So here I am, back in the office again this morning. Two management meetings over earlier than planned - ordinarily I would have gone home now and then taken a lift back in with some of the guys coming in from Banchory for the traditional Xmas Eve football match for Dave Williamson's birthday.
However, there's a problem - we should have got our turkey yesterday, but it wasn't ready at Kelly's of Cults, so Francis Clark said he would pick it up and bring it in this morning - but he forgot! I offered to go to his house to pick it up now but he says he's going to do it and then bring it back here. The only problem is it's almost 11:30 am already and I've told him I'm leaving here at 1 pm - will he make it in time, or will I have to put in place Plan C? Watch this space.
It's almost Christmas with Kelly in Oz and it's 3 weeks today that we head off there - BA and the snow permitting, that is. Looking forward to it. But first we've got Xmas (3 of us) and Boxing Day (6 of us) meals to get through. If the turkey doesn't arrive, it could be just stuffing and chipolatas - could be worse!
Today's the big travel home for Christmas day throughout the UK - reminds me of many years of doing the same thing. First of all, back in the 50's coming up from Corby to Glasgow with Mum, Dad, Barry & Dawn. Then it was our turn in the 70's coming back up from Broxbourne. In the early 80's it was a bit easier - just a short hop through from Balerno, but Banchory was just a bit further, but, by this time, it was mostly Christmases at home.
The big change over the years has been the quality of the roads - and the quality and reliability of the cars we've been travelling in. My Dad's old Ford Anglia (FNV 347 - see photo below) was not as bad as our first car after Jo and I got married - an old Fiat 850 - it needed a new engine not long after we bought it and I didn't have the cash at the time so had to borrow £200 from Jo's Dad. One problem solved, but another soon loomed with holes in the floor appearing. Nightmare - but it did manage the return journey from Hertfordshire once at least. It was like the Flintstones car.
The photo shows Mum with Dawn on her knee, and me with the skinny legs and Mum's knitted Shetland sweater on, with Barry and his usual surly face for the camera - that's another thing that's improved with time!
Have a good Christmas and no doubt we'll talk/Skype over the holidays some time.
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