The highlight of the trip, of course, was hanging out with Mum, Dad, Jess, Emma and all the other family members who made it another Christmas to remember! Still missing you!
Dad, Helen, Pauline and Emma.
Mum’s 70th birthday!
Mmm. Yuletide nibbles.
But what can it be??
Aaah!
My glamorous sisters!
Bonkers!
Sledging in the dark…
The trip wasn’t just a chance to catch up with friends and family, and revisit some old haunts – Karen and I had a top holiday together.
On the beach in Brighton.
Having fun in the Basketmakers. Honest.
Mmmm. Fried food at Bills.
Possibly not having quite so much fun at this point.
But who can stay annoyed with scenery like this?
Do I know how to show my wife a good time or what?
Boris’s Bikes – great fun. Until you can’t park ‘em.
Finest Portrait in the Gallery.
I’ve decided to leave my corpse to a glass box, also.
And I had to include this shot…
Here are some of the fun places we visited and things we saw while in the UK. First up, a copper on the bog in Brighton. Lovely.
Baby Madonna.
Burwash Church, on our epic train, walk, hitch and hike…
…to the very lovely (and very empty) Browns Oak Cottage.
Snowy fields.
The official 2012 Olympic mascots outside the National Gallery.
Kapoor’s mirror art in Hyde Park.
Ganeesh in the British Museum
Lordy, am I behind in the old blogorama. Here’s the first of a few posts all about the people behind our Christmas back in Blighty. No great drama here – just some of the people we love and miss and were very happy to reconnect with over a pint of beer or cuppa!
Starting, as did our trip, with family O’Rourke in The George.
Here’s Mr Ben Ashon-Lakeland, on top of the world.
Thence to the pub, as tradition demands. The Vine Street posse back together – Nathan, Georgia and Tor.
Cheer up James, it’s only scrumpy. Poor lad had much jet-lag. Don’t know what Keith’s excuse was, though.
Voila! The glam Ms Lewis.
So surely Emma can’t be too far behind…
Here’s are the wonderful, brainy and fun Jeanne, John and kids – we stayed in their cosy madhouse for two fun nights.
Ah, can’t forget the Curry Club! Cheers, Mark, James and Rob.
And that’s not all. A hangover is not really a hangover without Dipesh involved at some point. (Not pictured, Jags, Debbie, Nicola, Jill and about 10 bottles of wine).
The civilised company of Ben, Simon and families was just what we needed after the madness of London.
And, last but very definitely, not least, Adrian, Carol, Lewis and some ducks.
