Ganeida's Knots

The problem with the designated driver program, it's not an enviable job, but if you ever get sucked into doing it,  it have fun with it.  At the end of the night drop them off at the wrong house.  Jeff Foxworthy.

I don't know whose bright idea this was but someone is contracted to do The Lord Mayor's Christmas Tree & what this means is Star is singing.  Extra rehearsals.

Now this is par for the course & not normally something to upset my little red apple cart [unless it is somewhere inaccessible that I can't find.]  However Liddy came home yesterday ~ except she didn't.  [all will be explained in time].  Sile very kindly was dropping her off at Vicky Point at 4.30.

"Be there promptly at 4.30, mum", my daughter instructed me.  There was only one problem with that.  Star had to be at Coorparoo by 3.  The way I drive it is an hour in to Coorparoo.  We also had our fellowship gathering ~ for which Dearest was absent as the night before, & terribly unusually for him, he had gone to a friend's birthday bash & contracted a seafood allergy.  Star & I had been at rehearsals [different lot] so were already a little worn.  Star did all the cooking [Man, that girl is good!] & I talked.  I guess we were both working to our strengths.  Dearest eventually surfaced just before Star & I left.

Now I don't complain about the drive out to Coorparoo.  As these things go it is a fairly straightforward drive & the traffic is usually reasonable.  On a Sunday afternoon is is almost pleasant.  I threw Star out, turned round & came straight back for Liddy.  The trip out is usually much much quicker so I parked beside the park & read ...& read...& read. Every so often, when I heard a car coming, I glanced up.  Four thirty came & went.  No Liddy.  Four fourty~five.  Five o'clock.  My stress levels were starting to rise.  I had to pick Star up at 6.  I knocked on the door of Sile's sister, handed over the small birthday gift Star & I had chosen for her & told the flustered woman I would be back at 7 because I simply couldn't wait any longer.  Argh!!!!

I set of anxiously knowing I was now time deprived & as I hit the round~a~bout here comes Liddy! *sigh*  I followed her back, transferred all her luggage, put the P~Plates back up & let her zoot along all the back roads ~ straight to church!  A meltdown moment.  I had no idea how to orient myself to get where I needed to be & was too tired to cope coherently with Liddy's assurances I was only 20 minutes away from Star & it was easy to get back where I needed to be.  She was wrong about the time.  I was a little late pulling into the parking lot but Star was not the only child still waiting.  And they'd finished an hour early!  Arrgh!

So Star & I had all Liddy's earthly belongings in our possession but no Liddy.  She went from church to stay overnight with a friend [because the friend is leaving shortly & this was her only opportunity to catch up.]  It was late.  Star was ravenous & I still had to get a container of fuel for Theo.  Reluctantly I scrapped plans to try & make the 7pm boat & we took our time eating & getting the fuel but by the time I was standing on the jetty waiting for the boat I was convinced the water was a little choppy as everything was bobbing & swaying in the most alarming fashion ~ & that was before we walked down the pontoon.  I think I was a little tired. I may as well have driven all the way out to Rathdowney.  I spent the same amount of time in the car driving as if I had.  Argh!  I have heard of desperate parents selling the house from under their children's feet  ~ & leaving no forwarding address!