A Dark And Foggy Morning.

It was a dark and foggy morning.   Just gone five on that dark and foggy Wednesday morning.  The photo you see is the view I couldn't actually see on that dark and foggy morning.  At the bottom of the photo is Rudyard Lake.  At the top of the photo is a hill named, "The Cloud."

The photo location is about four miles north of where I started from in Leek, Staffordshire. Where was I going at five in the morning?  I was heading to Manchester airport to get my son upon his return from Crete. I had driven to Manchester airport on numerous occasions.  However, I'd never driven there on a dark and foggy morning.

Then I got those silly thoughts.  Those self-fulfilling prophecy thoughts.  "I'm going to get lost this time.  I'm going to end up at a mystery roundabout that takes me away from the airport", said my silly inner voice. "Instead of the roundabout with the turn-off that shows the cute little plane, indicating the airport, I'm going to end up seeing the exit for, "Upper Lower Piggy Bottom."  

It was moments like that I really wished I did have satellite navigation.  Yep, the voice of "Mr. T", yelling, I told you the second left at the roundabout, fool!"  Or the reassuring voice of Joanna Lumley stating, "You've arrived, darling."  Then again, I knew of the horror stories about sat-navs.  I could see me following the instructions which led me to a dead-end lane, destination canal.

The first part of what should of been about a forty five minute journey, went according to plan.  To heck with that silly inner voice.  Soon I'd be parking at the airport.  Then I noticed the sign on what was now a very busy road, that indicated that I was in some place named "Gatley".  If I continued on, I'd end up in downtown Manchester.  Didn't want to do that.  I  swung back around at the next turning and to my relief, I saw the sign that stated, "Manchester airport", complete with the cute little plane on the sign.

Finally and almost an hour into my forty five minute journey, I noted  the correct parking for the correct terminal.  Except, somehow I ended up missing the entrance and then saw a sign in front of me that indicated I was heading to a place named Gatley.  Much quicker this time, I swung back around and circled the parking locations.  This time, I actually got to the spot where you get a little token from a machine.  Yes, the barrier went up.  Yes, I was in the correct parking lot.

Phew!  Now safely parked up and just over an hour since I left Leek, I went into the arrivals area.  The flight had landed slightly early, just before seven.  Almost an hour later, my son walked through the arrivals   After leaving the airport and being light out, I was more confident about the return trip.  That would be until I realised that I missed the Macclesfield bypass road and ended up in the thick of the morning "school run". This is where everybody who has a vehicle, drives their kids the twenty feet to the school.  This means blocked roads and total chaos.

Finally, yes finally, we get out of Macclesfield and see the sign for Leek.  A nice straight drive of about twelve miles south.

It's now nine in the morning.  My son and I, enter our home.  A certain dog, now very zippy, practically knocks him over and frantically licks his face.  Penny, the same dog who had lost her appetite and caused me so much worry, that I took her to the vets.  Tristan took her into the garden and they had a nice, long chat.  Penny, I'm pleased to report, has regained her appetite.

Slightly off-topic, I was at the hospital on  Thursday afternoon, September 12.  Went in for my once every three months check-up with the urologist and my condition has improved.  That's good, indeed.  The only thing wrong was that I found myself suffering with "appointment envy."   How come that dude who came in half an hour after me gets called in within five minutes?  Of course there's a logical explanation.  They hate me.  I'm kidding.  I think I'm kidding.

Other situations are back to normal, also.  Penny waits patiently for her human brother to finish in the bathroom.

Other heart warming moments have returned.  A young man and his beloved dog.  A bond of unconditional love.  Two days ago started out with a dark and foggy morning.  Now it's bright and clear.
 .