259. Practice run

Only 2 posts in April. What's going on? Where have I been? And why can I not remember I have been somewhere?

This is worrying.

It must be because of all the counting. It just knocked me out for good. Thank goodness I only count after 2 years. 

The holidays might have something to do with it. The whole family back and the hectic two-weeks with the front door back into revolving mode.

Which is why we definitely needed an other happy new month outing.

'Where shall we go?' My husband asked.

'Forest.' I said. 'We've been to the beach.' 

That was scary, we nearly drove into the sea by accident! It was pitch dark and the noise of the engine and of the high wind meant we never heard the waves crashing on the rocks. I was not ready for another beach outing yet, cliffs were out of the question.

'We've been to a lake.' My husband continued.

We drove the car down into a field right by the lake shore and I remember walking round and round the car, wondering if we could drive back up the ditch. The earth was still soft and soggy from the winter rains.

'Forest it is.' 

I made a flask of coffee as I remember sitting in the sun by the lake shore wishing I had a cup of coffee as I sat by the car wrapped up in blankets.

'That's exactly what these practice runs are for.' My husband said. pleased with himself. 'To see what we need to get.'

I thought this was beginning to sound very serious indeed. Did I set myself into this adventure with my head clear? When did I agree to this? Was it after a few drinks? I tried to recall the circumstances and thought I probably had some record of it in this blog. 

It was routine now. I packed the food and the drinks in the picnic basket. My husband got the adventure vehicle started and ready to go and off we went. We drove along the canal for a few miles and turned left. The sky was a clear blue and the sun was shining. There was no wind. Across the canal I noticed picnic tables on the grassy banks and I pointed that to my husband.

'Plan B. In case we dont find the forest.'

'What do you mean? Haven't you checked the maps for today's itinerary?'

I know. That sounded pompous but I couldn't help it. This vehicle does it to me. I turn into some film or novel character.

'No. Not today. Can't be hard to find the forest. And there must be plenty of tracks to pick from.'

The village we are driving through seems never ending. Houses on each side of the road for miles.

'Turn right. Let's drive away from civilisation.'

The engine roars as my husband works down the gears and swerves to the right. A clank as some still lose bit of something somewhere in the car is lifted out of its place.

'I need to do something about this.' 

An other pot-hole and the car jolts up and as it lands it sways from side to side. I realise there are no handles for me to hold onto.

'An off-road vehicle with no handles for the passenger!' I moan.

'Yes, I need to get that done too.'

We drive down the narrow road leaving the houses behind us. The road dips down towards the bright green fields and as we reach the other side of the valley the forest is here to greet us.

'The forest! Let's  go there.'

Soon we pick a track and follow it. We park next to a clearing and set the table and chairs under the trees. All we can hear are the birds in the trees. All we can see are trees rising up to the skies their pale green leaves just out trembling into the light breeze reaching to meet the pale blue of the sky.

Bliss.

'Can I have more Champagne, please?'