ITS CHRISTMAS EVE!!!!!!

It's here, we're finally teetering on the very cusp of our very most favourite day of the year with Eric and the ever fragrant Alice back in the ever loving bosom of their family. 

All is calm, all is bright, well, perhaps not as calm as usual due to Eric and Alice's jubilant return from America, but everything that needs to be done is done, we can't do any more now ......

......except for the most important of all our family Christmas Eve traditions and that's to hang, a new, for this year, charity shop lantern (40p) complete with battery tealight (so as not to cause any unfortunate and unseasonal setting fire to any trees with a real candle) to remember all our beloved friends and family who won't be with us this year to share in all the festivities. 

Sadly, with each passing year there seems to be one less card to write, present under the tree or seat at our table ....... 

We'll put the lantern where we can all see it and we'll each find a few moments to remember happy Christmas's past ...... 

....... and then as we hang up our new, vintage, Goodwill stockings, all considered purchases from Nigel while on his US of A Adventure, we'll whisper "Happy Christmas" to them all ........ before hopping into bed, ready for the ensuing excitement of the BIG day itself. 

So, with this in mind, may we be the first to wish you A VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS in true Homeland Style, in our best Wolverhampton Slade type accents!

All Checked Out And On Their Festive Way Home

Eric and the ever fragrant Alice have finally bid a very fond adieu and farewell to their apartment at The Meranova .....

It has served them well, more than well really, it's been a home away from home, they will never ever forget ......

..... expressing their fondest in a honest and full bodied review, with grateful thanks in the guest book.

Then, leaving their three very large, amply packed suitcases (praying that they were still within their luggage allowance) downstairs to collect later ........

....... they officially checked out, it was EMOTIONAL, in big, capital letters .......

..... to go for a final cheeky last drink at the marina ......

...... mindful of the local birdlife also attempting to cross the busy roads, just like them.

It was a quiet and reflective hour or so ........

....... before their beloved Helen collected them for Tampa Airport. Again it was a quiet and emotional ride, addresses, emails and telephone numbers were exchanged, with the promise of a room to stay and guided tours when Helen came to the UK as she hopefully expressed many times during their time with her.  She had learnt so much from them she said, especially that pudding was dessert and lorries were trucks!!

Once through check in and passport control, Alice kept an eye on their plane from the departure lounge as it prepared to board, dreading the long, night flight home, praying that she could get just a little sleep to while it away .......

..... but happy in the knowledge that when they eventually landed there would be a scene reminiscent of the start and end of Love Actually (our most favourite Christmas film of all) waiting for their festive return ....... happy days!

Because we've essentially run out of time (what with Christmas and all that), we haven't been able to post absolutely everything of an awe and wonder type nature  from Eric and Alice's American Adventure, so we thought, if it's OK with you, we'd pop the rest in, here and there, during January, a notoriously slow news time chez The Towers .......

A Last Holiday Tradition

It has to be admitted that with a heavy heart Eric and Alice took their mini bottle of Asti Spumante (bought all the way from home) as family tradition holds ........

...... down to the sea to toast and bid a fond and final, sad farewell to Clearwater and Dunedin .......

Let's just say it was emotional, very emotional, tears flowed freely, as did tissues and at times it was hard to raise even the smallest of smiles.

They'd had such a wonderful time, after two long years in the planning and it more than exceeded their every dream, their beloved Helen, the overwhelming friendliness of the people, all the Goodwills, The Jolley Trolley, Dollar Tree and Dollar General, egg nog, Hulk Hogan, the ice cream and pizzas and not ever forgetting the manatees. 

The list of memories too long to mention. They had undoubtedly formed a huge bond with the town and if it wasn't for their epic three day journey to get there, they would most definitely have returned one day (but never say never, perhaps).

So as the sun set for the last time on their adventure, they sat in companionable silence, each lost in their memories, before linking arms and walking back to the Meranova, heavy of heart .........

BUT knowing, when they got back to the bosom of their family at The Towers it would be CHRISTMAS ......... and it doesn't get any betterer than that!

A Dream Come True

Coming to the end of their jubilant American Adventure, Eric and the ever fragrant one had left their last "proper day" gender fluid, allowing them time to go somewhere still left on their itinerary or revisit anywhere that had still left them  wanting.

They were still debating this when their beloved Helen messaged them to say she'd got a totally free afternoon and as they'd been so much fun to be with on their entirely unique itinerary, she'd like to take them out for one last time, free, gratis and on her and suggested that as the water temperature was dropping, the manatees were starting to congregate at the Apollo Beach Power Plant and would they like to go? 

Well, at first you could have heard a pin drop and then become deafened by the whoops of unbridled and unfettered joy of such a visit.  Eric and Alice had soooooooo wanted to see a manatee but the Power Plant was quite far out and if they were pushed for time it could have been cutting things very fine.

Needless to say, once they'd both recovered the answer was a resounding and  unequivocable "YES PLEASE" accompanied by a million thank yous!

So, at the appointed time Helen collected them with, once again, armed with an assorted plethora of snacks for the backseat!

I don't think I need tell you just how emotional the visit was ......

There were tears, an awful, awful lot of tears ......

..... with the backs of manatees as far as they could see, moving very slowly and serenely through the water .........

.......they were tears of awe and joy of a dream come true.

There would be the odd, incredibly cute nose pop up, blowing out water while coming up for air ......

..... or a magnificent tail silently rise and gentle fall as the manatees dived to get a little further down.

As for the mothers with their babies ....... oh my life!

After their visit Eric and Alice just couldn't find the words to begin to describe how the experience had touched the very depths of their hearts.

Eric, never one to be quiet or speechless for long was, according to Alice, rendered totally silent for at least half of their visit, he simply wanted to drink it all in .......

...... knowing that this would, most likely, be his first and only encounter with these beautiful creatures .....

...... he wanted to remember and embrace every single second spent with his "spirit animal". He could barely express his thoughts to Alice as to how much he loved them between huge sighs, sniffs and the wiping away of tears.

Alice felt exactly the same, but let Eric have his moment.

The whole thing was entirely free ......

...... but needless to say Eric and Alice left a good donation as a thank you for said dream come true, with Eric left wondering whether there was a adoption scheme ........

...... but then, how on earth could he ever decide which one, two, three to adopt, he'd have to adopt them all and his pocket money just wouldn't go that far!

It was the perfect end to their American adventure ........

...... and lost in his thoughts on the drive back ........

....... he noticed a huge kiss stretching right across the sky and fell apart all over again. 

He was leaving a huge part of his heart behind with all the manatees. 

What is he like and however will we ever be able to top this long felt want? 

A Festive Revelation And Tradition In The Making

Young Eric has always dreamt of trying real life, American Egg Nog, after seeing countless cooking shows fussing over its making and it's romantic imbibing in many a Christmas film or television show.  It all seemed to cosy and incredibly Christmassy,  but thus far, he'd remained a total stranger to it's delights ......

...... until, that is, he spotted a whole section of it in a Dollar Tree chiller, when needless to say a large carton was duly purchased for the sampling of.

Let's just say, it DID NOT disappoint, it was everything Eric had dreamed of, over so many years ....... and much much more .........

It tasted just as he had imagined, like melted, soft, vanilla ice cream or very, very runny custard when someone had forgotten to add the cornflour.  It was to die for, it was emotional and it tasted every bit as glorious as Eric had ever imagined. It was the drink of too many million Christmas celebrations all over the United States to count. It was, to put simply, too deliciously wonderful for words, no matter how many times Eric tried to express himself.

And yes, Alice had to agree with every one of Eric's enthusiastic superlatives, for her it said driving home for Christmas, hanging up stockings and chucking another yuletide log on the festive fire, not even her Stars and Stripes diet cola came close to it's delights.

And, as such I understand that although their extra return suitcase is rapidly filling up, there was no way Eric was returning home without bringing any home, even if it meant jettisoning his socks, pants and shorts or to be honest anything to make room for at least three cartons.  Darrell and I had to try it too and with it, a new festive tradition was to be created! Heaven help us all if we don't actually like it! ........... What on earth is he like? 

Eric and Alice LOVE An American Type Mail Box!

Chez Les Towers our mail box is a simple, boring, characterless functional facility in the communal hallway  ........

 ....... meanwhile in Dunedin it's a whole different kettle of fish .......

..... where the Meranova's mail box is a beautifully hand painted replica of the main building. It's absolutely stunning, which has Eric seeming to find a new tiny detail almost every time he stops to wonder at it. It's a bit like the hold his beloved, erstwhile Motorworld nativity used to have on him!

Needless to say and I bet you know what I'm going to say .....when Eric gets back to home .......

........ questions will be asked of our property management company ......

...... as to why we can't have something just as romantic, yet still practical at The Towers ........

..... and if he gets nowhere with them, then said questions may have to be asked in Parliament!!  What is he like?