So good to be back once again after almost three weeks ‘on the road’ and away from home comforts not least Lillian.

Whilst away I was asked on three separate occasions if I liked traveling? Each time I told the story of how 12 years ago I was so envious of people who travelled with their work, especially my sister-in-law Evelyn who seemed to be here, there and everywhere with her job with  IHG hotel group.  At that time even Lillian was ‘away’ with trips to to ‘exotic’ Dubai earning some cash. Now its ‘ok’ but one different hotel, different room, different bed, different bar and different airport after another takes its toll and the novelty has worn off a bit.  My passport shows this as my 29th trip to the USA in the last 30 months.

Boston Common

In terms of work the trip was fine and achieved virtually all that I set out to complete.  At one time it seemed dogged by the risk of flight cancellation due to snow.  There were severe weather warnings in Washington whilst there, even causing schools to be closed.  Hundreds of flights were cancelled but somehow I managed to get to New York where it started to snow just as I arrived and was very soon quite deep. (Well be UK standards anyway) Fortunately in the last 12 hours before I was scheduled to leave a sharp rise in the temperature changed snow to slush instantly and so it was on to Boston where 12 inches of snow had just fallen.  A walk across Boston Common watching children tobogganing and families building snowmen of all shapes and sizes was probably the most pleasurable time of the trip.  The invite to play golf at the Myers Country Club in Charlotte was also well received and a good time.  Bright, sunny but cold and good company made for a very enjoyable 4 hours and light relief from continual meetings.  A fine course with lovely club house and facility in general.  The course was sown with bermuda grass which whilst a beautiful lush green in the summer months changes to dead brown in the winter months.  Only the greens were green!  I was inwardly pleased with my score as its some time since I have played.  Needed to have putted better to have been a winner.

Back In Pervolia Lillian had been busying herself keeping the garden immaculate with two new pots displaying petunias and other patio plants.  I was pleased to see the two pots I had planted whilst ‘home alone’ a few weeks ago had also been tended and are now in full bloom.  Its good to be back together but sadly a short time as its off to Doha, Qatar on Sunday.

With a late arrival flight on Wednesday it was Thursday before we could really get out an about and a brisk 90 minute walk along the beach and the Faros headland soon blew cobwebs away.  Needed the walk as wining and dining at times and just eating too much at others has meant the scales are tipping the wrong side of what I call  ‘fat man weight’. The sea looked fantastic.  It was as clam as a millpond reflecting afternoon sunshine.  Temps in the low 20’s C but next month will go to mid consistently and then bring on the summer!  As ever work is not far away and a three hour evening phone call to the USA on international dialing rates finished the working day at 11pm