We have been spending a bit of time lately shuttling between home and Benenden hospital, so are getting to know the road pretty well, potholes and all. I was more than ready to yield the driving seat to Martyn. The route passes through Goudhurst, where there’s a tight double bend in front of the church. There are plenty of signs as you approach the village, warning drivers of heavy goods vehicles to avoid it. There were three of the brutes ahead of us as we drove up the hill, and of course traffic was at a standstill. Fortunately, we were able to divert, adding just a few miles to the journey.
A little further on, I noticed a movement ahead of us, and yelled ‘stop!’. A hefty bough of a tree had fallen across the road just ahead of us. A truck we’d been following had clipped it with its nearside mirror, I think: we saw said truck in a lay-by further on, and the driver was busy looking at the damage. The bough was dead and pretty rotten, but would have buggered up our front end had we not spotted it, or worse still, landed on us. Anyway, we and a number of other drivers soon got the road clear, and we were still in good time for the appointment. Just goes to show that it pays to build in a bit of extra time just in case…
Martyn having had to fast before today’s business we repaired to the café for tea and a bite, expecting to amble home and cool off for the rest of the day, and then to collect Sandra from hospital tomorrow after a procedure, whereupon Martyn would stay over there and keep an eye on her. Message from Sandra: acute back pain, cancelling hospital visit. Lights flashing, bells clanging, we hied ourselves straight from Benenden to Rochester, and let ourselves in with the hidden door key. Cutting a long story short, Sandra is now just mobile with a ‘rollator’ she had ordered, and which we assembled for her. Zipped back home for Martyn to pack a bag, and for me to pack some of the frozen meals I’d prepared. So I’m here, he’s there, and we’re preparing for a few days of domestic disruption. Nothing in the diary for a few days. Just as well, eh?
We have driven further in the last few days than we do in a month: must remember to stick the car on charge tonight! Maybe when it cools down a bit. High thirties here today, so I’m sitting in the shade next to the cooling fan, dressed in a thoroughly un-fetching cotton djellaba, and wondering whether to dispense with the boxers. A couple of pairs of shorts have been delivered today, so that should be enough to bring an end to the heatwave.
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