I spent the afternoon in Liverpool, recently, with a couple of my besties. We jumped the crowded 8pm train home, and as soon as my friends got off, I called hubs, as agreed, so he could pick me up.
Right after that call, the visual and audio announcements completely died a death and the train gathered speed.
As it was so bright inside, nothing was visible outside, so I was staring out of the window, with my hands either side of my face, trying to block out the light in an attempt to see where I was.
Eventually, I managed to see a station as we sped through it. My stop was way back.
When the train finally stopped I jumped up, only to have the train doors close on me, so had to wait for the next stop to get off.
Once off the train, and on the homeward-bound platform, I rang hubs and explained what had happened. He sounded surprised and said the train I was supposed to be on had stopped, but I didn’t get off. No trains roared past him before that one, or after it. Later, he worked out that the train I claimed to be on, after my phone call to him, had taken five minutes to get to where I got off, as opposed to the normal twenty minutes.
Hubs was adamant that I had been distracted and lost the plot.
I would have believed his version of events and doubted my sanity forever, if I hadn’t met a girl on the homeward-bound platform who had the exact same experience as I did. I even videoed her on my phone, as she talked about sharing the exact same thing, to show hubs, knowing he’d never believe me.
The next day I contacted Merseyrail and asked if any trains had failed to stop at certain stations the previous evening. A very helpful chap checked the website and said that all the trains had been on time, and that none had run on express, or failed to stop at any stations.
Soooo, grateful for that random girl!
When in Liverpool, it’s always worth looking up!
The back of the Town Hall.
New bars and restaurants forever pop up, each one trendier and trendier.
The front of the Town Hall.
This dead silver birch covered in ivy, in the back garden, was brought down by the wind… those endless, endless winds!
Somehow, it managed to miss the greenhouse, the chiminea, the sail, the chairs…..
the roof, the dining room patio doors…and just pushed the montana on the trellis to one side…all 30/35ft of it!
The Gods sure are smiling on us!
And Finally….
I should stop buying dog toys and just give them cardboard boxes!
The same goes for children.
I was happy about the witness, I’m quite sure the train ran on express and din’t log it. We still can’t believe how lucky we were re that tree, the damage it could have done. Oh animals!!!! xxx
Your experience with the train is exactly my fear when traveling unfamiliar roads. Glad you had a corroborator for your Twilight Zone moment!
What a mercy that tree fell where it did! Considering how close it came to hitting many other more difficult-to-recover-from spots.
You’re right about toys. While roomie and I marvel at our neighbor’s ingenuity and humor when she makes the adorable cat toys, the cats like them well enough and then spend just as much time with a box or tissue paper or a tennis ball.
The whole rail network is disjointed, I doubt anyone would have a clue what happened.
Hello Mick….nice to hear from you, hope all is well, are you still blogging? xxx
Another intriguing story. Did you go into another dimension for a short time maybe? Have you seen the film Source Code ? In that film, the main character goes into another alternative reality while travelling on a train. It’s a great thriller.
As usual I have been lurking in the background, binge-reading several of your posts at a time and then not being able to think of anything to say in the comments. But here I am eventually.
Glad to see that your Christmas cards were on sale again on the rescue website, so I bought a couple of packs. They are delightful as always. I love the wild animals range. You are a great artist.
Looking forward to your next escapade…
Gosh, no, haven’t seen that film, now that’s even more food for thought! Lovely to know you are there and lurking, long may that continue. When did you have nothing to say???? Just saying…. Ahhh, how lovely of you to buy the rescue cards, I much prefer the wildlife ones too…I feel more liberated with that brief! I hope all is well with you. Good to hear from you. xxxx
This is such a wonderfully weird story….I love it and like to think that you were on a magical train……..There is so much that we simply don’t understand, but it doesn’t mean that it didn’t happen!:)
Thinking of you this holiday season with so much gong on including of course a pending grandchild……what a Christmas. Sending lots of hummingbird hugs in your direction. Janet xxxx and here’s to a very peaceful and healthy 2019 when we must see one another……
I like the idea of a magical train, I felt mine was more of a ghost one! Whatever the facts, I know what happened….a rogue express driver methinks…. Yes….you must come and stay here 2019, you’ll enjoy all the crazy animals and seeing Liverpool, and Formby! xxxx
Very strange and spooky. It’s a good job you met that girl otherwise you’d have been questioning yourself for ever and ever!
I am so pleased the fallen tree didn’t cause any damage, it could have been very nasty indeed.
Take Care
All the best Jan
Thanks Jan, I was grateful finding myself such a good witness, sometimes the facts are misleading. Oh….so glad that tree didn’t trash the place. xxx
Children dogs and carboard boxes, works every time.
I enjoyed the train story, all very odd. Glad you had the girl to second what you told hubs.
That birch could have done so much damage, phew, you were extremely lucky.
Cardboard boxes are fabulous for kids and dogs….I was glad to have a witness, otherwise I’d think I’d lost my mind! Oh….we sure were lucky re that tree! Thanks Cheryl.xxx
Interesting post, great images and ‘a train across the Mersey’, not the ferry.
Have a fantastic Christmas. Getting warm here.
Thanks Peter, good to hear it’s getting warm in your corner of your beautiful world.xxx
Oh no! That has happened to me a couple of times, on buses and trains. In all cases due to my own distracted state, I’m afraid.
Thanks Jason, I would be happy to believe I was distracted, but I had a witness, definitely an express train that didn’t log in!xxx
What an adventure with the train experience! I wonder if the train gathered speed because it was late and then didn’t give passengers time to get off at certain stations? A mystery and glad you could communicate with hubs to say what had happened. I’ve had bad experiences on the Italian trains before we all had mobile phones – doors not opening with no time to get out and Mr P waiting at the station, getting on the wrong train, finding myself half way to Naples and getting off at the nearest station in a panic in a place not in a town, but in the middle of nowhere, (like in one of those Western movies) remembering my Italian in order to buy a phone card at a station kiosk so that I could let Mr P know that I hadn’t been kidnapped etc. Now I’m not keen on train travel on my own! So glad that the fallen tree missed the greenhouse, no-one was hurt. Take care Dina. xx
I’m quite sure the train went express, and the driver didn’t log it, what else can I think? Oh I remember the trains 30 miles outside of Rome…..anything went! Hubs and I were forever jumping off trains and getting trains back. Poor you! You have my sympathy….Thanks Linda.xxx
That is soooooooooooo strange. Weird and wonderful! And equally strange and wonderful was the way that tree missed everything important. Clearly your tree angel was on duty and awake!! xxx
Thanks Gill, my entire life seems to be a mixture of the weird and wonderful! Sooooo grateful for the tree angel.xxx
I have such adventures all the time… sometimes the train misses the station… and other times, right before I’m about to go out the front door I decide to visit the bathroom for a minute, and then catch my reflection in the mirror… the white beard and all… and realize that 20 years went by while I was dressing. xxx
Oh….you do make me smile!!!! I often think twenty years slipped by every time I look in a mirror! Hope all is well with you, my friend.xxxxx
Oh, what an experience that was! Lucky you have that girl as proof.
Ha ha! Dogs are like that!
Oh yes….dogs are like that! I was pleased to have a witness! Thanks Jade.xxx
Oh I miss the pink footed geese! Loved your first photo, were they on their way to Martin Mere?
Also recognised the Town hall immediately, my late husband used to work at HSBC on the corner of Dale St. and I worked at the other end of Castle Street in what was Midland Bank in those days…happy memories.
Your train journey sounds very spooky, glad you arrived home ok and that you had back up for your experience!
Those geese sure put on a show, this year they backed out the sky, thousands flying over, night after night. These birds head for the mud flats on the Mersey, although others head for Martin Mere. The Town Hall is looking good this Christmas, I imagine you must miss Liverpool at times…… Thanks Pauline.xxx
Glad you found your way home in the end Dina, nothing worse than whizzing along in a train that doesn’t seem to know when to stop!!
Liverpool looks lovely at night, I think it is a great idea to light up building in winter, it really makes them look festive. Yes, boxes work well for dogs, and also grandchildren as you will soon discover! Fun times ahead!
Thanks Gerrie, oh, it’s a pain when trains just race on through the night! Oh….granddaughter won’t cost much in toys then….looking forward to meeting baby girl!xxx
A mystery! And adventure with a fellow-witness! How exciting, Dina! Good thing you could at least communicate on and off with your Beloved, or it may have felt even spookier. Now, in every English mystery I watch (dozens), they have CCTV to everywhere to back up every move the suspects and witnesses make, so I’d check into their CCTV records and solve that train mystery! What fun we’d have if I were there with you! Glad you made it home safe and your photos of LIverpool are so wonderful! I always look up in cities, too and it’s always rewarding.
I have to say, I keep going back to watch the Rescue video and can’t get over your pep and willingness to get your groove thing on and shake it; you add so much zest to it, Dina, and I do love your moments with the hedgehog. 🙂
I remember one afternoon when we were both looking out the window, watching a storm and a huge wind uprooted and dumped an enormous willow across two gardens…and, just like your birch, it missed all the shrubs and large plants and an arbor. But what a mess cleaning it up. I am soooo happy for your garden miracle, especially that the greenhouse and glass doors were spared. Yikes. High winds have not been kind to us at Full Moon Cottage.
Couldn’t stop laughing at the pups and their boxes. So true!!! WHY do I waste money on toys???! f course, I’m also easily amused by boxes.
Thank you for a wonderful post. Love the photo at the beginning…probably geese flying over (or?), but with the atmospheric street shot, I imagined residents of Hogwarts making their way to your home! 🙂
Sending love,
Kitty
How I wish you were here, you’d solve this pretty quickly methinks. I am sure it was a driver running on express who just didn’t log it, but then you would expect a shedload of complaints.
I’m very honoured that you liked the video, I had the most awful backache on the day so spent most of the time bopping around like a plank!!! Still, it served it’s purpose as a genuine thank you to all who keep the rescues running. Oh ….the hedgehog moments will haunt me forever! Hahaha
It is terrifying to actually witness a tree coming down, we didn’t see this one fall, just heard it, I remember the damage that tornado did to your trees…..clearing the mess is a nightmare though, so time consuming, still, grateful no damage was done.
Yes, that was geese flying over, there have literally been thousands at a time, such a stunning thing to see. Thanks Kitty, love and hugs to you all.xxx
I very much like your last comment. A lot to b e said for it.
Great the other passenger was able to back up your experience. There is something weird about the travel behaviour of the train; a questionable driver methinks and signalling. There’ll be trails of the event, without a doubt.
Lots of lovely reflections in your seasonal city pix.
The winds, the winds. I often have a silent whinge about them. We had a few hours to get washing dry in icy winds, with the odd gust, before unexpected sleet showers arrived. You’ve got to look on the bright side haven’t you. xxx
Yes, cardboard boxes are worth their weight in gold! I suspect that train ran on express and just didn’t log it, you would think there would be a lot of complaints though. You and me both re moaning about high winds, I really do dislike the wind, it makes everything weatherwise that much worse. Shivers….your icy winds are chilling me just thinking about them. We sure do have to tryand look on the bright side. Thanks Menhir.xxx
Ve-ree strange! Maybe you have the basis on a novel there. The gods were certainly looking after you when that tree fell. Martyn commented the other day that the unnamed winds are worse than the storms that are given names. Why is that?
The Ghost Train? That may be a decent novel actually! We were lucky that tree didn’t do more damage. I completely agree with Martin, unnamed winds always wreck our gardens, it really has been horribly windy around here, the wind does make the weather that much worse. Thanks Sue.xxx
What a spooky experience, it’s a good job you met that girl otherwise you’d have been questioning yourself for ever more. Glad that tree didn’t cause any damage, you were very lucky there.
I am grateful for that girl, I would have doubted my sanity for sure. We certainly were lucky re that tree, we could do without that kind of damage coming up to Christmas. Thanks Jo.xxx
Wow! What an experience on the train…..Hope you are OK! AND then….the falling tree. The gods must have been distracted.
Lovely pics of Liverpool, though.
Take Care! Hugs.💕
The gods certainly were distracted re the train, but were on form when it came to that tree coming down. Thanks Bushka. Hugs right back atcha.xxx
Liverpool looks lovely and my goodness how trendy it is getting. You do seem to attract spooky happenings and now you are getting trapped in time warps. Watch out, next time you might find yourself back in 1918.
I wish Hector would confine himself to cardboard boxes. Yesterday, he got himself in the Christmas spirit by stealing 29 freshly cooked sausage rolls. He left one for Mr. Manners.
Liverpool really has smartened up, I’m still a fan of the old, more informal pubs, I don’t really do trendy. Oh my goodness, I am laughing out loud at Hector’s antics, was he sick afterwards? Fancy him leaving one!xxx
Oh yes, his over anxious parents took him straight to the vets for an injection. They were worried because there was onion in the sausage rolls and apparently it can cause liver damage in dogs. Hector has swallowed so many strange objects that the vet recognised my sil’s voice when he rang at 10 pm. Anyway, the sausage rolls all reappeared still intact. He’d swallowed them whole.
Good grief…..all still intact! I bet that cost a pretty penny, vets don’t come cheap these days as I know far too well. Sam eat a toy bone when he was one and had to have surgery to have it removed, cost an absolute fortune. Poor Hector, and poor you!xxx
Good post and pictures. Spooky about your train journey.
The dogs and cardboard boxes made me laugh, and of course the latter can composted once they’ve been shredded by the former. xx
Thanks Flighty, the dogs attack the cardboard boxes as soon as they come through the door, complete with contents. xxx
How weird about the train, and how lucky that you met that girl! Liverpool looks beautiful, I haven’t been there since I was a girl and then only briefly – we took the ferry across the Mersey on a school trip! I’m sorry about your tree, but glad that no damage was done. Hamish also appreciates the glory of a good cardboard box! Enjoy the week. xx
Thanks Veggiemummy, lovely to know you have taken a ferry across the Mersey. Oh yes, the rabbits at the rescue love cardboard boxes too.xxx