Keith went for another walk this morning so I took Sophie to uni and when I arrived home, had breakfast together. Mike had stayed over at a friend's house last night and just as I was enjoying my cup of coffee he called to ask me to pick him up. Typical!
When I got home again, I tackled the upstairs of the house and hoovered up all the mess Keith had made by sanding down the walls from where he'd filled them yesterday. I hadn't slept very well last night and felt really tired so I wasn't in the mood to clean, I'll be honest! However, when it was all done I did feel good that I hadn't given in to my weariness!
The walls are now prepared for the decorating at the end of the week...I'm dreading it!
Tuesday 28 February 2017
Monday 27 February 2017
A bit of a Spring clean!
I had planned on giving the house a good clean this week and then decorating our hall, stairs and landing by the weekend. I wasn't looking forward to it!
We dropped Sophie off at uni at 9.30am and then I left Keith at Pitsford so he could walk home. I returned to make a start on the housework and gave the hallway a really good clean in preparation for the painting. I will be glad to get rid of the colour we have on the walls at the moment - a nondescript white that looks faded and horrible. I have picked out a lovely cream emulsion so I'm hoping it will look lovely against the white doors and skirting boards. Keith, on my instructions, took down the ugly wooden banisters we have on the stairs - I'm hoping to replace them with something more modern.
As well as cleaning the hallway I sorted out our kitchen cupboards and threw a load of stuff out that we no longer use or that had gone way past it "best before" date. Now I could see what we have in the cupboards and things don't fall out every time I open them!
One of Mike's friends, Maisie, walked up to the house at 1.30pm and we gave her and Mike a lift to Brixworth on the way to picking Sophie up from uni. After we'd collected our daughter we called into Aldi to get dinner for Tuesday and Wednesday and when we came out the heavens had opened and we had torrential rain. We had seen the clouds building up on the horizon so we knew we were in for some bad weather!
After Aldi we drove to B&Q as Keith wanted to get some plaster to fill in the holes of the walls we were going to decorate. The car park was full of puddles and it felt really cold and horrible! Where has Spring gone?
It rained all the way home and it was bliss to get inside and put the heating on. Sue popped around for a cup of tea and we had a chat in the conservatory before I started on the dinner. Mike was staying out tonight so there was only the three of us eating a Pasta Carbonara.
After we'd eaten Keith went upstairs to watch the football while Sophie and I settled down to enjoy the Oscar ceremony from last night. We did a fair bit of fast forwarding when the winners were giving speeches, but with the fiasco at the end over the Best Film nomination, we watched every second!
We dropped Sophie off at uni at 9.30am and then I left Keith at Pitsford so he could walk home. I returned to make a start on the housework and gave the hallway a really good clean in preparation for the painting. I will be glad to get rid of the colour we have on the walls at the moment - a nondescript white that looks faded and horrible. I have picked out a lovely cream emulsion so I'm hoping it will look lovely against the white doors and skirting boards. Keith, on my instructions, took down the ugly wooden banisters we have on the stairs - I'm hoping to replace them with something more modern.
As well as cleaning the hallway I sorted out our kitchen cupboards and threw a load of stuff out that we no longer use or that had gone way past it "best before" date. Now I could see what we have in the cupboards and things don't fall out every time I open them!
One of Mike's friends, Maisie, walked up to the house at 1.30pm and we gave her and Mike a lift to Brixworth on the way to picking Sophie up from uni. After we'd collected our daughter we called into Aldi to get dinner for Tuesday and Wednesday and when we came out the heavens had opened and we had torrential rain. We had seen the clouds building up on the horizon so we knew we were in for some bad weather!
After Aldi we drove to B&Q as Keith wanted to get some plaster to fill in the holes of the walls we were going to decorate. The car park was full of puddles and it felt really cold and horrible! Where has Spring gone?
It rained all the way home and it was bliss to get inside and put the heating on. Sue popped around for a cup of tea and we had a chat in the conservatory before I started on the dinner. Mike was staying out tonight so there was only the three of us eating a Pasta Carbonara.
After we'd eaten Keith went upstairs to watch the football while Sophie and I settled down to enjoy the Oscar ceremony from last night. We did a fair bit of fast forwarding when the winners were giving speeches, but with the fiasco at the end over the Best Film nomination, we watched every second!
Sunday 26 February 2017
Just moochin' about...
After a busy couple of days it was lovely today to have nothing planned. I made scrambled eggs for breakfast and then we just mooched about the house as it was too cold and horrible to venture out into the garden or wash the cars as I was hoping to do.
Mike wanted to go into town at 2pm so Sophie and I took him and some of the driving we witnessed this afternoon made us speechless with shock. The roads were a lot busier than I thought they would be and I thought fondly back to when I was about Sophie's age and Sunday was the quietest day of the week! Not any more!
It seemed like no sooner had we arrived back than Mike was calling me to pick him up so off we went again! The weather was now quite cold and windy and apparently we have another storm approaching the UK - this one's name is Ewan!
Mike wanted to go into town at 2pm so Sophie and I took him and some of the driving we witnessed this afternoon made us speechless with shock. The roads were a lot busier than I thought they would be and I thought fondly back to when I was about Sophie's age and Sunday was the quietest day of the week! Not any more!
It seemed like no sooner had we arrived back than Mike was calling me to pick him up so off we went again! The weather was now quite cold and windy and apparently we have another storm approaching the UK - this one's name is Ewan!
Saturday 25 February 2017
A wasted trip...
Today I had planned on going to an antique auction in Woburn with my parents as we used to go every month years back, when it was held on a Thursday. The auctioneer years ago was Charlie Ross who has since found fame on a number of antique television shows, including Bargain Hunt.
I picked up my parents at 9am, dropped Sophie off at work and we drove over to Woburn via the M1. We parked easily and arrived at the auction rooms just before 10am. I had hoped that the auction wouldn't start for a little while as we wanted to view the objects on sale, but as we were registering and getting our bidding card I could hear the auctioneer start up.
Sadly, it wasn't Charlie Ross, but that didn't surprise me in the slightest! I bought my parents a coffee and we went upstairs to find the saleroom packed, with nowhere to sit or even stand comfortably. My parents didn't look very happy at all and after about half an hour we decided to leave as we couldn't see the lots on sale so there was no point bidding for them! When we used to go, the viewing would start at about 10am, with the sale commencing at midday, but obviously the format had changed.
We took a longish route back to the M1 and decided to head for the garden centre at Hardingstone where my Dad promised to buy us lunch. The restaurant wasn't serving meals until 12pm so we sat and had a coffee and a chat. At 12pm Dad got up to order us some sandwiches, only to be told they weren't serving sandwiches, toasties or wraps! We gave up and went back to Mum and Dad's house where we had delicious sarnies and cake. It was a lot cheaper and much nicer!
In the afternoon, Keith went to see his football team play and I curled up on the sofa to watch some TV. Mike was about in the house and I didn't see much of him at all, but at least I had his company! Just before Keith came home I popped over to see Sue as we were out with her and Paul and two of their friends to a "Wine Bluff" evening in the village hall. They were going to drive down to the village but Keith and I had decided, weather permitting, to walk down and back. Sue was doing some planting in her garden, which looked fabulous after all the work had been done on it.
Picking up Sophie, I drove through wind and rain and thought twice about our decision to walk to the village! However, when we set out at 7pm the rain had eased a bit so we went for it, but I didn't realise how dark the walk was! Thankfully, I had a torch on my phone!
The evening was very good but extremely noisy to begin with! The idea was that we tasted six different wines and three different people would give us the description of the wine, but only one person was giving us the correct information. We were given a glass of Cava as we came in and on the table were a selection of cold meats, olives and feta cheese, accompanied by crackers and butter. There were eight of us on our table - Keith and I, Sue and Paul, their friends Richard and Julie and Keith's drinking partner, John and his wife, Sue. We called ourselves "Spitz".
We had three white wines to start and we guessed them all correctly, which was brilliant, even though one of them was a white Rioja which I hardly ever drink. We were neck and neck with another table called "Bin Ends" so the competition was fierce!
Our run of luck came to an end with a bottle of Romanian Pinot Noir and although I had initially guessed it was that grape from the very light colour, two others on the table said they thought it was a Gamay grape. When one of the people giving the description said it was a Beaujolais, and another said it was the Pinot Noir, it was difficult to decide! We eventually went with the Gamay grape and got it wrong! Grrr! I should have trusted my first instincts!
We got the next red wrong - it was a Carignan from France and we thought it was a Cabernet Sauvignon, but we did redeem ourselves with the last wine, a very tannic and unpleasant Rioja. This meant that we had tied for first place with two other tables so we had to drink a deciding wine, a fruity red that reminded me of something... We had hardly any wine to try - no more than a mouthful and we were asked to name the country - so I went for Australia thinking it was a Shiraz. Unfortunately, it was a Malbec from France so we lost, but it had been a fun night and I was pleased we'd done so well.
After the wines we had some pate and cheeses with loads more French bread and John bought a bottle of the Carignan for us to drink. The noise level had increased again, and as it was now past 11pm, Keith and I headed for home. The walk back was dark (obviously) and a bit rainy towards the end but neither of us felt like we'd had a drink as I guessed we'd had no more than three small glasses!
Sophie was waiting up for us and after a chat, it was off to bed!
I picked up my parents at 9am, dropped Sophie off at work and we drove over to Woburn via the M1. We parked easily and arrived at the auction rooms just before 10am. I had hoped that the auction wouldn't start for a little while as we wanted to view the objects on sale, but as we were registering and getting our bidding card I could hear the auctioneer start up.
Sadly, it wasn't Charlie Ross, but that didn't surprise me in the slightest! I bought my parents a coffee and we went upstairs to find the saleroom packed, with nowhere to sit or even stand comfortably. My parents didn't look very happy at all and after about half an hour we decided to leave as we couldn't see the lots on sale so there was no point bidding for them! When we used to go, the viewing would start at about 10am, with the sale commencing at midday, but obviously the format had changed.
We took a longish route back to the M1 and decided to head for the garden centre at Hardingstone where my Dad promised to buy us lunch. The restaurant wasn't serving meals until 12pm so we sat and had a coffee and a chat. At 12pm Dad got up to order us some sandwiches, only to be told they weren't serving sandwiches, toasties or wraps! We gave up and went back to Mum and Dad's house where we had delicious sarnies and cake. It was a lot cheaper and much nicer!
In the afternoon, Keith went to see his football team play and I curled up on the sofa to watch some TV. Mike was about in the house and I didn't see much of him at all, but at least I had his company! Just before Keith came home I popped over to see Sue as we were out with her and Paul and two of their friends to a "Wine Bluff" evening in the village hall. They were going to drive down to the village but Keith and I had decided, weather permitting, to walk down and back. Sue was doing some planting in her garden, which looked fabulous after all the work had been done on it.
Picking up Sophie, I drove through wind and rain and thought twice about our decision to walk to the village! However, when we set out at 7pm the rain had eased a bit so we went for it, but I didn't realise how dark the walk was! Thankfully, I had a torch on my phone!
The evening was very good but extremely noisy to begin with! The idea was that we tasted six different wines and three different people would give us the description of the wine, but only one person was giving us the correct information. We were given a glass of Cava as we came in and on the table were a selection of cold meats, olives and feta cheese, accompanied by crackers and butter. There were eight of us on our table - Keith and I, Sue and Paul, their friends Richard and Julie and Keith's drinking partner, John and his wife, Sue. We called ourselves "Spitz".
We had three white wines to start and we guessed them all correctly, which was brilliant, even though one of them was a white Rioja which I hardly ever drink. We were neck and neck with another table called "Bin Ends" so the competition was fierce!
Our run of luck came to an end with a bottle of Romanian Pinot Noir and although I had initially guessed it was that grape from the very light colour, two others on the table said they thought it was a Gamay grape. When one of the people giving the description said it was a Beaujolais, and another said it was the Pinot Noir, it was difficult to decide! We eventually went with the Gamay grape and got it wrong! Grrr! I should have trusted my first instincts!
We got the next red wrong - it was a Carignan from France and we thought it was a Cabernet Sauvignon, but we did redeem ourselves with the last wine, a very tannic and unpleasant Rioja. This meant that we had tied for first place with two other tables so we had to drink a deciding wine, a fruity red that reminded me of something... We had hardly any wine to try - no more than a mouthful and we were asked to name the country - so I went for Australia thinking it was a Shiraz. Unfortunately, it was a Malbec from France so we lost, but it had been a fun night and I was pleased we'd done so well.
After the wines we had some pate and cheeses with loads more French bread and John bought a bottle of the Carignan for us to drink. The noise level had increased again, and as it was now past 11pm, Keith and I headed for home. The walk back was dark (obviously) and a bit rainy towards the end but neither of us felt like we'd had a drink as I guessed we'd had no more than three small glasses!
Sophie was waiting up for us and after a chat, it was off to bed!
Friday 24 February 2017
The clear-up!
The weather was much quieter today but a lot of our roads were still affected by fallen trees. Mike went on a trip to the Guardian offices in London today but only told us about it last night at dinner. He had to be at college at 7.30am so Keith drove him in and came back to say the local traffic was horrendous as a road had been closed in Holcot.
We took Sophie to uni and then Keith and I went for a four mile walk around the nature reserve. On the way we passed the farmhouse at the end of the track and the woman who lives there came out to say she'd been without power since yesterday because of a tree falling on a power line. There were several vans from Western Power parked outside as they were no doubt attempting to re-connect her.
All the way along our walk we saw fallen branches and twigs but luckily no trees had come down. It was still quite breezy and cold! We didn't see any wildlife today, but heard several pheasants cackling away in the distance!
Back home we had lunch and then I washed all the glasses we have on the top of our cupboards in the kitchen. I went to get Sophie at 4.30pm and called Mike to find out what time he'd be back at college. He said he hoped to be back for the same time as I was picking up Soph at 5pm. I collected my daughter and on the way to college Mike texted me to say he was still on the motorway and would be late. I didn't know whether to turn around and go home or drive to the college and wait...luckily I made the right decision to go to the college because he arrived about 20 minutes after the call!
In the evening I went out with my friends Lynda, Andrea and Fiona to The Royal Oak in Cogenhoe, a pub I'd never been to before and which had been refurbished and taken over by new owners. I picked Lynda up and we drove the very short distance to the pub which was full to the gunnels with Friday night drinkers. Andrea and Fiona arrived just minutes after us and we went through to the much quieter dining room with our drinks.
We hadn't seen each other since before Christmas so we had a lot to catch up on. Lynda gave each of us a lovely Christmas bauble that contained a small bar of soap and some hand cream. They were supposed to have arrived before our last Come Dine With Me, so that was a nice little surprise!
We had a delicious meal and the food was very good indeed. I started with Halloumi fritters served with pomegranate seeds and a pesto mayonnaise, followed by good old fish and chips. Both courses were beautifully cooked and my fish was very tasty indeed, with a lovely crispy batter. The others had pork belly nibbles and king prawns to start followed by chicken in a mushroom and bacon sauce and sea bass. Fiona had fish and chips, the same as me, but couldn't finish her meal! We managed to find room for dessert after a bit of a rest and while Lynda and Andrea had cheese and biscuits, Fiona and I opted for fruit crumble and chocolate cheesecake. I ordered two bottles of Chenin Blanc to go with the meal (I just had a glass) and the bill came to £165 including pre-dinner drinks.
We were the last to leave and I gave everyone a lift home. Sophie was still waiting up for me when I arrived home so we had a quick chat and then it was definitely time for bed!
We took Sophie to uni and then Keith and I went for a four mile walk around the nature reserve. On the way we passed the farmhouse at the end of the track and the woman who lives there came out to say she'd been without power since yesterday because of a tree falling on a power line. There were several vans from Western Power parked outside as they were no doubt attempting to re-connect her.
All the way along our walk we saw fallen branches and twigs but luckily no trees had come down. It was still quite breezy and cold! We didn't see any wildlife today, but heard several pheasants cackling away in the distance!
Back home we had lunch and then I washed all the glasses we have on the top of our cupboards in the kitchen. I went to get Sophie at 4.30pm and called Mike to find out what time he'd be back at college. He said he hoped to be back for the same time as I was picking up Soph at 5pm. I collected my daughter and on the way to college Mike texted me to say he was still on the motorway and would be late. I didn't know whether to turn around and go home or drive to the college and wait...luckily I made the right decision to go to the college because he arrived about 20 minutes after the call!
In the evening I went out with my friends Lynda, Andrea and Fiona to The Royal Oak in Cogenhoe, a pub I'd never been to before and which had been refurbished and taken over by new owners. I picked Lynda up and we drove the very short distance to the pub which was full to the gunnels with Friday night drinkers. Andrea and Fiona arrived just minutes after us and we went through to the much quieter dining room with our drinks.
We hadn't seen each other since before Christmas so we had a lot to catch up on. Lynda gave each of us a lovely Christmas bauble that contained a small bar of soap and some hand cream. They were supposed to have arrived before our last Come Dine With Me, so that was a nice little surprise!
We had a delicious meal and the food was very good indeed. I started with Halloumi fritters served with pomegranate seeds and a pesto mayonnaise, followed by good old fish and chips. Both courses were beautifully cooked and my fish was very tasty indeed, with a lovely crispy batter. The others had pork belly nibbles and king prawns to start followed by chicken in a mushroom and bacon sauce and sea bass. Fiona had fish and chips, the same as me, but couldn't finish her meal! We managed to find room for dessert after a bit of a rest and while Lynda and Andrea had cheese and biscuits, Fiona and I opted for fruit crumble and chocolate cheesecake. I ordered two bottles of Chenin Blanc to go with the meal (I just had a glass) and the bill came to £165 including pre-dinner drinks.
We were the last to leave and I gave everyone a lift home. Sophie was still waiting up for me when I arrived home so we had a quick chat and then it was definitely time for bed!
Thursday 23 February 2017
Storm Doris hits...
We awoke to a blustery morning as Storm Doris was due to affect the UK today. Our area had even been given an Amber warning for high winds!
We took Sophie and Mike to college and uni first thing and then came home to write our shopping list. On the way to Tesco and Aldi we called to see Mum and Dad and gave them back the suitcase Sophie had borrowed from them.
Shopping was a bit wind-blown...we managed to lose one of our bags when it flew out of the boot of the car and and sped off across the car park where it became lodged under another vehicle! Everyone looked really frazzled by the gusts and it was a relief to get home and have some lunch!
Even though we were supposed to get 60-70 mph winds this afternoon, it didn't seem that bad. That is, until we went out at 3pm to get the kids from uni and college... We called into the doctor's first to pick up our routine prescriptions and branches from the tall fir trees kept hitting the car! We set off towards Northampton and a thick branch hit my wing mirror making me jump in alarm, and then we saw that the traffic ahead had slowed down and we could see a long queue of red brake lights.
It looked like the road was blocked so we turned around and went through the village of Pitsford. Unfortunately, all the school buses from Moulton were coming through so all we could do was sit and wait. From the traffic reports on the radio we learned that a tree had fallen quite a way ahead on the A508 so I was really glad I turned around when I did!
We made it to uni on time and then went to collect Mike from college. We headed home on the A43 but realised something was up on our small country road when there were long lines of cars coming the other way! Back home we had no electricity so we sat in the conservatory and played cards for a while but it was starting to get chilly so we all sat in the living room, lit some candles and Keith put the gas fire on to keep us warm. We had no idea when we were going to get the power back but our dinner of roast pork was looking dubious!
Thankfully, at just after 6pm everything came back on and we were able to cook dinner and put the heating back on. Storm Doris had certainly done a fair amount of damage with even, very sadly, one woman being killed in Wolverhampton after she was hit by flying debris. There were reports of trees down on major roads throughout our county and general havoc due to the winds. I have to say I think Doris is too mild a name for a storm - it should have been Storm Demon!
We took Sophie and Mike to college and uni first thing and then came home to write our shopping list. On the way to Tesco and Aldi we called to see Mum and Dad and gave them back the suitcase Sophie had borrowed from them.
Shopping was a bit wind-blown...we managed to lose one of our bags when it flew out of the boot of the car and and sped off across the car park where it became lodged under another vehicle! Everyone looked really frazzled by the gusts and it was a relief to get home and have some lunch!
Even though we were supposed to get 60-70 mph winds this afternoon, it didn't seem that bad. That is, until we went out at 3pm to get the kids from uni and college... We called into the doctor's first to pick up our routine prescriptions and branches from the tall fir trees kept hitting the car! We set off towards Northampton and a thick branch hit my wing mirror making me jump in alarm, and then we saw that the traffic ahead had slowed down and we could see a long queue of red brake lights.
It looked like the road was blocked so we turned around and went through the village of Pitsford. Unfortunately, all the school buses from Moulton were coming through so all we could do was sit and wait. From the traffic reports on the radio we learned that a tree had fallen quite a way ahead on the A508 so I was really glad I turned around when I did!
We made it to uni on time and then went to collect Mike from college. We headed home on the A43 but realised something was up on our small country road when there were long lines of cars coming the other way! Back home we had no electricity so we sat in the conservatory and played cards for a while but it was starting to get chilly so we all sat in the living room, lit some candles and Keith put the gas fire on to keep us warm. We had no idea when we were going to get the power back but our dinner of roast pork was looking dubious!
Thankfully, at just after 6pm everything came back on and we were able to cook dinner and put the heating back on. Storm Doris had certainly done a fair amount of damage with even, very sadly, one woman being killed in Wolverhampton after she was hit by flying debris. There were reports of trees down on major roads throughout our county and general havoc due to the winds. I have to say I think Doris is too mild a name for a storm - it should have been Storm Demon!
Wednesday 22 February 2017
A busy day!
Today I was back at the Citizens Advice Bureau and we were busy right from the start, with people turning up for advice en masse. We also ran out of copier paper and data forms so I had to run off to the main office to get supplies.
We closed for a short while at lunchtime and Frank and Gill had a very interesting conversation about cruise holidays. It was lovely to hear about memories and future plans and it took us out of ourselves for a little bit!
When we re-opened, the hordes descended again, including a woman who had been a bit of a nuisance in the past and who proved to be trouble again. Priya saw her and in the end had to ask her to leave. She then started on Frank and I and in the end we had to shut the door as she kept going on and on and accusing us of all sorts of things! It was not a pleasant experience. I escaped at 3pm as Frank volunteered to shut the offices up and Priya and I walked to the car park in the rain.
Back home it was bliss to settle down and watch James Martin's Adventures in France with a glass of wine. More escapism!
We closed for a short while at lunchtime and Frank and Gill had a very interesting conversation about cruise holidays. It was lovely to hear about memories and future plans and it took us out of ourselves for a little bit!
When we re-opened, the hordes descended again, including a woman who had been a bit of a nuisance in the past and who proved to be trouble again. Priya saw her and in the end had to ask her to leave. She then started on Frank and I and in the end we had to shut the door as she kept going on and on and accusing us of all sorts of things! It was not a pleasant experience. I escaped at 3pm as Frank volunteered to shut the offices up and Priya and I walked to the car park in the rain.
Back home it was bliss to settle down and watch James Martin's Adventures in France with a glass of wine. More escapism!
Tuesday 21 February 2017
Not the best of days!
I had an interview at 9.30am this morning at a company in Wellingborough so I was a little nervous, as the last time I had been interviewed was 2004 when I went to work for Duncan's wine shop in Market Harborough!
I dropped Sophie off at uni first but I'd given myself loads of time so I was sitting in the car park of Tesco's in Wellingborough at 8.45am! It was a lovely morning with sunshine and blue skies and very mild temperatures for the time of year. I moved at 9.10am and parked near to the offices where I was having my interview. I did wonder if people thought I was loitering with intent!
Having tried to park nearer the company I ended up back where I had been waiting and walked the short distance to the office. The main doors were locked so I pressed the intercom and a woman buzzed me in. Once through the doors I found myself in a workshop/factory with no clue as to where reception was. I looked around for a door, feeling very lost, and then a man and a woman arrived at the same time. The man asked if I'd come for the interview and he explained that the man I was supposed to be seeing was not very well so he would be seeing me instead.
He asked me to follow him but before we could go any further the woman interrupted him and they had a short sharp argument about something...not the best of starts! I followed the man up a flight of stairs and onto a mezzanine landing which was freezing. We sat at a long table and behind us there was a cleaner vacuuming the carpet! It was all really bizarre and unreal!
It was obvious, right from the start, that the man "interviewing" me did not want to do it and felt very uncomfortable. He gave me a general idea of what the job involved and explained that I would be job-sharing with another woman so they wanted me to work afternoons. I asked about how many employees they had and they employed less than five people, all of whom seemed to be family members and were close to retirement. We had a general chat and he even asked me if I had any children and what ages they were!
I could see that the man (I forget his name) just wanted to be rid of me, so after a bit more chat (he said that the job was quite boring and that the phone hardly ever rang) I thanked him for his time and left. When I got back to my car, the time was 9.37am...is this the record for the shortest interview ever?
I was really upset because I felt I'd been given the brush off - it was rude of the man I'd supposed to be seeing to fob me off with someone else and I thought that if this was the way they treated me at interview, how on earth would I fare if I was an employee?
I drove home and called the recruitment agency and explained what happened and they did apologise but it wasn't their fault! Keith had gone to have his hair cut and to do some shopping so I couldn't even rant to him! I did manage to vent to Sophie and my Mum though, so that was something!
In the afternoon, after giving Mike a lift into Moulton, I went into town as I had two meetings scheduled with the Citizens Advice. I was early (again) so I bought a bottle of water and a brownie in Caffe Nero before going to the office. One of the advisers, Judy, was already there, plus another woman who was stuffing her face with noodles. I would never have dared eat something like that in a meeting room!
One by one the other volunteers trooped in and Gill came to sit next to me. The meeting was mainly about an audit that had taken place but there was also time to discuss other topics as well. By 3pm it was finished and I congratulated Hadeer whose sister had had a baby in Saudi Arabia while the meeting was in progress!
I stayed behind for another meeting about the changes happening where I volunteer as a Receptionist, and then it was time to head back to the car and call Sophie to tell her I was on my way to pick her up.
We still had to go back out in the evening to collect Mike and Keith bought some beer because after my day I really wanted a glass of wine with Sophie and my husband didn't want to be left out!
I dropped Sophie off at uni first but I'd given myself loads of time so I was sitting in the car park of Tesco's in Wellingborough at 8.45am! It was a lovely morning with sunshine and blue skies and very mild temperatures for the time of year. I moved at 9.10am and parked near to the offices where I was having my interview. I did wonder if people thought I was loitering with intent!
Having tried to park nearer the company I ended up back where I had been waiting and walked the short distance to the office. The main doors were locked so I pressed the intercom and a woman buzzed me in. Once through the doors I found myself in a workshop/factory with no clue as to where reception was. I looked around for a door, feeling very lost, and then a man and a woman arrived at the same time. The man asked if I'd come for the interview and he explained that the man I was supposed to be seeing was not very well so he would be seeing me instead.
He asked me to follow him but before we could go any further the woman interrupted him and they had a short sharp argument about something...not the best of starts! I followed the man up a flight of stairs and onto a mezzanine landing which was freezing. We sat at a long table and behind us there was a cleaner vacuuming the carpet! It was all really bizarre and unreal!
It was obvious, right from the start, that the man "interviewing" me did not want to do it and felt very uncomfortable. He gave me a general idea of what the job involved and explained that I would be job-sharing with another woman so they wanted me to work afternoons. I asked about how many employees they had and they employed less than five people, all of whom seemed to be family members and were close to retirement. We had a general chat and he even asked me if I had any children and what ages they were!
I could see that the man (I forget his name) just wanted to be rid of me, so after a bit more chat (he said that the job was quite boring and that the phone hardly ever rang) I thanked him for his time and left. When I got back to my car, the time was 9.37am...is this the record for the shortest interview ever?
I was really upset because I felt I'd been given the brush off - it was rude of the man I'd supposed to be seeing to fob me off with someone else and I thought that if this was the way they treated me at interview, how on earth would I fare if I was an employee?
I drove home and called the recruitment agency and explained what happened and they did apologise but it wasn't their fault! Keith had gone to have his hair cut and to do some shopping so I couldn't even rant to him! I did manage to vent to Sophie and my Mum though, so that was something!
In the afternoon, after giving Mike a lift into Moulton, I went into town as I had two meetings scheduled with the Citizens Advice. I was early (again) so I bought a bottle of water and a brownie in Caffe Nero before going to the office. One of the advisers, Judy, was already there, plus another woman who was stuffing her face with noodles. I would never have dared eat something like that in a meeting room!
One by one the other volunteers trooped in and Gill came to sit next to me. The meeting was mainly about an audit that had taken place but there was also time to discuss other topics as well. By 3pm it was finished and I congratulated Hadeer whose sister had had a baby in Saudi Arabia while the meeting was in progress!
I stayed behind for another meeting about the changes happening where I volunteer as a Receptionist, and then it was time to head back to the car and call Sophie to tell her I was on my way to pick her up.
We still had to go back out in the evening to collect Mike and Keith bought some beer because after my day I really wanted a glass of wine with Sophie and my husband didn't want to be left out!
Monday 20 February 2017
An afternoon escape!
This afternoon Sophie and I went to Market Harborough as we hadn't been for a while and we both fancied escaping for a bit!
It's been very mild today with temperatures getting up to 13c, but there wasn't a lot of sun about. We parked the car and had a coffee in Costa before having a look around the shops. Sophie bought some Spring outfits in New Look and we had a mooch about the "interior design" shops, of which there are many in the town! We bought a heart in Monsoon and this year we seem to be going for slightly "blingy" styles!
The town was busy for a Monday and we spent a very pleasant couple of hours wandering around, finishing up with an ice-cream sundae in Gallone's, which was totally empty. I expect that now the children have returned after half-term, an ice-cream parlour would be empty during the day!
Back home we played cards in the evening, but without a glass of wine, so it was a much more subdued affair!
It's been very mild today with temperatures getting up to 13c, but there wasn't a lot of sun about. We parked the car and had a coffee in Costa before having a look around the shops. Sophie bought some Spring outfits in New Look and we had a mooch about the "interior design" shops, of which there are many in the town! We bought a heart in Monsoon and this year we seem to be going for slightly "blingy" styles!
The town was busy for a Monday and we spent a very pleasant couple of hours wandering around, finishing up with an ice-cream sundae in Gallone's, which was totally empty. I expect that now the children have returned after half-term, an ice-cream parlour would be empty during the day!
Back home we played cards in the evening, but without a glass of wine, so it was a much more subdued affair!
Sunday 19 February 2017
A short walk.
As I hadn't been for a walk since we did the ten miles a while back I suggested that this morning we get out for a stroll. We decided to go down the track to the nature reserve and then back up to the village, which would take just over an hour.
It was a cloudy morning but I hoped that the sun would break through. It certainly wasn't cold! The ground was very muddy, though and heavy going once we entered the reserve. I was delighted to spot a young Muntjac deer sitting in the trees and once he saw us he slowly got up and ambled off, showing no fear at all.
As we were nearing home we met Sue and Paul with the doggies and we had a good chat. Richard and Michelle then drove past so it was all very sociable! It meant that our pace on Map My Walk was a bit slower than normal!
As soon as we got home, Keith and I went to get the Sunday papers and then it was home to cook a breakfast of grilled frankfurters, scrambled egg and potato waffles. Just what we needed after our fresh air and exercise!
It was shaping up to be a lovely day so I swept up all the leaves in front of the house and hoed the soil. The robin made an appearance and looked at me as if to say, "Find me the worms, then"! Sophie and I took all the dead leaves and some of the cuttings from yesterday to the tip and then went to get my car washed. I finished it off when we got home and by 4pm I was ready to sit down and read the Sunday newspapers!
It was a cloudy morning but I hoped that the sun would break through. It certainly wasn't cold! The ground was very muddy, though and heavy going once we entered the reserve. I was delighted to spot a young Muntjac deer sitting in the trees and once he saw us he slowly got up and ambled off, showing no fear at all.
As we were nearing home we met Sue and Paul with the doggies and we had a good chat. Richard and Michelle then drove past so it was all very sociable! It meant that our pace on Map My Walk was a bit slower than normal!
As soon as we got home, Keith and I went to get the Sunday papers and then it was home to cook a breakfast of grilled frankfurters, scrambled egg and potato waffles. Just what we needed after our fresh air and exercise!
It was shaping up to be a lovely day so I swept up all the leaves in front of the house and hoed the soil. The robin made an appearance and looked at me as if to say, "Find me the worms, then"! Sophie and I took all the dead leaves and some of the cuttings from yesterday to the tip and then went to get my car washed. I finished it off when we got home and by 4pm I was ready to sit down and read the Sunday newspapers!
Saturday 18 February 2017
Slasher Keith strikes again!
Over breakfast I was reading the supplement with the Daily Mail and noticed that Monty Don said that now was the time to prune apple trees, if they hadn't already been done. I casually mentioned this to Keith who immediately leapt into action and disappeared into the garden to prune ours!
I followed him outside and helped him pick up all the branches and then he moved onto another tree...I went back inside to call my Mum and during the phone call I saw him having a go at the bush outside the conservatory...it had been reduced to a stump!
He attacked another bush so I thought it was a better idea to join forces with him and keep an eye on what he was doing...who knows? The rest of the garden may have disappeared if I hadn't! We gathered up all the cuttings and stuffed them into our wheelie bin and I raked up a load of dead leaves that were covering the gravel. All the time we were out in the garden the robin was sat in the trees either watching us or singing to us.
It was chillier than I had thought it would be and the sky was cloudy but it was great to be outdoors and doing some gardening. Before long the grass will need cutting and Spring will really have arrived!
Keith went off to the football in the afternoon and I spent a lovely couple of hours catching up with some recorded programmes and then having a bath. Mike stayed in today, which made a nice change, although he didn't venture out of his bedroom much!
For dinner in the evening we tried a dish that we used to enjoy in France - whole chickens roasted on top of potatoes, onions and garlic. It didn't work particularly well and I don't think we'll be trying it again!
I followed him outside and helped him pick up all the branches and then he moved onto another tree...I went back inside to call my Mum and during the phone call I saw him having a go at the bush outside the conservatory...it had been reduced to a stump!
He attacked another bush so I thought it was a better idea to join forces with him and keep an eye on what he was doing...who knows? The rest of the garden may have disappeared if I hadn't! We gathered up all the cuttings and stuffed them into our wheelie bin and I raked up a load of dead leaves that were covering the gravel. All the time we were out in the garden the robin was sat in the trees either watching us or singing to us.
It was chillier than I had thought it would be and the sky was cloudy but it was great to be outdoors and doing some gardening. Before long the grass will need cutting and Spring will really have arrived!
Keith went off to the football in the afternoon and I spent a lovely couple of hours catching up with some recorded programmes and then having a bath. Mike stayed in today, which made a nice change, although he didn't venture out of his bedroom much!
For dinner in the evening we tried a dish that we used to enjoy in France - whole chickens roasted on top of potatoes, onions and garlic. It didn't work particularly well and I don't think we'll be trying it again!
Friday 17 February 2017
All clean!
As much as I didn't want to, I had to knuckle down and do some housework today. I changed our bedding and cleaned the house, feeling much better in the process! I really can't wait for Spring to arrive when I can throw open all the windows and get some fresh air into the house. I also love being able to dry our washing outside and that lovely smell you get when clothes are dried in the sunshine.
Next week we are due to get some warmer temperatures, so fingers crossed. Although I do like snow and frosty mornings, there's nothing like the first few days of Spring to make you feel better!
I picked Sophie up at 5pm and she was very glad it was Friday and wine-time! She's had quite a long week at uni and it was bliss to get home and sip a glass of wine while watching the First Dates Valentine special.
We cheated and had Tesco Indian dishes for dinner. I felt a bit guilty but we don't have them very often and I have to say they were delicious!
Next week we are due to get some warmer temperatures, so fingers crossed. Although I do like snow and frosty mornings, there's nothing like the first few days of Spring to make you feel better!
I picked Sophie up at 5pm and she was very glad it was Friday and wine-time! She's had quite a long week at uni and it was bliss to get home and sip a glass of wine while watching the First Dates Valentine special.
We cheated and had Tesco Indian dishes for dinner. I felt a bit guilty but we don't have them very often and I have to say they were delicious!
Thursday 16 February 2017
A sociable day!
There's definitely been a hint of Spring about in the air today and this morning the weather was lovely - sunny and mild with just a light breeze.
Keith and I dropped Sophie off at uni and then we went to do our shopping. Back home we put all our purchases away, made lunch and then took Mike to Brixworth. My parents came around to see us in the afternoon and we had a cup of tea and a good chat. Outside, the cloud had thickened a bit and when they left a bit later we had squally rain. How can things change so dramatically in the space of a few hours?!
Later in the evening Sophie and I went over to Sue's house for wine and nibbles. I'd bought two bottles of wine in Aldi - an Italian made from semi-dried grapes and an Australian Shiraz. Both were delicious. We had a lovely evening and feasted on olives, pate, cheese and crackers. Archie and Bailey hung around in the hope of getting some scraps! We had a good gossip and didn't leave until nearly 9pm!
Keith and I dropped Sophie off at uni and then we went to do our shopping. Back home we put all our purchases away, made lunch and then took Mike to Brixworth. My parents came around to see us in the afternoon and we had a cup of tea and a good chat. Outside, the cloud had thickened a bit and when they left a bit later we had squally rain. How can things change so dramatically in the space of a few hours?!
Later in the evening Sophie and I went over to Sue's house for wine and nibbles. I'd bought two bottles of wine in Aldi - an Italian made from semi-dried grapes and an Australian Shiraz. Both were delicious. We had a lovely evening and feasted on olives, pate, cheese and crackers. Archie and Bailey hung around in the hope of getting some scraps! We had a good gossip and didn't leave until nearly 9pm!
Wednesday 15 February 2017
Getting soaked!
I was on my own at the Citizen's Advice Bureau today and Gill and Priya were in to advise. It was great to see Priya back again and we had a good day with a steady stream of clients coming in for advice. We had our last client come in at just before 3pm but we weren't that late and to our surprise, as we left the building it was pouring with rain! This is the first time I've known it be raining at the end of the day since I started in July!
I stopped for diesel on the way home and luckily the pumps were under cover as it was hammering it down. The roads were awash with water and driving was not easy! As soon as I was home it was bliss to sit with Keith and catch up on a couple of episodes of Death in Paradise before I went to collect Sophie from uni. She was there late today and when I drove to get her at 6pm the roads were even worse...and it was still pouring with rain.
She was late out as the man they were seeing about making a video of New York had been late and then had kept them in the room. My daughter was not very happy! We drove home through puddles of water and rush hour traffic and Keith and I watched the last half hour of our programme. It was a shame Kris Marshall that has decided to leave the series - it must be a dream job to work for six months in the Caribbean!
I stopped for diesel on the way home and luckily the pumps were under cover as it was hammering it down. The roads were awash with water and driving was not easy! As soon as I was home it was bliss to sit with Keith and catch up on a couple of episodes of Death in Paradise before I went to collect Sophie from uni. She was there late today and when I drove to get her at 6pm the roads were even worse...and it was still pouring with rain.
She was late out as the man they were seeing about making a video of New York had been late and then had kept them in the room. My daughter was not very happy! We drove home through puddles of water and rush hour traffic and Keith and I watched the last half hour of our programme. It was a shame Kris Marshall that has decided to leave the series - it must be a dream job to work for six months in the Caribbean!
Tuesday 14 February 2017
Changes afoot!
Sophie was in at uni at 10am this morning and before heading home, Keith and I drove over to Wellingborough to find the office where I was going for an interview next week. I found it easily (thank goodness for Google maps!) and we headed home for breakfast of coffee and toast.
It's been another lovely day today with a frost this morning and plenty of sunshine and blue skies. I finished my assignment and emailed it off to my tutor so that's it! I will await the comments and hope that it's all OK. I won't actually use this qualification (if I get it) and I do sometimes think that I've wasted time on the course, but at least I can say I've done it and it's another string to my bow! Having completed the course I've come to the conclusion that the profession is not for me and doing this certificate would not have guaranteed me a job anyway. But I've learnt a lot so I don't think it's all been a waste of time.
Mid-morning I received an email from Peter from the franchise company and he sent me the agreement. It stretched to 38 pages and it was scarily similar to the one we had to read when we sold the business. It's all getting very real now and important decisions will have to be made over the next few weeks. At the moment I feel like diving into a warm burrow and hiding!
We picked Sophie up from uni and once home, Sophie resumed her revision for a forthcoming test and I had a good look at the agreement I'd received. The general opinion was to ensure a proper Franchise Lawyer looked at it, but they charge around £400-£700!
Mike was out in the evening for a meal at Pizza Hut with some friends (oh, yes...it's Valentine's Day!) so Keith decided to take Sophie and me out as well and we went to The Lamplighter. I imagined it would be really busy there, but there were hardly any people in so it was great to sit and have a good talk over their delicious food accompanied by some good beer. We had garlic bread to start followed by a BBQ burger for Sophie, steak and ale pie for Keith and a Piri Piri chicken burger for me.
Mike called before we had even started our main course as his meal was over! We asked him to wait for us in McDonald's and by 8.15pm we were on our way home. Sophie and I settled down to watch The Moorside and very good it was, too!
It's been another lovely day today with a frost this morning and plenty of sunshine and blue skies. I finished my assignment and emailed it off to my tutor so that's it! I will await the comments and hope that it's all OK. I won't actually use this qualification (if I get it) and I do sometimes think that I've wasted time on the course, but at least I can say I've done it and it's another string to my bow! Having completed the course I've come to the conclusion that the profession is not for me and doing this certificate would not have guaranteed me a job anyway. But I've learnt a lot so I don't think it's all been a waste of time.
Mid-morning I received an email from Peter from the franchise company and he sent me the agreement. It stretched to 38 pages and it was scarily similar to the one we had to read when we sold the business. It's all getting very real now and important decisions will have to be made over the next few weeks. At the moment I feel like diving into a warm burrow and hiding!
We picked Sophie up from uni and once home, Sophie resumed her revision for a forthcoming test and I had a good look at the agreement I'd received. The general opinion was to ensure a proper Franchise Lawyer looked at it, but they charge around £400-£700!
Mike was out in the evening for a meal at Pizza Hut with some friends (oh, yes...it's Valentine's Day!) so Keith decided to take Sophie and me out as well and we went to The Lamplighter. I imagined it would be really busy there, but there were hardly any people in so it was great to sit and have a good talk over their delicious food accompanied by some good beer. We had garlic bread to start followed by a BBQ burger for Sophie, steak and ale pie for Keith and a Piri Piri chicken burger for me.
Mike called before we had even started our main course as his meal was over! We asked him to wait for us in McDonald's and by 8.15pm we were on our way home. Sophie and I settled down to watch The Moorside and very good it was, too!
Monday 13 February 2017
A chill wind blows.
Even though we have seen a welcome return of the sunshine today, it has still been bitterly cold because of the chilly wind.
We had a lazy start to the day (I always seem to wake up late on Mondays!) and took Sophie to uni at midday. I managed to write a fair amount of my assignment before we went so that's a weight off my mind. I just have one more question to do and I'm finished. It's been a hard slog, I have to admit, and I just hope that I have passed the entire course. I really don't fancy doing it again!
After we dropped Sophie off at uni, we went to Lidl to do some shopping. Miraculously we had Mike with us and he picked out some foods that he wanted although, sadly, the supermarket didn't stock Poptarts! I always feel like I'm in a European supermarket when we go to Lidl and I enjoyed looking at all the different cold meats and cheeses on offer.
After Lidl we popped into Homesense as I still had a £20 voucher to spend. I picked out a new cafetiere and some coffee, as well as a bar of luxury chocolate and a box of biscuits! Mike and I ate the chocolate on the way to pick up Sophie!
We dropped our son off in Brixworth on the way home and both Sophie and I settled down to do some work. I received an email from a recruitment agency in Wellingborough regarding a job I'd applied for about two weeks ago and was asked if I could attend an interview next week. This was a bit of a shock as I'd resigned myself to the thought that I hadn't been successful!
Outside, the sun was still shining so we decided to walk Monty around the estate for half an hour, just to get some fresh air. We went to see the horses, but they were far off in the distance so we walked back and did a circuit of the estate. Half way around we saw Keith coming towards us and he asked us the time...we'd missed a telephone appointment with Sophie's doctor! I felt awful as I was the one who had suggested going for a walk, but Keith said the doctor had told him Sophie's results and they were normal, which was great.
We did another circuit and then went back inside and tried the swim nappy on Monty again. He was having none of it so he is still out in the garage but seemed happy enough curled up on his cosy bed!
We had a lazy start to the day (I always seem to wake up late on Mondays!) and took Sophie to uni at midday. I managed to write a fair amount of my assignment before we went so that's a weight off my mind. I just have one more question to do and I'm finished. It's been a hard slog, I have to admit, and I just hope that I have passed the entire course. I really don't fancy doing it again!
After we dropped Sophie off at uni, we went to Lidl to do some shopping. Miraculously we had Mike with us and he picked out some foods that he wanted although, sadly, the supermarket didn't stock Poptarts! I always feel like I'm in a European supermarket when we go to Lidl and I enjoyed looking at all the different cold meats and cheeses on offer.
After Lidl we popped into Homesense as I still had a £20 voucher to spend. I picked out a new cafetiere and some coffee, as well as a bar of luxury chocolate and a box of biscuits! Mike and I ate the chocolate on the way to pick up Sophie!
We dropped our son off in Brixworth on the way home and both Sophie and I settled down to do some work. I received an email from a recruitment agency in Wellingborough regarding a job I'd applied for about two weeks ago and was asked if I could attend an interview next week. This was a bit of a shock as I'd resigned myself to the thought that I hadn't been successful!
Outside, the sun was still shining so we decided to walk Monty around the estate for half an hour, just to get some fresh air. We went to see the horses, but they were far off in the distance so we walked back and did a circuit of the estate. Half way around we saw Keith coming towards us and he asked us the time...we'd missed a telephone appointment with Sophie's doctor! I felt awful as I was the one who had suggested going for a walk, but Keith said the doctor had told him Sophie's results and they were normal, which was great.
We did another circuit and then went back inside and tried the swim nappy on Monty again. He was having none of it so he is still out in the garage but seemed happy enough curled up on his cosy bed!
Sunday 12 February 2017
Monty and the nappy saga, part 2...
Yet another day has dawned miserable, grey and wet with the temperature hovering around 1c. Today has been windy as well, though, and the promised snow never arrived.
After a lazy start Sophie and I went down to Riverside to buy some pull-up pants for Monty. We don't know what else we can do to alleviate the problem and I was hoping that Pets At Home would stock something suitable. We headed to Costa first and had a welcome cup of coffee and a sandwich. The cafe was heaving with people and the retail park itself was busy. I should think that soft play centres and indoor leisure parks are having a field day at the moment!
The range of products at Pets At Home was remarkable - I've never seen so much stuff for animals in my life and I did eye up some of the dog paraphernalia with new interest! If the franchise takes off and I get to walk dogs regularly there will be no end of stuff I will need, poopy bags in particular!
The store did have some doggy diapers in stock ( the same ones we bought from Amazon last time) but we were after pull-up pants as the nappies wouldn't stay on. After having a look at lots of things (and marvelling at the prices!) we went to Boots and I bought a pack of baby swim nappies!
Back home we attempted to put them on the cat but again, with no success. The only other thing we can think of is to get some cat pants and see if they work!
After a lazy start Sophie and I went down to Riverside to buy some pull-up pants for Monty. We don't know what else we can do to alleviate the problem and I was hoping that Pets At Home would stock something suitable. We headed to Costa first and had a welcome cup of coffee and a sandwich. The cafe was heaving with people and the retail park itself was busy. I should think that soft play centres and indoor leisure parks are having a field day at the moment!
The range of products at Pets At Home was remarkable - I've never seen so much stuff for animals in my life and I did eye up some of the dog paraphernalia with new interest! If the franchise takes off and I get to walk dogs regularly there will be no end of stuff I will need, poopy bags in particular!
The store did have some doggy diapers in stock ( the same ones we bought from Amazon last time) but we were after pull-up pants as the nappies wouldn't stay on. After having a look at lots of things (and marvelling at the prices!) we went to Boots and I bought a pack of baby swim nappies!
Back home we attempted to put them on the cat but again, with no success. The only other thing we can think of is to get some cat pants and see if they work!
Saturday 11 February 2017
A grey and dismal day...
Today, the weather has been truly horrible - we've had sleet and rain all day, it's cold (1c) and there has been no sunshine at all. It's enough to drive you mad!
I hadn't planned anything for today which was a mistake as I was cooped up in the house with no plans. I really should have decided to do some decorating or even carried on with some research for my family tree. Getting out into the garden or going for a walk would have been a horrible experience! We've had this awful grey gloom for a week now, with only the merest hint of sunshine last Tuesday afternoon. No wonder people feel so fed up at this time of year!
Sophie has been at work all day and Mike went out to Brixworth in the early afternoon. Keith went to see a football match so I was on my own and ordinarily I would have enjoyed the peace and quiet but with the dark skies and the constant rain I felt like I was going mad!
I did have a lovely bath, though, and then watched a programme called Escape to the Wild about a couple from London who had moved to the Yukon area of Canada, which, although the same size as the UK, has only 34,000 inhabitants! That's less than Northampton which has over 200,000 people!
Jimmy Doherty went out to visit them (obviously copying Ben Fogle and Kevin McCloud) and arrived just before the winter set in. I cannot imagine living in such a remote place over the winter with no television and very little internet connection!
Sophie finished work at 6.30pm and I went to collect her as Keith was glued to the television watching Newcastle play. On the way home I bought a bottle of wine and some popcorn and Sophie and I sat and played a game of cards in the conservatory. It was the highlight of my day!
I hadn't planned anything for today which was a mistake as I was cooped up in the house with no plans. I really should have decided to do some decorating or even carried on with some research for my family tree. Getting out into the garden or going for a walk would have been a horrible experience! We've had this awful grey gloom for a week now, with only the merest hint of sunshine last Tuesday afternoon. No wonder people feel so fed up at this time of year!
Sophie has been at work all day and Mike went out to Brixworth in the early afternoon. Keith went to see a football match so I was on my own and ordinarily I would have enjoyed the peace and quiet but with the dark skies and the constant rain I felt like I was going mad!
I did have a lovely bath, though, and then watched a programme called Escape to the Wild about a couple from London who had moved to the Yukon area of Canada, which, although the same size as the UK, has only 34,000 inhabitants! That's less than Northampton which has over 200,000 people!
Jimmy Doherty went out to visit them (obviously copying Ben Fogle and Kevin McCloud) and arrived just before the winter set in. I cannot imagine living in such a remote place over the winter with no television and very little internet connection!
Sophie finished work at 6.30pm and I went to collect her as Keith was glued to the television watching Newcastle play. On the way home I bought a bottle of wine and some popcorn and Sophie and I sat and played a game of cards in the conservatory. It was the highlight of my day!
Friday 10 February 2017
A day of paperwork...
It has snowed all day today but it never settled at all, which was a shame. It would have been lovely to see a covering of snow before the weekend!
I took Mike and Sophie to college and uni as Keith had to wait in for the tumble drier technician to come out and rectify some fault that has affected Hotpoint and Indesit machines - the one where it causes the drier to burst into flames! I always clean the filter of fluff and since we bought it two years ago we've never had a problem.
Of course, he arrived just as we were sitting down to eat our breakfast toast but after asking where the light was in the garage he was happy on his own. His presence freaked Monty out who stood at the conservatory door and cried to come in but thankfully he wasn't long and Monty was able to go back to his bed.
Keith and I spent the day grappling with finances - we looked at travel insurance for him as we need to get something sorted out before we pay the balance of our holiday in May. I also looked at the private medical insurance I have and decided I may need to cancel it until I get the franchise up and running. I looked at comparison sites and saw one policy that was £50 a month cheaper than I'm paying now! It galls me to think I've been paying for this policy for years now and have only ever needed to use it once. I dread to think how much I've paid over the years.
We picked Mike up at 3pm and as soon as we were home Sophie sent me a message to say that she would need picking up earlier than normal from uni. Outside the sky was a dark grey and I really thought we were going to have a heavy snowfall...no such luck!
I took Mike and Sophie to college and uni as Keith had to wait in for the tumble drier technician to come out and rectify some fault that has affected Hotpoint and Indesit machines - the one where it causes the drier to burst into flames! I always clean the filter of fluff and since we bought it two years ago we've never had a problem.
Of course, he arrived just as we were sitting down to eat our breakfast toast but after asking where the light was in the garage he was happy on his own. His presence freaked Monty out who stood at the conservatory door and cried to come in but thankfully he wasn't long and Monty was able to go back to his bed.
Keith and I spent the day grappling with finances - we looked at travel insurance for him as we need to get something sorted out before we pay the balance of our holiday in May. I also looked at the private medical insurance I have and decided I may need to cancel it until I get the franchise up and running. I looked at comparison sites and saw one policy that was £50 a month cheaper than I'm paying now! It galls me to think I've been paying for this policy for years now and have only ever needed to use it once. I dread to think how much I've paid over the years.
We picked Mike up at 3pm and as soon as we were home Sophie sent me a message to say that she would need picking up earlier than normal from uni. Outside the sky was a dark grey and I really thought we were going to have a heavy snowfall...no such luck!
Thursday 9 February 2017
Annoying habits!
Today, like every morning so far this week, has dawned grey and misty with not a hint of sunshine at all. It does make it a bit depressing, I have to say. How I long for sunshine and blue skies!
We took the kids to college and uni and came back to get showered before heading over to Kettering to do our shopping. Once that was done it was home for a late breakfast/early lunch...no Christmas do for us this week!
The next few days are supposed to be very cold, with winds coming from the East bringing snow showers. Whether we will get any decent snow remains to be seen!
Unfortunately, Monty is banned from the house yet again because the other afternoon he sprayed in the kitchen. After getting back in from collecting Sophie and Mike, I went into the conservatory and all he did was yowl to be let in, even though his warm beds are outside in the garage. It really is a problem for us at the moment and I'm at my wits' end as to how to resolve it. Looking at the internet it says that cats spray because of territorial issues or when they feel threatened. Seeing as Monty lives a lovely life of warm beds, plentiful food and lots of attention, I can't see how that can be. He has sprayed all other the house, from our bedrooms, in the living room on the chairs and sofa and once, all over my wine rack. The nappies didn't work, so maybe I can get some kind of pull-on pant for him to wear!
We took the kids to college and uni and came back to get showered before heading over to Kettering to do our shopping. Once that was done it was home for a late breakfast/early lunch...no Christmas do for us this week!
The next few days are supposed to be very cold, with winds coming from the East bringing snow showers. Whether we will get any decent snow remains to be seen!
Unfortunately, Monty is banned from the house yet again because the other afternoon he sprayed in the kitchen. After getting back in from collecting Sophie and Mike, I went into the conservatory and all he did was yowl to be let in, even though his warm beds are outside in the garage. It really is a problem for us at the moment and I'm at my wits' end as to how to resolve it. Looking at the internet it says that cats spray because of territorial issues or when they feel threatened. Seeing as Monty lives a lovely life of warm beds, plentiful food and lots of attention, I can't see how that can be. He has sprayed all other the house, from our bedrooms, in the living room on the chairs and sofa and once, all over my wine rack. The nappies didn't work, so maybe I can get some kind of pull-on pant for him to wear!
Wednesday 8 February 2017
Back again!
We had another early start this morning and I left home before 8am as we have roadworks going on in the village which are causing delays. As I made my way down to a particularly tricky bridge I saw there'd been an accident, which must have just happened. There was a pick-up kind of car embedded in the hedge with a smaller car right next to the bridge itself. How it happened, I don't know, but obviously speed and an ignorance of other road users were factors in the collision.
There were also long queues of cars waiting to get through the four-way traffic lights and it took me a good 10-15 minutes to make it through. Keith and Mike were following later so I knew they'd be stuck as well and I'd warned them after experiencing the delays yesterday!
I was very early (despite the hold-ups) so I treated myself to a Flat White and a muffin in Costa and took them into the office with me. Frank arrived shortly after I did so we set up the laptops and waited for the advisers to come in. Gill arrived but Priya was off sick again so we had Jon come in to help out.
Again, we had a busy session and I saw a couple of people who I knew which was strange. One of the ladies I saw used to work for my parents and she asked after them, which was lovely. She hadn't changed a bit!
We all got away on time and it was great to get home and relax. I answered an email from one of the CAB managers who wants me to attend a meeting later in February about proposed changes where we work, so that should be interesting. There are rumours that the service is going to revert back to how it used to be so I will be pleased to give my input. Frank has asked me to try and get them to re-install our Q-Flow system and I will try! I also took a call from Peter, the franchise owner, about meeting at a half-way point so we could get introduced and have a chat. It looks like things are moving, which is great!
Before going to get Mike from college at the much later time of 6pm, we called to see my parents as Sophie had bought a bottle of wine and a thank-you card for them after they had given her some money for her New York trip. We had a very pleasant hour chatting over a glass of wine and some cheesy biscuits before heading out into the dark to pick up Mike.
Back home we had time for a couple of games of cards and some more wine before dinner!
There were also long queues of cars waiting to get through the four-way traffic lights and it took me a good 10-15 minutes to make it through. Keith and Mike were following later so I knew they'd be stuck as well and I'd warned them after experiencing the delays yesterday!
I was very early (despite the hold-ups) so I treated myself to a Flat White and a muffin in Costa and took them into the office with me. Frank arrived shortly after I did so we set up the laptops and waited for the advisers to come in. Gill arrived but Priya was off sick again so we had Jon come in to help out.
Again, we had a busy session and I saw a couple of people who I knew which was strange. One of the ladies I saw used to work for my parents and she asked after them, which was lovely. She hadn't changed a bit!
We all got away on time and it was great to get home and relax. I answered an email from one of the CAB managers who wants me to attend a meeting later in February about proposed changes where we work, so that should be interesting. There are rumours that the service is going to revert back to how it used to be so I will be pleased to give my input. Frank has asked me to try and get them to re-install our Q-Flow system and I will try! I also took a call from Peter, the franchise owner, about meeting at a half-way point so we could get introduced and have a chat. It looks like things are moving, which is great!
Before going to get Mike from college at the much later time of 6pm, we called to see my parents as Sophie had bought a bottle of wine and a thank-you card for them after they had given her some money for her New York trip. We had a very pleasant hour chatting over a glass of wine and some cheesy biscuits before heading out into the dark to pick up Mike.
Back home we had time for a couple of games of cards and some more wine before dinner!
Tuesday 7 February 2017
A less stressful session!
I was back at the Citizen's Advice Bureau again today and thankfully, the morning session got off to a much better start than it did last week!
We had two advisers in so that was easier and although we were busy it was much more relaxed. It still felt funny closing up and going at 12pm though! I drove home and was glad to see that the horrible grey and misty weather had given way to blue skies and sunshine. It was great to see the sun!
Mike had a dental appointment at 3.30pm so we went to collect Sophie from uni and drove straight there. I left Keith and Sophie in the car and went in with Mike who looked a little nervous as he was having a filling! When he came out he said one side of his mouth had gone numb and he looked really funny!
We played cards and drank wine in the evening before dinner - perfect after a busy day!
We had two advisers in so that was easier and although we were busy it was much more relaxed. It still felt funny closing up and going at 12pm though! I drove home and was glad to see that the horrible grey and misty weather had given way to blue skies and sunshine. It was great to see the sun!
Mike had a dental appointment at 3.30pm so we went to collect Sophie from uni and drove straight there. I left Keith and Sophie in the car and went in with Mike who looked a little nervous as he was having a filling! When he came out he said one side of his mouth had gone numb and he looked really funny!
We played cards and drank wine in the evening before dinner - perfect after a busy day!
Monday 6 February 2017
Looking back
We had a relaxed Monday morning as Sophie wasn't at uni until midday and Mike wasn't in at all. I spent a couple of hours reading my very last Counselling module while Sophie also worked on her uni projects.
We dropped her off at lunchtime and drove over to the Weston Favell centre to do a bit of shopping and have some lunch before it was time to go back and collect her. As we were walking to the car my phone rang and it was a very angry Mike ranting down the phone at me that we should have picked him up at 1pm to take him to Brixworth!
I had no recollection of this and when I looked at my phone I'd had fifteen missed calls as well as various texts and messages! My phone had been in my bag the whole time which is why I'd never heard it ring! In the car it rang and it was my mum worried about us as Mike had even called her!
We picked Sophie up and went home to a mad Mike who insisted he had told us last night at dinner of his plans... Sophie and I dropped him off in Brixworth and then carried on into Northampton as my daughter needed to call into work to put down the hours she'd worked. I had a good chat with Polly and then we popped to Morrison's so Sophie could buy some wine and thank you cards for the tutors who had organised the New York trip.
The weather, so pleasant and sunny this morning had turned horrible, grey and misty and when we got home I realised that 8 years ago this week we had quite a bit of snow fall. Here are some photos!
We dropped her off at lunchtime and drove over to the Weston Favell centre to do a bit of shopping and have some lunch before it was time to go back and collect her. As we were walking to the car my phone rang and it was a very angry Mike ranting down the phone at me that we should have picked him up at 1pm to take him to Brixworth!
I had no recollection of this and when I looked at my phone I'd had fifteen missed calls as well as various texts and messages! My phone had been in my bag the whole time which is why I'd never heard it ring! In the car it rang and it was my mum worried about us as Mike had even called her!
We picked Sophie up and went home to a mad Mike who insisted he had told us last night at dinner of his plans... Sophie and I dropped him off in Brixworth and then carried on into Northampton as my daughter needed to call into work to put down the hours she'd worked. I had a good chat with Polly and then we popped to Morrison's so Sophie could buy some wine and thank you cards for the tutors who had organised the New York trip.
The weather, so pleasant and sunny this morning had turned horrible, grey and misty and when we got home I realised that 8 years ago this week we had quite a bit of snow fall. Here are some photos!
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| Beautiful sunset |
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| The White Horse, Old |
Sunday 5 February 2017
Fresh air and sunshine!
I woke up this morning with a terrible sore throat and a stuffy head although I didn't feel like I had an actual cold. As it was a beautiful morning I decided to make the most of the sunshine by tidying up some pots in the garden that had dead summer bedding plants in them (the frost had finally got to the geraniums) and then wash my car.
Before I did that Keith and I went to the tip with our old dining room chairs and we managed to get all six, plus some other rubbish in the back of my car. When we got to the tip we were told to put the chairs into landfill which was a real shame as I thought maybe they could be recycled.
Back home I tidied up the garage and hoovered the floor as it was covered with dead leaves and fluff from the tumble drier! I then gave my filthy car a wash and it was hard work! It looked like it had been driven through a field and there was thick mud all around the wheel arches.
It was great to get out and have some fresh air and it wasn't too cold. I managed to get away with just wearing a tee-shirt! As well as being out and getting some sun it was also nice to chat to various neighbours who walked or drove by.
In the afternoon Sophie and I called for my Mum and after showing her photos of New York, we went to Beckworth for a cup of tea. As usual, the place was packed and we had to queue for a table. Sophie and I shared a sandwich while Mum had an extremely expensive slice of cake which she was charged £4.95 for! Blimey! When I queried the price as the cake she'd ordered was only £2.95 I was told she'd been given the gluten-free wholefood slice...Hmmm!
We mooched about looking at all the pretty, but useless things after our refreshments but we drove home empty-handed, even though I was tempted by some wine. Mum invited us in for a glass of wine and we sat and chatted about Sophie's trip to New York, which was very pleasant indeed!
Before I did that Keith and I went to the tip with our old dining room chairs and we managed to get all six, plus some other rubbish in the back of my car. When we got to the tip we were told to put the chairs into landfill which was a real shame as I thought maybe they could be recycled.
Back home I tidied up the garage and hoovered the floor as it was covered with dead leaves and fluff from the tumble drier! I then gave my filthy car a wash and it was hard work! It looked like it had been driven through a field and there was thick mud all around the wheel arches.
It was great to get out and have some fresh air and it wasn't too cold. I managed to get away with just wearing a tee-shirt! As well as being out and getting some sun it was also nice to chat to various neighbours who walked or drove by.
In the afternoon Sophie and I called for my Mum and after showing her photos of New York, we went to Beckworth for a cup of tea. As usual, the place was packed and we had to queue for a table. Sophie and I shared a sandwich while Mum had an extremely expensive slice of cake which she was charged £4.95 for! Blimey! When I queried the price as the cake she'd ordered was only £2.95 I was told she'd been given the gluten-free wholefood slice...Hmmm!
We mooched about looking at all the pretty, but useless things after our refreshments but we drove home empty-handed, even though I was tempted by some wine. Mum invited us in for a glass of wine and we sat and chatted about Sophie's trip to New York, which was very pleasant indeed!
Saturday 4 February 2017
A welcome return!
As soon as I was awake this morning I checked Sophie's flight on the Heathrow arrivals web page. She was due to land at about 7.45am and as soon as she was on the ground she sent me a text. It was great to hear from her!
We went to pick her up from uni at 10.30am and she looked very tired and dishevelled after her long flight. She said she'd enjoyed the trip but that it hadn't been as good as last year and she'd had another frightening encounter with a crazy man in a make-up store who had smashed loads of bottles of perfume and generally caused havoc. I have a feeling her intense love affair with New York may have waned a bit.
She emptied the contents of her case over the living room floor and showed us the presents she'd brought back with her - a really sweet make-up bag for me, chocolates, a mug for Keith, sweets for Mike and also a basketball (New York Nets) tee-shirt for him.
I made a cooked breakfast and we all sat and ate together before she went upstairs to unpack and get showered. I sorted out all her washing and put the first of many loads on!
It's been a gorgeous day today with clear blue skies and sunshine but Sophie and I stayed inside and although we'd planned to watch some of our favourite television shows in the afternoon while Keith was at football, Sophie kept falling asleep, bless her! I made a batch of muffins and generally did very little which is what I had planned today after a busy week!
Sophie woke up and was a bit more lively in the evening and we had a game of cards with a new pack that she'd bought, accompanied by a glass of wine. I'd missed my wine buddy! As a treat we had a Chinese takeaway from the van and Keith, Sophie and I were all in bed early tonight while Mike went to Walgrave to see his mates!
We went to pick her up from uni at 10.30am and she looked very tired and dishevelled after her long flight. She said she'd enjoyed the trip but that it hadn't been as good as last year and she'd had another frightening encounter with a crazy man in a make-up store who had smashed loads of bottles of perfume and generally caused havoc. I have a feeling her intense love affair with New York may have waned a bit.
She emptied the contents of her case over the living room floor and showed us the presents she'd brought back with her - a really sweet make-up bag for me, chocolates, a mug for Keith, sweets for Mike and also a basketball (New York Nets) tee-shirt for him.
I made a cooked breakfast and we all sat and ate together before she went upstairs to unpack and get showered. I sorted out all her washing and put the first of many loads on!
It's been a gorgeous day today with clear blue skies and sunshine but Sophie and I stayed inside and although we'd planned to watch some of our favourite television shows in the afternoon while Keith was at football, Sophie kept falling asleep, bless her! I made a batch of muffins and generally did very little which is what I had planned today after a busy week!
Sophie woke up and was a bit more lively in the evening and we had a game of cards with a new pack that she'd bought, accompanied by a glass of wine. I'd missed my wine buddy! As a treat we had a Chinese takeaway from the van and Keith, Sophie and I were all in bed early tonight while Mike went to Walgrave to see his mates!
Friday 3 February 2017
Tackling the jobs...
Today I had a lot of jobs I needed to do, so after dropping Mike off at college and popping to Jones's to get some lightbulbs, Keith and I came home to tackle the chores. I had even made a list of things I needed to do, something I used to do every day at work!
Keith decided to tackle Mike's bedroom as it really needed a deep clean and we were also looking for his glasses that he had somehow managed to lose. I got my jobs out of the way, changed Sophie's bedding in readiness for her return tomorrow (yippee!) and then joined him. We toiled away for another two hours and were very happy with our efforts. We washed the walls and the skirting boards and pulled out the bed to clean behind it as well as throwing away a lot of rubbish and drinks bottles that were strewn all over the floor!
I then went on to clean the rest of the house and by 4pm I was finished. It was great to look forward to a quiet evening as both Keith and Mike were heading down to Walgrave. They had planned on walking but then they saw that it was raining hard... I said to forget a lift as I had just got out of the bath and was all warm and lying happily on the bed watching the end of Pointless! We have two large umbrellas!
In between sorting dinner out I watched the last of the current run of The Affair and very good it was as well. I really hope there'll be a fourth series! Sophie contacted me from the airport and said her flight was on time, which was a relief. We were supposed to have had very stormy weather here today and although it has been wet and windy this evening, it hasn't been bad enough to disrupt flights, thank goodness!
Keith decided to tackle Mike's bedroom as it really needed a deep clean and we were also looking for his glasses that he had somehow managed to lose. I got my jobs out of the way, changed Sophie's bedding in readiness for her return tomorrow (yippee!) and then joined him. We toiled away for another two hours and were very happy with our efforts. We washed the walls and the skirting boards and pulled out the bed to clean behind it as well as throwing away a lot of rubbish and drinks bottles that were strewn all over the floor!
I then went on to clean the rest of the house and by 4pm I was finished. It was great to look forward to a quiet evening as both Keith and Mike were heading down to Walgrave. They had planned on walking but then they saw that it was raining hard... I said to forget a lift as I had just got out of the bath and was all warm and lying happily on the bed watching the end of Pointless! We have two large umbrellas!
In between sorting dinner out I watched the last of the current run of The Affair and very good it was as well. I really hope there'll be a fourth series! Sophie contacted me from the airport and said her flight was on time, which was a relief. We were supposed to have had very stormy weather here today and although it has been wet and windy this evening, it hasn't been bad enough to disrupt flights, thank goodness!
Thursday 2 February 2017
A belated Christmas "Do"
Mike had an orthodontist appointment this morning and was a bit scared of going because he hadn't been wearing his retainers as he should have done...I dropped him and Keith off at the surgery and went to park the car. When I joined them, Mike was already seeing the orthodontist, a new woman he'd never seen before. He came out and said she'd been brutal!
As a treat we bought him a McDonald's breakfast and dropped him off at the college well before his starting time of 9am. I did think we were going to be late, so that was a bonus. Before doing our shopping in Tesco I treated Keith to a bacon roll in Costa. The smell of Mike's breakfast had made me hungry as well!
On the way home we called to see my parents to have a coffee and a chat. Mum and I were supposed to have been going to Woburn today, to an antiques auction, but we found out (thankfully) that it was being held on the 25th February, not today. We used to go ages ago and I always thought it was on the first Thursday of the month but either I'm mistaken or they've changed the dates!
Anyway, not going meant that Keith and I had our long-awaited "Christmas Shopping Do." We put all of the stuff we'd bought away and went to the pub for a very pleasant couple of drinks. Ian wasn't in today so Laurie was behind the bar and it's always a pleasure to see him. He had a room full of farmers' wives who were busy ordering soft drinks so in between serving them we had a good chat.
Keith became so mellow that he booked a table for the three of us in the evening. I can't remember the last time we ate at The Royal Oak so I was looking forward to a relaxed evening without having to cook and clear away!
The afternoon was spent quietly and after we'd picked Mike up I had a lovely bath and got ready to go out. There was a great atmosphere in the pub as there weren't many people in and Ian was still away. It felt very relaxed. We enjoyed a delicious meal with garlic bread to start followed by steak in a pepper sauce for me, fish and chips for Keith and Piri Piri chicken for Mike.
Afterwards, Mike stayed in the village to see his mates while Keith and I returned home and watched an episode of Death in Paradise. A great ending to a really lovely evening!
As a treat we bought him a McDonald's breakfast and dropped him off at the college well before his starting time of 9am. I did think we were going to be late, so that was a bonus. Before doing our shopping in Tesco I treated Keith to a bacon roll in Costa. The smell of Mike's breakfast had made me hungry as well!
On the way home we called to see my parents to have a coffee and a chat. Mum and I were supposed to have been going to Woburn today, to an antiques auction, but we found out (thankfully) that it was being held on the 25th February, not today. We used to go ages ago and I always thought it was on the first Thursday of the month but either I'm mistaken or they've changed the dates!
Anyway, not going meant that Keith and I had our long-awaited "Christmas Shopping Do." We put all of the stuff we'd bought away and went to the pub for a very pleasant couple of drinks. Ian wasn't in today so Laurie was behind the bar and it's always a pleasure to see him. He had a room full of farmers' wives who were busy ordering soft drinks so in between serving them we had a good chat.
Keith became so mellow that he booked a table for the three of us in the evening. I can't remember the last time we ate at The Royal Oak so I was looking forward to a relaxed evening without having to cook and clear away!
The afternoon was spent quietly and after we'd picked Mike up I had a lovely bath and got ready to go out. There was a great atmosphere in the pub as there weren't many people in and Ian was still away. It felt very relaxed. We enjoyed a delicious meal with garlic bread to start followed by steak in a pepper sauce for me, fish and chips for Keith and Piri Piri chicken for Mike.
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| Father and son sharing music! |
Wednesday 1 February 2017
A better session!
So, I was back at the Citizen's Advice Bureau again this morning and was very early because of the light traffic. I decided to treat myself to a Flat White at Costa before starting and hoped that today wouldn't be as stressful as yesterday!
Frank was already there so we set up the laptops and then Gill arrived! It was great to see her again after such a long absence! However, for some reason, there was no Priya today so we called the office and they sent Jon over to work with Gill. He was definitely needed as we were busy throughout the morning and into the afternoon.
I left a little early today and drove home in readiness to take a phone call from one of the franchisees. We had a great chat and it was good to hear so many positive comments about the company.
The previously horrible grey and misty weather gave way to sunshine and blue skies in the afternoon which was a welcome relief!
Frank was already there so we set up the laptops and then Gill arrived! It was great to see her again after such a long absence! However, for some reason, there was no Priya today so we called the office and they sent Jon over to work with Gill. He was definitely needed as we were busy throughout the morning and into the afternoon.
I left a little early today and drove home in readiness to take a phone call from one of the franchisees. We had a great chat and it was good to hear so many positive comments about the company.
The previously horrible grey and misty weather gave way to sunshine and blue skies in the afternoon which was a welcome relief!
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