Before that, I'd done my best to keep in my nephews' and nieces' good books, mostly by feeding them generously. Even Buckley started listening to me now and again using this tactic. I did take them bowling too (without the dog), where I was humiliatingly beaten by 5-year-old Rebecca. She used a ramp, which is unfair.
Having found record high temperatures on my arrival, then snow, of course a hurricane blew onto the south coast to wave me off. I drove to Woking for a final night with Ian and Ellen through intermittent torrential rain, hail, and sunshine. This is April in England, so what could I expect?
Then today, or maybe yesterday, I was up with the dawn to return my car to Green Motion (ethical car rentals) and catch the Hotel Hoppa into Heathrow. Ian was kind enough to make me a final cup of British tea, and Meg bounced downstairs to say goodbye in her irrepressibly gymnastic manner. The M25 remained horrible even at 6.45am.
I was rumbled for my excessively heavy hand luggage this way, to the tune of 40 quid! Most of it was Diamond Jubilee goodies. Should we be penalised for being patriotic? But it was a fair cop, given I'd got away with carrying 18kg of US candy on a 6kg limit on the way in. I had an empty seat by me, and nearby children screamed to a far more acceptable extent than on the way. I managed one film before my entertainment system (and, it seemed, only mine) broke, and played the new Florence and the Machine album on repeat for the next seven hours. I kept dipping in and out.
After an hour in the immigration line, which is more LAX than SFO, I was on the BART with my correct bags and soon home where, after a quick cup of tea and a pizza made by my wonderful sister-in-law, I was back on the BART. I'm now typing from 33,000 ft on a Virgin America flight to San Diego because the devil makes work for idle hands.
So my time in England is over, sadly, because it was wonderful. Thank you to everyone who entertained, fed, clothed, and bathed me. Thank you to Hannah who let me go for three weeks, and who I'm VERY happy to be back sitting next to, and who was very happy to see me. Or was it my case full of chocolate?
Bowling with the Hammonds. Somewhat chaotic.
Daddy shows us how it's done.
Then: food.
Buckley and his ambitious stick.
The finely-named pub that I met Mum in for lunch.
A classic English view of the village cricket pitch in Iwerne Courtney (next to pub, obvs).
Ok, a final picture of Buckley, because he is SOOOO cute.
When I started to relax.
