Sat Nav and New Horizons

Buoyed by my rich pickings from the long week at Leeds Castle, I went out and purchased a satellite navigation system for my car, something to make my life a lot easier with the sort of work I do. I tested it by driving to Frome on Saturday to an address I had never visited before - it took me to the door and I was delighted. My first visit of this week was to Blandford Camp in Dorset and so I struck out using the sat nav feeling full of optimism. The thing worked fine until about 5 miles from my destination when it first took me off down a side road and finally into a builder's yard. I was confronted by a large brick wall blocking all forward movement and a sat nav system screaming at me to continue driving straight ahead for the next three miles. I turned round and re-traced my steps and eventually stumbled across Blandford Camp almost by mistake. Of course this place is an army base and so I was first confronted by machine gun wielding troops and then the bureaucratic niceties of the British Army. I was eventually signed in and I had a feeling I was going to be late. I was now even later - the road I needed was now only one way, but it had only changed the week before and no one had bothered to tell me. I eventually found the school. We had a great day. Lovely kids - all dressed up to the nines in their finest Tudor clothing and some lovely teachers, nearly all of whom had wicked senses of humour. I am pleased to say that the journey home was a lot easier.

The next day my sat nav was put to the test again with a jaunt down to central Exeter and the Maynard School for Girls. This, believe it or not, was my first school in Devon - so a whole new horizon! Kia, the teacher who greeted me, was lovely. A charming lady and full of smiles. It was a tiny group - only 17, but they were all dressed beautifully in some stunning clothes. It was hard to believe some of the outfits were home made - but they were. People had worked incredibly hard. I managed to fall asleep in the staff room during my lunch break - it was so warm and cosy there! The afternoon shot by and then I was on my way.

Today has been a nice slice of normality. Looking after James while Amanda was at work. I took him to Rug Rats this morning in Yeovil for a belt around, then we went to Ilminster and lunch at Bilby's as usual. He has been a little charmer as usual.

Tomorrow I am off to the NEC in Birmingham for the Education Show for three days. Should be fun! See you all soon I hope.