Disappointments

I said this blog would be about life in general as well as sewing; well, this post is just that.

About a year ago we started planning a holiday with our son and daughter-in-law and grandchildren from Durban, South Africa. We decided that, instead of their coming to the UK, we would meet up in Italy for two weeks after which they would go to Paris and Euro Disney with the children. In order to visit Europe, they need special visas, which they applied for at the beginning of May. TWO DAYS before they were due to leave, the visa company they used told them the Italian consulate wouldn't issue the visas as they were landing in France before driving to Italy; they would have to apply to the French Embassy in Johannesburg. My daughter-in-law flew to Johannesburg and, despite her pleading for an emergency visa, was told that it takes seven days to issue a visa and she will just have to delay her holiday!

So ... we will fly off to Italy as planned and try to enjoy ourselves while we wait for our family to join us. I guess we must try to remain positive and enjoy what little time we will have together but, right now, the excitement of a much anticipated family holiday has waned. What it is to be at the mercy of a visa company that appears not to have done its homework and then unbending bureaucratic laws! All we can do is pray that God will lift our spirits and give us real quality time together - when we get together!