We had set off at about the usual time, soon after 12, and I had remarked that I wasn't yet sure of the layout of paths in Pwll Crwn - to which you had replied (presciently) 'just how lost could one get in such a small wood!?'
We had tramped through mud and more mud with our five-dog pack and got ourselves thoroughly lost - you were tiring, I was tiring , the dogs were tiring - but, as I say, the carpark, and the end, was in sight...
I reached for the car keys in my bag. Which were not in the usual zipped pocket. Or any of the other pockets. Or in my cagoule pockets. Or my waterproof trouser pockets. Or my fleece pockets...
We reached the car, turned out all the pockets, searched the immediate vicinity and then took stock of our situation...
We were several miles from home, tired, muddy and hungry, with no food or water. On the plus side it was no longer raining...
I called A. who was actually not far away, biking with a friend and, in the time it took him to come riding to the rescue, I 'retraced our steps' (bearing in mind we had walked in circles like Pooh and Piglet and the trap for heffalumps)...
So A. arrived, and said friend cycled on to his house, brought back the car, took A. to our house to collect spare car keys and the bike roof-rack and returned him to the carpark. We could finally get you and the bewildered dogs home!
In the meantime I had continued to look for the keys in the immediate area. A young man with a dog and an adorable child in yellow wellies had pulled in to walk - 'We are being rescued, but will you look out for our keys on your walk?'
'Of course, give me your number, in case we should find them. Come along Jacob, let's look for the nice lady's keys as we go!'
We piled all the dogs into the car, put the bike on top and drove to your house - fortunately you had your house key, you don't always bring it - or we would have been in deep shit (my spare was with the car-keys).
Kettle on, tea made, and I checked my phone for the time - a text message from the gorgeous young man, who was in the car park WITH THE KEYS!
So A. hopped back into the car and went to collect them...
You admitted you had to go to Morries for a prescription and catfood - Marley-boots was actually sitting on the table eyeing us balefully.
So we set off for Morries, cue more shenanigans in the carpark there...
We got home eventually around 5pm.
Reflecting on the adventure, it could have been SO much worse - it could have been pouring with rain. A. might not have heard the phone ring, or been reasonably near. Or might have shouted (he doesn't). You might not have had your house-key. Friend's car might not have been available. Or I might not have had toast that morning, because I was going visiting first and lunch was going to be 'a bit late'.
Or as Grandfather would say 'What if Peter hadn't caught the wolf? What then, eh!?'
