Albie helped me pack the last of our belongings in the suitcases, and take certain items out to enable the cases to close (with a considerable amount of squeezing, shoving and sitting on top...).
As he surveyed the mess in our bedroom, the poor boy knew something was happening; and without him.
As he surveyed the mess in our bedroom, the poor boy knew something was happening; and without him.
After our heart-stopping scare nearly missing the flight last time we were at an airport, we got to Montreal Pierre Elliott Trudeau airport early. The flight was on time and went well, although it departing at 8.50pm Montreal time and arriving 7.30am UK time, meant that we didn't have that much time in which to attempt to sleep, and therefore landed in sunny England after having just one hours sleep. Safe to say, we were not feeling too fresh and alert...
The drive up to the Northwest took quite a while, but we appreciated the kind English drivers, waving you in front of them on the road (a welcome change from the Montreal mindset of, "mustn't let anyone in, even if I am going at 10km an hour."), and eventually we arrived at mum and dad's to be greeted with a cup of English tea made with proper milk, and a slice of homemade simnel cake. Buoyed on by this, we had a walk to make the most of the sunshine (it mostly rains at my parents, so this was a rarity and no matter how much or little sleep we had had, it was essential we made the most of it).
The drive up to the Northwest took quite a while, but we appreciated the kind English drivers, waving you in front of them on the road (a welcome change from the Montreal mindset of, "mustn't let anyone in, even if I am going at 10km an hour."), and eventually we arrived at mum and dad's to be greeted with a cup of English tea made with proper milk, and a slice of homemade simnel cake. Buoyed on by this, we had a walk to make the most of the sunshine (it mostly rains at my parents, so this was a rarity and no matter how much or little sleep we had had, it was essential we made the most of it).
The past days have consisted of catching up with many family and friends.
Powered by English chocolate...
And then some more catching up with people...
...interspersed with walks in the countryside whenever possible.
The jet lag was not helped by the clocks going forward in the UK on 31st March, as it meant we had to try and get up even earlier - not easy, especially as we are not morning people anyway, and were having to get up when our bodies thought it was 5am.
We were a little disappointed that the fields weren't as green as we expected them to be, and the trees and hedgerows were still bare. There were touches of Spring here and there, but they had to compete with the snow:
I haven't seen a robin yet, nor have we had the supermarket chatter, or been witness to the overuse of the word "sorry". We have forty-eight hours left to tick these things off.
On Thursday we are back at Heathrow to catch a plane.
This aircraft is not headed to Montreal...
This aircraft is not headed to Montreal...