White Knuckles
We went shopping for most of the day. Hah! You’re thinking, “This is a mission?” We’ll yes, it is one aspect. Today we were checking supplies and prices. We walked well over a mile to a restaurant supply company. It was a beautiful walk, although chilly - in the 40’s when we started out.
We walked past the train station, along streets that looked forlorn, past an old stone church, and along side an old brick school with empty soccer fields.
I’m going to back up here for a moment and tell you (with some pictures!) briefly about yesterday. We got up early and walked to the train station where we met the two young elders and sisters, who kindly walked us through the process of buying train tickets to London. Then the six of us climbed aboard and gazed out at the English countryside racing by.
In an hour, we were at a train station somewhere in that great city. We followed the young missionaries down another level, through a dim hallway, up some steps and onto the “tube.” We crowded onto an already crowded car, grabbed a strap and hung on for dear life. After several stops at various stations we got off at Kensington and walked over to Hyde Park Chapel, where Dave and Deb were hosting a zone conference for our zone.
They had one on Tuesday for one zone, one Wednesday for our zone, and had one today as well. They started out with a skit that had everyone laughing...a Wild West cowboy story. Dave was the sheriff, Deb was “Little Mama” and the APs were the faithful deputies. The office couple wore black and were the ornery villains. Besides a sit-down lunch around 70, the day was mostly about training and was very good.
We were done around 5:30 and came home in our mission car. SK just wasn’t ready to take the wheel, so we asked Elder Hill, a tall young rosy-cheeked elder who serves here in Oxford to drive us home. He and his companion were happy to do it.
It took us 45 minutes to get out of Dodge (London) and then another hour and a half to get back to Oxford. Phew!
Now back to today:
SK felt like today was the day to get back in the saddle (behind the wheel). He ambitiously decided we would go to Costco to compare prices etc. The Costco is in Reading, an hour away from here! Now, the missionary companion, who rides shotgun (front passenger seat), is very important as the lookout. She or he looks out the left window almost constantly and yells if the driver gets too close to the curb, the bicyclist, the pedestrian, other cars or various and sundry hazards. This is no easy job.
The driver, on the other hand has all he can do to stay on the left side of the road, negotiate left and right hand turns, enter and exit the roundabouts in much the same way one might have climbed on and off those little merry go round rides on playgrounds of yesteryear...hoping for all the world you survive.
We were honked at only once, on a roundabout and we were clearly in the wrong. Three lanes going merrily around and we had no business thinking we could continue around when we were slated to get off - being in the far left lane. We made it, somewhat the worse, but still chipper enough to enjoy the wonders of Costco. It was marvelous!!! We spent an hour inside and then it was back to THE CAR.
I might point out that the trip getting to Costco was a bit tense and there may have been sharp words snapped at each other. I believe the navigator’s abilities were called into question —- as was the driver’s.
The drive home was even worse as we waded through Oxford’s rush hour...taking 30 minutes to get the last five miles. SK finished his day of driving by backing into a parking spot that is only slightly larger than the car. Great job!...I was the one outside the car giving directions, and felt a great kinship to Lucille Ball in “The Long Trailer.”
We’re both tired this evening, and ready for sleep. I hope it is restorative enough to make tomorrow easier....at least a little less stressful.
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