Homeward

Like everyone else it seems, we headed back home today. Our longest ever journey from Highcliffe - 8.5 hours. Absolutely horrible. This pic of a traffic free A34 is entirely unrepresentative.

We decided when J’s Mum passed away to stick to our plans, and to still travel down for Christmas. We especially enjoyed:
* a Christmas Eve meal out at the Lord Bute
* a walk on Christmas morning, including bumping into a friend I first met at school when we were both 11 years old
* our Christmas afternoon walk at Stanpit. Bleak, but confiding wigeon, oystercatchers, lapwing, little egret and curlew
* a fantastic walk with J’s sister and family from Lyndhurst, including the hunt at the beginning. Lots of water everywhere, the south seems wetter than the north at the moment. Good lunch at The Crown too
* Gordon Buchanan on TV. Always good.

My cold has been a downside, but it’s been manageable.

Lots of catching up to do tomorrow. Glad to be home, and we don’t intend travelling much over the next few days.