It was time to leave the delights of Horsham for our rural retreat in Pandy. Emily and I were on the road at 9.30. I felt in my bones that I ought to go via motorway, but at the crucial moment I went with the cross-country option along the A272 to Winchester then north to the M4. Emily was tetchy, probably due to the discomfort of yet another poo build-up. We were doing OK until we got to Midhurst, where we encountered a gridlock in the small country town. After 20 minutes of creeping forward with no discernible reason in sight, I turned off and headed north, hoping to find my way up to the M4 by another route. Emily was very fed up, and so was I. We got lost in Farnham's one-way system and ended up going the wrong way, to Aldershot. I spotted Fleet on a sign and knew it was on the M3 so I went that way and once there finally saw Reading signposted. On that occasion, I wished for satnav. It took two and a half hours to get onto the M4, more than an hour longer than necessary. Emily was thankfully asleep. At Membury I pulled in and woke her. She was predictably upset, so I had to carry her into the services building. As soon as we were under cover the heavens opened in a a 20 minute deluge that left floods around the site. Emily recovered her equilibrium in Starbucks, then we were on our way again.
We stopped again at Birdlip Hill, where the views were crystal sharp to the border hills, but it was very cold and windy and clearly about to chuck it down once more (remind me again - this is summer?!) so we climbed back into the car for the final hour. Amazingly Emily was in good spirits and we made it to Mum's without further problems. She and Fern were reunited and played happily in the garden for a couple of hours, with Dad lending a hand keeping them entertained, to my surprise.
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