England 1996

Julian and I hit the road on our way to Birmingham. We have tickets to the Aston Villa v. Middlesbrough football match (that’s “soccer game” for you Americans…). We pop into a British mall (not too different from ours here!) and find a few things, including some goodies for Christmas stockings. We make it to the Aston Villa stadium a couple of hours before game time. This is important, because we have a full-course lunch waiting for us there! As with everything else we experienced, it was wonderful.

We leave for our seats just prior to game time. Our seats are in the Director’s Box! Cool! We’re almost at the midfield point. This is the equivalent of having 50 yard line seats at an NFL game!!! I’m impressed! 🙂

The match starts and is a joy to watch. I really get into the singing that the crowd is doing. Of course, I have to keep asking Julian what the heck the crowd is singing! 🙂

Aston Villa ends up victorious 1-0 on a penalty kick in the first half. During halftime, we were treated to tea and biscuits! What a great tradition!!!

That evening, after we made it back from the game, we had one last “big meal” with everyone in the King’s Court dining room. John gives me a few presents to take back. A numbered print of a classic MG roadster is one of the most treasured and has a treasured spot on my wall even today!

We exchange lots of hugs and goodbyes at the end of the night. This has been one vacation that I wish could never have ended. My friends, the Edwardses, have shown me the time of my life… and I am eternally grateful!

Time to go home… 🙁

We pack up Julian’s little car with all of my luggage and head off to London at a very early time of the morning. We get to the airport about an hour ahead of schedule, but it turns out that my flight has been delayed for a couple of hours!

Oh… the flight home? I was diverted to Bermuda, instead of a straight flight to Houston, due to the fact that the center fuel tank onboard the DC-10 we were on was not operating, so they had to stop in Bermuda to refuel. Oh well… unfortunately, I wasn’t allowed to deplane… 🙁

I arrive in Houston late in the afternoon, get my luggage, and head home — the end of an incredible week I’ll never forget…