I forgot how long it takes to get anywhere around here in the tourist season so, despite having set off in good time to get to the Fort, we are a good fifteen minutes past the time of the kid's appointment with the dentist as we arrive in the nearest car park.

I'm not in a good mood having spent the last 15 minutes swearing silently at the tourist bus and camper van doing a steady 35 mph along a road I usually zip along at 60ish. Actually it got quite fascinating watching the camper van brake at the corners. I don't know what he was up to but he consistently braked (broke?) very late at every bend - quite often at the point that I would normally be starting to accelerate out of it.

We arrived at the car park. Drove into the space right next to the ticket machine (Score! 15 seconds saved!) and found I had no money... I searched the car and found a quid and some other coins in the guddle bucket in front of the gear stick reserved for old sweet wrappers and CDs. Hurrah! Saved.

Notice on the ticket machine.

£1.50 for one hour or part thereof. £20 fine for non-possession of ticket.

Bugger! Damn! and Blast!

So I'm standing there with £1.27 pence in my hand and I find myself asking Holly if she has any money. And the sweetheart looks! She's five years old and on the off chance she has a few coins in her pocket she starts to look. She has no concept of money AT ALL - other than it's round and the Tooth Fairy seems to think it's worth teeth. I don't think I have loved her so much as I loved her in that instant. Needless to say she didn't have anything. So I ended up scribbling a note and shoving it under the windscreen:

Late for Dentist. No cash. I'll get change and buy ticket when back! Promise!

The dentisting was done in minutes and on the way back, standing in front of an ATM, I discovered I didn't have my cash card with me.

Dear Highland Council
IOU £1.50

Next time. I promise.