A most peculiar day

I hate traveling by train.

I've had to be in London these last 2 days; having to squeeze myself into the smallest space to avoid overly touching the person next to me or facing me, who is invariably a man who is sitting with a wide stance uncaring that he's encroaching into MY space.

Finally I reach my destination only to rush headlong along with the throng through the station, 'thinking I wonder how many calories I'm burning walking up these escalators'?!, just so that I can queue to get onto the next tube train that isn't already jam packed. I finally force my way on only to be crushed into this medley of smells.

Then as the train hurtles through this dark hole I can't help imagining what would happen if we would crash (although the nature of the narrow tunnel reduces the chance of derailment I suppose?!) and that we are packed in like sardines. At least we don't have to contend with the heat of summer on top of it all. The saving grace is that I have discovered that on the train, sitting by the toilet (as long as you're not actually facing the door) gives lots of legroom.

So, anyway, I'm finally on my home in my newly found roomy seat and my phone rings. Its an unfamiliar number. A man on the other end is asking me to move my car. Apparently he has a Peugeot 207 frequently parking outside his house and a) he finds it annoying and b) he thinks it's mine. It's not. I'm also rather curious as to how he has my number and why he thinks the car is mine. Apparently he got my number from the hairdressers. Now that's very possible but I still couldn't quite work out why that led him to the conclusion that it was my car. I think it means he lives on my street which means I could well be parking outside his house!!!!

Although not at that time, and not in a Peugeot. I was, in fact, parked in another street by the side of the train station. I only live about 10 minutes walk from the station so would normally not have done that and I also happen to know that it drives them crazy having commuters using their street as a car park. But I had to pick Seth up from my parents as soon I got back so was doing everything I could to speed that up (short of paying to park in the car park of course!!!) The train duly arrives and I walk briskly to my car...there are people standing near it. As I unlock the car a woman asks me if I had just come from the train. When I confirm her suspicion she then informs that her husband's car has had it's windows smashed and I am partially culpable for this act of vandalism. Apparently if I hadn't parked in front of their house he wouldn't have had to park on the other side of the street (albeit still outside their house!). She wasn't too clear how that would have prevented the vandalism but seemed a bit put out when I replied with a very unsympathetic 'I know you find it annoying that people park here but that really is a bit thin'. I wanted to follow up with an explanation of how I frequently have to hike half way down my street carrying my disabled son because I can't park outside my house! But I didn't think she'd be all that interested and plus carrying on the conversation would have just delayed me further so I quickly drove of.

Anyway, tomorrow is Seth's birthday, He'll be 4. He doesn't have a clue it's his birthday or that he has a bunch of cards and presents waiting for him. Neither Craig or I have any leave left and school is on strike so my parents have stepped in yet again and are looking after him all day. I at least hope to leave work early and spend an hour or two with Seth before he goes to sleep but how do you make a big deal of something when the recipient hasn't any idea? I'm sure that will be a whole other post...