High Roads and Low Roads

Well the big trip of the year is behind me.
The stats:

Length of stay: 40 days
Friends and Family met: 78 plus 4 pets
People "realistically" expected to meet but couldn't: 8
UK towns visited: 15
Modes of transport utilised: plane, train , underground, bus, car, taxi, ferry and paddle boat
Shopping Centres Visited: too many too count
Pounds Spent: Too scared to look at bank balance
Major hangovers: 2
Pounds gained: too scared for scales

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High Points

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Family and Friends

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It was great being able to get together with so many of my family and friends this time, although sadly there were still a few important ones whom I didn't manage to catch up with. You can always tell good people by the fact that, despite not having seen or really contacted each other properly for years, you can start a conversation as if you left off the last one yesterday. I'm so lucky to have so many people all over the world who are just like that! ( Why are there never any in the same town as me though??)

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I particularly enjoyed getting to know my friends' kids a little bit better. It is one of my biggest regrets that they will grow up not really knowing me, despite my closeness with their parents. I'll forever be that mystery "Aunty" who lives in an incomprehensibly far off place, but sends (hopefully) good presents! That's why I send all the pix folks, so our kids can know each other, so send some back occasionally,eh!

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I also loved getting to know new family members, either by marriage(or almost!!) or by birth! And it was nice spending some time with most of my cousins, who due to both logistics and laziness, have been off the radar for years. Perhaps it's becoming a mother myself, and watching M grow up with none around her, perhaps it's the passing of Grandparents and Great Aunts which brings realisation that it's not all forever; but I recently find more need to keep in touch with family. We share a common history which for good or bad, no-one else can understand. Particularly we Kyles and the McC's were close in age and spent a lot of time growing up together ( Supertrouper at New Year and Milk Throwing Episode ring any bells?!), but recently if it wasn't for our mothers signing our names on Christmas cards, there'd be no connection. I find that sad.

One of you made the point that there shouldn't be any automatic relationship just because there was a blood connection at some point, but rather that we should base our relationships on our true affinity with each other. Why make an effort to get together just because we're family if we have nothing else in common? (Sorry if your point is lost in translation, I was drunk at the time!) I suppose I can see that , but I'd just like to say that having seen everyone except Jerry (Sorry Jerry!) and Linda for obvious reasons, I think we should make an effort to keep in touch both for family reasons (our Mums won't be around to sign our names forever and our kids might want to know who their family are some day!) and because it seems to me that you're all very good value in your own right. I'm glad to have got to know you a little as adults this year, and hope it wasn't a one off wonder. Our family has a colourful past (!), and it would be a shame to have no-one to share all those memories of Papa, Gran, Aunty Jenny and all the Aunties with in years to come. Call me a big mushy mess but there you are!

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Highland Road Trip

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Finally took some time out with my sister, and took in some of the most beautiful parts of Scotland - the reverse trip of my honeymoon (all 3 days of it!). Not only managed to rack up gazillions of supermummy points by booking us in to stay at Josie Jump's house in Balamory (thanks for the heads up Gub!), but managed to spend some quality time with my sister in her new pride and joy (3litre Audi Quattro Cabriolet!) as well. We are both constantly on the go, and it is always our time together that gets sacrificed. It was not enough, but I enjoyed our wee trip.

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Food

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Eating cheese rolls! And caramel shortcake! And none of your crushed biscuit base thank you very much!

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Low Points

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While I was there my wee sister was diagnosed with a kidney complaint. It was very hard watching her deal with both the physical fact of the condition, and the psychological reality that this is not going away anytime soon, in her inimitable internal fashion; and knowing there is nothing I can do to make it all go away for her! If I could go round and kick someone in for you and make it all better I would, sis! Take as many virtual cuddles as you need.

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My mother was also finally put on the list for hip replacement surgery. I know the surgery is the best thing for her, to get rid of the debilitating pain she has been in, but I worry that she will have the confidence to ask people around her for help if she needs it, during the hospital stay and her recuperation. It's at time like this when the decision to make my life in Japan is so hard. I wish I could be there. Good luck Mum!

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Cashcard trouble. This is up there with the passport. Arrive in UK with 11 pounds 75p in cash. No travellers checks. Have an offshore bank account, so went armed with cashcard. Card is valid till end of July and have left Yasu with instructions to send on new card as soon as it arrives. First day. Go to hole in the wall at my Mum's bank. Card swallowed. "Your card has been retained. Please contact your branch." Eh?? I'm here for 6 weeks with 11.75!!! Go raging into the bank which luckily was still open. The woman apologises profusely and says, "yes, we've been having trouble with that machine, sorry", and extracts the card. She looks. "Yes, you're right, it's valid till end of July. Very sorry." I proceed to my own bank up the road. Insert card. "Unable to process your request" . WHAT? This time I get the card back. I go into the bank and explain to the woman at the desk. She keys the relevant info into her pc, smiles, and says: " Yes, your card is valid until the end of July ....2005!" Ooops! Luckily she gave me money as I had ID, but I left wondering where I'd checked my brain in once again!

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The hangover after Paul's birthday night out. I've long known that tequila is not my friend, but now it seems like Gin is ganging up on me too.

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Celebrity High Point

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Madonna

Wow! That woman can shimmy for her 47? years! We were all pleased to note her varicose vein / prominent sinew problem with great schadenfreude though! Haha! Madge aside, those male dancers' bods alone made it worth the 160 quid! Sad 30 somethings of the world unite....First concert (with beer) and night out with the girls since Mairi was born, complete with Victoria Beckham in the audience star spot! How could it not be a success? La Isla Bonita was just the icing on the cake really!!!!

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Celebrity Low Points

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Went to see a show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. While traversing the Pleasance courtyard on the way to the loos, I said to my friend " So who is this Lucy Porter chick then? Is she really famous, or is that the only thing we could get tickets for?"

Answer: " Well, that's her sitting right there and she heard every word you just said!"

Oops!

She then went on to relate this tale to the whole audience as soon as she started the show, and I got to stand up and take a bow....

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We were invited to the 1st birthday party of the daughter of a Scottish actor, who plays a part in a well known TV drama. His wife is one of my sister's childhood friends. He was at my wedding and I have had conversations with him before, but after chatting with him about something innocuous at the party, I realised that I must have called him by his TV character's name to his face at least twice! Large "L" stamp on the forehead for me!

So there you are. A summer in Scotland much enjoyed, however knackered I might be now. I have thoughts on the BAA's approach to airport security control, and the NHS in general, but they would take a whole post each, so I'll spare you at this point. Check back later for that if you care.

TTFN