Quick hello...

You may have noticed that posts have been a bit thin on the ground this week, well there is good reason and it's not all down to ISP limitations early on.

It's Mum's birthday tomorrow and I'd planned a meal out for her in the evening followed by some serious "falling off wagon" on my part. Little Sis rang on Tuesday night with the better idea that they all come up to spend the weekend at mine and call in to surprise Mum. Except that they can't get here any earlier than the time we'd planned to go out to eat!

Cue frantic topping up of food cupboards/freezer at home and shifting everything too fragile out two year old nephew reach, not to mention a good clean and tidy up all round. So we're all set, out for a meal at teatime as planned, little Sis will arrive early evening and "unexpectedly" walk into the pub; no doubt lots of smiles, hugs and tears all round. We'll all leave the pub shortly afterwards (as we'll want to see the kiddies and of course, their dad), spend the evening catching up and then all seven of us are at mine the next day for a roast beef Sunday lunch.

There'll be little chance to go far when everyone's gone home on Monday and the following weekend I'm making the return journey down south, followed by a quick business trip to Portugal for a couple of days.

So all in all, it's now looking like it could be a five week break before I get re-acquainted with my old friend the Hobgoblin, but I think it's a price worth paying...