Fading Fast..

Tony and I are fading fast trying to stay awake to minimise the jet lag.  Our flight across the Atlantic was punctuated with turbulence as the aircraft met the strong northerly jet stream which was also causing blustery conditions at Dublin as we landed.  Thankfully, the larger jets cope with the knockabout winds better than do the smaller prop plane we took next.  It was rocky taking off but landing at Leeds Bradford was not fun.  I usually enjoy the view and spotting the direction we are approaching the airport but today I had eyes tight shut, hand gripped in Tony's and I was keeping the plane straight and in the air by sheer force of will!

We had an interesting journey home talking with our Iranian taxi driver  about the killing of the Iranian general Soliemani.  He was on the side of Trump unsurprisingly as he is a refugee from his own country.  Very sad that an educated man who works a seven day week driving his taxi so that his son can go on to do a Phd, can't get a job which is more suited to his skills.  His father, whom he hadn't seen for seven years, passed away last year and he was unable to attend the funeral.  His mother and sister remain in Iran.

I've spent the morning removing Christmas from the living room and filling bird feeders and the squirrel feeder, washing and refilling the bird bath.  The Christmas window will have to wait till tomorrow.  Tony pointed out that my pots of hellebores are in abundant flower.  This pot I have blipped was stunning when given to me by Friend Verity but I haven't been able to achieve that initial flowering until this year, after neighbour Dilys advised me how to cut them back.  Thanks Dilys and Verity.