Busy Few Days

It's now Monday evening and our last evening together with the children. They're so excited about moving into the school they've already gone to bed; not sure how to feel about that.

Our busy few days started on Wednesday evening, when the childrens' best friends Alix and Josh came round with their parents to say a final farewell before we left for the airport.

Last night in Riyadh: Josh, Abigail, Alix, and Elliot

Thursday morning and a sleepless overnight flight later we land at Heathrow, where I pick up our coffee-stained car. I'm too tired to reject it and wait for a replacement to be found so we moan to the security guard about it and get on our way. Our first port of call is to Karen's Mum, where we crash out for a couple of hours (during which the aforementioned parking ticket is issued), then we spend the rest of the day shopping and settling into our rented flat in Windsor before going out to dinner with Mary (the Mother-In-Law).

On Friday afternoon we went to the school to kit the children out at the Uniform Shop: skirts, blouses, jumpers, socks, ties, shirts, football kit, rugby kit, hockey kit, netball kit, swimming costumes, track suits, fleeces, and a blazer for Abigail. I won't tell you how much it all cost because it still brings a tear to my eye even now. They do look good though....

Then in the evening it was round to our Riyadh friends Karen & Adrian for dinner and drinks, and because they live quite a way from us, a sleepover too. You may remember Adrian from our Bahrain fishing trip. It turned out he'd been fishing again that day, and fed us two barbequed trout that he'd caught -- delicious!

The children spent the rest of the evening watching rock videos on the Kerrang! channel.

On Saturday we said goodbye to our hosts and once again braved the M25, only to join the back of a ten-mile tailback which necessitated a lengthy detour. In the afternoon we went to my brother's house to celebrate my niece Isabelle's third birthday.

Isabelle's a cheeky monkey

She loves her trampoline

Blow!

Sunday, and it's back to the school for Mass at 10.30, followed by coffee and a chat with the staff, then on the way back we stopped for lunch with Karen's cousin Sue, husband Trevor and their two cute girls: Daisy & Ruby.

The children couldn't go in uniform because it was all off having name labels sewn in. You can see the chapel in the background.

Abigail, Daisy, Elliot, and Ruby

Abigail with Daisy

And finally today (Monday), we spent the day doing some final shopping for hockey sticks, rugby boots, and toiletries. Elliot and I saw The Bourne Ultimatum while Karen and Abigail got their hair done, then in the evening it was round to Karen's sister Laura's for fish & chips with her, Mary, and Lucas.

Abigail and Lucas tucking in (note Abigail's new hairdo).

Elliot and Lucas

So, off to bed now. Tomorrow is D-Day. We'll be spending the afternoon at the school before... gulp... leaving the children there in the evening. Tomorrow evening Karen and I will be on our own.