locked in

Manuel replied to my email.

If weather is not good for Saturday, as it probably will be, you can go ahead with your agenda.  However, if weather is good we are on.

So, I was locked in. I could not commit to other plans until he made his official decision. I felt uncomfortable. Boxed in.

Perhaps we can get together after the new year when things turn back to normal.  I will use the spare time to work on my presentation for January 22. 

So, at last, now I knew that it was complete. Bad weather, we'd not get together at all.

I strongly suspected the weather would be poor. It didn't occur to me at the time to urge him to completely scratch the Baden plans for when the weather prediction was much more favourable.