No mention of the weather... at all.

This cute baby just got cuter...

It used not to bother me at all that living outside the UK meant long journeys every time I wanted to see my family. That sounds really bad written down, but that's not really how I mean it. I was having a great time exploring other places, I always got regular news about how everyone was doing, and the visits back were all the more special because of the their novelty.

The thing is, now that my cousins are settled and married, with Cath and Jimmy's first baby born and growing 'like a weed' as my Gran informs me I sometimes feel I'm missing out. Just a bit.

My grandparents, Aunt, Uncle and Cousins all live in each others' lives. I used only to see the negative points this inevitably results in: the claustrophobia, abundance of unwanted advice and lack of independence.

Living in Warsaw with my parents in Brussels and my little brother in Toronto however I increasingly see the benefits my UK-based family has that we cannot. Even with the wonders of skype and msn I have to travel for half a day to give my brother a hug.

It's a cliche, but you just have to accept that every situation has its positives and negatives. I'm still enjoying the positives, but can't help but wonder if the negatives are going to become increasingly influential in the choices I make in the future.