Although I was planning a lazy day of doing very little, I suggested to Sophie we go out somewhere in the afternoon. She didn't come up with any ideas, so I secretly decided to take her to Buckingham, a small market town that neither of us had been to.
All the way I wound her up as to where we were going. She was worried it would be "educational" or yet another garden centre, but I hoped she'd like Buckingham as I heard it had lots of little individual shops, very much like Oakham, Uppingham and Market Harborough.
It took us about 45 minutes to get there and once off the busy A43, we wound our way through lovely countryside with some pretty little villages (and a thatched cottage that was for sale that looked gorgeous!). The first nice surprise was that two hours of parking was free which made a welcome change!
We wandered around and then went to a little tea-shop called Connies where, for a treat, I ordered afternoon tea for two. I have to admit to never having had a proper afternoon tea before and it was delicious. Sophie even enjoyed her cup of tea, served in beautiful china cups with an enormous teapot. We ate finger sandwiches (ham and cream cheese and cucumber), warm scones with clotted cream and jam and slices of cake. It was extremely filling and we staggered out half an hour later feeling very glad that our dinner tonight was Keith's tomato soup!
Buckingham is a lovely old town with lots of little shops and a Saturday market where we looked at some beautiful Indian dresses. I also managed to get a Playstation 2 game for Michael, something that's getting much harder as Playstation 3 has taken over. I have a feeling we'll be back with mum next week as it's just her sort of place!
Saturday 31 July 2010
Friday 30 July
Another month is coming to an end and I think it's the quickest a month has passed this year. This blog has been invaluable in letting me remember what I've been doing and it's been lovely to read all the comments I've received lately, so thank you very much!
Yesterday was pretty quiet, very end-of-the weekish! We did the cleaning early for the last time (I hope!) as Jeanette is back next week, thank goodness. The rest of the day was relaxed, for once, and we did a lot of errands and driving about which suited me fine as I was a wee bit tired! Sophie came in and worked in the restaurant for us, but as the weather was dry we were quiet at work.
Back home, Keith told me that we had a couple more tomatoes on our big mature plant which seems hellbent on taking over the conservatory with its triffid-like leaves and branches! It's a monster! The other four are still doing well but I'm not sure when we'll get any tomatoes on them...next year, perhaps!
Yesterday was pretty quiet, very end-of-the weekish! We did the cleaning early for the last time (I hope!) as Jeanette is back next week, thank goodness. The rest of the day was relaxed, for once, and we did a lot of errands and driving about which suited me fine as I was a wee bit tired! Sophie came in and worked in the restaurant for us, but as the weather was dry we were quiet at work.
Back home, Keith told me that we had a couple more tomatoes on our big mature plant which seems hellbent on taking over the conservatory with its triffid-like leaves and branches! It's a monster! The other four are still doing well but I'm not sure when we'll get any tomatoes on them...next year, perhaps!
Friday 30 July 2010
Thursday 29 July
Last night, after work Mum, Sophie and me went to Milton Keynes to do a little bit of shopping and for Soph to get her ears pierced again. I'd had a busy day at work, getting lots of things done and having a quick meeting with our Nursery Manager as we will soon have three Nursery Nurses off on maternity leave, which will affect us quite a bit!
It was great to get out of work and relax. Sophie was nervous about her ears being pierced at Claire's but it all went well and I was impressed with the cleanliness and the advice she was given. So now, she'll be sporting two pairs of ear-rings in each ear! From there we meandered up to John Lewis, admiring the new restaurants along the way. There's a new Nandos, Carluccio's (which looks lovely), Cafe Rouge (very French with an interesting menu) and a YoSushi which I've never tried. A lot of the tables were set outside but as it was a lot cooler than of late, no-one was braving the evening air!
In John Lewis we spent an enjoyable few minutes testing out the perfumes. I know you're supposed to use the little cards but we were spraying the different scents all over our wrists and arms and I dread to think what we smelt like when we ventured up to the top floor to buy Sophie a new school blazer!
Back downstairs, we drooled over cushions, paintings and quilt covers before making our way back to the car. I'd booked a table for 7.30pm for Las Iguanas near to Brasserie Blanc where I went with Sue last week. It was only a short drive to The Hub which has lots of restaurants and bars. At first we were a bit taken aback as the bar was crammed with people drinking cocktails and the noise level was tremendous! Although we were a bit early we were taken to our table which thankfully was in a quieter bit of the restaurant!
We had a lovely meal and were very impressed with the service, the atmosphere and the food. Sophie went for her favourite, chicken fajitas, mum chose a burger while I had a delicious burrito stuffed with steak and caramelised onions. My salad was beautiful and both mum and Sophie also had side dishes of curly fries with a gorgeous dip. While we looked at the menu we also munched on some tortilla chips with a salsa dip.
For dessert, Sophie and I shared a "fruity fajita" - peaches, pineapple and banana in a cinnamon sauce with ice-cream, yoghurt and shaved chocolate...Yum!
It was great to get out of work and relax. Sophie was nervous about her ears being pierced at Claire's but it all went well and I was impressed with the cleanliness and the advice she was given. So now, she'll be sporting two pairs of ear-rings in each ear! From there we meandered up to John Lewis, admiring the new restaurants along the way. There's a new Nandos, Carluccio's (which looks lovely), Cafe Rouge (very French with an interesting menu) and a YoSushi which I've never tried. A lot of the tables were set outside but as it was a lot cooler than of late, no-one was braving the evening air!
In John Lewis we spent an enjoyable few minutes testing out the perfumes. I know you're supposed to use the little cards but we were spraying the different scents all over our wrists and arms and I dread to think what we smelt like when we ventured up to the top floor to buy Sophie a new school blazer!
Back downstairs, we drooled over cushions, paintings and quilt covers before making our way back to the car. I'd booked a table for 7.30pm for Las Iguanas near to Brasserie Blanc where I went with Sue last week. It was only a short drive to The Hub which has lots of restaurants and bars. At first we were a bit taken aback as the bar was crammed with people drinking cocktails and the noise level was tremendous! Although we were a bit early we were taken to our table which thankfully was in a quieter bit of the restaurant!
We had a lovely meal and were very impressed with the service, the atmosphere and the food. Sophie went for her favourite, chicken fajitas, mum chose a burger while I had a delicious burrito stuffed with steak and caramelised onions. My salad was beautiful and both mum and Sophie also had side dishes of curly fries with a gorgeous dip. While we looked at the menu we also munched on some tortilla chips with a salsa dip.
For dessert, Sophie and I shared a "fruity fajita" - peaches, pineapple and banana in a cinnamon sauce with ice-cream, yoghurt and shaved chocolate...Yum!
Wednesday 28 July 2010
Food for thought
Choosing our evening meals has now reached crisis point in our household. Poor Keith shops on a Friday or Saturday and before he goes, he asks me what we should have for dinner over the weekend (that's about enough for him to think about without blowing a gasket!). I make a face and groan, because we've got into a rut where we tend to have the same things every week, the children moan about our choices and we all end up bickering.
Last night, after a hot day, we had roast pork for dinner with all the trimmings and at 8.30pm when I was still trying to get burnt on fat off the roasting pan, I was not amused. Tonight (and as it's been cooler today), we had cold meat and salad...
Before dinner, though, we sat down with two big cookery books and a notepad and jotted down some ideas for dinners next week. We asked the children to try different foods and to give us some suggestions of what they'd like to have. Hopefully, we'll inject some fresh ideas into our meals and I'll regain my enthusiasm for dinner. I have to agree with Keith that it's a chore but it shouldn't be like that. We all enjoy good food and eating out so there's no reason why we can't have the enjoyable eating out experience at home...Well, that's the idea anyway!
Last night, after a hot day, we had roast pork for dinner with all the trimmings and at 8.30pm when I was still trying to get burnt on fat off the roasting pan, I was not amused. Tonight (and as it's been cooler today), we had cold meat and salad...
Before dinner, though, we sat down with two big cookery books and a notepad and jotted down some ideas for dinners next week. We asked the children to try different foods and to give us some suggestions of what they'd like to have. Hopefully, we'll inject some fresh ideas into our meals and I'll regain my enthusiasm for dinner. I have to agree with Keith that it's a chore but it shouldn't be like that. We all enjoy good food and eating out so there's no reason why we can't have the enjoyable eating out experience at home...Well, that's the idea anyway!
Tuesday 27 July 2010
Coconut Head...
It's been another busy day with the rain this morning bringing customers into work. We spent most of the day in the gym area that we're trying to rent out. We've neglected it a bit so we armed ourselves with brooms, mops and the hoover to go and tidy it up before we had a viewing at 11am.
The weather today has been warm and muggy and it was hot work cleaning up. The person coming to view the space was a man who has plans to make it into a fitness gym and also teach kick-boxing and martial arts. We all agreed it would be perfect for that so we have high hopes that he'll decide to move in and be our new tenant.
Keith brought both children into work and then took Mikey for a hair-cut. His hair was so long he could barely see out of his eyes so it was a bit of a shock when they called in on the way home to see his hair a good bit shorter! Unfortunately, Mikey wasn't keen and kept saying he looked like a "Coconut Head"! At least he's developing a sense of humour!
Back home I jumped in the bath as I felt really grimy and sweaty and had a long soak before falling asleep on the bed while Keith watched the cricket. It was bliss! Even more relaxing was sitting in the garden after dinner with a glass of wine and watching out for bats. As the sun disappears they normally come out and flit about in the garden, but we haven't seen them for a while. However tonight we did. We had a lovely conversation about past holidays and Mikey joined us in our reminisces, surprising me by remembering more than I thought he would. With the warm evening air, the wine and candles flickering we felt like we were on holiday in our own home!
The weather today has been warm and muggy and it was hot work cleaning up. The person coming to view the space was a man who has plans to make it into a fitness gym and also teach kick-boxing and martial arts. We all agreed it would be perfect for that so we have high hopes that he'll decide to move in and be our new tenant.
Keith brought both children into work and then took Mikey for a hair-cut. His hair was so long he could barely see out of his eyes so it was a bit of a shock when they called in on the way home to see his hair a good bit shorter! Unfortunately, Mikey wasn't keen and kept saying he looked like a "Coconut Head"! At least he's developing a sense of humour!
Back home I jumped in the bath as I felt really grimy and sweaty and had a long soak before falling asleep on the bed while Keith watched the cricket. It was bliss! Even more relaxing was sitting in the garden after dinner with a glass of wine and watching out for bats. As the sun disappears they normally come out and flit about in the garden, but we haven't seen them for a while. However tonight we did. We had a lovely conversation about past holidays and Mikey joined us in our reminisces, surprising me by remembering more than I thought he would. With the warm evening air, the wine and candles flickering we felt like we were on holiday in our own home!
Monday 26 July 2010
First day of the school hols...
I was awake really early this morning, so having nothing better to do, I went into work and started on the cleaning that had to be done, seeing as our daily cleaner was on holiday. It was a damp, overcast morning with a fine drizzle that was a bit miserable and a lot different to the weather forecast for today which was supposed to be bright sunshine.
Naturally, mum and dad were very pleased I'd made an early start and the rest of the day sped by. We went and had another look at the old gym and decided that we'd better give it a good clean and maybe do some painting so that is planned for tomorrow!
It was bliss to get home and relax and we sneaked off to the pub in the evening for a meal, something that was definitely NOT on the agenda!
Naturally, mum and dad were very pleased I'd made an early start and the rest of the day sped by. We went and had another look at the old gym and decided that we'd better give it a good clean and maybe do some painting so that is planned for tomorrow!
It was bliss to get home and relax and we sneaked off to the pub in the evening for a meal, something that was definitely NOT on the agenda!
Sunday 25 July
After a lazy morning pottering around the garden, Mum, Soph and I went in search of bedheads. We first went to British Home Stores where we spotted a lovely maroon damask bedhead that was perfect. The only problem was that it had been ordered for someone else, but we could do the same. We decided to have a look at some other stores first, went and had a lovely cup of tea and then strolled along to Home Sense which I'd never been into before.
It was fab! Very quirky, individual items for the home, and it was a bit like a bric-a-brac shop/house clearance store! Sophie swooned when she saw all the pictures, mirrors and ornaments! We browsed for ages as there was so much to see but in the end we bought a large mirror and a picture of Audrey Hepburn (looking into the window of Tiffany's) a suitcase covered with pictures of Marilyn Monroe and a small Audrey Hepburn jewellery box. The items were really good value and Sophie was over the moon with her choices.
Still on the hunt for a bedhead, we went off to Dreams but we saw nothing to compare with the one in BHS so we went back and ordered it - a treat for Sophie from my mum. It should break up the wallpaper and quilt cover beautifully. The only snag was the 4-5 week wait, but that will go very quickly!
After a relaxing drink at Mum's we returned home and Keith put the new stuff on the wall - it looks great and Sophie was thrilled with her room. It's about time I did something with our room now!
It was fab! Very quirky, individual items for the home, and it was a bit like a bric-a-brac shop/house clearance store! Sophie swooned when she saw all the pictures, mirrors and ornaments! We browsed for ages as there was so much to see but in the end we bought a large mirror and a picture of Audrey Hepburn (looking into the window of Tiffany's) a suitcase covered with pictures of Marilyn Monroe and a small Audrey Hepburn jewellery box. The items were really good value and Sophie was over the moon with her choices.
Still on the hunt for a bedhead, we went off to Dreams but we saw nothing to compare with the one in BHS so we went back and ordered it - a treat for Sophie from my mum. It should break up the wallpaper and quilt cover beautifully. The only snag was the 4-5 week wait, but that will go very quickly!
After a relaxing drink at Mum's we returned home and Keith put the new stuff on the wall - it looks great and Sophie was thrilled with her room. It's about time I did something with our room now!
Saturday 24 July 2010
Almost finished!
Dad came around this morning to decorate Sophie's wall for us and I was mightily glad he did as it was hard work! We lost quite a bit of the wallpaper as he had to get the pattern the same and it was touch and go whether we'd have enough, but we did, thank goodness. I didn't fancy going back down to B&Q and getting another roll just for one tiny bit of wall! It took him about three hours and we did our best to help. It now looks absolutely beautiful so we're all very pleased and we just need to get a few more things and it'll finally be all finished.
Today has been warm and overcast but no storms or much rain (yet)!
Today has been warm and overcast but no storms or much rain (yet)!
Friday 23 July 2010
Last day at school
The children broke up from school today, much to their relief. This year the holidays are much shorter than last year when they had seven weeks! Luckily, two of those were spent in France, but this year we'll be at home although I'm hoping we may be able to get away for a day or two when I'm off from the 16th August.
I always feel a tinge of sadness at the end of term and for some reason I view the new term in September as the start of a new year. I've no idea why! It just seems like September is for new beginnings and for Year 6 chidlren today, they'll be going to a new school in the Autumn and making new friends. This time next year, Mikey will be among them, but at least he'll have a sibling at his new school.
When I was a child, the long summer holidays used to stretch out endlessly, but as an adult the time will fly and before long it'll be Autumn and then we all know what will start to rear its ugly head!
I always feel a tinge of sadness at the end of term and for some reason I view the new term in September as the start of a new year. I've no idea why! It just seems like September is for new beginnings and for Year 6 chidlren today, they'll be going to a new school in the Autumn and making new friends. This time next year, Mikey will be among them, but at least he'll have a sibling at his new school.
When I was a child, the long summer holidays used to stretch out endlessly, but as an adult the time will fly and before long it'll be Autumn and then we all know what will start to rear its ugly head!
Thursday 22 July 2010
The Longest Journey
Mum and I paid a visit to Nan's today, down in Kent. We had two horrible journeys and I can't remember the last time we were able to just drive down without encountering roadworks or hold-ups. It seemed like the whole journey down I was restricted to doing just 50mph - I think it's time we introduced toll roads as they have in Europe. I'd be more than happy to pay a toll to be able to drive without constant roadworks and traffic jams. Last year, in France, we drove almost 2,500 miles with just one small jam (ironically at a toll-booth!) and it was brilliant. On the way home, in rural France but still on a two lane motorway, we drove a stretch of around 50 miles without encountering another car going in the same direction! Bliss!
We had a pleasant day and had lunch in Dartford which was an adventure...the small restaurant we sometimes go to had closed down and we went to a "New York deli" for a sandwich but I'm not sure the people running it had even been to New York as I couldn't find any resemblance...
The journey home was fun. We decided to take the A2 through the Blackwall Tunnel and mum enjoyed seeing the O2 Arena and the area being developed for the Olympics. We drove through some dirty weather and heard from Sophie that there were storms at home as well. Sally Traffic on Radio2 kept telling us that the M25 and the M1 were both snarled up, but then so was the M11!!
We had a pleasant day and had lunch in Dartford which was an adventure...the small restaurant we sometimes go to had closed down and we went to a "New York deli" for a sandwich but I'm not sure the people running it had even been to New York as I couldn't find any resemblance...
The journey home was fun. We decided to take the A2 through the Blackwall Tunnel and mum enjoyed seeing the O2 Arena and the area being developed for the Olympics. We drove through some dirty weather and heard from Sophie that there were storms at home as well. Sally Traffic on Radio2 kept telling us that the M25 and the M1 were both snarled up, but then so was the M11!!
Wednesday 21 July 2010
A little piece of France in Milton Keynes
Last night Sue and I ventured into Buckinghamshire to visit Brasserie Blanc, Raymond Blanc's restaurant in the heart of Milton Keynes. I'd been wanting to go for ages as I've been to his flagship restaurant, Le Manoir Aux Quat'Saisons, twice and it was a truly memorable experience with excellent service and food, as it should be for the price! So I was interested to see how his famous hospitality would carry over to a brasserie type restaurant with obviously lower prices.
Well, I was impressed! From the moment we were greeted at the door by the French Maitre d' and escorted to our table it was a wonderful evening and I'll definitely be going back. Our waitress for the evening was a charming young lady who was training a new member of staff and it's obvious that training plays a vitally important part of the restaurant's philosophy. The brasserie became very busy as the evening wore on, with a party of around 26 sitting down to eat, but the standards didn't slip.
We were given two menus, the normal carte and a "Dine and wine" list. Two courses and a glass of wine were £16.00, while three courses and wine came to £18.45. Sue was tempted but in the end we chose from the normal menu - chicken liver parfait with onion marmalade for both of us, followed by calves liver, colcannon mash and marsala sauce for me and hot salmon fishcake for Sue. We were offered lots of fresh homemade bread and Sue enjoyed two glasses of Sauvignon Blanc while I sipped away on a bottle of sparkling water.
The restaurant is very French - lots of wood, bottles of wine, black and white photos of M.Blanc at work and smart tables. The staff were exceptionally friendly and efficient and there were no long waits or mistakes with the food. We felt very welcomed and there was a lovely atmsphere as the place filled up.
Neither of us could resist dessert! I chose the special of cherry crumble while Sue opted for meringue and fruit which she pronounced delicious!
After we paid the bill (£65 for the two of us), we wandered into the small Brasserie Blanc shop and had a look at all things French, including wine, champagne, olives and chocolates...Yum!
On our way back to the car, we had a look at the nearby restaurants which included Nandos, Zizzi and Las Iguanas, which I fancy trying next time. It was a lovely evening and there were many people sitting outside and eating and drinking in the cool night air.
It was a most enjoyable evening and I can't wait to go back, hopefully with Keith and my parents who woud love it there!
Well, I was impressed! From the moment we were greeted at the door by the French Maitre d' and escorted to our table it was a wonderful evening and I'll definitely be going back. Our waitress for the evening was a charming young lady who was training a new member of staff and it's obvious that training plays a vitally important part of the restaurant's philosophy. The brasserie became very busy as the evening wore on, with a party of around 26 sitting down to eat, but the standards didn't slip.
We were given two menus, the normal carte and a "Dine and wine" list. Two courses and a glass of wine were £16.00, while three courses and wine came to £18.45. Sue was tempted but in the end we chose from the normal menu - chicken liver parfait with onion marmalade for both of us, followed by calves liver, colcannon mash and marsala sauce for me and hot salmon fishcake for Sue. We were offered lots of fresh homemade bread and Sue enjoyed two glasses of Sauvignon Blanc while I sipped away on a bottle of sparkling water.
The restaurant is very French - lots of wood, bottles of wine, black and white photos of M.Blanc at work and smart tables. The staff were exceptionally friendly and efficient and there were no long waits or mistakes with the food. We felt very welcomed and there was a lovely atmsphere as the place filled up.
Neither of us could resist dessert! I chose the special of cherry crumble while Sue opted for meringue and fruit which she pronounced delicious!
After we paid the bill (£65 for the two of us), we wandered into the small Brasserie Blanc shop and had a look at all things French, including wine, champagne, olives and chocolates...Yum!
On our way back to the car, we had a look at the nearby restaurants which included Nandos, Zizzi and Las Iguanas, which I fancy trying next time. It was a lovely evening and there were many people sitting outside and eating and drinking in the cool night air.
It was a most enjoyable evening and I can't wait to go back, hopefully with Keith and my parents who woud love it there!
Monday 19 July 2010
Southwold photos.
So, back to work today and of course, the sun shone and it was 30c this afternoon when I left work! Most of today was spent looking at the CCTV cameras and trying to burn a copy to a disc for the police. I'm not sure it will be any use, but we can hope anyway.
Here are some photos of yesterday which made me smile when I transferred them from my camera this evening:
I love the beach huts. Oh, to own one! You can rent them by the day for around £18 so I found out yesterday.
I might use one of these for my header photo for August - sums up the summer holidays perfectly!
Here are some photos of yesterday which made me smile when I transferred them from my camera this evening:
I love the colours!
Decorations on a Beach-hut
So Monday is over and no doubt the rest of the week will fly by as usual!
Sunday 18 July 2010
Southwold
Wanting to end the holiday on a high note, I suggested a day trip to Southwold today, so off we went. We had a lovely day and Keith drove there and back so it was great for me to take in the gorgeous scenery when we turned off the A14 at Stowmarket.
The Tourist route from the A14 across to the A12 at Yoxford is beautiful - stuffed with picturesque villages, inviting pubs and quaint tea-rooms. The village of Peasenhall was having a Pea festival (parades, eating and attractions) and not celebrating the humble pea as we first thought! It's an area I'd love to explore more as we normally just speed past on our way to the coast. There's even a vineyard at Framlingham!
At Southwold, we parked right next to the beach-huts and had a roll and coffee before going down to the water's edge. The children were only supposed to go for a paddle, but both of them ended up going in, almost fully-clothed! It was a good job that Keith had had the foresight to pack a change of clothes for them!
Despite it being sunny the wind was ferocious and after about an hour and a half, we'd all had enough, so it was back to the car where the children dried off and changed their clothes before we took a walk along the beautiful pier. Half way along is a strange little hut with bizarre coin-operated machines which they love! Each one is very eccentric and they attract a lot of interest. I disappeared into a tiny room to have my palm read while Mikey had two mechanic hands frisk him! They have to be seen to be believed!
After an ice-cream we walked up to the town where I couldn't stop photographing the pastel-coloured houses and the stunning white lighthouse against the azure blue sky. The light in Southwold has a lovely intensity and the houses are painted to match the sun and sky.
We had a cup of tea in a very old-fashioned tearoom which was attached to a shop selling lots of varieties of sweets. Southwold is, for me anyway, the classic seaside town and I love it there. One day, we'll push the boat out and spend a week at the Swan Hotel!
Back home we called into the pub for a meal - the two for one main course offer has been extended to Sunday nights as well...;) - but I received a nasty shock when mum called me at the pub to tell me that two men had made off with the Reception cash register. It was a stressful end to a lovely day and brought me back down to earth with a bump. No doubt tomorrow we will have to arrange for a new cash register to be delivered and will have to deal with the police who want to take copies of our CCTV recordings (not that anyone is ever caught).
To add to the stress, Mikey remembered that he still had two pieces of homework to do to be given in tomorrow so rather than relax on the sofa with a drink and Top Gear, I hastily helped him make up a poem about schooldays and then cobble together a map of the village and where he'd like more amenities to be...Welcome back to the real world!
The Tourist route from the A14 across to the A12 at Yoxford is beautiful - stuffed with picturesque villages, inviting pubs and quaint tea-rooms. The village of Peasenhall was having a Pea festival (parades, eating and attractions) and not celebrating the humble pea as we first thought! It's an area I'd love to explore more as we normally just speed past on our way to the coast. There's even a vineyard at Framlingham!
At Southwold, we parked right next to the beach-huts and had a roll and coffee before going down to the water's edge. The children were only supposed to go for a paddle, but both of them ended up going in, almost fully-clothed! It was a good job that Keith had had the foresight to pack a change of clothes for them!
Despite it being sunny the wind was ferocious and after about an hour and a half, we'd all had enough, so it was back to the car where the children dried off and changed their clothes before we took a walk along the beautiful pier. Half way along is a strange little hut with bizarre coin-operated machines which they love! Each one is very eccentric and they attract a lot of interest. I disappeared into a tiny room to have my palm read while Mikey had two mechanic hands frisk him! They have to be seen to be believed!
After an ice-cream we walked up to the town where I couldn't stop photographing the pastel-coloured houses and the stunning white lighthouse against the azure blue sky. The light in Southwold has a lovely intensity and the houses are painted to match the sun and sky.
We had a cup of tea in a very old-fashioned tearoom which was attached to a shop selling lots of varieties of sweets. Southwold is, for me anyway, the classic seaside town and I love it there. One day, we'll push the boat out and spend a week at the Swan Hotel!
Back home we called into the pub for a meal - the two for one main course offer has been extended to Sunday nights as well...;) - but I received a nasty shock when mum called me at the pub to tell me that two men had made off with the Reception cash register. It was a stressful end to a lovely day and brought me back down to earth with a bump. No doubt tomorrow we will have to arrange for a new cash register to be delivered and will have to deal with the police who want to take copies of our CCTV recordings (not that anyone is ever caught).
To add to the stress, Mikey remembered that he still had two pieces of homework to do to be given in tomorrow so rather than relax on the sofa with a drink and Top Gear, I hastily helped him make up a poem about schooldays and then cobble together a map of the village and where he'd like more amenities to be...Welcome back to the real world!
Saturday 17 July 2010
Night at Nandos
Our morning was spent driving around the busiest areas of Northampton - two retail parks that were heaving with people, which is not really my idea of a pleasant Saturday!
Anyway, we managed to get Sophie's wallpaper and a beautiful velvet lampshade that fits the room perfectly. Even better it was reduced by 50% which I wasn't aware of until we got to the till! Keith said it looked "tacky" but Sophie loved it, which is all that matters.
The weather has been very mixed today - lots of rain showers and sunshine and I had a walk around the garden which has been affected by the rain and wind. One of my new plants has been completely eaten by something which made me a little mad! Grrrrr!
In the evening we went out for a meal at Nandos in Kettering. We'd never been before and luckily booked a table for 7.30pm. We stopped at the Royal Oak for a drink first and I wish we'd decided to go there! Nandos was very, very busy and we waited over an hour for our food, which I thought was just OK. They specialise in chicken which I have to say was delicious - tender, moist and tasty - but I've had far better meals at the pub for much less.I'm glad we went as we'd never been before but would I go back? I doubt it!
Anyway, we managed to get Sophie's wallpaper and a beautiful velvet lampshade that fits the room perfectly. Even better it was reduced by 50% which I wasn't aware of until we got to the till! Keith said it looked "tacky" but Sophie loved it, which is all that matters.
The weather has been very mixed today - lots of rain showers and sunshine and I had a walk around the garden which has been affected by the rain and wind. One of my new plants has been completely eaten by something which made me a little mad! Grrrrr!
In the evening we went out for a meal at Nandos in Kettering. We'd never been before and luckily booked a table for 7.30pm. We stopped at the Royal Oak for a drink first and I wish we'd decided to go there! Nandos was very, very busy and we waited over an hour for our food, which I thought was just OK. They specialise in chicken which I have to say was delicious - tender, moist and tasty - but I've had far better meals at the pub for much less.I'm glad we went as we'd never been before but would I go back? I doubt it!
Skies by Sophie
Sophie took these photos last night with my camera and I was very impressed, both with the skies and the way she took the photos! With all the rain and stormy weather, we've been having some interesting skies lately. So much better than they dull grey we often get!
Friday 16 July 2010
That Friday feeling!
My week's holiday is over! Well, I still have Saturday and Sunday, but it's been lovely being off and able to relax and do what we want to do rather than what the little darlings want to do!
Today has been another extremely windy day, perfect for washing our bedding and getting it all dry. Keith and I went to Tesco first thing and it was busy! So different from when we were in there on Tuesday and it was empty. It was pretty annoying having to dodge everyone and I'm very glad that Keith is quite happy to do the weekly shop. If it was down to me I'd have it all delivered, as we do at work. I think that around £5 is an absolute bargain to have someone pick it all, pack it and then deliver it!
It's Mum and Dad's Wedding Anniversary today (44 years together) and I almost forgot! This week has been a bit like being in a bubble and not seeing them since last Sunday has been very strange. I took Keith to Beckworth's to get them a present but all the plants looked a bit wind-blown (no surprise) so I treated them to vouchers which they can spend on whatever they want.
They popped around on their way home from work, just as the heavens opened again. I'd hoovered the inside of my car because I could stand it no longer but thankfully hadn't got around to washing it so I was very relieved!
Today has been another extremely windy day, perfect for washing our bedding and getting it all dry. Keith and I went to Tesco first thing and it was busy! So different from when we were in there on Tuesday and it was empty. It was pretty annoying having to dodge everyone and I'm very glad that Keith is quite happy to do the weekly shop. If it was down to me I'd have it all delivered, as we do at work. I think that around £5 is an absolute bargain to have someone pick it all, pack it and then deliver it!
It's Mum and Dad's Wedding Anniversary today (44 years together) and I almost forgot! This week has been a bit like being in a bubble and not seeing them since last Sunday has been very strange. I took Keith to Beckworth's to get them a present but all the plants looked a bit wind-blown (no surprise) so I treated them to vouchers which they can spend on whatever they want.
They popped around on their way home from work, just as the heavens opened again. I'd hoovered the inside of my car because I could stand it no longer but thankfully hadn't got around to washing it so I was very relieved!
Thursday 15 July and a bit of a mooch...
Years ago, before the children came along, Keith and I would regularly go on a "mooch". We'd pick a local area on the map and drive around visiting the village pubs. It was a very enjoyable way of spending a summer evening (easier to spot pubs when it's light!) and we found some great pubs, and equally, some not so good pubs! When the children came along it was no longer so easy to take off for the evening so the mooches stopped and we seemed to get out of the habit, just visiting a few tried and tested ones on our precious evenings out. In our time we must have visted hundreds of pubs and once I amazed my mum, when we got lost coming off the A1, by navigating my way home by recognising the pubs we'd visited!
We're lucky that we're fairly central and have been to neighbouring counties on our search for the perfect pub...Leicestershire, Warwickshire and Buckinghamshire have all come within the confines of the mooch. Yesterday we drove over to the Leicestershire/Rutland borders as we hadn't been there for a while and pubs can (and do) change Landlords very frequently.
It was a bit of a wild and woolly day with scudding clouds and the occasional squally shower. We set off early, driving through Market Harborough and picking up an amazingly windey, up-and-downy road to Melton Mowbray. There were several signs warning motorcyclists of the dangers and I can understand why - it must be like being on a rollercoaster if you go very fast!
We became lost almost as soon as we turned off the B6047 as the signs were either hidden behind bushes or missing altogether. At one point we ended up on a gated road and poor Keith had to go and open the gate, which on first glance seemed to be leading into a farmyard! It was very hilly - gorgeous soft rolling hills and pastures with sheep and cows with lovely little villages nestled in between.
Our first stop was a village called Tilton on the Hill and The Rose and Crown pub. It looked open to me, but Keith wasn't so sure as it was just before 11.30am. The door was open and Keith walked in, almost colliding with a man coming out. He asked if they were open and received a bit of a grumpy reply that they weren't really but what did we want?
I almost walked straight back out again, but the woman hoovering the carpet was a lot friendlier and seemed happy to pull Keith a pint. The man looked and sounded very much like Michael Gambon who plays Dumbledore in the Harry Potter films and happily made himself scarce as we enjoyed a drink at the bar.
It was a pleasant enough pub but I'd seen a sign for the village of Braunston and suggested we go there next as I was sure I'd been to a lovely pub there when I was on a narrow boat years ago. It was a lovely drive of about 6 miles through more beautiful countryside and upon arriving in the village we saw a sign for a sixteenth century pub which I perked up at, being a fan of old buildings with, hopefully, beams and log fires!
The Blue Ball is lovely - a thatched pub with the beams I was after and a lingering smell of woodsmoke. All the tables were scrubbed oak and it was a bit on the posh side, with flowery descriptions of food and prices to match. The two female staff were very friendly but Keith's pint of Pedigree looked horrible and flat. He was a bit disappointed in this as the pub advertised itself as selling real ales. My orange juice was fine though!
We spent a very pleasant half hour chatting but there was only one other couple in so it was very quiet. I wouldn't mind going back, perhaps in the evening, as it really was my sort of pub and the menu did look interesting.
http://www.theblueballbraunston.co.uk/find.html
I was sure that there was another pub in the village so off we went again and found The Old Plough. However, I don't think it was the one I visited way back when I was a teenager so I must be confused somewhere...perhaps there are two Braunstons!
At The Old Plough we had a very filling lunch of ciabatta rolls (bacon, brie and cranberry sauce and sausage and onion) accompanied by salad, tortilla crisps and coleslaw. The pub has a huge conservatory on the back for dining and was very friendly and welcoming.
Looking at the time whizzing by, we drove home via Oakham and Uppingham (both ver posh) and encountered a huge rainstorm as we neared Kettering. It rained so hard we could barely see out of the windscreen and I couldn't help thinking about Mikey and his song and dance afternoon to celebrate the school's centenary!
We're lucky that we're fairly central and have been to neighbouring counties on our search for the perfect pub...Leicestershire, Warwickshire and Buckinghamshire have all come within the confines of the mooch. Yesterday we drove over to the Leicestershire/Rutland borders as we hadn't been there for a while and pubs can (and do) change Landlords very frequently.
It was a bit of a wild and woolly day with scudding clouds and the occasional squally shower. We set off early, driving through Market Harborough and picking up an amazingly windey, up-and-downy road to Melton Mowbray. There were several signs warning motorcyclists of the dangers and I can understand why - it must be like being on a rollercoaster if you go very fast!
We became lost almost as soon as we turned off the B6047 as the signs were either hidden behind bushes or missing altogether. At one point we ended up on a gated road and poor Keith had to go and open the gate, which on first glance seemed to be leading into a farmyard! It was very hilly - gorgeous soft rolling hills and pastures with sheep and cows with lovely little villages nestled in between.
Our first stop was a village called Tilton on the Hill and The Rose and Crown pub. It looked open to me, but Keith wasn't so sure as it was just before 11.30am. The door was open and Keith walked in, almost colliding with a man coming out. He asked if they were open and received a bit of a grumpy reply that they weren't really but what did we want?
I almost walked straight back out again, but the woman hoovering the carpet was a lot friendlier and seemed happy to pull Keith a pint. The man looked and sounded very much like Michael Gambon who plays Dumbledore in the Harry Potter films and happily made himself scarce as we enjoyed a drink at the bar.
It was a pleasant enough pub but I'd seen a sign for the village of Braunston and suggested we go there next as I was sure I'd been to a lovely pub there when I was on a narrow boat years ago. It was a lovely drive of about 6 miles through more beautiful countryside and upon arriving in the village we saw a sign for a sixteenth century pub which I perked up at, being a fan of old buildings with, hopefully, beams and log fires!
The Blue Ball is lovely - a thatched pub with the beams I was after and a lingering smell of woodsmoke. All the tables were scrubbed oak and it was a bit on the posh side, with flowery descriptions of food and prices to match. The two female staff were very friendly but Keith's pint of Pedigree looked horrible and flat. He was a bit disappointed in this as the pub advertised itself as selling real ales. My orange juice was fine though!
We spent a very pleasant half hour chatting but there was only one other couple in so it was very quiet. I wouldn't mind going back, perhaps in the evening, as it really was my sort of pub and the menu did look interesting.
http://www.theblueballbraunston.co.uk/find.html
I was sure that there was another pub in the village so off we went again and found The Old Plough. However, I don't think it was the one I visited way back when I was a teenager so I must be confused somewhere...perhaps there are two Braunstons!
At The Old Plough we had a very filling lunch of ciabatta rolls (bacon, brie and cranberry sauce and sausage and onion) accompanied by salad, tortilla crisps and coleslaw. The pub has a huge conservatory on the back for dining and was very friendly and welcoming.
Looking at the time whizzing by, we drove home via Oakham and Uppingham (both ver posh) and encountered a huge rainstorm as we neared Kettering. It rained so hard we could barely see out of the windscreen and I couldn't help thinking about Mikey and his song and dance afternoon to celebrate the school's centenary!
Thursday 15 July 2010
Wednesday 14 July
A very relaxing day today which was lovely. Keith went to a pub in Northampton to meet his ex-workmates at lunchtime which meant I had some time on my own at last. I indulged in a couple of cookery programmes (one based in Cyprus immediately made me wish I was there) and Come Dine with Me which was funny and a bit bitchy!
It was early evening by the time I received the call to go and pick Keith up, so leaving the children at home, I drove into Northampton and had a drink with him and his friends. Needlesss to say he was a bit merry and after I cooked dinner, he had a bit of a snooze that lasted all night!
It was early evening by the time I received the call to go and pick Keith up, so leaving the children at home, I drove into Northampton and had a drink with him and his friends. Needlesss to say he was a bit merry and after I cooked dinner, he had a bit of a snooze that lasted all night!
Tuesday 13 July 2010
"Sports Day" washout.
It's been a better day today - more relaxed and leisurely than yesterday but the weather has been worse. We had a latte in Costa Coffee first thing and then did a bit of shopping in Tesco. The supermarket was empty and it was lovely to wander about looking at different things to buy. I wouldn't mind food shopping if it was like that all the time!
Next we wandered around Focus looking for grass seed and I saw some more wallpaper for Sophie's room. I also saw a lovely lampshade that would fit the mood of the room perfectly so no doubt I'll be making a trip back there very soon!
Back home we had a leisurely breakfast and then went to a local wholesaler's where I bought a new slow cooker, some wine glasses and a frying pan! Oh, and the grass seed as it was much cheaper! False economy or what!
The Sports Afternoon was a washout. It started off grey and a tiny bit drizzly but half way through the heavens opened and it lashed it down, soaking all the children and half the spectators who couldn't manage to fit into the open shed that was suddenly the most popular place in the playground! The activities carried on regardless but us parents were sent home at 2.45pm as the children went into the hall to dry off and calculate the winners. Needless to say, Mikey's team (the Hares - Go Hares! Go Hares!) were last...oh well, there's always next year!
Next we wandered around Focus looking for grass seed and I saw some more wallpaper for Sophie's room. I also saw a lovely lampshade that would fit the mood of the room perfectly so no doubt I'll be making a trip back there very soon!
Back home we had a leisurely breakfast and then went to a local wholesaler's where I bought a new slow cooker, some wine glasses and a frying pan! Oh, and the grass seed as it was much cheaper! False economy or what!
The Sports Afternoon was a washout. It started off grey and a tiny bit drizzly but half way through the heavens opened and it lashed it down, soaking all the children and half the spectators who couldn't manage to fit into the open shed that was suddenly the most popular place in the playground! The activities carried on regardless but us parents were sent home at 2.45pm as the children went into the hall to dry off and calculate the winners. Needless to say, Mikey's team (the Hares - Go Hares! Go Hares!) were last...oh well, there's always next year!
Monday 12 July 2010
Rain!
Well, the promised rain arrived today and it's been very unsettled. Because I couldn't really get out into the garden I did the housework which needed doing. But it will have to last the week as it was never the idea to spend all day every day this week hoovering and dusting! Keith and I did go out for coffee this morning so at least we had half an hour of relaxation!
By early evening the rain had stopped and I re-planted my tomatoes, put the mint firmly into a lovely terracotta pot and swept all the willow leaves from the front garden. Although it had rained off and on throughout the day, the soil was still dry and a bit dusty. I think we will need sustained rainfall to make a difference at the moment after the days of drought. Sue pulled up on her way into her drive and then came over with two bunches of flowers and a bottle of white wine for looking after the garden which will go down very well!
One annoying niggle today - I had an email from the school about their "Sports Day". I put it in inverted commas as they put on this team sports event where all the children have to do about eight different tasks, so not really sports day as I used to know it. Anyway...it's tomorrow! Talk about late notice! And then on Thursday there's a celebration as the school will be 100 years old... Well, I told Mikey I'm not going! I don't mind "Sports day" but on Thursday Keith and I have planned a mooch (a sort of upmarket pub crawl) and we're not spending the afternoon being bored rigid...He was fine about it (didn't even realise it was on) and has excused us on the grounds of doing vital research into local pubs...He's definitely his father's son!!!
By early evening the rain had stopped and I re-planted my tomatoes, put the mint firmly into a lovely terracotta pot and swept all the willow leaves from the front garden. Although it had rained off and on throughout the day, the soil was still dry and a bit dusty. I think we will need sustained rainfall to make a difference at the moment after the days of drought. Sue pulled up on her way into her drive and then came over with two bunches of flowers and a bottle of white wine for looking after the garden which will go down very well!
One annoying niggle today - I had an email from the school about their "Sports Day". I put it in inverted commas as they put on this team sports event where all the children have to do about eight different tasks, so not really sports day as I used to know it. Anyway...it's tomorrow! Talk about late notice! And then on Thursday there's a celebration as the school will be 100 years old... Well, I told Mikey I'm not going! I don't mind "Sports day" but on Thursday Keith and I have planned a mooch (a sort of upmarket pub crawl) and we're not spending the afternoon being bored rigid...He was fine about it (didn't even realise it was on) and has excused us on the grounds of doing vital research into local pubs...He's definitely his father's son!!!
Sunday 11 July 2010
Making hay while the sun shines...
Keith and I went for a lovely walk this morning. At first, I was a bit reluctant as I thought it was too hot, but there was a gorgeous breeze that made it bearable. Two farmers were busy baling hay and stacking it, the sky above was a deep cornflower blue and all the smells of the warm countryside were wonderful.
We spent a very pleasant hour wandering in the fields, tasting the oats and corn and saying hello to our neighbours who were out walking. It was great to be getting some exercise and enjoying the weather and I could feel all the stresses and strains melting away as we gazed up at the sky and the views all around us. There were quite a few helicopters about as today was the British Grand Prix at Silverstone and the aerial activity carried on for much of the day.
In the afternoon we ventured out to the garden centre with mum (much to Sophie's annoyance) and I bought a new trough for my tomato plants which have outgrown the pots I put them into. I also bought some mint as Keith loves it on new potatoes and with lamb. We stopped at mum's for a drink and it was bliss sitting on their patio and enjoying the warmth.
So, it's been a lovely day and I have a week off to look forward to! I've heard it's going to rain...after so long of praying for it, I can hardly complain can I??
We spent a very pleasant hour wandering in the fields, tasting the oats and corn and saying hello to our neighbours who were out walking. It was great to be getting some exercise and enjoying the weather and I could feel all the stresses and strains melting away as we gazed up at the sky and the views all around us. There were quite a few helicopters about as today was the British Grand Prix at Silverstone and the aerial activity carried on for much of the day.
In the afternoon we ventured out to the garden centre with mum (much to Sophie's annoyance) and I bought a new trough for my tomato plants which have outgrown the pots I put them into. I also bought some mint as Keith loves it on new potatoes and with lamb. We stopped at mum's for a drink and it was bliss sitting on their patio and enjoying the warmth.
So, it's been a lovely day and I have a week off to look forward to! I've heard it's going to rain...after so long of praying for it, I can hardly complain can I??
Saturday 10 July - back to Stratford-Upon-Avon
We had a very relaxed day in Shakespeare's country and the weather was hot, hot hot! Rather than hurtling down the A14 and the M6 we took a lesiurely drive through some beautiful countryside via Daventry and Leamington Spa and arrived at the Swan's Nest hotel bang on time.
The town was very busy. We managed to find a parking space on a sports ground near the hotel where a cricket match was in progress. I knew that Keith would appreciate that when he walked back to the car later! Our few hours followed the same pattern as last time - drinks and cakes (for the children) in a little riverside cafe followed by a very good entertainer who had the crowd in the palm of his hand! He was extremely rude to a number of people (men, mostly) but he was very good and did lots of magic tricks. The area around the river was heaving with people enjoying the sun and taking boat trips. We never managed to get on one as we were short of time and the boats were all full. We'll definitely do it on our next trip!
We took a short walk into town and stocked up on books from WH Smith. It was lovely and cool inside and Michael chose two books which was brilliant. Strolling back towards the river and looking for some lunch, we ordered three baguettes from a "baguette barge" and then took them back to the car to eat and read our books and newspapers.
The Swan's Nest was packed with people sitting by the river, eating on the terrace and generally enjoying the sunshine. Keith and Malcolm had had a great time, with lots of reminiscing and were pretty merry when we joined them for a drink in the bar.
The journey home was equally leisurely even though I managed to get lost in Leamington Spa as I always do - it looks a lovely town and maybe we'll explore it properly one day!
The town was very busy. We managed to find a parking space on a sports ground near the hotel where a cricket match was in progress. I knew that Keith would appreciate that when he walked back to the car later! Our few hours followed the same pattern as last time - drinks and cakes (for the children) in a little riverside cafe followed by a very good entertainer who had the crowd in the palm of his hand! He was extremely rude to a number of people (men, mostly) but he was very good and did lots of magic tricks. The area around the river was heaving with people enjoying the sun and taking boat trips. We never managed to get on one as we were short of time and the boats were all full. We'll definitely do it on our next trip!
We took a short walk into town and stocked up on books from WH Smith. It was lovely and cool inside and Michael chose two books which was brilliant. Strolling back towards the river and looking for some lunch, we ordered three baguettes from a "baguette barge" and then took them back to the car to eat and read our books and newspapers.
The Swan's Nest was packed with people sitting by the river, eating on the terrace and generally enjoying the sunshine. Keith and Malcolm had had a great time, with lots of reminiscing and were pretty merry when we joined them for a drink in the bar.
The journey home was equally leisurely even though I managed to get lost in Leamington Spa as I always do - it looks a lovely town and maybe we'll explore it properly one day!
Mikey outside a teddy bear shop.
Friday 9 July 2010
Return of the heat...
This morning a heatwave weather warning was issued for the South-East with temperatures forecast to be 30c and over...Last night I really thought we were going to have a big storm as the sky clouded over, but it must have passed through us.
Yesterday was a little stressful at work and I'm really looking forward to my week off! Thank goodness today is Friday! I had a pleasant evening, though, and watched a very good film called Stealing Beauty with Liv Tyler and Jeremy Irons. It was set in Tuscany and was beautifully shot. It really made me wish I was there!
It's our Birthday today at work - 16 years ago today we started our business and the time has certainly flown. I didn't even have any children then so a lot has happened since we opened on Saturday 9 July 1994. Maybe we'll buy a cake and have a small glass of bubbly to celebrate!
We're in Stratford tomorrow and I might take the children on a boat ride along the river while Keith has a drink and a natter with his old friend.Let's just hope they enjoy it!
Yesterday was a little stressful at work and I'm really looking forward to my week off! Thank goodness today is Friday! I had a pleasant evening, though, and watched a very good film called Stealing Beauty with Liv Tyler and Jeremy Irons. It was set in Tuscany and was beautifully shot. It really made me wish I was there!
It's our Birthday today at work - 16 years ago today we started our business and the time has certainly flown. I didn't even have any children then so a lot has happened since we opened on Saturday 9 July 1994. Maybe we'll buy a cake and have a small glass of bubbly to celebrate!
We're in Stratford tomorrow and I might take the children on a boat ride along the river while Keith has a drink and a natter with his old friend.Let's just hope they enjoy it!
Thursday 8 July 2010
Wednesday 7 July
I couldn't write this last night as my laptop decided to go on strike and not turn on at all! Wednesday was pretty quiet, anyway - Keith came into work with me, but everything is so dry he didn't mow the lawns or strim the Nursery garden.
In the early evening we thought it was going to rain but the black clouds passed over and nothing happened which was a bit disappointing! I could have done with a big storm!!
The World Cup has gone well for us - Keith backed Holland and advised me to bet on Spain and they're both in the final which will take place on Sunday so we're looking forward to that!
In the early evening we thought it was going to rain but the black clouds passed over and nothing happened which was a bit disappointing! I could have done with a big storm!!
The World Cup has gone well for us - Keith backed Holland and advised me to bet on Spain and they're both in the final which will take place on Sunday so we're looking forward to that!
Tuesday 6 July 2010
Ikea
At work this morning I suggested to mum that we go to Ikea. We haven't had a jolly in a while and we needed some stuff for work, as well as looking for things for Sophie's bedroom. She agreed, we got important jobs done and then we were off!
Ikea have a 75% sale on at the moment, but we thought the store looked very depleted. Normally I see loads of things I want but today I saw hardly anything. Are they clearing space for new stock? I took some photos of drawers, lamps and pictures for Sophie and bought her a bedspread in the sale. It's a dark lilac colour (Ikea's description) and it went well with the colour on the chest she bought. I also bought five postcard size water colour pictures of New York in exactly the colours she wants. They'll go beautifully in a frame which I wish I'd now bought!
We were back at work in plenty of time but it hasn't been busy today, although we had some dodgy customers in who, to our cynical eyes, were casing the joint...
Back home, the bedpsread looked lovely - all we need to do now is inject more of the same colour with cushions, blinds and pictures.
Mikey has been on a trip to the Black Country Musuem today and had a great time exploring a mine and seeing what life was like for schoolchildren 100 years ago. As soon as we'd picked him up from school we sat and played cards and Mikey and I shared some reindeer salami that I bought in Ikea. I love the food hall and as well as the spicy meat I also bought some scrummy biscuits and coffee. Delicious!
Ikea have a 75% sale on at the moment, but we thought the store looked very depleted. Normally I see loads of things I want but today I saw hardly anything. Are they clearing space for new stock? I took some photos of drawers, lamps and pictures for Sophie and bought her a bedspread in the sale. It's a dark lilac colour (Ikea's description) and it went well with the colour on the chest she bought. I also bought five postcard size water colour pictures of New York in exactly the colours she wants. They'll go beautifully in a frame which I wish I'd now bought!
We were back at work in plenty of time but it hasn't been busy today, although we had some dodgy customers in who, to our cynical eyes, were casing the joint...
Back home, the bedpsread looked lovely - all we need to do now is inject more of the same colour with cushions, blinds and pictures.
Mikey has been on a trip to the Black Country Musuem today and had a great time exploring a mine and seeing what life was like for schoolchildren 100 years ago. As soon as we'd picked him up from school we sat and played cards and Mikey and I shared some reindeer salami that I bought in Ikea. I love the food hall and as well as the spicy meat I also bought some scrummy biscuits and coffee. Delicious!
Monday 5 July 2010
Less heat but lots of dust...
I'm praying for rain. The garden is so dry and the scruffy verge of grass on our front garden has given up the ghost and quietly died. I'm fed up with watering plants and long for a couple (just a couple, mind!) of warm wet days to bring the grass back to life. The wind of yesterday has brought down lots of dead leaves from a nearby weeping willow and they've all congregated outside our back door so every time it opens, they all blow in... The beautiful green days of summer have gone, to be replaced with a dusty, tired look. Every now and again it clouds over and I look up hopefully at the sky, but it comes to nothing. The fine drizzle we had on Friday was nothing. I know I'm perverse in asking for some rain, but the gardens really are suffering and I dread to think how much our water bill will be!
We had another school in at work today, but it hasn't been anywhere near as hot as last week, thank goodness. The children were beautifully behaved and when they went we had hardly any mess to clear up, so that was great. I've been limping about today with a painful leg. I think I've pulled a muscle in my calf and it's certainly slowed me up, which wasn't welcome! I walk very quickly (so mum tells me as she pants to keep up) and I hate being in pain when I walk!
We had another school in at work today, but it hasn't been anywhere near as hot as last week, thank goodness. The children were beautifully behaved and when they went we had hardly any mess to clear up, so that was great. I've been limping about today with a painful leg. I think I've pulled a muscle in my calf and it's certainly slowed me up, which wasn't welcome! I walk very quickly (so mum tells me as she pants to keep up) and I hate being in pain when I walk!
Sunday 4 July 2010
A few photos
Veggies...
Baby tomato plants...they've grown a bit since I took this photo.
Pepper, aubergine and tomato
Baby vines
Front garden nicely recovered after "Slasher Keith" pruned the bushes!
Sophie's bedroom...before.
Sophie's bedroom...after. The wall behind the bed will be papered.
The old chest of drawers will be replaced with something more modern!
My hero!
Today I have a confession to make. I wasn't going to say anything, but it's a good story (well, I think it is!) so here we go...
I was woken at just after 5am this morning by Keith standing at the window and opening the curtains wide. When I asked what he was doing, he said he could hear a house alarm going off. On our estate, the noise really carries and it sounded like it was coming from behind our house. I went downstairs as I'm looking after a neighbour's house and I was worried it could be coming from there...which it was. I flew back upstairs, hurriedly got dressed and went to get the key to their house...only it wasn't there...
In a panic I remembered we'd been into their house to water the plants and I'd put the key in the pocket of my jeans, which had since been washed! The jeans were in the ironing basket...no key. I went to the washing machine and took out the filter...no key. Back upstairs and in the laundry basket...no key. All the while the alarm was going "WEE WAH, WEE WAH, WEE WAH" and must have woken up quite a few of our neighbours!
I shouted for Keith and went and searched under the washing line.. . no key. By now I was in a state of utter panic but luckily the noise stopped which gave us a few moments to calm down and think about where it could be...
I was convinced it was in the washing machine but there was no way we could remove the drum and check underneath. I have to admit to the same thing happening a few years ago with the same neighbours! We had to call the washing machine repair man out and it was the key that was causing the problems! Had history repeated itself?
I spent a very miserable couple of hours deciding what to do. My only option was to phone my friends and confess all in the hope that one of their family had a spare key. Luckily they have no animals or fish to feed and the plants had been given a good water.
I was sitting on the sofa in a state of misery and guilt when Keith's face appeared at the window...he stuck his tongue out at me and then beckoned me to follow him. Hope leapt in me and I raced out of the house and over to our neighbours...Keith had this silly grin on his face and with a flourish, opened the door with the key he held in his hand!! I was so relieved I whooped with delight and danced a little jig of joy! He was my hero!!
But where had the key been? It was in a drawer in a cabinet in our bathroom and I have no idea how it got there. I certainly have no recollection of putting it there as I would have returned it to its normal home downstairs. The children never put things away and when questioned knew nothing about it. Keith had been looking for the nail clippers when he found it and was as amazed as I was when the key fitted the door! I was just over the moon it had been found and I didn't have to contact my friends and worry them!
The rest of the day was great - we glossed the woodwork in Sophie's room and then put everything back, including the new quilt cover and her new pictures. Keith even managed to hang the television on the wall which looks so much better and gives Sophie more room. Mum and Dad called in on their way home from Scarborough where they'd spent the weekend and thought it all looked great!
It's been really windy today - perfect for drying all the bedding, but really damaging to our tender veggie plants so I took them into the conservatory to protect them.
Tonight I am feeling rather tired! No wonder!
I was woken at just after 5am this morning by Keith standing at the window and opening the curtains wide. When I asked what he was doing, he said he could hear a house alarm going off. On our estate, the noise really carries and it sounded like it was coming from behind our house. I went downstairs as I'm looking after a neighbour's house and I was worried it could be coming from there...which it was. I flew back upstairs, hurriedly got dressed and went to get the key to their house...only it wasn't there...
In a panic I remembered we'd been into their house to water the plants and I'd put the key in the pocket of my jeans, which had since been washed! The jeans were in the ironing basket...no key. I went to the washing machine and took out the filter...no key. Back upstairs and in the laundry basket...no key. All the while the alarm was going "WEE WAH, WEE WAH, WEE WAH" and must have woken up quite a few of our neighbours!
I shouted for Keith and went and searched under the washing line.. . no key. By now I was in a state of utter panic but luckily the noise stopped which gave us a few moments to calm down and think about where it could be...
I was convinced it was in the washing machine but there was no way we could remove the drum and check underneath. I have to admit to the same thing happening a few years ago with the same neighbours! We had to call the washing machine repair man out and it was the key that was causing the problems! Had history repeated itself?
I spent a very miserable couple of hours deciding what to do. My only option was to phone my friends and confess all in the hope that one of their family had a spare key. Luckily they have no animals or fish to feed and the plants had been given a good water.
I was sitting on the sofa in a state of misery and guilt when Keith's face appeared at the window...he stuck his tongue out at me and then beckoned me to follow him. Hope leapt in me and I raced out of the house and over to our neighbours...Keith had this silly grin on his face and with a flourish, opened the door with the key he held in his hand!! I was so relieved I whooped with delight and danced a little jig of joy! He was my hero!!
But where had the key been? It was in a drawer in a cabinet in our bathroom and I have no idea how it got there. I certainly have no recollection of putting it there as I would have returned it to its normal home downstairs. The children never put things away and when questioned knew nothing about it. Keith had been looking for the nail clippers when he found it and was as amazed as I was when the key fitted the door! I was just over the moon it had been found and I didn't have to contact my friends and worry them!
The rest of the day was great - we glossed the woodwork in Sophie's room and then put everything back, including the new quilt cover and her new pictures. Keith even managed to hang the television on the wall which looks so much better and gives Sophie more room. Mum and Dad called in on their way home from Scarborough where they'd spent the weekend and thought it all looked great!
It's been really windy today - perfect for drying all the bedding, but really damaging to our tender veggie plants so I took them into the conservatory to protect them.
Tonight I am feeling rather tired! No wonder!
Saturday 3 July 2010
Paint Job
Well, most of Sophie's bedroom has been painted and it looks so much better! There were a lot of scribblings (height marks of the children and their friends) and previous paint samples which all had to be erased before we starting painting properly. We finished the emulsioning at around 1pm, had lunch in the garden and then I ironed Sophie's new curtains so Keith could hang them. It was still warm today but not as hot as previous days and we had all the windows open and the fan on to cool us down. Tomorrow I will gloss the woodwork and put Sophie's new bedding on, so hopefully it will start to look as she imagined it! We then have to buy a new headboard for her bed, a mirror and maybe some new drawers!
Friday 2 July 2010
Looking forward to the weekend?
Another quiet day. We had some rain this morning but not enough to really give the gardens a good drink. Keith came into work with me but he wasn't able to do any gardening because of the rain.
We're all set to decorate tomorrow (groan) and I really hope that it'll be a bit cooler! If we work hard we should get most of it done and then Dad'll give us a hand with the papering. I've decided to book a week off in July as I feel like I really need a break. We had a look at going away for a few nights but Keith is meeting his old chum in Stratford again next Saturday and some work mates the following Wednesday. It's then mum and dad's wedding anniversary on the 16th and I don't think they would appreciate us offloading the children on them that weekend! And then the following Friday the children break up for the summer! I can't believe it's come around so quickly!
I'm trying to persuade Keith to take me to Bruges in September...let's hope he agrees!
We're all set to decorate tomorrow (groan) and I really hope that it'll be a bit cooler! If we work hard we should get most of it done and then Dad'll give us a hand with the papering. I've decided to book a week off in July as I feel like I really need a break. We had a look at going away for a few nights but Keith is meeting his old chum in Stratford again next Saturday and some work mates the following Wednesday. It's then mum and dad's wedding anniversary on the 16th and I don't think they would appreciate us offloading the children on them that weekend! And then the following Friday the children break up for the summer! I can't believe it's come around so quickly!
I'm trying to persuade Keith to take me to Bruges in September...let's hope he agrees!
Thursday 1 July 2010
Half way through the year!
It's hard to believe, but at 12pm today we were exactly half way through 2010...where has the time gone?
It's been another sultry day with a lot of cloud and I'm dying for a great big storm to clear the air. As I write the clouds are very dark but there's no way of knowing whether I'll get my wish. Mikey went off to a school disco tonight at 7pm so we decided to have a drink at the pub to save on diesel...well, that's the excuse anyway! There was a great atmosphere as a few other parents had decided to do the same thing!
It's been another sultry day with a lot of cloud and I'm dying for a great big storm to clear the air. As I write the clouds are very dark but there's no way of knowing whether I'll get my wish. Mikey went off to a school disco tonight at 7pm so we decided to have a drink at the pub to save on diesel...well, that's the excuse anyway! There was a great atmosphere as a few other parents had decided to do the same thing!
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