Back In The UK...

We returned from Ibiza on Saturday. Despite my dad not being with us, we had a very nice time. The weather was great for the first few days and then changeable for the last few, but it did not dampen our spirits. The kids had a great time playing on the various beaches we went to. They especially loved digging the sand and making piles and things. If the weather had stayed hot and sunny I would have said that it is the perfect time of year to visit Ibiza because the clubbing season is almost completely over. There are no crowds at all and yet the water is still relatively warm and the weather is quite good. The worst of the weather though for us was saved for the last day. For much of the afternoon and evening it poured down torrentially. But it actually made for quite a fun time. The kids loved playing in the puddles and drips, and the adults amongst us just sheltered under the awning of a restaurant and drank beer/coke/miscellaneous beverages. There will be photos soon.

We returned home in time to see the Rugby World Cup semi-final between England and France. Oh boy was that a tense affair. With England managing to defeat the heavily favoured hosts 14-9. It followed England's fine 12-9 victory over Australia the week before (again against a strongly favoured foe), which we were able to see in a restaurant in Ibiza. Now all that remains is a final confrontation with South Africa. England will once again be heavy underdogs, which might actually work in their favour. If England manage to win, they will be the first team ever to retain the Rugby World Cup (after winning it in Australia in 2003).

One last item: my dad appears to be almost fully recovered from the bike accident. He went to work for a little while yesterday morning, which - even though he still needs to be careful not to over do things - is a good sign.