Tuesday, the guys from Sliderobes are going to the flat to do their thing. Today I had to clear the bedroom for them to be able to do it. I decided mum deserved a day out in London after almost a week under doctor’s orders.
Of course, as usually happens, there was engineering work on the railway so we had to endure a bus replacement ‘service’ for the first 40 minutes. We were assured it would be finished in the afternoon, in time for us to go home.
From Waterloo we walked across to the ferry stop at the Wheel and stood at the beginning of the queue as it gradually grew behind us. We stood there waiting for about 20 minutes before the ferry turned up.
Waiting for the ferry
It was at this stage that mum found out how to use an Oyster card. Clipper ferries now has touch in/out pads which makes it a lot easier and efficient. And it saves silly little pieces of paper from vanishing into the dark recesses of big pockets.
The ferry was lovely if a little full, and we eventually arrived at Canary Wharf to start the long hike up to the flat. It’s not normally a long hike but mum isn’t as spry as she once was and I wish I’d packed lunch for the ascent.
Hungry and exhausted we reached the summit (with a brief stop at the Co-op for essential food) and had a life affirming and supporting cup of tea. Then I started work.
Mum was keen to help so I put her on look out duty. She eagerly watched the street below, spotting illegal parking, precarious pots and despairing over the lack of anyone beyond the age of 35.
In the meanwhilst, I removed everything, stacking it all neatly in the lounge, careful not to box mum in and leave a clear path to the kitchen (the new cooker is also arriving).
While I was busy, my phone kept me in contact with Denise and Trace, who were trying to get an earlier train back to London. I’d suggested we meet up. I thought it would be a nice surprise for mum.
Eventually I had a message to say they’d arrived and we arranged to meet at Michael’s branch of All Bar One.
We then had a funny trip across London courtesy of the Tube. Mum assumed we were headed home but didn’t say anything when we failed to leave the train at Waterloo and was even less inquisitive as we wandered along the road from Victoria tube station.
Apparently she thought I knew what I was doing and just kept walking. I distracted her by asking her how dad proposed and she told me the story of the trolley bus.
So it was a lovely surprise when we walked in and saw the girls.
Surprise!
And mum was very pleased to see her grandson. Being at work he was looking every inch the professional.
But, as they repeatedly tell us in every available form, all good things must come to an end and we headed for home. It was, after all, taco night back at Chez Gaz.
And everything seemed fine. The trains were back to normal and as packed as they generally are of a Sunday night. Well, until we reached Woking.
I was in the loo when a sudden announcement made me increase flow and pressure as I hurried to finish. The train was no longer going to Farnham because the engineering works had overrun and we should leave the train by the nearest possible exit or face the despair of ending up in Basingstoke (it’s always Basingstoke).
Now, I have to ask, how come they didn’t know that a little earlier? Like when we left Waterloo? Or before I went to the toilet?
So we were stranded (with loads of other irate daytrippers) on Woking station with no idea what was going on.
I thought it was rather nice of South West Trains to give my mum a taste of their worst service before she goes back to Oz.
Anyway, to try and reduce this post to something that can be read in less than an hour…we caught a Guildford train, thinking we’d cross to Aldershot on the Ascot line but were saved by my wonderful wife who jumped into Max and rescued us from the Guildford forecourt.
Poor mum. It was such a long and tiring day. Then she had to wait for tacos as the grumpy chef hopped to it, making as much noise as possible in the kitchen.
Still, they tasted pretty good.
