Enjoy your trip back home Mendip. I just did my annual trip to California to see my parents ( 85 and 83) and daughters. Weather was pretty dismal as we landed when a big storm hit the Pacific Northwest and we only saw sun for 3 days of 17 with temps hovering around 8c but did have a few -1C mornings.

I always enjoy going back but I told my family that next year we will not return. Plan is every other year going forward. My wife and I agreed we want to go travel to other places and the flight to the US is a lonnnnnnnng one plus even with staying at families houses its really a huge cash burn. That said returning is a nice reminder of why I left and enjoy my life here. I feel blessed I have been able to live in a few places around the world. Lots to be thankful for.

I will say I enjoyed eating damn near half a cow when back, got to watch NBA and NFL at regular times of the day and had some terrific bourbon sitting with friends at normal type bars.