Jolly well and truly there

There, and some. It's been 9 weeks or so since we arrived, to the accompaniment of lashings of lovely white snow, skidding vehicles and Brits, Brits everywhere. I must confess to some surprise, despite being forewarned of the 'peculiarity' of the Brum accent (to put it politely). If I find myself saying, sometime in the future, "Oi doin't thoink yoye can have a loylly nowe", please remind me to shoot myself in the foit. Today there is a vast blue sky and hot English sun (who would have guessed it existed?). No sign of the foreboding cloud of volcanic ash from Iceland that has effectively stopped many European travellers, Brits among them, in their homeward or holidaying tracks. The woe has not spread to Moseley, Birmingham, as far as I can see. No, the check-out fellow at Somerfields still launches my groceries across the till (as I mutter Aussie-toned curses under my breath at having to pack my own shopping) as if Paris, Rome and London were not at a newsworthy standstill. Life goes on. Oh, and Happy Birthday mum.