Ganeida's Knots

Brisbane's freeway system is insane. It was clearly designed by a person who had spent his childhood crashing toy trains. -- The Lost Continent ~ Adapted from a Bill Bryson quote


Today was one of those days.  It just was.  In preparation for it I didn't sleep well.  Isn't that always the way?  The cats took one look at the bag & had a serious meltdown.  They are still having it.  I keep giving those girls away.  They think I should just keep them!


Anyway the computer had a spac attack & wouldn't print out my trip planner ~ which I had to redo because Liddy so thoughtfully threw the last one out.  Of my car! She says she was being helpful.  Funny that.  My directions got chucked but all the take~away containers were still in the back!  Nope.  Not Star & mine.  I always insist they get out when we do.


So seeing we had to stop at the shops on our way I went to the library & printed out a new set of directions.  An hour behind time Star was finally done & we set off.  Twenty minutes later, knowing I should have had several round~abouts by then, I ask Star if she is following & what has happened?  The child has been happily drawing for all 20 minutes & has no idea where we are!  As we are heading in the right direction I just keep driving.  Is it any wonder I get lost? 


A bit further down the road Star exclaims, "Oooh, look! We're where we're meant to be."  Which we were.  I think I have this finally worked out by the most direct route. Sad, isn't it?  It's only taken me 6 months.  I have an excuse though. 


 See I came to driving late.  I was 21 before I even got my learners & I only got it then because Dearest bought me a little red V~dub, which was the only car I would agree to attempt to drive.  I learnt to drive in an oversized country town which had something like 1/2 a dozen sets of traffic lights & almost no traffic.  It was so small even I couldn't get lost in it & besides I had been hoofing it for 8 months & that's always the best way to get to know somewhere.


Even with a license I almost never drove.  Dearest likes to drive.  He thought he was a way better driver than I was so I was hardly ever allowed behind the wheel.  Besides Dearest made me nervous.  The result was that I never really became a driver.  I never learnt to become confident in traffic.  I never had to navigate myself anywhere.  My 50's is a little late to be learning new tricks.  Seriously.  I'm a homebody.  I like my quiet little backwater & a houseful of neurotic cats.  If it wasn't that I have children to lug all over the countryside I would rarely leave home ~ unless of course it was to island hop through the Orkneys & Outer Hebrides ~ which isn't much of a change really when you stop to think about it.


Anyway Star has gone to spend a week with Liddy & her alpacas.  I drove her out & rather nervously drove myself home again.  Alone.  It was very lonely.  I am used to Star making strange noises in the passenger seat.  I am used to Star telling me to just breath & feeding me sugar every time my blood pressure skyrockets.  I am used to Star sign~spotting for me. There was no Star.  The bonus was there was no~one to complain my singing was flat either.


And you know something.  I didn't get lost.  Nope, not once.  I made it back to our jetty in just over an hour & a half.  Last trip took me over three hours!


Funny  ~ though by now you'd think I'd be expecting it ~ my fond hopes of a quick cuppa & an even quicker getaway fell in a massive heap.  There was the newly established veggie garden to see, & the plans for a hen run to appreciate.   There was her self~defense class to chat about & the minutiae of daily life on the farm. There was theology to discuss ~ & that is always ...how should I put this?  For years & years Liddy has used me to gather her cannon fodder when she embroils herself in theological debates.  She just expects I will have the relevant quote at my fingertips & as I have rarely disappointed her she has never desisted from asking.  Now she is spinning both of us out because she argues like I do!  In no other way is this child like me.  She is the spitting image of her Ma but as she has begun searching the scriptures for herself & applying what she has learned ~ she argues like her mother! Oh my!  I pity whoever she takes on.  Really. I do.  She gave me a synopsis.  It was scary.


I have a whole week without Star.  Good Grief!  What will I do with it. Fritter it away on the computer?  Probably.  Thursday Liddy will put both of them on the bus & bring her home to me again.  Liddy will have a long weekend ~ sort of ~  with us.  So I am going to be very boring for the rest of the week.  I don't have a life.  I am very boring. I am going to veg terribly. I could get used to this. shhh.