Welcome Home!

Sunday 15 April

Time to go home! I cannot believe we have been away for nine months, and all the places we have seen and experiences we have had still seem dream-like. Life here in Darlington, doesn’t seem to have changed hardly at all – except the house has been half-demolished on the ground floor – and I wonder what, if any, changes we are going to find at home.

The sun was shining warmly again – so much better for traveling than a dull or rainy morning, and we eventually set off just before midday, with Darren’s car packed to the gunnels with some of our luggage! My case must weight about 35 kgs now – mostly with Colin’s gear, of course!

The roads were fairly busy, but fast moving and the journey, even with a stop for an hour at a service station, only took us about five hours. Darren, bless him, drove all the way, so probably Dawn would take a turn going to Selsey. At the house, not only Nick and Hayley, but Andy and family were all there to greet us – Sandy and Alex had made us a card each saying “welcome home”. We introduced ourselves to Hayley as Nick was busy helping to unload all of our luggage, and we met Timothy, all red in a miniature “Arsenal” babygro. He was tiny and blue eyed, with lots of straight jet black hair – I do remember Andy having a similar hairstyle when he was that age. Everyone thinks he looks like Alex did at that age, and maybe that is true, as I think he is like Andy was as a baby. I had a long cuddle whilst catching up with everyone else’s news, as well as relaying a few of our own exploits – I had said we wouldn’t say too much about our “jaunt” and bore everyone, but it is difficult, as that is our “news”. The children meanwhile were playing quietly – that was a change – I think Adam’s toys must have been a bit of a novelty. They also seemed quite shy. We now have a huge, huge television in our lounge (42 inch screen) – which is much too big for the alcove where it is sitting – but seems to be a permanent fixture, at least till Nick decides to move out. The water feature in the garden which we had been ‘constructing’ for the past couple of years (!) was bubbling merrily away and there is also a new lamp post lighting our patio area. Nick – and Hayley - had obviously been busy mowing the grass and cleaning the house ready for our arrival as everywhere was clean and sparlkling. There were vases of flowers all over – each one in different shades – all very beautiful and wlecoming. Andy and Kerry stayed till after 20.00, when all three children were getting hungry (!) while we ordered a take-away – fast food till we get sorted.

It seems very strange to be back in this house – it is like somewhere we have spent time in the past, are now are re-visiting – not necessarily our home. I expect that this will change as we become used to being here again. We have decided that we will move – but first of all have a lot of work de-cluttering the entire house – especially the loft with its thirty seven years of tut. That, with more traveling, should keep us busy for a while. But it has been great seeing the family – just Colin’s Mum and Dad to go now before the assault of catching up with friends – but at present we are car-less (Colin’s needing an MOT and mine a new battery and a thorough clean) so it will be a few days yet. I am finding it difficult coming to terms of being at home, but it’s a feeling not entirely unexpected, and I suppose the longer we are here the easier it will become.