our cars.  

I nicknamed Ollie 'Slippery Sid, the slipperiest of all slippery villains', in our games of 'cops and robbers', which we played almost every day, and when I asked Jamie, "What's your name, Mr baddie?" he looked at me in confusion and said, "Jamie!"  Their imagination as we played was reminiscent of 'old times' and I was glad to see that their preference was not video games and television!  We built magnificent Lego cities, 'dressed up' as super heroes, played football, and even had a bonfire!  How I managed to do all this in between eating myself into another couple of dress sizes was quite incredible!

I did not leave until the Tuesday after new year.  New Year’s Eve was the usual quiet evening.  I made dinner for Elise, David and my mum, and we were in bed quite some time before midnight.  I was going to leave on the Monday after, but mum had a hospital appointment, and I said I would give my sister a 'break'.  The doctor was delighted with her progress, which was not what she wanted to hear!  Oh well!  

The rest of my stay consisted of a lot of eating, spending as much time as I could with the kids, and battling with my mother who felt as if I had abandoned her each time I walked out of the door, and confined me to quarters as soon as I returned!  My sister and I agreed that this was the last time I should stay in her home, as it disrupted her routine, and it was better, and safer for her carers to be in charge, rather than for me to take on the job when I was there.  I am not a very good nurse!  Also, I did not want to feel resentful when my mother insisted I did not go out as she 'didn't see anyone' during the day, despite her not wanting to socialise!

The day before I left was pretty full.  Before the doctor's appointment, I went to see the boys, and we had a full morning of 'cops and robbers', which I might add does not actually involve any 'robbing', but is filled with the slippery character escaping my clutches each time I attempt to arrest him and put him in jail!  Much as I hate confined spaces, I did manage to crawl through the hideout, which was under the table and behind the furniture!  As the hospital appointment was so quick, I was able to go and see Ollie take part in his swimming lesson, which was a treat.  Steph brought the boys back to mum's for dinner, and then took them home.  Ollie was devastated which broke my heart, but also made me appreciate how much my grandson wanted me to stay!  When Ollie started school at the beginning of the Autumn term, he was rather anxious, so Steph drew a heart on his hand and one on hers, and told him that when he felt bad, he should press it and it would be like a hug.  She would do the same.  Ollie asked Steph if he could do that with Grandma!  We drew hearts on our palms and promised we would hug each other daily!  Richard arrived shortly after they left and we had dinner together.  When he left, I asked if he would draw a heart on his hand!  

The trip to the airport was, as usual, emotional.  Saying farewell to everyone is always hard.  Thank goodness for modern technology, as although face time and the ability to call home at the drop of a hat is now much easier than decades ago, it is not the same as a human contact!  I consoled myself with food!  "What are you eating?" asked Dana when he called as I was sitting in the lounge.  "Hash browns, beans, egg, yogurt, sandwiches, mushrooms, croissant," I started.  "Don't you get lunch on the plane?" he said.  

My single seat was in the middle.  I do not like to sit in the middle but it was a single seat so I was able to come and go without the usual gymnast routine.  My carry-on bag was taken and hoisted into the overhead bin by a fellow passenger, for which I was grateful.  It was very heavy! I drank champagne with cranberry, and waited for the meal to arrive.  After four courses, which I ate watching the movie 'Downton Abbey', I thought I would be full for a while.  However, on taking a walk up and back down the aisle, I noticed that the crew had used the ledge above my chair (which was in the front row) to put the 'snack bar'!  Oh my, what a mistake to make!  The four-course meal included dessert, but not the cheese plate.  I soon remedied that!  I sat munching on grapes, cheddar, Stilton and a rather delicious variety of dairy products for which I did not have a name.  It was a completely different variety to that I had in the lounge, (the list I gave Dana was somewhat incomplete,) and although I really did not need to finish the crackers, I did.  I waded through a period drama about Queen Anne, which was a little bawdy, but the highlight of my afternoon was still to come.  

Boredom sometimes sets in when flying ten hours, but today was an exception.  Fruit and crisps were added to the ledge and as I was merely an arm’s length away, my arm extended to full length, and I took an orange and a bag of potato chips to accompany my 'main attraction'. 

The film 'Michael Collins' is about the fight for Irish independence and whilst the movie itself was excellent, what made it doubly good for me was that it starred Alan Rickman and Liam Neeson!  I barely noticed the food content had doubled during the film!  I did notice the man sitting in the seat slightly behind to my left.  He was staring each time my arm extended.  I sunk back into my seat for a while, feeling rather sheepish, but then decided that I was probably never going to see the man again, and as the crew have to dispose of all perishable goods at the end of the flight, I was actually performing a service!  

By the time 'tea' was offered, I was into my fourth film, 'Yesterday', and wondering if it was such a good idea to have another meal.  Of course it was!  How could one resist a cheese burger wrapped in puff pastry!  The excuses I made to continue eating were now very easy. I needed the strength to haul my bags off the conveyor belt.  I would be walking for a long time through the airport.  I would going back to work tomorrow and, therefore, have little time for lunch.  The list went on.  

The man who was staring was prompted by his wife to get my bag.  He took it down from the bin with a scowl.  I was grateful.  I negotiated immigration and customs and went through security to the main departure area.  The lounge was very busy and I walked around the buffet several times before realising that I could not physically eat anything else!  Instead, I left with an apple (just in case) and took the train to the adjoining terminal and waited for my next flight.  I was helped with my bag, sat down and promptly fell asleep before take off.

Dana was not at the gate when I landed but he did arrive before my bags came sliding down the tunnel.  We got home a little after ten thirty.

I got up on Wednesday, after my alarm buzzed.  My 'auto pilot' turned on, and I drove to Joe.  Gail arrived a little after eight, and I left just before nine.  Work was busy and I fell into the routine quite quickly, despite wanting to sleep.  I did not eat until dinner.  I did not cancel my Wednesday night guests as I wanted to get straight back into the saddle, so to speak.  They left just before eleven and I thought I would sleep straight through the night.  I did not. 

Jet lag seems to get worse as I get older!  The week gave way to the weekend, and I relished the thought of having a couple of extra hours of sleep on Saturday morning, but it did not happen.  My phone rang at 3am.  It was Richard.  In a panic I answered the 'facetime call'.  "What one do you want.  Oh, mum.  Oh I am sorry.  I meant to call Steph".  My son later explained that had been out with the boys on an errand.  He had told them he had to call 'mum', their mum, to find out exactly what she wanted, and pressed the word 'mum' on his screen.  I accepted the apology!

Next week is a full week.  Back to normal is the plan.  Happy New Year to one and all, and I hope you enjoy your last year of this decade!  Still feeling a little fragile, but raring to go, I hope next week will be a full and exciting adventure to be included in ............ another story!