Unexpected journey

Ages ago, Sally from Orange sent me a FB message letting us know that she and Mark and Kate and Will were all coming to the UK again. We set up a tentative date to meet up for dinner. Then, much later we messaged again in order to refine the date and place. We finally settled on Monday January 9, meeting for dinner at Salieri’s at 6:30pm.

Then, yesterday, a nameless person (Mirinda) suddenly announced she had a work function on Monday night.

Everything was re-arranged for tomorrow. Dinner was changed to lunch, the location was changed to Canary Wharf and the restaurant was changed to The Big Easy. We figured that Mirinda could stay in town afterwards.

Then, this morning, while trying to work out what time we should leave tomorrow morning in order to get to Canary Wharf Station (or Jubilee Station as Sally calls it) at the specified rendezvous time, it was discovered that there will be engineering works all day tomorrow on our line. This means that there are bus replacements all day. While not really a problem, because of the extent of the line closure, the changes would add an hour to the trip in. Mirinda found this intolerable.

We then thought we’d get a taxi to Guildford, or Farnborough, or Woking where the trains were fine. This wasn’t possible as every taxi in Farnham is busy tomorrow. Possibly everyone had the same idea as us.

Mirinda then suggested we go up to the flat tonight. I looked at the puppies and asked what we’d do with them. Mirinda then called Sue to ask if she minded taking them tonight. Sue said yes. In fact she was taking Pip for a walk and would come and pick the girls up on the way…which was handy because we hadn’t taken them for a walk yet.

And so the plan was made. We’d leave for London at 5:10pm, stay at the flat tonight then meet Sally and family at Canary Wharf/Jubilee Tube station.

All was fine as we packed up everything. Then came a knock at the door. It was Sue with the dogs. It seemed that Emma had had a problem evacuating her bowels. Her bottom was caked in poo. While prepared to clean it when absolutely necessary, she thought she’d try me first. I took hold of the lead and hosed down Emma’s bum. She wasn’t pleased. I then took them back to Sue before showering and leaving in the taxi we’d ordered.

All was well right up to when the train was leaving the station when Mirinda announced she’d left her little friend charging on the kitchen counter. I halfheartedly announced I’d get off at Aldershot, go home for the phone then meet her at the flat an hour after she arrived. She shook her head.

And so we continued on to the flat, stopping off at Waitrose on the way to do Mirinda’s weekly shop. It made a change dining at Cafe Mirinda rather than Chez Gaz.

And in possibly the first of a new series of Posts About Annoying People…When we boarded the train, Mirinda mentioned the fact that it was a Quiet Zone carriage. I said most people either ignored the fact or couldn’t read the sign. This was proven completely by a woman who joined the train at Surbiton and talked and talked and talked loud enough for everyone on the train to hear every word of her dull conversation. I found it very irritating though Mirinda somehow managed to ignore her.

And here is what the incredibly annoying person looked like:

This was when her phone signal dropped out and she was intently trying to get it back.