Safety first

Well, we were at school.

Early start to pack all the things into too few bags. Hire car returned, then a long, slow, asthmatic slog up the hill with a bag so heavy my shoulder still (Monday night) aches. Next time I will ignore the cut price deals and stick with Europcar who always give you a lift to the station, and not Hertz who have the added disadvantage (added to their poor customer service, that is) of being down a huge hill from the station.

The re-re-nationalised East Coast line couldn’t cope with seat reservations and, in fact, couldn’t even find the coach number we were reserved in to add it to the train, so there was an unseemly scramble for seats. We ended up in the quiet carriage, surrounded by the loudest conversations, and with a couple opposite whose aim seemed to be to spread sesame seeds as widely as possible, despite my protestations of CarbBoy’s allergy.

Added to a client asking me to have a “quick glance” at a 90 page agreement before he signed it (“quick glance” normally meaning “read it thoroughly but don’t charge me much - however I will claim on your insurance if you miss something”) and a delayed train with a tight London connection .... and it all made for a stressful journey. Plus no trolley service so no tea.

We made the connection with much running, then the day could properly begin: Andy collected us and took us to his school’s end of year party, with a surfeit of cocktails, sausages, wine and football (with a Belgian thrown in for extra football celebration). MrB and TallGirl arrived later and then I may have let the sunshine and the wine and the weekend go to my head and I fear I was somewhat drunk... There was much singing (not just me, don’t worry) and a fire and, eventually, bed.