Wednesday, September 09, 2009

A long way from home...

Byron is away on a business course this week and we are all lonely and pining away without him. It is very rare that he is not sitting down to dinner with us in the evenings and normally he is the one who tucks the kids into bed at night while I prepare for the next day, sandwiches, uniforms etc.


So last night I calmed myself, took a deep breath and prepared myself for a normal evening. We never get anyone knocking on our front door, never, especially not when it is dark. So when the knock came on the door last night (it was only 6.30pm) I tried hard not to wet my pants as I opened it. It was a man, a smiling man but one I was sure I didn't know. He had a huge bubble wrapped shape in his arms. He addressed me by name and then asked if Byron was home. I nervously babbled incoherently about how he wasn't, that he was away, would be away for a few days. Why can't I keep my mouth shut when I am nervous? Telling a total stranger that we were alone? On a dark evening? HELLO?

He passed me the parcel. Said it was from Gareth and Lesley, friends of ours that live in Scotland. I grabbed it and slammed the door, slid to the ground and cursed myself for my inability to stay cool calm and collected. The parcel was an odd shape and heavy. Byron rang later that evening and did a video call with us using the web-cam. He asked me to open the parcel while he watched. Inside was something unique and hand made. A once off. I think the smiling man probably was the one who made it. I now feel really bad about being so rude. He was probably expecting us to open it and exclaim in wonder at it. There is no business card, No company name, No way to ring and say "Thanks"

We are now the proud owners of a proper heavy duty road sign telling us just how far it is to Aberaman, Byron and his best friend Gareth's home town!

Thank you so much Gareth and Lesley. If you still have the contact details of the man who made it I would love to pass on how delighted we are with it!

5 comments - click here to leave your comment:

  1. wow 10,632 miles... had to work out the km's... just over 17,000!


    just around the corner LOL

     
  2. 10,632 miles.......now that is what you would call a road trip!

     
  3. I just love the way you write!! I hope the time flies by until your beloved returns. : )

    ~ Wendy
    http://Crickleberrycottage.blogspot.com/

     
  4. I wonder how far it is from Salt Lake City, Utah.

    I'm in for a road (or something) trip.

     
  5. Maybe we should Google earth it!

    It all depends on whether you want to call in here to Oz for a cuppa on the way? A bit of a detour but I'm sure we'd have fun!