Day trip

If there was ever a sign that I’m old, it was while interchanging at Vauxhall to the Tube.  At 6:15am, I left the mainline station to descend into the tunnels. My journey had been quiet. Deserted platforms, an entire train carriage with fewer than ten of us. But, outside Vauxhall, near the bus station, it might have been described as busy.  There were crowds of much younger people. Somebody was playing music. As I stepped into the Underground  I realised they were still dressed for a Friday night on the town. I was wrapped-up against the cold thinking my 6 hours in bed had been insufficient. 

I met Mum and Dad having breakfast in the Beaconsfield. After coffee, back to their house and the Christmas decorations put in the loft - the task I’d really travelled to do - quite quickly. I must remember I have no slippers there as the ladder was cold. I had a bit of a nostalgia fest looking at some things I still have stored in the loft! 

Next was a number of IT projects and then sweeping the patio. This took a long time. The needles from the pine trees all around - plus some broken branches - had fallen and they really wanted it tidied up. I quite enjoyed the task but my body will suffer tomorrow.  Then a glass of sherry in the little summer house they built a couple of years ago.

The return journey was not as good as the one this morning. On the way to Birmingham I revived an email from Avanti to tell me my connection was cancelled due to an incident on the line. Amusingly, they offered cancellation even though I was already on my way. I checked the app and all other Avanti services from Birmingham were diverted and wouldn’t be passing though New Street. 

The result was a long journey home on London North Western which were running. Of course, their trains were now packed and there was a big crowd around the doors to board. I got a seat and we crawled to Euston. This train was also delayed by over half an hour so it was getting towards 11pm when I arrived and so I wasn’t home until almost midnight.