1. You cannot leave an elderly Ford Ka in the frost for a week and expect to get the ice off the windscreen in less than half an hour, however much spray you use.
2. The central locking on the other (posher, but still ten-year-old) car can get totally frozen up, so you can't get in, drive, or get to the station.
3. Trains are easily missed.
4. (Better news) Two ticket inspectors are capable of not noticing that the (booked) ticket for the missed train are being illicitly used on the next train (result!)
4. Taking a grown-up son to buy a suit for a Special Birthday present doesn't really work, as he is too old to be accompanied by mummy, and feels very awkward. So the suit doesn't get bought.
5. There's an Italian restaurant somewhere south of Oxford Street that serves horrible food. Son was very polite. I was disappointed (it was supposed to be part of the treat).
5. "Broken window in carriage A" is a new excuse for train being suddenly delayed. We were in Carriage A, and there was no sign of a broken window.
6. Yesterday was very, very, very cold (but then you already knew that).
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Oh dear - it doesn't sound a great success but as you say lessons learned so next birthday no doubt you will give him money to buy something crazy and cool and make him his favourite home cooked meal. Although honestly it serves him right for having a February birthday - mine is in Jan and it is only in recent years it dawned on me to be sensible and have an official birthday like the Queen
ReplyDeleteWhat a day! I love that the ticket inspectors didn't notice - at least something went right :-) x
ReplyDeleteThis reminds me of my Saturday job in a clothes shop when I was a teenager. A couple brought in their teenage son to buy him suit for a family wedding. He was severely mentally handicapped and it was a struggle to get him to try it on, but they managed. And they were so sweet and patient and caring with him that I was close to tears. My friend who worked there too had to take over. She was very composed and self-assured. She came across as helpful and efficient, but sympathetic too. I so admired her. I was completely thrown by the experience.
ReplyDeleteI watched her continue to serve the family. She asked the parents if their son would like to see how he looked in the long mirror and they said, "It's all right, love. He doesn't understand."
I was so upset that he couldn't enjoy seeing his own reflection.
Jenny, the actual birthday is Jan 1st - a pig of a day to have a birthday. Not even any post. Oh - and he has a wife to cook favourite meals for him. Just a mother to buy crappy restaurant food...
ReplyDeleteTeresa, that was such a triumph! Almost made it worth missing the (right) train.
JOann, what a very nice teenager you must have been!
Well, at least you tried!
ReplyDelete(Still very, very, very cold here)
A day you will never ever forget. :-)
ReplyDeleteDid you say anything about the food to the people at the restaurant? I am not one to make a fuss, but when it is truly horrible, or lukewarm to cold, or not cooked properly etc., I say something and either don't pay the (full) bill or have something else served.
ReplyDeleteSo, is your son going to buy a suit on his own and you'll give him the money or are you going to think of something else for him as a present?
Your dry sense of humour always makes me smile. I'm sure you turned the day into a good one anyway.
ReplyDeletePatsy, I certainly tried!
ReplyDeleteDian, at least I sahll remember to allow two hours to de-ice the car...
Librarian, no, I didn't. It wasn't really bad enough to make a fuss. I just reinforced my conviction that home cooking is nearly always best, even mine!
Maggie, thank you. It was lovely seeing son, and another son pitched up, and it was great to see him too.