This was the lovely sight from the shuttle to the airport this afternoon. I was beginning to relax at that point after a fitful sleep and busy morning. Felix disappeared at the time I was to take him to the Cattery. My sister and I took Mum to the doctor for a pre admission check up, then to her respite care provider where we settled her into her room. There seemed to be multiple forms to fill in some of which we were sure we’d completed before. Watching the clock, we headed home anxious to see if Felix had appeared. At a set of traffic lights we got the fright of our lives when an SUV in front of us reversed suddenly. That’s the first time I’ve used my car horn.

At home, Felix was curled up on Mum’s bed. He was shoved into his cat carrier and we made it to the Cattery in time.

It seemed easy from there: tidying the house, switching things off, locking up. The airport shuttle was on time.

At the airport I discovered my flight had been cancelled. I could have wept. All those months of planning. Pulling myself together, I negotiated a flight to Auckland, despite being offered flights the next day via Wellington. That’s the hard part done, I thought. Now all I need is a rental car from Auckland to Hamilton. But no, you could only rent a car if you returned it to Auckland.

I was on the plane before takeoff wondering what I could do. Then I heard a woman across the aisle telling another passenger that their flight to Hamilton had been cancelled – as was their flight the day before. I joined in the conversation and the upshot was I made it to Hamilton with them on a shuttle they had ordered. I couldn’t believe my luck.

Yesterday my Auckland cousin asked if I’d be up their way on this trip and I said no, not this time. Little did I know. All I saw of the city were lights and motorway in the dark.

So here I am in my hotel in Hamilton, almost as planned, and extremely relieved that I can (fingers crossed) proceed with my plans.