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23rd March - We arrived back at Kirsty's mum's house to a fantastic welcome, a big banner on the window welcoming us back and lots of hugs, kisses and tears from Kirsty's mum Janice, Kirsty's dad, Phil and her sisters Kariss and Kaycia.We were extra happy to have arrived on Easter Sunday, as it meant an added bonus of lots of Easter eggs from everyone! (Thank you). After lots and lots of lovely chocolate Kirsty went for a walk with her dad and their dog, Kizzy (an English Springer Spaniel) before we all went to see Kirsty's nannan who has been following our adventures in the United States via postcards which we have sent to her from every place we have visited along the way.It was lovely to see her and to see all the postcards on the mantelpiece.We then went back to Kirsty's parents and, as we are being treated to a Christmas day tomorrow, we had a large buffet tea, as we usually do on Christmas Eve!It was lovely to be able to have food we haven't been able to get in America, such as egg mayonnaise sandwiches, onion bhajies, chicken tikka etc.After a belly full of food Ralph collapsed into bed at 7.30 p.m., unable to fight the jetlag any more, but Kirsty managed to stay up until 11.30 p.m. (quite a feat!) and was out for the count in minutes!
24th - Christmas Day Number 2!!We woke up to snow!Perfect for a Christmas day in March!Kirsty went for another longer walk with her dad and the dog (where they managed to spot a true March Hare, together with pheasants which luckily the dog did not manage to catch!) while her mum cooked our Christmas dinner.Neighbours must have thought the whole family was barking mad, as Kirsty's mum had got the Christmas tree and garland out to get us in the mood!Kariss' boyfriend Scott arrived and we sat down for Christmas dinner, complete with turkey, sprouts (specially cooked and then frozen, while still in season, for Ralph on Christmas day in December!), pigs-in-blankets, stuffing, parsnips, carrots, peas, amazing gravy (Kirsty's mum does amazing gravy), sausage meat, roast potatoes, mashed potatoes, Christmas pudding, crackers etc.Someone drove on to Kirsty's parents street looked completely confused, seeing 7 people sat around the dining table eating dinner wearing Christmas hats with a Christmas tree in the window!We had all bought each other Christmas presents (sorry about the leaky bottle of Southern Comfort Scott!) and so it was a really lovely second Christmas day.We again collapsed with full bellies, we were not used to this in America!
25th - We really did just about nothing today, the most we did was venture out to the shop for a magazine and to post a couple of letters.We spent the majority of the day sorting out post that has arrived for us while we have been away and bits of other admin - otherwise a really lazy day.
26th - Kirsty's dad has been amazingly kind to us and, rather than us have to pay for a hire car, he has offered us a free car from his work, complete with insurance, tax etc.Ralph therefore went through to Doncaster to pick it up, as he was wide awake at 7am, and we are now the proud borrowers of a Suzuki while we are back at home.Not much else achieved today, we are really just relaxing now we have arrived back home. Went to bed at 10.30pm
27th - Ralph managed to sleep until 1 p.m. today (14 hours sleep means jetlag might not be over yet!) and we then got ready to venture out, the first time we have really gone anywhere since we arrived back last Sunday!I was going to spend the afternoon, evening and the next day with my friend Jenny in Rotherham and Ralph was going to see his parents and friend Jon in Hucknall, Nottingham.Ralph dropped me off at about 3 p.m. and Jenny and I had a great catch up and spent time looking around her home, which she has spent a lot of time and money doing up bit by bit, and it looks lovely.We then headed out into Sheffield for an Italian meal and (quite) a few drinks at a local Weatherspoons.As I had not had a drink in America, it had been about 6 months since I last had any alcohol (at my friends Libby and Mark's wedding in September) and I was more than a bit tipsy by the time we got the taxi home and further details of the evening had to be filled in by Jenny the next morning, although all I will say is that you know you are back in Sheffield when a guy pulls his pants down outside the window of the pub you are sat in!Meanwhile Ralph had a quiet night in at his parents, catching up on all the news and events while we had been away and doing the obligatory odd-jobs that only sons can do.
28th - I woke up feeling slightly groggy, but not too bad considering how many Jack Daniel's I had drank the night before!Jenny and I decided to be productive and headed out for a day around Castleton in the beautiful Peak District.Castleton is a really pretty place and a village that seems from a time gone by.We had a fantastic meal, complete with sumptuous puddings, at The Castle public house, before taking an amble around the village.This being Britain it was of course raining, but we weren't bothered in the slightest by it as it wasn't cold, and it was nice to walk off our big lunch.Jenny then dropped me back off at my parents and kindly offered to pick up my sister Kariss in order to get ready for my next night out.I therefore got ready for a night around Barnsley with my mum, sister, and mum's friends Jo and Diane.Barnsley was quite quiet for a Friday night, but we decided that people may be saving their money for next week's big day out at Wembley, when Barnsley take on Cardiff in the Semi-final of the FA Cup.We had a good night (me falling down outside a gentleman's club called Wildcats being a highlight to everyone but me!) and got in about 2 a.m.Ralph on the other hand spent the day in Hucknall with his parents and then went out with his childhood friend Jon to play snooker and have quite a few beers.He spent most of the night reliving the old days and giggling at all their childhood near-death experiences while they worked on another close call with the help of Coors and Budweiser Ltd. The evening obviously went well as he couldn't remember that much about it when I asked him the next day!
29th - I went out and met my friends Richard, Matt and Jenny for lunch at a pub in Rotherham.We had such a giggle and it was great to catch up with them all (I especially loved the stories about the people canoeing to Meadowhall Shopping Centre and your bonfire party Matt!!).After good old gammon with chips and egg I headed back to my parents where Ralph had just arrived back from Hucknall, still nursing a hangonver.My parents then decided they were going to try a recently opened Toby Carvery in Barnsley with their friend Jo, and so we obviously tagged along - another meal out - our stomachs will never take it!! And, so far, not a dime spent on food!
30th - As we had a Sunday dinner last night at the Carvery we managed to convince my mum to make her famous lasagne for lunch (Ralph didn't get up early enough to take part in the vote, so was mightily upset at the result - until he tasted the lasagne).Later on in the day my cousin Kayleigh came down the street on her horse George, quite funny as we are used to seeing cars coming down the street as opposed to animals!We then took my sister Kariss back to Lincoln University, where she is studying for a drama degree.She is spending her second year living in lovely private halls right next to the University, complete with flat screen tv's, freeview, leather sofas etc.Things have certainly improved since we went to university!
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