I was supposed to be in London last weekend, at a seminar. I’d been to an open night about this seminar three weeks previously and had decided then that I didn’t have the funds spare to attend it, much and all as I’d have liked to. However two weeks ago I got a call from one of the sales reps from the company inquiring as to why I hadn’t signed up to attend when I’d stated an interest. You see, on the night they had a “special”, a hard to refuse offer – for that night only! and it had to be paid in full on the night. I don’t go to any open night with more than the price of a cup of coffee in the venue and the parking ticket costs, and deliberately don’t so I won’t get tempted by these “specials”. I go home and think it over and weigh up the benefits against the costs and my thirst for the knowledge with what else I could do with that time and so on and so on. In this climate a lot of seminars are just not filling up to capacity, especially ones that cost as much as this one did, so I got on with life until the call I’d been waiting for came and I laid out my terms – basically that I was not prepared to pay more than the “special” on the open night, and it was accepted (having been told on the night it would not be accepted at a later date). So I decided I would attend this seminar. I’d checked my savings scheme to see if the finances were there to cover the cost of it and they were….just. That left flights and accommodation to be sorted.

Now, if you leave flights to nearly the last minute they can be quite expensive and my budget was going to be maxed out on this weekend, so I was looking for the best deals I could get and they were pretty thin on the ground. Flights were eventually booked and paid for, after the third attempt and the “system” locking me out yet again, but amazingly remembering my details each time I re-entered the site to update. Needless to say, in my frustration I got sloppy and didn’t check my return flight time – 06.50 – and I’m not a “morning person”!! The flight had defaulted to the earliest flight of the day, luckily also the cheapest flight of the day, but it meant I’d be spending the night in Heathrow airport so as not to miss the flight. I also didn’t account for the fact that it is mid-term both, here and in England and London is a popular holiday spot all year round, but especially when kids are on holiday, so hotels were out of my budget and most of the B & B’s were already booked up. I got stung by a booking site that took a booking from me and then didn’t forward it to the B & B, who took a booking directly from another customer, leaving my booking the “double booking”. I found out on Wednesday about this and was supposed to fly out Thursday. So panic posts to Facebook looking for recommendations (thanks to all who responded) and found a new booking that had to be paid for in full, due to the short notice.

I’d sent a letter to my savings scheme looking to withdraw my money (standard practice with this crowd) and was expecting my cheque to be ready as usual, five working days later. But I hadn’t counted the bank holiday (last Monday in October)….”and they can take up to seven days to be issued, Madam!”, the nice guy in Customer Services said to me when I enquired. So another obstacle to overcome, and with some delicate negotiations with my son and his pay packet and guarantees of full refunds, this was almost sorted, just 250 to find, so… I get dropped off at my mother’s house early on the morning of my flight and await the bank opening to withdraw a payment I was expecting. The trip to the bank revealed that the payment had not been made. I was yet to discover that a payment due to me had been delayed this week,“just a processing error, not to worry, you’ll get it doubled up next week, sorry about that” said a cheery clerk behind the counter when I queried that one in person on Friday morning. Needless to say I didn’t get to London!!!

For some, the warning bells start to go off when the first thing goes wrong, and yet I was so focused on getting there, that I didn’t hear a single bell until I was walking out of the bank. Then they all rang at once and I heard every one of them, loud and clear. I went back to my parent’s house and was in foul humour and ranted for about twenty minutes and then….just stopped….and let it all go. I had a lie-down and napped for about an hour, got back up and was in good form, and still am. Why? Because I wasn’t meant to be in London that weekend, I was meant to be here, meant to attend the meeting I normally attend on a Friday afternoon and learn some really valuable lessons at that meeting, lessons that I might, or might not learn in London, but definitely did here. Financially, it has stung quite a bit, but it’s only money! With the lessons I’ve learnt on Friday, I can make that up thousands of times over and I will.

For me the biggest lesson was listening to my older daughter query my good mood on Thursday evening as we walked to the shops:“Mam, why are you in such good form when you haven’t been able to get to where you wanted to go, you’ve lost money you can’t afford to lose and yet you’re so up-beat?”. My reply: “I’m right where I’m supposed to be, what’s meant for you doesn’t pass you by” I knew, that there was a reason I wasn’t supposed to be in London, I just hadn’t found it out yet!

The conference is run twice a year, if I want I can go next April.