Monday Coffee Morning - Surprise!

Molly over at The Move to America has had a wonderful idea for a weekly social link up with a 'Monday Coffee Morning' where she shares what her week has in store for her. Nice idea huh? If you want to join in head over to Molly's.

This weeks update is more in time for afternoon tea but the thought is there and it's earlier than last week.  This week is about enjoying the sunshine and getting into the holiday mood. I've just spent the weekend in Wales for a surprise party for my uncle who turned 60 so today is about unpacking, getting to grips with the washing and repacking bags. And writing blog posts evidently.

Airports - not the perfect place for relaxation
Photo: R Mitchell

My head is a little elsewhere after my trip to the UK. Whenever I have been back in recent years I realise how long I have been away and how little I feel I belong there anymore. It's just not home. A cousin asked me on Saturday if I thought I'd ever move back to England. I said no. I wouldn't voluntarily move back in the foreseeable future. So my head is processing that realisation at the moment. I know I feel at home here in the Netherlands, but how opposed to moving back to England I was I hadn't realised. That's something to chew over this week.

I won't reveal the exact words I used but yesterday I sent a text to my husband from Manchester airport telling him that the Brits around me seemed a little stressed. I found it hard work getting to my airplane what with being told off for having the wrong size plastic bag for my liquids at security. I had to put my liquids into a slightly smaller plastic bag that I was given whilst the security officer stood waiting. Baffled is not the word. The few centimetres extra of plastic bag makes what difference? If anyone knows I really am interested in hearing why. WH Smiths has introduced an amazingly ridiculous, annoying self-check out system in their airport shop which means the customer does everything themselves and everything takes twice as long because no customer knows what they are doing and needed the one staff member to authorise just about every move they made on the machine. Then I had to repack my hand luggage to take in the cabin so I could fit my handbag in my carry on because space was at a premium in the cabin as the EasyJet flight was fully booked. Stress, stress, stress. I was glad to be home.

It looks like the rest of the week will be about de-stressing, battling heat, packing and travelling.......
What does your week hold in store for you?