Back home.

We arrived at Manchester Airport in good time, but to find that the flight from London had been delayed fifteen minutes or so. Amy must have been one of the last out and I guessed that she had not found her case on the conveyor. She only had 90 mins change over at Heathrow and normal places would have managed to get the bag on the next flight but Heathrow is Heathrow and it didn't get to Manchester. The paperwork delayed her a little but at least it meant that I didn't have to lug her 21kg ruc sac back to the car!

Amy and Helen at Manchester airport after almost a year to the day since we last saw her.

We went back to the boat at Droylsden to pick up Macy the cat and give Amy something to eat and we were back home for 2230.

It was a lazy start to day but I was up and out for milk and a paper at 0930 and then the Archers and when the kids finally showed a nice catch up. This afternoon they were off out to see friends so I got the lawn cut and started pruning the rambling roses on the side of the house. I wish I knew better what to do, but if I have got it wrong it will soon grow back. I have done one rose and there is one more to do. There are lots of shrubs and trees to prune this winter as they didn't get done last time as the weather when I was home was so bad.

We sat down a to full roast pork Sunday Roast with all the trimmings and it was lovely to have everybody round the table. Just before tea was ready the missing luggage was delivered. We had frequent up dates through the day so we knew exactly when it was coming. I think in all the years I was travelling I only didn't get my gear a couple of times when I arrived home, and it was with me with in 24 hours. It was when flying out to the ships that it was more problematic as it wasn't good to be left with nothing, especially if you had to sail before it finally did arrive as it did a couple of times. I always made a complete list of everything in my case when I traveled, just in case, but I always got my gear, eventually.