Knowing your routes…………..

We have just got back from Hubby’s appointment, and it has been a good day even if it has been a long one……….well as far as travelling goes.
The route we picked out together from the comfort of our sofa last night was brilliant.
We were up at 5.15, and walking the dog after breakfast before 6am.
We set off from home at 6.30 wanting to get past the usual snarl ups at rush hour.
The first part of our journey is always a bit of a shot in the dark regarding luck, and we did get caught at 7.30 on the by pass which is always a bottleneck anyway. The first roundabout wasn’t too bad but less than 500 yards in on the next stretch and it was a sea of red lights. It took us about half an hour to travel two miles, but at least we weren’t at a standstill like the traffic coming in the opposite direction. It was pure volume of traffic, nothing else, so once we were past the final roundabout, it was full steam ahead.
Hubby’s appointment was at 10.30 and we were a good two hours ahead of the game, so stopped at a roadside trailer for a cuppa and shared a bacon and egg roll. Maggie had some too, but we admit we could not have managed a whole one each as it was good value on a Desperate Dan bap. The cuppa was very welcome, even more so at just 70p compared to £1 at most trailers.
After that, we were on virgin territory, going along B roads rather than the original A roads we’d selected because we had the time to spare to follow the SatNav instructions and track its directions on the road map.
We went through some very pretty villages, the roads were quiet and not so potholed so not so stressful, and this route shaved off a good ten miles and half an hour.
Getting to the hospital was an absolute breeze, and we were lucky to find a parking space just a little way from where Hubby had to be. We were an hour early which was great.
The car park ticket machine wasn’t working, so although I stayed in the car with Maggie, we put a note on the dash with our time of arrival, appointment time and department details, plus £4 which would have been our fee, just in case someone came round to check and thought we were pulling a fast one.
I wrote four letters to friends and managed two Sudukos as Hubby was inside for almost three hours and has had all the necessary tests and checks done. It would appear that some vital notes have not been added to his file, so that has now been rectified and a couple of other little details like the distance we have to travel to get there duly noted. Hubby has asked to be put on the afternoon list for surgery as for us to get him there ar 7am for the morning schedule would mean leaving home at 4am. Going down the night before and staying in a hotel is not an option due to cost and of course having the dog, plus he cannot drive after surgery, so I will have to collect him and drive home. It’s not clear yet whether he will be in for one or two nights and we won’t know until after surgery anyway.
We had a test drive today for this, and it is the first distance driving I’ve done since my surgery. I drove the full 80 miles home without problem, and although I’m tired, I don’t hurt or feel in any discomfort. Another milestone passed. Hurrah!
Now we just have to wait for a date for his operation and take it from there.

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