A Hectic Day

Normally I don't have much of a problem waking up in the morning even if I have had a late night as I had on Sunday. Even if I don't feel like getting up, I have a furry alarm clock that will awaken me demanding attention and to be fed. A loud purring in the ear and a cold wet nose will always do it for me. Therefore, I assumed I was late when I was awoken by the sound of the lorry collecting the recyclable. Normally it is here at about nine thirty to ten, thus I was in a panic as I had a meeting I had to attend.

I was straight up and about my ablutions, feeding the cat and with just a cup of tea to sustain me I was out to catch the bus. Fortunately I had assembled all the documents and materials I would need the night before, but I did leave without my mobile. Thus I did not have a time piece with me and as it was cloudy I couldn't read the sun dial either.

I was almost cursing as I had gone out to check on the Badgers the previous night. I had not planned to but a phone call had alerted me to the fact that there were people near one of the setts. So I went to check that everything was fine, it was and it was probably just young people out enjoying the wood. However I stayed to keep a watch for a while just to be sure after telephoning the farmer that had called me to see if I was the person he had seen near the sett.

I did see two of the badgers briefly and they seemed undisturbed, I stayed still for long enough to be sure that I would not disturb them myself when I moved off. While I waited I saw the ghostly shape of a Barn owl fly in to the tree above me and immediately felt something drop on my head. On a few occasions now I have had owls drop pellets on me. I had thought that this was confidential but I am beginning to think that its deliberate and is intended to try and drive me off. As I was wearing a cap I didn't do anything but wait then when I did move what had been dropped on my head fell into my lap. I was really surprised to see that it was a vole. As the owl had gone by then I decided to take it home, yes it was dead. While it could be said that I was depriving an owl a meal I could and will leave it out for the Kites.

Anyway, that was why I thought I was late. I got the bus and it was not until I was half way to Newcastle that I noticed the time on the bus clock told me I was nearly two hours early. While I was a little irritated that I had rushed I was also pleased that I could relax and compose myself for the meeting.

As I was early, I decided to go and get breakfast in a cafe. Now it is rare for me to have a full English Breakfast, and what I had was a good reminder of why I don't I was tempted to rename the bacon Phelps, as this was swimming in grease. With that experience behind me I went window shopping in a couple of book shops. I was glad that I had not brought my debit card with me or I would now be writing begging letters requesting food parcels.

Getting close to the time that my meeting was due to start I decided I was due a coffee. I had only had a cup of tea when I got up and what was served in the cafe was a serious breach of the trades descriptions act if that was tea. So I headed for a decent coffee shop that I know, and in there was a chap that I knew and have not seen for a number of years. I got to know him and his wife as they were members of a ladies morris dance team, and I was a morris dance groupie.

We parted having exchanged email addresses, the day was getting better, from a bad start all of my own making. I attended the meeting and it has left me with a lot to think about, but that I will leave for another posting.

I was lucky on the way home as no sooner had I arrived at Central Station than the bus arrived. On the journey home I saw five different Red Kites from the bus. The rest of the day was fairly ordinary but it was clear that my cat had been confused by my rushing out in the morning, and seemed to want reassurance that I was not abandoning her. Well I think that was her excuse for wanting to claim my lap.