Strange days indeed!

Some strange things have happened today!

Firstly, not strange, but irritating. I had an email from the Co-op insurance about my no claims discount. I'd changed from Sheila's Wheels to the Co-op with the new car and they wanted proof that I had 16 (actually 17) years no claims discount. I'd already sent them what I thought was proof, but no, this wasn't good enough. I then sent them a renewal schedule from Sheila's Wheels and posted it by registered mail. Still, this wasn't good enough as I received an email from them wanting yet more details. Luckily I still had all the documents in my bag so I immediately called them and started ranting about feeling like a criminal and that as all the insurance companies had a hot line to each other, they must know that I was telling the truth.

This seemed to work as the woman I was speaking to backed down and said she would call Sheila's Wheels for me while I waited on the line. I was pretty close to telling the Co-op exactly what they could do with their insurance! Within minutes it was all sorted and I had calmed down a bit. But I was still hopping mad that I'd been made to jump through hoops just to prove that I was telling the truth!

Sophie and I left work a little early today as I wanted to put some diesel in the car and give it a wash. On the way to the garage we came around the corner and saw a wall of bluish-grey smoke ahead of us, with all the cars in front stopped. Expecting it to be a car or lorry on fire I was on the point of turning around when Sophie made me carry on. We still don't know what caused the smoke as it was all along the road but without any apparent reason! It was like something out of The Fog!

Washing the car with the jet wash was not the most successful of things I've ever done! Sophie used the high pressure lance while I scrubbed away at the dirty wheels and underside of the car and we soon ran out of time so I had to put another £2 into the machine. When we got to the gym we had a look at the car and saw we'd missed a large section on the passenger door!

I had a moderately good workout but Sophie disappeared off to the spa within about fifteen minutes as she felt "sick". When my session was over I went to get changed into my swimsuit and used one of the cubicles as the changing area was busy with women getting dressed. Luckily, I had only removed my trainers when all the lights went out, plunging all of us into a darkness so black it felt like I'd fallen down a deep dark well. The children in the changing room started crying and a few women screamed! I opened the door of the cubicle and saw that someone had used their mobile to get some light but as I did that the lights came back on! Thank goodness!

Normality restored, I went down to the spa and looked for Sophie but couldn't see her towel, so I assumed she'd left long ago. I had a quick swim and then went back into the jacuzzi. After a couple of minutes I felt a hand on my shoulder and looked around to see my daughter looking a bit dopey - she'd fallen asleep on one of the loungers!

So, today has been a bit strange...and I can't believe it's Friday already tomorrow and I'm going to turn into  a pirate!