A Fresh Start

Won’t go into much detail except to say that 80% of eighty year old men have this, according to Sister Susan.

In 38 years, then, I can look forward to a uniformed young lady sticking her … no, no. I said I’d not go into detail.

Dad’s going to be back at the hospital for the next two Mondays so Wuglums and I will have to toss a coin to see who gets escort duty - I had enough trouble finding my way around to even consider letting Dad loose there on his own!

The journey down on Saturday was interesting, to say the least, as it included an unscheduled ramble across Hertfordshire - with hindsight I should have taken then A14 past Brum instead. A “good luck” text from Croila elicited the response:

Thanks, C. Is there anything on the net about tailbacks on the M11? I've not moved for forty minutes!

A reply came a few minutes later.

Sorry, just noticed yr txt now. According 2 AA, M11 closed between Harlow & Epping but that's all I can see. Sounds gruesome.

She was right - by then I’d not moved for over an hour and it was half an hour after that that the radio confirmed the closure. At this point, all those who’d been listening to the radio started making U-turns and returning along the hard shoulder to the last junction and freedom (or, if not freedom, then at least a slow amble across to the A10). Incredibly, there were still people barrelling down towards the back of the queue at this point, paying to attention to the fact that there were dozens of cars heading the wrong way down the motorway to get out of there. I wonder whether anyone stayed there for the full 12+ hours thinking “It’ll be open in a minute …” all that time.

It took me eight hours to get to Cardiff, then, on Saturday but a mere four and a quarter to return this afternoon, in spite of roadworks and mysterious delays en route.

Now to arrange those duties with Wuggers …

Given the primary reason for the visit, then, you should delight in this photo.

First crocus of the year

as it could have been a lot, lot worse.