A few weeks ago I went to Coombe Abbey with my friend, it was a very special treat because we had afternoon tea there and it was lovely to get a glimpse of the inside of the building. It was a very cold and blustery day and my asthma was playing up so we only went for a short walk before having tea, but we came across some beautiful clumps of snowdrops hidden away at the side of the building. They are so small and fragile but so beautiful, to me seeing them push through the ground when the weather is still so cold and miserable is a sign of hope that spring is not too far away.
Until this year I hadn't visited Coombe Abbey since 1986. Eric (my first husband) and I used to go there sometimes just after we were married; we lived in Rugby at that time. It has changed so 
much since then, but my life has changed beyond recognition too. Back then we had everything to look forward to, so much has happened since then, some of it good especially the children, and sadly some of it such as Eric's illness and death not good at all. My life is so different now, I have learnt to take pleasure in the simple things in life and to take time to enjoy what I have now rather than always looking for something better in the future
Coming second in favour of a train in Robbie's affections wasn't such a big surprise, but last night I found that I came second to Network Rail - now that was a surprise! He'd promised to be home by 8pm but there was no sign of Robbie, just a text to say he wouldn't be too late; it's a good thing that the cat is good company or I would start to feel neglected! I lost track of time and when I looked at the clock it was well past 11pm, so I expect him to ring fairly soon asking for a lift from the station. Some time later the phone rang, it was Robbie, but he was totally incoherent, I couldn't make sense of anything he was saying. When I had calmed him down and reminded him of the need to take a breath it became clear that he was lost. He had set out to walk to Birmingham International Station, but the route he knew was locked and in the course of searching for another way into the station he had got lost. I gave him some practical things to do and when he rang me back he had got to the station but by then he had missed his last train. There was one last train to Coventry due soon after midnight, so we agreed that he would get that and then get a taxi from Coventry to Rugby.
While the intrepid traveller was tackling the next stage of his journey, I set out for Rugby in the car. It was a very strange journey, familiar routes seem so different in the dark. I got to Rugby just before 1am and I didn't have to wait too long for Robbie to turn up. He seemed very subdued, maybe he expected me to be angry, but it seemed pointless to be cross, after all he didn't do it on purpose. We saw two foxes on the way back as well as other assorted wildlife, but the only thing I was interested in seeing was my bed. It was almost 2am when we finally got home, Robbie made me a cup of tea, but I was so tired that I was asleep before the tea arrived.
When the alarm clock went off at 5am I was so sleepy that I really didn't want to get up, but Robbie was determined not to be late for his meeting - with Network Rail. After last night I think they must be extending their sphere of influence, I have become accustomed to their various strategies to delay trains and inconvenience passengers, but they managed to delay Robbie before he even got to the train!
The first day back at work after a holiday is always a bit of a challenge. Robbie loves his job more than anyone else I have met, but even he couldn't help wishing that we were still on holiday. When he came home he was somewhat subdued - not a state you would usually associate with Robbie. At first he didn't have much to say, about his day, but I could tell there was something bothering him. Eventually he told me that he had been troubled by something that happened on the train. In fact by the look on his face he was badly spooked. Apparently another passenger appeared to be taking an obsessive interest in Robbie! That may sound unlikely, but I have known him to embark on deep and meaningful conversations with complete strangers so I wasn't that surprised. Once when we were on a day out he spent several hours talking to a woman who had been foolish enough to sit opposite us about protecting the flood plain in Northampton and about the regeneration of Plymouth and Coventry! Boring!! Anyway it soon became clear why he was so wound up, his admirer was a man and as if that was not bad enough, it was a man who wore socks with sandals and had a fold up bike - scary!!!!
Robbie had a bad start this morning, he rang me before 7am to say that he was on a bus to Coventry as the line is blocked. What a joyless experience that will be!! I had the misfortune of travelling by coach to Coventry last year during the 'Terrorise the Traveller' initiative (otherwise known as the summer timetable!). We went on a stinky old bus, packed in next to the weirdest selection of passengers imaginable, with a loud and uncouth driver whose sole ambition was to enter the Guinness Book of Records by provoking motion sickness in every single passenger during a single journey. When we arrived at Coventry we parked in the station car park for 25 minutes before continuing our journey to New Street. It was such a drab and dreary and god forsaken dump that I longed to get away, even the prospect of arriving at New Street was inviting in compression - and I detest New Street! I had always wondered why the people who get off the train at Coventry look so gloomy and depresses, having travelled through that bleak and desolate landscape by coach I can only guess how miserable it must be to live there. I know some people say that parts of it are nice, but I have seen quite enough to make me give Coventry the thumbs down.
Robbie rang again at 8.10am and he was only at Rugby, at that rate he will get to work at about 11am! Oh well, I can look forward to another evening of him muttering darkly about the state of the railways. At least it will make a change from hearing about the failings of FGW, they seem to be rivalling Network Rail on the Burgess hit list recently.
