My tummy is hurting again so I've decided to do very little over today and tomorrow to see if it makes a difference. I'm a bit fed up with this now and everyone is urging me to go and see the doctor but I hate fuss and I'm 99% sure it's something to do with my stomach muscles, so all I need to do is rest and take Ibuprofen.
It's been a pleasant day, weather-wise, but very windy so we weren't able to sit out in the garden. Mike called me at 9am to go and fetch him from town after his party of last night. Keith went for a long walk so Sophie and I went and he was a bit groggy from lack of sleep.
He had work at midday, though, and he was a lot brighter by the time we took him! I'm just so glad he has a job and can earn his own money! Keith and I went to Brixworth to get a newspaper and some crusty bread to go with our paella tonight and then it was home to relax and do very little.
Sophie and I did manage to go for a little walk around the estate with Monty later in the afternoon, though, and we went down to the gate first to see if the horses were about. They weren't so we turned back and met Michelle who was posting a letter. We had a brief chat and then Lynn (another neighbour) came around the corner, on her way to visit the Open Gardens in the village. Our brief chat turned into a longer one and Richard came to find Michelle as she'd been gone so long (he was parked at the entrance to the estate as they were on their way out). It was all very sociable especially when we waved hello to some more neighbours who were on their way out on a walk!
Sophie and I carried on around the estate with Monty who frolicked about like he was a young cat. Unbelievable to think he's now eleven years old...in his sixties if he were a human!
Dinner tonight was paella and Keith and Sophie made it - it was delicious and there was an awful lot of it!
Sunday 30 April 2017
Saturday 29 April 2017
Out for dinner.
After dropping Sophie off at work this morning Keith and I went to the Weston Favell Centre and bought the ingredients for the paella we're going to have tomorrow. We have decided to just use chicken as I don't think adding mussels and prawns to the dish will go down well with the children!
Back home I had breakfast of Danish pastries and coffee while Keith cooked some bacon that smelled like it was definitely past its best! I had to open all the windows and doors to get rid of the horrible odour!
Mike went to work at midday and I returned home to paint the door leading into the hallway and Mikey's door which I hadn't done when I'd glossed the rest of the paintwork the other week. The football season is over now so Keith won't be going to any more Sileby games until we return from our holiday in late August. I had rather got used to being in control of the television on a Saturday afternoon!
We picked Mike up at 6pm and headed into town to collect Sophie. Mike had received a share of the tips so he was very pleased, and so were we! We picked up Sophie, took Mike into town where he was meeting friends and headed home to get ready as we had been invited around to Mum and Dad's for a meal this evening.
Dad had prepared a Chinese meal and the food was lovely. We started with garlicky prawns and spring rolls accompanied by prawn crackers. The first dish was washed down with Prosecco and then we moved onto a Merlot with the main course of sweet and sour chicken, pulled pork in a delicious sauce and beef served with celery.
We had a good chat and enjoyed the evening very much. We didn't leave too late and it was bliss to get home and snuggle down in bed with my Kindle!
Back home I had breakfast of Danish pastries and coffee while Keith cooked some bacon that smelled like it was definitely past its best! I had to open all the windows and doors to get rid of the horrible odour!
Mike went to work at midday and I returned home to paint the door leading into the hallway and Mikey's door which I hadn't done when I'd glossed the rest of the paintwork the other week. The football season is over now so Keith won't be going to any more Sileby games until we return from our holiday in late August. I had rather got used to being in control of the television on a Saturday afternoon!
We picked Mike up at 6pm and headed into town to collect Sophie. Mike had received a share of the tips so he was very pleased, and so were we! We picked up Sophie, took Mike into town where he was meeting friends and headed home to get ready as we had been invited around to Mum and Dad's for a meal this evening.
Dad had prepared a Chinese meal and the food was lovely. We started with garlicky prawns and spring rolls accompanied by prawn crackers. The first dish was washed down with Prosecco and then we moved onto a Merlot with the main course of sweet and sour chicken, pulled pork in a delicious sauce and beef served with celery.
We had a good chat and enjoyed the evening very much. We didn't leave too late and it was bliss to get home and snuggle down in bed with my Kindle!
Friday 28 April 2017
A quiet end to the week...
After taking Mike to college, I dropped Keith off at Pitsford as he was going to walk home and returned to see how Sophie was. She was very bunged up, poor thing, but did feel a bit better.
When Keith returned we had breakfast and at lunchtime, popped to Riverside as Sophie wanted to go to Boots. I bought some bird food in Poundland (£3 for bird seed, fat snax and mealworms...a bargain!). She treated us to a coffee at Costa and then it was home for an hour before we had to go back out to collect Mike.
The weather today has been dull and grey with a chill little wind that prompts us to put the heating on for an hour or two in the evening. I'm really yearning for some warm sunny days now, and it goes without saying that I can't wait for our holiday in August!
When Keith returned we had breakfast and at lunchtime, popped to Riverside as Sophie wanted to go to Boots. I bought some bird food in Poundland (£3 for bird seed, fat snax and mealworms...a bargain!). She treated us to a coffee at Costa and then it was home for an hour before we had to go back out to collect Mike.
The weather today has been dull and grey with a chill little wind that prompts us to put the heating on for an hour or two in the evening. I'm really yearning for some warm sunny days now, and it goes without saying that I can't wait for our holiday in August!
Thursday 27 April 2017
Two quiet days...
On Wednesday we had another fairly quiet day at the Citizens Advice Bureau and Priya was back from her holidays having had a great time in Monte Carlo, lucky thing!
Frank left a bit early to go and sort out some family matters and I locked up before heading off to the Weston Favell Centre to collect Mike's glasses which were ready. I sat and waited for him in the college car park as he was staying a bit later, and he was delighted with his new specs! He said he can now see properly! Today the weather has been lovely but it's still fairly chilly. The high temperatures of a few weeks ago are a distant memory!
Sophie was out in the evening with her friends, Danni and George, so I dropped her off at uni and we were called back to pick her up at around 10pm from the car park at St John's. They'd all had a lovely time but my daughter now has a horrible cold, which isn't great!
On Thursday we took both Mike and Sophie into college and uni and then headed home to draw up our menu and shopping list. We are still finding it difficult to choose meals that are a bit different and that will appeal to all four of us!
On the way to Kettering we called to see my Mum for a quick coffee and then it was time to put off the inevitable and head to the supermarkets. We still hadn't decided on Sunday's meal so we wandered around aimlessly trying to find inspiration!
Sophie called me just as we'd finished putting all the shopping away and asked me to pick her up early as she felt so rough. I sped off and collected her and advised her to have a nap in the afternoon to see if she felt any better.
We were back out at 4pm to collect Mike and then it was a quiet night with quiche and salad for dinner and I made a batch of sauteed potatoes, which were delicious!
Frank left a bit early to go and sort out some family matters and I locked up before heading off to the Weston Favell Centre to collect Mike's glasses which were ready. I sat and waited for him in the college car park as he was staying a bit later, and he was delighted with his new specs! He said he can now see properly! Today the weather has been lovely but it's still fairly chilly. The high temperatures of a few weeks ago are a distant memory!
Sophie was out in the evening with her friends, Danni and George, so I dropped her off at uni and we were called back to pick her up at around 10pm from the car park at St John's. They'd all had a lovely time but my daughter now has a horrible cold, which isn't great!
On Thursday we took both Mike and Sophie into college and uni and then headed home to draw up our menu and shopping list. We are still finding it difficult to choose meals that are a bit different and that will appeal to all four of us!
On the way to Kettering we called to see my Mum for a quick coffee and then it was time to put off the inevitable and head to the supermarkets. We still hadn't decided on Sunday's meal so we wandered around aimlessly trying to find inspiration!
Sophie called me just as we'd finished putting all the shopping away and asked me to pick her up early as she felt so rough. I sped off and collected her and advised her to have a nap in the afternoon to see if she felt any better.
We were back out at 4pm to collect Mike and then it was a quiet night with quiche and salad for dinner and I made a batch of sauteed potatoes, which were delicious!
Tuesday 25 April 2017
Not gardening today...
I was supposed to be working with Sue this morning but I had to tell her that I was unable to bend down or do any kneeling as I think my tummy ache has something to do with all the bending down and kneeling I've been doing since the beginning of March. When I stop gardening it goes away but returns after I've done a stint of gardening which is not good news.
I was halfway to Arthingworth when she texted me to say that she'd rather I didn't do any work as she was worried I'd do more harm so I returned home and made a start on cleaning the house. Keith and I also sorted out our chaise longue that we're going to try and sell on ebay. We washed it all down and took photos so we'll keep our fingers crossed that someone wants to buy it! Keith also washed all the knights and their horses that we bought Mike when he was a lot younger as we're going to try and sell them at the garage sale. Our conservatory is now full of bits and pieces that we've put aside to sell and I'll be really glad when it's all gone. The stuff that doesn't sell will be going to the charity shop!
It's been a beautiful day today but very cold. We saw sunshine all day until the evening when we were hit with some showers of sleet, hail and snow. As expected, it didn't settle!
Tonight was the season finale of Big Little Lies which I have really enjoyed. It stayed faithful to the book, which was great, and I loved the choice of music in the show. I will really miss it!
I was halfway to Arthingworth when she texted me to say that she'd rather I didn't do any work as she was worried I'd do more harm so I returned home and made a start on cleaning the house. Keith and I also sorted out our chaise longue that we're going to try and sell on ebay. We washed it all down and took photos so we'll keep our fingers crossed that someone wants to buy it! Keith also washed all the knights and their horses that we bought Mike when he was a lot younger as we're going to try and sell them at the garage sale. Our conservatory is now full of bits and pieces that we've put aside to sell and I'll be really glad when it's all gone. The stuff that doesn't sell will be going to the charity shop!
It's been a beautiful day today but very cold. We saw sunshine all day until the evening when we were hit with some showers of sleet, hail and snow. As expected, it didn't settle!
Tonight was the season finale of Big Little Lies which I have really enjoyed. It stayed faithful to the book, which was great, and I loved the choice of music in the show. I will really miss it!
Monday 24 April 2017
Sorting things out!
Sophie was due in at uni today at 10am so we dropped her off and then drove to B&Q as we wanted to buy a cheap paste table for the garage sale. The brand new Aldi was open right next door (used to be B&Q) so after buying a table and a new lampshade for the landing light we called in to get dinners for Tuesday and Wednesday.
We've hit a bit of a brick wall at the moment when it comes to deciding what to eat every day and I am totally fed up with broccoli, cauliflower and carrots as accompaniments to the meal. We really fancy making some changes but there's always a risk it'll go wrong! We decided on fish for Tuesday and Keith's home-made chicken pie for Wednesday...not brilliant choices but they'll do!
From B&Q we drove to Tesco at Mereway and paid off a chunk of our holiday balance. The actual payment is due later in May but Keith wanted to pay some off this week. I expected to feel really happy about the transaction, but I just felt a bit worried. With all the health scares we've had lately I don't want anything else to go wrong!
From Tesco we drove to Riverside and had a coffee at Costa. Sophie was due to finish at 2pm but was ready a little earlier so we went to get her and headed home. Overhead the sky went very dark indeed and it looked like we were going to have a torrential downpour! Snow has been forecast for tomorrow but I seriously doubt we'll get any!
We've hit a bit of a brick wall at the moment when it comes to deciding what to eat every day and I am totally fed up with broccoli, cauliflower and carrots as accompaniments to the meal. We really fancy making some changes but there's always a risk it'll go wrong! We decided on fish for Tuesday and Keith's home-made chicken pie for Wednesday...not brilliant choices but they'll do!
From B&Q we drove to Tesco at Mereway and paid off a chunk of our holiday balance. The actual payment is due later in May but Keith wanted to pay some off this week. I expected to feel really happy about the transaction, but I just felt a bit worried. With all the health scares we've had lately I don't want anything else to go wrong!
From Tesco we drove to Riverside and had a coffee at Costa. Sophie was due to finish at 2pm but was ready a little earlier so we went to get her and headed home. Overhead the sky went very dark indeed and it looked like we were going to have a torrential downpour! Snow has been forecast for tomorrow but I seriously doubt we'll get any!
Sunday 23 April 2017
Lazy Sunday
Keith and Sophie went for a walk this morning while I did a pile of ironing. When they came back Keith and I walked down to water a neighbour's pots and then took Mike to his pub for another afternoon's work.
Today has been glorious but on the cool side and I managed to wash my car and deal with some scratches on the paintwork. Keith came out to help and it looked lovely when I'd finished. We now just have to deal with the bad scratches on the front bumper...
The afternoon was very lazy and Sophie and I sat in the conservatory where the sun had warmed the room. All too soon it was 6pm again and before calling to get Mike we popped into a nearby shop and bought some Mexican beer for our meal tonight. Sophie was a bit apprehensive about making the two dishes we'd planned - nachos with cheese and chicken and a recipe from You magazine involving eggs and chorizo.
It all turned out very well and we all enjoyed the meal. It was great because it was a bit different to what we normally cook and I'd certainly cook both dishes again!
Today has been glorious but on the cool side and I managed to wash my car and deal with some scratches on the paintwork. Keith came out to help and it looked lovely when I'd finished. We now just have to deal with the bad scratches on the front bumper...
The afternoon was very lazy and Sophie and I sat in the conservatory where the sun had warmed the room. All too soon it was 6pm again and before calling to get Mike we popped into a nearby shop and bought some Mexican beer for our meal tonight. Sophie was a bit apprehensive about making the two dishes we'd planned - nachos with cheese and chicken and a recipe from You magazine involving eggs and chorizo.
It all turned out very well and we all enjoyed the meal. It was great because it was a bit different to what we normally cook and I'd certainly cook both dishes again!
Saturday 22 April 2017
Getting things done!
This morning we dropped Sophie off at work and went in to have a cup of coffee and a chat with Maureen. Although it's been almost two years since we sold the business, going into the building and seeing stuff we'd bought or chosen in the past still gives me a twinge of regret, even though I know it was the right thing to do.
Mike had an eye test at 10am at Tesco's so after seeing Polly and Maureen we drove to the Weston Favell Centre and while Mike and I waited in the queue, Keith went off to do some shopping. Mike's eyes were fine but he does need glasses for distance so we picked out two pairs (it was buy one, get one free) and I was very pleased with the reasonable cost for both pairs. I just hope he doesn't lose them!
We treated ourselves to breakfast at the Tesco cafe and then, after getting some diesel for my car, we dropped Mike off at his new place of work! He was a bit nervous!
Back home Keith and I decided to get all of our holiday jobs done. So, over the course of a couple of hours, we completed our ESTAs, bought travel insurance, booked the hotel and parking at Gatwick and even booked the Holiday Inn in Marathon where we'd stayed the last time we were in the Keys. We used JustPark again for the airport parking as the Summer Special quoted us £188 for three weeks, yet JustPark was £85 for the same period and the space was situated on a small business park a short taxi ride from the airport. It has very good reviews so I'm just hoping everything will go smoothly. At least we haven't got to drop the car off on the day we fly!
Keith went off to his last Sileby home game in the afternoon and I pottered about and relaxed. The weather today has been beautiful but all this is set to change next week!
We picked Mike up at 6pm and then sped off to collect Sophie before heading to Kingsthorpe to pick up her headphones from Waitrose. After a delicious dinner of beef casserole we settled down to watch Patriot Games with Harrison Ford and Sean Bean. I'd seen it before but it was still an excellent film!
Mike had an eye test at 10am at Tesco's so after seeing Polly and Maureen we drove to the Weston Favell Centre and while Mike and I waited in the queue, Keith went off to do some shopping. Mike's eyes were fine but he does need glasses for distance so we picked out two pairs (it was buy one, get one free) and I was very pleased with the reasonable cost for both pairs. I just hope he doesn't lose them!
We treated ourselves to breakfast at the Tesco cafe and then, after getting some diesel for my car, we dropped Mike off at his new place of work! He was a bit nervous!
Back home Keith and I decided to get all of our holiday jobs done. So, over the course of a couple of hours, we completed our ESTAs, bought travel insurance, booked the hotel and parking at Gatwick and even booked the Holiday Inn in Marathon where we'd stayed the last time we were in the Keys. We used JustPark again for the airport parking as the Summer Special quoted us £188 for three weeks, yet JustPark was £85 for the same period and the space was situated on a small business park a short taxi ride from the airport. It has very good reviews so I'm just hoping everything will go smoothly. At least we haven't got to drop the car off on the day we fly!
Keith went off to his last Sileby home game in the afternoon and I pottered about and relaxed. The weather today has been beautiful but all this is set to change next week!
We picked Mike up at 6pm and then sped off to collect Sophie before heading to Kingsthorpe to pick up her headphones from Waitrose. After a delicious dinner of beef casserole we settled down to watch Patriot Games with Harrison Ford and Sean Bean. I'd seen it before but it was still an excellent film!
Friday 21 April 2017
A little shopping trip!
We awoke to more grey skies today and another dry, chilly day. Spring seems to have shrunk back into its nest and next week it's set to get very cold indeed!
I took Mike to college while Sophie and Keith went for a long walk and returned to do some ironing. When my husband and daughter returned we had breakfast and then it was time for a shower before driving to Milton Keynes with Sophie to do some shopping.
We took the A508 towards Milton Keynes, but lo and behold! the road was closed just before we reached the village of Yardley Gobion! I was really annoyed because the M1 was running well and I should have taken that road! Luckily, we turned right onto a narrow country road and linked up with the A5 which took us all the way to Milton Keynes.
After parking we walked the whole distance to John Lewis and Sophie had a good look at a pair of headphones she's coveted since before Christmas. The ones she uses at the moment have stopped working and the new ones will get a lot of use so I urged her to treat herself. She has worked really hard on her assignments just lately so I said she deserved them.
They weren't in stock (what a surprise) so she ordered them and they'll be delivered to Waitrose in Kingsthorpe on Saturday, ready for collection. We went to the cafe and enjoyed a bowl of soup and some bread before we returned to the shops and Sophie spent the River Island vouchers that Mum and Dad had given her and Mike for Easter.
She also went to Schuh and bought some Vans with her birthday money and although she looked at the Mac make-up in Debenhams, she didn't buy any! I treated Keith to a book about Berlin in the 1970s and then we headed home...on the M1! I wasn't making any more mistakes with taking the wrong road! Although we had one short delay on the motorway, the traffic was a lot better than I expected and we arrived home before Keith had gone to the pub.
Mike was happy with the tee-shirt Sophie had chosen for him...even though it was pink!
I took Mike to college while Sophie and Keith went for a long walk and returned to do some ironing. When my husband and daughter returned we had breakfast and then it was time for a shower before driving to Milton Keynes with Sophie to do some shopping.
We took the A508 towards Milton Keynes, but lo and behold! the road was closed just before we reached the village of Yardley Gobion! I was really annoyed because the M1 was running well and I should have taken that road! Luckily, we turned right onto a narrow country road and linked up with the A5 which took us all the way to Milton Keynes.
After parking we walked the whole distance to John Lewis and Sophie had a good look at a pair of headphones she's coveted since before Christmas. The ones she uses at the moment have stopped working and the new ones will get a lot of use so I urged her to treat herself. She has worked really hard on her assignments just lately so I said she deserved them.
They weren't in stock (what a surprise) so she ordered them and they'll be delivered to Waitrose in Kingsthorpe on Saturday, ready for collection. We went to the cafe and enjoyed a bowl of soup and some bread before we returned to the shops and Sophie spent the River Island vouchers that Mum and Dad had given her and Mike for Easter.
She also went to Schuh and bought some Vans with her birthday money and although she looked at the Mac make-up in Debenhams, she didn't buy any! I treated Keith to a book about Berlin in the 1970s and then we headed home...on the M1! I wasn't making any more mistakes with taking the wrong road! Although we had one short delay on the motorway, the traffic was a lot better than I expected and we arrived home before Keith had gone to the pub.
Mike was happy with the tee-shirt Sophie had chosen for him...even though it was pink!
Thursday 20 April 2017
Same old, same old...
This morning, Keith was looking after Sue's two dogs, Bailey and Archie, to help her out so I took Mike to college while he took them for a walk over the fields. It was a grey, overcast day and there was a definite hint of rain in the air, something we haven't had for a while!
I returned home and did some ironing before helping Keith out with the shopping list. We feel we have become stuck in a rut with our meals so we decided on a Mexican night for Sunday with a recipe we saw in You magazine...I just hope it works out!
We took Sophie to uni, called to see Mum and Dad to take a thank you card (they were out) and headed to Kettering to do the shopping. On the way home Keith wanted to go to the Co-op in Broughton as the beer there was cheaper than Tesco, but because of the road closure on the A43, the traffic was horrendous! Everywhere we go these days seems to have a road closure at very short notice and it's becoming a real pain! I just hope the roads are being closed because of repairing pot holes, which are a real danger at the moment.
Just before we left to pick up the kids, the skies clouded over and I thought we were going to have a torrential downpour. It passed over us, though, so no real rain today...I must go out into the garden and do some watering!
Wednesday 19 April 2017
A busy day!
I was at the CAB today but had to leave early as Keith had a hospital appointment at 4pm. We had a steady day with no real rushes of people coming in and by 2pm I was walking back to my car.
Mike had to go and see the manager of the pub he's going to be working at, so I collected him from college and we drove over to the village not far from where we live. I urged him to try and be quick as I really wanted to go to the hospital with Keith and luckily he was out within half an hour.
We sped home and picked up Keith and Sophie but Mike elected to stay at home, which later on I came to regret! We dashed off to the hospital and managed to park easily before taking our seats in the Integrated Surgery waiting room. The consultant that Keith was seeing was running forty minutes late and we eventually went in to see him at just after 5pm.
Everything was fine, he said, and the results from the CT scan were clear which was a great relief to us all. He examined Keith's tummy because he still has a lump on the scar but said it wasn't a worry but that they could do something about it at a later date. He then said we needed to book another CT scan for July and a chest x-ray in the Autumn.
By now it was about 5.30pm and I was beginning to regret leaving Mike at home as we had planned on going to The Lamplighter for a meal and we had to drive all the way back home to get Mike and then back into town again!
We had a lovely meal at the pub and we were there for the start of the weekly quiz. We enjoyed garlic bread to start followed by nachos and beef for Mike, chilli con carne for me, fish and chips for Keith (what a surprise!) and a beefburger for Sophie. We shared two desserts of chocolate brownie and a sticky toffee pudding and Keith and Mike had a good few pints over the course of the evening!
Back home it was into comfy clothes and Wednesday's episode of Masterchef!
Mike had to go and see the manager of the pub he's going to be working at, so I collected him from college and we drove over to the village not far from where we live. I urged him to try and be quick as I really wanted to go to the hospital with Keith and luckily he was out within half an hour.
We sped home and picked up Keith and Sophie but Mike elected to stay at home, which later on I came to regret! We dashed off to the hospital and managed to park easily before taking our seats in the Integrated Surgery waiting room. The consultant that Keith was seeing was running forty minutes late and we eventually went in to see him at just after 5pm.
Everything was fine, he said, and the results from the CT scan were clear which was a great relief to us all. He examined Keith's tummy because he still has a lump on the scar but said it wasn't a worry but that they could do something about it at a later date. He then said we needed to book another CT scan for July and a chest x-ray in the Autumn.
By now it was about 5.30pm and I was beginning to regret leaving Mike at home as we had planned on going to The Lamplighter for a meal and we had to drive all the way back home to get Mike and then back into town again!
We had a lovely meal at the pub and we were there for the start of the weekly quiz. We enjoyed garlic bread to start followed by nachos and beef for Mike, chilli con carne for me, fish and chips for Keith (what a surprise!) and a beefburger for Sophie. We shared two desserts of chocolate brownie and a sticky toffee pudding and Keith and Mike had a good few pints over the course of the evening!
Back home it was into comfy clothes and Wednesday's episode of Masterchef!
Tuesday 18 April 2017
To the rescue!
It's been a beautiful day today with lots of sunshine and blue skies. Keith and I had some things to sort out this morning so I didn't garden with Sue. After we'd done what we had to do, we popped over to the Weston Favell Centre and Sophie treated me to a Flat White and a crispy chocolate cornflake cake in Costa. We popped into Tesco and Wilco's as Sophie needed to buy a birthday present for a friend.
Back home it was time for lunch and all four of us sat down in the conservatory to enjoy some sandwiches. I can't remember the last time that happened! After lunch I asked Keith to re-hang my pictures in the hallway and I started to do some housework. Sue was due around for a cup of tea later in the afternoon but then she called me to say that her car had eaten her keys and could I go and rescue her from the house in Arthingworth?
Sophie and I went out and reunited her with her spare keys. It was such a glorious day today and the countryside was looking its beautiful best. I do love this time of year!
Back home Sue came around for tea and cake and we had a chat. After she'd gone I finished hoovering and we popped to the Co-op in Brixworth to buy some beer and Cava so we could sit and enjoy a game of cards in the evening!
Back home it was time for lunch and all four of us sat down in the conservatory to enjoy some sandwiches. I can't remember the last time that happened! After lunch I asked Keith to re-hang my pictures in the hallway and I started to do some housework. Sue was due around for a cup of tea later in the afternoon but then she called me to say that her car had eaten her keys and could I go and rescue her from the house in Arthingworth?
Sophie and I went out and reunited her with her spare keys. It was such a glorious day today and the countryside was looking its beautiful best. I do love this time of year!
Back home Sue came around for tea and cake and we had a chat. After she'd gone I finished hoovering and we popped to the Co-op in Brixworth to buy some beer and Cava so we could sit and enjoy a game of cards in the evening!
Monday 17 April 2017
Almost finished!
It's typical that this weekend, a Bank Holiday, has been cool and cloudy yet last week it was glorious with temperatures of 25c!
I certainly picked the best days to paint and today has been overcast and chilly with showers of rain all day. Keith and Sophie went for a walk again and I made a start on the painting on the landing. When Sophie returned she worked in her bedroom to keep me company and put on the Florida playlist for me as entertainment.
I worked steadily until about 2pm and managed to do all the paintwork and doors except Mike's. I will do his door when he's out for the day! Again, I was really pleased with the result especially as there were quite a few scuff marks on the door frames and our bedroom door looked very yellow once I'd started painting it brilliant white. It all looked so much cleaner and fresher. Now I just need to get some pictures onto the walls and a new lampshade. We're also planning on getting a new hand rail and putting up family pictures as you go up the stairs. One day it will all be finished!
Keith went to see Sileby play and came home a bit despondent as they had lost and had even scored two own goals which was disappointing. The football season will soon be over until August so no more peaceful Saturday afternoons for a while!
Keith and I dashed off to get some diesel in the afternoon and I was surprised at how chilly it was! Brrr! We are still putting the heating on for a little while in the evening and frost has been forecast for the chilly mornings. Spring is still being a bit temperamental!
I certainly picked the best days to paint and today has been overcast and chilly with showers of rain all day. Keith and Sophie went for a walk again and I made a start on the painting on the landing. When Sophie returned she worked in her bedroom to keep me company and put on the Florida playlist for me as entertainment.
I worked steadily until about 2pm and managed to do all the paintwork and doors except Mike's. I will do his door when he's out for the day! Again, I was really pleased with the result especially as there were quite a few scuff marks on the door frames and our bedroom door looked very yellow once I'd started painting it brilliant white. It all looked so much cleaner and fresher. Now I just need to get some pictures onto the walls and a new lampshade. We're also planning on getting a new hand rail and putting up family pictures as you go up the stairs. One day it will all be finished!
Keith went to see Sileby play and came home a bit despondent as they had lost and had even scored two own goals which was disappointing. The football season will soon be over until August so no more peaceful Saturday afternoons for a while!
Keith and I dashed off to get some diesel in the afternoon and I was surprised at how chilly it was! Brrr! We are still putting the heating on for a little while in the evening and frost has been forecast for the chilly mornings. Spring is still being a bit temperamental!
Sunday 16 April 2017
Finally...I make a start!
Dad called me last night to ask me to help him out with an online order, but I was determined to make an early start on the painting so I put him off. However, this morning, feeling a bit guilty I phoned to say that when Keith and Sophie returned from their walk we would pop over, pick up the Sunday papers and call in.
I did make a start, though, by hoovering the hallway and washing all the paintwork and putting down some masking tape to protect the carpet, as I am the world's messiest painter! I'd already painted two sections of skirting board by the time my husband and daughter returned from their walk and we went to see Mum and Dad straight away.
My Dad wanted to order some batteries for his model aeroplanes online but was having great difficulty so I resorted to having a chat with one of their customer service staff. The problem was that Dad's old address was still on his account so once that was changed everything worked perfectly and Dad was delighted that he was able to place his order.
Back home I resumed painting and did all the doors, frames and skirting boards. I did make a mess, as usual, but I was really pleased with how it all looked when I finished! Hooray! Just upstairs to do now!
I did make a start, though, by hoovering the hallway and washing all the paintwork and putting down some masking tape to protect the carpet, as I am the world's messiest painter! I'd already painted two sections of skirting board by the time my husband and daughter returned from their walk and we went to see Mum and Dad straight away.
My Dad wanted to order some batteries for his model aeroplanes online but was having great difficulty so I resorted to having a chat with one of their customer service staff. The problem was that Dad's old address was still on his account so once that was changed everything worked perfectly and Dad was delighted that he was able to place his order.
Back home I resumed painting and did all the doors, frames and skirting boards. I did make a mess, as usual, but I was really pleased with how it all looked when I finished! Hooray! Just upstairs to do now!
Saturday 15 April 2017
Getting (some) things done!
Today has been another quiet, uneventful Saturday and I decided to put off the painting until tomorrow as by the time we'd dropped Sophie off at work and popped to the post office, it was past 10am. That was my excuse anyway!
After breakfast I prepared Coq au Vin for dinner and made a batch of chocolate, walnut and banana muffins. Minutes after I'd taken them out, Mum and Dad came around for a cup of tea and we had a good chat.
After they'd gone, Keith went to a football match and I decided to tackle some of Mike's old toys that we're planning on selling at the garage sale next month. I washed them and sorted them into different groups, i.e. dinosaurs, old cars, animals and soldiers. There were so many of them and some of them were covered in a red gloop which was a bit nasty! I have no idea what it was but it looked like something out of a sci-fi film!
I managed to get through two big boxes and then had a nap on the sofa until Keith returned. Together we went to pick up both Mike (who had been out at a party last night and had spent the day with mates) and Sophie.
My Coq au Vin was very good and after we'd eaten we watched the first episode of the first series of True Detective again as there was nothing else to watch on television!
After breakfast I prepared Coq au Vin for dinner and made a batch of chocolate, walnut and banana muffins. Minutes after I'd taken them out, Mum and Dad came around for a cup of tea and we had a good chat.
After they'd gone, Keith went to a football match and I decided to tackle some of Mike's old toys that we're planning on selling at the garage sale next month. I washed them and sorted them into different groups, i.e. dinosaurs, old cars, animals and soldiers. There were so many of them and some of them were covered in a red gloop which was a bit nasty! I have no idea what it was but it looked like something out of a sci-fi film!
I managed to get through two big boxes and then had a nap on the sofa until Keith returned. Together we went to pick up both Mike (who had been out at a party last night and had spent the day with mates) and Sophie.
My Coq au Vin was very good and after we'd eaten we watched the first episode of the first series of True Detective again as there was nothing else to watch on television!
Friday 14 April 2017
A lazy end to the week.
I love Easter because I get four days off, I can eat chocolate eggs and normally the weather is fairly decent!
I did some ironing this morning and Sarah popped around to see me after I'd done the gardening for her. Liam was also with her but he was busy fixing things at the house and had asked to borrow a hacksaw. I do miss having them as neighbours and I wonder who will be next to rent their house?
I spent most of the rest of today doing very little and didn't feel guilty at all! Mike went into town to meet some friends at midday and Sophie and I took him before coming back to have some lunch. The weather has been a bit disappointing today - lots of cloud and grey skies accompanied by a chilly little wind. Tomorrow is supposed to be the best day of the whole Easter weekend.
Keith went to the pub in the evening and Sophie and I caught up with Masterchef that we'd recorded last night. We love seeing the new people arrive and commenting on their cooking! I would never dream of putting myself through the ordeal they go through on the show and think they're very brave!
Dinner tonight was fish and chips as it's Good Friday and the place in Broughton wasn't as packed as I thought it would be. Some traditions are hard to shake off!
I did some ironing this morning and Sarah popped around to see me after I'd done the gardening for her. Liam was also with her but he was busy fixing things at the house and had asked to borrow a hacksaw. I do miss having them as neighbours and I wonder who will be next to rent their house?
I spent most of the rest of today doing very little and didn't feel guilty at all! Mike went into town to meet some friends at midday and Sophie and I took him before coming back to have some lunch. The weather has been a bit disappointing today - lots of cloud and grey skies accompanied by a chilly little wind. Tomorrow is supposed to be the best day of the whole Easter weekend.
Keith went to the pub in the evening and Sophie and I caught up with Masterchef that we'd recorded last night. We love seeing the new people arrive and commenting on their cooking! I would never dream of putting myself through the ordeal they go through on the show and think they're very brave!
Dinner tonight was fish and chips as it's Good Friday and the place in Broughton wasn't as packed as I thought it would be. Some traditions are hard to shake off!
Thursday 13 April 2017
A busy day!
Keith and I were up and out early this morning as we wanted to get the shopping done before it got too late. We were done and back by 10am and after unpacking and grabbing a bite to eat we took Sophie into uni. First of all though, she had to pop into work as they were doling a DBS check for her and we had to photocopy her passport and birth certificate.
Back home we changed into our old gardening clothes and headed next door, accompanied by Monty cat. Keith took quite a while to mow the long grass while I weeded the patio and the borders. Mark, our friendly window-cleaner, also arrived as Sarah had asked him to wash all the guttering and soffits.
While we were working away, Sarah arrived as I think they had a viewing. We had a chat and then it was back to work! Thankfully today has been dry but cool and cloudy, perfect for gardening! By the time we'd finished everything was beginning to look lovely again. Mark had made an excellent job of the windows and all the guttering, the garden looked lovely and we'd disposed of the dead squirrel that was in a dustbin and buried it under the trees! The robin had been with us all the time and loved looking for little grubs and worms!
Keith took Mike to an interview at a local pub and when they returned he said he had to go back next week to meet the manager. Hooray! It would be great if Mike was earning some money!
I just had time to go home, eat some chocolate from one of my Easter eggs and go and pick Sophie up from uni. When we arrived back home it was time for a long bath and a snooze on the bed while watching Pointless. Bliss!
Back home we changed into our old gardening clothes and headed next door, accompanied by Monty cat. Keith took quite a while to mow the long grass while I weeded the patio and the borders. Mark, our friendly window-cleaner, also arrived as Sarah had asked him to wash all the guttering and soffits.
While we were working away, Sarah arrived as I think they had a viewing. We had a chat and then it was back to work! Thankfully today has been dry but cool and cloudy, perfect for gardening! By the time we'd finished everything was beginning to look lovely again. Mark had made an excellent job of the windows and all the guttering, the garden looked lovely and we'd disposed of the dead squirrel that was in a dustbin and buried it under the trees! The robin had been with us all the time and loved looking for little grubs and worms!
Keith took Mike to an interview at a local pub and when they returned he said he had to go back next week to meet the manager. Hooray! It would be great if Mike was earning some money!
I just had time to go home, eat some chocolate from one of my Easter eggs and go and pick Sophie up from uni. When we arrived back home it was time for a long bath and a snooze on the bed while watching Pointless. Bliss!
Wednesday 12 April 2017
Life's little bonuses...
I felt a bit weary this morning but I was looking forward to going to the CAB and catching up with Gill and Frank as last week I'd been in London. I met Frank again as I came out of the car park and we had a chat before he went off and did some shopping. I went to Costa and treated myself to a Flat White and a chocolate twist, along with an egg and cress sandwich for my lunch. Keith and Sophie had gone for a walk before I'd even left the house this morning so my sandwich chef hadn't prepared me anything!
We had a quiet day today, probably because of Easter looming and the fact it was the school holidays. We did have a few sad cases in today, though, and it made me realise how lucky I am. After the session I sped home and relaxed with Sophie and Keith in the conservatory. Sophie was supposed to be going out tonight with some friends from work but she really wasn't in the mood, so she cancelled. It was great news for me and meant we could watch Masterchef live! Little things...!
We had a quiet day today, probably because of Easter looming and the fact it was the school holidays. We did have a few sad cases in today, though, and it made me realise how lucky I am. After the session I sped home and relaxed with Sophie and Keith in the conservatory. Sophie was supposed to be going out tonight with some friends from work but she really wasn't in the mood, so she cancelled. It was great news for me and meant we could watch Masterchef live! Little things...!
Tuesday 11 April 2017
A little scratch...
This morning I met Sue at the house at Arthingworth but I was a little early, prompting some suspicious looks from the man who lived in the house at the start of their drive! We started work on weeding the garden and stayed at the house until 11.30am. We were accompanied by the little black cat and when I went to throw some branches onto the bonfire heap, the chickens all came rushing towards me thinking I had some food for them!
I then went to their house in Brixworth and swept the driveway, path and one of the rear patios before going home and having a hot shower. It had been a hard morning's work! The weather today has been a bit overcast but the sun did appear in the afternoon and it did make me wonder how I would be if it got really hot. I do not work well in the heat!
We picked Sophie up from uni and I popped down to Halfords on Riverside as I had, unfortunately, scratched my car as I'd swung it into the drive... Keith said that we could buy some wet and dry sandpaper and some paint to repair it. I was very annoyed with myself. When confronted with all the paints and shades available, we decided to go home and research the exact colour I needed properly!
I then went to their house in Brixworth and swept the driveway, path and one of the rear patios before going home and having a hot shower. It had been a hard morning's work! The weather today has been a bit overcast but the sun did appear in the afternoon and it did make me wonder how I would be if it got really hot. I do not work well in the heat!
We picked Sophie up from uni and I popped down to Halfords on Riverside as I had, unfortunately, scratched my car as I'd swung it into the drive... Keith said that we could buy some wet and dry sandpaper and some paint to repair it. I was very annoyed with myself. When confronted with all the paints and shades available, we decided to go home and research the exact colour I needed properly!
Monday 10 April 2017
The start of another week!
Sophie, bizarrely, was back at uni today after having two weeks off, despite the fact that it's Easter at the end of this week... Anyway, we dropped her off, popped to Aldi and then went for our appointment at the bank as Keith wanted a second credit card. The woman who saw us used to use the Nursery we ran for her daughter who is now friends with Mike (and the same age), so we chatted about how fast time flies and what they were doing now.
Back home I had a quick bite to eat and then Keith and I worked on next door's garden which had been neglected by the tenants over the winter and needed weeding very badly! Today has been much cooler and cloudier but I didn't mind as it was hard work and if it had been too hot it would have been a bit unpleasant. Monty accompanied us and the robin made an appearance as well, no doubt on the hunt for worms! I cleared a lot of weeds from the gravel outside the window and generally tidied everything up while Keith cut the grass. I managed to sweep the path leading to the back garden and was very pleased when we'd finished for the day. I will do the back garden with Keith on Thursday afternoon.
We went to pick Soph up and drove to the Weston Favell Centre as I needed to get some bits in Tesco and Sophie had to go to the bank. It was great to finally get home after all the toing and froing and look forward to Keith's Shepherd's Pie for dinner!
Back home I had a quick bite to eat and then Keith and I worked on next door's garden which had been neglected by the tenants over the winter and needed weeding very badly! Today has been much cooler and cloudier but I didn't mind as it was hard work and if it had been too hot it would have been a bit unpleasant. Monty accompanied us and the robin made an appearance as well, no doubt on the hunt for worms! I cleared a lot of weeds from the gravel outside the window and generally tidied everything up while Keith cut the grass. I managed to sweep the path leading to the back garden and was very pleased when we'd finished for the day. I will do the back garden with Keith on Thursday afternoon.
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We went to pick Soph up and drove to the Weston Favell Centre as I needed to get some bits in Tesco and Sophie had to go to the bank. It was great to finally get home after all the toing and froing and look forward to Keith's Shepherd's Pie for dinner!
Sunday 9 April 2017
Sunny Sunday
Keith and Sophie went for a long walk this morning but I opted to stay at home, do the ironing, peel the veg for dinner and make a start on the front garden.
It's been another glorious day with warm temperatures and lots of sunshine. I was weeding the garden when Keith and Sophie came back and had managed to dig up the flowering plant (Hellebore) that Sue had given me. I put it into a wheelbarrow and gave it a good water before leaving it in our sheltered gravel garden.
Working on the front garden is certainly a sociable experience and a lot of people were out and about enjoying the sunshine! Mike called to ask me to pick him up so Sophie and I drove to Brixworth and picked him up. He said he wanted to have a hot shower and then go into town this afternoon!
After getting back home I washed my car and by now it felt really very warm. I keep forgetting it's only April! Sophie and I were due to go out with Mum at 2pm so I had a shower and we left to pick her up. The temperature was showing 25c...phew! When we arrived at Mum's house she showed me the new kitchen worktops she'd had fitted as well as her new sink. It all looked very smart and made the kitchen look new and much brighter! The old worktops were horrible and she had hated them right from day one, she said, so she was very pleased with the new light wood and the cream tiles.
We went to farndon Fields but I took a very convoluted way to get there! We had a lovely cup of tea and a slice of Victoria Sponge cake while Sophie tucked into a sandwich with potato wedges. Afterwards we had a look at the plants and saw these:
I mean...why? Who buys these things? And who makes them to sell?
We resisted the urge to buy the lovely food and drove home in the gorgeous sunshine. When we arrived back I could smell the waft of barbecues in the air!
We had decided to have roast leg of lamb for dinner, but although the temperatures had been high during the day, they soon dropped in the evening so it wasn't too much of a bad idea!
It's been another glorious day with warm temperatures and lots of sunshine. I was weeding the garden when Keith and Sophie came back and had managed to dig up the flowering plant (Hellebore) that Sue had given me. I put it into a wheelbarrow and gave it a good water before leaving it in our sheltered gravel garden.
Working on the front garden is certainly a sociable experience and a lot of people were out and about enjoying the sunshine! Mike called to ask me to pick him up so Sophie and I drove to Brixworth and picked him up. He said he wanted to have a hot shower and then go into town this afternoon!
After getting back home I washed my car and by now it felt really very warm. I keep forgetting it's only April! Sophie and I were due to go out with Mum at 2pm so I had a shower and we left to pick her up. The temperature was showing 25c...phew! When we arrived at Mum's house she showed me the new kitchen worktops she'd had fitted as well as her new sink. It all looked very smart and made the kitchen look new and much brighter! The old worktops were horrible and she had hated them right from day one, she said, so she was very pleased with the new light wood and the cream tiles.
We went to farndon Fields but I took a very convoluted way to get there! We had a lovely cup of tea and a slice of Victoria Sponge cake while Sophie tucked into a sandwich with potato wedges. Afterwards we had a look at the plants and saw these:
I mean...why? Who buys these things? And who makes them to sell?
We resisted the urge to buy the lovely food and drove home in the gorgeous sunshine. When we arrived back I could smell the waft of barbecues in the air!
We had decided to have roast leg of lamb for dinner, but although the temperatures had been high during the day, they soon dropped in the evening so it wasn't too much of a bad idea!
Saturday 8 April 2017
Garage clear out!
Keith went for a walk early this morning, before we took Sophie to work. I did a pile of ironing as I wanted to get it out of the way so we could concentrate on clearing out the garage today, in readiness for the village garage sale which is taking place in May.
When we returned from dropping Sophie off at work, we had breakfast (my favourite - tomatoes and bacon mopped up with bread) and then got to work. It was a horribly dirty job as all the things we had stored in the rafters of the garage were covered in a thick layer of dust. I'd already filled the boot of my car with cardboard, old clothes and various other bits of junk so we took that and then made a start on the loads and loads of wood that Keith had kept over the years, "just in case they came in useful for something." They were covered in dust so I had to brush it all off before I put the planks into my car!
Just as we were getting all of Mike's old toys down from the rafters, he appeared and started going through them all...not really what I wanted as he kept exclaiming that he didn't want anything thrown away. Well, tough! If it wasn't saleable, it was going into a black bag and going to the tip!
Mike was off to see friends in Brixworth and was all ready to go so I said I would give him a lift with the second load for the tip, if he would give me a hand unloading it all. He did, but he became slightly dusty in the process, which didn't go down too well!
I dropped him off after he'd brushed himself down and headed home to put more stuff into the boot of my car, including an old carpet that we had stored for 16 years and more rubbish. Keith went off to have a shower as he was going to the football and I made a start on cleaning up the stuff that we planned to sell next month, namely DVDs, CDs, old Playstation games and some beautiful crystal vases that I just didn't want any more.
After Keith had departed for his football match, I had some lunch and carried on with my cleaning before going and having a quick bath. When I'd returned from the last trip to the tip there was a cycle race going on in the village so I'd decided to make my last visit a bit later as it was like the blooming Tour de France!
As I was putting the last few things into the boot I said hello to Sue who was doing her own garden. She mentioned that the cutting of a hellebore she'd given me the other week wasn't doing so well (it actually looked half dead) where it was in our front garden and suggested I move it to a more shady spot and give it a good drenching!
Thankfully, the Tour de France had finished so I sped off to the tip and returned to tidy up and hoover the downstairs of the house before Keith came home. He watched the Grand National (I couldn't bear to see it after my horse, Definitly Red, was pulled up), but we didn't have any winners. I am never lucky in this race and I don't know why I bother to have a bet!
I hoovered out the boot of my car and then went to pick Sophie up from work while Keith watched Newcastle play. When Sophie and I got home she decided to open the bottle of Champagne I'd bought for her and we had a very pleasant evening playing cards in the conservatory and sipping the fizz! After dinner we watched The Girl on the Train and very good it was too!
When we returned from dropping Sophie off at work, we had breakfast (my favourite - tomatoes and bacon mopped up with bread) and then got to work. It was a horribly dirty job as all the things we had stored in the rafters of the garage were covered in a thick layer of dust. I'd already filled the boot of my car with cardboard, old clothes and various other bits of junk so we took that and then made a start on the loads and loads of wood that Keith had kept over the years, "just in case they came in useful for something." They were covered in dust so I had to brush it all off before I put the planks into my car!
Just as we were getting all of Mike's old toys down from the rafters, he appeared and started going through them all...not really what I wanted as he kept exclaiming that he didn't want anything thrown away. Well, tough! If it wasn't saleable, it was going into a black bag and going to the tip!
Mike was off to see friends in Brixworth and was all ready to go so I said I would give him a lift with the second load for the tip, if he would give me a hand unloading it all. He did, but he became slightly dusty in the process, which didn't go down too well!
I dropped him off after he'd brushed himself down and headed home to put more stuff into the boot of my car, including an old carpet that we had stored for 16 years and more rubbish. Keith went off to have a shower as he was going to the football and I made a start on cleaning up the stuff that we planned to sell next month, namely DVDs, CDs, old Playstation games and some beautiful crystal vases that I just didn't want any more.
After Keith had departed for his football match, I had some lunch and carried on with my cleaning before going and having a quick bath. When I'd returned from the last trip to the tip there was a cycle race going on in the village so I'd decided to make my last visit a bit later as it was like the blooming Tour de France!
As I was putting the last few things into the boot I said hello to Sue who was doing her own garden. She mentioned that the cutting of a hellebore she'd given me the other week wasn't doing so well (it actually looked half dead) where it was in our front garden and suggested I move it to a more shady spot and give it a good drenching!
Thankfully, the Tour de France had finished so I sped off to the tip and returned to tidy up and hoover the downstairs of the house before Keith came home. He watched the Grand National (I couldn't bear to see it after my horse, Definitly Red, was pulled up), but we didn't have any winners. I am never lucky in this race and I don't know why I bother to have a bet!
I hoovered out the boot of my car and then went to pick Sophie up from work while Keith watched Newcastle play. When Sophie and I got home she decided to open the bottle of Champagne I'd bought for her and we had a very pleasant evening playing cards in the conservatory and sipping the fizz! After dinner we watched The Girl on the Train and very good it was too!
Friday 7 April 2017
Catching up!
It was great to have a free day today as I had a lot of catching up to do! I had to post some letters, pop to the post office and try and get a new monitor for my computer as my current one refuses to turn on in the morning! We'd swapped Keith's monitor for mine and it worked then, so I was really relieved it wasn't the computer itself.
We all went out mid-morning as Mike wanted to go to Brixworth so we dropped him off there and headed to the Weston Favell Centre. Tesco didn't have any computer monitors so we drove down to Riverside to Currys PC World...Keith asked if Dixons were still in business...er no!
I'd already looked online for a monitor but of course the one I wanted wasn't in stock! We left and went to the branch at St James retail park but they didn't have any either, although they did have a Dell monitor in stock for £140 which was more than we wanted to pay. I decided to head home and look online again and by now we were all ready for some lunch!
The cloudy skies turned blue in the afternoon and after lunch I found a monitor on Amazon for a more reasonable price and it included in-built speakers so I was pleased I hadn't ordered anything while we were out. It seems incredible that these huge stores have no stock of anything these days!
I spent the afternoon doing some study for the Citizens Advice (something I'd been putting off for a while!) and then I hoovered upstairs and Sophie and I sorted out our clothes for the holiday. I was ruthless and had a cull of garments that were way past their best and watched as Sophie tried on all her beautiful summer dresses. Our holiday is getting very close now and we're starting to get a bit excited!
We all went out mid-morning as Mike wanted to go to Brixworth so we dropped him off there and headed to the Weston Favell Centre. Tesco didn't have any computer monitors so we drove down to Riverside to Currys PC World...Keith asked if Dixons were still in business...er no!
I'd already looked online for a monitor but of course the one I wanted wasn't in stock! We left and went to the branch at St James retail park but they didn't have any either, although they did have a Dell monitor in stock for £140 which was more than we wanted to pay. I decided to head home and look online again and by now we were all ready for some lunch!
The cloudy skies turned blue in the afternoon and after lunch I found a monitor on Amazon for a more reasonable price and it included in-built speakers so I was pleased I hadn't ordered anything while we were out. It seems incredible that these huge stores have no stock of anything these days!
I spent the afternoon doing some study for the Citizens Advice (something I'd been putting off for a while!) and then I hoovered upstairs and Sophie and I sorted out our clothes for the holiday. I was ruthless and had a cull of garments that were way past their best and watched as Sophie tried on all her beautiful summer dresses. Our holiday is getting very close now and we're starting to get a bit excited!
Thursday 6 April 2017
Another busy day!
Today dawned beautifully sunny again and I went to work on a neighbour's garden for three hours. Sue was cleaning the house and before she went in she told me what needed to be done, which involved a lot of weeding and putting in some flowering plants to brighten up the space.
It was very pleasant to be out gardening in the sunshine and Monty kept me company. Sophie also popped along for a chat and brought me a cup of tea. The woman who owns the house was lovely and we had a chat about what I'd been doing before. She wasn't aware that I only lived a couple of doors down!
I finished at 12pm and after having a very quick shower, we went off to do our weekly shop. Thankfully we didn't have to get as much stuff today as we did last week and by 2pm we were home and eating leftover picnic foods from yesterday.
I met up with Sarah in the late afternoon as next door is being rented out and the garden was in a terrible state. I had offered to do it and she took me on a quick tour of the house. The previous tenants hadn't looked after it as well as they should have done and it was sad to see it looking a bit neglected and forlorn.
Before we had dinner, Maureen from work popped around to give Sophie her birthday present. She was full of the news about the play centre being in the news due to a staff member supposedly telling a disabled child that he could no longer play as he was whizzing about in his motorised wheelchair. A storm had erupted on Facebook on Tuesday afternoon and the complaints were still being posted onto the company's page. Some of the comments were horrible but I have to say the apology from the owners was pathetic and had angered people even more. I was just extremely glad we were no longer in charge, although I am sure we would have handled the situation in a different way!
It was very pleasant to be out gardening in the sunshine and Monty kept me company. Sophie also popped along for a chat and brought me a cup of tea. The woman who owns the house was lovely and we had a chat about what I'd been doing before. She wasn't aware that I only lived a couple of doors down!
I finished at 12pm and after having a very quick shower, we went off to do our weekly shop. Thankfully we didn't have to get as much stuff today as we did last week and by 2pm we were home and eating leftover picnic foods from yesterday.
I met up with Sarah in the late afternoon as next door is being rented out and the garden was in a terrible state. I had offered to do it and she took me on a quick tour of the house. The previous tenants hadn't looked after it as well as they should have done and it was sad to see it looking a bit neglected and forlorn.
Before we had dinner, Maureen from work popped around to give Sophie her birthday present. She was full of the news about the play centre being in the news due to a staff member supposedly telling a disabled child that he could no longer play as he was whizzing about in his motorised wheelchair. A storm had erupted on Facebook on Tuesday afternoon and the complaints were still being posted onto the company's page. Some of the comments were horrible but I have to say the apology from the owners was pathetic and had angered people even more. I was just extremely glad we were no longer in charge, although I am sure we would have handled the situation in a different way!
Wednesday 5 April 2017
London in the Spring sunshine
We were all up early this morning so that Sophie could open her presents before we left for London. She was delighted with our gifts and very happy with what Mike had bought her - a DVD boxset of the highlights of the first two seasons of Drake and Josh. She also received some delicious Cider from Sue and some beautiful earrings from Lynda. My parents had given her birthday money last night so I think she did very well!
We made up a picnic and left home at 9.30am. Just as we were about to drive onto the M1, we heard there'd been an accident and the traffic was stationary on the motorway. We decided to take the A508 instead and head to Milton Keynes where we could pick up the A5 which would take us all the way to Junction 9 of the M1. Not a brilliant start to the journey!
Once in London we became caught up in traffic again but we were soon through and heading towards Hyde Park. We'd done our homework this time and knew to turn onto Queen's Gate so we could drive straight into the park! There were numerous spaces available but we could only park for four hours, which was a bit of a pain.
We ate our picnic and were delighted to see that the weather was fine, dry and sunny. Just what we'd hoped for! Keith paid for four hours' parking and we set off into the park to walk next to the Serpentine. There were lots of people about enjoying the gorgeous sunshine.
Once out of the park we walked through the Wellington Arch and down Constitution Hill which was closed to traffic. We could hear bagpipes in the distance and there was a large gathering of people by the Canada Memorial opposite Buckingham Palace with the Canadian flag flying. We think it was some kind of war commemoration and there was a large police presence in the area.
Buckingham Palace was looking lovely in the sunshine and there were the usual crowds of tourists, as well as more police vans and armed guards on the gate.
It felt very strange with no traffic going past and we didn't know whether that was because of the recent terror attack or whether it was due to the gathering of people by the Memorial. The Mall was also devoid of traffic but we did see the occasional important looking car speed through the barriers! I would love to have known who was inside!
Trafalgar Square was packed with people and the waters by the fountains looked very inviting as it was quite warm in the sun.
There were lots of street entertainers, and crowds had gathered to watch them. We headed for the National Portrait Gallery and spent a good hour and a half looking at all the treasures on display, including Monet, Manet, Rubens, Rembrandt, Van Gogh and Constable. I even managed to find my favourite painting of Susanna At Her Bath which had been moved to another location within the building.
From Trafalgar Square we walked through St James's Park and Sophie treated us all to an ice-cream. The flowers in the park were gorgeous but unfortunately my mobile died as I'd been using it to take photos and also to chart our walk! Luckily Sophie took some beautiful pictures and will send them to me over the next few days so I can post them here.
Keith realised that we didn't have a lot of time to get back to the car before our ticket ran out so we had to walk very quickly! I didn't think it was that far but it was! We had to power back up Constitution Hill and then do a route march through Hyde Park to make it in time. We arrived back at the car at the exact time our ticket ran out!
Getting back onto the right road was a breeze and very soon we were heading towards Chiswick and the pub we'd chosen for Sophie's birthday meal, the George and Devonshire. Keith had been a bit worried that the pubs would be full as both Arsenal and Chelsea were playing at home, but the place had only a couple of men in and we took a seat by the window with our drinks.
It was lovely to sit and relax after our busy day and we were welcomed by the pub dog, Rosie who took an instant liking to Mike! We ordered food - garlic bread to start (although it arrived as a side order), burgers for Sophie and me, fish and chips for Keith and a chicken and ham pie for Mike.
The food was good but Rosie managed to finish off our burgers! The pub never became busier and the television screen stayed off so that was good. However, we were back on the road before the football had even started and we decided to head home via the M40 for a change.
Keith listened to the football in the car and after what seemed like a very short time we were turning off the M40 and onto the A43. We saw a few signs that the road was closed up ahead but we didn't take them seriously... It was only after we reached Silverstone that we realised that the northbound lane of the A43 was indeed closed so we had to find an alternative route through the dark countryside!
We finally arrived home at 9.30pm and Sophie said she'd had a fantastic day. What a relief!
We made up a picnic and left home at 9.30am. Just as we were about to drive onto the M1, we heard there'd been an accident and the traffic was stationary on the motorway. We decided to take the A508 instead and head to Milton Keynes where we could pick up the A5 which would take us all the way to Junction 9 of the M1. Not a brilliant start to the journey!
Once in London we became caught up in traffic again but we were soon through and heading towards Hyde Park. We'd done our homework this time and knew to turn onto Queen's Gate so we could drive straight into the park! There were numerous spaces available but we could only park for four hours, which was a bit of a pain.
We ate our picnic and were delighted to see that the weather was fine, dry and sunny. Just what we'd hoped for! Keith paid for four hours' parking and we set off into the park to walk next to the Serpentine. There were lots of people about enjoying the gorgeous sunshine.
Once out of the park we walked through the Wellington Arch and down Constitution Hill which was closed to traffic. We could hear bagpipes in the distance and there was a large gathering of people by the Canada Memorial opposite Buckingham Palace with the Canadian flag flying. We think it was some kind of war commemoration and there was a large police presence in the area.
Buckingham Palace was looking lovely in the sunshine and there were the usual crowds of tourists, as well as more police vans and armed guards on the gate.
It felt very strange with no traffic going past and we didn't know whether that was because of the recent terror attack or whether it was due to the gathering of people by the Memorial. The Mall was also devoid of traffic but we did see the occasional important looking car speed through the barriers! I would love to have known who was inside!
Trafalgar Square was packed with people and the waters by the fountains looked very inviting as it was quite warm in the sun.
There were lots of street entertainers, and crowds had gathered to watch them. We headed for the National Portrait Gallery and spent a good hour and a half looking at all the treasures on display, including Monet, Manet, Rubens, Rembrandt, Van Gogh and Constable. I even managed to find my favourite painting of Susanna At Her Bath which had been moved to another location within the building.
From Trafalgar Square we walked through St James's Park and Sophie treated us all to an ice-cream. The flowers in the park were gorgeous but unfortunately my mobile died as I'd been using it to take photos and also to chart our walk! Luckily Sophie took some beautiful pictures and will send them to me over the next few days so I can post them here.
Keith realised that we didn't have a lot of time to get back to the car before our ticket ran out so we had to walk very quickly! I didn't think it was that far but it was! We had to power back up Constitution Hill and then do a route march through Hyde Park to make it in time. We arrived back at the car at the exact time our ticket ran out!
Getting back onto the right road was a breeze and very soon we were heading towards Chiswick and the pub we'd chosen for Sophie's birthday meal, the George and Devonshire. Keith had been a bit worried that the pubs would be full as both Arsenal and Chelsea were playing at home, but the place had only a couple of men in and we took a seat by the window with our drinks.
It was lovely to sit and relax after our busy day and we were welcomed by the pub dog, Rosie who took an instant liking to Mike! We ordered food - garlic bread to start (although it arrived as a side order), burgers for Sophie and me, fish and chips for Keith and a chicken and ham pie for Mike.
The food was good but Rosie managed to finish off our burgers! The pub never became busier and the television screen stayed off so that was good. However, we were back on the road before the football had even started and we decided to head home via the M40 for a change.
Keith listened to the football in the car and after what seemed like a very short time we were turning off the M40 and onto the A43. We saw a few signs that the road was closed up ahead but we didn't take them seriously... It was only after we reached Silverstone that we realised that the northbound lane of the A43 was indeed closed so we had to find an alternative route through the dark countryside!
We finally arrived home at 9.30pm and Sophie said she'd had a fantastic day. What a relief!
Tuesday 4 April 2017
Pre-Birthday celebrations!
I had to make a mercy dash to Sue's husband's work this morning to deliver his work and personal mobiles and then I drove to Brixworth to meet Sue who had started work on the garden of a beautiful house we're looking after. I swept the drive and weeded the path while Sue weeded the border and then we moved to the back of the house to do more weeding in the extensive gardens.
We were there for three hours and it was bliss to get home, drink a very large mug of tea and see my friend Lynda who had popped around to give Sophie her birthday present. We had a chat and after she'd left Sophie and I ran Mike into town and stopped at McDonald's for a treat on the way home. I think after my hard work of this morning that I deserved it!
When we arrived back Keith asked if we'd bought today's paper and of course, I'd forgotten! We went out again and by the time we eventually returned home I was more than ready for a hot soak in the bath and a change of clothes!
Keith suggested we go to the pub for a quick drink in the evening but it had to be quick as my parents were due around at 7.30pm for Sophie's celebration Birthday dinner! We went to the pub in Old and had a couple of drinks sitting at the bar (our favourite place was already taken) and chatted to some regulars. Mike contacted us and we told him we were at the pub so he took the bus and joined us for the last fifteen minutes.
Back home it was a mad rush to get the table set and do last minute tidying before Mum and Dad arrived. I felt shattered and it was great to finally sit down and eat our meal of cottage pie with veggies followed by Sophie's ice-cream cake!
We were there for three hours and it was bliss to get home, drink a very large mug of tea and see my friend Lynda who had popped around to give Sophie her birthday present. We had a chat and after she'd left Sophie and I ran Mike into town and stopped at McDonald's for a treat on the way home. I think after my hard work of this morning that I deserved it!
When we arrived back Keith asked if we'd bought today's paper and of course, I'd forgotten! We went out again and by the time we eventually returned home I was more than ready for a hot soak in the bath and a change of clothes!
Keith suggested we go to the pub for a quick drink in the evening but it had to be quick as my parents were due around at 7.30pm for Sophie's celebration Birthday dinner! We went to the pub in Old and had a couple of drinks sitting at the bar (our favourite place was already taken) and chatted to some regulars. Mike contacted us and we told him we were at the pub so he took the bus and joined us for the last fifteen minutes.
Back home it was a mad rush to get the table set and do last minute tidying before Mum and Dad arrived. I felt shattered and it was great to finally sit down and eat our meal of cottage pie with veggies followed by Sophie's ice-cream cake!
Monday 3 April 2017
A very busy day!
Sophie went into uni today to see a woman about her options when she finishes her degree next year. She wants to do a Law Conversion course and needed to find more out about it and what she had to do. We dropped her off and went to Jones's to get some bits and bobs, which included a mug for her Birthday with "Crazy Cat Lady" printed on the side. Very apt!
From Jones's we went to Boots and I bought her three Soap and Glory shower products and then we scooted off to Tesco where I did the rest of my Birthday shopping - a bottle of Tequila, one of Triple Sec, Champagne and a DVD of "Girl on the Train." As it was £20 for two bottles of spirits in the supermarket I treated myself to a bottle of Vodka as well!
We returned home and I put all her presents into a pretty bag and a box. Mike wanted to get his hair cut so we trooped off to Kettering and dropped him off at the barber's. Keith and I went to Costa Coffee and had a tea and a Flat White and just as we were finishing Mike arrived with much shorter, and neater, hair!
We headed home and on the way called to see Mum and Dad who were still sorting through hundreds of photographs. I took home a really cute one of me when I was toddling and smelling the roses in our garden!
We drove home and headed out again half an hour later to get Sophie from uni. It's certainly been a busy day!
From Jones's we went to Boots and I bought her three Soap and Glory shower products and then we scooted off to Tesco where I did the rest of my Birthday shopping - a bottle of Tequila, one of Triple Sec, Champagne and a DVD of "Girl on the Train." As it was £20 for two bottles of spirits in the supermarket I treated myself to a bottle of Vodka as well!
We returned home and I put all her presents into a pretty bag and a box. Mike wanted to get his hair cut so we trooped off to Kettering and dropped him off at the barber's. Keith and I went to Costa Coffee and had a tea and a Flat White and just as we were finishing Mike arrived with much shorter, and neater, hair!
We headed home and on the way called to see Mum and Dad who were still sorting through hundreds of photographs. I took home a really cute one of me when I was toddling and smelling the roses in our garden!
We drove home and headed out again half an hour later to get Sophie from uni. It's certainly been a busy day!
Sunday 2 April 2017
Working in my own garden!
Keith went for a long walk this morning so Sophie and I went to fetch the Sunday papers and made breakfast when he returned. I also made Sophie's ice-cream birthday cake and decorated it with tiny marshmallows, popping candy and chocolate stars. I'm hoping she will love it!
The weather today has been overcast but dry and I was able to get out into the garden, mow the grass and generally have a tidy up. The robin was never far away and loved it when I started to hoe the border as he could have a good look for worms!
Next week is going to be very busy indeed and I have a feeling it will fly by as we have something on every day. We did manage to sit in the garden for a short while in the afternoon and relax a bit! When it became a bit too chilly to sit out I went inside and ordered a Birthday card for Sophie with Funky Pigeon and tried my hardest to make a video for her 21st on Wednesday. The actual putting together of the video was fine, it was adding music to it that I had difficulty with!
The weather today has been overcast but dry and I was able to get out into the garden, mow the grass and generally have a tidy up. The robin was never far away and loved it when I started to hoe the border as he could have a good look for worms!
Next week is going to be very busy indeed and I have a feeling it will fly by as we have something on every day. We did manage to sit in the garden for a short while in the afternoon and relax a bit! When it became a bit too chilly to sit out I went inside and ordered a Birthday card for Sophie with Funky Pigeon and tried my hardest to make a video for her 21st on Wednesday. The actual putting together of the video was fine, it was adding music to it that I had difficulty with!
Saturday 1 April 2017
An unexpected slog!
After dropping Sophie off at work this morning, we walked up with Mike to the neighbour's garden that he was working on. He didn't want us to stick around so we left him to it and returned home for coffee and breakfast.
After about an hour we went back to check on him and I realised straight away that he was never going to finish within the next hour. Sue wanted Keith and Mike to lop three big branches off a tree in the garden so the boys did that and then Keith and I had no choice but to help Mike start cutting up all the branches so we could get them into the skip bags. It was hard work! Keith and I cut the branches up into manageable lengths and I also raked up all the twigs and leaves on the ground so we would leave it tidy after we'd finished. I estimated that between us we did around five hours.
Sue was obviously aware of this and Elizabeth, who owns the house, came out to say she would pop around later with some more money for Mike, which was very decent of her. We finished up and thankfully left three huge skip bags for the owners to take to the tip!
Keith and Mike went out in the afternoon and I pottered about enjoying the sunshine and blue skies. I had planned on doing my own garden but after the morning's efforts I think I'll leave that until tomorrow!
After about an hour we went back to check on him and I realised straight away that he was never going to finish within the next hour. Sue wanted Keith and Mike to lop three big branches off a tree in the garden so the boys did that and then Keith and I had no choice but to help Mike start cutting up all the branches so we could get them into the skip bags. It was hard work! Keith and I cut the branches up into manageable lengths and I also raked up all the twigs and leaves on the ground so we would leave it tidy after we'd finished. I estimated that between us we did around five hours.
Sue was obviously aware of this and Elizabeth, who owns the house, came out to say she would pop around later with some more money for Mike, which was very decent of her. We finished up and thankfully left three huge skip bags for the owners to take to the tip!
Keith and Mike went out in the afternoon and I pottered about enjoying the sunshine and blue skies. I had planned on doing my own garden but after the morning's efforts I think I'll leave that until tomorrow!
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