Thursday 23rd May 2024

Would have been Dad's 86th birthday.

Time to go home.

Sadly.

The four days have flown by and we have seen most types of weather with the exception of blizzard and tornado.

I have been bitten to buggary by mozzies and midges, so sleep was difficult and fitful.

But come seven, I felt not too bad. We went down for breakfast at half past: more sausage and bacon butties for me. Then back upstairs to pack.

No checking out to be done, so at half nine, we went out to load the car, with a plan to drive of the Mountains of Ox on the way to Knock to catch the flight.

I decided to try to buy a bottle of whiskey, so we drove round trying to find the entrance to Tesco's car park, and then another ten minutes trying to find a space.

And then once inside I found it was laid out like Ikea: you'll never leave, and then in the booze section, none could be bought by law until half ten.

Bugger. We headed out of Sligo for the last time and came to Ballysadare where we stopped to snap the falls, and then go to the Sava Center so i could by some whiskey, it was now after half ten.

It was then that we realised we had to high tail it to the airport as time was getting on, so no mountains of Ox for me.

As is typical, the sun came out and the drive back was wonderful, dropping the car off was simple as the only guy on duty told us to leave the key and he'd sort things when he got back.

A short walk to the terminal, and a half hour wait to drop the bags off, through security where we could meet back up with Ian while we waited for the flight to be called.

And this time it was full. No spare seats to be had. We squeezed in and waited to roll back.

And that was that, holibobs over with.

An uneventful flight, stacked over north west London, then a low pass along the Thames and down, and so back to crowded, busy England.

Once we were off the plane, there was no immigration, so straight to baggage reclaim, then off to the car park having already called, so we only had a five minute wait for the trusty steed to be brought up.

All we had to do then was get round the M25, drop Ian off in Waterningbury and then home.

Simples.

At the height of the evening rush hour.

It was mad, and hot, and tok nearly two hours to get to the M26 and the turn off for Ian's.

Ten to six we arrived, and Anna was waiting as was their canine welcoming committee.

We say goodbye and take our leave, round the edge of Maidstone to the Motorway and home, by way of M&S where we bought some mozzarella for Caprese.

And then home.

Cats could not give a fuck that we were back.

Well, Mulder did when he saw Jools.

Meowmeaowmeaow

We unpack, Jools puts the first lot of washing on and I make dinner.

Phew.