Journeys, frustrating and fulfilling

Yesterday, a drive to Chepstow again to visit our suppliers and pick up supplies of radio accessories a sixty mile round trip, which ended in a half hour dawdle from Roath to the office. There was one piece of unfinished business that needed to be completed, print and post a letter emailed earlier in the day. At the time, I didn't know our regular office crew weren't there, and only discovered when we were on our way down the M4. We timed the visit to return and complete the job, but were defeated by rush hour traffic in the city centre. 

With our day-time office closed for the night, there should have been no problem retrieving and printing at our night operations centre. However, the printer there had died and needed replacing. No problem, a quick trip to the John Lewis summer sale provided us with a modestly priced HP inkjet we could install and print from easily. However, the quick purchase turned into a slow purchase as it took an extra half hour to obtain a correctly addressed VAT invoice. Meanwhile, I left with the goods, and had the letter printed off by the time Ashley returned. I was two hours later than expected returning for supper, and with packing to be completed for our second holiday road trip, this was the last thing I needed.

Today, a drive across Britain, east and north, two  hundred and seventy miles to Scarborough to stay the weekend with Andrea and go with her to the York Mystery Plays on Sunday. She's a Freeman of the City and member of the Freemen's Guild, one of  those assigned with producing one of the plays in collaboration with other volunteers from around the city. She volunteers as a steward giving out leaflets at one of four sites at which a dozen playlets are performed, using a four wheeled flat bed wagon on which a stage set is mounted. Fifty years ago, Clare studied these Mystery Plays as part of the drama component of her University degree, and this will be the first time ever to see a selection of them (there are forty odd mediaeval texts to choose from), played live.

Being the first Friday in the school holidays, the roads were somewhat busy, but there were no major delays. The weather was kind, and the journey with stops took us six hours, and ended with a warm welcome from Andrea and a relaxing evening meal in her apartment, overlooking the sea. A happy reunion, and an enthusiasm shared for this original and special form of theatre.