It’s been 2 years since the last time I was home - that’s a long time in my book. Anyway, there are some things I _really_ notice now as differences. Or maybe I’m just turning into a grumpy old man

• Sky Sports is now so expensive that neither my brother or Dad get it anymore (but Match of the Day is still bloody fantastic)
• Fish and Chips still tastes best when you eat it looking out to sea
• House prices are absolutely ridiculous. I still haven’t worked out how people afford a house back here. Mortgages as a percentage of take home pay are way up there. 
• Rain isn’t too bad once you get used to it again ;-) 
• My pet peeve for this holiday - England, please make your parking spots wide enough to actually allow people to open car doors when they’ve parked (on both sides!!!!). 
• X Factor and I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here dominate the daily news, even though they’re just TV shows. 
• Driving on the back roads in Northumberland still brings a huge grin to my face and makes me dream of being a rally driver again (even in a Skoda diesel estate rental….)