When it pays to listen!

It always pays to listen and take things in. Obviously I have been doing just that over the years when Stephen was working as an AA officer.

On Monday afternoon we had taken Mum into hospital for her op and then spent the time waiting for her to go back to the ward. We had a picnic lunch at Patiti Point which overlooks the sea  and is close to the hospital, and then we visited a long time family friend.  

Heading back to the car (I was driving), after seeing Mum was fine and settled for the evening, we got into their Mitsibushi Colt, only to wonder what all the commotion was. Initially I thought a child was in the next car playing with the horn. But we soon realised it was us, as the hazard lights started flashing and the horn got louder.  It was then I remembered Stephen having attended similar call-outs. It is all to do with the remote locking system. You have to get back into the car in the reverse order of what you did when you left. So if you used the remote to lock it, you must unlock it the same way. Of course I have never had a car modern enough to have such technology and I had unlocked the car with the key, setting off the alarm. Dad had no idea what was happening but somewhere I remembered I needed to get out and lock the car with the remote and then unlock it the same way. BINGO. The racket ceased. Since talking to Stephen he has since told us that some cars just fail to start rather than an alarm, especially Toyotas, but obviously this Mitsibushi goes down the path of setting off the alarm. Neither Mum or Dad even knew there was an alarm but I’m sure Dad won’t ever forget. I am also sure that the hospital staff were pleased too as we were very close to the ambulance entrance and associated services and could have been very tedious if we had had to wait for the local AA Officer.

Mum is now home, (Friday afternoon) and is doing well.  She still isn’t allowed to do a lot, and in particular drive a car for six weeks. Dad thinks that’s a bonus and will be a savings on the fuel bill!! We are going to stay on until the end of the week (28 February) to help out with meals and any other general chores that need doing. Though Dad at almost 90 is amazing and there isn’t too much he can’t do. He was even up a ladder, much to Mum’s horror, with Stephen helping him fit the new solar panels to the roof of the bus.

Dad, aged almost 90, in his vegetable garden.