Yesterday I went for a visit to see Les and Jaq. I left nice and early in some quite windy and wet weather. As I neared my turn off on the M25, up ahead I could see what looked like smoke. It was very dark and hazy as I drove into a hail storm. To say the driving conditions were horrendous would about sum it up, in an instant, visibility went from a good view up the motorway to about 3 feet as well as turning from day to night, just like that. I slowed to a safe speed (50) the lorry behind loomed into my rear view mirror, cars whizzed past continuing to do 70+. Why do drivers do this? Eventually the lorry overtook and I took my turn off for the A41. While waiting at the roundabout lights, a police car came tearing down the turn off, blue lights flashing, then a police car queuing at the lights pulled out, blue lights flashing, as the lights turned green, 3 fire engines came speeding from my right, I stopped to allow them to pass, then I turned onto the A41.
It was like driving on a melting ice rink, water had pooled in large areas, making the cars brake to avoid aquaplaning. it really wasn't nice driving weather. About 5 minutes in, the traffic came to a halt. Now I knew where all those emergency vehicles were going and really I should have known shouldn't I?. Way up ahead there had been an accident. There was no traffic coming along the opposite carriage way and that is where I stayed for the next hour and a half. I text Les and Jaq to let them know what had happened but I had no idea how long it was going to take. 2 ambulances pushed their way in between the stationary cars and lorries. All we could do was wait and wait and wait. I listened to the traffic news, who was telling us that the heli amblance was in attendance. Someone was probably fighting for their life so I had no cause to complain.
After 45 minutes, I started to need the toilet, oh doesn't that always happen? the banks of the A41 were steep, I started to go through a mental list of possibilities. Did I have any type of container in the car? Nope only bottles, no good for us ladies. I really must get on Dragons Den to invent a pop up tent that us ladies can station over a convenient drain! Luckily I got moving before it go too bad. I was 10 minutes from Les and Jaq's mooring, how frustrating.
It was lovely to see them, Les has been ill and is currently recovering from an operation to remove a tumour, and I am please to say, recovering well now. Jaq cooked the most perfect Minestrone soup, the recipe of which you can find on their blog on the link above. Then dessert, which was fab too. Jaq originates from Alaska and has spent most of her life in the U.S before meeting Les and sweeping him off of his feet. Les and I both agree, she is weird because she says apple pie and custard is two desserts, in the states, custard is a dessert, well I am sorry, they are just plain wrong, custard is a topping to be used at every opportunity. It was fantastic to spend some time with them, even though I made them wait for their lunch! I highly recommend the soup and the Italian bread pudding, they were both delicious, along with her Ginger cake and the cream cakes I took along. It was a very cakeful, happy visit, and I am so glad they let me visit them on the boat, even though Les tells me I am not a real boater! (Yet, Les, Yet) For me, it was a relaxing start to the new year and I am glad to say, no fatalities in the traffic accident.
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