Thursday. 6.30 a.m. I took Alfie to the couple in Loughton, to find out how he would get on without me. It would appear that he got on well. They have just bought him back, and I will take him to their home before I leave for Worcester mid-morning, tomorrow (Friday). So, after a frustrating summer, the situation is sorted in my attempt to find someone to care for him when I visit Chloe and her family. Hopefully, on a further occasion, I can call on them to look after him for me, probably in a few months, probably around the time of my birthday in October, which usually falls over the school half-term holiday.
Friday. 5.50 a.m. A bit of a shock when I went out with Alfie a few minutes ago, to discover fog all along Strudwick Drive as we went out. You couldn't see across Oldbrook Green. It's not particularly thick and as things warm up as the day progresses, it should disperse. I do hope so, as I don't fancy driving in fog when I drive on the motorway to Worcester.
9.15 a.m. I was more than a little bit surprised to find my pension was paid into my bank account this morning. I went onto the Nationwide website and logged in. This meant I could pay for the various things I have to pay and then I went to Sainsbury's so I had food for when I get back from Worcester.
The fog has gone, thankfully. I trust there will be no fog when I get to the motorway later. I also hope there's no rain because on one occasion when I drove towards Worcester there was a rainstorm and the traffic was throwing up quite an unpleasant mist which made driving somewhat hazardous.
Everything is packed up and in the car. I will drop off Alfie in Loughton and drive on to Worcester afterwards.
Sunday. 8.10 p.m. I have returned from my trip to Worcester. I didn't take my MacBook, which is what I write this blog on. I had decided to take as little as possible, no laptop or iPad, just my iPhone. The intention was to simplify things, which certainly makes life easier. Less to pack and then less to take and bring back, and also more space in the car.
Just before 10 o'clock on Friday morning, I drove with Alfie to Loughton to the couple who would look after him while I was away. I set off for Worcester, driving out on Standing Way. All went well until I met a queue of cars standing still around half a mile out of Buckingham. I wasn't sure what would have caused such a long tailback of traffic. I didn't think it could be anything to do with Silverstone, the motor racing circuit just beyond Stowe Landscape Gardens, which is near Buckingham, then I saw signs for something called the Towersey Festival at the Claydon Estate, so I assumed it was that which was causing the jam.
The jam eventually cleared, once I got through Buckingham and on the road towards the M40. I went into the Cherwell Service area immediately at the intersection with the motorway, as I needed what the Americans euphemistically call a restroom break. (Why do they call a toilet a bathroom when it's so obviously not a bathroom, unless they have baths in what we call toilets in the United Kingdom? ) I was soon on my way again and motoring along the M40. There was very light traffic, fortunately, and the weather was kind to me. No fog or rain, which can make driving hazardous.
I have been to Worcester several times and, I have relied on my satnav to direct me, but for some reason, it wouldn't cooperate. As I approached the exit for Worcester I seemed to leave the M5 at the wrong exit and found myself in unfamiliar surroundings, but I kept on, following signs for Worcester and eventually found the turning to Claines, where Chloe and family life and within barely ten minutes I was at their house.
I went with Chloe and the children into Worcester to visit the library, appropriately called 'The Hive. A busy place, with no end of activities for the children to get involved in. We had tea in the café whilst the children choose books to take out, exchanging the books they took in. There is a system which scans the barcode on each book in a kind of box and then prints a receipt. Ingenious, but I imagine, like a lot of this technology, it puts quite a few people out of work.
That evening, Steve drove to somewhere in Lincolnshire (I think it was near Sleaford.) it collect a tent and didn't get back to Worcester until gone midnight. A long journey there and back. I wasn't aware of him coming back to the house as I was fast asleep.
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