Out of disorder

I'm grateful one of the first things I always want to do when I've returned from being away is put the washing on as this means I've not been in the door ten minutes and I'm already in my dressing gown!

I'm grateful after a pleasant last evening's meal with the dinner ladies I attempted to endure a comedian with them before giving up, getting the packing done for the late night luggage collection and getting some more sleep in between more chapters of that highly enjoyable novel before the early call.

I'm grateful the eventfulness of the journey home was of the warmly bonding sort, or maybe it was the sorts involved who made it so, with coach passengers craning their necks for road signs to help the driver who'd never arrived at Victoria before and kept missing the correct turn for the entrance. I give thanks for the spontaneous burst of applause when finally he made it.

I give thanks for many more delays and mix ups meaning I almost didn't meet someone I've never met before who randomly suggested it last night... but that in the end we did (briefly and pleasantly) and I still made the last low price train. I'm grateful so many other people managed to catch it too as there were not nearly enough seats to go round but it was one of the friendliest and most co-operative overcrowdings ever. I'm grateful I travelled to Reading comfortably cross legged on the floor in a doorway before departing businessmen warned me they'd read the reservation cards on the seats and many new travellers were expected there so to grab one of the last fold down seats in the vestibule with the loo. And there I stayed wedged in with my case and rucksack happily enjoying my Walkman and the jolly mood with the lady with the shaggy dog on a rug, another perched on a camping stool, impeccably dressed and mannered schoolboys clambering around us and various other assorted folk standing by or passing through. Many gave thanks to me and the young man next to me for steering them away from the blocked and almost overflowing toilet to the one that worked, and through the sticking door between the carriages and I thanked the guy who signalled when it was safe to leave the working loo without getting mown down by baggage laden passengers hurtling round the corner and out onto the platform when we stopped.

I was almost sad to leave this companionable community but grateful that despite the inner ordered disorder this train was so spot on on time I was able to catch an earlier connection than expected. I give thanks for the beauty of the 'home straight' and a last gasp of energy to get fresh milk and coleslaw for my tea, meeting Jenny for directions and Lisa for a hug before a friendly cab ride home.

I'm grateful I must now watch a lot of TV...