We all have them, we wake, yawn, groan at the clock and just ‘know’ by some intuitive seventh sense that it is going to be one of ‘those‘ days …. as was the case yesterday.
Dressed and ready the first thing was my neighbour. I had said to him a day or two before about helping me get to the car Friday morning and the thought crossed my mind Thursday afternoon when he did not drop in to check the times, but yes .. he forgot … so I telephoned and he came down. He wheeled me out to my car and someone had parked a little too close and forward so I could not open the car door fully. Neighbour dispatched to find visitor and ask them to move, which they do. The driver looks at me as if in complete bemusement why they should move their car, even after I explained that I couldn’t open my car door all the way without scratching their. Anyway, they pulled back, I shuffled and flung myself in, closed the door expecting them to pull back in the space but no, they sat engine running. The wheelchair was folded and put in the boot, I started the engine and put it in reverse. They sat there. So I ended up doing an exercise is ‘know your cars dimensions’ as I wiggled and avoided the hedge, the kerb, other parked cars and the other car.
V-room v-room off to Norwich we go.
Ha! Traffic had other plans, as did the misty weather. Tootling along I noticed in the distance an array of red break lights. Hmmm bet there has been a bump along the single lane bendy bit, do I wait or do I go the alternate back roads ….. back roads it is. I started off along the leafy ‘b’ roads, that I sometimes travel maybe once every three years – hope I remember the directions. This route puts me on the wrong side of the City but three roundabouts and 11 sets of traffic lights that ALL turned red as I approached, got me on the road to my friends house. But the fun doesn’t stop there. Her house is on a small estate where the road is just wide enough for one car [me] but ohh nooo Mr Royal Mail wanted to buy me a brand new car and give me a lengthy stay in hospital but my quick thinking foiled his plans. He gave me a look as if to say “Bloody stupid woman driver”, when he was in the wrong, whizzing past the parked car blocking his half of the narrow street, men!
The car was loaded with the essential arty items going to the exhibition [buds daughters final pieces for her art course] and off we head. Again it was going to be a red traffic light journey. Traffic seemed abnormally heavy for the time of day. The College she attends is an old old and I mean ancient building, built before days of carts and horses so parking was never thought of. The car park is a higgled affair. It took a couple of attempts to turn round to drop her and the items off and head off in the direction of the next errand.
Making our way back across the City, with its cars sitting arse end out in the road while they have a nice chat with a passer-by, people who start running across the road and slow to a walk in your lane as you approach, and bicycling free wheeling out of side streets and peddling on at an inch an hour and you can’t pass because the blonde-type in her over sized suv won’t move over any further.
At this point you have annoyance, adding to another annoyance and another heaping higher and then just being annoyed by the idiots on the road is annoying.
Ahhh a few hours rest from vehicular irritations, with entertaining chat and people watching.
The journey home saw the return of those exasperation’s. Travelling along the dual carriage way heading towards the roundabout for the Acle Straight I move into the outside lane in readiness to turn right. I notice on the major road sign that there is a small yellow sign “A47 closed use …..” – oh buggeration, that means more back lane b roads and a long loop of several more miles in Friday afternoon traffic!! So I am now back in the other lane and approaching the roundabout, in traffic, committed to the alternate route when I see vehicles going down the road that is supposed to be closed – huh – wtf????
So I putter all through the lanes, mumbling and griping under my breath, I bet some lazy male road repairer sort of forgot to take that sign down as the roadworks are happening over night and not at 5pm on a Friday .. mumble mumble, oh fudge another roundabout where am I going … … … I reach the roundabout at the other end of the supposed closed road and the signs are there “A47 closed’ but traffic was merrily zooming up and down it …. that friggin fat arsed butt crack exposing high-viz trouser wearing navvy DID forget to remove those signs and I am the conscientious idiot who adhered to them!!!
Got home somewhat desperate for a visit to the ladies room, rather hot and bothered, an extra 10 miles added to my journey.
.
Just Me, Nobody Special 