Signings and Signposts

'Right then' I said to Mr SatNav man. 'I have to get to Brixworth Country Park from here. And no you can't take me via Silverstone, which we both know would be the easiest way to go, because it's the Grand Prix weekend and the roads are closed off. So take me there and don't get me lost'

Well. He did his best, poor Mr SatNav man, but sometimes I forgot to listen and sometimes I didn't quite understand what he meant by things.. He was very patient though and just kept changing the route till we got there. Mind you, he did take me through Northampton, which was a bit scary and my phone began to ring when I was in the middle of a triple carriageway bit. 'I can't answer' I yelled 'and just be quiet 'cos I can't hear what Mr SatNav man is telling me to do' Twice it rang and then there was a message beep, by which time I had 'reached my destination' as Mr SNM kept telling me. 'I know I'm here' I muttered, 'I can read can't I?'

(The phone calls, I discovered later, were from Alistair and Jon, because Alistair had forgotten where we were meeting, so had been frantically trying to contact me...)

And there was Alistair grinning at me. He and Tim had driven across from Norwich and Cromer to meet me so that we could sign the inlays together. And waiting for the inlays to arrive had been another heart-stopping tale, they had been supposed to arrive on Friday, having been sent on Thursday, but they somehow hadn't got picked up, so the couriers had had to send them to arrive on the Saturday. Which they duly did. At 8am but I only got them because I had seen the ParcelForce van drive by and rushed into the lane to find him trying to deliver the parcel to my neighbours house behind their electric gates. He'd have taken them away if I hadn't stopped him.

Anyway all was well, Tim, Alistair and I took over a table in the cafe and signed all our signatures and generally nattered. Over the course of the 2 hours, my signature got more and more idiotic, Tim's got more obscure and Alistair's stayed the same. and there was one that I signed upside down and didn't notice until I'd signed it a second time, so Tim and Alistair signed it twice as well. That will surprise someone I expect.

So signing over, back in the cars...goodbye, goodbye, see you soon and we went our separate ways home.

I got lost. I'd managed to tangle Mr SNM and he was trying to take me through Silverstone and getting really cross when I wouldn't turn round. I kept saying 'don't be silly I can't go that way', but did he listen? no he didn't. Well he is a machine. I found my way home, through some very pretty villages and I was a bit shattered but happy that we now had 500 inlays signed.

Tim took half of them and I sent the others off to Jon to put back in the CD boxes. All very lovely..

Did I say that it all looks wonderful and sounds even better? Well it does and I shall say it again. I think it is the best thing I've ever done.. yaaaay!!