OMG Soooooooo Many Presents

Following on from Friday ....... it was such a relief to finally get home from Southport, not to get away from it or from our beloved Seaside Karen and Pharmacy Michelle, but let's just say that changing trains a total of five times was somewhat taxing, especially when everyone was also accompanied by a suitcase that had to go somewhere!  Thank goodness for reserved seating. 

However, after a very large mug of hot, sweetened tea and a whole packet of chocolate Hob Nobs, it was soon a very dim and distant memory .........

....... especially when there was a whole pile of, as of yet unopened presents, from our aforementioned beloved friends, that we'd saved chiefly to help buoy our spirits after such an adventure.      

What can we say but a huge heartfelt thank you, as we were totally overwhelmed when the unwrapping began. From Seaside Karen there were mementoes from her Cunard half way around the world cruise .......

..... a new, real life Cunard i-pad cover, perfect to replace our ancient and very tatty one ........ won by Seaside Karen during a game of Cunard Disco Bingo!

Plus, a lovely China Southern Airlines pochette containing all a traveller could possibly need, but may have forgotten in all their anticipatory cruise excitement, to wit earplugs, a collapsible  brush, cotton buds and wipes, a toothbrush ........

..... and Eric's very favourite, which was nabbed straight away, an Eric sized tube of toothpaste, which are neigh on impossible to find in any chemist or supermarche!

Alice's choice was a beautiful beaded rendition of the rare and beautiful quetzal bird, at present hanging from the horns of a bull magnet we bought back from Spain, but she says she's working on an idea to use it as one of her signature hair adornments for "posh" occasions!  What is she like?

And then, there was enough foreign confectionary to keep our reviews from never going stale, from Sao Miguel in The Azores, Portugal ........

 ...... not not forgetting the now obligatory local St Anne's freebie magazines to peruse, to see what they've got and we haven't and vice versa. What can we say, we were unbelievably soooooooo spoilt ......

But there was more, from Pharmacy Michelle, all wrapped up in an actual NHS Pharmacy carrier bag from the very hospital she works, making up all the medicines, drips etc. for people who are suffering from cancer.  In our eyes she is a TRUE TRUE HERO! 

In delicate tissue, she'd wrapped up a small bottle of prosecco, perfect for sneaking in our Greek Oddity suitcase, to quaff as our traditional toast to our holiday and memories on our last evening as the the sun is setting, Pharmacy Michelle will be there too in our hearts.  There was also a box of our very favourite Southport clotted cream fudge, which will be very much nommed during our next Saturday night televisual viewing.

And then last, but by no means least, she'd given us a beautiful Southport tea towel, with beach huts, deck chairs etc. ........

...... which was commandeered straight away by Darrell, to hang, resplendent, on our cooker door, with strict instructions that it is not for wiping mucky hands, it is strictly for display and memories!  

Goodness me, how truly blessed and incredibly spoilt we are ....... the journey home?  What journey home!!!!?????