I'm sitting in a railway station, got a ticket....

Not so much sitting as waving goodbye.

Dad went home today. The train was at 11.11 from Platform 13. It's about a 25 minute drive to the station on a Sunday so naturally dad was up at 8.15!

So, we had a nice relaxing breakfast, checked that he'd not left anything and set off. Uneventful trip into Manchester, but we were so early we realized we'd be parking the car for more than 30 minutes so the fee was going to be £4 !!!!
Up the escalators, onto the concourse, along the travelling walkway, up and over the bridge, down in the lift, arrived at platform 13b and strolled along to platform 13. About 5 minutes before the train was due the platform suddenly filled with young girls in very short skirts and wellies, several tattooed blokes, some obviuosly ageing rock chicks in jeans and leather waistcoats and lots of people in waterproofs.

Then it dawned on us, dad was going to have to share the train with all these people who were going to the Leeds Festival. The train came and everyone piled on. Luckily dad had a reserved seat so the Boss got on with him to sort him out, it was a bit of a crush but she made it back to the door just as the guard was signalling the driver to go, so I yanked her off the train quick.

Two hours and 6 minutes later we got a call from my sister to say that she'd met him at Yarm station and was taking him home, but she wanted to know why we'd let him buy an umbrella.

We hadn't, he'd pinched ours! Usually he leaves something behind, this time he convinced himself and the Boss that the brolly in our hall was his that he'd brought with him. It wasn't, his was safely in my sister's car, ours is now safe 100+ miles away from home.

Oh the joys of elderly parents!!!