Happy Christmas!!

Well, the 25th of December is upon us -- happy Christmas to all!

We're here in Stoke Row, near Henley on Thames, enjoying a relaxing day with Nate's aunt and uncle and grandmother. We arrived to London Heathrow last night, just about 30 minutes late despite leaving Cape Town over an hour late! (Lucky us, we'd awoken at 4.30 a.m. to get to the airport in time -- only to get to there and hear that our flight would be leaving late for no explicable reason. I suspect it's due to the fog that delayed outbound flights in the UK, where our plane originated...Anyhow, it was quite amusing to sit in the airport and see the cabin crew show up at 8.15 -- the time we were originally meant to depart. I wonder what time they got the phone call that they could sleep in on Christmas Eve day! Wish they'd called us!)

Anyhow, only 41 people were on our flight -- a huge 747! And with approx 20 crew members (some no doubt heading home for the holidays and 'dead heading' the flight to catch a ride back to the UK), it was a good ratio: basically like flying first class, without spending the cash! We had lots of leg room and were well attended to.

Tony picked us up at the airport and drove us back to their houes in Stoke Row, where Elise and Nana had a lovely meal prepared for us -- bless them for waiting to eat with us (unnecessary)! They've arranged for us to stay at a house up the road (some friends who are out of town for the holidays) -- quite lovely! This morning we went to Christmas Mass at a nearby church, and are now awaiting to eat what smells like a delicious Christmas lunch.

Missing you all, and warm hugs from across the pond!



Merry Christmas!
*A & N