Today, the weather has been absolutely gorgeous and when I went out in the afternoon to buy a wig for tomorrow night, the temperature was 23c! It was like a beautiful summer's day!
Not really the sort of weather we needed for a half-term holiday and although we had a steady stream of customers, we certainly didn't do as much as we thought we would today. There was a lot of things going on everywhere, though, and this year our town seems to have embraced the Halloween celebrations to the full!
I bought my wig at the same shop where we'd hired Mikey's costume and I also bought a pair of glasses to complete the look. Sophie and I left work at 3.30pm and on the way home I took my filthy car through the car wash. It was long overdue!
In the evening Mum and I went to the Derngate theatre in Northampton to see "South Pacific". I bought the tickets earlier in the year as a Mother's Day present for her and we had a great time. We enjoyed a drink in the bar before the show started and then took our seats which were very near the front so we had a great view.
South Pacific is one of my mum's favourite musicals and even I enjoyed the story and seeing the characters all dressed up on the stage. At the interval I treated mum to an ice-cream and we got into trouble with the woman serving in the kiosk as we helped ourselves from the cabinet. The woman next to me did the same so she got into trouble, too! I have a feeling the staff were a little stressed!
Friday 31 October 2014
Thursday 30 October 2014
Noise and mess rule!
The noise and mess really got to all of us at work today! Even though the weather has been dry, we were as busy as yesterday when it was drizzly.
In the afternoon we went to help clear tables and wash up and there was little black bits and mess everywhere. I certainly won't miss this when we sell the business! Although it was great to be busy the noise levels and just sheer messiness left behind by some customers is difficult to live with all day!
Sophie and I were going to go to the costume hire shop after work as I wanted to look at wigs. I've decided to go to Andrea's Come Dine With Me as Nana Mouskouri, the famous Greek singer, so I thought a dark wig would be great, along with some large black spectacles! Sophie will give me a makeover with heavy black eye liner and I'm going to wear a black trouser suit I have to complete the look!
However, when we left work at almost 5pm, the traffic was really heavy leaving the estate so we just headed home instead. It was lovely to be quiet and Sophie and I watched a couple of episodes of Flip Men before Keith and I went into the conservatory to plan next week's meals over a drink or two!
In the afternoon we went to help clear tables and wash up and there was little black bits and mess everywhere. I certainly won't miss this when we sell the business! Although it was great to be busy the noise levels and just sheer messiness left behind by some customers is difficult to live with all day!
Sophie and I were going to go to the costume hire shop after work as I wanted to look at wigs. I've decided to go to Andrea's Come Dine With Me as Nana Mouskouri, the famous Greek singer, so I thought a dark wig would be great, along with some large black spectacles! Sophie will give me a makeover with heavy black eye liner and I'm going to wear a black trouser suit I have to complete the look!
However, when we left work at almost 5pm, the traffic was really heavy leaving the estate so we just headed home instead. It was lovely to be quiet and Sophie and I watched a couple of episodes of Flip Men before Keith and I went into the conservatory to plan next week's meals over a drink or two!
Wednesday 29 October 2014
Autumn returns!
Today has been as wet and horrible as yesterday was warm and beautiful! Because of this we were busy all day but we had enough staff in to cope with the extra work. I was glad of this as I had lots of paperwork connected to the sale to get through!
I was so busy I barely moved out of the office all day but I didn't miss much as the weather remained horrible, and driving to the local school after work to give blood was not pleasant because of the torrential rain.
We arrived a little early to find all the nurses still on their break, but at least we weren't held up by the sessions running late. There was some doubt as to whether we could give blood as we'd been to the dentist the evening before and had a scale and polish and we had to wait 24 hours...However it was OK for us to donate and before long both of us were in the special chairs and hooked up to the machines. Afterwards we sat and enjoyed a drink and a biscuit before splashing home in the evening gloom. It was a really filthy night!
Back home I had a quick bath and then Keith and I sat in the conservatory and completed some vital paperwork. Mikey is due to have his Meningitis C vaccinations soon and I had to complete the consent papers. I noticed the day he'll be having his shots is his birthday in January! Poor thing!
After we'd sorted out all the paperwork we relaxed with a drink and a game of cards! Heaven!
Tuesday 28 October 2014
Getting ready for Halloween!
It's been another gorgeous day today, with warm temperatures, lots of sunshine and blue skies. The trees look beautiful outlined against the sky and the leaves are really turning now.
Work was pleasantly busy and Sophie and I managed to escape to the bank and New Look for an hour, which was nice. I certainly enjoy having her company at the moment and I'll miss that when she finds herself a full-time job!
Keith brought Mikey in at about 3pm as the children and I had a dentist appointment at 4.30pm. He came to the dentist with us, which was just a straightforward appointment, and then we drove to a costume hire shop a short distance away to hire a Gangster outfit for Mikey who is going to a Halloween party on Friday. I also need a Greek costume for the first of the Come Dine With Me parties on Saturday night. As expected, the shop was very busy with people trying on outfits for the forthcoming celebration so I decided to leave looking for my outfit for another day.
Mikey looked great in his gangster clothes, though! He tried on a suit with a waistcoat and a black trilby hat and really looked the part! He bought a toy gun and holster so he's all set for Friday!
Driving home at 5.30pm in the dark was not pleasant - I know that the darker nights are inevitable but it still comes as a shock when we lose that hour of daylight!
Work was pleasantly busy and Sophie and I managed to escape to the bank and New Look for an hour, which was nice. I certainly enjoy having her company at the moment and I'll miss that when she finds herself a full-time job!
Keith brought Mikey in at about 3pm as the children and I had a dentist appointment at 4.30pm. He came to the dentist with us, which was just a straightforward appointment, and then we drove to a costume hire shop a short distance away to hire a Gangster outfit for Mikey who is going to a Halloween party on Friday. I also need a Greek costume for the first of the Come Dine With Me parties on Saturday night. As expected, the shop was very busy with people trying on outfits for the forthcoming celebration so I decided to leave looking for my outfit for another day.
Mikey looked great in his gangster clothes, though! He tried on a suit with a waistcoat and a black trilby hat and really looked the part! He bought a toy gun and holster so he's all set for Friday!
Driving home at 5.30pm in the dark was not pleasant - I know that the darker nights are inevitable but it still comes as a shock when we lose that hour of daylight!
Monday 27 October 2014
Return of the summer...
Today has been warm, sunny and dry, not really the sort of weather we need this week with it being half-term! We were looking forward to a week of horrible weather so we could make some money after the long hot summer!
Sophie came into work with me today but we spent a lot of time out of the office. She enjoyed accompanying me to my usual Monday haunts and it was great to have her company! In the afternoon we went home early as a copy of the updated contract had arrived from our Solicitor and although we weren't that busy, we needed somewhere quiet to read it through without the constant interruptions.
I dropped Sophie off at home and drove to Mum and Dad's house where we spent two hours struggling with all the legal jargon. Some of it made no sense at all so we made notes and tomorrow, back at work, we'll email our Solicitors and ask for a clearer explanation. Why don't they give notes to people in plain English so they can understand and then type up the formal document in legal-speak?
After all that concentrating I went home and suggested to Sophie that we go to the gym for a swim, and very enjoyable it was too! The pool was quiet (no swimming lessons this week) and we had a blissful half hour relaxing in the spa!
Sophie came into work with me today but we spent a lot of time out of the office. She enjoyed accompanying me to my usual Monday haunts and it was great to have her company! In the afternoon we went home early as a copy of the updated contract had arrived from our Solicitor and although we weren't that busy, we needed somewhere quiet to read it through without the constant interruptions.
I dropped Sophie off at home and drove to Mum and Dad's house where we spent two hours struggling with all the legal jargon. Some of it made no sense at all so we made notes and tomorrow, back at work, we'll email our Solicitors and ask for a clearer explanation. Why don't they give notes to people in plain English so they can understand and then type up the formal document in legal-speak?
After all that concentrating I went home and suggested to Sophie that we go to the gym for a swim, and very enjoyable it was too! The pool was quiet (no swimming lessons this week) and we had a blissful half hour relaxing in the spa!
Sunday 26 October 2014
Sunday...a "Non-day"!
Well, the clocks went back last night so we all gained an extra hour in bed this morning! I was very thankful, as after my busy day yesterday I was hoping for a restful Sunday!
The morning was taken up with going to Booker to get some stuff for the business and then taking Sophie into work. By the time we arrived home it was after midday so time for a coffee and some lunch before spending the afternoon doing very little. I did consider washing the car but it really wasn't a nice day and there was a nasty cold little wind that made me decide to stay indoors in the warm!
It was lovely to sit and do some research on my family tree without feeling guilty and after I'd picked Sophie up from work we settled down on the sofa to read the Sunday papers and looked forward to a delicious, warming beef casserole for dinner!
The morning was taken up with going to Booker to get some stuff for the business and then taking Sophie into work. By the time we arrived home it was after midday so time for a coffee and some lunch before spending the afternoon doing very little. I did consider washing the car but it really wasn't a nice day and there was a nasty cold little wind that made me decide to stay indoors in the warm!
It was lovely to sit and do some research on my family tree without feeling guilty and after I'd picked Sophie up from work we settled down on the sofa to read the Sunday papers and looked forward to a delicious, warming beef casserole for dinner!
Saturday 25 October 2014
Afternoon tea on the Thames
Today I travelled down to London with my friends Lynda, Fiona and Andrea for a day of celebrating Lynda's Birthday. I think they must have been the longest Birthday jubilations ever as she was 60 back in August!
We picked Lynda up at 8.45am and drove straight to Northampton station. The place is still a mess with no sign of the new building being ready yet. We were due to get the 9.25am train but that was late so it was almost 10am by the time we were on our way. The train was packed to the gunnels, probably because it was the start of the half-term holidays.
From Euston station we took the Underground to Leicester Square and queued up for theatre tickets for the evening. We were unsure what to go and see but "Ghost Stories" looked good and also the show "Once". However, we couldn't get four seats together for Ghost Stories and there were no discounted tickets available for Once (£70 for a seat!) so we decided on The Commitments at the Palace Theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue.
Once this had been sorted out we walked the short distance to the lovely Caffe Concerto for a late breakfast. As usual I was desperate for a coffee! We all chose Eggs Benedict with bacon and the meal was delicious.
After breakfast we walked to the National Gallery and I suggested we go and see one of my favourite paintings - Susanna at her Bath by Francesco Hayez - but I couldn't remember the artist or when it had been painted. I asked a member of staff who said he'd never heard of it and that it definitely wasn't in the gallery! Luckily, Andrea has a great iPhone so she googled the name of the painting and we were able to find it straight away. It was as lovely as I remembered and the girls agreed with me. We also saw Fiona's favourite, the painting of the famous racehorse, Whistlejacket, by Stubbs and then wandered into the Impressionist gallery and had a good look at Van Gogh's Sunflowers. I still don't understand what all the fuss is about with Van Gogh's paintings as a lot of art in the National Gallery is, in my opinion, far better!
We left the National Gallery and walked through Trafalgar Square where a large NFL Fan Rally was in progress. It was manic! The streets were packed with people and we briefly stopped at Horseguards Parade to see the horses...
We passed the Cenotaph and made our way past the Houses of Parliament to the Embankment. We still had an hour before we were due to board our river cruise so we popped into The Princess of Wales pub near Charing Cross for a glass of wine. It made sense to order a bottle between the four of us and it was great to sit and relax for half an hour in the busy pub.
Before long, it was time to board the Bateaux cruises for our afternoon tea! We had a fantastic view over the Thames...
The afternoon tea was very pleasant, indeed! We had a table right next to a large picture window which gave us a great view of all the sights including the London Eye, the Shard, the Globe Theatre and Cleopatra's Needle to name just a few. Our meal started with a choice of teas (I went for English Breakfast) followed by sandwiches. We enjoyed cheese and cucumber, ham and smoked salmon and there was plenty to go around. After the sandwiches we were given freshly made warm scones with clotted cream and jam, macaroons, doughnuts, mini lemon meringe pies and chocolate eclairs. Delicious!
Our lovely glass teapots were regularly refilled and by the time we returned to our starting point we were all stuffed! I would definitely recommend the trip!
www.bateauxlondon.com
We all waddled off the boat and made our way to the Underground at Westminster. From here, Lynda wanted to go to Harrods so we decided to catch the train but had a nasty experience when Andrea became trapped in the doors. The platform was so busy with people the whole journey was very unpleasant and as we all tried to get on, the doors shut, almost trapping her between them. We told her how many stops it was to Knightsbridge, but she managed to get off even though she nearly became trapped again. It was a frightening experience.
We all agreed that the Underground was horrible - it was stiflingly hot and crowded beyond belief. It was lovely to get back up to ground level and be cool again as we walked to the famous store. Our first stop was a loo break and we passed the Champagne bar on the way, with several people sitting on stools and enjoying a glass or two. Lovely! It reminded me very much of KaDeWe in Berlin where Keith and I enjoyed a glass of champagne once, as a treat.
I noticed a glass cabinet with a Boodles necklace...
Sophie and I had watched a television series about Boodles earlier in the year and it was great to see one of their pieces. The sapphires and diamonds were beautiful!
On the way to the Food Hall I gasped at the prices of two cashmere jumpers - one was £950 which I found unbelievable, but another was £1350! Who in their right mind would pay that for an item of clothing?!
In the Food Hall, Lynda and Fiona bought a couple of Christmas presents and we had a good look at the fresh fruit and vegetables which didn't look real, it was all so perfect...and with perfect prices too!
Rather than go back down to the Underground we caught a taxi to Shaftesbury Avenue which was lovely, albeit a tad costly at £20. Still, it was worth it as by now we were all a bit weary and it was great to ride in comfort to the theatre. The traffic was horrendous and our driver took us along a short cut through Bond Street and Regent Street which were crammed with shoppers.
The Palace Theatre (built in 1891) is beautiful and in the bar we admired the lovely marble everywhere. We enjoyed a glass of wine before the show and ordered another bottle for the interval. We had great seats in the Dress Circle but a couple of women a few rows in front of us were determined to spoil the show for those around them. They had a small girl with them and had obviously been drinking heavily before and during the show. In the second half all of them were escorted out of the theatre and peace reigned once more!
The show was very good indeed and at the end we were all on our feet clapping, singing and dancing along with the music. We emerged into the night at 10pm and with the aid of Andrea's phone, found the nearest Underground. Even though it was late the streets were still crammed with people and bars and restaurants were doing a brisk trade. Does London ever sleep?
We had an uneventful journey back to Euston and then made it onto the 22.34 train back to Northampton. Sophie texted me to say that her and Keith were at the station and it was heaven to sit in the car and be driven home! We dropped Lynda off and then it was back to have a quiet drink and a slice of Keith's chocolate cheesecake before bed!
We picked Lynda up at 8.45am and drove straight to Northampton station. The place is still a mess with no sign of the new building being ready yet. We were due to get the 9.25am train but that was late so it was almost 10am by the time we were on our way. The train was packed to the gunnels, probably because it was the start of the half-term holidays.
From Euston station we took the Underground to Leicester Square and queued up for theatre tickets for the evening. We were unsure what to go and see but "Ghost Stories" looked good and also the show "Once". However, we couldn't get four seats together for Ghost Stories and there were no discounted tickets available for Once (£70 for a seat!) so we decided on The Commitments at the Palace Theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue.
Once this had been sorted out we walked the short distance to the lovely Caffe Concerto for a late breakfast. As usual I was desperate for a coffee! We all chose Eggs Benedict with bacon and the meal was delicious.
After breakfast we walked to the National Gallery and I suggested we go and see one of my favourite paintings - Susanna at her Bath by Francesco Hayez - but I couldn't remember the artist or when it had been painted. I asked a member of staff who said he'd never heard of it and that it definitely wasn't in the gallery! Luckily, Andrea has a great iPhone so she googled the name of the painting and we were able to find it straight away. It was as lovely as I remembered and the girls agreed with me. We also saw Fiona's favourite, the painting of the famous racehorse, Whistlejacket, by Stubbs and then wandered into the Impressionist gallery and had a good look at Van Gogh's Sunflowers. I still don't understand what all the fuss is about with Van Gogh's paintings as a lot of art in the National Gallery is, in my opinion, far better!
We left the National Gallery and walked through Trafalgar Square where a large NFL Fan Rally was in progress. It was manic! The streets were packed with people and we briefly stopped at Horseguards Parade to see the horses...
We passed the Cenotaph and made our way past the Houses of Parliament to the Embankment. We still had an hour before we were due to board our river cruise so we popped into The Princess of Wales pub near Charing Cross for a glass of wine. It made sense to order a bottle between the four of us and it was great to sit and relax for half an hour in the busy pub.
Before long, it was time to board the Bateaux cruises for our afternoon tea! We had a fantastic view over the Thames...
The afternoon tea was very pleasant, indeed! We had a table right next to a large picture window which gave us a great view of all the sights including the London Eye, the Shard, the Globe Theatre and Cleopatra's Needle to name just a few. Our meal started with a choice of teas (I went for English Breakfast) followed by sandwiches. We enjoyed cheese and cucumber, ham and smoked salmon and there was plenty to go around. After the sandwiches we were given freshly made warm scones with clotted cream and jam, macaroons, doughnuts, mini lemon meringe pies and chocolate eclairs. Delicious!
Our lovely glass teapots were regularly refilled and by the time we returned to our starting point we were all stuffed! I would definitely recommend the trip!
www.bateauxlondon.com
We all waddled off the boat and made our way to the Underground at Westminster. From here, Lynda wanted to go to Harrods so we decided to catch the train but had a nasty experience when Andrea became trapped in the doors. The platform was so busy with people the whole journey was very unpleasant and as we all tried to get on, the doors shut, almost trapping her between them. We told her how many stops it was to Knightsbridge, but she managed to get off even though she nearly became trapped again. It was a frightening experience.
We all agreed that the Underground was horrible - it was stiflingly hot and crowded beyond belief. It was lovely to get back up to ground level and be cool again as we walked to the famous store. Our first stop was a loo break and we passed the Champagne bar on the way, with several people sitting on stools and enjoying a glass or two. Lovely! It reminded me very much of KaDeWe in Berlin where Keith and I enjoyed a glass of champagne once, as a treat.
I noticed a glass cabinet with a Boodles necklace...
Sophie and I had watched a television series about Boodles earlier in the year and it was great to see one of their pieces. The sapphires and diamonds were beautiful!
On the way to the Food Hall I gasped at the prices of two cashmere jumpers - one was £950 which I found unbelievable, but another was £1350! Who in their right mind would pay that for an item of clothing?!
In the Food Hall, Lynda and Fiona bought a couple of Christmas presents and we had a good look at the fresh fruit and vegetables which didn't look real, it was all so perfect...and with perfect prices too!
Rather than go back down to the Underground we caught a taxi to Shaftesbury Avenue which was lovely, albeit a tad costly at £20. Still, it was worth it as by now we were all a bit weary and it was great to ride in comfort to the theatre. The traffic was horrendous and our driver took us along a short cut through Bond Street and Regent Street which were crammed with shoppers.
The Palace Theatre (built in 1891) is beautiful and in the bar we admired the lovely marble everywhere. We enjoyed a glass of wine before the show and ordered another bottle for the interval. We had great seats in the Dress Circle but a couple of women a few rows in front of us were determined to spoil the show for those around them. They had a small girl with them and had obviously been drinking heavily before and during the show. In the second half all of them were escorted out of the theatre and peace reigned once more!
The show was very good indeed and at the end we were all on our feet clapping, singing and dancing along with the music. We emerged into the night at 10pm and with the aid of Andrea's phone, found the nearest Underground. Even though it was late the streets were still crammed with people and bars and restaurants were doing a brisk trade. Does London ever sleep?
We had an uneventful journey back to Euston and then made it onto the 22.34 train back to Northampton. Sophie texted me to say that her and Keith were at the station and it was heaven to sit in the car and be driven home! We dropped Lynda off and then it was back to have a quiet drink and a slice of Keith's chocolate cheesecake before bed!
Friday 24 October 2014
Busy end to the week!
Today we were certainly flavour of the month with customers as we were busy all day. This meant that we had to help out at lunchtime so it looks like the half-term break has started early!
Sophie and I had every intention of going to the gym after work but on the way we decided that as I had a busy day on Saturday we would grab the opportunity to go home and relax. The weather changed in the evening and we had torrential downpours of rain. Tomorrow I'm in London all day so I hope the weather improves!
Sophie and I had every intention of going to the gym after work but on the way we decided that as I had a busy day on Saturday we would grab the opportunity to go home and relax. The weather changed in the evening and we had torrential downpours of rain. Tomorrow I'm in London all day so I hope the weather improves!
Thursday 23 October 2014
Changes afoot!
This evening, after work, Keith and I walked up to the village pub for a quiet drink. We were surprised to find that there was a new Manager in the pub! Keith had suspected that the woman running the place was going to go (sometimes I think he's psychic!) so he was proved very right indeed!
We had a lovely drink and the pub quickly filled up with regulars who also looked a bit surprised when they walked in to see a new face behind the bar.
After walking home in the dark (the clocks go back on Sunday) we made dinner of sausages, roasted veg and potato wedges and then watched the last episode of Crimes of Passion. It's been a great series and I'm hoping that there'll be more to come of the Swedish drama!
We had a lovely drink and the pub quickly filled up with regulars who also looked a bit surprised when they walked in to see a new face behind the bar.
After walking home in the dark (the clocks go back on Sunday) we made dinner of sausages, roasted veg and potato wedges and then watched the last episode of Crimes of Passion. It's been a great series and I'm hoping that there'll be more to come of the Swedish drama!
Wednesday 22 October 2014
The big question...
This morning, the commute into work was the worst I've ever known. Keith left just after me to take Mikey and actually arrived at work before me as the route I took was congested with bin-men and tractors. If ever I got into Government I would ban all slow moving vehicles from going on the roads until after 9am.
Because of this and a few other things I was very grumpy when I arrived at work, but luckily my mood improved over the course of the day. It was great to leave work at 4pm and go to the gym! I tried to think of the last time we went to the gym on a Wednesday and thought it was only a few weeks, but it was actually the 21 May! 22 weeks ago! Where has the time gone?
Anyway, we worked a bit harder this evening and then went and had a lovely wallow in the jacuzzi, which was bliss. When we arrived home Keith and I sat and had a quiet drink and after dinner I watched another episode of Human Universe. The question was, "Why are we here?" and it was very interesting indeed. I find it incredible that the reason we are all alive today is based on an unending chain of events stretching back millions (billions?) of years and just one break in that chain would have prevented us being born and walking around today. Big questions, indeed!
Because of this and a few other things I was very grumpy when I arrived at work, but luckily my mood improved over the course of the day. It was great to leave work at 4pm and go to the gym! I tried to think of the last time we went to the gym on a Wednesday and thought it was only a few weeks, but it was actually the 21 May! 22 weeks ago! Where has the time gone?
Anyway, we worked a bit harder this evening and then went and had a lovely wallow in the jacuzzi, which was bliss. When we arrived home Keith and I sat and had a quiet drink and after dinner I watched another episode of Human Universe. The question was, "Why are we here?" and it was very interesting indeed. I find it incredible that the reason we are all alive today is based on an unending chain of events stretching back millions (billions?) of years and just one break in that chain would have prevented us being born and walking around today. Big questions, indeed!
Tuesday 21 October 2014
Flying leaves...
This morning, the journey into work was not pleasant at all. The roadworks continue to be a real pain and the weather this morning, with the tail-end of Hurricane Gonzalo affecting the UK, was terrible. The rain lashed down and the wind blew thousands of leaves about like snow!
I had to really make an effort to do some work this morning as I wanted to be as far away from Northampton as possible. A sunbed by the pool in Florida would have been perfect!
However, after I gave myself a stern talking to, I did manage to get a lot of work done and I spoke to my parents about starting to pack up our personal stuff from the office to take home. It really does look like we'll all be leaving in November and I need to start deleting personal stuff on my computer and taking home old diaries and photos of the children that I have pinned up on the walls. It will feel very strange indeed!
Sophie and I thought we'd be at work until 6.30pm today, but unexpectedly another member of staff came in so we were able to go home early! Yippee! I can't remember the last Tuesday we were home before 5pm! I made the most of it by catching up with a recorded programme of Human Universe which I found fascinating. Outside, the rain and wind started again and I felt sorry for Mikey who was doing outdoor PE at Army Cadets.
However, we received another reprieve when I took a call saying that as they hadn't enough adults to supervise, this week's session was cancelled! It felt so good not to have to venture out into the rain and the wind and I celebrated by comparing my two Spice Tree whiskies while cooking dinner! What a treat!
I had to really make an effort to do some work this morning as I wanted to be as far away from Northampton as possible. A sunbed by the pool in Florida would have been perfect!
However, after I gave myself a stern talking to, I did manage to get a lot of work done and I spoke to my parents about starting to pack up our personal stuff from the office to take home. It really does look like we'll all be leaving in November and I need to start deleting personal stuff on my computer and taking home old diaries and photos of the children that I have pinned up on the walls. It will feel very strange indeed!
Sophie and I thought we'd be at work until 6.30pm today, but unexpectedly another member of staff came in so we were able to go home early! Yippee! I can't remember the last Tuesday we were home before 5pm! I made the most of it by catching up with a recorded programme of Human Universe which I found fascinating. Outside, the rain and wind started again and I felt sorry for Mikey who was doing outdoor PE at Army Cadets.
However, we received another reprieve when I took a call saying that as they hadn't enough adults to supervise, this week's session was cancelled! It felt so good not to have to venture out into the rain and the wind and I celebrated by comparing my two Spice Tree whiskies while cooking dinner! What a treat!
Monday 20 October 2014
Monday routine...
We had a good meeting with a representative of the new buyers this morning and discussed the transfer of the staff and other matters. It looks very much like it's going ahead and they will probably take over some time in November.
After lunch I cleaned another one of the tube slides and then it was home to pick up Sophie and go to the gym. My daughter has a rotten cold at the moment and didn't feel like working out so we both agreed to go for a swim and then sit in the spa. I suggested she sit in the steam room for a while as I thought it would be great for her cold but after a couple of minutes she couldn't stand the steamy atmosphere any more and went back into the jacuzzi!
Back home we enjoyed an evening of Desperate Housewives and awaited the tail end of Hurricane Gonzalo which is due to strike the UK tonight and tomorrow!
After lunch I cleaned another one of the tube slides and then it was home to pick up Sophie and go to the gym. My daughter has a rotten cold at the moment and didn't feel like working out so we both agreed to go for a swim and then sit in the spa. I suggested she sit in the steam room for a while as I thought it would be great for her cold but after a couple of minutes she couldn't stand the steamy atmosphere any more and went back into the jacuzzi!
Back home we enjoyed an evening of Desperate Housewives and awaited the tail end of Hurricane Gonzalo which is due to strike the UK tonight and tomorrow!
Sunday 19 October 2014
A wee bit hungover...
I woke up this morning with the mother of all headaches, even though I don't think I drank that much last night, and I certainly didn't indulge in any red wine like some I could name!
I went downstairs, blearily made myself a cup of coffee and took some Nurofen. After an hour I still felt rough so I went back to bed and listened to Keith clearing up the few glasses that needed washing by hand. He seemed very cheerful even though he'd drunk beer and wine as well as the whisky!
There was no way I felt able to drive Sophie to work and go to Booker so I left that to Keith and went and lay on the sofa. Luckily, I fell asleep and when I woke up I felt much better which was a good thing as Mikey wanted me to drive him to Brixworth to meet his mates.
When I got back I hung some washing out as it was a beautiful day and really breezy and waited for Keith to come home so I could make us lunch of leftover fried poatoes! A great hangover cure!
The rest of the day was spent doing very little and I didn't feel in the least bit guilty! Sophie treated me to a coffee at Costa when she finished work and we headed home via Brixworth to pick up Mikey.
Before dinner I had a small glass of red wine but that was my lot for tonight!
I went downstairs, blearily made myself a cup of coffee and took some Nurofen. After an hour I still felt rough so I went back to bed and listened to Keith clearing up the few glasses that needed washing by hand. He seemed very cheerful even though he'd drunk beer and wine as well as the whisky!
There was no way I felt able to drive Sophie to work and go to Booker so I left that to Keith and went and lay on the sofa. Luckily, I fell asleep and when I woke up I felt much better which was a good thing as Mikey wanted me to drive him to Brixworth to meet his mates.
When I got back I hung some washing out as it was a beautiful day and really breezy and waited for Keith to come home so I could make us lunch of leftover fried poatoes! A great hangover cure!
The rest of the day was spent doing very little and I didn't feel in the least bit guilty! Sophie treated me to a coffee at Costa when she finished work and we headed home via Brixworth to pick up Mikey.
Before dinner I had a small glass of red wine but that was my lot for tonight!
Saturday 18 October 2014
Celebrating all things Scottish!
Today has been spent getting ready for my Scottish night, when I'll be opening a bottle of Compass Box Spice Tree that was banned in 2006 by the Scotch Whisky Association. Duncan gave me a bottle when I left his employment and I've been hanging onto it ever since, but I decided that the time had come to open it and compare it with a newer bottling. To open it with friends and family would be perfect!
My first job was to stuff the chicken breasts with my whisky-infused haggis and wrap them in bacon and let them chill. I was dreading this but it all went well and I covered them in foil and put them in the fridge, all nicely tucked up.
After breakfast I cleaned the conservatory and set the table before taking Sophie to work. Luckily, Keith was going to see his local football team play this afternoon so he would bring her home. I dashed home to put the finishing touches to the conservatory (a tartan runner looked lovely on the table) and then Keith helped me make the smoked salmon pate. This involved slicing up the salmon and putting it into a blender with cream cheese, double cream, lemon juice and chives and blending until it was smooth-ish.
Once this was done and the pate put into little ramekins to chill, I sorted out all the plates and glasses (I'm fanatical about clean glasses), prepared the veggies and popped to Tesco to buy a bottle of whisky liqueur and to look for a mushroom sauce. However, all I could find were sauces containing garlic, which I didn't want, so I had no choice but to make my own! I went home, made a loaf of wholemeal bread and then started on the sauce. Rather than add the mushrooms as I was stirring the sauce, I left them separate and the white sauce turned out fine this time. It took me an hour to sort it all out so I just had time to clean the rest of downstairs, make the Cranachan (whipped cream, toasted oatmeal, raspberries, honey and whisky all mixed together) and then go and have a much-needed bath!
Keith arrived home with Sophie and she ordered a Chinese take-away from the van in the village. Before they went down to collect it she did my hair and make-up for me and then all I had to do was get dressed.
I kept away from the kitchen when the kids were sorting out their Chinese, but I wasn't too happy about the smell in the living room while they were eating their dinner. Thankfully, we were not using the living room and I went around the house spaying Febreze to get rid of the food smells!
Mum and Dad arrived first with flowers and chocolates and a bottle of Auchentoshan. Just as I was making their whisky cocktails, Sarah and Liam arrived with two half bottles of whisky and some Scottish-themed cup cakes! Wonderful!
The whisky cocktails went down well - I made a Rusty Nail which was two parts whisky, one part Glayva - and then we settled down to taste the whiskies. We tried Dad's first which was delicious and we followed this with Sarah's choice, a half bottle of High Commissioner which she'd bought for £4 in a dodgy shop in Northampton! All I can say is you get what you pay for!
The original Compass Box was up first and thankfully, I thought it was delicious. To be honest, I don't remember much about the taste so one evening Keith and I will sit quietly and compare them again because by now we'd all had a fair bit to drink and I was pre-occupied with thinking about the dinner!
We had our starters of smoked salmon pate and I put the main course on to cook. We tried the second bottle of Spice Tree, the bottle of Glen Deveron that I'd bought in the Duty Free in Orlando (gorgeous!) and then Liam's Caol Ila which was deliciously peaty. A bottle of Jura and my Talisker also made it to the table and then with dinner Keith opened a bottle of the Dark Horse wine so it all became a bit blurry! Luckily the dinner turned out fine and I added the mushrooms to the sauce and simmered them gently before pouring over the chicken. I also heated up some haggis and added that to the food on the table.
We carried on drinking the whiskies (and the wine!) and I served dessert followed by cheese and biscuits. Mum and Dad left shortly after the cheese and the four of us relaxed on the sofas and had a great chat, accompanied by our favourite tipples. I was really impressed with the Glen Deveron which was soft and fruity so I had some more of that.
My wonderful daughter did all the clearing up for me and after Sarah and Liam had gone home, we sat for a little while before going to bed. I didn't feel like I'd had a lot to drink but I did feel pleasantly woozy!
My first job was to stuff the chicken breasts with my whisky-infused haggis and wrap them in bacon and let them chill. I was dreading this but it all went well and I covered them in foil and put them in the fridge, all nicely tucked up.
After breakfast I cleaned the conservatory and set the table before taking Sophie to work. Luckily, Keith was going to see his local football team play this afternoon so he would bring her home. I dashed home to put the finishing touches to the conservatory (a tartan runner looked lovely on the table) and then Keith helped me make the smoked salmon pate. This involved slicing up the salmon and putting it into a blender with cream cheese, double cream, lemon juice and chives and blending until it was smooth-ish.
Once this was done and the pate put into little ramekins to chill, I sorted out all the plates and glasses (I'm fanatical about clean glasses), prepared the veggies and popped to Tesco to buy a bottle of whisky liqueur and to look for a mushroom sauce. However, all I could find were sauces containing garlic, which I didn't want, so I had no choice but to make my own! I went home, made a loaf of wholemeal bread and then started on the sauce. Rather than add the mushrooms as I was stirring the sauce, I left them separate and the white sauce turned out fine this time. It took me an hour to sort it all out so I just had time to clean the rest of downstairs, make the Cranachan (whipped cream, toasted oatmeal, raspberries, honey and whisky all mixed together) and then go and have a much-needed bath!
Keith arrived home with Sophie and she ordered a Chinese take-away from the van in the village. Before they went down to collect it she did my hair and make-up for me and then all I had to do was get dressed.
I kept away from the kitchen when the kids were sorting out their Chinese, but I wasn't too happy about the smell in the living room while they were eating their dinner. Thankfully, we were not using the living room and I went around the house spaying Febreze to get rid of the food smells!
Mum and Dad arrived first with flowers and chocolates and a bottle of Auchentoshan. Just as I was making their whisky cocktails, Sarah and Liam arrived with two half bottles of whisky and some Scottish-themed cup cakes! Wonderful!
The whisky cocktails went down well - I made a Rusty Nail which was two parts whisky, one part Glayva - and then we settled down to taste the whiskies. We tried Dad's first which was delicious and we followed this with Sarah's choice, a half bottle of High Commissioner which she'd bought for £4 in a dodgy shop in Northampton! All I can say is you get what you pay for!
The original Compass Box was up first and thankfully, I thought it was delicious. To be honest, I don't remember much about the taste so one evening Keith and I will sit quietly and compare them again because by now we'd all had a fair bit to drink and I was pre-occupied with thinking about the dinner!
We had our starters of smoked salmon pate and I put the main course on to cook. We tried the second bottle of Spice Tree, the bottle of Glen Deveron that I'd bought in the Duty Free in Orlando (gorgeous!) and then Liam's Caol Ila which was deliciously peaty. A bottle of Jura and my Talisker also made it to the table and then with dinner Keith opened a bottle of the Dark Horse wine so it all became a bit blurry! Luckily the dinner turned out fine and I added the mushrooms to the sauce and simmered them gently before pouring over the chicken. I also heated up some haggis and added that to the food on the table.
We carried on drinking the whiskies (and the wine!) and I served dessert followed by cheese and biscuits. Mum and Dad left shortly after the cheese and the four of us relaxed on the sofas and had a great chat, accompanied by our favourite tipples. I was really impressed with the Glen Deveron which was soft and fruity so I had some more of that.
My wonderful daughter did all the clearing up for me and after Sarah and Liam had gone home, we sat for a little while before going to bed. I didn't feel like I'd had a lot to drink but I did feel pleasantly woozy!
Friday 17 October 2014
A lunchtime treat...
Sophie and I had today off work but I hadn't planned on sitting with Mikey in the doctor's surgery for almost an hour first thing! We'd made an appointment as he kept saying his back was hurting and when we eventually went in to see the doctor, he explained that Mikey had jarred the muscles in his back from playing either football or rugby and the only thing he could do was rest and not play for a few weeks.
Keith was also in the surgery having a blood test so he took Mikey back to school while I went off home to get ready for a shopping trip to Milton Keynes with Sophie. Our first stop when we arrived was a drink in Costa Coffee and I treated myself to a chocolate pastry as I hadn't had any breakfast yet.
After our refreshment stop, we headed to M&S where I bought myself a new outfit for my dinner party tomorrow. The shop was full of Christmas gifts yet it was about 20c outside! I'm just not ready to even think about all that yet and I said again to Sophie that all mention of Christmas should be banned until at least the end of November!
After M&S we headed to River Island where Sophie bought a "Monty" bag - a handbag that was the same shade of fur as Monty-cat. I then managed to dissuade her from buying yet more jewellery in Accessorize and we headed off to New Look for a quick rummage before taking our bags back to the car and walking to - where else? - Las Iguanas! Sophie was very kindly treating me to lunch which was lovely!
It was still very warm (unseasonably warm in my opinion!) but we sat inside the restaurant and Sophie ordered herself a Mojito. I stuck to fizzy water, but I did have a sip of Sophie's drink and found it a little tame. She seemed to think so, too and ordered a Caiprinha which was much stronger! As it was Happy Hour, she received two!
For starters we ordered nachos with chicken followed by Fajitas for Soph and a new dish for me, chicken with chorizo. I have to say I was a bit disappointed in my choice as there was hardly any chicken and the taste was lacking. I do a better one at home!
We couldn't resist dessert of Dulce de Leche cheesecake and then it was time to waddle back to the car and return home. On the way we called into Beckworth Emporium where I bought some cheese for tomorrow and a big bag of flour to make bread.
Needless to say we didn't eat again this evening!
Keith was also in the surgery having a blood test so he took Mikey back to school while I went off home to get ready for a shopping trip to Milton Keynes with Sophie. Our first stop when we arrived was a drink in Costa Coffee and I treated myself to a chocolate pastry as I hadn't had any breakfast yet.
After our refreshment stop, we headed to M&S where I bought myself a new outfit for my dinner party tomorrow. The shop was full of Christmas gifts yet it was about 20c outside! I'm just not ready to even think about all that yet and I said again to Sophie that all mention of Christmas should be banned until at least the end of November!
After M&S we headed to River Island where Sophie bought a "Monty" bag - a handbag that was the same shade of fur as Monty-cat. I then managed to dissuade her from buying yet more jewellery in Accessorize and we headed off to New Look for a quick rummage before taking our bags back to the car and walking to - where else? - Las Iguanas! Sophie was very kindly treating me to lunch which was lovely!
It was still very warm (unseasonably warm in my opinion!) but we sat inside the restaurant and Sophie ordered herself a Mojito. I stuck to fizzy water, but I did have a sip of Sophie's drink and found it a little tame. She seemed to think so, too and ordered a Caiprinha which was much stronger! As it was Happy Hour, she received two!
For starters we ordered nachos with chicken followed by Fajitas for Soph and a new dish for me, chicken with chorizo. I have to say I was a bit disappointed in my choice as there was hardly any chicken and the taste was lacking. I do a better one at home!
We couldn't resist dessert of Dulce de Leche cheesecake and then it was time to waddle back to the car and return home. On the way we called into Beckworth Emporium where I bought some cheese for tomorrow and a big bag of flour to make bread.
Needless to say we didn't eat again this evening!
Thursday 16 October 2014
An early finish!
Beautiful sunrise this morning...
It was great to finish work at 4pm today, pick up Sophie from her friend's house and go to the gym to have an eyebrow shape (I was on the way to having a unibrow!). While I was being plucked and waxed, Sophie went off to the cafe and I joined her there afterwards for a quick coffee.
Back at home Keith and I sat in the conservatory for our weekly meal planning session and I took out all my recipe books to have a look at trying something new. In the next few weeks I want to try out some new dishes but tonight I contented myself with making a mushroom, leek and onion sauce to go with our Toad in the Hole. It was lovely and creamy and would have been great covered in breadcrumbs and cheese and baked in the oven as a vegetarian main course!
It was great to finish work at 4pm today, pick up Sophie from her friend's house and go to the gym to have an eyebrow shape (I was on the way to having a unibrow!). While I was being plucked and waxed, Sophie went off to the cafe and I joined her there afterwards for a quick coffee.
Back at home Keith and I sat in the conservatory for our weekly meal planning session and I took out all my recipe books to have a look at trying something new. In the next few weeks I want to try out some new dishes but tonight I contented myself with making a mushroom, leek and onion sauce to go with our Toad in the Hole. It was lovely and creamy and would have been great covered in breadcrumbs and cheese and baked in the oven as a vegetarian main course!
Wednesday 15 October 2014
Woeful Wednesday!
This morning was a mite stressful - I'm beginning to dread Wednesdays!
Sophie and I were late into work because of the horrendous traffic in Moulton and it's becoming a real problem at the moment. They're building about 150 houses just off the main street which is putting pressure on the school traffic every morning. As well as the building works, there's also temporary traffic lights that hold everything up so it's a real chore, and going an alternative way is just as bad. Even if Mikey took the school bus I'd still have to come this way so there's nothing to do but grit our teeth and look forward to when it's all finished.
Ian, our handyman, came in this morning to fix some lights that weren't working but he wanted me to sort him an email address out and had brought his laptop in with him. In between trying to do that I had a delivery for a neighbour which arrived on a huge lorry and had to be manhandled into our Reception area. Just after this was off-loaded our own Booker delivery came and it was all hands on deck to put it away before Sophie disappeared off on her driving lesson!
Then, Keith and Ian sat in the office and started an order with Matalan, for Ian's wife. I wanted Keith to keep an eye on Reception for me as I was running backwards and forwards like a mad thing, trying to help Polly serve, wash up, clear tables and try and do some of my own work! In the end I insisted that Keith look after the Reception desk for me and Ian went home, still looking confused about accessing his new email address!
Luckily calm was restored when Sophie arrived back from her driving lesson and took over for us. We went off to Jones's to get some bits for work and some sundae dishes for my dinner party on Saturday night.
When we got back Ian arrived again and stood in the office with us for almost an hour, which I found very annoying! Sometimes I feel like our office is a smaller version of Piccadilly Circus as everyone and anyone wanders in whenever they feel like it! No matter that we may be in the middle of a private conversation or have things on our desk that are confidential! After a while I urged Keith to go home as Mikey was due back from school and thankfully, peace reigned!
We left work at just after 6pm and the weather had turned stormy, with torrential rain and winds. It was bliss to get home, light the candles and relax!
Sophie and I were late into work because of the horrendous traffic in Moulton and it's becoming a real problem at the moment. They're building about 150 houses just off the main street which is putting pressure on the school traffic every morning. As well as the building works, there's also temporary traffic lights that hold everything up so it's a real chore, and going an alternative way is just as bad. Even if Mikey took the school bus I'd still have to come this way so there's nothing to do but grit our teeth and look forward to when it's all finished.
Ian, our handyman, came in this morning to fix some lights that weren't working but he wanted me to sort him an email address out and had brought his laptop in with him. In between trying to do that I had a delivery for a neighbour which arrived on a huge lorry and had to be manhandled into our Reception area. Just after this was off-loaded our own Booker delivery came and it was all hands on deck to put it away before Sophie disappeared off on her driving lesson!
Then, Keith and Ian sat in the office and started an order with Matalan, for Ian's wife. I wanted Keith to keep an eye on Reception for me as I was running backwards and forwards like a mad thing, trying to help Polly serve, wash up, clear tables and try and do some of my own work! In the end I insisted that Keith look after the Reception desk for me and Ian went home, still looking confused about accessing his new email address!
Luckily calm was restored when Sophie arrived back from her driving lesson and took over for us. We went off to Jones's to get some bits for work and some sundae dishes for my dinner party on Saturday night.
When we got back Ian arrived again and stood in the office with us for almost an hour, which I found very annoying! Sometimes I feel like our office is a smaller version of Piccadilly Circus as everyone and anyone wanders in whenever they feel like it! No matter that we may be in the middle of a private conversation or have things on our desk that are confidential! After a while I urged Keith to go home as Mikey was due back from school and thankfully, peace reigned!
We left work at just after 6pm and the weather had turned stormy, with torrential rain and winds. It was bliss to get home, light the candles and relax!
Tuesday 14 October 2014
Problems, problems!
This morning, when Polly arrived at work and told us about the problems she'd had with staff over the weekend, I felt like getting in my car and driving off, never to return! She ranted for about ten minutes before starting work so, as you can imagine, we all felt a bit miserable by the time she'd said all she wanted to say!
I refused to let myself get down about the niggles though, and by lunchtime, we'd sorted quite a few of the problems out. I phoned a woman we'd interviewed last week and arranged for her to start work on Saturday and we also ordered thirty new chairs as Polly said that customers were complaining they had nowhere to sit.
After sorting it all out I took myself off to Tesco to get some wine. I have a new favourite called The Dark Horse, a Cabernet Sauvignon from California, so I went to buy a few bottles for the weekend and to get some ice-cream for work, which I promptly forgot! I ended up having to go to the small Co-op in the village which was full of students buying their lunch. I have too much on my mind at the moment!
Sophie and I were at work until late today and when we arrived home Keith was just taking our evening meal of pizzas out of the oven...I was supposed to have prepared some potato wedges to go with them and I had a feeling I should have bought some salad in Tesco earlier. It wasn't the most interesting of meals and after Keith and Mikey had gone off to Army Cadets and a football match, Sophie and I drove to the nearest shop to buy some ice-cream! Naughty!
I refused to let myself get down about the niggles though, and by lunchtime, we'd sorted quite a few of the problems out. I phoned a woman we'd interviewed last week and arranged for her to start work on Saturday and we also ordered thirty new chairs as Polly said that customers were complaining they had nowhere to sit.
After sorting it all out I took myself off to Tesco to get some wine. I have a new favourite called The Dark Horse, a Cabernet Sauvignon from California, so I went to buy a few bottles for the weekend and to get some ice-cream for work, which I promptly forgot! I ended up having to go to the small Co-op in the village which was full of students buying their lunch. I have too much on my mind at the moment!
Sophie and I were at work until late today and when we arrived home Keith was just taking our evening meal of pizzas out of the oven...I was supposed to have prepared some potato wedges to go with them and I had a feeling I should have bought some salad in Tesco earlier. It wasn't the most interesting of meals and after Keith and Mikey had gone off to Army Cadets and a football match, Sophie and I drove to the nearest shop to buy some ice-cream! Naughty!
Monday 13 October 2014
Jumping to conclusions!
We have had atrocious weather all day today, with no let up at all in the wind and rain. I know I've managed to avoid doing the dreaded cleaning at work until now, but today it caught up with me and this afternoon was spent cleaning our big tube slides which were really dusty. Balancing on top of ladders is not really my thing but they did look all shiny afterwards, though, so at least we could see what we'd done!
I went home to collect Sophie and she had calmed down from freaking out this morning when a black car was parked directly outside our house. She called me as I was leaving the bank and she was so worried about who it was that she asked me to come home. The couple sitting in the car looked perfectly respectable and I said that they were probably just waiting to meet someone! If it had been a dodgy van with dodgy people inside I would have sympathised, but I think she's been watching too many episodes of The Vampire Diaries!
We had a bit of a half-hearted session at the gym and Sophie didn't accompany me to the spa after our workout. The water in the jacuzzi felt cold today and it was bliss to get back up to the changing rooms and have a very hot shower!
Driving home in the torrential wind and rain was not pleasant but it was lovely to light the candles and put the heating on. Autumn has definitely arrived!
I went home to collect Sophie and she had calmed down from freaking out this morning when a black car was parked directly outside our house. She called me as I was leaving the bank and she was so worried about who it was that she asked me to come home. The couple sitting in the car looked perfectly respectable and I said that they were probably just waiting to meet someone! If it had been a dodgy van with dodgy people inside I would have sympathised, but I think she's been watching too many episodes of The Vampire Diaries!
We had a bit of a half-hearted session at the gym and Sophie didn't accompany me to the spa after our workout. The water in the jacuzzi felt cold today and it was bliss to get back up to the changing rooms and have a very hot shower!
Driving home in the torrential wind and rain was not pleasant but it was lovely to light the candles and put the heating on. Autumn has definitely arrived!
Sunday 12 October 2014
A conker-ing we will go!
Today, at my insistence (I do sometimes feel sorry for my family) three of us went off to the World Conker Championships in the village of Southwick, near Oundle. Mike was going to come with us but in the end he decided to stay at home (a good decision).
The weather was fine and dry but there was a definite Autumnal chill in the air. We found the village of Southwick easily and didn't really need Gladys who kept trying to take us onto another road and continually shrieked "Recalculating!" at us. Parking was in a large, very bumpy field liberally splattered with cow pats.
We headed for the Conker Championships first and marvelled at some of the outfits worn by the contestants...some of them were very strange indeed and only in England could there be such a turnout of eccentric people!
Funny hats seemed to be the headgear of choice for many people, with one man wearing a cheese on his head and he was Canadian! We saw people (and dogs) wearing conker necklaces and one man had a glass holder made of conkers!
Of course, at an event like this, the Morris Men were out in full force and we watched them as we queued up for something to eat.
I really could never see Keith dancing about with a straw hat on his head and bells on his legs, but it does take all sorts!
We had a quick drink in The Shuckburgh Arms which hosts the Championships and I chose half a pint of Brewster's Winter Draws On, which I did not like one bit. My beer was as flat as a pancake yet Keith's pint had a lovely creamy head. Still, the warming log fire was lovely to sit next to and kept the chill away and Sophie was happy with her half of Stella Artois!
After we'd had something to eat and had watched a few more conker contests, we headed home. By now the sky had clouded over and it was a real Autumnal day, perfect for sitting in the warm and doing very little!
The weather was fine and dry but there was a definite Autumnal chill in the air. We found the village of Southwick easily and didn't really need Gladys who kept trying to take us onto another road and continually shrieked "Recalculating!" at us. Parking was in a large, very bumpy field liberally splattered with cow pats.
We headed for the Conker Championships first and marvelled at some of the outfits worn by the contestants...some of them were very strange indeed and only in England could there be such a turnout of eccentric people!
Funny hats seemed to be the headgear of choice for many people, with one man wearing a cheese on his head and he was Canadian! We saw people (and dogs) wearing conker necklaces and one man had a glass holder made of conkers!
Of course, at an event like this, the Morris Men were out in full force and we watched them as we queued up for something to eat.
I really could never see Keith dancing about with a straw hat on his head and bells on his legs, but it does take all sorts!
We had a quick drink in The Shuckburgh Arms which hosts the Championships and I chose half a pint of Brewster's Winter Draws On, which I did not like one bit. My beer was as flat as a pancake yet Keith's pint had a lovely creamy head. Still, the warming log fire was lovely to sit next to and kept the chill away and Sophie was happy with her half of Stella Artois!
After we'd had something to eat and had watched a few more conker contests, we headed home. By now the sky had clouded over and it was a real Autumnal day, perfect for sitting in the warm and doing very little!
Saturday 11 October 2014
Ahhh! The weekend arrives!
It was great to wake up this morning and realise it was the weekend as Sophie wasn't working and we'd planned on going to Market Harborough (or Mo'ket Harborough as it will be known in November) for a mooch about the shops and lunch.
We dropped Mikey off at his friend's house in Brixworth and then I made a Smoked Salmon pate as this has replaced the Scotch Broth as a starter for next Saturday night. It was very easy and Keith and I tried a little bit with an oatcake, both of us agreeing that it was delicious and much better than my original choice of soup.
At midday, Sophie and I set off for Market Harborough under an ominous sky. Showers had been forecast for today but after a misty start to the day, the sun had come out and it had remained dry. Looking at the sky over Leicestershire, though, we regretted not bringing our umbrella!
We ate lunch at Starbucks for a change and then I shopped for some items I needed for my Scottish evening, namely whisky tumblers, ramekin dishes for the pate and tartan napkins, all of which I found! I also bought a box of Whisky liqueurs in the Edinburgh Woollen Mill, to go with the coffee!
Sophie bought a pair of jeans and some boots in New Look and then we ran to Duncan's to escape the sudden downpour. Megan, his wife, was doing her duty with the tasting - a Portugese white, a Rioja and a bottle of Port. Both of us liked the white but at £17.99 I balked at the price! The Rioja was a little on the dry side and I liked the Port but I had other things in mind to buy and Port was not one of them! I chose two bottles of Southern French red and Duncan encouraged me to try two of his peaty whiskies. One was extremely peaty and as someone who likes that sort of taste in a whisky, I was impressed, but I found it a little too much! I already have a Talisker and a lightly peated Jura so I wasn't about to buy any more, but it was nice to try!
After Duncan's we headed home and I spent a very pleasant hour watching the last episode of the current series of Who Do You Think You Are, with Twiggy. Her family had a bit of a rough time, with crime and the workhouse featuring very much in her family tree.
After we picked Mikey up from his friend's house Keith and I went to the pub for a quick drink before dinner. The evenings are getting so dark now but it was lovely and cosy in the pub with the fairy lights in the alcove all lit up.
Back home, we had my pate to start, followed by chicken curry and very good it was, too!
We dropped Mikey off at his friend's house in Brixworth and then I made a Smoked Salmon pate as this has replaced the Scotch Broth as a starter for next Saturday night. It was very easy and Keith and I tried a little bit with an oatcake, both of us agreeing that it was delicious and much better than my original choice of soup.
At midday, Sophie and I set off for Market Harborough under an ominous sky. Showers had been forecast for today but after a misty start to the day, the sun had come out and it had remained dry. Looking at the sky over Leicestershire, though, we regretted not bringing our umbrella!
We ate lunch at Starbucks for a change and then I shopped for some items I needed for my Scottish evening, namely whisky tumblers, ramekin dishes for the pate and tartan napkins, all of which I found! I also bought a box of Whisky liqueurs in the Edinburgh Woollen Mill, to go with the coffee!
Sophie bought a pair of jeans and some boots in New Look and then we ran to Duncan's to escape the sudden downpour. Megan, his wife, was doing her duty with the tasting - a Portugese white, a Rioja and a bottle of Port. Both of us liked the white but at £17.99 I balked at the price! The Rioja was a little on the dry side and I liked the Port but I had other things in mind to buy and Port was not one of them! I chose two bottles of Southern French red and Duncan encouraged me to try two of his peaty whiskies. One was extremely peaty and as someone who likes that sort of taste in a whisky, I was impressed, but I found it a little too much! I already have a Talisker and a lightly peated Jura so I wasn't about to buy any more, but it was nice to try!
After Duncan's we headed home and I spent a very pleasant hour watching the last episode of the current series of Who Do You Think You Are, with Twiggy. Her family had a bit of a rough time, with crime and the workhouse featuring very much in her family tree.
After we picked Mikey up from his friend's house Keith and I went to the pub for a quick drink before dinner. The evenings are getting so dark now but it was lovely and cosy in the pub with the fairy lights in the alcove all lit up.
Back home, we had my pate to start, followed by chicken curry and very good it was, too!
Friday 10 October 2014
Thank goodness...it's Friday!
I was called to the school mid-morning to collect Mikey as he'd "hurt his back". I had no choice but to take him home and leave him with Keith which was a bit worrying as both of them aren't speaking to each other at the moment after having a wee spat...
I left Sophie at work in the late afternoon and went home for a couple of hours to see how the warring factions were getting on...Mikey had retreated to his room all afternoon but had sneaked downstairs for a muffin at some point. Luckily that seemed to be all Keith had to report so I breathed a sigh of relief. While I was at home I hoovered up all the leaves that were gathered outside our back door (it's started) and then watched half of Neighbours before it was time to return to work and collect Sophie.
I will be really glad when working these late hours is over and we can get back into our normal gym routine!
I left Sophie at work in the late afternoon and went home for a couple of hours to see how the warring factions were getting on...Mikey had retreated to his room all afternoon but had sneaked downstairs for a muffin at some point. Luckily that seemed to be all Keith had to report so I breathed a sigh of relief. While I was at home I hoovered up all the leaves that were gathered outside our back door (it's started) and then watched half of Neighbours before it was time to return to work and collect Sophie.
I will be really glad when working these late hours is over and we can get back into our normal gym routine!
Thursday 9 October 2014
Bunking off early!
This afternoon, Mum and Dad very kindly offered to stay at work until 6pm so Sophie and I could go off early for a change. We drove home in the pouring rain and I have to confess to doing very little for the rest of the evening!
I'd bought a bottle of Ruby Leffe in Tesco today as I was keen to try it, but I won't be buying it again! It was flavoured with red fruits (hence the name)and Elderflower juice and although drinkable, I think I'll be sticking to the Leffe Blonde from now on! Keith and I sat and planned our weekly meals and played a game of cards so it was a lovely relaxing evening.
It's Friday again tomorrow! Where has this week gone?!
I'd bought a bottle of Ruby Leffe in Tesco today as I was keen to try it, but I won't be buying it again! It was flavoured with red fruits (hence the name)and Elderflower juice and although drinkable, I think I'll be sticking to the Leffe Blonde from now on! Keith and I sat and planned our weekly meals and played a game of cards so it was a lovely relaxing evening.
It's Friday again tomorrow! Where has this week gone?!
Wednesday 8 October 2014
Sophie drives!
Sophie drove for the first time today, a bit of a nerve-wracking experience for both of us!
She went off at 12.30pm with her driving instructor which left Keith and I to cover Reception while she was gone. Luckily the lunchtime rush was over so it was a fairly quiet two hours when she was gone. We didn't have any idea how she would get on, but when she returned she was very excited about learning to drive and enjoyed the whole experience, even though she admitted to stalling the car quite a few times!
Keith went home at 3.30pm and Sophie and I left three hours later. Tonight, the parents who were putting on a party for their daughter did not want to go home and by the time they eventually rounded up the kids, paid and left, the building was so dark I couldn't see properly to cash up! I'd been stubborn in not putting the lights on as we only had about fifteen minutes until we closed, but it sort of backfired on me when I dropped some coins and couldn't find them!
We gave Polly a lift and when we arrived home, Keith was in the middle of cooking a roast chicken dinner. Thank goodness for that! I poured myself a measure of Irish Whiskey and sat with Archie to watch Neighbours while he finished off the dinner. Bliss!
She went off at 12.30pm with her driving instructor which left Keith and I to cover Reception while she was gone. Luckily the lunchtime rush was over so it was a fairly quiet two hours when she was gone. We didn't have any idea how she would get on, but when she returned she was very excited about learning to drive and enjoyed the whole experience, even though she admitted to stalling the car quite a few times!
Keith went home at 3.30pm and Sophie and I left three hours later. Tonight, the parents who were putting on a party for their daughter did not want to go home and by the time they eventually rounded up the kids, paid and left, the building was so dark I couldn't see properly to cash up! I'd been stubborn in not putting the lights on as we only had about fifteen minutes until we closed, but it sort of backfired on me when I dropped some coins and couldn't find them!
We gave Polly a lift and when we arrived home, Keith was in the middle of cooking a roast chicken dinner. Thank goodness for that! I poured myself a measure of Irish Whiskey and sat with Archie to watch Neighbours while he finished off the dinner. Bliss!
Tuesday 7 October 2014
New home
It's been a long day at work today and when I opened our big gate at 8.40am this morning I knew that I'd be closing it ten hours later. Maureen is on holiday this week so Sophie is covering for Polly who is working in the kitchen. We have another three weeks of this as well which means no gym visits or walks. It's somewhat of a pain to be honest, but I'm hoping that another member of staff can cover a couple of days and give us a break.
I always give Polly a lift home so we drew up on our driveway at 7pm, just as Mikey and Keith were leaving to go to Army Cadets. This week we have a new venue as the Cadets have moved home! We now have to go to Moulton which is slightly farther away and I will miss the pleasant journey over to Brixworth!
After dropping Mikey off we sped home to get dinner ready. Tonight we were sampling the Scotch Broth I made on Saturday and I have to say I was a bit disappointed with the taste. I don't think I'll be serving it at my Scottish night so it's back to the drawing board to come up with a new starter!
I always give Polly a lift home so we drew up on our driveway at 7pm, just as Mikey and Keith were leaving to go to Army Cadets. This week we have a new venue as the Cadets have moved home! We now have to go to Moulton which is slightly farther away and I will miss the pleasant journey over to Brixworth!
After dropping Mikey off we sped home to get dinner ready. Tonight we were sampling the Scotch Broth I made on Saturday and I have to say I was a bit disappointed with the taste. I don't think I'll be serving it at my Scottish night so it's back to the drawing board to come up with a new starter!
Monday 6 October 2014
The return of Autumn!
Today has been really horrible, weather-wise, with winds and almost constant rain. Those lovely sunny summery days are certainly a thing of the past!
We managed to get through today at work without doing any nasty cleaning, although I did hoover the back of the heaters to get rid of some of the dust. I even turned them on and raised the temperature threshold so if tomorrow's horrible again the place will be warm. Brrr!
Sophie and I went to the gym after work and did some moderate exercise. I'm really going to have to increase what I do as although I was pleasantly warm (I did need to use my towel) my heart rate was still on the low side. A man next to me on one of the bikes was dripping with sweat which I think is madness! We rewarded ourselves with a lovely wallow in the jacuzzi (at one point we were the only people in the whole spa) so that was bliss!
Back home I frantically made a Macaroni Cheese before it was time to pick Keith up from the pub. After dinner Sophie and I sat and listened to Ben Howard performing songs from his new album on Radio 1. We're both really looking forward to seeing him live in Berlin next month!
We managed to get through today at work without doing any nasty cleaning, although I did hoover the back of the heaters to get rid of some of the dust. I even turned them on and raised the temperature threshold so if tomorrow's horrible again the place will be warm. Brrr!
Sophie and I went to the gym after work and did some moderate exercise. I'm really going to have to increase what I do as although I was pleasantly warm (I did need to use my towel) my heart rate was still on the low side. A man next to me on one of the bikes was dripping with sweat which I think is madness! We rewarded ourselves with a lovely wallow in the jacuzzi (at one point we were the only people in the whole spa) so that was bliss!
Back home I frantically made a Macaroni Cheese before it was time to pick Keith up from the pub. After dinner Sophie and I sat and listened to Ben Howard performing songs from his new album on Radio 1. We're both really looking forward to seeing him live in Berlin next month!
Sunday 5 October 2014
A short walk...
After dropping Sophie off at work at 10am and popping to Booker to get some stuff for the business, Keith and I headed home to get our boots and set off for a walk. Unlike yesterday, the weather was gorgeous with blue skies and sunshine but a little bit chillier than it has been lately.
We drove over to Ravensthorpe Reservoir and decided to walk for 40 minutes before turning back. Keith was planning to cook a joint of beef in our slow cooker and catch an important football game so we didn't have as long as we would have liked.
However, Ravensthorpe is very small compared to Pitsford! By the time we'd reached our time limit we'd finished!
It was a lovely walk, though, and perfect for the short amount of time we had to spare. Once home, Sophie called to ask me to pick her up and the afternoon was spent wrangling with my laptop which was not charging up. I discovered it was the power cable so a new one has been ordered...I'm not naming names but a certain child of mine isn't the most careful when he's handling it!
A very relaxing evening finished off a lovely day with Keith's beef joint beautiful and tender and falling apart from the long slow cooking. Delicious!
We drove over to Ravensthorpe Reservoir and decided to walk for 40 minutes before turning back. Keith was planning to cook a joint of beef in our slow cooker and catch an important football game so we didn't have as long as we would have liked.
However, Ravensthorpe is very small compared to Pitsford! By the time we'd reached our time limit we'd finished!
It was a lovely walk, though, and perfect for the short amount of time we had to spare. Once home, Sophie called to ask me to pick her up and the afternoon was spent wrangling with my laptop which was not charging up. I discovered it was the power cable so a new one has been ordered...I'm not naming names but a certain child of mine isn't the most careful when he's handling it!
A very relaxing evening finished off a lovely day with Keith's beef joint beautiful and tender and falling apart from the long slow cooking. Delicious!
Saturday 4 October 2014
Autumn arrives...
This morning we awoke to grey, horrible weather with a steady rain falling out of the overcast sky. It was also windy so the roads and paths were covered in loads of leaves. No doubt most of them will gather outside our back door before long! To be honest this weather is much needed at the moment...especially at work!
Sophie was working all day today so after we dropped her off it was home to make a Scotch Broth while Keith prepared the dinner for tonight. I simmered my beef soup for most of the day and it made the house smell lovely!
The rain cleared up by the afternoon and Mikey disappeared off to Brixworth to see his mates. Sophie was at work until 6.30pm so it was a long day for her but at least she's earning some money, which will no doubt be spent very quickly!
Sophie was working all day today so after we dropped her off it was home to make a Scotch Broth while Keith prepared the dinner for tonight. I simmered my beef soup for most of the day and it made the house smell lovely!
The rain cleared up by the afternoon and Mikey disappeared off to Brixworth to see his mates. Sophie was at work until 6.30pm so it was a long day for her but at least she's earning some money, which will no doubt be spent very quickly!
Friday 3 October 2014
Dining out
This evening the four of us went out for a meal at The Kings Head in Wadenhoe. Keith walked down to our local pub first for a drink while we all got ready and by the time we'd picked him up and driven the half hour's journey to Wadenhoe, it was already getting dark. I'm so glad we came over a couple of weeks ago to find it, as we wouldn't have stood a chance!
The pub was quiet but very cosy and romantic with little candles on all the tables and subdued lighting. We had a drink at the bar first and looked at the menu. I decided to go totally fishy (to complement the glass of Chardonnay I was drinking) while the children went for burgers. Keith also opted for fish and three of us chose starters - terrine and pate for Keith and Mikey while I went for mussels in a creamy white wine sauce.
At first we were alone in the small dining area but as we ate our starters a couple came in and sat behind us. After a few minutes there was some commotion as the woman set fire to her menu! Luckily it was just the edge of the menu but it was a bit unnerving! Her partner couldn't stop laughing and the waitress assured her that it happened a lot...hmmm!
We enjoyed a lovely meal and my mussels were delicious. For my main course I'd chosen Tempura prawns which were great, but the batter wasn't really Tempura as it wasn't crispy and bubbly. However, I enjoyed them very much and the accompanying chips were beautiful.
The children managed to find room for dessert - creme brulee and lemon tart (a surprising choice for Mikey) and by 8.30pm we were all finished. Sophie wanted to call into the pub for a drink on the way home but both Keith and I felt we'd spent enough for one night so it was straight home and into something comfortable to watch an episode of Desperate Housewives!
The pub was quiet but very cosy and romantic with little candles on all the tables and subdued lighting. We had a drink at the bar first and looked at the menu. I decided to go totally fishy (to complement the glass of Chardonnay I was drinking) while the children went for burgers. Keith also opted for fish and three of us chose starters - terrine and pate for Keith and Mikey while I went for mussels in a creamy white wine sauce.
At first we were alone in the small dining area but as we ate our starters a couple came in and sat behind us. After a few minutes there was some commotion as the woman set fire to her menu! Luckily it was just the edge of the menu but it was a bit unnerving! Her partner couldn't stop laughing and the waitress assured her that it happened a lot...hmmm!
We enjoyed a lovely meal and my mussels were delicious. For my main course I'd chosen Tempura prawns which were great, but the batter wasn't really Tempura as it wasn't crispy and bubbly. However, I enjoyed them very much and the accompanying chips were beautiful.
The children managed to find room for dessert - creme brulee and lemon tart (a surprising choice for Mikey) and by 8.30pm we were all finished. Sophie wanted to call into the pub for a drink on the way home but both Keith and I felt we'd spent enough for one night so it was straight home and into something comfortable to watch an episode of Desperate Housewives!
Thursday 2 October 2014
Apples galore!
The other day Maureen, our chef at work, gave us a big tray of cooking apples from her garden. We also have an apple tree but ours were much smaller and far more sparse! This afternoon, after I got in from work, I made an apple crumble that went a bit wrong!
Whether I put too much margarine into the flour I don't know, but I ended up with dough rather than a fine crumbly mixture. In the end I rolled out the dough, cut out circles and made a cobbler. While that was cooking Keith and I sorted out the meals for next week and I asked him to get me the ingredients for the Scotch Broth I intend to make.
Although the weather is still very summery, it's definitely getting darker much earlier at night now. This weekend is set to be rainy and colder...our summer may be over!
Whether I put too much margarine into the flour I don't know, but I ended up with dough rather than a fine crumbly mixture. In the end I rolled out the dough, cut out circles and made a cobbler. While that was cooking Keith and I sorted out the meals for next week and I asked him to get me the ingredients for the Scotch Broth I intend to make.
Although the weather is still very summery, it's definitely getting darker much earlier at night now. This weekend is set to be rainy and colder...our summer may be over!
Wednesday 1 October 2014
Walking with Pheasants
First thing this morning, at work, I had a visit from Ginny and Phillip who run another play area similar to ours and we sat and had a coffee and a chat. It was great to have a gossip and compare stories especially as they have had some really bizarre things happen to them over the summer! For me, it puts it all into perspective!
While I was sitting with Ginny and Phillip, Sophie and Keith arrived. My daughter was off to London today with some friends to see The 1975 at the Alexandra Palace and was staying with Laura who is studying in the capital. She was very excited!
I dropped her off at Danni's house at 11am, just as Booker arrived with our delivery! Typical! Luckily Keith was able to offload it all for me and when I got back from taxiing Sophie, he had resumed cutting the really long grass in our car park. It had been left too long, to be honest, and it was hard work for him!
After our busy day at work we decided to go for a really long walk, as you do... We had some unfinished business with the Nature Reserve so we walked down to the point where we'd left it on Sunday and resumed the trail around the perimeter until we neared the village. On the way we saw squirrels, the odd rabbit and lots of pheasants who were rummaging for food in the adjoining fields. Every time we neared them they flew up in a panic, making their weird cries which echoed through the woods! Some of them, on the path ahead of us, ran about in a panic as we approached them. How could we let them know we didn't have a gun with us?!
We were out for an hour and a half so it was bliss to get home, have a bath and then sit in the conservatory playing cards with a drink. As Sophie was away tonight we cooked cottage pie...the only time we can have it!
While I was sitting with Ginny and Phillip, Sophie and Keith arrived. My daughter was off to London today with some friends to see The 1975 at the Alexandra Palace and was staying with Laura who is studying in the capital. She was very excited!
I dropped her off at Danni's house at 11am, just as Booker arrived with our delivery! Typical! Luckily Keith was able to offload it all for me and when I got back from taxiing Sophie, he had resumed cutting the really long grass in our car park. It had been left too long, to be honest, and it was hard work for him!
After our busy day at work we decided to go for a really long walk, as you do... We had some unfinished business with the Nature Reserve so we walked down to the point where we'd left it on Sunday and resumed the trail around the perimeter until we neared the village. On the way we saw squirrels, the odd rabbit and lots of pheasants who were rummaging for food in the adjoining fields. Every time we neared them they flew up in a panic, making their weird cries which echoed through the woods! Some of them, on the path ahead of us, ran about in a panic as we approached them. How could we let them know we didn't have a gun with us?!
We were out for an hour and a half so it was bliss to get home, have a bath and then sit in the conservatory playing cards with a drink. As Sophie was away tonight we cooked cottage pie...the only time we can have it!
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