...Hammer and Nails...

So the surprise began long before this monday (21st December)...I had began planning for the last month to travel home before christmas day...and when I got the flights booked at the start of December...it's fair to say I was like a little child who got the candy...or the cat who got the cream...or the Detroit Lions Player who got the win...nevermind?!?!?!

So Sunday was spent packing and packing and tidying and tidying.

9:30am on Monday 21st December arrived and I packed my bags into Doug's car....after a delay on the freeway we made the back way into the airport at 10am. At which stage I was met with a 90 minute wait to check my bags in.....grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...i did not cope well with it!!

EVENTUALLY....we got through and when i got to my gate (which had been changed) I found first of all it was delayed by 2 hours and then another 2 hours....4 and half hours in total!! So my 5 and half hour layover quickly evaporated....another 30 minutes waiting on the airplane...soon meant I was lucky to make my JFK connection at 6:50pm.

However, I did make the overboarded aircraft and proceeded on the 6 hour journey to Dublin...lots of turbulence etc followed but at 6:30 am I arrived in Dublin!! Another 30minute delay was met with sarcastic applause as a mechanical failure on the baggage door was to blame.

At 7:30am I checked my car out and proceeded on the 100mile drive to Belfast, Northern Ireland.

I arrived at about 9:45 and found my parents not to be home....so after a drive around the block...I went back a little after 10 and hid my car around the corner. At which point I called my house and spoke with my mother, the following is what was said:

"So what is everyone going to think?"
"about what?"
"well didn't you just ask for me this year?"
"i think so"
"well what is everyone going to think when you get to open your present 2 days earlier than they do!?!?!?"

At which point I saw my mother looking out the front door and me walking up the driveway...at which point she screamed and began to shed tears!

We embraced and my surprise was complete...my plan worked out after all the stress of travelling and I managed to make it with the trip being a complete surprise to one and all!

Merry Christmas!
Love and Party Rings! SP x