Why? Because I got to meet a Moody Englishman that's why. No, not my husband on a bad day, but Lewis Moody - an England rugby World Cup winner. And he cooed over my baby!
Let me explain. I had arranged to visit my office today to discuss my return to work (my maternity leave is slowly but surely slipping away). That in itself wasn't anything bad. But, why oh why, on the one day I choose to travel into the heart of London, does there have to be a student protest organised? Thankfully, my husband travelled in with me. The sight that greeted us upon exiting the train station with Dexter was one of standstill traffic, truckloads of police horses and police officers casually leaning their riot shields up against railings.
I wish I had taken a picture of the scene; it was carnage. But, I was so anxious about how I was going to make it into work that I didn't have time.
I eventually made it to the office, having been forced to brave the tube with a pushchair, and all was fine. While I spoke to my boss, colleagues dutifully cooed over Dexter and he loved the attention. Then, it was time to leave and brave the roads again. I really didn't want to have to ride the tube for a second time - it's really not very pushchair friendly - so I waited for a bus. I waited...and waited...and waited. Eventually one came along which should have taken me more or less straight to my train station. It didn't.
Weaving through the traffic, the bus took a turn that I wasn't familiar with and started taking me a different route to normal. It must have been something to do with the scheduled protest although that did little to calm my nerves when I didn't recognise any of the buildings or road names around me.
I got off the bus and started trying to make my way on foot. I was pointed in the general direction that I needed to go and off I went. Thankfully, I didn't manage to get lost and ended up walking past a book store advertising a Lewis Moody signing. My husband is a massive fan of those 2003 England rugby World Cup winning boys so I thought I'd get him a signed book.
I'm so glad I stopped. Lewis Moody was lovely; so pleasant and cheerful. Plus, he thought Dexter was adorable and was happy to pose for a photo. I have to say, I was a little starstruck by it all. The girl who took the photograph for me jokingly said that it was a current rugby star meeting a future one - well, you never know!
As for Dexter, he seemed suitably unimpressed by the whole event!
