What a day!!

I was still tired when I woke up so I stayed in bed for a while, before eventually thinking I better get on with everything. Phoned the garage - the car was ready - and the best time to bring it back was 3pm. Which was annoying, but had to be done, so I got up and ready and planned to go shopping and get back from there by then. So off I went.

Arrived at DLR - no train. Had to wait for replacement bus. Eventually, it arrived, and I got to Canary Wharf around noon. So I had about two hours to shop. Quite a few things on my list, but the two main ones were shoes and wedding present.

First shop, tried on nice pair of shoes. But I like to look elsewhere ... so in the next hour or so I tried on every other half suitable shoe in every other shop in the Wharf - well, there was only one other suitable pair, as it turned out, but I had to go through every other shop to find that one - and eventually had to head back to the original shop to get that first pair! Could have saved myself an hour ... ! Also managed to get the present, which was a funny story in itself ... basically I was trying to make a choice and work out the prices, when a couple came along and took them all from under my nose! So that was a bit annoying, but not a lot I could do about it. So I had to get something slightly different, but perhaps they can change them later if they want!

Went to Itsu for lunch, in empathy with H. Had miso soup, chilli salmon with obe (?) leaf, rice, spicy vegetable dumplings, and Valrhona chocolate mousse with pomegranate seeds, with an Itsu zinger on the side (ginger, lemon and mint juice). Very nice ... but more expensive than I had expected!

Got home in time for the car man. Got the call, man on his way; turned out that was the courtesy car man, but the garage man arrived just as I was about to go and get the courtesy keys, so I waited to pay the garage man first. He had the pin machine with him, so I paid for the car, he gave me the documents and explained a few things, I headed back indoors for the courtesy keys, signed for that, saw that man off, went upstairs - and realised I didn't have the car keys!!! Phoned the courtesy car people and the insurance company, but neither of them had a mobile number for the garage man. Remembered that there must be a spare key somewhere: turned the drawers inside out, found a few interesting things and discovered where the odd socks disappear to, and eventually got the key. However, the man has still not returned with my key yet ... !

All in all, I have a headache, and haven't managed to get very much else done. Still haven't got a coat and gloves either for next weekend. Oh dear.

Right. Glad to have written all that down. Let's see what I can get done before bed ...

ADDITION: 12.40am The garage man has brought back the car keys! He eventually discovered them in his pocket and has returned them! So now I can go to bed ... a bit later than planned, but at least happy in the knowledge that I can drive to work easily on Monday, and maybe even go shopping tomorrow!