Sunday 29 January 2012

The End of January Musings


I am sure that I am not the only one that is amazed that already a month of 2012 has passed
As January can be a quiet month my thoughts had been to take a little time out to do some writing and possibly some de-cluttering in my home. January always seems a good time to see what I no longer need or use.
So far it has not happened as apart from Alan's surgery and all the usual hospitality and daily life it has been an extremely busy month.

Firstly I have taken on extra responsibility at Pilgrims Hall

 and another highlight has been to be part of the launching of
the Conservative Christian Fellowship in my town
An amazing evening where people from all denominations met together at our town headquarters to support our member of Parliament and with a desire to see more and more of a Christian presence in Parliament
It is exciting to know that we have Spirit filled Christians in 
The House of Lords and to hear such a heart of humility shared by one of our Baronesses
So many people turned up that it was a pack out and with the number of windows that had to be opened our worship could be heard by passers by

Then there has been further Hebrew studies (at Pilgrims Hall) with Rabbi Alan, a Jewish Christian that we have studied with a number of times before. When studying in Hebrew (translated of course, I am not that clever!) I always feel like I never really knew the Old 
Testament before. It's like every passage relates to everything in life today.

 On a lighter note I have had to drive our new car (the one that was the replacement for the one stolen when our house was burgled)
It is not that I can't drive but that Alan likes to drive and I had hardly got to grips with this new one when he was not allowed to drive for a month after surgery, nor go out for 2 weeks.

 Centre of town shopping in this country can be quite a challenge at any time. Car Parks fill up quickly, the traffic can be bad and we don't get to park outside the store as in the States.

So, I got in early, found a suitable parking place fairly near to the exit and proceeded to visit the various shops I needed around town. Eventually having struggled back to the car with loaded shopping bags I could not see my car anywhere. It took some minutes to realise that there were 2 exits to this car park (it is quite a complicated lay out and we usually go up the flume to the next level - cheaper there!)

 Then before going into the grocery store on the edge of the car park to buy the weekly groceries I needed to collect a shopping trolley (cart for the USA) and when I put my £1 coin in it immediately shot up into the air and vanished. Did not have another one so had to get a staff member to get a special key (she also found my coin)
I finished my shop and after loading the car I realised that I had forgotten to have my parking ticket validated in the store. Spending a certain amount in the grocery store means 2 hours free parking. So back to the store to have that done.
Soon I am sitting in the car at the barrier wondering why the machine keeps throwing my ticket out. When eventually pressing the help button I am told that I have not paid. 
How could I have forgotten to go to the pay station - there are signs everywhere! OK - line of cars behind me,  back-up and re-park, go to the pay station and begin to wonder if I should ever be allowed out alone!!!!!!!!!!

I had to see the funny side but it was also a day when I was glad to get home - it was raining too!

15 comments:

Elizabethd said...

'Just one of those days'?
Sometimes everything seems to happen together. I bet you were glad to get safely home!

Marigold Jam said...

Don't we all get days like that sometimes! Glad you saw the funny side of it. I lost my car once in a car park and felt so silly when I had to report it and then it was found where I'd parked it which was apparently in the blue section and not the red as I had thought!

Anonymous said...

Hi Barbara,
You're so fortunate to have Spirit-filled Christians in Parliament. That is definitely what we need more of in Congress and the White House!

LOL ~ I couldn't help laughing while reading about your shopping trip! Oh my, what a day! I've been shopping in the UK and never could catch on to having my ticket validated in the shop. Always forgot! It's a little different here in the US. I would have been glad to finally get home too! :-)
Blessings,
Anne

Midwest to Midlands said...

Somedays it just seems don't go the way you had planned. Funnily enough I just read on another blog (La Petite Press) that she had a similar not so good day of shopping, so you are not alone. Sounds like you had a busy month. Here's hoping you have a good Feb.!

Balisha said...

Oh, Barbara, I had to chuckle at your shopping trip. I too lost my car, when a new shopping center opened. There were three levels and I didn't pay attention to where I parked...(I was so busy driving and trying to be safe)I came out when the Mall was closing and couldn't find my car. Security helped me...It was quite a while before I would go again. Now, I live in a small town and have to travel to a large town to shop. I hate driving there...my husband does most of it, but like you, when he was hospitalized I had to do it. Not fun.
Hope your husband is healing well and will soon be behind the wheel.
Balisha

Vee said...

It sounds like a nightmarish day. I can't imagine not having a parking place right by the store. It's the case in the true downtown...Main Street as it were, but Main Street is to be avoided at all costs. I haven't been there since last winter when John insisted that only one store had his kind of boots.

And how is Alan doing now? Is he able to drive yet or will it be another week? He must be getting rather eager to be out.

Perhaps February will be a calmer month when you can do those chores usually reserved for January.

nikkipolani said...

Barbara, I could feel the tension building with every set-back as you tried to get through your shopping! Glad you made it home in one piece.

Joyce said...

Oh my...there are always "those days" that make us want to go home and get back into bed. HA!
Sounds like you got through it all soundly though.
I'm glad that you have a cheery disposition still. I know that when life gets busy and things are overwhelming..we can become crabby.
You don't sound crabby at all! HA!
Hang in there Ms. Barbara!

Needled Mom said...

OMGoodness, Barbara, that was an adventurous shopping trip. I;ll bet you were glad to be home.

Scriptor Senex said...

As Marigold Jam said "Don't we all get days like that sometimes!". The diufference is I rarely manage to see the funny side of it. Well done you for doing so and making a great post out of it.

c. Joy said...

It has to comfort Alan a bit - you need him in your life (probably for more than shopping trips). I thought I was the only one who could lose her car like that. I keep threatening to buy a neon green or school bus yellow car so I can keep up with it.

Sara at Come Away With Me said...

Barbara, your shopping trip sounds pretty trying...though you can look back now and see the humor. Some days we just don't seem to have our minds with us or something. I've been known to have similar experiences!

Hope this week is going much better for you and that February will be good to you and Alan. You have a lot of interesting things going on.

Susan said...

Oh my!!! I had to read your "trip to town" outloud to Mickey and we both giggled. I know it wasn't funny at the time, but I like you have to see much humor in different situations I sometimes find myself in.

bristowmom said...

Barbara, I had not heard the word "flume" before as it relates to parking. For me, it is a ride which passes through water at an amusement park. Fun to hear the differences in our common language!

Unknown said...

Barbara, Praise the Lord for your Conservative Christian Fellowship, we need more Spirit filled Christians in all of our governments. It is very encouraging to hear of work of Christians all around the world.