Image: Milo playing with his present: The Austin Alligator. I wanted something relevant to Texas and as I had photographed an alligator in the wild at Brazoria Wildlife Reserve in 2012 this one seemed appropriate, and it squeaks too.

Audio: Grimethorpe Colliery Band Playing Jerusalem, ideal for my final flight and drive across the Pennines to my beloved Yorkshire and home.

The relevance of the no ice is that with it you usally get a short measure of soda, at the schools I tell the students not to go too heavy on the ice, and get value for money

02.05.2017 – 151) First thing this morning, get some food under my belt

Called at Jack in the Box for a Combo Sour Dough Patty Melt

With French Fries an’ soda, no ice still tasted nice

No ice! Now some may think that’s funny

But I’m a Yorkshire Guy who likes value for money

 

152) After breakfast to Austin Wildlife Rescue to see what’s to be done

Always a good way to begin departure day

See the animals for one last time, capture their antics in rhyme

Said I’d do the possums in their cages, at first it looked like it may take ages

It was a matter of go to it, go do it

Give ‘em clean beddin’ paper, water puppy chow an’ it makes my day

When some of ‘em starts tuckin’ in straight away

One comes to my hand an starts play bitin’

In fun I could tell, cos’ if he wasn’t it’d hurt like hell

Got all the cages just so, then it was time to go

But what I’d done sure had been fun

An’ one things clear, I sure hope to be comin’ back next year.

 

153) To Thom’s I run in the noonday sun

Air conditionin’ goin’ country music flowin’

Rascal Flatts singin’ about how God above

Blessed the broken road that took him to his true love

An’ I’m thinkin’ maybe change the words to suit me, an’ they could be

God blessed the broken road that led me home

At the end of another great poetry roam

 

154) Called at Thom’s dropped of the cell phone

No use to me when I get home

David’s there, we greet, then lunch to eat

Laughter an’ jokes at the recent antics of us poetry blokes

Sayin’ what we dared, how we fared

Goin’ across the Panhandle Plain an’ comin’ back again

An’ they did yearn to learn, how the Rio Grande Valley went on my return

An’ I could tell them it went swell

Breakin’ new ground with poetry sound

An’ Thom did tell, Connie was feelin’ great cos’ Lamesa went well

Yeah free verse, music or rhyme; we’d all had a real good time

Bob was already home. Tomorrow I would be too, but no need to be blue

Cos’ next year we’ll be real delighted if poetry’s fantastic four are reunited

 

155) Goodbye hugs done, to the airport I run

Car dropped off an’ I’m not late now check in an’ find the departure gate

 

156) Check in done, customs I’m through, departure gate found

In less than three hours I’ll be homeward bound

 

A couple of haikus I felt like writing

157) Boarding time, find seat

Stow luggage in above locker

Prepare for take off

 

158) Last look at Austin

Bathed in sun, we’re in the air

Flight home has begun

 

159) Flyin’ into the night Eastwards we go, Mainland America still below

Time seems to be draggin’ concentration laggin’

Dark outside an’ we’ve still to cross the ocean wide

The Pond, to England beyond

Nothing to see, it seems a boring part of the trip gonna try an’ have a kip

 

03.05.2017 - 160) Now back on British Summer Time, as I write this rhyme

Atlantic below and we’ve just over an hour to go

Sky’s clear, Heathrow’s getting near

Hopefully bathed in sun, and I’ll be glad when this flights done

 

161) I look out of the window and smile, we’re over The Emerald Isle

Forty five minutes we should be on the ground,

And they’re bringing breakfast round

I’ve got classical music going, Mozart’s Eine Kleinenacht Musik flowing

Lively and a good score I just need coffee to bring me round some more

 

162) Landed at Heathrow to find, weather much cooler and security a bind

Would have thought it plain, we’ve been through it once, why again

Once through ring taxi firm to confirm

What time to expect me, where to collect me

Then find the departure gate and somewhere comfortable to wait

 

163) Brief rest feeling alright, got coffee and a snack for the flight

Seat found sit down safety instructions read, to the runway we head

Clearance given away we run, take off my final flight has begun

 

164) At Manchester I got off the plane, once more on Northern soil again

Hoping I wouldn’t be blue and my suitcase had made it too

It had, I was delighted when we were reunited

Taxi home to end my roam and what better way

Than watch Milo playing with his present from Texas USA