Sunday

We arrived bleary eyed and with our tails between our legs, at London's Heathrow at 9am.  In the morning.  Which is the same as 1am in Phoenix, the time on which we were all operating.  After the BA strike fiasco and the getting put on to a flight other than our favourite from Phoenix, the one thing that I felt I was entitled to complain about was the fact that we'd be landing in LHR at 1am, rather than the more civilized time of 2pm local, 6am Phx. 

(But, I think I am also entitled to complain that, even though we were shut up with a free upgrade on the flight, there were no children's meals available ~ though curiously, BA still found the cabin crew to hand out Kosher/Muslim meals ~ and the entertainment systems on 777 suck compared to the upgraded ones on 747-400 since you can press pause on those movies and get up and go to the loo and then come back and rewind to your favourite part.  Whatever; despite Carys asking over and over (and over) on the flight into LHR "have you ever crashed a plane?" to everyone seated within earshot, we made it safely and that is surely the main thing).

We got off the plane (which was late) in LHR and met Granny and Auntie Julie, and Auntie whisked the children away into WH Smith to buy them treats and then we go on the tube for an hour (Cole fell asleep and didn't eat his chocolate buttons) and then had to lug 2 suitcases, a bloody great box that didn't have a handle, 4 carry on bags and 3 children up to the 8th floor before I cried and went to bed. 

The London Pattersons arrived over, and were it not for that fact, I would probably still be in bed.  I dragged myself up and started shouting at the children after a 2 hour nap to get up.  Auntie Julie cooked a BBQ and we had a little glass of cider and suddenly felt much more human.  After the London Pattersons left (along with the box and one suitcase, thanks for that Barbara, it was great not to have to lug it out to Heathrow on our flight to Belfast) we jumped up, got everyone organized and walked up to Highbury to go to the park. 

It was early, early to bed on Sunday night.