We're baaaack

... and exhausted. Friends, can I tell you how delightful it is to spend time with family (especially those who brought giant suitcases full of mac and cheese, Fiona's toys- they carried a small PIANO on the plane, among other awkwardly-shaped things- and contact lens solution)? It's fabulous. But. After a long week of journey (train to Frankfurt, car to Paris, time in Disneyland Paris, car to Amsterdam-more on that later- time in Amsterdam and swimming hotel, car to Weimar, train to Erfurt and back, all with the dear inlaws, an extremely well-behaved Fiona, and the afore-mentioned ton of luggage in the back of a Volkswagen) I'm exhausted. Completely shattered (an Irish word meaning tired, but it sounds very extreme, doesn't it?).

In addition, it was cold. Of course it was cold, you say, it was winter in Northern Europe. But it was cold, raw, and wet. Not in the swimming pool and sauna, though, which were lovely.

I'm off to bed. More to follow- stories of the dear inlaws getting lost in the travels, why exactly Disneyland Paris was delightful, and what we thought of Amsterdam.