We went to Norwich today and parked at the Assembly House. We knew the car park had a pay and display system, but we were going to be two hours, almost to the minute, so that was all right. However.

I was driving and Tim had change, so he volunteered to get the ticket. After a few minutes, I went to see why there was a delay. There were two men in front of him, struggling to understand how the machine worked. Eventually, Tim advised them and it worked and they apologised charmingly for keeping people waiting. And then we kept people waiting.

It is one of those car parks that makes you put in your car registration number, presumably so that you can’t pass on a part-used ticket to someone else. But, once you’ve done it, you’re offered an hour’s parking. If you need two hours, which is allowed, it is unclear how to key that in. The instructions are singularly unhelpful. I’ve used car parks that ask for my numberplate before, of course, and never had any problem, but this one was totes ridic, darlings, absolutely totes. I keyed in my numberplate three times and had to cancel because the thing was wrong. The instructions were wrong, or at least not right.

Anyway, finally managed it and wandered away, feeling old. Except it was assuredly people younger than us who devised a really stupid system. I am a very old dog but I am capable of learning. Just not tricks.

Anyway, it was a very good lecture, on Charles Rennie Mackintosh. And it was just as well that it took an extra few minutes to work out how to use the machine, because the lecture overran slightly and we got back to the car with one minute to spare. Hah. That’s efficient, and I do appreciate efficiency.