Grief and Joy and Gratitude

Get everyone ready. Drive the three plus hours down to Faro, with a stop for the best steak ever in Novo Coimbra. Zion, aged three, counting to 100 twice, for the first time. Allegra, aged one, coughing badly. Good-byes in the hire car drop off point. Not worth dwelling on. Walk on beach with the three left. Superb sunset, which only got better as we walked along - comfort. Unsuccessful shop for boots at Shopping Centre - superb festive lights. Two hour drive to Villablanca in Spain. Great raciones meal at place we love there, with lots of talking. Home at last, after midnight, to freezing flat. Hot water bottles and hot drinks. Ju has a sore throat. Mafeli with jet lag. Paul recovering from a night "sleeping" in Heathrow. Waiting to hear that others have arrived safely; they've landed, but still to drive from Luton (thanks to Monarch scuppering original flight to Birmingham) - should be soon... Still coughing like a trooper; ribs hugely painful from weeks of it.

1:45am - they are home, and I'm off to bed, and possibly some sleep...