Last night I locked 2 of the cats in the house. A black and white moggy called "Angel" who is very timid, needed the usual persuading. I saw her dart for an open window got there first and closed it. She lets me stroke her and tickle her chin, but she is not going to purrrrr for me. And she walks round me like she's on rice paper, scared I might get my skinning knifes out and make a lovely winter coat. The second cat who has a wonderful smokey grey coat and a white necklace don't care if I stroke her, she's Buffy. She stays out comes in when she wants and then just does her own thing. Lastly Tigger has a very inherent fear of me. She/he, will run and run and run on seeing me. Shit, I really didn't realise I was so ugly (or Fugly, for those in the know). Having enough of the cats and the prospect of yet another day of solitary confinement I decided to see Momma, which was a small adventure in itself. I tried to feed the cats then left.
Mrs Talkative has put me on her car insurance so for 2 weeks I can drive. Except it has been at least 20 years since i drove a car alone. A couple of years ago I re-took driving lessons just to get my confidence back. Although I had a driving license I was then incompetent at driving, taking the lessons over again was like starting from scratch. But I must admit I enjoyed them, the conversation I had with the instructor and getting the hang of a manual gear shift again.
I left mid morning, planing to miss the rush hour traffic, I had a pretty good idea of how to get to the train station. Then overshot a turning and nearly ended up in another town. But being quick of mind or perhaps it was the coffee, I turned the car round and backtracked. At the train station my dilemma was parking the car in the car park. Oh normally an easy task for most people. Except it seemed mostly full up, I found a space. Parked it once. Got out. Bought a ticket. Came back. Re parked the car cos it wasn't straight. Got out. Walked away, looked back to check the car and spied yellow writing on the ground. "Permit holders only" Bollocks. Went back to the car. Found another space even further away. Passed a red car which had a man sitting in it. Perhaps he was spying on me. FBI for neglect to cats no doubt. Except I saw the word "Parking" on the side. Yes, the official was spying on me. He wanted to "book him Dano" a nice fine ticket under the wiper no doubt. Nope, didn't work coz the grey cells were firing on all cylinders. Ok it took 3 attempts but I got there. Afterwards I had a sense of achievement. I was nervous to begin with, and had played with the idea of getting cabs. But I'm not made of money. Funny it was a red car. Perhaps he considered himself a sexy parking-ticket-fine-man.
I saw Momma, and chatted briefly to Sparkling Eyes online. Had a kip and then began my journey back. Being over cautious and running on all cylinders. Yes, I do on occasion. I had earlier printed off 4 pages of maps, and a set of instructions from an Internet site on how to get back from the station to my temporary house. I went over them several times trying to visual the reverse of the roads I had been along and a previous journey along the route back. Except this time I was driving. And although the lighting was dimming, I did it. Another achievement. Amazing, silly little things. My driving alone for the first time in 20 plus years. But I enjoyed it. Even the weird idiosyncrasies of an automatic car, which actually begins to move as soon as it is put in Drive, without having any pressure on the accelerator. And driving with one foot. Which must mean automatics are pretty useful for people with one leg. But I'm not going to get one leg chopped off just to drive about.
All I need to do now is make friends with Tigger. Perhaps lock she/he in the car and take it for a little drive. hmmmm no perhaps not, a fur coat sounds much better. Damn must remember to take my Wanted Reward poster down I'm sure Tigger's seen it.
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