(Sarah) Leaving Leeds and family . . .

Friday 15th December 2006 Leeds braced its self for the Postgraduate Christmas Party. The fun started about 10.30 with gushing speeches (!) and presents (and a pot of tea of course!). Thanks to the kind postgraduate department, many trainees/Consultants and anyone who happened to pass April in the last three months - I am now the owner of a diamond necklace and a GPSr (so I can find my way home and to many, many geocaches (www.geocaching.com) we hope). Christmas lunch and D.I.S.C.O. was courtesy of the Queen's hotel (which has gone downhill since the lost of its Special events co-ordinator!) and entertainment was provided by the other 100+ First Direct staff! After several wine/vodka/bacardi (delete as appropriate) drinking, dancing and more speeches followed. See photos for evidence. One by one finally said 'See you next year!' to the amazing Postgraduate team - who I will miss immensely. Later we finally caught up with Aimee and the Regeneration (and ex-regeneration) team, for more drinking. No night out in Leeds would be complete for me and Aimee without a full rendition of Tragedy by Steps (R.I.P) which April caught on video to preserve for eternity! Then finally leaving the nightclub approximately 13 hours after we set off (you'll have to ask April for the proper time!) to return to an empty flat (well expect for all the packing & cleaning we had not done).

01 Postgrad Team

The next day we had to leave the flat, which was preceded by lots of packing & cleaning. I have to thank Mave, Mum, Aimee's Mum, Louisa & Jason for all there help - I am certain we would still be there if it was not for you. Said goodbye to Aimee (or so she thought . . .) and Leeds (or so I thought . . ) and off to live at home for the first time in 8 ½ years. Two days later was back in Leeds to sit my computer exam (which I have passed) and finally say goodbye to Leeds for 12 months. Whilst at home I have managed to go to a pantomime with the kids from Mum's school and got to meet Class 4 (Hello Class 4!). Also, I had a trip to Macclesfield for Aimee's secret leaving do, which was a mammoth operation in itself.

02 Bye bye Whinbrook Court!

Following Christmas it was time for my leaving do with all family invited for tea (emergency chairs/leather sofa). We exchanged Christmas presents, ate buffet and had a bit of pomagne (Barb). It was really nice to see everyone before I jet off and thank you all for the wonderful presents that will be put to good use next year! Now there is just the small matter of packing, unpacking, packing again, weighing the rucsack and triple checking everything in a vain attempt to remember what I have forgotten.

Next log will be from our nation's capital, London town. Where the plan is find the BBC cameras on New Year's Eve, find some geocaches and not spend any money.

The Family!