ALL SYSTEMS GO!!!!!!

All Systems GO!

I woke up late this morning, when I opened my eyes, it was 07.24am.

I knew I was at work later in the afternoon, and I had a long list of things I had to do and buy before I went to work.

I got up as usual straight away, gently so as not to wake Paul.

I went downstairs, it was bin day, it was raining, Meghan had informed me yesterday, “We have had 44 days of non-stop rain,” I said to Meghan, “And in the summer they will want us to have a hose pipe ban, saying we don’t have enough water!”

As I opened the living room door, all 6 cats were in there, I went and picked up my mobile, watch and charger, and as I opened the door to the kitchen, Nanny darted in first, in front of me, I looked at my phone to see if I had any messages, for I expected Tamar or Esther to have already done our daily word game, Wordle. They had, but before I could plug my mobile and watch in, I saw that I had a text from Meghan!

Then I realized I was on 18% so plugged my mobile in, I put my watch on so I could start to count my steps! Nanny and some of the other cats were crying out for their food, but they all know the rules, if they come in the kitchen, they first have to go outside for the loo, but not Nanny. Jonathan who is named after a real person is the last to leave the living room, we sort of see him as half human. The cat side of him, still runs to the kitchen when I start to put their food into their 6 bowls, so it is then he goes outside!

This morning it was different, we had a new road laid down on our road Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. No cars were allowed, on the road, any car that was left, would be towed away and a fine given. I took my car to work, a few minutes away and I said to Meghan, “Park your car at my work place.” She said, “I will park it around the back of our home, in the next street,” I said, “OK.”

Meghan text to say, “I went to get my car, to drive to work, but when I got there, someone had put a sign on my car, “You can’t park here,” And the other sign they had put on my car, “I have reported you.” And they had put their car right behind mine, so that I was unable to drive it.” Meghan continued, I walked to my friend’s home, Lois and put my keys through her letterbox and got an Uber.” It was pouring down with rain, she had taken a video of the car completely blocking hers, so that she was unable to use her for the long journey to work. The time was 06.50am.

Meghan carried on, “Go with Dad and please move my car from there, and park it outside Lois’s home.”

I remined Meghan, “I don’t know how to drive such a tiny car, I am unable to do it, I will ask one of my co-workers to drive it for you.”

I had SO much that I wanted to do today, now this had added to it, but my kids, husband, grandson and Mum, they all come First! I would do anything for them.

The cats thought they were first, but not today, normally they would have already been fed and watered!

I sprang into action, I would have a bath first, before I had my orange and cod liver oil, wrote my diary and read my Bible!

I slowly filled up the bath water, this was my chance to feed the cats, so I did that, and changed Nanny’s cat litter. Then I put the cats back outside in the pouring rain, for the loo. It would only be for 5 minutes today, then I would bring them back in.

With my mind racing, I had a quick bath. I rang work to see if there was a driver there, for not all who work there drove. Thankfully there were only drivers there. I quickly explained the situation.

I then walked there to first get the key from Lois, but I went to see Meghan’s car first, as it was on the way, for Lois lived on the next short street.

As I approached Meghan’s car, a young woman came up to me and shouted, “IS THAT YOUR CAR!?!” I replied in a quiet and calm voice, “It belongs to my daughter…” Before I could say anything else, she shouted, “YOU NEED TO MOVE IT, I PAY FOR THIS PARKING SPACE!!” I said in a calm and quiet voice, “We were having a new road, and no cars were allowed on it…” She yelled back, “THE ROAD WAS REOPENED YESTERED!!!” I said in a calm and quiet vice, “No it wasn’t…” Before I could say anymore, she yelled, “I HAVE REPORTED YOU TO THE COUNCIL AND TO THE POLICE!!!!!!”

I said in a quiet and calm voice, “Calm down, I am getting it moved.” Shaken, I went to walk off to the next short street to get the key from Lois and she shouted, “MOVE YOUR F********* CAR!!!!” I realized she was clearly very ill indeed, I would go as far as to say she was a psychopath!!!!!!

I thought, I haven’t got time to walk to work to get the co-worker, I would have to try and move this tiny new car myself, I was scared in case she damaged it! But I could not leave it there, not under her care.

I took a picture of her front door, I was going to take a video of her ranting, but I was too shocked at her behaviour, she needed to be sectioned! Her poor neighbours must hate her guts!

I knocked on Lois’s door and still shaking I told her what had just happened, I showed her the front door, she said, “I know her, she has blond hair?” I said, “Yes.”

Lois gave me the key, as I was near to Meghan’s car, I saw a small white van the type with no windows at the sides, with just 2 drivers at the front, I stood in the quiet cul-de-sac, and waved for them to stop, the little van stopped and the passenger pulled the window down, I said, “Please can you help me?” He said, “Yes, it depends,” I said pointing to Meghan’s car behind me, “Could you drive my daughter’s car from there to just around the corner?” I went on, “As a very angry woman as just shouted and swore at me, but I don’t know how to drive a small car.” He could see I was in a state, he was very nice, and very calm, he said, in a quiet and calm voice, “She Will have her comeuppance.” He seemed to know who I was on about. These little houses were not 100 years old like mine; they were like a little new estate. He took the notices off the windscreen and within 7 seconds her car was outside Lois’s home. I said, “Thank you, God Bless You.” He replied, “It was not a problem, happy to help you.”

I let Meghan know, she was not at Peace. She texted me and said, “Are the notices off the car?” I said, “Yes, the kind man removed them, before he drove it to Lois’s home.” She then texted to say, “I don’t want Lois to be a target.” I said, “She won’t.” She texted again, and said, “My car is not registered to be there, will the Council fine me?” I said, “No they won’t, as Lois said, they pay for the parking space,” Even though they don’t have a car.” I texted Meghan, and said, “You need to concentrate on your work, you don’t want to make a mistake.”

I then walked to work, as I didn’t want that nutter to see her car, I still wanted a co-worker to drive it to my workplace. But as I went up the long path to work, I changed my mind, and thought it should be safe there, then a co-worker, text me to ask, “What time will you be here, so that one of us can get Meghan’s car?” I decided to go into the office. I went in and it was Mary; I explained that I had changed my mind.

Mary told me all the awful events that had happened in her family this week! I was truly shocked. I told Mary that, “Eunice’s grandma had sadly died this morning, she had sent me a text,” It was expected, but it was still very sad news. We at work all knew she was old and poorly.  Eunice had sent me a picture of her Nan, and when I saw her face, I said, to Eunice, “Please be prepared,” She said, “We have been told, it will be this week.” It is never a good time to die.

I thought, as bad as my morning was, it was not as bad as Mary and Eunice’s.

I got some information for Paul, I didn’t think they would give it to me, but surprisingly they did.

I then went home and made a bacon sandwich and thoroughly enjoyed it. I asked another co-worker if, “I could come in 3 hours later, and then he could go,” He replied, “Yes and thank you.” So that was a weight off, for I still had a long list of things I had to do before I went to work.

The 6 cats were snugged up in their favourite places fast asleep and the 2 dogs too. This is how I like them to be, fed watered and asleep.

It snowed for about 10 minutes, thankfully it stopped. I videoed it as proof for the family.

With my suede shoes on, my feet got wet, that was walking from the car park to the store, as there were lots of puddles. I decided instead of going to Argos, I would see if my local supermarket sold dehumidifiers. They did and I spent £53 on both. It wasn’t what I had in mind, but it was a start in the right positive direction.

Meghan still texted me throughout the day and I told her, “If you had listened to me, and parked, your car at my work place, you would have saved yourself all that stress and worry,” I did not tell her about the crazy woman, but Lois did, and Meghan said, “I am very close to tears, I am SO sorry for how that woman treated you.” I told her about Lois and Eunice, and told her that in comparison it was, “Nothing.”

Sometimes I let my mind wonder, what I would do to her, the crazy woman, if I was not a Christian! It is the God in us, that make the World a better place, for if there were no Christian in the world, it would be worse than it is now, for around the world, WARS have been started for a lot less!!

For I know people, too who would go to her house, If I were to tell them how she shouted at me. But that is the old Maxine, this is the new Maxine. So, the thought was just a brief thought, for I am not perfect. She saw me as an easy target, Lois said, “I would have punched her in the face, if she had talked to me like that!”

Thank God for Grace, His Grace.

I was grateful for that extra bit of sleep; it helped me through the very long day. Meghan and Paul went and got her car late tonight. x