Causing consternation!

Who?  Me!   Well, yes actually!

I came home last night from Edinburgh – Gaelic course and then some shopping - to find two of my neighbours and a police woman in the close (passageway that leads between buildings).  Douglas saw me first and made some comment about the police woman looking for me.

Thinking it was his little joke, I laughed, but soon realised he was being serious!  Apparently my car had been parked on the High Street for almost a week – parking  restricted to 45 minutes at a time – and the police had been notified.  They’d found out who the car belonged to and had come to call at my house.  The lobby light was on, but of course no-one was answering the ring of the doorbell or the knock at the door, so they had contacted the neighbours in the close.  Well because I have been leaving at 7.15 in the morning – in the dark – and not returning till 6.00 or 7.00 p.m. when it’s dark again, I have left the lobby light on, and of course the neighbours hadn’t seen me because they aren’t up at 7.15, and have probably been at their evening meals when I’ve returned!

Poor Douglas had been so worried that I might be lying dead at home, that when he saw me walk into the close he was almost overcome with relief, and threw his arms round me,  after first making his comment about the police looking for me!  The police woman too was relieved as she had been on the point of organising a break-in to see if I was indeed lying dead on the floor!  Thank goodness I came home when I did! 

So, it was suggested I move my car or I might get a parking ticket the next day!  The last time I used the car must have been last Tuesday night, but I have no idea why I parked the car on the street on a week night.  Maybe I had intended driving to  Edinburgh on Wednesday morning and had changed my mind, forgetting the car was there.  Anyway, I did forget it, and caught the bus to Edinburgh each day for the course instead.  I didn’t go anywhere at the weekend either because the weather was foul, and because I was too tired to go anywhere anyway!

Funnily enough, I had actually decided to take the car to town today as I had to go on somewhere else this evening, and before I walked, unsuspecting, into the close last night, I had thought that maybe I should fetch it from the street where I normally leave it and park it ready for the morning!  Hmm!  I didn’t have to bother, because it was there already - as I was to find out – and with a parking ticket (notification of the fine I am going to have to pay) stuck to the windscreen!!!    I suppose I was lucky only to have had one ticket!

So, tonight I have parked the car where I usually park it, away from the High Street and its parking restrictions and tomorrow will bus it into Edinburgh again!  …….. Last day of the course tomorrow!  Then I revert to not doing mornings!

Talk again soon!