back in Couze, 23 july 09

I'm back in Couze and, unfortunately, have to go back to the US next Wednesday. England was good. My hotel was lovely and historic, the car I ended up with was a Peugeot 308 SW (six speed wagon, with AC and a sunroof). It turned out that this was NOT the car I was supposed to have. However, this was not exactly my fault. In typical English fashion, I was given a sealed packet with the location of my rental car on it, and told to go get it, that the car would have the key in it. It did. It was a nice car, especially after I managed to figure out (a) how to get it in reverse and (b) how do manage all six forward gears, especially using my left hand. I only caught myself driving on the right side of the road twice, and I only drove the wrong way on one way streets in Lincoln twice. In both cases, I figured I could talk my way out of it. It was for about half a block, and I didn't have a clue how to get to where I needed to be (up there at that next street...) without going the wrong way on this one.

And then, when it came time to turn the car in at Stansted, it turned out that I was supposed to be driving an Opel (smaller than the Peugeot) but, as I pointed out, and as the attendant agreed, I had done exactly what I had been told to do.

So there.

The other interesting incident with the British mentality was at the Cathedral at the coffee hour after the Sunday morning communion service (which included, I might add, a really nice sermon from the dean, perhaps a bit longer than absolutely necessary, but incredibly broad-minded IMHO). They were selling used books and a Lincoln Cathedral cookery book (on cursory inspection, seriously mediocre, but I tend to buy these things, as the proceeds usually go to good causes). Turned out I couldn't find my wallet/purse, the coin purse with the actual cash in it. I suspected that I'd left it in my room, and asked one of the choir mothers if I could borrow 10 pounds; she said yes, and gave me a ten pound note. I bought the book; the lady selling it was absolutely horrified when I said, well, I'm pretty sure it's in my hotel room, and it's only money, not the wallet with my credit cards in it. She was truly horrified.

So there. My coin purse was in my hotel room...

Lillie