Up at eight to complete bag packing, a complex exercise for a four day stay with medical requirements, presents etc. I wasn't really ready to go, still feeling sleepy when the taxi arrived to take us to the station, half an hour early for the ten forty five train to Brimingham.
We needed to visit the booking office as the train time booked was for this afternoon, was not what I asked for. Not that it mattered, the train was half empty when we got on and wasn't busy. Most of the passengers heading for Birmingham, curiously were single men I noticed.
Sunshine all the way up the river Severn and beyond. I found the train's noise and motion tiring. When I went to the toilet I had to pass through several doors and ended up disoriented. It's indicative of my slow brain function currently. Clare was asleep and not answering her phone. Returning to my seat was a matter of trial and error. Staying attentive, resisting distraction and taking note of my direction require conscious effort and it's tiring when I start the day tired.
Arriving at New Street Station was a bewildering experience. It's huge and so complex it's hard not to get disoriented. Owain's train arrived just after ours and he found us trying to figure out where to go. We had to pass through a barrier requiring a manual ticket inspection. I put the ticket in my rain jacket pocket, and then couldn't find it and started to panic. It had electrostatically bonded itself to the surface of my phone screen in the same pocket. I hadn't lost it, but it gave me a fright. We took another train to Coventry where Kath met us and drove us to the Peacock Hotel in Kenilworth to check in. We have a room in an old stable block with a double and single bed to choose from.
We then went to Kath and Anto's house for a welcome cup of coffee and mince pies. As it got dark Rhiannon arrived. The four of them went off to a pub for a drink and I stayed behind. I needed solitude with peace and quiet for my brain unscramble itself. I have to turn inward and process everything if I get overstimulated, as I have done today. I'm not good company until I regain my equilibrium. Then I can start to respond to others with ease again.
Kath made a delicious veggie sugo con tagliatelli for supper with tuna for my benefit. The wine was a rich strong Garnatcha de Navarra, which I sniffed for the aroma but abstained from.
It was lovely to be in family company again, and see how Rhiannon has now become a young adult design student since our last Christmas together at Black Patch.
We walked back to the Peacock Hotel and Rhiannon accompanied us, such a sweet thing to do. Our room lacked coat hangers. The night manager found us one! It was half past nine when we arrived, very tired and ready for bed.
The Catholic church nearby had its Nativity Vigil Mass at eight, so no midnight Mass for us. The two Anglican Parish family services are at ten thirty and not as near as the Catholic church. Fortunately the Mass of the Day is ten thirty in the morning. Attending Mass will be like when we're abroad, except that it will be in stilted English not Spanish or French. Just a little bit different, that's all. And now sleep!
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