"What we've got here is a failure to communicate"

Something was 'off' just a little bit this weekend.  On Saturday, Pam dropped me off at the yoga studio for teacher training and went to the market.  There's a two hour break between the morning and afternoon sessions.  I had said that I was planning to come home and take the car back for the afternoon session - I was planning to walk home - it's about 20 minutes.  Pam thought I wanted her to come get me.  So I walked home, and about 5 minutes after reaching the house, but before I had realized she wasn't there, my phone rang.  "It's Pam, why is she calling me?" I thought.   I answered.  "Where are you?  I've been waiting in the parking garage." she said.   Oops.

That led to agreement that we needed to be very explicit about plans and expectations.  So, for Sunday, we had discussed that I would probably walk home, but would call if I wanted a ride.  When class was over, I sent a message that I could stop by the store on the way home and pick up some cheese, which we needed.  That led to an exchange about a couple of options -- Pam could come meet me at the store, or she could stay home and work on lunch.  I had planned to walk, but Pam thought that would take too long - correct, of course, if the goal was to eat as soon as possible.

I thought that calling was a good idea, as the possibilities were getting a bit complicated.  Also, I couldn't find my hat - it turned up a few minutes later in the sleeve of my coat - and what I heard was that Pam wanted to come pick me up because that would be faster.  We arranged a spot to meet.  I walked there and had just a short wait before Pam came.

I got in the car, and asked if she wanted to go straight home.  Why was I asking?  Because I didn't know if she wanted to stop at the store to get the cheese.  P: "You haven't been to the store?" G: "No."  P:"I thought you had been to the store."  G: "No.  I was going to go to the store, but you said you wanted to come pick me up."  P: "I thought you were going to go the store and then meet me."  G: "I wasn't going to do that because the timing wouldn't have worked - going to the store would have taken much longer."  Etc.

We went to the store.  Then we came home.  We're still not sure exactly what is going on, but we hope it stops soon.