It's just been one of those days. I arrived at the garage in good time for my test drive, but they were really busy and couldn't take me out straight away. I waited. Finally, the manager asked would I be ok taking it out on my own? Sure, said I, except I'm completely unfamiliar with the area. Oh, you won't get lost, said he, recommending a route and handing me the key.
Lovely drive - v similar to my existing car, which is a good recommendation. Better than anticipated at speed, comfy. I was well happy when I decided it was time to take it back. Until I realised I didn't know how to get back! Lovely. I did actually get most of the way without issues, but I KNEW I'd get lost. After about 20 minutes of wrong turns, I finally started driving aimlessly along any road that - at first - looked promising, and - later - I hadn't tried yet. And so it happened that I eventually stumbled across the garage again.
I'd wondered how long they'd leave it before calling to see whether I'd run off with it, but you know, they probably hadn't noticed at all, they were so busy. At least, as one remarked when I told him, I got to give the car a good workout! Oh yes, said I - plenty of u-turns.. (one of the handiest places I found to retrace my steps was the prison - they must've thought I was casing the joint, I was there so often!)
Then it was ages before they got around to me. I was there for the better part of two hours. And my debit card had gone missing, as I discovered when I tried to pay the deposit - mercifully, I had my credit card. And when I came out - and had to walk to the bus stop, and wait - the weather had turned horrible. And I hadn't eaten yet, and had come out without breakfast too, having got up very late. And it took an hour to get home. So it's understandable that I had no enthusiasm for heading all the way up to Hampstead - another hour's journey, more or less - for the musical I'd booked. Pity, but it takes so long to get to the other side of town, and in this weather.. and I hadn't paid much. Anyway, staying in gave me a chance to get myself organised, this evening, for all the payments I've now let myself in for..
Well! I'm organised for the rest of the week. Tomorrow is a film - and with all the shorts showing in town at the moment (for the LSFF), it took literally days to sort my film list (in terms of IMDB ratings). It's no great surprise that a programme of shorts came out top - and so I'm headed to Hackney Picturehouse tomorrow evening. There are three shorts programmes tomorrow afternoon, the first sold out - but I can choose between the other two. Or maybe go to both, we'll see how I feel.
Monday and Tuesday are longterm bookings, booked - as previously mentioned - when I was working my way towards The Nutcracker, as attended by Let's Do London - for less!, this Wednesday. So, on Monday, I'm going to Harlequinade, with Kenneth Branagh and Judi Dench, and on Tuesday, I'm delighted to have got a ticket for La Soirée. Seen them before, and they're terrific.
Wednesday, as I say, Let's Do London - for less! are off to something good again. But guess what? "This Meetup is full" greeted me when I finally got up that date! I'd missed out by a matter of hours. Never mind - I'm off to an evening of poetry set to music: part of the Southbank Centre's Winter Festival. And it's free - I was lucky to get a seat though - told them I didn't want to stand, and it turned out there'd been a cancellation, so I don't have to! With La Soirée on in the Spiegeltent, right next door, that's two nights that are going to be really convenient for me to get to, as the venues are right by Waterloo.
Finally for this week, on Thursday the Cloggies are off on a tour of Kray country, in the East End. Followed by a curry in Brick Lane, natch. And then it's back to Ireland for the weekend..
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