So, apparently when one proclaims their 'Grand Return', it's customary to actually come back and post more information. Er, oops? I'm a wee bit out of the blogging loop - and wow, coming home reminds me how much it feels like I never left.  I have so many amazing pictures to show you, some of which you would have already skimmed through on Flickr or Facebook, but I still want to put up some of my favourites and the stories that go along with them. Again with the procrastinating . . . because I'll get on that soon. I promise.

I've survived a full week back at work, where I've come back to a newly designed office, a really messy desk and a whole stack of emails. Plus, there was a whole new database installed over the holidays which I've had to get to speed with and start using independently, which I think I'm getting on with alright - with the exception of the odd tantrum and stomping fits of frustration. I suppose that's to be expected.

Jason and I also celebrated our 6 year anniversary last Sunday, which was pretty incredible. We orderedin Thai food and had a good night in watching videos AND I got to spoil him with all his pressies from the USA. Nice and low key, just like us. He's had to jet off to Australia for a little while, so it's just me and kitty at the moment. Not that I can call him a kitty now, really. He's a full growned cat; in all terms of the word. Oscar needs to pay a visit to the vet in the next couple of weeks. ;-)

Not much else happening; just the same old, same old. Going to work, cooking dinner at home, having my face smothered at night by the clingy cat, watching Buffy re-runs and enjoying the crisp London weather. It's currently my favourite time of year here, where it's sunny (usually) but cool. I love walking around in this weather, especially before it's too cold and the coats and crazy heating devices come out everywhere.

I haven't managed to even get through a chunk of my blogs yet, so if I haven't stopped in and caught up, bear with me! Anyone got any crazy exciting news to tell me? Please fill in the procrastinator! And like I said, next post? Highlights and a couple of pictures to get started. Stay tuned!

Aloha, blogging world. I'm back!

Getting home was quite a long ordeal, for such a small amount of time spent on a plane. After spending the last few days in New York surprisingly on our own, Kirby and I had to endure the scariest shuttle bus ride to the airport imaginable. One would think that by avoiding the cabbies, you could avoid the crazies? Er, no. Apparently the shuttle drivers are twice as bad. We narrowly avoided death no less than fifteen times, because apparently our guy doesn't believe in stopping. Ever.

Upon arrival at JFK airport, the flight boarded smoothly enough - however I waited on the runway in a take-off queue for 2 hours. What's one thing that can make that kind of a wait worse? When your plane decides to lose power completely aka turning its engines (and more importantly, it's air conditioning!) on and off the entire time. My backside was numb by the time the plane took off the ground.

The flight itself was uneventful - if you count being sandwiched between a dude's reclining chair and another dude's rather protruding belly for seven hours. I made my way through Heathrow's customs in London, looking forward to another nice and easy shuttle ride to my door. Er, no. Again. Due to the shuttle company picking up seven other passengers and dropping me off dead last, it took 2.5 hours to get home.

Ah, home. I have missed it.

Oscar is home now too, and boy has he grown. All of him has grown, if you know what I mean. Even his meow has gotten rather manly. He's currently going between the 'I hate you because you abandoned me and I'm going to run away now' phase and the 'Momma, I'm going to stick to you like glue so you never leave me again, ever' phase, but all in all, he's my same adorable baby who tends to bite toes.

All I'm missing is Jase, who gets back in a few days time, so I can give him his pressies! Shopping for him was one of the best things about the USA! I've spent today trying to upload as many pictures of mine as I can, but I still have a long way to go yet. I'll blog (with photos) as I get around to it, but if you can't wait in the meantime, feel free to take a peep at my Flickr. It's so good to be back!

Who would have thought that in just a few short weeks, I would be sitting completely across the country from where I started? After a lot of crazy travel days, I'm currently sitting in St Augustine, Florida - about to head to our next stop in Savannah, Georgia.

I've had some absolutely amazing experiences so far. I've helicoptered across the Grand Canyon. I've gone jeeping in Durango, Colorado. I've gone hot air ballooning overlooking Alberquerque, New Mexico. I've gone on an air boat swamp cruise in New Orleans, Louisiana. I've been to Gracelands, people. Gracelands!

The last two days have been exhausting. We out-drove Hurricane Gustav and seeing the deserted New Orleans streets on TV after the mandatory evacuation was frightening. The fact that we had been standing on the packed Bourbon Street two days before that was downright eerie. Heading towards Georgia, we're now keeping an eye on Hurricane Hanna, though I'm sure we'll be absolutely fine. Hoping everyone near those areas is safe and well. It's scary being in the middle of it, that's for sure.

I've got no pictures up yet - but I'll definitely make sure I do once I get home. Not long now - can you believe it is September already?