Happy Thanksgiving!

I was just looking at my blog post from last Thanksgiving, this year was a bit more understated. Once again the Bullocks had me round their house. The journey up from London took longer than expected (traffic traffic traffic!) and I missed Thanksgiving dinner - I finally arrived as dessert was being dished up. I made it for the important part of the meal I guess :-) (Patty said she would have made everyone wait for me, but as church was at 7, they didn't have time to wait - I arrived at 6.)

Patty & John washing up after church (don't fret mother, after I took the picture I helped with the drying).

Patty & I after the washing was done

I normally make my annual "ring round" and speak to my family but as I only had my mobile, it was too pricey for long conversations. I was hoping that the family would have rung me (and saved me the bill) but no such luck. (Because of the time difference I was heading to bed as my family would just be finishing dinner.) I made a quick phone call to say Happy Thanksgiving and send my love. Mom passed the phone around so I got to say hi to everyone.

Mom also snapped a picture of Dad talking to me

Do you remember my Thanksgiving catastrophe from last year? (Click here and read the last paragraph of my post to remind yourself) The short version: I have a "Thanksgiving shirt" that my mom bought me when I was a teenager. I lost it sometime between Thanksgiving 2006 and Thanksgiving 2007. The good news ....

I found it! (Of course it was stuffed in the back of a cupboard and forgotten about as I don't wear it but once a year.) I was happy to have it back this year - as overly American and cheesy as the shirt is!

Friday morning was a lazy one. I met James and Nick (who I used to work with) for lunch at 1 .... and we didn't leave until 8 that night. It was a long lunch. We went to a restaurant near their work and as work finished Nick spotted everyone heading to the pub next door, so we went over to say hi.

James & Nick (laughing at my bad efforts to take and inconspicuous picture)

Saturday morning around 5am I woke up all bothered from a bad dream I had - I can't remember the last time I had a bad dream! Very peculiar!! I had a pretty lazy morning again (how I enjoy my lazy mornings) until I wasted so much time that I was running late for my lunch date with another former colleague (and friend), Sam.

Me and Sam

After lunch I headed across the street to get my hair cut

...and then it was back to the Bullocks. Exciting Saturday night activities included the movies with Susan and Ashley to see Four Christmases.

Susan & Ashley leaving the movies

Susan's 15 weeks pregnant with their first child. She'd been in a bit of pain throughout the day and it got worse during the end of the movies. She got pretty scared by this and we decided to head to A&E to make sure everything was ok before heading home.

Ashley trying to comfort Susan and convince her not to worry

I called Patty and John to let them know what was going on, and like the good parents they are, they couldn't stay away. So Patty and joined us waiting around at the hospital. By this time Susan had been transferred to the other hospital in the city (the one with the A&E doesn't have "women" doctors or a maternity suite.) There was a lot of waiting. But after a lot of Susan's blood was taken and tests were run and Susan & Ashley got to hear their ickle one's heart beat (for the first time mind you), Susan was released with a clean bill of health.

And there was more waiting (this blurring picture is of John)...

...and more waiting (Patty pictured here)...

Susan's arm started gushing blood from where they had put in a iv drip thing, so we waited as she stopped bleeding and got cleaned up - full of excitement our night was!

Patty, Ashley & Susan headed home (by this time it was around 2am)

Sunday morning I joined the Bullocks at church and for the fellowship meal* that followed.

John, Ken & Susan just finishing dessert

I left pretty quickly after the meal so that I could have a quick drink with Grant (another friend from my former job) before heading back on the road home.

A pretty relaxing weekend but full of visits with friends and family - just like Thanksgiving weekend should be!

*fellowship meal / pot luck (for the American readers) is a meal where everyone brings a savoury dish and sweet dish and you put them on a big table and get a little portion of whatever you fancy. Yum yum!