A lunchtime treat.

Today has been a really lovely day and a great end to what has been, at times, a stressful week!

We left Sophie snoozing in bed this morning and took Mike to college. He breaks up for Easter today so we'll have a respite from the school run for the next couple of weeks...hooray! On the way we drove to Kingsthorpe and Keith treated me to a coffee in Waitrose as we wanted to pop to the post office and the bank and they weren't yet open.

Back home I caught up with some chores and at midday Sophie and I went to Beckworth for lunch. It was my Mother's Day treat from my daughter and the place was packed as usual. Although there was a queue. we didn't have to wait that long and we were soon being seated in the outside area but out of the sun. The sky above was blue with fluffy white clouds and it's been another beautiful Spring day.

We chose the same for lunch - Thai inspired chicken slices and red peppers in pitta breads served with salad and french fries. The meal was delicious. We even had a sneaky glass of wine with our lunch and shared a spaghetti ice-cream afterwards!

When we'd finished we walked around and looked at the plants and I bought our March heart which was decorated with flowers and a Blue Tit. As these birds are always in our garden I thought it was fitting for a Spring month.

Before heading home we went to pick Mike up from college and he was very relieved as he'd had to do a presentation today and was very glad it was over! Now he has two weeks off, lucky thing!

Sue came to see us in the evening as she had a job for Mike to do over the weekend. He had to cut down a row of bushes in a neighbour's garden and then clear away all the cuttings and put them into a giant skip bag. Sue had given him two hours to do the job and he would be paid well for his time. We walked up to the house with Sue's friend Fran who was very chatty and friendly - all in all it was a very pleasant late afternoon!

All things domestic!

Sophie and I were out at just before 8am this morning to finish the deep clean on the house in Brixworth. The owner of the house was there all the time but we just got on with it and by 10.30am we were finished. He seemed very pleased with what we'd done, but in all honesty the house wasn't really that dirty!

We sped home, had showers and went with Keith to do our weekly shop, calling in to see my parents for a quick coffee on the way. Today we had to get more food as we have my parents coming around for a meal on Tuesday and then we needed to get picnic items for our trip to London next week. I also bought some ice-cream and cake decorations in Tesco as Sophie wants an ice-cream cake again for her Birthday!

It's been a glorious day today with temperatures reaching 23c this afternoon. Once we'd arrived home and put all the shopping away we sat in the garden with Monty and soaked up the lovely Spring sunshine. Bliss! All too soon it was time to pick Mike up from college and we all went as I needed to pop into Morrison's on the way home to pick up a parcel.

As soon as Mike climbed into the car he asked if we could go to McDonald's and he got his wish! The place was packed (after school treats, no doubt) and we had a long queue to pay and get the order!

Back home it was almost 5pm and I marvelled at how fast the time has passed by today! It's been a really busy week!

A more relaxed day!

It was great to be back at the CAB today - the last couple of days have been a bit hard and I have more cleaning to face tomorrow...not really what I had in mind when I stopped working! I really wish I could get a similar job as I enjoy meeting people and the variety of each day.

I met Frank near to the car park and we walked down to the Guildhall, stopping at Greggs for bacon rolls and coffee - a lovely start to our shift! Today wasn't manically busy and I left at 3pm to go and pick up my new parking pass from the office. I will need it when I return on the 12th April! I honestly can't believe that it will be April on Saturday! This year is flying past!

On the way home I called into Aldi to buy dinner for tonight and treated myself to a bottle of wine. Sophie was due to be out tonight at her friend's party but at the last minute she decided not to go as the only other girl she knew who was going dropped out because of sickness. It was a real bonus not to have to go out again and we enjoyed the bottle of wine while playing cards in the conservatory!

Birthday shopping.

I had an early start this morning as I was due to help Sue for a few hours. We were off to a farmhouse deep in the Leicestershire countryside so we started at 8am. Again, the weather was horrible - thick fog and a damp atmosphere, but with the promise of a better afternoon to come.

The house we were working at was lovely and there were numerous sheep and lambs in the field, as well as chickens, geese and a very friendly black cat who kept us company the whole time we were there! Sue pruned a bush that had taken over a wall while I swept the surrounding area and then collected all the prunings. We met the owners who were very friendly and planted some herbs in the vegetable patch.

By 10am we were finished and driving towards Brixworth where we did half an hour at a garden and then another two hours at a regular house that Sue looks after, where Bella the cat lives. By now the sun had come out and it was a glorious day with blue skies and lovely warm temperatures.

Back home I had a quick shower and Sophie and I drove to Market Harborough as my daughter had been invited to a surprise get together on Wednesday evening for her friend Daisy's 21st Birthday and needed to get a gift. We called into Gallone's first and enjoyed a delicious ice-cream sundae before hitting the shops and looking for presents.

We didn't stay long in the town as I felt a little weary and very soon we were driving back home through the gorgeous Spring countryside. Everything is blossoming now and the trees have a definite fuzz of green on them!

A breakfast outing.

This morning we all went for breakfast at the Buddies American Diner near to Junction 15 of the M1. Keith said that he wanted to treat me as I'd prepared lunch yesterday and I wasn't going to argue with him!

After the lovely sunshine of the last few days it was a bit of a shock to see grey skies and fog. We had been promised it was going to clear at some point today, though, and I was hoping for a sunny afternoon.

We had a delicious breakfast at Buddies. I opted for pancakes served with sausages and fried potatoes while the rest of my family went for the traditional fry-up. With lashings of coffee it was great to sit and relax and have someone else prepare the first meal of the day!

I had arranged with Sue to do some work with her after we'd enjoyed breakfast so we returned home and I waited for her to call. She was having carpets fitted mid-morning but it seems they had been delayed so we didn't actually start any work until 1pm.

She mentioned about cleaning a house in Brixworth, so I made a start but it quickly became apparent that it was going to take me far longer than I'd anticipated and I wasn't really prepared to blitz a whole house from top to bottom! Especially not after having a large breakfast! Sue was out in the garden and when she popped in I suggested that I'd just do the one hour I'd already worked and come back later in the week at 8am. I had had trouble using the Dyson vacuum at the house and I need the proper tools for the job!

Sue gave me a lift home and I explained to Keith and Sophie what was happening. I was hoping Sophie would help me out on Thursday!

A lovely day!

We've had beautiful weather again today but it's still been windy!

Our clocks went forward last night so when I woke up it was almost 9am, but it was really 8am...I hate losing that hour! First thing I made a loaf of bread to go with our lunch and while it was rising in the airing cupboard, Keith and I went to get the Sunday papers. When I got back Mike was awake so I opened my lovely cards (some beautiful words from both children) and received a pretty plant and some chocs! I did very well!

I had a quick cup of coffee and then I tidied the conservatory while Sophie hoovered. I prepared the lunch and Sophie made me a salad which looked beautiful when she'd finished. My parents arrived at 1pm and my Mum was delighted with her rose, the chocolates and her card.

We ate a delicious, but very simple, lunch of salad, new potatoes, cooked meats, quiche and nibbly bits washed down with Cava and a Bordeaux red. The conservatory was looking lovely in the afternoon sunshine and I was really glad it was a beautiful day. For dessert we enjoyed a chocolate gateau that I'd bought in Tesco (I haven't had time to make anything over the weekend!) served with whipped cream. We were all stuffed when we finished!

It was great to have a good chat over lunch and the children were on top form making my parents laugh, which was lovely. It's so good to all sit around the table and enjoy ourselves.

My parents left at nearly 4pm as my Dad looked ready to fall asleep even though he'd only had a small glass of wine! Once they'd gone, we cleared away and relaxed...although in Keith and Sophie's case they were comatose within half an hour!

The arrival of gifts!

Yesterday, two gifts arrived for Mother's Day. One for me, one for my Mum...

Sophie ordered me a custom named Vaseline pot. Her nickname for me is Janes and we call Vaseline "butterbean" after I misheard what she was saying once! My present to my Mum is an Everlasting Rose which was delivered yesterday and I re-potted it myself. Along with a box of chocolates and a pretty card I hope she'll be pleased!

Today has been another glorious day with plenty of sunshine, but that wind is still about. However, it didn't stop me from putting the rest of my Spring plants into pots and sitting with Monty in the sunshine!

Phew! Where has this week gone?

Sophie and Mike didn't, in the end, go to London today as most of Sophie's friends had dropped out and although Keith and I contemplated going in their place, we decided not to, as we knew it would be a long and pretty expensive day. We have Sophie's birthday to look forward to in a couple of weeks and she wants to go to London then anyway. Needless to say, Sophie and Mike were very disappointed and I do wonder if her friends dropped out because of the terror attack? If so, that would be very sad.

Sue came around very early and asked if I wanted to do two hours of ironing which I readily agreed to. Keith went for a walk and I made a start with the clothes, some of which were quite complicated to iron!

Again, it's been a glorious Spring day today with abundant sunshine and blue skies. Sophie and I went to Beckworth in the afternoon and I bought some more pansies and violas. I also bought a beautiful red poppy that will flower, hopefully, all through the summer.

As it was still such a lovely day Sophie and I sat in the garden with Monty when we got home and enjoyed a cup of tea and a biscuit. Monty, unfortunately, is still banned from the house but he does enjoy being with us in the garden and loves to soak up the sunshine!

The weather was a little different four years ago on this day:

A busy day!

Sue and I were gardening this morning early so Keith took Mike and Sophie to college and uni. Sue and I headed for Brixworth and we called into the butcher's first as Sue wanted to order a chicken for her Mother's Day lunch on Sunday. She also bought two Scotch eggs to eat while we were gardening...sounds perfect to me! We enjoyed them sitting in the sun which was lovely!

It was another glorious day, thank goodness, and we worked for two hours in the garden accompanied by Bella, the little cat. Back home I had a quick shower as I was filthy from being on my hands and knees in the borders, and then Keith and I dashed off to do our shopping before coming home, having a quick lunch and then going to collect our offspring!

The weather stayed beautiful all day although it has been really windy again. The wind has been a real factor this week and I do wonder if it's still the remnants of Storm Stella? This weekend the weather is set to be lovely...hooray!

I bought some violas and a lavender in Tesco as our garden badly needs some colour. When I eventually returned home from all the toing and froing, I planted up my new flowers and discovered that Cheryl had hidden several fat snax in the pots! They were all covered in compost so impossible to put back onto the lawn for the birds so I just crumbled them up and hoped the plants would appreciate this new source of nourishment!

We have a wide variety of birds visiting the garden now as they all prepare for  babies! Even Rooky has made a return although he/she is very nervous and takes ages to look around before he/she swoops down and collects some food. We also have a magpie, a pair of collared doves, numerous sparrows, blue tits, chaffinches, wood pigeons, blackbirds, starlings and of course our resident robin who is never far away!

A sad day for London.

I was on my own at the CAB today and typically, I became caught in a terrible traffic jam that made me far later than normal. It took me half an hour to get through Moulton and onto the Kettering road because of a small set of roadworks that were causing chaos. Keith and Mike were behind me and I warned them about the state of the traffic so at least they were able to take avoiding action!

I arrived at the car park at just before 9am and sped down to the Guildhall, meeting Gill on the way. Luckily when I arrived they'd just opened the doors so I was able to collect the keys and make a start on opening up. Hadeer was in as well, which helped, as she had come in to see how I set up the laptops.

I was very pleased that we weren't too busy and after a little early rush it settled down to a trickle of clients coming in. Priya was also back today and gave me lots of information about Sophie's future in law, which was great.

We left on time and I sped home to discover the horrible events that had unfolded in London while I was driving home. Sophie and Mike are due to go to London on Friday for the day with a group of Sophie's friends from uni and I dread to think how I would have felt if they'd been there today.

Mum and Dad came around for a cup of tea and they were as shocked as we were by the news as they hadn't heard anything before they arrived. They gave me some chocolates and flowers for looking after the house while they were in Whitby and we had a chat about their weekend while keeping an eye on the news.

When they left we set about making dinner and Sophie made the most delicious marinade to go with the chicken drumsticks. She combined honey, sugar, butter, barbecue sauce and a hot sauce and we used this to pour over the chicken when it was cooked. It was a delicious dinner even though we just ate a starter and dessert!

On my hands and knees...again!

Today has almost been an exact replica of last Tuesday! We dropped Sophie off at uni and then popped to Aldi to get some shopping - I wanted to try and recreate a starter we'd had at BJ's in Florida of boneless chicken wings with a dip. We couldn't find boneless wings so we bought a pack of chicken drumsticks, a jar of barbecue sauce, some goujons and a dessert for dinner on Wednesday.

Back home I had some time free to catch up with chores before Sue and I went over to Broughton again to work on the garden we'd started last week. Luckily it's been a beautiful day today, albeit a bit windy.

I made a start on the weeds on the paving while Sue brandished her secateurs and did some pruning. We worked steadily for three hours and after we'd finished at the back we moved to the front part of the garden and took out a wild strawberry plant that the lady of the house wanted removing. The trouble was, that it was everywhere with the roots all entangled in other plants such as primroses which were flowering.

By the end I was aching a fair bit and very dirty! I sped straight off to collect Soph from uni and the heavens opened while I was driving. On the way home we had a hailstorm, which was a bit dramatic!

Keith cooked dinner tonight but he did say he was very weary so I helped out. I think the procedure from yesterday has caught up with him and I felt guilty that he'd been roped into cooking again so soon. Hopefully tomorrow he'll be fighting fit again!

Backwards and forwards!

This morning Keith and I drove to the hospital for his colonoscopy procedure which was booked for 8.45am. I waited with him until the nurses came to get him and then, as there was no point in me hanging around, I returned home to have breakfast and do some housework.

He called me at nearly 11am to say that he was all ready to go home so I sped off back to the hospital to fetch him. He had had five polyps removed but the nurse had said that none of them were cancerous, which was very good news and we were very relieved. I sat outside in the car as the ticket we'd bought earlier was due to expire and I didn't fancy spending another £3 to sit there for ten minutes! It started to pour down with rain and the wind got up...is this the tail end of Storm Stella that had been affecting the US?

We went home, I made Keith a cup of tea and he settled down to watch the racing. I'd changed Sophie's bed so I ironed that and put it all back on, and then Mum and Dad called to ask me if I could pick them up from town on their return from Whitby.

The weather had cleared a little and we had a good chat about their break in the seaside town. They'd had an enjoyable time but they said their hotel was sorely in need of some TLC! I think they were glad to be home!

Mike stayed out tonight with a friend in Brixworth so there was only the three of us for dinner of fish pie. Keith felt quite tired for the rest of the day and we're both glad that the procedure is over!

Lazy Sunday

The sun has shone today and it's been dry so I tackled my dirty car this morning, which made me feel a lot better! As always, it was a social event and I had chats with the neighbours, including Tom and baby Leo who will be a year old next week. How time flies!

I spent the afternoon doing some fruitless research on my family tree while Sophie worked on her assignment. She certainly is putting the work in this year!

Poor Keith had breakfast with us (I cooked frankfurters, scrambled eggs and has browns) but then he had to stop eating for the rest of the day and in the afternoon drink two litres of a special mix that would make him stay very close to the loo for the rest of the day!

In the evening I cooked Jerk Chicken Pasta, a dish that Keith hates, so it didn't bother him one bit that he couldn't eat. Sophie helped me and as usual it was deliciously hot and spicy!

An evening with friends

After taking Sophie to work, Keith and I called around to Mum and Dad's house to make sure everything was OK and then we headed home for breakfast. Today was supposed to be wet but it has remained dry and mild all day so I took the opportunity to do some work in my own garden!

I mowed the lawn, cut the edges and did some light digging and by the time I was finished I was really pleased with how it looked after the rigours of winter. It just needs a splash of colour now so maybe when I get a free day I'll go and buy some violas and pansies. Of course, Monty and the robin kept me company the whole time and the robin kept a close eye on where I was digging so he could find worms!

In the afternoon Keith and Mike went out so I had a long hot bath and read a book on my Kindle which was very gripping (The Marriage Lie by Kimberley Belle). I couldn't put it down!

I went to get the kids from work and Brixworth and then it was home to get ready to go around to Sue and Paul's for a glass of wine and some nibbles with Richard and Michelle. It was supposed to be a full-blown Wine Evening but Keith is not supposed to be eating any fruit or vegetables or red meats, etc ahead of his colonoscopy on Monday morning. He could only drink water, poor thing and I don't think he really enjoyed the evening because of it.

Sue and Paul served Champagne to start followed by a couple of bottles of red wine and the rest of us ate pate and bread, cheese and biscuits and olives, etc. We had a good look at Richard and Michelle's photos of the Northern Lights when they had visited Iceland a few years back and it made me all the more determined to go and see them!

Another week draws to a close...

Mum and Dad had booked a weekend away in Whitby so mid-morning, Sophie and I went to pick them up from home and take them into Northampton where they were boarding a coach. It was a grey and dull day with the weather forecast to be unsettled over the weekend.

We waited for about 20 minutes before the coach arrived and we waved them off. I have to say both of them were looking really smart and I was quite proud of them! I was glad they were taking a coach as it's a fair way to Whitby and the last part of the journey is on a single carriageway road over the moors, so it was a treat for my Dad to have someone else drive.

After we'd seen them off we drove to Riverside and had lunch at Costa. As usual, the place was packed and I enjoyed two Flat Whites and a toasted sandwich. Sophie treated me to a chocolate crispy cornflake cake as a treat...delicious!

I had planned on doing some gardening when I got home but although today has been dry, the wind has been very cold, so I stayed inside instead and made four scented candles, something I've been meaning to do for ages!

Keith was engrossed in the last day's racing from Cheltenham but he didn't have any big winners today like he did yesterday. However, over the four days he won about £60 so that wasn't bad and he certainly had a lot of enjoyment from the racing!

A couple of winners!

Keith and I had to take little Jazzy Jim into the Honda dealership this morning as it had been recalled because of a problem with the airbag...apparently it was dangerous! We dropped the car off, went to have a coffee with Mum and then did our shopping. By the time we'd finished, the car was ready so we drove straight down to Riverside, picked it up and headed home to unpack and have lunch.

Keith had a much more successful afternoon's racing and backed two winners! He fancied Presenting Percy and Nichols Canyon, both of whom romped home first and I have to admit to dancing around the living room and screaming when they won! It was all very exciting!

I went to pick up Sophie and Mike and a quieter, less exciting evening followed. We did play a game of cards and I opened a bottle of Chenin Blanc I'd bought, but unfortunately it was a real disappointment!

Sunny Wednesday!

This morning I took Mike into college before I headed into town to do my usual Wednesday stint at the Citizen's Advice Bureau. I felt a little weary so I decided to treat myself to a coffee and a muffin in Costa before I arrived at the Guildhall. I really needed the caffeine hit!

When I got to the office, Frank was there first and setting up so that was good. I didn't have to try and catch someone's eye to let me in! We had an uneventful morning and Hadeer and Jon came over to work with us as both Priya and Gill were away.

At lunchtime I popped to the Post Office again and enjoyed the short walk in the sunshine. It's been a gorgeous day, which is fairly typical! We finished on time and I went to collect Mike as this week Keith is engrossed in the horse racing from Cheltenham and I promised I would let him watch without any interruption. He had had a couple of placed horses but no real wins yet. Let's hope tomorrow he'll do better!

On my hands and knees!

Keith and I took Sophie to uni this morning and then we popped to the Weston Favell Centre to go to the Post Office and Tesco.

I was working with Sue again in the afternoon and we went over to a house near to where my parents live. I was hoping to go and see them after I'd finished working so I took my car and filled it with all my gardening implements!

The garden we were working on has no lawn at all, just lots of paving slabs and cobblestones, with a couple of beds filled with plants and flowers. Sue wanted us to get rid of all the moss and weeds growing between the slabs and cobbles which meant I spent most of my time on my hands and knees! There was a lot to be done and we were there for three hours in all, with another visit scheduled for next week to finish off some of the back garden. Luckily the weather was lovely and although we had some cloud, we had a fair bit of sunshine as well.

I left and picked up Sophie from uni. Mum had called me to say that she and Dad were going out anyway so I didn't go and see them after all but I did promise to call in on Thursday on the way to do our shopping. It was heaven to get home, put all my dirty clothes into the wash bin and soak in a lovely hot bath!

Varied jobs!

I was working with Sue today and we drove into Northampton first to tidy up the garden of a house that was about to be put on the market. It was a gorgeous morning with lots of sunshine and blue skies so a real treat to be working outside.

Sue cut the edges of the grass with some shears while I weeded the driveway and front border. We also planted some Spring flowers to brighten the garden up. It looked lovely and a lot neater when we finished. The only thing that needed doing was the grass cutting to make it look perfect!

From there we drove to Tesco and Sue bought four big pots as the next house we were going to had a rose that needed re-potting. It belonged to the owner of the house who had inherited it from her grandfather so I think it had a lot of sentimental value. The builders who were working on her house had accidentally broken the pot it was in, but when we arrived we found that they had put it into a half barrel, as a way of redeeming themselves!

Sue had a good look at it and said that it looked fine but it needed pruning. The owner wasn't at all keen on that so after putting some more soil into the pot, giving it a good water and having a chat we went on our way.

Sue very kindly made me a sandwich for lunch and we ate in the garden with the dogs. After we'd eaten we went to a house on our estate to finish off the front garden which was looking beautiful. Sue had made a border under the front window and it was full of lovely Spring plants and daffodils. I weeded the driveway and helped her to do some planting before weeding a narrow gravel strip at the side of the house and then sweeping the road. The woman who lives in the house was very friendly and kept offering to make us tea or coffee and having a chat. It was all very sociable!

In the evening Sophie went out with some friends to a pub in town and we picked up Danni on the way to uni where they were meeting the others. I returned home to a delicious cottage pie and before we knew it, Sophie was calling us asking to be picked up again. Another day over!

A very lazy day...

Today I put off glossing the doors and skirting boards until next weekend as I was a little weary and also suffering from quite a bit of stomach pain, which made me reluctant to do anything strenuous!

Sophie and I sat and watched two episodes of Levinson Wood's "Walking the Nile" (my daughter had missed the first series, and very enjoyable it was as well. Outside the weather was dull and gloomy so perfect for staying in and doing very little!

Normally I would feel guilty for "wasting" a day but I didn't feel any regret in the slightest - I have a busy week coming up, so for once I was determined to laze about!

Sue popped around in the afternoon with the form for the garage sale which is taking place in the village again in May. We're looking forward to selling some unwanted stuff and hope to make enough to pay for a good meal in Florida! We're going to have a really good clear out in April!

Slasher Keith strikes again!

This morning, as I was sitting in the conservatory, I heard a hedge-trimmer close by and realised that Keith had sneaked outside and was wielding the machine against the bushes at the front. He hadn't mentioned that he was going to do this, which was a bit annoying!

Of course, I went out to help him clear up all the branches and we soon realised that we weren't going to get everything into our wheelie bin. We decided that when we took Mike to Brixworth, we would call into the tip and get rid of one wheelie bin load there.

After we dropped Mike at the library, we drove to the tip to find chaos...everyone and his mother had decided today was the day to tackle their gardens and there was a long queue to dispose of waste. It didn't help that one particular van was wedged into a space and was blocking the exit! We managed to park close to the garden waste skips and with some effort, emptied our bin. My poor car was covered in leaves and dirt, though!

Back home we swept up the rest of the mess and I strimmed the front verge. After I'd done that I hoovered out my car and then decided it was time for a break! Today I was supposed to be doing the gloss paint on the doors and skirting boards in the hall and landing!

In the evening Sophie and I went into town as we had tickets booked for An Audience with Levison Wood, he of mammoth walks fame. He was appearing at Derngate and it was only because I'd recorded Saturday Kitchen where he was a guest star that I realised he was coming to Northampton!

We parked easily and as we were a bit early (!) we enjoyed a glass of wine in one of the bars before taking our seats. We had a good view of the stage and we thoroughly enjoyed the show. Levison Wood talked about his three epic walks - Walking the Nile, Walking the Himalayas and his most recent programme, Walking the Americas. He spoke really well and was very entertaining and the show was interspersed with clips of all three of his walks, some of which were very funny. At the end he did a question and answer session with audience members and some of the questions were hilarious. Of course, when someone asked where he was going next, he wouldn't say!

The show finished at almost 10pm and we drove home anticipating a late Chinese take-away. Keith had ordered meals for Mike and himself but had also ordered Sophie and I some dishes to eat when we got home. With a glass of white wine it was a lovely end to a brilliant evening!

2017 Bucket List

I can cross off something from my list for this year!


Walk around both sides of Pitsford Reservoir, from home.

Ride the Mummy rollercoaster in Florida in August. (I will do it next year!)

Visit Boughton House.

See a film at the Errol Flynn cinema next to Derngate in Northampton.

Listen to live music at a restaurant or bar in Florida, preferably on the beach!

Eat caviar with Champagne

Visit a Latin bar and Salsa dance

Enjoy a night at a casino

Drive an Aston Martin (maybe an early 50th Birthday present?)

Walk the breadth of England

More hard work!

Today was supposed to stay dry but as I was gardening first thing, we had some very fine drizzle that made me a bit damp! I'd dropped Keith off at Pitsford on the way back from taking the kids to college and uni and when he returned he walked around to me with a flask of tea and a cheese sandwich, both of which were very welcome!

I laboured in the front garden of a neighbour's house for four and a half hours and was very ready for a hot bath when I'd finished! The grey morning gave way to an equally grey afternoon so a totally different day to yesterday! How can that be?! I knew not to get excited!

Keith went to get Mike from college and I languished in the suds, feeling a lot better. When they returned Keith and I went over to Mum and Dad's house as they had a form to fill in and sign about their flight delay last September. We had a cup of tea and some biscuits and then dashed home where I had missed a call from Sophie asking us to pick her up a bit earlier than normal! We dashed off again and it was bliss to finally get home and relax. I had fondly imagined I'd have all afternoon to catch up with stuff, but there hasn't been a spare minute today!

A hint of Spring?

We had another busy day ahead of us as Keith had an appointment at the hospital in the afternoon to see a nurse about having a colonoscopy. As a matter of routine he is screened for bowel cancer every two years and he had had an abnormal result.

It was a bit of a shock when we received the letter but as he'd had a scan less than a year ago due to his kidney and had been told after his operation that no cancer had spread, we weren't seriously alarmed. He, of course, also had a CT scan on Monday.

We went to do our shopping in the morning and came home for a quick lunch before leaving for the hospital. Sophie had taken the day off as she has a terrible cold at the moment but felt better so decided to come with us. It's been another absolutely beautiful day with warm temperatures - 17c at one point! - and lots of sunshine. A real hint of Spring but I'm not getting excited yet!

The nurse we saw about the colonoscopy was very good and explained the procedure to us. Keith has been booked in for the 20 March but for two days before he will be unable to eat anything with any fibre in it, such as fruit and vegetables, brown bread or pasta. This could be tricky as we are going over to Sue and Paul's on the Saturday night for the next Wine Tasting...

We were in with the nurse for about an hour and when we came out we decided to go for a quick drink, as Mike needed to be collected at 4pm and it wasn't worth going home to go all the way back into town. Any normal family would have headed for the shops or had a coffee, but we went to The Spinney Hill pub!

I wish I was in La La Land!

Today was very busy at the Citizens Advice Bureau and we had some difficult clients coming in as well, which added to the stress levels! I arrived early and set up and Frank came in just after me. Priya had taken today off so Hadeer came in to cover her. We had the usual rush of clients before 9.30am and as well as our usual reception duties, we also had to call clients who had booked appointments with our pro-bono solicitor in the evening.

The morning whizzed past and we had to turn away quite a few people as it neared lunchtime as we were so busy. Hadeer returned to the other office at 1pm and we had another adviser, Ann, come over to cover. She seemed very flustered and unsure of what to do but I made sure that Gill showed her the ropes and for the rest of the afternoon they coped well with the post-lunchtime rush.

I left a little early as this evening Mum, Sophie and I were off to the Errol Flynn cinema in Derngate to see La La Land. I picked my Mum up at 4.45pm which, on reflection, was far too early but I was worried about the traffic and getting parked. I needn't have worried as we were inside Derngate by 5.30pm so we decided to have a glass of wine in the pub next door called John Franklin's. I have a feeling this was formerly Bar Hygge, somewhere I wanted to go to this year, as I can't believe there are two, very similar, bars within such a short distance from the theatre.

We enjoyed our glass of wine and then we made it over to the Errol Flynn, which is attached to the side of Derngate. It only has 100 seats but what seats they are! Very comfortable with little tables on the arms for you to put your drinks. Sophie bought a bottle of Pinot Grigio and they gave us an ice bucket to take in with three proper glasses! Lovely!

There were no endless trailers of adverts and the film came on promptly. I have to be honest and say I wasn't really looking forward to La La Land as there had been so much hype and I'm not keen on musicals, but I thoroughly enjoyed the movie from start to finish and it's definitely what I would call a "feel good" film. Overall, it was a lovely experience and I will definitely book to see a film here again!

We went to Pizza Express after the film as I had a 25% voucher off food (!) and we had a very pleasant meal of dough balls and garlic bread to start followed by pizzas. Sophie and I shared a cheesecake for dessert while Mum tucked into a chocolate brownie with ice-cream. We drank a bottle of sparkling water and saved almost £14 on the bill, which was great.

Unfortunately, we chose the worst moment to leave as our departure coincided with an exodus from the Derngate so it was a real scrum to get through the, very well-heeled and genteel, crowd (I think they had been to see La Boheme). However, we managed to get out of the car-park pretty quickly considering the amount of people leaving so it wasn't all bad!

Hard work!

Sue had asked me to help her out with some gardening this morning and had arranged to call for me at 8.15am as the garden she wanted me to do was just up the road. Unfortunately, she was held up so it wasn't until after 9am that I got started.

It has been a glorious day today with plenty of sunshine and blue skies and really pleasant for spending time gardening, although it was hard work! Sue had to dash off to another job so she left me on my own to clear out some borders, rake up loads of dead leaves and do some weeding.

As the house was at the entrance to our estate it was great to see the comings and goings of friends and neighbours and I was astonished at how busy our little community is! It gave me a chance to say hello to people, some of whom were curious as to what I was doing! "You don't live here!" was a common exclamation!

Keith took Sophie to uni and then went for a walk. On his return I asked him to make me a big mug of tea and bring me something to eat, which he did, bless him! I worked on my own until 1pm and then Sue joined me for another hour. I had had to ask Keith another favour - to bring me our own wheelie bin as I had filled up the one at the house with dead leaves, fallen branches and weeds.

By 2pm I had had enough! I'm not used to physical work for five hours and I was longing to get home and have a shower. We finished the garden and just as I arrived home Keith came out to say that Sophie wanted picking up early from uni. We went to get her and then it was a long hot shower for me!

Like a fool, I'd decided to change our bed in the morning so that needed sorting out (Keith had done a load of ironing) and then I popped over to see Sue as she had some dates she wanted to go through with me for other gardening jobs. We went to see another garden on the estate and Sue asked if I could do it, on my own again, on Friday.

Back at Sue's house she bustled around and poured me a glass of Vouvray (always a treat) and brought out some feta cheese and crackers to nibble on. The dogs took a lot of interest in this spread! We looked at our diaries and organised some dates for next week.

Tonight's dinner was sausage casserole a la Hairy Bikers, and it needed quite a bit of preparing! Keith browned the sausages for me while I prepared the onions and garlic and it was heaven to finally sit down with dinner and relax. I was shattered!

Celebrating 29 years!

Keith was booked in for a CT scan at the hospital this morning so we left home at 7.30am to get there in good time. He had to drink a jug of orange squash with something else mixed in with it over the course of an hour and then he was taken in for the scan.

We were all finished by 10am and heading home for breakfast. Sophie was hard at work in the conservatory but had been annoyed by Monty constantly yowling at the door. I had a coffee and some toast and we decided to pop to Jones's later in the morning to get some essential stuff that we needed.

Keith opted to stay at home so Sophie and I went and did some shopping - I spent more than I wanted to but I did need all the things I bought, such as batteries, coat hangers, a new set of scales and a sieve. All exciting objects!

On the way home we called into Waitrose as I needed more coffee and we bought a little picnic lunch to eat when we got home. It was delicious!

In the evening Keith and I went to The Hare at Loddington as today is the 29th anniversary of our first date when we went to Brighton. I looked at my blog before we went and I was astonished to see that on this date last year it was Mother's Day and Keith had been for a CT scan at the hospital! How weird is that?

We had a very pleasant drink at the pub and sat in the lounge area which was lovely and quiet. We were there for an hour before driving home and finishing off our dinner of Spaghetti Bolognese. Maybe not the most adventurous of dinners to celebrate 29 years together, but it was delicious nonetheless!

Shocking news.

The residents of our estate were shocked to discover that there had been an attempted break-in at one of the houses early this morning. The burglars had tried to remove a double glazing panel but the family dog had heard them and started barking, waking everyone up. The burglars then fled.

I was shocked and dismayed to hear of this because I had thought, perhaps naively, that things like that didn't happen to our little community in the country. How wrong was I? The Facebook pages was agog with the news and people said they would be much more aware of security from now on.

The weather this morning was horrible and rainy so Keith and I pushed on to finish the emulsioning and while he did the ceiling in the hallway I put another coat on one of the walls and then cleaned down the banisters which were a bit paint speckled.

The afternoon weather was slightly better but Sophie and I spent our whole time in the conservatory where she did some work on her assignments and I watched an Icelandic drama called Case on my computer as it was being shown on All4.

Before I went to bed later in the evening I made sure that everything that could be locked was secure...I'm not sure many residents tonight will have a good sleep!

More painting!

After dropping Sophie off at work, it was back home for a quick breakfast and then Keith and I set to with the paint and rollers. I felt a bit disheartened at first as my roller wasn't applying the paint properly and it was obvious from the first coat that we need to do another full emulsion as it just wasn't covering the horrible peachy colour underneath. Why I ever chose that colour I'll never know!

However, we both persevered  and by the early afternoon we had completed the landing, down the stairs and into the hall. It was beginning to look much better already, and so much cleaner! Mum and Dad popped around for a cup of tea and admired our handiwork, but at the moment it still looks very patchy.

The forecast rain never really arrived and we had mostly sunshine all day long. I wished I could be out in it, but the paint called me! I just had to admire the blue skies from out of the window!

Keith and Mike went off in the afternoon and soon after they'd gone I finished and hoovered the carpets downstairs. I think we have no choice but to buy a new carpet for the hall, stairs and landing which will make a huge difference.

We picked up both Sophie and Mike in the evening and then it was home for a very succulent Chicken Kiev a la Keith!

Date with a brush (and roller)!

Keith went for a walk this morning after we'd dropped Mike and Sophie off at college and uni, despite it pouring with rain. I had a date with a paintbrush and some more ironing as Sue had given me another pile to do!

I did that and just after I finished Keith arrived home looking really wet and bedraggled! I made him breakfast and then together we painted all the edges of the walls and the landing ceiling. The paint we are using - Ivory Lace - is a lot lighter than the paint we have on the walls so I think we will definitely need to apply another coat tomorrow when it has dried.

I finished mid-afternoon and I was pleased with what we'd done so far. Both Sophie and Mike didn't need picking up until 5pm so that was a bonus!

As we'd been working all day Keith and I bought dinner from the fish and chip takeaway in Broughton and he decided not to go to the pub tonight as he wasn't drinking anyway. The rain hasn't stopped all day today and it's supposed to be horrible as well tomorrow. Perfect for staying in and decorating!

A new career?

Not a great deal has happened today - it's been a usual Thursday with taking the kids to college and uni and then doing our weekly shop.

As we were unloading the car, though, Sue came rushing over with a large bag and asked if I wanted to do some ironing for her as she was extremely short of time. I never get to iron at home as Keith likes to press our clothes while watching sport on the television, so I jumped at the chance of earning some money! I did all of ours and the pile that Sue had given me and really enjoyed it!

We also had some good news today as we received a telephone call from the hospital asking for Keith to go and have a CT scan on Monday morning. This should really have been done in early January and is a routine scan after his operation last year. We had been a bit worried that he hadn't been called so at least now we can cross that off our list of things to worry about!

First day of Spring!

Well, winter is over and I think the general consensus was that it was mild and dryish. Not really what I wanted, I'll be honest! However, there is snow forecast for parts of Britain this week so it's not over yet!

I had a fairly uneventful day at the CAB - no changes have been put into practice yet so we all just got on with the seeing clients and doing our best to help them with their problems. We had a varied lot of issues to deal with and we were all finished by 3pm and walking back to the car in the sunshine. A bit better than last week!

Back home I sat in the conservatory with Keith and Sophie and we had a cup of tea and a chocolate and banana muffin. These seem to be much more popular than the normal choccy ones I make and were very moist.

It poured with rain in the evening and the wind got up again. Keith disappeared upstairs to watch yet more football so I took the opportunity to catch up with a great new series called The Replacement - it promises to be very good indeed!