My Friday 13th

I had to take the cat to the PDSA yesterday for her usual monthly jab. Oh what joy I had. First of all, even though my appointment wasn't until 10 AM, I had to be out of the house by 08.15. I wanted to catch the 145 service from the Quadrant, which leaves at 08.55, and drops me off just down the hill from the PDSA. Had I left it until the 09.25 bus, I wouldn't have been there in time, as that bus would have dropped me off three quarters of a mile away from the PDSA. I would have also had less than fifteen minutes to make that trek, uphill all the way, with a screeching, wriggling cat in a heavy steel cage.

When I left the house, it was simply picking with rain, so I didn't bother fishing my trusty Kag-in-a-Bag out of my backpack. For those of you who have no idea what a Kag-in-a-Bag is, it's a supposedly waterproof [it isn't really] jacket-y kagoule type thingy that folds away into a bag, when it's not needed. By the time I reached the bus stop, the heavens opened. So I reached into my backpack. Horror of all horrors, the dear old Kag-in-a-Bag was nowhere to be found. And it was too late to head home, especially as there was a bus hoving into view.

When I got off the bus by the Collier's Arms and the scrap yard, the rain was torrential. My cheap and nasty umbrella did little to protect me, and the cat started up a fearful bawling. I normally wrap a bin bag around her cage, to make her feel safe, because otherwise she'd be utterly exposed to anyone who chose to gawk at her. But the sound of the heavy rain hitting the bag scared her. Plus I think she thought it was going to soak through.

The visit to the PDSA was pretty uneventful, apart from the cat attempting to do the vet a major injury. Then came the journey back. I would have been in time to get the 145 home again, but there's no bus shelter at the nearest bus stop to the PDSA. So I called for a taxi to take me down the hill. Alas, I had to get out a good 50 metres from the bus stop as there was a major traffic jam and I was damned if I was going to spend good money just to sit in traffic. As I tried to get across the road, the bus I intended catching whizzed past, at least five minutes early. Never mind, I though, the 145 will be along soon, I'll hop on it.

Sure enough, a few minutes later, a little red and white bus trundled into view, and I hopped on it and presented my ticket. I busied myself with putting a blanket on the seat, so that I could put the cage there, wet bin bag and all. This took a couple of minutes, and by the time I looked up and rubbed away some of the condensation on the window, I realised the 145 was taking an unfamiliar route, in the direction of Morriston. I couldn't get any sense from fellow passengers about what bus I was on. 'The 'ospital bus, love' is all the stupid buggers would say. When it turned into Asda on Heron Way, I realised it had to be the 144. It would have ended up in town eventually, after a trip to Morriston Hospital, and back around the numerous council estates of Morriston, Llansamlet and Winch Wen, arriving at the Quadrant at 11.50, about 75 minutes later. So I had no choice but to hop off at Morriston Library and on to a waiting no.36. This gave me a scenic tour of the DVLA and Gaza - er, Clase, a place I've not been to for at least ten years. It hasn't changed much.

Anyway, I eventually reached town around 11.20, in time to hop on the little bus that stops by my back gate. I intended going back out to do some shopping, but the rain had become a monsoon by lunch time, and stayed that way until well after dark. To make matters even worse, I woke up today, as stiff as a board after yesterday's soaking, so still no shopping. And I'm almost out of basics. There's no chance of getting them tomorrow, as my mother's demanded that I go to her house tomorrow, which I am really NOT looking forward to, as there's more heavy rain forecast. But she wants me to read over and give my opinion on some legal documents. I can't get it through her head that my law degree does not make me a lawyer, therefore I'm not allowed to give legal advice. Also, this is in a highly specialised area of law that my degree couldn't have possibly prepared me for. So bang go my plans for Sunday, i.e. some shopping, munching of unhealthy foods and general vegging out.

Anyway, that's my belated Friday the 13th moan over and done with. I hope we have some proper, prolonged periods of sunshine soon, as the wet and unsettled weather is driving me to depths of morbidity I never suspected I was capable of.