Welney village sign

I was on a mission today. I had a time-sensitive voucher for a chocolate drink and a time-sensitive money-back offer for a vitamin drink. My local Tesco does not, of course, stock them, so I had to go to Wisbech. I also had a library book due back tomorrow, when my local branch is helpfully closed.

I left it late till I set off; the countdown to Pilates had begun.

The journey to Wisbech was pretty good, apart from the bit where I realised I’d forgotten about the library book.

When I got to Wisbech, I realised I’d forgotten how to get to Tesco. I went the right way at the big roundabout, but forgot I had to turn off at the next one. I stopped in one of the few lay-bys without a strawberry stall to check the map; there was nowhere to turn for miles. I wondered if I could pull a U-ey across the deserted A47. I decided not to risk it.

Continuing on, I saw one of those lay-bys that go slightly away from the road in the opposite side. There was still no traffic, so I swung into it, and checked the map again. This was a far better direction to be pointing in.

I readied myself to set off again, glanced in the wing mirror, and saw all of the traffic coming past. All of it.

Half a week later, when all of the traffic had passed, I pulled out and got to Tesco without further ado.

I got a trolley, went up the trolleyvator, reached for my phone and found it lacking. I’d left it in the car where I’d out it while it was doing navigating. I parked the trolley out the way, went back to the car via the stairs for my phone, went back up the stairs and collected my trolley.

I found an item on the list, but I’d forgotten to get a scanner, so I had to go back for one. I normally use the Clubcard app on my phone, but the WiFi was the slowest in the known world. I used my key fob in the end.

I found one of the special items on the list easily enough, but had to hunt down the other one.

Eventually, the Pilates clock still ticking, I got all the shopping, and paid for it.

I was halfway down the trolleyvator when I realised I hadn’t used the voucher. Man alive. That was half the reason I’d come all this way!

I out the shopping in the car, then went back up, using the stairs because it’s quicker, found the item, went to the DIY checkout, scanned the item, found the voucher’s web page, waited for the WiFi to permit its download, scanned it, and went back down the stairs to the car.

I got home with plenty of time to spare before Pilates. I went through the online palaver of getting cash back on the second item. I’d got two of them because I thought we could each get money back, but it turned out it was an offer specific to Mr Pandammonium, so only one could be claimed. Oh, well.

The library had closed by this time, so I’ll have to go to Ely library tomorrow instead.

It’s quite handy being able to return books to any branch in the county. If you’re wondering why I didn’t just renew it online, it’s because I’ve reached the limit for doing that.

The book is the one on village signs I borrowed from Wisbech library, which is why I stopped off in Welney, where the road has stopped being flooded [YouTube, from a couple of months ago; the lorry featured in the video was the source of much amusement and ridicule in local Facebook groups :D], to take a photo of their village sign.

I made it to Pilates on time.