Family weekend 2009

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Having been back in Stockholm for less than 2 weeks, I found myself back on the BA779 headed for Heathrow en route to the (almost) annual family weekend. This year there was extra cause for celebration as my cousin Neal turned 40! Congratulations old man 😉

In trying to avoid the logistical nightmare that was getting from Heathrow to a hotel outside Maidstone in under 3 hours I'd hired a car, so off I trotted to the pick-up point... To be told to pick a car, any car, in zones A or B! Which I thought was fantastic until I saw what was left - a VW Golf (already occupied), five thousand Skoda Fabias (possibly the ugliest car on the road right now) and a vomit green Seat Ibiza. Well, I picked the Ibiza on the grounds that I wouldn't lose it in the car park, but it was a close-run thing! I really really miss the Scooby...

Three hours later I drove into the car park at the hotel, having battled with Friday night M25 traffic and survived. Just. I still really really miss the Scooby!

Our weekend went along the lines of eat lots, drink quite a bit, watch a lot of cricket, play silly games (and upset Paul because I beat him 3 games in a row at Rummikub having never played before) and then start all over again. Just what I needed 😊 Great to see everyone, and particularly to embarrass Neal with the cake entrance at dinner on Saturday night! Imagine dimmed lights, waiter carrying it head high complete with sparklers and the whole restaurant singing happy birthday...

I even managed to fit in a spot of serious shopping action with Wendy, who I hadn't seen since she disappeared off round the world with husband Dan over a year ago! Great to catch up on all the gossip 😊 And I still love the new handbag.

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