Home again! I arrive at Denver International Airport.  As I took the escalator up to the main floor I saw this row of ceramic balustrades….they look fabulous but I don’t understand why they are where they are.  No-one seems to notice them and they are protected from the public by a glass wall. Are they works of art designed to make us feel good…?  I was jet lagged but still aware enough to enjoy them. 

A couple of “hotties” Sam and Tash!!   They are Penny;s daughters which makes them my second cousins….

I managed to time my visit for a celebration within the family. Diana, my cousin was celebrating her nuptials that I had missed because my mother died the same week she married.  It was a great get together and as I only told my other cousin Penny, that I was coming, I was a total surprise to everybody which was GREAT.  Here we are at the end of the party……..

I arrive in London at the new terminal 5 building in Heathrow.  Pretty spectacular and very modern, with lots of exposed pipes and metal work. Same old same old customs, immigration and baggage handling though.  But a part of me always feel like I have come home, when I land.  The funny thing is I feel the same way when I land in Kenya and exactly the same way whenever I touch down back in the states.  A fractured past gives me many homelands…?

My trip took me to Europe and the weather was great.  Warm and sunny and not at all what I expected.  Nor was this large flying saucer type building that I passed.   It wasn’t a sports arena, I think it was an office building…safe from all the elements I guess, including sunshine.

On the road again and passing through Washington airport again.  You can always tell it is Washington airport because of the the truly weird busses they have that run around on the runways!  In fact, I didn’t just pass through I had to spend the night there because my flight was delayed.  This is the  norm nowadays.  I am old enough to remember when flying was glamorous.  When flying out to Kenya in the 1950’s people used to get dressed UP!!!  It was an event!  It is still an EVENT but not the kind that I look forward to and certainly not one get dressed up for.  I never experienced travel by Greyhound bus in the 60’s or 70’s but I imagine flying nowadays is very much like travelling by bus was 50 years ago.  Cramped, hot, tiring and you cant stretch your legs or talk to the driver.

Well, we did not win, but we had fun.  This is Pat and I after it was all over. I redid my bow tie and after the show was over I began to pick up the pieces of my birthday which had been lost as I had spent ALL day at this event.  It was a worthy cause, I learnt some great dance steps, we raised a lot of money, I made a great friend in Pat…but my dancing career is over. I mean how many times can you play James Bond and get a laugh??

Not the clearest picture as there was too much movement but this is how Pat and I ended our routine.  She dipped across my arms and I lowered her so that I was looking down at her and at that moment I undid my bow tie as the voice said ‘BOND, JAMES BOND”  It was a kick!!  It got a good laugh and good round of applause.

Here we all are crammed into the wings watching each other dance.  It is my turn up next and you can see that I have changed into a much more urbane outfit.  We actually danced to the theme song from “James Bond!!”  Well why not??  It got a great laugh.  The audience was great and you can feel the energy on the stage when you are out there.  I can understand why actors love stage work…you really do feel connected to the people who are watching.  I was not nervous at all. I think Pat and I had really got our routine down to where we both knew it by heart…even if we forgot it in a moment of panic, muscle memory would have carried us through I think…