It's grim up North...

I have been in the UK since Tuesday afternoon and have yet to be warm!! This country is soooo cold and soooo wet its untrue. I have been accused by some of being mesh, but it really is very cold.

I have enjoyed my time back here, and I have managed to squeeze a lot in four days. I met up with Thomas on Tuesday evening and we went into Manchester for dinner, which was great. Dropping him home was difficult as he lives in Rusholme just of the Curry Mile and Tuesday night was the end of Ramadan and the beginning of Eid and so it was party time and roads were closed so I dropped him off and he had to walk the last bit.

Wednesday, I called into Medlock Leisure Centre and caught up with Karen and Janet who I used to work with when I taught swimming in Tameside.

After collecting Thomas we headed off to Leeds where we under took some retail therapy and after an early dinner at a superb French restaurant called 'Kendall's' we went to the West Yorkshire Playhouse and watched 'Privates on Parades' a play based on the author's real life experiences in a concert party in Malaya in 1948. It was very clevery done and very entertaining. The drive back to Manchester however, was awful!! The motorway was very wet and the rain was driving into the car, I really don't miss driving in the rain.

Thursday, went in to Stockport and collected some vital supplies to take back to Karachi, including of course the every delicious Angel Delight!! After this I met up with Thomas and Stewart(former History teacher at BOS, who is now teaching in Bolton) and we had lunch together and I was able to deliver Stewart's bag back to him, which I had brought from Karachi.

Thomas and I then came back to the flat and watched the BOS production of 'An Inspector Calls' which Thomas really enjoyed. From the flat we went upto Thomas' parents house to celebrate his brother's 18th birthday. We headed out to 'The Happy Gathering' a Chinese resturant where we had a very lovely evening and welcomed William to the adult world.

Today after going round to my sister's to give my mother her birthday present which is a trip to Geneva in November which went down extremely well. Before we were born, our mother had a job in Geneva but turned it down and got married instead. Then back into Manchester to met Thomas for lunch and to do some shopping in town.

I have just returned from my mother's 60th birthday party which has gone very well. There lots of people there and they all were enjoying themselves when i left at 10.45pm to return my grandmother home. The 'highlight' was my mother's Cher impression, with full backing group of her friends. Now those who know me well, know that singing is not one of my strong points and it would be fair to say my mother's singing voice is worse!!

I am now 12 hours from taking off back to Karachi, I have enjoyed being here and being able to celebrate my mother's birthday. It's also been wonderful to spend a few days with Thomas, enjoying good food, theatre and each others company.

Well as all my worldly goods are still all over the bedroom floor I had better get on with the packing...