Writers and Cats and Hedgehogs, oh my!
Made it.
Considering the state of air travel these days, my trip to Manchester on the weekend was remarkably swift and painless. Certainly far more painless than trying to get home from my son's wedding last month was.
It was not, however, without its moments of interest. I was supposed to meet Kate Walker and her husband at the coffee bar outside the customs area, which is where my husband and I have met them every time we've come to visit and flown into Manchester. It was, in effect, the one thing we were sure of.
But when I arrived, I found that things had changed. Updated. Moved. The coffee bar was no longer where I'd left it. Nor was anything else. But airports do that. You can't trust them that way. They are always reinventing themselves. So I wasn't surprised, really. (Dallas-Fort Worth, for example, creates an entirely new airport every time I go down there. It's amazing). Still, I found the coffee bar. And I waited . . . and waited . . .
And half an hour later, a lady sat down beside me and made a call on her mobile phone and I overheard her say, "Yes, luv, I'm just waiting for George by the coffee bar in terminal 3 . . . " and I thought, Hang on. Terminal THREE? Is that's what's changed?
It was. I discovered that I was accustomed to arriving in Terminal ONE. Which is where Kate and her husband were accustomed to picking me up. So I trundled myself and my suitcase to terminal ONE -- and there they were. Disaster averted. Until we reached the car park and the level FIVE they were sure they'd parked on was in fact the miles per hour one was supposed to not exceed. Life is like that sometimes. But I'm happy to report we did finally get to Sid's house.
Sid was front and center, ready to greet me. He was delighted to get the Greenies I brought him and his cohorts. And he's stomped across me several times since, head-butted me in an effort to move me closer to the open bag of Greenies when he's decided he needs more of them, and is in general making me feel right at home. Or as at home as one who has three dogs can feel in a house full of cats!
He even laid on an evening of hedgehog entertainment. And tiny Mr Hedgehog obliged by not running off when I took his picture. In fact, he turned toward the camera and preened.
So it's been a lovely start to my visit. I even have a Hugh Jackman magazine courtesy of Kate (she's going to tell you I stole it, but it isn't true -- she gave it to me in a fit of kindness and generosity. She just doesn't want anyone to know!). Sadly there is no Hugh-in-a-towel in it, but the photos are very nice indeed.
I am working, though, I want you to know. We talk writing ALL the time -- and I'm trying to come up with a new first line to my book since my editor has now rendered the previous first line obsolete. A writer's work is never done, I tell you. Never!
I intend to put up a pic of Kate at her desk, a Stunning Picture of Sid, and a hedgehog having dinner. But at the moment Blogger is resisting all efforts to add pix to this entry. So, for the moment, you just get text. Sorry about that. Come back soon. Maybe the pix will make it by then. I hope so.
Considering the state of air travel these days, my trip to Manchester on the weekend was remarkably swift and painless. Certainly far more painless than trying to get home from my son's wedding last month was.
It was not, however, without its moments of interest. I was supposed to meet Kate Walker and her husband at the coffee bar outside the customs area, which is where my husband and I have met them every time we've come to visit and flown into Manchester. It was, in effect, the one thing we were sure of.
But when I arrived, I found that things had changed. Updated. Moved. The coffee bar was no longer where I'd left it. Nor was anything else. But airports do that. You can't trust them that way. They are always reinventing themselves. So I wasn't surprised, really. (Dallas-Fort Worth, for example, creates an entirely new airport every time I go down there. It's amazing). Still, I found the coffee bar. And I waited . . . and waited . . .
And half an hour later, a lady sat down beside me and made a call on her mobile phone and I overheard her say, "Yes, luv, I'm just waiting for George by the coffee bar in terminal 3 . . . " and I thought, Hang on. Terminal THREE? Is that's what's changed?
It was. I discovered that I was accustomed to arriving in Terminal ONE. Which is where Kate and her husband were accustomed to picking me up. So I trundled myself and my suitcase to terminal ONE -- and there they were. Disaster averted. Until we reached the car park and the level FIVE they were sure they'd parked on was in fact the miles per hour one was supposed to not exceed. Life is like that sometimes. But I'm happy to report we did finally get to Sid's house.
Sid was front and center, ready to greet me. He was delighted to get the Greenies I brought him and his cohorts. And he's stomped across me several times since, head-butted me in an effort to move me closer to the open bag of Greenies when he's decided he needs more of them, and is in general making me feel right at home. Or as at home as one who has three dogs can feel in a house full of cats!
He even laid on an evening of hedgehog entertainment. And tiny Mr Hedgehog obliged by not running off when I took his picture. In fact, he turned toward the camera and preened.
So it's been a lovely start to my visit. I even have a Hugh Jackman magazine courtesy of Kate (she's going to tell you I stole it, but it isn't true -- she gave it to me in a fit of kindness and generosity. She just doesn't want anyone to know!). Sadly there is no Hugh-in-a-towel in it, but the photos are very nice indeed.
I am working, though, I want you to know. We talk writing ALL the time -- and I'm trying to come up with a new first line to my book since my editor has now rendered the previous first line obsolete. A writer's work is never done, I tell you. Never!
I intend to put up a pic of Kate at her desk, a Stunning Picture of Sid, and a hedgehog having dinner. But at the moment Blogger is resisting all efforts to add pix to this entry. So, for the moment, you just get text. Sorry about that. Come back soon. Maybe the pix will make it by then. I hope so.
posted by Anne McAllister at 4:51 AM
3 Comments:
Glad you had a safe journey Anne. I hope our weather stays nice for your visit.
I'm sorry, I didn't mean to laugh, but it was when that lady sat down next to you - that's the sort of thing that happens to me!
You know, I could've sworn I saw a pic of that hedgehog on Kate's blog earlier, but it's since disappeared...
Have a great visit!
Sue :-)
Sue,
Ah yes, the disappearing hedgehog. He did in fact make a brief furtive appearance on Kate's blog. Just so we could try him elsewhere when he refused to show up on mine. And eventually he did put in appearance. But then we removed him (ergo, his disappearance) because it seemed he would appear when required. Not so. He is still among the missing, as is Sid and also Ms Walker The Writer looking very writerish indeed in the middle of her beautiful (albeit somewhat chaotic at present) office.
So . . . thank you for the good wishes, and the hope the weather stays lovely -- now just concentrate on making blogger cooperate. Otherwise all the photos will have to go up some other day (like when I get to Sophie's or go home).
Very nice afternoon. Bought books. Imagine that.
Glad you've arrived safely.
See you on FRIDAY!
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